Dr J. Otte
Integrating palliative care and sustainability in medicine.
How I divide my time:
1.
Caring for Patients & Families
I'm a family physician, practicing mainly palliative care in Nanaimo, BC.
Patients deserve access to the best quality care, while at the same time avoiding unnecessary and harmful interventions.
More is sometimes better, but not always! Good patient-centred care can fit in the context of a sustainable health system and planet.
2.
Asking Questions
I like to ask patients questions like "What matters to you?"
I work with teams to ask research questions like "Why do we keep doing medical interventions that we know are not helpful?" and "How can we help clinicians order drugs that are more effective or safer for patients, and stop ordering things that are not helpful?"
3.
Educating & Sharing
To close the clinical research to practice gap and reach clinicians, trainees, and the public, I speak, write, and develop other education materials, largely under the umbrella of my academic roles with the University of British Columbia.
4.
Improving Health Systems
I am engaged in various policy and advocacy work that relates to the health system in British Columbia, with a particular interest in resource stewardship and sustainability.
Less Is More Medicine
You can view the archives of this old site here:
My Approach
I believe that patients should have access to the highest quality care that fits their goals and needs; their care should be informed by the best available evidence, free of conflicts of interest.
We do things in health care out of best intentions. Sometimes more is better but we also must remember that many tests and treatments provide no benefit for patients, cause harm, and waste resources that could be better used elsewhere. If we can avoid harmful and unnecessary things, then we will be able to provide the interventions that really make a difference for people.
About me
I'm a nature-loving Vancouver Islander with rural Ontario roots. Being a mother, a patient, and experiencing all the wonder and heartache of our ambitious garden positively shapes my professional perspective.