Massachusetts Medical Society: End-of-Life Care Series (3 Modules)

End-of-Life Care Series (3 Modules)

End-of-Life Module 1: Ethics and end of life

End-of-life care is fraught with ethical challenges for patients, families, and physicians. Physicians who care for patients at the end of life need to be familiar with the ethical frameworks commonly used to work through these challenges.

In this module, we describe the principle-based approach to medical ethics as well as the complementary frameworks. We also explain core ethical concepts specific to decision-making at the end of life and highlight special considerations in the care of patients from marginalized groups.

Learning Objectives

  • Recognize how an inadequate understanding of the patient and family experience may cause physicians to miss important ethical obligations.
  • Apply the four principles of biomedical ethics most commonly used to identify ethical obligations and help resolve ethical dilemmas in health care.
  • Identify limitations of the principle-based approach to medical ethics and recognize situations in which principles alone miss some ethical obligations.
  • Apply complementary methods of ethical analysis, including narrative-based, case-based, and virtue-based ethics.   
  • Develop strategies to empower patients and families from marginalized groups to actively participate in end of life decision-making.

Faculty

Jolion McGreevy, M.D., M.B.E., M.P.H.
Department of Emergency Medicine Boston Medical Center

Winnie Suen, M.D.
Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics

Boston Medical Center Michael A. Grodin, M.D.
Department of Health Law, Bioethics & Human Rights, Boston University School of Public Health
Departments of Psychiatry and Family Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine

Course Fees

Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) Member Physician: $40.00
MMS Resident/Student: $0.00
Non-Member Physician: $90.00
Non-Member Resident/Student: $20.00
Allied Health Professional/Other: $32.00

    Format:  Text & Graphics

    CME Credit:  1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    Accreditation Statement  
    The Massachusetts Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    AMA Credit Designation Statement 
    The Massachusetts Medical Society designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. 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, including 1.0 credit in the end-of-life care.

    MOC Approval Statement 
    Through the American Board of Medical Specialties ("ABMS") ongoing commitment to increase access to practice relevant Maintenance of Certification ("MOC") Activities through the ABMS Continuing Certification Directory , this activity has met the requirements as an MOC Part II CME Activity (apply toward general CME requirement) for the following ABMS Member Boards:

    Allergy and Immunology
    Anesthesiology
    Family Medicine
    Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
    Preventive Medicine
    Psychiatry & Neurology
    Radiology
    Urology

    National Commission on Certification of Physicians Assistant (NCCPA).
    Physician Assistants may claim 1.00 Category 1 credits for completing this activity. NCCPA accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society.

    A score of 70% or higher is required to receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.  

    Activity Term
    Original Release Date: July 31, 2013
    Review Date: January 31, 2015, July 31, 2016, January 31, 2018, June 18, 2018, August 12, 2021  
    Termination Date: July 31, 2024

    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)
    Android devices including tablets and phones.
    Windows RT and tablets on Windows 8 are also supported.


    End-of-Life Module 2: Communication and conflict

    Physicians can improve end-of-life care by ensuring that communication with patients and their families is a top priority. Poor communication among physicians, patients, and families unfortunately is common and can lead to discord and dissatisfaction with care at the end-of-life.

    When conflict arises over end-of-life care, physicians with a working knowledge of ethics and skill in facilitating difficult conversations can help everyone involved in the patient's care reach consensus. In this module, we describe strategies and techniques for developing effective communication skills about the end of life that can be used in practice.

    Learning Objectives

    • Identify common barriers to communication among the patient, family, and medical team about end-of-life care and develop strategies to overcome them.
    • Develop a process-based approach to helping the patient and family work through ethical dilemmas at the end of life.  
    • Develop a strategy for resolving a common conflict in end-of-life care: disagreement between the family and medical team about life-sustaining treatment for an incapacitated patient.

    Faculty

    Jolion McGreevy, M.D., M.B.E., M.P.H.
    Department of Emergency Medicine Boston Medical Center

    Winnie Suen, M.D.
    Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics

    Boston Medical Center Michael A. Grodin, M.D.
    Department of Health Law, Bioethics & Human Rights, Boston University School of Public Health
    Departments of Psychiatry and Family Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine

    Course Fees

    • MMS Member Physicians: $40.00
    • MMs Resident/Student: $0.00
    • Non-Member Physician: $90.00
    • Non-Member Resident/Student: $20.00
    • Allied Health Professional/Other: $32.00

    Format:  Text & Graphics

    CME Credit:  1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    Accreditation Statement  
    The Massachusetts Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical
    Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    AMA Credit Designation Statement 
    The Massachusetts Medical Society designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. 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, including 1.00 credit in end-of-life care.

    MOC Approval Statement 
    Through the American Board of Medical Specialties ("ABMS") ongoing commitment to increase access to practice relevant Maintenance of Certification ("MOC") Activities through the ABMS Continuing Certification Directory , this activity has met the requirements as an MOC Part II CME Activity (apply toward general CME requirement) for the following ABMS Member Boards:

     Allergy and Immunology
    Anesthesiology
    Family Medicine
    Orthopaedic Surgery
    Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
    Preventive Medicine
    Psychiatry & Neurology
    Radiology
    Urology


    National Commission on Certification of Physicians Assistant (NCCPA).

    Physician Assistants may claim 1.00 Category 1 credits for completing this activity. NCCPA accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society.

    A score of 70% or higher is required to receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.  

    Activity Term
    Original Release Date: July 31, 2013
    Review Date: January 31, 2015, July 31, 2016, January 31, 2018, June 18, 2018, August 12, 2021
    Termination Date: July 31, 2024  

    System requirements:

    Desktops/Laptops
    Windows, XP, Vista, 7, 8
    Mac OSX 10.6 higher
    Most modern browsers including:
    IE8,9,10
    Firefox 18.0+
    Chrome 26+
    Safari 5+
    Flash player  is required for some Online CME courses.

    Mobile/Tablet
    iOS devices beginning with OS version 5 or higher (includes, iPhone, ipad and iTouch devices)
    Android devices including tablets and phones.
    Windows RT and tablets on Windows 8 are also supported.


    End-of-Life Module 3: Advance Care Planning

    Advance care planning is important for all patients. Physicians have an ethical obligation to help patients consider their wishes about care at the end of life, including which life-sustaining treatments they are likely to want if they become severely ill and unable to speak for themselves.

    In this module, we describe advance directives in detail and explore case-based scenarios involving the decision-making process at the end-of-life.

    Learning Objectives

    • Explain the components of advance care planning.
    • Integrate advance care planning discussions for all patients into usual care.
    • Explain the options for surrogate decision-making for those without decision-making capacity.

    Faculty

    Jolion McGreevy, M.D., M.B.E., M.P.H.
    Department of Emergency Medicine Boston Medical Center

    Winnie Suen, M.D.
    Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics

    Boston Medical Center Michael A. Grodin, M.D.
    Department of Health Law, Bioethics & Human Rights, Boston University School of Public Health
    Departments of Psychiatry and Family Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine

    Course Fees

    • MMS Member Physicians: $40.00
    • MMS Resident/Student: $0.00
    • Non-Member Physicians: $90.00
    • Non-Member Resident/Student: $20.00
    • Allied Health Professional/Other: $32.00

    Format:  Text & Graphics

    CME Credit:  1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    Accreditation Statement  
    The Massachusetts Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical
    Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    AMA Credit Designation Statement  
    The Massachusetts Medical Society designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. 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, including 1.00 credit in end-of-life care.

    MOC Approval Statement 
    Through the American Board of Medical Specialties ("ABMS") ongoing commitment to increase access to practice relevant Maintenance of Certification ("MOC") Activities through the ABMS Continuing Certification Directory , this activity has met the requirements as an MOC Part II CME Activity (apply toward general CME requirement) for the following ABMS Member Boards:

     

    Allergy and Immunology
    Anesthesiology
    Family Medicine
    Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
    Preventive Medicine
    Psychiatry & Neurology
    Radiology
    Urology

    National Commission on Certification of Physicians Assistant (NCCPA).

    Physician Assistant may claim 1.00 Category 1 credits for completing this activity. NCCPA accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society.

    A score of 70% or higher is required to receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.  

    Activity Term
    Original Release Date: July 31, 2013
    Review Date: January 31, 2015, July 31, 2016, January 31, 2018, June 18, 2018, August 12, 2021
    Termination Date: July 31, 2024  

    System requirements:


    Desktops/Laptops

    Windows, XP, Vista, 7, 8
    Mac OSX 10.6 higher
    Most modern browsers including:
    IE8,9,10
    Firefox 18.0+
    Chrome 26+
    Safari 5+
    Flash player  is required for some Online CME courses.

    Mobile/Tablet
    iOS devices beginning with OS version 5 or higher (includes, iPhone, ipad and iTouch devices) Android devices including tablets and phones.
    Windows RT and tablets on Windows 8 are also supported.


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