My guest is Dr. Fred Mirarchi, emergency physician and author, who will share his research on the use and misuse of advance directives in hospital settings. Dr. Mirarchi is the lead investigator of the TRIAD Studies (The Realistic Interpretation of Advance Directives) which have revealed that there is a nationwide risk to patient safety due to confusion surrounding living wills and DNR orders. He will share the results of his studies and his innovative ideas for fixing the problem with advance directives for patients both at the end of life and in critical situations.

In this interview you will learn:

Ferdinando L. Mirarchi, DO, is the medical director of UPMC Hamot’s Emergency Department and chairman of the UPMC Hamot Physician Network Governance Council. He is the principal investigator of the TRIAD Studies (The Realistic Interpretation of Advance Directives), the results of which have been featured in the New York Times and released by the PA Patient Safety Authority and the Journal of Emergency Medicine and confirm there is a nationwide risk to patient safety related to confusion surrounding living wills and DNR orders.

Dr. Mirarchi is the author of “Understanding Your Living Will; What You Need to Know before a Medical Emergency” published by Addicus Book. Dr. Mirarchi is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians as well as a fellow of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. He has been published nationally and internationally in the field of emergency medicine and featured in national publications, including the USA Today, The New York Times, The Associated Press, and ABC News.