Death is a natural part of life. But it has become a painful, protracted, humiliating process that is often inappropriate for the patient, puts an undue financial and emotional burden on the family and provides a model of improper care for physicians in training. And it's expensive - about 22 percent of all medical expenditures are for people in the last year of their lives. Furthermore, while studies show that 90 percent of people would prefer to die at home surrounded by family and friends, the reality is that more than 70 percent die in institutions. As the authors argue passionately in this book, it's time for a change."In Defiance of Death" reviews the current state of end-of-life care and highlights it's many problems from a variety of economic, political and social perspectives. Drawing from an extensive survey of doctors and nurses, policymakers, business leaders, administrators, clergy, and patients and their families, the book illuminates the ethical dilemmas we all face as technology allows us to prolong life - but at a huge human and financial cost. This book documents these problems and provides a historical perspective of how the U.S. medical system evolved. The authors argue that America's "defiance of death" is far too costly and recommend that all stakeholders - including the public, medical community, Congress and business leaders - join together to create a system that improves end-of-life care for everyone involved. This book, with workable solutions to improve the U.S. medical system, helps point the way.