Intelligent Conversation Series

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Technological innovations and specialization have changed the way medicine is practiced over the past century. Yet in spite of the fact that the U.S. spends twice as much per person on medical care as other industrialized nations, we have worse health outcomes, lower life expectancies and greater health inequalities. Many physicians, and patients, are questioning the effectiveness of the current model for providing health care and are exploring different approaches to medicine. Join local experts in a series of discussions on different aspects of this important topic.

Personalized Medicine: Tailoring Health Care in the Information Age
7 p.m., Wednesday, April 25, Grewen Auditorium, Le Moyne College

Robert W. West, Ph.D., is an associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, Upstate Medical University.

Robert S. Olick, J.D., Ph.D., is an associate professor and chair of the University Hospital Ethics Committee, Center for Bioethics and Humanities,
at Upstate Medical University.

Genotyping, plus use of the Internet, is creating “personalized medicine,” a new age of medicine in which genetic testing allows care to be tailored to a specific patient’s genetic code. Upstate Medical University was among the first in the nation to offer training to medical students that incorporates genomic and personalized medicine into the curriculum. But genetic testing for risk factors for certain diseases raises a number of ethical, moral and legal questions that have just begun to be discussed.

Narrative Medicine: Using Literature and Patients’ Stories to Improve Health Care
7 p.m, Wednesday, May 2, Grewen Auditorium, Le Moyne College

Rebecca Garden Ph.D., is an associate professor at the Center for Bioethics and Humanities at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

Joel Potash, M.D., is a professor emeritus of the Center for Bioethics and Humanities. He is also a clinical professor (voluntary) in the Department of Family Medicine. He sits on the University Hospital Ethics Committee.

The relationship between doctor and patient can be literally a matter of life and death, yet with the increasing use of technology in medicine and growing patient loads, medicine is becoming increasingly depersonalized. Narrative medicine uses poems, novels, and particularly stories written by people with illness and disability to help doctors, nurses and other health care professionals improve health care by listening to patients’ stories and recognizing patients’ authority.

All events will take place on the campus of Le Moyne College. Parking is available in lot AA off Springfield Road. To view a College map, log on to http://www.lemoyne.edu/campusmap.

Registration is not necessary. All events are FREE and open to the public. For more information, call (315) 443-4846 or e-mail cmkarlho@uc.syr.edu.