Abstract
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 Kathleen 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. Available at: www.nationalprioritiespartnership.org/
FDA Issues Warning about Fentanyl Transdermal System
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has notified health care professionals about the risk of a more rapid than specified release of the active ingredient in Fentanyl Transdermal System patches. Laboratory testing identified a patch releasing the opioid faster than approved. That accelerated release could lead to excessive sedation, respiratory depression, hypoventilation, and apnea. The manufacturer, Actavis, announced a voluntary recall to the wholesale and retail levels of 18 lots of Fentanyl Transdermal System 25 mcg/hour C-II patches. Corium International manufactured the patched for Actavis. Fentanyl patches sold by Actavis in Europe are not affected in this recall. Further additional reading: www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm230639.htm
NHPCO Reports Record Number of Patients Receiving Hospice Care
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization reports that an estimated 41.6% of patients who died in the United States last year were under the care of a hospice program, an increase from 38.8% in 2008. More than 1.5 million people received care from a hospice provider, with the average length of stay remaining steady at 69 days. Median length of service was 21.1 days. The majority of care, 68.8%, was provided in the patient's home, with routine home care accounting for 95.9% of patient care days. View the full report: www.nhpco.org/files/public/Statistics_Research/Hospice_Facts_Figures_Oct-2010.pdf
European Commission Funds Development of Training Network
The European Commission, as part of its Marie Curie Actions of Framework Programme 7, has funded a consortium of palliative care leaders from 6 institutions across Europe to develop the European Intersectorial and Multidisciplinary Palliative Care Research Training network, which will be designed to give early-stage palliative care researchers the opportunity to improve their research skills, join established research teams, and enhance their career prospects. Link for additional information: www.lancs.ac.uk/shm/news/september_2010/ec_funding_success_for_dhr/
HFA to Hold Spirituality Seminar
The Hospice Foundation of America has opened registration for its 18th annual Living with Grief educational program, called “Spirituality and End-of-Life Care,” which will discuss differences and the relationship between spirituality and religion. It will also address spirituality during illness, death, and grief, spiritual assessment and empowerment, and life review. The program includes a DVD, a site coordinator's manual, program guides, a media kit, and other materials. The program can be shown starting on April 13, 2011: www.hospicefoundation.org/uploads/2011regform.pdf
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 year-long 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, and 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 members are physician and nurse leaders in the field and experts in applying the most effective palliative care program models. You'll 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're starting a program (PCLC Core), whether you're a pediatric palliative care program, or whether you're an active program up and running for at least one year (PCLC Custom and PCLC Consult). For training sites and dates, and to learn more: www.capc.org
AAHPM Accepting Applications: Clinical Scholars Program
The AAHPM is now accepting applications from physicians for this one-week observership program at select HPM sites across the United States. The program is designed to provide a focused clinical experience in hospice and palliative medicine to physicians. For more information please visit: www.aahpm.org/education/clinicaltraining.html
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
Footnotes
Please contact Lisa Pelzek-Braun,