About Keynote Speaker Edward Creagan

This Mayo Clinic physician/author of the book How Not to Be My Patient brings a message of health and wellness to his often humorous talks, each one tailored for the specific audience. Edward Creagan (known as “Dr. Ed”) speaks with authority, passion, and a view from inside the exam room, so participants learn to talk so their doctors will listen. This talk is recommended for a company’s wellness day or a conference for colleagues who work in the health field.

 He confides in groups about what doctors didn’t learn in medical school, and he lists his 8 commandments for healthy living—so attendees really will live long enough retire with plenty of vibrant living left. As a cancer specialist who has had over 40,000 patient encounters at one of the nation’s premier medical institutions, the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Ed is like the kindly Marcus Welby who made house calls. In a changing medical care system that is miserably broken, he empowers patients to be their own quarterback because, then, he knows we can all thrive and survive any diagnosis.

[A variation of this talk would take a more focused approach to dealing with cancer survivorship with messages about taking charge of medical care, making the best decisions in the face of dread disease, and putting yourself in a position to survive any diagnosis. He discusses the best choices in alternative care, why patients need advocates at all times, understanding the diagnosis and asking the right questions, and preparing for whatever comes next in terms of advance directives and healthcare surrogates. He also addresses the trials and tribulations of the caregivers for loved ones with cancer: their special health risks.]

“I have dedicated my life to death,” says Dr. Edward Creagan. As the first board-certified palliative and hospice physician at the esteemed Mayo Clinic, “Dr. Ed” has been present at the bedside for more than 40,000 patient encounters. Patients and their families ask poignant questions and deserve candid answers, which is why he wrote a book entitled Farewell.

In his talks to hospice and patient/family caregiver groups, as fundraisers for hospice programs, and for healthcare providers who work with patients at the end of their lives, he examines death from an acutely emotional perspective as events beyond our control unfold. He answers the questions most asked, such as what is death, how long will I live, should we turn off life-support systems, should we begin them in the first place, what if family members can’t agree on care, and other profoundly painful questions asked when someone is facing the last moments of life.

In an increasingly confusing sick medical care system, sometimes the victims are the healthcare providers themselves. Institutions are experiencing record numbers of burnout among staff and tragic suicides. Dr. Edward Creagan of Mayo Clinic knows how the system contributes to stress and burnout with the pressure to see more patients, to navigate a perplexing EHR, to be caring and healing with too many outside pressures to perform.

Dr. Creagan addresses healthcare teams across the country with a message of hope and help and understanding and with practical tips to make life-affirming healthcare decisions for themselves—so healthcare teams can provide the caring and healing in their chosen professions.

No one doubts the healing power in a beloved dog or cat. That animal/human bond has been forged forever, and almost miraculous healing can be found as our furry friends become part of the healthcare prescription. The aging with Alzheimer’s often speak only to animals. Petting a pet can lower blood pressure. Children learn by reading to dogs in the classroom. Pain is lessened if a four-legged “doctor” is nearby.

 Dr. Creagan, a palliative and hospice specialist and cancer doctor at the Mayo Clinic, has often prescribed pets for his patients. His loving message comes from the heart of a doctor who has a houseful of rescue animals (and one wife). His talk is ideal for fundraisers for humane societies and animal rescue groups.