Palliative Care Resources
General resources above & healthcare provider resources below
For yourself or for your patient/caregiver:
GetPalliativeCare.org for family caregivers – caregiver targeted videos, stories and advice from those who share the same role
The Conversation Project – tools for patients and caregivers just starting to consider end of life wishes – best used before sitting down to discuss advance directives
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For healthcare providers:
Palliative Care Quick Reference This is the two sided handout I share with students on day one with our team. Sample language, resources, calculators, hospice myths, and a six step process for the basic palliative skill every type of healthcare provider needs.
GetPalliativeCare.org for clinicians – tools and resources for explaining Palliative Care to other health care providers
Fast Facts listing from PCNOW great quick evidence based topics by the Palliative Care Network of Wisconsin
Center to Advance Palliative Care / CAPC
Your employer may have a membership for online training, or explore excellent resources for non-members – start by searching ‘press kit’
ElderCare Locator search the website or call 1-800-677-1116 for live assistance
NeedyMeds.org find help with the cost of medicine
Opioid Conversion – Concepts, frequently used meds, conversions and practice tests
Charting Guides
Advance Care Planning documentation requirements see #6
Medicare E&M Documentation reference guide
Clinical Scales
25 Evaluation Tools/Scales from NPCRC.org
FAST scale for Alzheimer’s Dementia
PPS Palliative Performance Scale
ESAS Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale
Karnofsky and ECOG Scales
Heart Failure NYHA Class I-IV and A-D staging
Renal Failure CKD Stages
Creatinine Clearance Calculator
Cancer Staging
Helpful apps & books for community based palliative care providers
Explore here and find through your phone’s App Store or Google Play
Epocrates for Android Epocrates for iPhone
Cost: Free for drug reference, paid version is for clinical/disease reference
Opioid Calc MME
Cost: Free. Enter in daily totals of each type of opioid to aid in calculating total daily morphine equivalent and converting between medications
Doximity Dialer
Cost: Free. Create a free Doximity account for physicians, NPs, PAs and this app allows you to dial from your cell phone and have the number of your choice (such as your office number) appear on the incoming CallerID. Supports multiple office numbers.
Lab Tests Online
Cost: Free. Website reference with free app for description of and reference ranges of laboratory studies.
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Primer of Palliative Care, 6th Edition
Very useful reference, easy to use within the visit. Pricey at the AAHPM website but can find used online for under twenty dollars. Excellent quick reference – also has good content on illness trajectories, discussing prognosis, etc.
Demystifying Opioid Conversion Calculations: A Guide for Effective Dosing, Mary Lynn McPherson
Excellent book on selecting and converting opioids including calculating breakthrough dosing.
DonnaWestmoreland.com 