Rudy Keimowitz, MD

Just as there are controversies in medicine, in hematology/oncology and in health care reform, there are also controversies in and about palliative care. The very existence of palliative care as a distinct and certified subspecialty is itself controversial. It is often asked why there needs to be a group or “service” that purports to offer services to patients and families that the primary physician or hem/onc physician already offers. And, why should this “service” weigh-in on matters such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy or bone marrow transplantation when they are not experts in those disciplines.

I never dreamed that after retiring as a clinical hematologist I would fail at retirement and fall into an encore career in palliative medicine.