Death & Dying
Navajo tradition forbids speaking about death, so physicians must find other ways to talk about terminal illness
Michael W. Painter, M.D.
About Michael W. Painter, M.D.
Michael Painter is both a physician and a lawyer, and a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Dr. Painter works primarily in the areas of health care quality and health care disparities--specializing in health and health care issues that specifically affect urban American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Tribal Affiliation
Cherokee Nation
Hometown
Princeton Junction, New Jersey
Region
Southeast
VIDEO CLIPS
Diabetes
Communication between physician and patient as a productive means to addressing non-compliance
Hope
Our government has made some terrible mistakes, but there is hope and the hope is coming from the people themselves
Punishment
Native beliefs about illness and the role of traditional healers in restoring balance
Terminal Illness
Navajo tradition forbids speaking about death, so physicians must find other ways to talk about terminal illness
Traditional Healing
A traditional healing liaison facilitates communication between physicians and patients