A fine line between DNR and denied treatment for the elderly

<p>In this episode, we welcome Alan Lindemann, an obstetrics-gynecology physician, to discuss the issue of autonomy and treatment for elderly patients. He shares his experiences in the long-term care setting, and the disturbing trend of interpreting do not resuscitate (DNR) orders as orders not to treat a patient. He recounts instances where elderly patients were denied treatment and left to die, despite their wishes to be treated like a younger patient.</p> <p>Alan emphasizes the importance of respecting patient autonomy and making sure that elderly patients are not denied medical treatment simply because of their age. He shares a heartening story of successfully treating a 95-year-old patient with urosepsis and restoring him to his previous state of health.</p> <p>Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on the thin line between "do not treat" and assisted suicide and the need to ensure that elderly patients are not denied medical treatment based on their age.</p> <p><a href="https://lindemannmd.com/" target="_blank" rel= "nofollow external noopener noreferrer" data-wpel-link= "external">Alan Lindemann</a> is an obstetrics-gynecology physician.</p> <p>He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, "<a href= "https://www.kevinmd.com/2023/01/breaking-the-silence-a-doctors-plea-for-clarity-in-end-of-life-care.html">Breaking the silence: a doctor’s plea for clarity in end-of-life care</a>."</p> <p><a href="https://nuance.com/daxinaction"><img class= "alignnone wp-image-424286 size-medium" src= "https://www.kevinmd.com/wp-content/uploads/NuanceLogo_Horz_k-2-300x62.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="62" /></a></p> <p><em>The Podcast by KevinMD is brought to you by the <a href= "https://nuance.com/daxinaction">Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience</a>.</em></p> <p><em>With a growing physician shortage, increasing burnout, and declining patient satisfaction, a dramatic change is needed to make health care more efficient and effective and bring back the joy of practicing medicine. AI-driven ambient clinical intelligen