Experts
Ira Byock
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
What is the consolation of faith in the face of death? Read More
Death is hard, it’s messy, and it’s inherently painful, and that is why we are sequestering it. Read More
The Right to Die Read More
What drew you to end-of-life care? Read More
Do we mistreat the elderly? Read More
Are Americans particularly afraid of death? Read More
Is there such a thing as a heroic death? Read More
Dying is a part of living. Yet our inability to imagine death is a limiting factor. Confronting death allows us to complete relationships, tell our stories, and make peace with the reality that life is coming to a close. Read More
Dying is Hard Read More
Dying well. Read More
The downsides of dying in a hospital. Read More
Why are we so afraid of death? Read More
Is there an ethical limit to prolonging life? Read More
Why is end-of-life care neglected by the medical profession? Read More
About Ira Byock
Ira Byock, MD is Director of Palliative Medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire and a Professor of Anesthesiology and Community & Family Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School.
Dr. Byock has authored numerous articles on the ethics and practice of hospice, palliative and end-of-life care. His first book, Dying Well, (1997) has become a standard in the field. His most recent book, The Four Things That Matter Most, (2004) is used as a counseling tool widely by palliative care and hospice programs, as well as within pastoral care.
Dr. Byock has been a consistent advocate for the voice and rights of dying patients and their families. He has been the recipient of the National Hospice Organization’s Person of the Year (1995), the National Coalition of Cancer Survivorship’s Natalie Davis Spingarn Writers Award (2000), the American College of CHEST Physicians Roger Bone Memorial Lecture Award (2003) and the Outstanding Colleague Award (2008) of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains.