Ira Byock

Ira Byock is a physician specializing in palliative care. Byock is currently the Director of Palliative Medicine at Dartmouth–Hitchcock Medical Center, Chair of Palliative Medicine and Professor in the Departments of Anesthesiology, and Community and Family Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School. Byock authored Dying Well in 1997 and The Four Things That Matter Most in 2004. Both are used extensively in the counselling of patients and families dealing with advanced illness. Additionally, Byock co-authored Palliative and End-of-Life Pearls with John E.Heffner, MD in 2002 and A Few Months to Live: Different Paths to Life's End with Jana Staton and Roger Shuy in 2001. His most recent book is "The Best Care Possible" about how 'more' is not always better in end-of-life care.

Dr Byock has appeared as a featured guest on numerous national television and radio programs, including NPR: Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered and Fresh Air; CBS 60 Minutes; ABC Nightline; and PBS The News Hour.