For the first time in its 50 year history ASCO (the word's premiere organization of clinical oncologists) will have a Palliative Care Symposium in Boston in the fall.
I am delighted ASCO has taken this step.
In recent months I have helped several patients who needed supportive care services and the oncologists, unfortunately, micro-managed everything instead of referring the patients to a supportive care unit or a hospice unit.
The head of a major cancer center told me several years ago. "We are not properly trained in palliative care issues (both supportive care service and at-home and in-patient hospice). Our training is to heal. We generally want to manage every aspect of the patient's care, even when we don't have the time or knowledge to do so. It is a huge problem." Finally, it seems ASCO is directly addressing the issue. The effort is long, long overdue but, at least, this is a start.
I believe the conference will be well done and I am looking forward to attending.
warmly,
Steve
Edited by steve - Mar 21 2014 at 12:04am