End of life regulation and the role of government agencies in health education

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Although I am on vacation this week, I could not resist posting this blog in response to the media frenzy created yesterday as it relates to the proposed “end of life” regulation. The main reason as to why I felt so compelled to blog on this topic is the immoral actions taken by national media in labeling it “death panels”. The proposed new regulation speaks to “end of life issues” where a licensed independent practitioner will be entitled to reimbursement when it is addressed during the course of a consultation. That’s it. No pulling the plug on “grandma” or anyone else.

I recognize that “end of life” is a very sensitive topic subject to cultural, personal, ethical and religious belief. The purpose of this blog is not to offer any position on the right or wrong of sustaining life or withdrawal of life support. The purpose is to educate, those who care to read my blog, that the proposed new regulation is NOT about “death panels’ and to please help me disseminate the right information.

In a television broadcast from December 27^th, 2010, Dr Betsy McCaughey said “Government shouldn't be making brochures and videos about these decisions”. Excuse me Dr. McCaughey but I would like to invite you and your colleagues to review the United States Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS, 2010) website which clearly explains why certain government agencies should and have a responsibility to educate the public. The USDHHS mission is to “enhance the health and well-being of Americans by providing for effective health and human services and by fostering sound, sustained advances in the sciences underlying medicine, public health, and social services.” There are many ways to provide effective health and human services and within the public health domain, educating our fellow Americans with evidence-based information is certainly part of it. In other words, I disagree with her statement that government should not be making brochures and I would argue that it is part of the public health responsibilities of any government to educate its population. Knowledge does not belong on book shelves, should not only rest in the minds of researchers and elite intellectuals since we have a moral responsibility to share it with everyone.

In this blog I offered my opinion as it relates to the end of life recommendation in the new proposed regulations. I explained the fact that the regulation has nothing to do with “death panels” and it is my hope that you, as a reader, will disseminate this information. I also postulate that it is the responsibility of any government to offer public health education to its constituents.

Nurse Syl