Exploring Hospice and Palliative Care

Course Description:

This activity will address the clinical specialty of hospice and palliative care.  Content will include descriptions of current approaches for provision of palliative and hospice care.  Attendees will increase knowledge surrounding the distinctions of both interventions and develop increased confidence in communication with patients and caregivers.

Statement of Need:

Evidence from randomized trials, national reports, and physician surveys shows that earlier integration of palliative care improves patient outcomes, yet physician-level knowledge and referral practices remain inconsistent — contributing to late hospice enrollment

Professional Practice Gap: Many physicians are not familiar with appropriate timing and indications for hospice and specialty palliative care.  There are also gaps in ability to identify local referral pathways for treatment and communication strategies to educate patients and caregivers about options related to hospice or palliative care. t

Citation:  Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Approaching Death. Dying in America: Improving Quality and Honoring Individual Preferences Near the End of Life. National Academies Press; 2014

Expected Results in Competence: Physicians will be be able to apply communication skills in speaking with patients and determination of appropriate timing for hospice/palliative care options.

Objectives:

• Describe the benefits of early palliative care and appropriate hospice timing, citing supporting evidence
• Apply communication strategies in patient/caregiver discussion.

Disclosure:

The following planners disclose that they have no relevant relationships with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients:

Miranda Mosley

Rachel Crouch

The following speakers disclose that they have no relevant relationships with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients:

Monalisa Tailor, M.D.

Rebecca Chatham, M.D.