Oncology
This Learning Pathway contains training and tools to help oncology professionals meet ASCO clinical practice guidelines for palliative care concurrent with oncology care. It includes continuing education courses in how to communicate with cancer patients about their goals of care and support difficult decision-making, address caregiver burden, and when to refer to specialty palliative care.
Collaborating with Palliative Care Teams
An introduction to palliative care, how it is delivered, its impact on quality of life, and the growing population of patients who need it.
A narrative article providing perspective on why some clinicians may recommend treatments (DE Meier).
Crosswalk of palliative care-relevant measures in the Enhancing Oncology Model that highlights how palliative care skills can mitigate risks for participating practices, as well as relevant CAPC resources.
Checklist of triggers for referral to a specialty palliative care team.
Assessing and supporting caregivers of people with serious illness.
This course provides context and best practices for identifying older adults at risk for poor outcomes, including falls, delirium, and caregiving challenges.
Best Practice Models
Recommended clinician training to improve on OCM measures.
Use of screening to risk-stratify patients for palliative care based on need. CAPC and the Accountable Care Learning Collaborative.
Integration of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) into the routine care of patients with metastatic cancer is associated with increased survival compared with usual care. Basch, et. al. JAMA 2017.
Patients with advanced cancer randomized to receive outpatient specialty palliative care lived longer and had better quality of life. Hoerger, et. al. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, September 2018.
Communication Skills
Learn best practices for having patient-centered conversations about a serious illness diagnosis.
Learn how to effectively discuss prognosis with patients and their caregivers.
Learn best practices for building trust, eliciting patient values, and having patient-centered conversations about goals of care.
Learn to effectively lead meetings that help patients and caregivers become aligned around the patient’s goals.
Learn techniques to help patients and their caregivers plan for the future, both during the early stages of a serious illness and as a disease progresses.
Requirements, best practices, documentation requirements, and time thresholds for Advance Care Planning (ACP) services. Center to Advance Palliative Care, January 2024.
Pain and Symptom Management
Conducting a comprehensive pain assessment to guide safe and effective treatment.
Integrating routine risk assessment for substance use disorder when considering or using opioid therapy.
Designing a safe and effective opioid trial for the patient with serious illness.
Ongoing evaluation of opioid benefits, risks, and side effects for the patient with serious illness.
Safe opioid prescribing for patients with serious illness, using the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) Guidelines for the Chronic Use of Opioid Analgesics.
Take this online course to learn evidence-based strategies to identify and treat anxiety in patients with a serious illness.
Constipation occurs in at least 70% of patients living with a serious illness and often goes unrecognized. Take this online course to learn critical skills to identify and manage the impact of constipation.
This online course teaches how to accurately identify and treat depression in patients living with a serious illness.
Take this online course to learn how to manage dyspnea, including the physical causes of shortness of breath and the emotional impact on the patient.
Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of serious illness, and can cause dangerous complications. Take this online course to learn practical skills to identify, manage, and reduce these symptoms.
Checklist of triggers for referral to a specialty palliative care team.
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