Back to In-Person, Some Collaborations, etc.

It’s been a while since our last Program update…so here you go!

First, we are very happy to be back in-person for our ACT Courses this year! Our first in-person Course was in October…and our next is this very week (Dec 8 and 9). Hopefully the various circulating viruses will allow to to keep our in-person plans…though if not we will simply go remote, which has been a bright spot in an otherwise challenging pandemic-time. We’d love to have you join us. Please checkout our upcoming Course dates and please do contact us if you’d like to sign up, have, questions, or just want to say “hi”!

Second, we have an ever-expanding group of ACT Facilitators joining our ranks. Stay tuned for more details, coming soon!

Third, we are involved an ever-expanding web of collaborations with colleagues here at the U of R and across the country! Here is a brief outline…

1. Vanderbilt – We have been working on a variety of projects with Dr. El-Sourady and Dr. Martin (and others!) over the past few years. The most recent are an up-coming presentation at AAHPM and a soon-to-find-a-home manuscript detailing some really cool work they have been been doing at Vanderbilt around Primary Palliative Care Education. Stay tuned! (and check out the completed work included in the larger list here)
2. Neurology – We are now on our second project with Dr. Benzi Kluger, both of which are aimed at supporting neurologists caring for patients living with Parkinson’s disease and the care partners. The first, “Implementing Team-Based Outpatient Palliative Care in Parkinson Foundation Centers of Excellence” (funded by a PCORI grant) focused on neurology teams based at academic centers while the second “Community Outreach for Palliative Engagement — Parkinson Disease (COPE-PD)” focuses on community-base neurology practices. Both have provided us with amazing opportunities to work with neurology teams across the country!
3. SIGC for AML – Another ongoing collaboration has developed with Dr. Melissa Loh and colleagues here at URMC. In collaboration with Ariadne Labs, we are providing training sessions for both in- and out-patient based oncology clinicians to help get them comfortable using a modified the Serious Illness Conversation Guide. Feel free to peruse study details and an early paper from this project (with more to come!)
4. SOPHIE – One of the more unexpected collaborations is undoubtedly with Dr. Hoque and his computer science lab (a big thank you to Dr. Ron Epstein for connecting us!). They are doing some really amazing work in a number of areas and we are very happy to be involved in collaborating with the development of an interactive simulation to help clinicians their MVP/3E skills! Here’s paper #1, with more to come!