Dear board of directors,
Hello all, my name is David Jamison, MHA. I am representing Marion General Hospital as the committee chairman of the ethics committee. I am currently reviewing the case involving female patient Margie Whitson. The patient is a 95 year old patient whom wishes to have her pace maker “turned off”, due to her unwillingness to live. The death of her only remaining son was the last event that, that had forced her to contemplate the reason why she still lives. Mrs. Margie Whitson is no stranger to loss. When she was younger, she lost her youngest son to a severe motor vehicle accident that took his life at the early age of 30. She injured herself over 10 years ago, and received a hip fracture. Her most recently bout was a very severe heart attack.
The latest health concern came from her recent heart arrhythmia, and her heart not being able to pace itself, so a pace maker was implanted. The past 5 years have been very traumatic for Margie, and it seem as though she has lost her will to live. Her believe is that the only thing that is keeping her from “Going home” to her family in heaven is the pace maker. Mrs. Whitson is a person of faith and only wishes to stop the suffering she has to endure, considering her losses.
I have spoken with the nursing home administrator, Cindy Mackin and Jane Robison. She has informed me of the conversations she has had with her doctor, a Dr.Vijay. The conversation between Cindy and Margie was quick, and dismissive. Cindy did remember that Margie can exercise her patients’ rights, under the HIPPA Act of 1996. She arranged a meeting with her doctor at the cardiology clinic. The meeting did not go well, the doctor insisted that he did not fill ethical about deactivating the pace maker, due to ethical he had. Dr. Vijay further explained to Margie, that the pacemaker is a crucial device that is sustaining her life.