13th Annual Symptom Control, Palliative and Hospice Care Conference

November 13 - 14, 2009

We would like to thank the following palliative and hospice care organization for their contribution to the 13th Annual Interdisciplinary Approach to Symptom Control, Palliative and Hospice Care Conference and Board Review Courses.

VITAS Innovative Hospice Care®
Odyssey HealthCare of Houston

Intensive Board Review Course in Hospice and Palliative Medicine
November 10 - 12, 2009

Pain and Symptom Management in Patients with Advance Disease: Clinical Review for Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses
November 11 - 12, 2009

General Information

• Brochure (pdf)
• Conference Agenda
• Speaker Information
• Registration Information
• Hotel & Transportation Information
• Houston Visitor Information
• Directions to M. D. Anderson

Goal

Caring for the cancer patient in the advanced stage of illness is particularly challenging to the healthcare team. It requires attending to the many dimensions of care including medical, psychosocial, ethical and spiritual needs. This is the twelfth year of the conference. It continues to be important to provide educational updates in the field of palliative and hospice care - which includes pain, other symptom management and end-of-life issues. We believe this conference will provide participants with practical information with which to better care for patients with advanced cancer and other illnesses and their families.

Educational Objectives

After attending the conference, participants should be able to

• identify the moral and ethical dilemmas facing clinicians who provide end-of-life care;
• practice state-of-the-art pain and symptom management for patients with advanced disease;
• demonstrate effective communication with patients in the advanced stages of cancer or debilitating disease and provide quality end-of-life care;
• exhibit heightened awareness of the medical, legal and spiritual issues facing patients and families involved in the care of advanced disease.

Target Audience

This program should be of interest to medical oncologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, ethicists, family practice physicians, anesthesiologists, nurses, social workers, clergy, physical therapists, occupational therapists, fellows, students and physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians.

Educational Methods

• Lectures
• Breakout Sessions
• Case Studies
• Panel Discussions
• Question-and-Answer Sessions

Evaluation

A course evaluation form will provide participants with the opportunity to comment on the value of the program content to their practice decisions, performance improvements activities, or possible impact on patient health status. Participants will also have the opportunity to comment on any perceived commercial bias in the presentations as well as to identify future educational topics.

Accreditation/Credit Designation

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center designates this educational activity for a maximum of 14.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Ethics

This course has been designated by The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center for 14.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ in medical ethics and/or professional responsibility.

Nursing

Nursing Continuing Education Contact Hours will be awarded.

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Texas Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. This activity meets Type I criteria for mandatory continuing education requirements toward relicensure as established by the Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas.

CME Certificates and Attendance Verification Certificates

Certificates awarding AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ or certificates documenting attendance will be distributed to participants when an individual departs the conference. To obtain a CME certificate, physicians must submit a completed evaluation questionnaire and a CME Verification Form.

Upon receipt, a record of attendance (certificate) will be provided on-site to other health care professionals for requesting credits in accordance with state nursing boards, specialty societies, or other professional associations.