Saving the grossly disabled.

Disability, discrimination and death: is it justified to ration life saving treatment for disabled newborn infants?

Disability might be relevant to decisions about life support in intensive care in several ways. It might affect the chance of treatment being successful, or a patient's life expectancy with treatment. It may affect whether treatment is in a patient's best interests. However, even if treatment would be of overall benefit it may be unaffordable and consequently unable to be provided. In this pape...

Surgical interventions for malignant middle cerebral infarction--saving lives and functionality or increasing disabled survivors?

Saving money, saving lives.

In 1996, Duke Children's Hospital was in serious trouble. Its $11 million annual operating loss had forced administrators to make cutbacks. As a result, some caregivers felt that the quality of care had deteriorated. Parents' complaints were on the rise. Frustrated staff members were quitting. In this article, Jon Meliones, DCH's chief medical director, candidly describes how his debt-ridden ho...

Deaths in Darfur are grossly underestimated.

The report recommends that the Department of Health takes the lead in creating a better core standard for handling complaints that are met by all NHS and social care providers. The new system should adopt a culture of openness and leadership by senior managers and of following up complaints to ensure that mistakes do not recur, says the report. “The fifth report of the Shipman inquiry gives us ...

Help for the Disabled

In 1962 a voluntary group, the Technical Assistance and Research Group for Physical Rehabilitation (TARGPR), was organized in Fredericton, New Brunswick. This group was formed to provide the opportunity for persons skilled in applied science and technology to contribute to the welfare of the physically handicapped. The purpose of the group was: "to assist the medical profession in the diagnosis...