Washington Resources
Washington State Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (WSHPCO)
The Washington State Hospice & Palliative Organization (WSHPCO) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) provides information and referral services to the public and supports the professional services at Washington state’s hospice and palliative care organizations.
Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence -University of Washington
The Palliative Care Center of Excellence at the University of Washington has the goal to give every patient with serious illness access to high-quality palliative care focused on relieving symptoms, maximizing quality of life and ensuring care that concentrates on patients’ goals. The Center enhances research, education and patient-centered care for patients with severe illness and their families.
Palliative Care Institute at Western Washington University
Focused on “creating a palliative community where people with serious illnesses don’t have to be cured to heal.” the Palliative Care Institute at Western Washington University is a partnership with Northwest Life Passages Coalition and other community agencies and volunteers to transform palliative care in Whatcom County and support human responses to living and dying.
Northwest Life Passages Coalition
Whatcom Alliance for Health Advancement (WAHA) convened a Task Force composed of experts and community leaders who were asked to transform Whatcom County into a center of end-of-life excellence. Focusing on advance care planning, palliative care, clinician training, financial sustainability, and community culture, the Task Force drafted a Blueprint to kick-start the vision; moving toward a community-wide system of services designed to be the best in America.
Home Care Association of Washington (HCAW)
HCAW represents home health, home care, and hospice providers; and provides advocacy, education, and support to members to work together to achieve the triple aim of healthcare: improved quality, reduced cost, and improved health.
Nationally known, VitalTalk is a Seattle based training group that offers evidence based training “to make communication skills for serious illness learnable."
National Resources
National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care
The mission of the National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care is to create clinical practice guidelines that improve the quality of palliative care in the United States. The Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, 4th edition, were released in October, 2018.
Stratis Health is the Quality Improvement Organization for Minnesota who also does national work in health care quality. Pioneers in rural palliative care, the Palliative Care web page on the Stratis Health website includes a comprehensive list of information and resources pertaining to palliative care in general and rural palliative care specifically.
The Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC)
This site provides health care professionals with the tools, training, and technical assistance necessary to start and sustain successful palliative care programs in hospitals and other community-based health care settings. CAPC is a national organization dedicated to increasing the availability of quality palliative care services for people facing serious, complex illness.
Palliative Care Leadership Centers
Fairview Health Services’ Palliative Care Program is designated as one of seven national Palliative Care Leadership Centers (PCLCs) by the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC). These programs host site visits, including training and technical assistance for hospitals and other institutions seeking to start or strengthen their own palliative care programs.
End of Life/Palliative Education Resource Center (EPERC)
EPERC shares educational resource material among the community of health professional educators involved in palliative care education. A series of fact sheets provide concise, practical, peer-reviewed, and evidence-based summaries on key topics important to clinicians and trainees caring for patients facing life-limiting illnesses.
Palliative Care Guideline
Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI)
This guideline assists primary and specialty care providers to identify and care for adult patients with a potentially life-limiting, life-threatening or chronic, progressive illness who may benefit from palliative care.
The NQF has established a set of 38 best practices for improving palliative care programs outlined in “A National Framework and Preferred Practices for Palliative and Hospice Care Quality.”
National Palliative Care Research Center
Committed to stimulating, developing, and funding research directed at improving care for seriously ill patients and their families.
Profession-Specific National Resources
Nurses
End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC)
ELNEC, an American Nurses Association project, is a national education initiative to improve end-of-life care in the United States.
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association
This organization is for nurses working in the specialty of hospice and palliative care. The site lists curriculum and other resources specific to advanced nurses, generalist nurses, licensed practical/vocational nurses, and nursing assistants.
Physicians
Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (EPEC)
EPEC is an online program designed to train physicians on the essential clinical competencies required to provide quality end-of-life care. A handbook and video version of the training are both available, as well as slide sets on many palliative care topics. Continuing Medical Education (CME) available.
This 16-hour web-based curriculum incorporates basic material designed for use by physicians in any area of expertise. Developed by the Stanford Faculty Development Center, this eight-module curriculum covers a comprehensive list of palliative care topics.
American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
This is the professional organization for physicians specializing in hospice and palliative medicine. Membership also is open to other health care providers who are committed to improving the quality of life of patients and families facing life-threatening or serious conditions.
Social Workers
Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network
Our national network of psychosocial care professionals is actively dedicated to providing the best and latest information, professional resources, policy updates, and new and emerging education and research best practices in palliative and hospice care. Also offers a new evidence based certification for social workers in hospice and palliative care with the first tests in 2019.
Chaplains
Health Care Chaplaincy Network
A non-profit health care organization that helps people faced with the distress of illness and suffering to find comfort and meaning. Content for chaplains as well as the public.
Clinical standards across 13 domains of chaplain practice.
Patients and Families
This online resource provides clear, comprehensive palliative care information for people coping with serious, complex illness. Key components of the site include a Palliative Care Directory of Hospitals, a definition of palliative care, and a detailed description of what palliative care is and how it is different from hospice. It also provides an interactive questionnaire to assist people in determining whether palliative care is appropriate for them or their loved-ones. Provided by the Center to Advance Palliative Care.
This consumer web site explains the specialty of hospice and palliative medicine and its benefits to patients and families. Developed by American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
Pediatric Palliative Care
Palliative care: Conversations Matter (National Institute of Nursing Research)
The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), developed the Palliative Care: Conversations Matter® campaign to increase the use of palliative care for children and teens living with serious illnesses. The site has pages for patients and families and for health care providers.
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