This learning pathway contains training and tools to help health professionals navigate difficult conversations with patients living with a serious illness.

Delivering Serious News

Communicating serious clinical news to patients and families.

Discussing Prognosis

How to discuss patient prognosis in a manner that is sensitive, clear, and supportive.

Clarifying Goals of Care

Strategies for eliciting patient goals and preferences to inform treatment decisions.

Conducting a Family Meeting

Communication techniques for an effective family meeting.

Advance Care Planning Conversations

How to initiate and conduct conversations about advance care planning.

Billing and Coding for Advance Care Planning (ACP) Services
MEMBERS ONLY locked

Requirements, best practices, documentation requirements, and time thresholds for Advance Care Planning (ACP) services. Center to Advance Palliative Care, 2018.

Prolonged Services Billing With Face-to-Face Patient Contact
MEMBERS ONLY locked

Billing for prolonged services with direct face-to-face contact. Center to Advance Palliative Care, 2018.

Communication Phrases in Palliative Care
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Phrases to use when talking to members/patients and their families about prognosis, advance care planning, and quality of life.

Goals of Care Conversation: Role Play

In this video, Kacey Boyle, RN, MSPC, leads us through an example of a goals of care conversation between a clinician and a patient.

Conversation Script: Goals of Care

This conversation script provides skills and techniques for conducting goals of care conversations with patients, regardless of the existing clinician-patient relationship.

Talking to Patients About Hospice: Role Play

In this video, Jonathan Fisher, MD, leads us through a mock conversation between a patient whose illness has progressed, and a clinician who explains the benefits of hospice care.

Conversation Script: Talking to Patients About Hospice

This communication script provides techniques for clinicians to foster meaningful conversations about hospice.

Empathetic Responses Guide
MEMBERS ONLY locked

This resource provides practical samples of empathic responses to use in conversations with patients and families, as well as template responses to challenging questions. Developed by VitalTalk.

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