Learn how a palliative clinician and a researcher are helping to create a social movement for improving the patient and family experience of serious illness.
This week I’m welcoming Drs. Sammy Winemaker and Hsien Seow, creators of The Waiting Room Revolution and authors of the book Hope for the Best Plan for the Rest. Sammy is a palliative care physician and an associate clinical professor at McMaster University. Hsien is a professor in the Department of Oncology at McMaster University who publishes health care research focused on improving the patient and family experience for those facing serious illness. Together they co-host The Waiting Room Revolution Podcast to help patients and family members feel hopeful and prepared when facing serious illness. Their book Hope for the Best Plan for the Rest is the featured book for the month of September 2024 in A Year of Reading Dangerously reading group. Learn more about their work and download the discussion guide for the book at the links below:
This episode includes:
- Why Sammy and Hsien decided to write the book
- The 7 keys they focus on for navigating serious illness
- Why patients and their families benefit from “walking the two roads” of hope and preparation
- How the medical system currently fails to support patients in preparing for the possibility that treatment may not have the desired outcome
- How our hopes and plans evolve as our illness journey changes
- A palliative approach to patients and illness helps clinicians in all specialties avoid burnout
- How seeing the “big picture” journey of an illness can help with decision-making
- Why caregivers also need preparation at the beginning of an illness journey
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In Part 4 of our series on palliative care I share an interview with Stephanie Ryu a palliative care chaplain. She’ll discuss her role providing spiritual support to patients with advanced illness. 
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As this episode airs I am enjoying a trip through Spain, including cycling in the Andalucia region! I’ll be back home in a few weeks to report on the trip. Follow me on Instagram to see my photos at kwyattmd or this link: 