November is Palliative Care Month
Every year, more than 1.65 million people living with a life-limiting illness receive care from palliative care providers in the U.S., according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
“Palliative care is not brink-of-death care intended for the last days of life only,” said Mark Angelo, MD, Chief, Division of Palliative Care at Cooper University Health Care. “It focuses on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness—whatever the diagnosis—rather than a cure. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.”
In recognition of National Palliative Care Month and to highlight its importance in the health care spectrum, Cooper University Health Care in conjunction with Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and the New Jersey Department of Health is sponsoring “Innovative Approaches to Advanced Illness Care – A Palliative Care Symposium for Physicians and Health Care Professionals.” The symposium will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13, 2013, at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University Auditorium.
David Casarett, MD, MA, Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Hospice and Palliative Care at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, is the keynote speaker. Dr. Casarett’s presentation will be followed by an interdisciplinary panel discussion with Dr. Angelo; Mary O’Dowd, NJ Commissioner of Health; Stephen Goldfine, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Samaritan Healthcare and Hospice; Barbara Sproge, MSN, RN, OCN, CHPN, Cooper University Health Care; and Kava Schafer, M.Div, MA, Chaplain/Spiritual Provider, Division of Palliative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System.
In addition to physicians and other health care providers, the program is open to the community. The program is free of charge; however reservations are requested. To RSVP, email events-rsvp@cooperhealth.edu or call 856.382.6441.