Persistent Vegetative State
"To Live... or Let Die"
Persistent Vegetative State provides an in-depth look at the complicated
clinical, ethical, and legal issues involved in the highly publicized
Terri Schiavo case. Expert physicians debate whether Terri was or was
not in a persistent vegetative state. Prominent ethicists debate whether
feeding and hydration should have continued. Attorneys debate whether she
should live or die.
A National Emergency
"Patient Safety "
Industry studies indicate that as many as 100,000 people a year are
dying from medical mistakes. This program takes a compelling honest
look at the growing problem of patient safety. There is general agreement
that the health care industry is plagued by human error, system failures,
lack of communication, and cover-ups. This program reveals how some
hospital leaders are striving to change the culture and promote patient
safety. Leading experts point out what is wrong and offer solutions
to promote safer health care.
Assisted Suicide & End of Life Care?
"Dying Well"
The mystery of death is one of the great mysteries of life. As we
seek to understand death, we learn that the experience is most often
filled with pain, suffering and difficult choices. Most of all, we
come to recognize the profound meaning of end-of-life care, how it
is practiced, and the moral concerns it raises. Oregon is the first
state to legalize physician-assisted suicide. What will we learn about
terminally ill patient's rights regarding their care and ultimately
their death? And what will we learn from opponents who believe that
assisted suicide is really a plea for better end-of-life care?
STEM CELL RESEARCH
"Frontier of Hope & Concern"
Imagine the ability to treat a person suffering from Parkinson's
disease with their own brain stem cells or a young boy battling leukemia
with stem cells from umbilical cord blood. Imagine the ability of embryonic
stem cells to grow into any cell of the human body and the potential
of treating crippling disease. Stem cell research is helping scientists
to unlock the mystery of human life and develop life saving therapies.
While much hope has been generated by this research, moral and ethical
concerns have been raised by the use of embryonic stem cells, which
is covered in this program.
Born Too Soon
"Life and Death in the NICU "
Until they were born prematurely, they were babies of great promise
and unrelenting hope. This program takes a comprehensive look at the
world of neonatology in the 21st Century. You will meet the doctors
and nurses who work diligently to do everything they can to help babies
and their parents deal with the life and death issues of a NICU. Take
a closer look at the ethical issues presented to the medical profession
and the parents of children simply born too soon.
Access to Health Care
"The Patient's Perspective"
Today, over 45 million Americans live without any health insurance. The ones who are sick will
face the fear that there may be no one to help them. The video examines ethical dilemmas from
the patient's perspective that arise with regard to access to health care. It presents the
problem of the uninsured in America and examines the issues of rationing, universal access
to health care and the difficult matter of reigning in the costs of health care.
