Is My Patient Really Dead?

Online Course
September 1, 2014 - August 31, 2020

Course Description

This online enduring material presentation will focus on the challenges of diagnosing death. This presentation is designed to address brain death, medical futility and the associated ethical and legal implications, as well as the issues of withdrawing/withholding medical therapies.

Who Should Attend?

This activity is designed to meet the educational goals of physicians and other healthcare professionals specializing in internal medicine, family medicine, geriatrics, palliative medicine, and oncology. This activity focuses on inter-professional learning.

Learning Objectives

• To review the different stages of brain function loss
• To define the diagnosis of brain death and its legal implications
• To define medical futility and its ethical and legal implications
• To discuss implications and communication issues related to withdrawing and withholding medical therapies

Physician Participation

Upon completion of viewing the online presentation, please follow the instructions at the end of the presentation to complete the evaluation. Once the evaluation is completed, the user will be provided the option to print their certificate.

Faculty/Speakers

Sandra Sanchez-Reilly, MD, MSc, AGSF, FAAHPM
South Texas Veterans Health Care System
UT Health San Antonio
Board Certified HP & FM
Financial Disclosure: no relevant financial relationships with commercial interest to disclose.

Content Reviewer

Sandra Sanchez-Reilly, MD, MSc, AGSF, FAAHPM
South Texas Veterans Health Care System
UT Health San Antonio
Financial Disclosure: no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.

Continuing Medical Education Credit - Accreditation Statement

The Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine designates this live activity up to a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses and other healthcare professionals will receive a Certificate of Attendance. For information on applicability and acceptance, please consult your professional licensing board.

Texas Medical Board – Ethics Statement

This presentation meets the Texas Medical Board criteria for formal continuing medical education involving the study of medical ethics and/or professional responsibility.

• Release date: October 6, 2014     
• Credits expire: August 31, 2020

Credit may be obtained upon successful completion of the activity’s pre and post-test and evaluation.