Purpose
The Serious Illness Conversation Guide is a tool that helps clinicians understand their patients’ goals and values and incorporate them in clinical decision-making. The person-centered questions in the guide explore:
- A patient’s understanding of their illness,
- their preferences for information,
- their personal goals,
- their fears and worries, as well as their sources of strength,
- the abilities they find most important to their daily life and the tradeoffs they are willing to take for the possibility of more time, and
- how much the people who matter to the patient know about their wishes.
Approach
Participants will gain communication skills using the Serious Illness Conversation Guide through a practice-based approach that involves both independent and group learning. Participants will:
- Explore the importance of serious illness conversations and how they can result in better care for people who are seriously ill.
- Outline the evidence that links the Serious Illness Care Program to outcomes that support the quadruple aim of health care.
- Experience the Serious Illness Conversation Guide as part of a structured approach for ensuring the delivery of serious illness conversations.
- Practice the communication skills necessary to use the Serious Illness Conversation Guide, receive feedback to improve those skills, and integrate these skills into your practice.
Training events
For a list of our upcoming trainings, please visit our Events & Activities page.
For questions, please contact Mitha Wardhani by email or (206) 577-1825.
This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.