Sean Morrison set a fantastic vision for the ultimate goal for Palliative Care (PC) in the future: All patients will know what PC is and when to ask for it All providers will have the knowledge and skills to administer basic PC There will be the necessary infrastructure to deliver HIGH QUALITY PC. But as … Read morePolicy Goals
See prior post on Diane Meier and importance of language. So if you use the term supportive care you get more consults for your pall care program. There is a lot of misperception and bias associated with various names like pall care/hospice care/supportive care/comfort care. Yet the name that stuck with the public is death … Read morePlease help beat the Death Panel label
Language Matters. And misuse of language and misperception is a Major threat to us. What was the misperception: We are death panels and rationing and it was in the eyes of Professionals(our colleagues, the public, AND Policy Makers One implication of this: a grant was all but funded, had to be vetted in a Politicos … Read moreDiane Meier and language and policy-making
I thought I knew that the one certainty in life was Death and Taxes, but with the debates over health care reform and “Death Panels” I’m not even sure death is a certainty anymore, or at least that is the perception provided by the media sometimes. That said, isn’t it good to know Diane Meier … Read moreDiane Meier is working for you on Policy.
Have you ever been in a room of like-minded individuals who share the same passion? It is an invigorating and energizing experience! Hi, my name is Cindy Bell and I am the Blogger for the pre-session Research in Children with Advanced Illnesses: Advancing the Field Together. There were several experts who presented and many more … Read moreResearch in Children with Advanced Illnesses: Advancing the Field Together
What an enjoyable and totally painless experience attending this lecture turned out to be. Stefan Freidrichsdorf was entertaining as well as completely knowledgeable about this subject. His use of movie clips to illustrate a point was unique; his case study was compelling. The case study had multiple elements that lent themselves to illustrated several points … Read moreManaging Neuropathic Pain in Palliative Care
Roshi Joan Halifax is no longer afraid of getting what the dying have because she has recognized she’s already got it. We are all mortal. Both as a Zen priest and medical anthropologist she has paid 40 years of close attention to the marginalized position of the dying. At Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe … Read moreCompassionate and Mindful End-of-life Care: A Relational-Contemplative Approach for Clinicians
Julie Bruno, AAHPM Director of Education, started the morning plenary session with a reminder that “life happens” at preconference workshops just as it does in real life, so one of the session speakers had to attend to a family health matter. The schedule was therefore rearranged a bit to provide the two remaining faculty time … Read moreHospice Medical Director Course: A seamless Presentation of Material
This is a belated entry – I couldn’t get in to post last night, but still wanted everyone to know about the great action in the AAHPM exhibit hall! It’s 9:20 and I’m just returning to my hotel room after a long and exciting day at the AAHPM Annual Assembly. I missed the pre-conferences but … Read moreExhibit Hall Action
In looking at the gifts we have been given that we have not opened yet in our everyday activities and practices, it is good to still ponder with awareness that there is something else possible. In doing so I had not thought about bringing in the meditative practice not only for myself but for my … Read moreContemplative Interventions