GIM Research Director and Clinical Ethicist, Seuli Brill, MD, is featured in the October issue of “Medical Ethics Advisor” in the article “Court-Appointed Guardians for Unrepresented Patients.”
Dr. Brill, who conducts research in the area of advance care planning, and previously completed a fellowship in clinical bioethics, spoke to the importance of health systems acting proactively to support unrepresented patients, especially those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, to determine their preferences for medical care, including care at the end-of-life.
In the article, Dr. Brill discusses the importance of involving multidisciplinary teams in patient care, noting the complex and unique needs of some patients. She has expertise in advocacy for patients with physical and developmental disabilities as a combined internal medicine and pediatrics physician with fellowship training in clinical bioethics. She noted the importance of assembling personalized multidisciplinary teams, involving key specialists, such as neurologists and psychiatrists, clinical ethicists, and patient advocates, to proactively support patients who have capacity to make medical decisions in articulating their medical care preferences.