Edward Ratner, M.D.

Associate Professor of Medicine
Medical Director, Heartland Home Health Care
and Hospice, Roseville, MN 

Biography
Dr. Ratner received his undergraduate degree from Carleton College. Medical school and residency training in Internal Medicine were at University of Chicago and affiliate hospitals. Post-residency training in Geriatric Medicine has included the Harvard's Geriatric Education Center, the Home Medicine Program at Boston University, and the University of Minnesota's Internal Medicine Geriatric Fellowship. He is also a graduate of the National Library of Medicine Medical Informatics Fellowship program. His clinical practice currently focuses on care in the home. He serves on the Graduate faculty in three programs: Bioethics, Gerontology and Medical Informatics. Research and teaching interests include ethics, home care, interdisciplinary care, end of life care, telemedicine and use of computers and personal digital assistants in medical education. His current projects include an NIH funded study of end of life care among the homeless, development of a statewide POLST form and creation of service learning opportunities for medical and other graduate students.

Honors, Awards, Organizations

• Board Certified in Internal Medicine
• Certificate in Home Care (AAHCP)
• Certificate in Home Health Agency Medical Direction (AAHCP)
• Certificate of Added Qualifications in Geriatrics
• American Medical Association (member)
• American Medical Directors Association (member)
• American Academy of Home Care Physicians (Past President)
• Minnesota Medical Directors Association (Past President)
• American Geriatrics Society (member)

Selected Recent Publications 

• Vawter, L, Ratner, ER, The Need for POLST: Minnesota’s Initiative, Minnesota Medicine, 93(1):42-46 2010
• Hayashi, J, DeCherrie, L, Ratner, ER, Boling, P, Workforce Development in Geriatric Home Care, Clinics of Geriatrics 25(1):109-120, 2009 Roles 5,8,9,10
• Bartels, D, Ulvestad, N, Ratner, ER, Wal, M, Uutala, M, Song, J. Dignity Matters: Advance Care Planning For People Experiencing Homelessness, Journal Clinical Ethics, 19(3):214-22, 2008
• Song J, Bartels D, Ratner E, Alderton L, Hudson B, Ahluwalia J. Dying on the Streets: Homeless Persons’ Concerns and Desires about End of Life Care. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 22(4):435-441
• Song J. Ratner ER. Bartels DM. Alderton L. Hudson B. Ahluwalia JS. Experiences with and attitudes toward death and dying among homeless persons.[see comment]. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 22(4):427-34, 2007
• Song J, Ratner ER, Bartels D, Dying While Homeless: Is it a concern when life itself is such a struggle? Journal of Clinical Ethics, 16(3):251-26, 2005
• Finkelstein, S, Ratner, ER, Managing Chronic Illness with Home Telemedicine” Minnesota Medicine 89(11):42-45, 2006
• Norlander, L, Ratner, ER, Formation and Operation of a Statewide Commission on End-of-Life Care in Minnesota, Journal of Palliative Medicine, 7(6):839-845, 2005
• Ratner, ER, Bartels, D Song, J, A Perspective on Homelessness, Ethics, and Medical Care. Minnesota Medicine, 87:60-62, 2004
• Ratner, ER, Overview of Curriculum in Geriatrics at University of Minnesota Medical School, Academic Medicine, 2004, S111-112
• Ratner E. Dollars and sense: revenue opportunities in home care medicine. [Journal Article] Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 2003 4(4 Suppl):H21-2
• Ratner, ER, Song, J. Ethics of Dying at Home. Home Health Management, 2003, 15:123-125
• Ratner, ER, Oswald, JW, Patterns and Trends in End of Life Care in Minnesota. In: Final Report of the Minnesota Commission on End of Life Care, January 2002, pp. 86-90
• Ratner ER, Norlander L, McSteen K. Death at home following a targeted advance care planning process in the home setting: the kitchen table discussion. JAGS, 2001, 49(6):778-781
• Ratner, ER, Role of Home Care in Long-Term Care. In: Cutson, TM, ed. Long Term Care in Geriatrics, Clinics in Family Practice. 3(3):491-500 W.B. Saunders, 2001