Our Mission
Who We Are
The Institute for Patients’ Rights conducts research, educates the public, and works to expand and implement tools of empowerment for older adults, people with disabilities, marginalized persons, and their families to combat policies and medical practices that devalue some people’s lives, putting them at greater risk of deadly harm .
Our Vision
We envision a healthcare environment in which patients and families are supported during difficult medical life events. Institute for Patients’ Rights will continue to work toward equitable care regardless of age, health, disability status, or socioeconomic class. We believe that equal human dignity should be applied first and foremost in healthcare for the betterment of society.
Impact
Institute for Patients’ Rights is working to empower patients in need of palliative, hospice, and dignity-rooted medical practices that support the whole person. Additionally, we promote equal access to these dignity-affirming practices. IPR aids patients and the medical community in accessing high quality multidisciplinary care.
We work against efforts and policies that remove opportunities for care or deprioritize care for certain groups and disguise latent societal devaluation of people with disabilities and older adults.
We advocate in the public square and educate governing bodies on the damaging impact of the quality adjusted life year (QALY) metric, discrimination in crisis standards of care promulgated by states during the pandemic, care rationing based on disability or age, unfair allocation of organ transplants and other scarce medical resources, the nonconsensual removal or nonprovision of life sustaining care, and disparities in suicide prevention care as are found inherent in assisted suicide laws. We are committed to standing in the gap until all patients and families get a fair shake in health care system.
Institute for Patients’ Rights is currently working with partner organizations on the issue of legalized assisted suicide. This practice leads to a two-tiered medical system in which some people receive suicide intervention, while others will receive suicide assistance.
Oftentimes, the groups receiving assisted suicide support are the most vulnerable of society. This is a deadly practice that blatantly discriminates against people in most need of life affirming care.
How You Can Help
You can help bring about real change by donating today!