Posted on 06/22/2005 1:25:39 AM PDT by FairOpinion
The politicization of Terri Schiavo prompted the American Medical Association on Tuesday to adopt policy opposing any legislation that presumes patients would want life-sustaining treatment unless it is clear that they would not.
Tuesday's action at the annual meeting of the nation's largest doctors group also reaffirms existing AMA policy that says it is ethical in some cases to discontinue life-sustaining treatment if it is in the patient's best interests.
(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...
And get pay increases by saving the system money and getting their cut. Already ongoing in the Kaiser system. Getting paid MORE for not doing their job.
Have you TRIED to make an appointment with a doctor? They work 3 days a week, 4 hours a day, for a total of 12 hours a week. I'm not even kidding. And these are young doctors, not ones near retirement age.
Statement From Bobby Schindler on Inscription on Terri Schiavo's Grave Marker
http://www.earnedmedia.org/tf0621.htm
CLEARWATER, Fl., June 21 /Christian Wire Service/ -- At the burial site of Terri Schiavo's cremated remains, Michael Schiavo used a bronze grave marker to list Feb. 25, 1990, as the date his wife died. Feb. 25, 1990, is the date Terri Schindler Schiavo experienced a still unknown event that left her severely mentally disabled. Terri Schiavo actually died March 31, 2005, nearly two weeks after her feeding tube was removed by court order.
The following is a statement from Terri's brother, Bobby Schindler, on the inscription on Terri's burial site marker:
"This clearly illustrates the spiteful lengths to which Michael Schiavo will go in order to purposely hurt those that loved Terri unconditionally her family. It seems to me that the only intention of this inscription was to be hurtful, and had absolutely nothing to do with Terri, but only to cause my parents additional pain over the loss of their child. Maybe even more tragic, is that in doing so, Michael Schiavo shows nothing but a lack of respect for Terri."
I guess the temptation to save the system money by not working is just too strong for them to resist. Unfortunately I'm in the Kaiser system, where any appt (except OBGYN) that's not an emergency is 3-6 weeks away and surgeries are 6-9 month waits.
(snip)
"Tuesday's action also reaffirmed existing AMA policy that says it is ethical in some cases to discontinue life-sustaining treatment if it is in the patient's best interests. "
====================================================
So now, how is it that the medical community is going to make these decisions .. and how will they defend or enforce their decisions?? And also, is this now saying that, if you DON'T have an executed medical directive, your life becomes theirs with which to dispense and it's their decision what is in your best interests??
I think in their rush to take a position and marginalize the critical ethical issues raised in Terri's plight, they are opening a huge can of worms and litigation.
The situation you're describing would be appropriate for people who are terminally ill .. Terri was not.
"So now, how is it that the medical community is going to make these decisions"
How? They, the memembers will probably vote on it. That's the way it usually works.
You might want to re-read what is stated. You seem to be a bit confused?
Wesley Smith, a leading pro-life attorney who specializes in bioethics issues, says people should make their wishes known beforehand.
"I think people need to create advanced directives in which they say, 'I don't want to be dehydrated to death and have my food taken away if I become cognitively disabled,'" Smith explained.
http://www.lifenews.com/bio1048.html
Apparently now the presumption is going towards death: if you don't have something in writing specifically spelling out that you want to live and what you want them to do, they will presume you want to die. And you don't even know who the "they" could be.
ping
Why can't they at least be honest about it. A person does not have a best interest when they are dead. A more honest reading would be,
.. it is ethical in some cases to discontinue life-sustaining treatment if it is in the care taker's best interests.
I am not sure that even if you have something it writing it will make a difference, This is what it says about that:
Physicians should provide all relevant medical information and explain to surrogate decision makers that decisions regarding withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment should be based on substituted judgment (what the patient would have decided) when there is evidence of the patients preferences and values. In making a substituted judgment, decision makers may consider the patients advance directive (if any); the patients values about life and the way it should be lived; and the patients attitudes towards sickness, suffering, medical procedures, and death. If there is not adequate evidence of the incompetent patients preferences and values, the decision should be based on the best interests of the patient (what outcome would most likely promote the patients well-being).
To me, it reads that Terri is saying, "I kept my promise" since Michael is not buried there. This is just one more mind game by that twisted Michael.
Well, I think maybe they have to give you life sustaining treatment if you are in the country illegally. Otherwise, I think you might be SOL.
susie
Funny...I wish my doctor friend didn't work such long hours. We are hardly ever able to get together on weekends, since she's often on call and having to do consults at the hospital.
Try this one then.
I've already made that clear to my son, who will be my medical proxy .. THE PRIORITY IS ON SAVING MY LIFE AND DO NOT DEHYDRATE ME TO DEATH.
I'm not in the least confused .. I presumed the folks posting here would understand that I'm questioning what methodology will be put in place in hospitals to actually permit them to truly play God and make these life and death decisions separate from the wishes and rights of family members. Sorry if you weren't in that group of folks.
The 'I Kept My Promise' bit is interesting ... it could mean he kept his promise to kill her if she crossed again way back in 1990! He did have 'Departed This Earth, 1990' put on the stone, so he wants to point back to that event that put her in the Hospital. I wonder if Jodi realizes how fragile is her status now that his focus on Terri and the Schindlers is gone?
"Tuesday's action at the annual meeting of the nation's largest doctors group also reaffirms existing AMA policy that says it is ethical in some cases to discontinue life-sustaining treatment if it is in the patient's best interests."
No surprise. The AMA is also pro-abortion.
So, now in the US of A every MD is a "License to Kill".
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.