Benjamin Franklin famously stated “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Although it is true that eventually everyone will die, the way death happens varies widely. Costs associated with the end of life are staggering and some studies have found that between 20 and 30 percent of treatments used in the last 6 months of life have no meaningful medical benefit. As the topic of health reform is central to our daily lives, the tangential ethical and financial issues surrounding death and dying are also up for rigorous debate. These issues go deeper than money and will perhaps be some of the most complex that our nation faces.

Please join us on November 8 as we grapple with the tough issues of end of life and the considerations that need to be made, both ethically and financially, in navigating this part of life.

More about Dr. David Casarett
David Casarett MD MA completed his medical training at Case Western Reserve University. His additional training included a Master’s degree in medical anthropology at CWRU, and fellowships in ethics at the University of Chicago and in Palliative Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He’s an Associate Professor in the Division of Geriatrics at the University of Pennsylvania, a faculty member of the Penn Department of Bioethics, and Chief Medical Officer of Hospice and Palliative Care for the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Casarett’s major research interest is understanding and improving the way that health systems care for patients near the end of life. His work has included studies of hospice and hospice alternatives, as well as a randomized controlled trial of a decision aid to improve end of life care. More

Date & Time
Thursday, November 8, 2012

7:30 – 8:00 a.m. Registration/Networking
8:00 – 9:15 a.m. Program
9:15 – 9:30 a.m. Question & Answer

Location
Cardiovascular Innovation Institute
302 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd.
Louisville, KY 40202

To Register
Members $45; Non-members $60; Full-time students $10
Table Sponsor $500 (includes tickets for 8)