Lisa Krieger, a reporter at the San Jose Mercury News, wrote an award-winning series: “The Cost of Dying.” Read Lisa’s account of how she reported and wrote the project, which was an unflinching account of her father’s last days.

Steven Pantilat, M.D., is a professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, the Alan M. Kates and John M. Burnard Endowed Chair in Palliative Care, and founding director of the UCSF Palliative Care Program.

V.J. Periyakoil,  M.D., is director of palliative care education and training, Stanford University; director, Stanford University Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program, Stanford University; director, VA Interprofessional Fellowship in Palliative Care, VA Palo Alto Health Care System System; and associate director, Palliative Care Services, VA Palo Alto Health Care System System.

The panel was moderated by Laurie Udesky, an independent health journalist, member of the NorCal SPJ board of directors and AHCJ member.

Terrific panel tonite on EOL care for journalists in SF; thanks Bay Area chapt Assn of Hlth Care Journs/NoCal chapt Soc of Prof’l JournsLarry Beresford

#ahcj EOL Panel in SF. Lisa Krieger of SanJoseMercNews: My dad in the ICU; it was very hard to say no. Then Palliative care came inLarry Beresford

#AHCJ EOL panel in SF. Origins of Lisa Krieger’s award-winning series in SJMerc (http://tinyurl.com/ayvcrhr) She’s doing comm adv directive wkshpsLarry Beresford

#AHCJ EOL panel in SF Dr. VJ Periyakoil from VA/Stanford: EOL care is defined in hindsight (i.e., after you die, last 6 mos. was EOL care)Larry Beresford

#AHCJ EOL panel in SF Dr. VJ Periyakoil: Drs. & nurses cultural/spiritual beliefs are determinants of EOL care for ptsLarry Beresford

#AHCJ EOL panel in SF: Steve Pantilat, UCSF PallCare Doc: People know what they want at EOL. They just don’t know if they’re there yetLarry Beresford

#AHCJ EOL panel in SF: Pallcare doc S Pantilat: I talk to my pts about serious illn. They tell me: You’ve chosen a bad word for your field.Larry Beresford

#AHCJ EOL panel/Pantilat: We hear abt hi cost of EOL care & only response is rationing. EOL care should be costly; problem is its poor valueLarry Beresford

That’s enuf about AHCJ panel. My new year’s resolutions: More tweets in 2013, more bike rides, more cheap fun with grandsons, and NO FLULarry Beresford

Many thanks to Larry Beresford for tweeting about this event!