Living and Dying with Dignity: An Interview with Timothy Quill

The Cure for Bullshit

Join us for an enlightening conversation with Timothy Quill, a pioneer in the field of palliative care and a driving force behind the death with dignity movement in the United States. In this episode, we delve into the profound concept of death with dignity, Dr. Quill's personal journey into the world of palliative care, and explore ways you, as our valued listeners, can incorporate these transformative ideas into your own healthcare experiences.
2:00 - Over the course of your career, has medical bullshit gotten any better?
4:02 - What are some tricks and traps that you see people get caught in the system?
5:30 - What do you do when a patient's belief system collides with your medical guidance?
6:47 - Thoughts on miracle cures
9:10 - The power and dangers of medical technology
11:23 - What prompted you to explore palliative care?
16:40 - How have you seen the medical system either support or interfere with people having a good death? How can patients advocate for themselves?
18:46 - What exactly is hospice and when is the right time to consider it?
25:34 - Story of Timothy's patient Diane
34:16 - The ethics behind assisted death
40:33 - "Palliative options of last resort"
45:00 - Advocacy for the death with dignity movement
47:10 - What does a family member do when they find themselves in the role of a decision-maker for a loved in the hospital?
52:50 - The biopsychosocial spiritual model and discussion of spiritualism
56:30 - What in your thoughts is a prescription for reducing bullshit in the medical system?
Dr. Timothy Quill: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/23067752-timothy-edward-quill