July

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) accounts for the highest rate of hospital admission among major chronic illnesses in Canada. Patients with this debilitating, progressive lung disease also have much higher hospital readmission rates than those with other chronic illnesses (18% are readmitted once within the year and 14% twice within the year).[1] 

As Bob Dylan sang so memorably, “The times, they are a-changin’.” Our profession faces a much different landscape now than it did just a decade ago. If we do not change with this landscape, we risk becoming marginalized as a profession (or to follow Bob, the order that’s rapidly fading).

Much of our preventive care and therapeutic work is designed to enable people to live fulfilling lives for longer. This practice fails to acknowledge that the quality of death should be given due consideration.

Dr Ed McDonnell’s death on 2 February 2014 marked the passing of a gentleman who touched many people’s lives, including mine, in numerous ways.