Where Is Palliative Care Now in the “Post-COVID” Landscape?

In the early days of the COVID pandemic, some palliative care and hospice programs found themselves pushed to the sidelines of the national crisis response. Patients “crashed” fast; doors closed to all-but essential facility staff; some patients put off seeking care for preexisting serious conditions and thus failed to get connected with hospice and palliative care.

Can Palliative Care Be Provided Entirely From Afar?

Palliative care is a humanistic, patient-centric form of healthcare that includes medical, emotional, and other supportive services for people who are confronting the impacts of a serious illness in many areas of their lives. Some have even called it “hand-holding,” although it involves much more than that.

3-by-3 for Effective Advance Care Planning/Directives

You’ll be hearing a lot all April about National Health Care Decisions Day (April 16) and the importance of doing your advance care planning and completing your advance medical directives. So here’s my wiki on advance care planning/directives, born of 20 years of study and teaching, giving and taking professional guidance, being a patient and a family member of patients many times over.

Palliative Care Education Scholarships Available for San Diego County Health Professionals 

To recognize National Health Care Decisions Day (April 16), the California State University Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care is offering $19,000 in scholarships to San Diego County health professionals seeking convenient, high-quality, online palliative care education.

Medical Cannabis Course Offers Information for Palliative Care Clinicians

As interest and use of cannabis-derived products for treating symptoms of illness grow across the country, hospice and palliative care practitioners are increasingly looking to understand how these products fit into the palliative approach for treating symptoms of serious illness.

A Moment for the HeART at the 2022 National Symposium for Academic Palliative Care Education and Research

A space for self-care, reflection, and creative expression to be highlighted at the National Symposium for Academic Palliative Care in San Diego.

Reflections on a Palliative Care Response to Disaster

Read one physician’s story about how a devastating fire in Northern California impacted the community and first responders, the critical role the palliative care team played in time of crisis, and her call for systemic responses.

New “Essentials” of Nursing Education Create Opening for Palliative Care

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has just taken a major step toward ensuring that clinical competencies in primary palliative care and end-of-life care are incorporated into nursing teaching curriculums. Learn more.

Chaplain-Educator to Receive 2022 Doris A. Howell Award for Advancing Palliative Care

For the first time in the award’s 6-year history, a hospital chaplain, spiritual care educator, researcher, and leader has been named the 2022 recipient of the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care Doris A. Howell, MD, Award for Advancing Palliative Care.

Healing From Soul Injury Presented by Deborah Grassman at National Symposium

Mental health nurse practitioner, CEO and founder of Opus Peace, Deborah Grassman, NP, to speak about her research into “Soul Injury” at the 2022 National Symposium in San Diego.

Joan Fisher, MD, PhD, FAAP, to Address Pediatric Palliative Care

Nationally recognized pediatric clinician-educator, Joan Fisher MD, PhD, FAAP, will address pediatric palliative care and communication with medically complex children and families at the National Symposium for Academic Palliative Care Education and Research in San Diego.

Expanding Rural Access Through Primary Palliative Care Training

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the need for more accessibility to palliative care services. Addressing the disparity in access between rural and urban medical environments, and broader training of frontline clinical workers in primary palliative care, are imperatives, says guest blogger, Aldebra Schroll, MD, of the Butte-Glenn Medical Society.

Time for Palliative Care to Stretch Beyond the Patient-and-Family

What if we extended palliative care even beyond the patient-and-family, even with a loose definition of “family,” and said “patient and their communities” instead?

Addressing Spiritual Pain Challenges Palliative Clinicians

Efforts to support patients’ spiritual needs can sometimes be overlooked given more immediate symptom management demands. While most clinical education programs don't incorporate spiritual care, all clinicians need awareness of spiritual pain as a vital component of end-of-life care.

Palliative Care and Public Policy in California

Judy Thomas, CEO of the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California (CCCC), delivers an update on recent public policy developments that positively impact POLST and palliative care in California.

Teaching Primary Palliative Care in a Large Health System

Ensuring all clinicians in any setting caring for patients with serious illness have communication and symptom management skills is a top priority—but requires leadership and training. Several models are available.

Dr. Ronit Elk to Address Health Equity in Palliative Care

Ronit Elk, PhD, a renowned researcher, educator and clinician will be a presenter at the 2022 National Symposium for Academic Palliative Care Education and Research.

Dr. Jean Watson to Address Caring Science in Palliative Care

Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, nurse, author, and nursing professor, best known for her theory of human caring, will deliver the keynote address at the 2022 National Symposium for Academic Palliative Care and Research in San Diego, California.

Symposium to Highlight Research, Education, and Practice

2022 marks the return of the in-person National Symposium event. Back by popular demand is plenary speaker, palliative care leader, researcher, analyst, and author, Jeri Miller, PhD, MS, MSc.

Nominations Open for Annual Doris A. Howell Award for Advancing Palliative Care

Nominations are sought for annual award recognizing a health professional whose contributions, dedication, and compassion have helped advance palliative care in San Diego County.   

Palliative Care Education Scholarships Available for San Diego County Health Professionals

To recognize National Hospice and Palliative Care Month in November, the California State University Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care is offering $25,000 in scholarships to San Diego County health professionals seeking convenient, high-quality, online palliative care education. 

National Symposium: Come for the Sunshine, Stay for the Program

Jennifer Moore Ballentine, MA, executive director, discusses the theme chosen for the 2022 National Symposium and offers a glimpse of what attendees can expect, from plenary speakers to exhibit opportunities and more.

What Does the Hospice Carve-In Demo Mean for Hospices and Their Business Model?

Hospice innovation points to a world where hospice care is a “carve-in” to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, rather than carved out as a separate benefit provided by Medicare-certified hospices, as it is currently.

Palliative Pain Management Must Include Mitigation of Opioid Misuse

For hospice and palliative care clinicians, pain management is an essential responsibility in managing the symptoms of serious illnesses. But the unabated tragedy of prescription opioid misuse and overdoses requires close attention. Incorporating mitigating approaches into palliative care training is critical.

The Expanding Role of PAs in Serious Illness and Palliative Care

Few physician assistants are working in palliative or hospice care. But this is changing. PAs are in high demand, and having a palliative care skill set offers them a significant advantage.

Hospital at Home and Palliative Care: How Should They Work Together?

Interest in the hospital at home concept has gained momentum as health systems, the Veterans Administration, and managed care organizations are testing the approach for treating seriously ill adults in a more familiar and comfortable setting.

POLST Comes of Age, Moves Toward Greater Standardization

In recent years, Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) has become almost a routine part of the health care system, and it continues to spread and become standardized as more states work to ensure portability, across settings and state lines, through electronic registries.

CSU Shiley Institute for Palliative Care Renamed to Honor President Emerita Karen Haynes

On July 13, the California State University Board of Trustees voted and approved renaming the CSU Shiley Institute for Palliative Care as the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care, honoring Karen Haynes, President Emerita of CSU San Marcos.

Can Policy Help to Expand Advance Care Planning?

As the world re-emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, health care advocates work to remove barriers to advance care planning, expand completions of advance directives, and ensure interoperability for advance directives in electronic health records (EHRs).