Thanks for attending!

…our Seventh Annual Palliative Care Professional Conference, which was held Friday, October 11, 2024, 8:30am-3:00pm, at CSU San Marcos.

Presented by the SDCCC and the Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care at CSUSM, this annual conference enables San Diego area palliative care professionals to meet, expand their networks, share best practices, and learn from one another.

This year’s program theme was “Minding the Gaps: Serving the Whole Person Through Palliative Care.” Our program addressed issues of palliative care access and quality with a focus on communication and planning between providers, patients, and families. Our overarching goal is to enhance the profile, availability, and impact of palliative care in our region, from the point of diagnosis forward.

SAVE THE DATE FOR NEXT YEAR’S CONFERENCE! NOVEMBER 21, 2025

Conference registration is only $99 with our Early Bird Rate. Registration includes breakfast, lunch, and refreshments.

Program at a Glance:

Keynote Speakers:

—Charles von Gunten MD, Chief Medical Officer, The Elizabeth Hospice, Escondido CA

“Minding the Gaps: Serving the Whole Person through Palliative Care”

—Michael Fratkin MD, Palliative Care Specialist, Center for New Growth; Board President, Institute for Rural Psychedelic Care

“Humility and Healing: How Psychedelic Assisted Therapy May (or May Not) Help Address Demoralization in Palliative and End of Life Care” 

Breakout Sessions:

  • Barbara Bailey MS: “Introducing Palliative Care to Faith Communities”

  • John Tasted and William Harman: “Palliative Care IS Spiritual Care.”

  • Melissa McClave: “The Death Doula’s Role In Bridging The Palliative Care Gap.”

  • Mitsuo Tomita MD, Jessica Empeño: “Palliative Care, Advance Care Planning, and Health Literacy.”

  • Charles F. von Gunten MD: “GIP Hospice Care can help a hospital, not just a patient and family.”

  • Maria Huang MD, Ami Doshi MD: “From Grief to Growth: Coping, Connection, and Resilience in Pediatric Healthcare.”

  • Dawn Gross MD, PhD; Karen Rivo RN; Jolene Scarella MS, RN, CHPN: “Geode Cracking Project, (GCP). An enhancement communication tool using a 16- deck of cards to discover and understand patients core values.”

  • Karl Steinberg MD, moderator; Taib Rawi MD; John Tastad MA; Carol Bos; Sue Lasbury: Panel Discussion—“Palliative Care in Dementia: Unmet Needs.”

  • Lisa Skinner: “Through Their Eyes: A Window into Living with Dementia: A Glimpse into the Unique World of Individuals Living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia.”

  • Pat McClendon DNP, RN, EOL Doula; Lorrie Shepard, E-RYT 500, YACEP: “Healing Circles – A practice of authentic human connection embracing mortality and wholeness: a path for patients and professionals”

  • Gregory Thomas, DO; James Palmer, BBA, MSW: “Engaging in Shared Decision Making for Patients and Families Who Are Not Ready for Full Comfort Measures.”

  • Ranjeeta Basu PhD; Karen Schaffman PhD: “Mindfulness Workshop for Caregivers.”

  • Eva Navarrete: “Planificación De Necesidades de Attención Médicos Futuras” (en Español)

In planning our conference, we sought proposals that will highlight:

  • Ways to improve the quality of life and experience of patients and families bearing burdens of existential, psycho-emotional, and spiritual distress;

  • New or improved approaches to symptom management, across modalities of pain and suffering, including grief and bereavement;

  • Innovative or proven means of increasing participation in advance care planning conversations and documentation, including POLST;

  • Effective approaches to self-care, self-compassion, and resiliency for palliative care professionals;

  • Strategies to expand access to palliative and EOL care for traditionally under-served or “difficult-to-serve” populations.