After Katrina: Clarifying Triage Rules, Resolving Moral Issues

Guest: Sheri Fink, MD, PhD Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Host: Michael Greenberg, MD It has been several years since Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc up and down the U.S. Gulf Coast, but the storm continues to leave a nasty legacy in its wake. As the levees broke and the city of New Orleans descended into chaos, the medical staff at Memorial Medical Center wondered whether help would come to evacuate their patients to safety. With conditions turning more extreme by the day, and supplies running short, the medical team faced truly extraordinary circumstances. What follows is a narrative of ethical twists and turns, the lessons from which are still being extracted to this day. ProPublica reporter Dr. Sheri Fink has worked tirelessly to investigate the saga at Memorial over the past two and a half years. She joins hosts Dr. Michael Greenberg and Dr. Matt Birnholz to share this story. Dr. Birnholz and Dr. Greenberg will cover a range of other topics during the show, including the ongoing debate over patient responsibility: what kind of incentives might encourage patients to meet personal health goals, and who should provide these incentives? They will also pay tribute to a health care stalwart in the United States Senate, the late Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy.