Ronald W. Naito Directorship in Serious Illness Education

THE CENTER FOR ETHICS IN HEALTH CARE is deeply honored to announce the establishment of the Ronald W. Naito Directorship in Serious Illness Education, endowed in perpetuity by a $1-million gift from the Ronald W. Naito MD Foundation.
Dr. Ron Naito recently retired from his medical practice of almost 40 years after a diagnosis of advanced pancreatic cancer. Beloved by his patients for the deep presence and gifted communication skills that he brought to his practice, Dr. Naito has dedicated himself since his retirement to teaching these skills to others.
His extraordinarily generous gift ensures that these skills will be taught to OHSU students and practicing faculty long into the future. “The Center for Ethics is so very grateful to Dr. Naito for his generosity and vision,” said Susan Tolle, MD.“ We are also profoundly thankful that he allowed us to name this directorship for him, because he personifies everything that we are trying to do.” The inaugural Ronald W. Naito Directorship in Serious Illness Education will be held by Dr. Katie H. Stowers, a palliative medicine physician and assistant professor of medicine at OHSU, who will be teaching serious illness communication skills as well as advancing POLST education.

To learn more:

Dr. Naito teaching in the Living with Life-Threatening Illness Course

Drawing from his own experience of receiving a serious cancer diagnosis, Ron Naito reinforces the need for skilled and compassionate communication when delivering bad news.

Dr. Naito describes how deep presence and compassionate listening improve medical care and should be at the heart of every patient encounter

Learning How to Embrace Life in the Face of Death