Integrative Therapies in Palliative Care Project
Palliative care professionals are invited to participate in a unique project sponsored by the National Cancer Institute. Collinge and Associates, Inc, is seeking interdisciplinary professionals to help develop and evaluate a new online continuing education (CE/CME) course on the use of integrative therapies in palliative care.
Palliative care represents one of the most rapidly expanding sectors of health care. Some integrative therapies have been shown to offer comfort, reduce suffering, and improve quality of life in palliative care patients. The evidence is growing, and an increasing number of patients seek such therapies. There is a need for CE/CME opportunities to help palliative care personnel make evidence-informed care-planning decisions concerning the use of integrative therapies.
The final course will eventually be available online as a learning opportunity for providers from all disciplines. Course faculty will include leading experts in the field. Topics covered include acupuncture, massage, biofield therapies, aromatherapy, expressive arts therapies, mind/body and contemplative therapies, movement approaches, and transforming the culture of palliative care.
Who is eligible for the study?
Individuals eligible for participation in the study include physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, psychologists, counselors, pharmacists, administrators, chaplains, and others working in palliative care.
What is involved in the study?
- Read the online consent form and submit a brief online application.
- Have a brief phone interview with a member of the project team to discuss the project.
Applicants will be selected based on the project’s need for diverse representation by discipline, gender, and race/ethnicity.
You may be selected to participate in one of two available activities:
- Participate in an online video conference focus group (1 hour) with five other professionals to give your recommendations on course content and how to evaluate course outcomes; or
- Complete an online survey instrument (about 15 minutes) on the use of complementary therapies in palliative care.
Both activities are online only. Focus groups will be scheduled in advance, and survey participants will be able to participate at their convenience. Focus group participants receive $200. Survey participants receive $40.
Who is conducting the project?
The principal investigators are William Collinge, PhD, and Leila Kozak, PhD. The organization conducting the study is Collinge and Associates, Inc, an independent research organization funded by the National Institutes of Health. The project is sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program. The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization is also a collaborator.
For more information: contact William Collinge, PhD, MPH, at William@collinge.org or Leila Kozak, PhD, at leila.kozak@gmail.com or visit http://collinge.org/IntegrativeTherapiesInPalliativeCare.html.
The content in this post has not been reviewed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) and does not necessarily reflect the ideas and opinions of ASCO®.
