Program #886 • Available Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ through Saturday, December 29, 2012

Palliative Care and Hospice

 

Program Description

“A medicine that embodies an acceptance of death would represent a great change in the common conception, and might set the stage for viewing the care of dying people not as an afterthought when all else has failed, but as one of the ends of medicine. The goal of a peaceful death should be as much a part of the purpose of medicine, as the promotion of good health.” This quote from the medical ethicist, Daniel Callahan, serves as the foundation for this review of contemporary palliative care and hospice issues by Dr. Bruce Ellsweig. In this program, Dr. Ellsweig compares palliative and end-of-life care with the curative model of medicine. Recommendations for identifying patients who may be candidates for palliative care and/or hospice include eligibility criteria for the Medicare Hospice Benefit. A multidisciplinary approach to management with early and sustained communications between the patient, caregivers, family, and friends is critical to optimize end-of-life care and is stressed throughout the program.

(30 minutes)

Credit Information

Up to 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

This activity is designed for hospice physicians, internists, hospitalists, primary care physicians, surgeons, psychiatrists, and other interested healthcare professionals.

Learning Objectives

After taking part in this CME activity, participants should be able to:

CME Credit Designations

ACCME The Network for Continuing Medical Education (NCME) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA NCME designates this educational activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AAFP This activity has been reviewed and is acceptable for up to 0.5 Prescribed credit by the American Academy of Family Physicians. AAFP accreditation begins Saturday, December 29, 2012. Term of approval is for one year from this date, with option for yearly renewal.

AOA This activity is eligible for up to 0.5 hour of credit in Category 2-A of the American Osteopathic Association.