THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE

When we, or someone we love, are seriously ill, we want the best care possible. But what is right for one person would be wrong for another. And what is optimal treatment at an early stage of a person’s illness might be disastrous later on. As Dr. Ira Byock shows in THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE: A Physician’s Quest To Transform Care Through The End Of Life (Avery Books, March 15, 2012, $26), medical treatment must always be highly tailored to the details of an individual’s condition and personal preferences. Despite the miraculous advances in medicine, Dr. Byock observes, “we have yet to make even one person immortal,” Therefore, while taking full advantage of medical science and technology to fight disease and live longer, he steers clear of the more-is-always-better assumption that results in so many Americans dying badly. “Dying will never be easy. Similarly, caring for a loved one who is in the waning phases of life is inherently hard. But neither dying nor care giving has to be as hard as they are today.” – Ira Byock, MD, author of THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE. Dr. Ira Byock, one of the foremost palliative care physicians in the US, argues in THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE that care can be dramatically better for people who are seriously ill and for the family and friends who love them. THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE puts a human face on these issues by taking us behind closed doors and drawn hospital curtains as Dr. Byock cares for seriously ill patients, leads critical meetings with families, and teaches medical students and physicians-in-training at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. His stories reveal that there are worse things than having someone we love die: worse is having a person we love die badly. Beyond calling attention to this crisis in care, Dr. Byock offers viable, life-affirming and affordable solutions to our healthcare woes. With the 2012 election upon us, healthcare will certainly be a hot-topic. The obsession with treatment-at-all-costs is wreaking havoc on our economy and making it hard for people to die in peace. Dr. Byock is the face of palliative care. He is a clear, authoritative voice with practical solutions for reforming our health care system and caring well for one another through the end of life. THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE will change the way you think about care for people who are seriously ill and our healthcare system. We strongly encourage you to save room in your March and April calendars for this important book. Dr. Byock, a consistent advocate for the voice and rights of patients and their families, is available for interviews.

CONTACT: Beth.Parker@us.penguingroup.com OR Adenike.Olanrewaju@us.penguingroup.com