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Talks at Google
Ep50 - Atul Gawande: "Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End"
Jul 23, 2019
Atul Gawande, a renowned surgeon and public health researcher, dives into profound themes from his bestseller, exploring how modern medicine often overlooks the true desires of patients facing terminal illnesses. He emphasizes the crucial need for honest conversations about quality of life versus aggressive treatments. Gawande shares poignant stories, illustrating the disconnect between medical care and personal joy, particularly among the elderly. Ultimately, he advocates for a healthcare approach that aligns with patients' values, ensuring dignity and fulfillment even in life’s final stages.
01:04:04
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Quick takeaways
- Atul Gawande emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift in medicine from merely prolonging life to enhancing its quality for terminal patients.
- The integration of palliative care with traditional treatments significantly improves patients' quality of life and often results in longer lifespans.
Deep dives
The Challenge of Mortality in Medicine
Modern medicine has excelled in addressing treatable conditions but often struggles with the realities of aging and death. As Atul Gawande shares, practitioners frequently focus on curative methods without adequately considering the challenges posed by incurable diseases or advanced age. He emphasizes the need for a shift in thinking from merely prolonging life to enhancing its quality, especially when dealing with terminal patients. This perspective leads to crucial questions about balancing treatment with understanding patient priorities beyond survival.
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