In this issue...
NEWS
1. Prime Opportunity for Advocacy
2. New and Improved Coalition Website Launched
3. Voices from Coalition Heard at CHA Assembly
4. CHA Assembly Brought to You
OPPORTUNITIES
5. Nominations for 2007 Circle of Life Award
RESOURCES
6. State of Science on Improving End-of-Life Care
7. A Lion in the House Provides Opportunity for Outreach
READINGS
8. Gauge of Quality Care Requires Patient Ratings and Technical Quality Measures
9. Concerns About Pain Management Among Adolescents with Cancer
CONFERENCES
10. End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium Courses
11. Reaching Out to Your Referring Physicians Audio Conference
12. Finitude, Medical Futility, and Faithful Care of the Dying
13. Volunteerism and Family Caregiving: Inspiration and Transformation
14. Big Sky Oncology Update 2006
15. Religions and Cultures of East and West: Perspectives on Bioethics
16. Board Review for American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
17. 10th Annual Interdisciplinary Approach to Symptom Control, Palliative and Hospice Care
18. Music and Psyche at the Edges of Life
19. Practical Aspects of Palliative Medicine: Integrating Palliative Care Into Clinical Medicine
20. The Many Faces of Pain in Palliative Care
21. Interventional Pain Management for Palliative Care
22. Building Palliative Care Programs in Hospitals: Tools and Strategies for Success
23. National Geriatrics and Palliative Care Conference
24. Palliative Care: Best Practices for Advanced Illness
25. 2006 Spiritual Care Research Conference – Life Near the End of Life;
Spiritual Research and Evidence Based Support Intervention
26. 5th International Palliative Care in the 21st Century Conference
27. 13th Annual Conference: The Science and Art of Pain and Symptom Management
NEWS
1. Prime Opportunity for Advocacy
Comment deadline is August 31, 2006
The Citizens’ Health Care Working Group interim recommendations are out for a 60-day comment period. Recommendation six is directed to Palliative Care. To offer comments on the interim report, through August 31, 2006, or to view the entire document and share with colleagues, visit the group’s web site. Once finalized, the recommendations will be forwarded to President Bush. www.CitizensHealthCare.gov.
2. New and Improved Coalition Website Launched
You’re just a click away from our new, user-friendly web site, www.supportivecarecoalition.org. Please take some time to navigate through the site and let us know what you think. We are still revising, adding content and copy, and welcome your suggestions on how we can improve the site to better meet your needs. Many thanks to the staff at Verus, Inc. for their technical and graphic savvy in creation of the site.
3. Voices from Coalition Heard at CHA Assembly
Attendees of the 91st Catholic Health Assembly (CHA) were inspired, educated and rejuvenated by many presenters, including Coalition executive director Sr. Karin Dufault, and five members of the Coalition’s board of directors: Sr. Margaret Mary Egan, OSF and Colleen Scanlon, RN, JD, Catholic Health Initiatives, served as part of a panel presentation focused on Community Benefit; Sr. Judith Jackson, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System, highlighted their implementation of innovative clinics to meet the needs of the uninsured; Dan O’Brien, PhD, Ascension Health, discussed the development and philosophy of executive compensation and its consistence with the Ascension mission, vision, values and Catholic identity; and Mary Davidson, MSN, Catholic Healthcare Partners, presented the strategy and success of three unique regional approaches to palliative care.
4. CHA Assembly Brought to You
The Catholic Health Association’s web site is brimming with details and resources from the annual assembly gathering June 4-6, 2006. Simply click the following link to find comprehensive coverage of the event and handouts and Power Point outlines of several presentations, www.chausa.org. Additionally, CD and DVD recordings are available for purchase through Veranda Communications, http://www.verandatapes.com/
OPPORTUNITIES
5. Nominations for 2007 Circle of Life Award
Application deadline is August 14, 2006
Applications are available for the prestigious 2007 American Hospital Association Circle of Life Award: Celebrating Innovation in End-of-Life Care. Presented annually to honor organizations striving to improve care provided to patients with life-threatening conditions or near the end of life, up to three award winners in 2007 will receive $10,000 to further their work. The award will be presented at the American Hospital Association Health Forum Summit, July 22-24, 2007, in San Diego. To nominate an organization or program, either your own or another
http://www.aha.org/aha/awards-events/circle_of_life/awards.jsp
To download an application
http://www.aha.org/aha/awards-events/circle_of_life/cofapplication.html
RESOURCES
6. State of Science on Improving End-of-Life Care
The proceedings of the National Institutes of Health State-of-Science conference, Improving End-of-Life-Care, have been published in a special supplement of the Journal of Palliative Medicine, Vol. 8, Supplement 1. The supplement is available at http://www.liebertonline.com/toc/jpm/8/supplement+1
7. A Lion in the House Provides Opportunity for Outreach
The June 21 and 22 PBS broadcast of A Lion in the House, an unprecedented look at the cancer journeys of five young people and their families, seeks to galvanize public attention around childhood cancer and spur a national dialogue, support families and caregivers, and inspire local and regional action. An outreach kit, fact sheets, learning guides, promotional items, DVD clips from the program and other support materials are available. http://www.itvs.org/outreach/lioninthehouse/
READINGS
8. Gauge of Quality Care Requires Patient Ratings and Technical Quality Measures
A study conducted by RAND, the University of California at Los Angeles and the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System concluded that patient ratings of health care likely provide valuable information about patients’ perceptions of care, but are not good indications of technical quality of care. The researchers recommended that a quality of care assessment should include both patient ratings and measures of technical quality. The study is part of a project called Assessing the Care of Vulnerable Elders (ACOVE).
http://www.rand.org/congress/newsletters/health/0606/patient_ratings.html
9. Concerns About Pain Management Among Adolescents with Cancer:
Developing the Adolescent Barriers Questionnaire
Barriers to pain management have rarely been studied in adolescents. This article summarizes two studies used in the development and initial psychometric testing of the Adolescent Barriers Questionnaire (ABQ). Building on the Barriers Questionnaire-II, the ABQ is designed to measure the extent to which adolescents with cancer have concerns about reporting pain and using analgesics. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing 2006 23 (4): 220-232. PMID: 16766687
CONFERENCES
10. End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium Courses
2006/2007 / Throughout the United States
Presented by End of Life Nursing Education Consortium
Continuing its role as the foremost developer of end-of-life curricula for nurses, ELNEC is now offering an ELNEC course focused on critical care nursing. This will complement its core curriculum and specialty courses in oncology, pediatric palliative care, and geriatric care. For a complete listing and application, check the ELNEC website.
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ELNEC/06Courses.htm
11. Reaching Out to Your Referring Physicians
July 11, 2006 / 10:30-11:30 AM PST; 1:30-2:30 PM EST
Sponsored by Center to Advance Palliative Care
From grand rounds to role-playing, learn how to educate other clinicians about the role of the palliative care team. Featured speaker David E. Weissman, MD, will share high-impact educational strategies that will increase your program's profile and appeal.
http://www.capc.org/support-from-capc/audio-conf/7-11-2006/
12. Finitude, Medical Futility, and Faithful Care of the Dying
July 27-29, 2006 / Seattle, WA
Sponsored by Ernest Becker Foundation and School of Theology and Ministry, Seattle University
This institute will explore the implications of Becker’s thought for care of the dying and deepen understanding of the spiritual and resource needs of the dying. www.ernestbecker.org
13. Volunteerism and Family Caregiving: Inspiration and Transformation
July 28-30, 2006 / Denver, CO
Sponsored by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
Volunteers and family caregivers and their unique needs for education, knowledge of best practices, empowerment, support and encouragement will be the focus of this three-day conference.
www.nhpco.org
14. Big Sky Oncology Update 2006
August 11-13, 2006 / Big Sky, MT
Sponsored by Sanford School of Medicine University of South Dakota
Presentations will address the new developments and advancements in the treatment of GI, GU, lung, breast, and hematologic cancers and the application of current concepts in radiation oncology and the treatment of head and neck cancers to clinical practice. For more information, 1-800-445-7878.
15. 13th Annual Thomas S. Pitts Memorial Lectureship
Religions and Cultures of East and West: Perspectives on Bioethics
September 8-9, 2006 / Charleston, SC
Sponsored by Medical University of South Carolina Institute of Human Values in Health Care,
Bioethic perspectives - from Judaic, Christian, Islamic, Japanese, Chinese and Indian religions and cultures - will provide contrasting views of the use of enhancement technologies, abortion, and divergence of worldwide religious understandings of death as it relates to transplantation.
www.values.musc.edu
16. Board Review for American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
October 5-6, 2006 / Houston, TX
Sponsored by The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
17. 10th Annual Interdisciplinary Approach to Symptom Control, Palliative & Hospice Care
October 7-8, 2006 / Houston, TX
Sponsored by The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Conference and board review focus will include state-of-art pain and symptom management, communication with patients and families at the end of life, issues of hope and grief, and moral and ethical dilemmas facing clinicians who provide end-of-life care.
http://www.mdanderson.org/prof_education/cmecs/display.cfm?id=54ad2f22-0fbe-4c99-87c32980edd4ffa3&method=displayfull&pn=6b1866eb-d2d7-4cee-9769db428bb091a4
18. Music and Psyche at the Edges of Life
October 6-8, 2006 / Corte Madera, CA
Sponsored by the Bonny Institute
Explore the value of music and imagery at the thresholds of consciousness with the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery. 415-721-0285 www.bonnyinstitute.org
19. Practical Aspects of Palliative Medicine: Integrating Palliative Care Into Clinical Medicine
October 22-26, 2006 / Boston, MA
Sponsored by Harvard Medical School Center for Palliative Care & Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The three-day course is designed to offer physicians and other clinicians the core information and skills they need to provide palliative care in their practice settings.
http://www.hms.harvard.edu/cdi/pallcare/PAPM_Application.htm
20. The Many Faces of Pain in Palliative Care
October 24-25, 2006 / Falls Church, VA
Sponsored by Capital Hospice
21. Pre-conference: Interventional Pain Management for Palliative Care
October 23 / Falls Church, VA
The full conference consists of the half-day pre-conference, with a focus on interventional pain management, and the following two-day conference probing the many facets of pain management. http://www.capitalhospice.org/institute/education/conference/faces.asp
22. Building Palliative Care Programs in Hospitals: Tools and Strategies for Success
Sponsored by Center to Advance Palliative Care and Mt. Sinai School of Medicine
November 2-4, 2006 / Chicago, IL
A highly practical and comprehensive overview of the operational and financial aspects of starting and sustaining a successful palliative care program.
www.capc.org
23. National Geriatrics and Palliative Care Conference
November 2-5, 2006 / Anaheim, CA
Sponsored by Kaiser Permanente
Topics will focus on an integrated approach to serving the diverse needs of an aging population.
Call 510-891-3809, or contact C. James Kinsman, charles.james.kinsman@kp.org
24. Palliative Care: Best Practices for Advanced Illness
November 7-8, 2006 / Coon Rapids, MN
Sponsored by Allina Hospitals & Clinics
Conference participants will learn foundational knowledge for best practices in palliative care.
http://www.allina.com/ahs/HCHS.nsf/page/education
25. 2006 Spiritual Care Research Conference – Life Near the End of Life:
Spiritual Research and Evidence-Based Support Intervention
November 9-10, 2006 / Rochester, MN
Sponsored by Mayo Clinic Continuing Nursing Education, Mayo Chaplain Services, Saint Mary’s Hospital
Designed specifically for the discussion of spiritual care research, this health care conference will disseminate research and evidence-based support interventions for end-of-life care.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/jobs-nursing-rst/calendarconf.html
26. 5th International Palliative Care in the 21st Century Conference
Sponsored by the Jewish Home & Hospital Lifecare System
November 15, 2006 / New York
Ann Berger, RN, MSN, MD, Chief of Pain and Palliative Care Services Clinical Center at The National Institutes of Health will be keynote speaker.
http://jewishhome.org
27. 13th Annual Conference: The Science and Art of Pain and Symptom Management
November 17-18, 2006 / Toronto, Ontario
Sponsored by Oncology Continuing Education, University of Toronto
Plenaries, controversies and workshops highlight this two-day conference.
http://www.cme.utoronto.ca/education/cmesearch.asp