Message from the Medical Director

I commonly am asked “Why are you a hospice physician?” In the beginning I struggled to find an all encompassing answer, but over the years my experiences have brought me to what I believe to be the right one. Simply stated, I am a hospice doctor because every day I work with a team who’s purpose is to help restore dignity and control to the seemingly uncontrollable as we pass through the cycle of life.

Nothing is more inspirational than the courage of our patients and their families. They come to us feeling lost, out of control, and not knowing where to go for answers to questions they might not even know to ask. And when this happens we need the tools and resources in place to be able to guide them to the answers they seek.

One of my most rewarding opportunities as the Sumner Hospice medical director is educating the public about hospice care. Admittedly, this can be challenging. Most people aren’t comfortable talking about end-of-life care for a terminal illness and the inevitable result, and therefore avoid the topic altogether. But whether we like it or not, death is a reality of life. And the more we talk about it, the more comfortable we will be. The more comfortable we can be, the more informed we can be about our choices.

For a little background, the modern hospice movement was led by Dr. Cicely Saunders. In 1983, the US Government enacted the Medicare Hospice Benefit. In the late 1990’s there was significant growth in American hospice programs. And in 2004, there were over a million people served by more than 4,000 hospices in North America.

Needless to say, hospice is a changing field experiencing tremendous growth and never in history has there been a greater opportunity than now. As symptom treatments advance, as support services grow and develop, as our population multiplies and needs for services increase, we must be ready to offer the most choices to our communities and ourselves. We must be equipped to provide top quality care in any environment. We must be able to provide peace and comfort for those in need.

I am a hospice physician because every day I work with a team whose purpose is to help restore control and dignity. In reality, we are all members of that team and together we can give each other the best gift possible.

I invite you to join me on our collective journey of improving the quality of life of our patients and their families, our friends and our neighbors, in need of end-of-life care.

Best regards,
James R. Meadows, MD