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A statewide resource on end-of-life issues                                                        UPDATE   
April 8, 2010Volume 4, Number 2                  
CCCC News
POLST Video Viewed 18,000 Times 

CCCC's 47-minute video, Honoring Patient Wishes for Treatment, is now available on YouTube. It originally aired on UCTV as part of the UC Davis Health System, Center for Healthy Aging Coming of Age Lecture Series. The video includes a POLST Q&A session and a demonstration of a conversation between a physician and patient.  To date, it has been viewed more than 18,000 times!

 

Learn How to Talk POLST
POLST: It Starts with a Conversation
CCCC's two-day train-the-trainer course provides opportunities for attendees to develop skills for facilitating meaningful conversations with patients and their families about POLST and goals of care. Space is limited. Sign up soon!
    Dates: April 29-30             
    Location: Alzheimer's Association Orange County Chapter, Irvine
    Cost: $169 for CCCC members; $199 for non-members.
 
New One-Day POLST Workshop in May
POLST: It Starts with a Conversation has been adapted to be offered into a shorter format for those who won't be training others. This new workshop will be offered first on May 17 in the Bay Area.
Watch the CCCC web site for more details.

 

Resources
Palliative Care: Transforming the Care of Serious Illness
This new book by Diane Meier begins with a comprehensive review of the field and includes 25 articles by leading experts in the field.
 
Making Health Care Whole
This new book by Christina Puchalski, MD & Betty Ferrell, PhD, RN, provides the first comprehensive guide to understanding the importance of spirituality, religion and culture and their impact on one's experience with illness, palliative issues and end-of-life care.
End-of-Life Policy
National Healthcare Decisions Day - April 16
A collaborative effort of national, state and community organizations committed to ensuring that all adults with decision-making capacity have the information and opportunity to communicate and document their healthcare decisions.  Get involved!
 
New Resuscitation Protocol Expands EMS Options
A new issue brief  released by the California HealthCare Foundation reports on a study of EMS responses in Los Angeles County under a revised resuscitation policy. The new policy permits paramedics to forego resuscitation if a family member on the scene verbally requests do not resuscitate (DNR) in accordance with patient wishes but without a DNR document or a patient is found without a heartbeat and at least ten minutes have elapsed before CPR starts. The study showed a small but meaningful reduction in attempted resuscitation, especially when a family DNR request was made.
As of January 1, 2010, new rules came into effect for Medicare billing that include elimination of the consultation code. Visit the
Center to Advance Palliative Care web site for more information.
 
Hospice & Palliative Care in Europe
A White Paper on Standards and Norms for Hospice and Palliative Care in Europe has been released by the European Association for Palliative Care. The paper provides definitions, an overview of the philosophy of palliative care and recommendations for the number of services, staffing, and service provision in different settings.
 
Pediatric Palliative Care Waiver Is Up and Running!
The first five counties - Alameda, Monterey, San Diego, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz - are ready to enroll children.  A few home health and hospice agencies have signed up to serve waiver children but more are needed.
Announcements
Nominations: Program Innovations in Health & Aging
The American Public Health Association (APHA) is accepting nominations for the 2010 Archstone Award for Excellence in Program Innovation. The award identifies best practice models in the field of health and aging and provides recognition and an opportunity to highlight the work at the APHA annual meeting.
 
Sierra Health Foundation's Health Leadership Program
This leadership program is designed to strengthen the skills of current and potential executives of nonprofit organizations and public agencies whose mission is dedicated to improving the health and quality of life of No. Californians. Applications due June 1, 2010.
People on the Move
Jennie Chin Hansen - New CEO of American Geriatrics Society
Jennie Chin Hansen has been named the new CEO of the American Geriatrics Society. Ms. Hansen is currently president of AARP, and was previously CEO of On Lok Senior Health Services in San Francisco.
 
Betty Ferrell Receives Trish Greene Award
The American Cancer Society awarded Betty Ferrell, RN, PhD, the 2010 Trish Greene Quality of Life Award. The award honors investigators in the field of psycho-social oncology and recognizes the significant contributions of their research toward improving quality of life for people with cancer and their families.
 
Sylvia Chou at the National Cancer Institute
Dr. Sylvia Chou has been appointed Program Director at the Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch of the NCI. Dr. Chou, who authored an article published in the Journal of Palliative Care about the Chinese American Coalition for Compassionate Care, is trained as a sociolinguist and focuses on social media and health, patient-provider interaction and health literacy.
Educational Opportunities
Audio Conference: Update on Billing and Coding Practices for Palliative Care Services 
    
    Date: April 14, 10:30 - 11:30am
    Cost: $89 per phone line; $99 includes one phone line plus CD-ROM

Expedition: Managing Advanced Disease & Palliative Care
A program to teach hospitals how to improve communication skills concerning decisions to start or withdraw specific life-sustaining treatments. The web-based program runs three to five months and is designed to help health professionals empower patients and families to make more informed choices. 
 
    Sponsor: Institute for Healthcare Improvement
    Date: Starts April 14.
    Cost: $750 per team, discounts & scholarships are available

 

Integrating Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Health
Presenters will discuss the importance of talking with clients about their sources of meaning, awe, purpose and the vital relationships in their lives and the many dimensions of spirituality as related to the physical, emotional and mental health of the older adult.
 
    Sponsor: Institute on Aging
    Date: May 4, 8:30am - 4:40pm
    Location: St. Mary's Event Center, San Francisco
    Cost: $105, Student $50
On the Web
New Website for Palliative Care Funding
The Collaborative to Advance Funding for Palliative Care (CAFPAC) has launched www.FundPalCare.org as part of a new initiative to share palliative care grantmaking concepts and success stories, and to stimulate higher levels of funding in palliative care. 

Palliative Care Grand Rounds
March Palliative Care Grand Rounds highlights writing from the end-of-life blogging community and beyond during the month of February 2010.
A program to teach hospitals how to improve communication skills concerning decisions to start or withdraw specific life-sustaining treatments. The web-based program runs three to five months and is designed to help health professionals empower patients and families to make more informed choices. 
 
Newsletters are available on the CCCC Website (www.finalchoices.org) in PDF format for anyone who is having trouble reading this email version.
In This Issue
CCCC News
Resources
End of Life Policy
Data & Research
People on the Move
Educational Opportunities
On the Web
Quick Links