Ideas change everything

What we can do to die well

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Timothy Ihrig |

TEDxDesMoines

• September 2013

The healthcare industry in America is so focused on pathology, surgery and pharmacology -- on what doctors "do" to patients -- that it often overlooks the values of the human beings it's supposed to care for. Palliative care physician Timothy Ihrig explains the benefits of a different approach, one that fosters a patient's overall quality of life and navigates serious illness from diagnosis to death with dignity and compassion.

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The healthcare industry in America is so focused on pathology, surgery and pharmacology -- on what doctors "do" to patients -- that it often overlooks the values of the human beings it's supposed to care for. Palliative care physician Timothy Ihrig explains the benefits of a different approach, one that fosters a patient's overall quality of life and navigates serious illness from diagnosis to death with dignity and compassion.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxDesMoines, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

About the speaker

Palliative care physician

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Timothy Ihrig advocates for an approach to healthcare that prioritizes a patient's personal values.

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This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxDesMoines, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.