Access to language services is required when caring for patients with limited English proficiency.

Physicians new to a case might object to an established care plan. Practice variation, clinical momentum, and how value is assigned by different parties to acute care and comfort measures can each contribute to conflict in these cases.

Physicians must express compassion when discussing risk and success rates of palliative surgery.

Physicians need to help surrogate decision makers to make treatment and end-of-life decisions for those with severe neurological damage by proving a realistic prognosis and maintain strong lines of communication.

When serving an ethnically diverse population, it is imperative that physicians have an understanding of a patients' cultural background and attitudes towards health, nutrition and personal care.

The model minority myth has far-reaching implications for Asian Americans in many settings, including medicine.

The communication gulf is not only one of language, but also one of culture, understood broadly. And, despite the priority of medical concerns, every effort should be made to obtain consent consistent with appropriate care.

Moral distress can be reduced by approaching the patient-physician relationship with empathy and humility, which foster trust and good communication.

An exploration of what could have been done to help the immigrant family of a severely ill child with his care.

For some patients whose survival is extended by disease-modifying interventions, little guidance about clinical and ethical complexities exist.