There is a great deal of work being done right now around palliative care training and implementation. The Association is now participating on the Stratis Health Palliative Care Advisory Group, which gives us access to all sorts of information and educational opportunities/resources related to palliative care. Here is the latest update on opportunities for members:

Rural Palliative Care Networking Group
The next meeting will be on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 in Red Wing, MN. The educational topic is “Advanced Care Planning Using the Honoring Choices Minnesota Model”

Presenters:

• Honoring Choices Minnesota
• Jessica Hinkley, NP, Fairview Red Wing Health Services
• Trudi Paulson, LISW, Partners in Aging Program, Fairview Red Wing Health Services

This group meets quarterly for the purpose of networking and learning from those interested in providing palliative care services in rural areas. People from all disciplines and settings are welcome and encouraged to participate. There is no fee to participate.

To register for either in-person or phone participation, email Mary Montury – mmontury@stratishealth.org.

Rural Communities to Present at Conferences
Julie Benson and Cindy Sauber, Lakewood Health System and Diane Bankers and Jen Peterson, Kanabec Hospital will present at the Minnesota Network of Hospice & Palliative Care Conference on April 11th
Andrea Craig, Tri County Hospital Home Care and Hospice will present at the MN Home Care Association on May 19th in Brainerd

Conference Call/Webinar Series
Stratis Health is facilitating quarterly teleconference calls/webinars for the communities in the MN Rural Palliative Care Initiative (MRPCI) and the Rural Palliative Care Community Development Project.  Hold the date:
“Measuring Outpatient Palliative Care: The Iowa Experience”
Tuesday, May 10, noon – 1 p.m.
Presenter: Lori Bishop RN, CHPN, IHHC Palliative Care & Hospice Statewide Executive Director.

Recorded educational sessions:

“The Role of the Chaplain/Social Worker in Palliative Care” (click on Social Workers and Spiritual Providers)
Presented by Paul Galchutt, M.Div., BCC, chaplain, Fairview Health Services Palliative Care and Dot Landis, ACSW, LICSW, clinical social worker, Fairview Health Services Palliative

“Collaborating with Community Partners for Palliative Care” 
Presented by Trudi Paulson, LISW, Partners in Aging Program, Fairview, Red Wing Health Services, and Kali Pachan, LSW, Palliative Care and Medical Home, Lakewood Health System. Presented at the January 11, 2011 Rural Palliative Care Networking Group Meeting.

Find all the recorded educational sessions in one location. The palliative care sessions can be sorted by “Audience” and are listed under “All Settings – Palliative Care.”

Upcoming educational opportunities:

Understanding Palliative Care Across the Settings – Center on Aging 2011 Summer Institute
June 1, 2011, St. Paul, MN
Keynote speaker: J. Andrew Billings, MD, Harvard Medical School Center for Palliative Care

Advanced Care Planning Education Sessions
Respecting Choices ® Facilitator Training, sponsored by Allina Home and Community Services, Allina Commons
Training dates: March 15, April 28, May 17, June 23, August 25, Sept. 20, Oct. 27, Nov. 15 or Dec. 22.
For questions or more information,
contact Eileen Hernandez at 612.262.5033 or eileen.hernandez@allina.com.

Honoring Choices MN Facilitator Training
October 17 with Instructor Level Training on October 18.
Registration and more concrete details will be available by early summer.
For more information, contact Katie Snow at: KSnow@mnmed.org.

Other Palliative Care-related Information:
Additional Funding Received for Rural Palliative Care Work
Stratis Health has recently received additional funding from UCare to support ongoing palliative care work in rural MN communities. The funding will cover an additional two years for the Resource Center (palliative care website and quarterly educational calls for the communities participating in the Stratis Health Projects) and the Rural Palliative Care Networking Group Meeting, extension of the Rural Palliative Care Community Development Project for another year, expansion to work with an additional 6-8 rural communities on developing palliative care services (2 yr project), an outcomes measurement pilot, and a palliative care conference for 2012.

National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) is April 16, 2011. Find resources at www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org and www.mnhealthcaredecisions.info.

Patti Cullen, CAE
952.851.2487
pcullen@careproviders.org

Resources