This is the second of three posts by UNIPAC series editor Porter Storey, MD FACP FAAHPM, in which he discusses the new UNIPAC series, including the amplifire™ online confidence-based learning modules, and addresses commonly asked questions. At the AAHPM Annual Assembly, I was asked several good questions about the new UNIPAC Series 4th edition. Perhaps … Read moreMore UNIPAC Questions Answered
This is the first of three posts by UNIPAC series editor Porter Storey, MD FACP FAAHPM, in which he discusses the new UNIPAC series, including the amplifire™ online confidence-based learning modules, and addresses commonly asked questions. At the AAHPM Annual Assembly, I was asked several good questions about the new UNIPAC Series 4th edition. Perhaps … Read moreUNIPAC 4th edition Now Available
by Larry Beresford Most hospice and palliative medicine (HPM) professionals have been asked, “How can you do this work? Isn’t it depressing?” Depressing, some folks assume, because so many of the patients die, even though it is often expected. And yet, the experiences of those in the field is, in many cases, just the opposite—many … Read moreAAHPM Quarterly Article Highlights Job Satisfaction in HPM
It seems innocuous, but the term ‘dual diagnosis’ describes a very complicated subset of patients — those who have a substance use disorder as well as a primary psychiatric disorder (anything from depression to schizophrenia). Throw a serious medical illness into the mix, and you have a recipe for one very overwhelmed palliative care physician. … Read moreDual Diagnosis, aka Substance Abuse, Mental Illness, and Palliative Care
You’ve all been there – the elderly couple shuffles into your office, peering through oversize glasses, slightly disoriented but helping each other out. Did you ever stop to think how they got to your office? They almost certainly drove – but should they? Shouldn’t it be their children’s job to tell them to stop?? Focus … Read moreDriving Miss Daisy
This am has been an interesting juxtaposition of following Twitter during the state of the science, and being reminded of the power of a graciously led small group meeting. I would not qualify myself as a skeptic, but more as a user without training in the multiple areas for which a Clinical informatics system can … Read moreThe Why, How , What and “So What” of developing Clinical Informatics Tools
Ok -so it only took me 40 min to post the first one so this posting will get better. This session was about motivational interviewing and was led by Julie Childers and Bob Arnold. We were very interactive and engaged and it was very heartwarming to see a large roomful of colleagues who have really … Read moreCommunication as a dance
Newly inspired by Christian Sinclair’s presentation I am happy I challenged myself to be a blogger at this meeting. I certainly agree that the title “An unlikely union- Palliative Care and Wellness “seems apt, and quite intriguing. And at a session I attended yesterday the emphasis was on integrating palliative care, and so I was … Read morepalliative care and wellness
Yes, chemotherapy can and should be part of good palliation in many settings
Our palliative care interdisciplinary team (IDT) meets every morning, and reviews nearly all the patients on the inpatient service, new patients seen in the outpatient clinic, outpatients in need of active management of some aspect of their care (typically pain medication), and patients under our care who have died. It’s a unique and comprehensive meeting … Read moreModel for Running a Palliative Care Interdisciplinary Team Case Conference