The critically acclaimed Max Original medical drama THE PITT, created by R. Scott Gemmill and starring Noah Wyle, offers a compelling and realistic glimpse into the daily lives of healthcare professionals in a busy Pittsburgh hospital. While the show tackles various medical cases and workplace dynamics, it also shines a light on the often difficult topic of end-of-life care, aligning with End Well’s mission to transform how we think about and plan for this inevitable part of life.
So, we’re thrilled to say that thanks to our partnership with USC’s Hollywood, Health & Society, End Well’s Palliative Care Tip Sheet was one of the resources shared with the creators of The Pitt. Additionally, check out Death On Television: Flipping The Script for our original research into how the end of life has typically been portrayed on primetime television, and why we believe that shows like The Pitt can make a huge difference in the real world.
End-of-life is one of the biggest challenges for physicians
The Pitt doesn’t shy away from depicting the emotional toll that treating critically ill patients takes on doctors and nurses. Instead, the show portrays the challenges of making difficult decisions, having tough conversations with families, and coping with the loss of patients. This realism is achieved through the involvement of doctors and other experts in the show’s creation, ensuring medical accuracy and authentic portrayals of the emotional experiences of healthcare workers.
Here’s what Dr. Lukas Ramcharran, who serves as an attending physician and assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Johns Hopkins, shared in an interview with Vulture:
“As an attending, one of the hardest things we do isn’t the cardiac arrest or the complicated procedures. We’re all trained to feel comfortable to handle those. It’s the family members who you’re trying to help understand the poor prognosis, or intubating someone whose family is revoking those goals of care in real time. It’s the end-of-life care, the abuse cases — those things stand out to you in a shift.”
From showing the team take The Pause after a patient dies, to helping families navigate decisions about aggressive treatment vs comfort care, The Pitt is reaching millions and millions of people with information they’ll need when they, someone they love, or someone they are caring for is dying.
Accurate information on TV changes lives
The Pitt is more than just a medical drama; it’s a reflection of the realities faced by healthcare workers and the importance of addressing end-of-life with compassion, planning, and open conversation. Which brings us to what another real-life emergency medicine doctor recently shared with the show’s creators:
“Extremely long story short, had a 90ish yo with an awful MI. Had no options for intervention, and likely an hour or so before coding. Naturally, she was a full code, like we see so often. I prepare myself to speak with family, expecting to have a long and futile conversation about expectations and end-of-life care.
As I begin talking to the patient’s daughter and son the daughter says, “Doc, we’ve been watching this new show called ‘The Pitt.’ There was an episode where a family kept arguing over full code vs. comfort care, and the patient ultimately had prolonged suffering for no good reason. We decided after that episode we would decide as a family what we would do if we were ever in that situation. So, we would like to move forward with comfort care…”
A great example of a real-life change from the show! For anyone connected with the show, a big thanks from myself! At least one life was changed by seeing how realistic the show is about our jobs/lives!”
All things considered, The Pitt far exceeds our expectations for how much impact accurate information about end-of-life on television can have on people’s lives –
How The Pitt connects with End Well’s mission
Here’s how The Pitt connects with End Well’s mission:
- Sparking Conversations: The show provides a platform to discuss end-of-life issues, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own perspectives and wishes.
- Highlighting the Importance of Planning: By showcasing the complexities and emotional weight of end-of-life situations, The Pitt subtly emphasizes the need for advance care planning.
- Recognizing the Emotional Impact: The series acknowledges the emotional burden on healthcare professionals, prompting empathy and a greater understanding of their experiences.
- Promoting Compassionate Care: The Pitt underscores the importance of providing compassionate and dignified care to patients and their families, even in the face of difficult circumstances.
- Addressing Difficult Topics: The show tackles topics like burnout, violence against healthcare workers, and the traumatic effects of the pandemic, all of which impact end-of-life care.
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