More update on Mr. Golubchuk...
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A doctor from Winnipeg's regional critical-care program has agreed to be "physician of record" responsible for the care of an elderly man on life support at Grace Hospital, a spokeswoman for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority said this morning.
A physician's struggle
MD torn over 'unethical' care
"That physician will be supported by two other physicians," said Heidi Graham. The three doctors from the regional critical-care program do not normally have shifts at the Grace, Graham said.
Graham did not release the names of the additional doctors brought onto the intensive care rotation.
The hospital is under a court order to treat 84-year-old Samuel Golubchuk, who has been on life-support since last November and is relying on a feeding tube and a ventilator.
Hospital officials decided last year to end Golubchuk's life support, saying he had virtually no chance of improving. But the Golubchuk family took the matter to court, saying the move would violate his beliefs as an Orthodox Jew. Removing the ventilator or feeding tube would constitute an action to hasten his death, they argued.
Three critical-care doctors at the hospital have declined their shifts in the ICU, effectively cutting the hospital's critical-care complement of doctors in half, before additional doctors were brought in.
Doctors Anand Kumar, Bojan Paunovic, and David Easton quit their shifts recently.
In a letter to the Free Press, Easton said he wanted to share some of the "emotional and ethical turmoil" he went through in concluding that treating Samuel Golubchuk would violate his oath as a doctor to do no harm.
Easton said he felt pressure from the courts, which ordered the hospital to continue treatment of Golubchuk, and the man's family, who said withholding treatment that would end his life violated his Orthodox Jewish beliefs.
Discussions were happening yesterday to bring back the physicians who have declined shifts, Graham said.
Doctor to be 'physician of record' for man on life support
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Here is what LifeSiteNews has to say on that matter...
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WINNIPEG, June 18, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a new development in the case of Samuel Golubchuk, three doctors in Winnipeg have agreed to treat the 84-year-old man after several of their colleagues refused to do so.
Yesterday LifeSiteNews.com reported that two doctors - ICU director Bojan Paunovic and specialist David Easton - had refused shifts at Winnipeg's Grace Hospital's rather than treat Golubchuk, claiming that it was unethical to continue providing food and hydration to the severely disabled man. This is in addition to the resignation of Dr. Anand Kumar, the doctor who originally wanted to remove Golubchuk from food and hydration last fall.
Dr. Kumar said he withdrew his services because it is "in violation of my medical ethics to continue (treating Golubchuk)." He also said he believes that the "services administered in accordance with the court order are not of any medical benefit," and in fact cause harm to Golubchuk because they are uncomfortable and painful.
Golubchuk's family, however, is continuing to fight for the 84-year-old man's life, arguing that, contrary to media reports, he is not in a vegetative state and that he is only receiving the most basic care of artificial nutrition and hydration. His family says that euthanasia is against Golubchuk's Orthodox Jewish beliefs.
Heidi Graham, spokeswoman for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, announced this morning that three doctors from the regional critical-care program, who do not normally have shifts at Grace Hospital, have come forward and agreed to provide care for Golubchuk.
"Our regional critical care program and hospital have developed a plan that involves having one attending physician of record for the patient in question," Graham told CBC News.
"This physician will be supported by two other physicians. These three physicians have already agreed to this, and this situation will allow the other physicians in the Grace intensive care unit to continue with their scheduled rotations if they so desire."
The names of the additional doctors brought onto the intensive care rotation have not been released.
See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Doctors Refuse to Work at Hospital Unless they are Allowed to Deny Treatment to Patient
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jun/08061711.html
Doctor Claims Efforts to Keep Disabled , Still Responsive Man Alive "Grotesque" and "an Abomination"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jun/08060411.html
Samuel Golubchuk to Remain On Life Support While Trial Date Is Set
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/mar/08031806.html Action Call to Save Samuel Golubchuk
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/feb/08021108.html
Winnipeg Doctors Offer To Treat Patient Golubchuk After Colleagues Refuse
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