Mastering Compassionate Conversations: Essential Skills for End-of-Life Care

Mastering Compassionate Conversations: Essential Skills for End-of-Life Care

End-of-life conversations are among the most critical interactions between physicians and patients, and often, they present challenges to health care providers across all ages, backgrounds, and specialties. This two-hour Continuing Medical Education (CME) program is designed to enhance physicians' skills in conducting serious illness conversations and planning with patients and their families, while also addressing the ethical issues that may arise. The program will combine didactic teaching with interactive components, such as role-playing and case studies, to provide a comprehensive learning experience and better prepare you for vital end-of-life conversations.

• Learn vital communication tools to enhance your confidence in discussing prognosis and exploring patient values and preferences.
• Gain a deeper understanding of end-of-life planning options and goals for care with your patients
• Develop strategies for addressing ethical conflicts that may arise between the care team, patient and family.

Click here to access the Serious Illness Conversation Guide.

Faculty
Rebecca E. Kowaloff, DO

Dr. Kowaloff received her DO at the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harlem, NYC. She completed an internal medicine residency and a hospice and palliative medicine fellowship at Maine Medical Center. She is board certified in internal medicine and hospice and palliative medicine. Dr. Kowaloff works on the inpatient consult service at UMass Memorial Health.

Intended Audience
This activity is designed for physicians, physicians-in-training, and other health care leaders, professionals and students.

Course Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, learners should be able to:

• Determine and explain the similarities and differences between palliative care and hospice
• Develop the skills needed to discuss goals of care with a seriously ill patient
• Correctly apply advance care planning documentation effectively at various stages of illness

Accreditation & Credit Information
Accreditation Statement  
The Massachusetts Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement 
The Massachusetts Medical Society designates this enduring material for a maximum of 2.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This activity meets the criteria for the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine for risk management study.

National Commission on Certification of Physicians Assistant (NCCPA)
Physician Assistants may claim a maximum of 2.00 Category 1 credits for completing this activity. NCCPA accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society.

Exam/Assessment: Completion of a reflective statement is required to receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.  

Course Fees
Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) Physician Member: $80.00
MMS Resident/Student Member: Free
Non-Member Physician: $180.00
Non-Members Resident/Student: $40.00
Allied Health Professional/Other: $64.00

Activity Term
Original Release Date: December 12, 2024
Review Date(s): N/A  
Termination Date: December 12, 2027

Format and Estimated Time to Complete: Video Recordings and Supplemental Educational Materials – 2 hours

System Requirements
Desktops/Laptops
Windows 10
Mac OSX 10.6 higher

Most modern browsers including
IE 11+
Firefox 18.0+
Chrome latest version
Safari 12+

Mobile/Tablet
iOS devices beginning with OS version 10 or higher (includes, iPhone, ipad and iTouch devices)

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Contact Us
Contact us at nejmcust@mms.org  or (800) 843-6356. Massachusetts Medical Society, 860 Winter Street, Waltham, MA 02451.