To the Editor: An interesting threefold (by my observation) phenomenon is under way in the medical publication field: an explosion of new journals around the world that are pure ‘‘pay to publish’’ (ie, Open Access) as the business model; direct-to-physician invitations to join the new journals’ editorial boards; and direct…
In this issue of the Southern Medical Journal, de Caprariis and colleagues make three recommendations in regard to the approach that healthcare professionals should use to promote the utilization of advance care planning (ACP) and advance directives (ADs).1. These recommendations address the ethical complexities raised when broaching the idea of…
The concept of end-of-life planning, along with medical and legal issues, has been discussed and has evolved over several years. The 1990 Patient Self-Determination Act and individual states’ Department of Health Advance Directive forms helped overcome past problems. Patients with terminal and chronic illness are now able to have their…
To the Editor: Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), currently referred to as primary immune thrombocytopenic purpura, is an autoimmune disease linked to the presence of autoantibodies responsible for the peripheral destruction and central inhibition of platelet growth.1 Bleeding results from unusually low levels of platelets, the cells that help blood coagulate.2…
The debate over whether physician-assisted suicide is ethically justifiable often focuses on the conflict between the principles of beneficence and autonomy. It is invigorating that Dugdale and Callahan remind us of an alternative, often neglected perspective by invoking the concept of the public good.1 The authors present a communitarian approach…
With the increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) worldwide, the number of pregnant women with various degrees of renal dysfunction is expected to increase. There is a bidirectional relation between CKD and pregnancy in which renal dysfunction negatively affects pregnancy outcomes, and the pregnancy can have a deleterious impact…
Cancer metastasis is a key event in tumor progression associated not only with mortality but also significant morbidity. Metastatic disease can promote end-organ dysfunction and even failure through mass effect compression of various vital organs including the spinal cord. In such cases, prompt medical attention is needed to restore neurological…
In this issue of the Southern Medical Journal, Cho and colleagues assessed the hospital discharge location for patients with stroke and attempted to develop a tool to help determine the discharge location early in the clinical course.1 The treatment for acute ischemic stroke has come a long way since the…
Objectives: Residency programs are required to instruct residents in handoff; however, a handoff curriculum endorsed by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education does not exist. Although curricula are available, we preferred to use a curriculum that could be taught quickly, was easy to implement, and used a mnemonic that…
Objectives: Early determination of hospital discharge disposition status at an acute admission is extremely important for stroke management and the eventual outcomes of patients with stroke. We investigated the hospital discharge disposition of patients with stroke residing in Tennessee and developed a predictive tool for clinical adoption. Our investigational aims…
The movement toward physician-assisted suicide, also called assisted death (AD), is built upon a fundamental moral premise: each of us should have control over our lives and deaths. Moreover, the relief of suffering, a core premise of traditional medical ethics, is integral to the care of dying people. Physician assistance…
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