Abstract
CMS Grants Grace Period on Face-to-Face Rule
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has agreed not to enforce the face-to-face certification requirement for 3 months, until the second quarter of 2011. The regulation specifies a hospice physician or nurse practitioner must meet with the patient, face to face, a more stringent process for hospice and home health certification and recertification of patients receiving the Medicare hospice benefit. It does not apply to Medicaid patients. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization has published a fact sheet about the regulation and the temporary enforcement suspension. For additional information: www.nhpco.org/files/public/regulatory/FAQs_Face-to-Face_v2.pdf
ExCEL in Social Work Program Offered
Excellence in Cancer Education and Leadership (ExCEL) in Social Work training opportunities will take place in May. ExCEL in Social Work is a collaborative partnership between the City of Hope, the Association of Oncology Social Work, and the Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers. The training will enhance participants' critical leadership skills through a focus on the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2008 Report—Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs. The training will take place May 2–3, 2011, preceding the Association of Oncology Social Work conference in St. Louis, Missouri, and May 9–10, 2011, preceding the Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. Competitively selected applicants will receive a free registration, 1-night hotel stay, meals associated with the preconference, extensive course materials, and contact hours www.cityofhope.org/education/health-professional-education/nursing-education/excel/Pages/default.aspx.
FDA Approves Drug to Prevent Cancer-Related Bone Injuries
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Xgeva™ (denosumab), a monoclonal antibody from Amgen (Thousand Oaks, CA), to help prevent skeletal pain and fracture in patients with cancer whose disease has spread and damaged the bone. The drug targets a protein called human RANKL involved in cancer-related bone destruction. “Xgeva has a different mechanism of action than currently approved drugs aimed at reducing bone complications from cancer,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., director of the Office of Oncology Drug Products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. During clinical trials, the most serious side effects experienced with Xgeva were hypocalcemia and osteonecrosis of the jaw. www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm234346.htm
Family Planning End-of-Life Fact Sheet
The Association for Children's Palliative Care in the United Kingdom has issued an end-of-life planning fact sheet to help parents plan for a terminally ill child's death. The organization encourages parents to plan ahead as soon as they are told that the child is approaching end of life so that they do not need to think about practical matters and can spend as much time as possible with the child as death nears. The free resource is available at: www.act.org.uk/documents.asp?section = 191&itemTitle = Free+resources&profilecode =0001300000010018
National Priorities Partnership Includes Palliative Care in Recommendations
The National Priorities Partnership, convened by the National Quality Forum, delivered its recommendations for eight national priorities and goals, including one to improve palliative and end-of-life care, to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sebelius. As one "better care" priority, the recommendations called for palliative and end-of-life care "that promises dignity, comfort, companionship, and spiritual support to patients and families facing advanced illness or dying, fully in synchrony with all of the resources that community, friends, and family can bring to bear during advanced, chronic or terminal illness." Strategies for achieving that priority include access to services that provide effective treatment for the relief of symptoms and to address psychological, social, and spiritual needs. www.nationalprioritiespartnership.org/
CAPC Palliative Care Leadership Centers: Intensive Training and Year-Long Mentoring
Palliative Care Leadership Centers (PCLC) are leading palliative care programs that provide customized, hands-on operational training—and yearlong mentoring—for palliative care programs at every stage of development and growth. The PCLCs represent diverse settings including health systems, community-based hospitals, hospices, academic medical centers, cancer centers, children′s hospitals, VA, and safety-net hospitals. Each offers a close, hands-on experience, as well as a 12-month mentoring follow-up to guide you through the challenges of program growth and sustainability. PCLC faculty are physician and nurse leaders in the field and experts in applying the most effective palliative care program models. You will benefit from their deep experience, knowledge, and mentoring in all matters of program development. There is a type of PCLC training to address the specific needs of each and every program—whether you are starting a program (PCLC Core), whether you are a pediatric palliative care program, or whether you're an active program up and running for at least 1 year (PCLC Custom and PCLC Consult). For training sites and dates, and to learn more: www.capc.org
Clinical Fellowships Available
The Center for Palliative Studies at San Diego Hospice & Palliative Care offers 10 one-year clinical fellowships leading to eligibility for certification by the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, beginning July 1 each year. Two second-year research positions are available for physicians preparing for an academic career. Preferred candidates will BE or BC by an ABMS-recognized board. Combined training in Geriatrics, Hematology Oncology is possible. For more information, please contact Charles F. von Gunten, M.D., Ph.D., at cvongunten@sdhospice.org or 619-278-6225. San Diego Hospice & Palliative Care is a teaching and research affiliate of the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
Footnotes
Please contact Lisa Pelzek-Braun, lpelzek@mcw.edu, to publish your listing in the Announcements section. Information should be sent at least six (6) months prior to the event.