I'm Dr. Karl B. Bezak MD HMDC, a board-certified internist and hospice and palliative medicine specialist, dedicated to the relief of suffering in all its forms, to bring the best possible quality of life to patients with serious illness.
A Personal Journey. A Calling to Serve.
My commitment to compassionate, holistic, and evidence-based medical care is deeply rooted in personal experiences that have shaped my journey.
I understand the challenges faced by families firsthand. My mother struggled for years with heart disease, lung disease, and kidney disease, as well as chronic pain and mental illness. As she went from specialist to specialist and hospital to hospital, trying to feel better and regain the quality of life that she once enjoyed, I saw her also becoming sicker, and my father transitioned from husband to caregiver, suffering from caregiver burden.
I experienced the all-too-common challenges that patients and families have in navigating a complex health system. There were some fantastic physicians and teams and also some challenging ones. Miscommunication or lack of communication between my mother, father, and I and her medical providers was common. The goals, hopes, and fears of my mother and our family too often went unheard and under-supported. Finally, in 2007, my mother succumbed to the ravages of kidney disease and dialysis in the setting of uncontrolled pain and mental anguish.
Through reflection, prayer, and professional experience, I found my personal and professional calling as a palliative medicine specialist. My passion for clear communication in medicine, patient-centered common-sense care, and the relief of human suffering is what drives me every day.
My mission is to bring holistic care to patients, loved ones, communities, clinicians, and healthcare systems.
It is a profound honor to serve as a guiding light for patients, their families, and the healthcare providers who support them through the intricate landscape of serious illness and the complexities of our healthcare system.