Imagine yourself newly diagnosed with cancer. Would you want to if the hospital in a neighboring town had better cancer care than the one near you? Imagine choosing a hospice agency to help you live out the last chapter of your life as comfortably as possible. Would you want to know which one provided the best care? A thought provoking article published today in the New York Times begs the question: "Should Patients Be Told of Better Care Elsewhere?"
Citing an article published online in October in the journal PLoS Medicine, Denise Grady points out that cancer care varies widely from hospital to hospital. The same goes for about any type of specialized care. Some places simply do it better than others.
Skill increases with practice. This is the reason medicine is so specialized. You wouldn't want a heart surgeon performing your brain surgery, right? Likewise, you wouldn't want a intensive care physician overseeing your palliative care. You would most likely want a physician experienced in doing what you need done.
The question is, should your physician be required to inform you if there is a better hospital, clinic, health care agency, or physician elsewhere? The answer may seem clear but Grady points out opposing views from physicians and bioethicists. Take a look at her article and share your thoughts here.
I would want to know if myself or my loved ones could get better care elsewhere. My grandfather was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer in a small town in Ohio a few years ago. Luckily, his doctor told him not to get treatment at his local hospital because there was better care at another hospital not too far away. He received excellent care from a dedicated cancer unit in the hospital and lived 3 more years.