Kōkua Mau is collaborating with our partners in California and Arizona on our virtual summit June 22/23. Attend this premier conference on palliative care and advance care planning. The Summit features a robust schedule of world-class speakers and opportunities for connection and rejuvenation.

Among the many exciting elements of the Summit are the six breakout sessions presented during Day 1. Taking place virtually and simultaneously, attendees will be able to select which topic and speaker most aligns with their learning goals, or just piques their interest!

presented by Douglas Wilson, MD, FAAFP, Providence Queen of the Valley

Advance care planning in the acute care setting presents unique challenges. The Common Good AHCD is an advance directive developed to meet the needs of patients’ families and clinicians in the acute setting and ease people into thinking about life after a serious health event. Learn about how The Common Good AHCD was utilized in the inpatient setting at Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa, including best practices and lessons learned for advance care planning in the acute care setting, and the important impact of community support.

Louise Aronson, MD: Geriatrician, professor of medicine at Presented by Rev Presented by Rev Susan A Cosio, MDiv, BCC, Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento

Pediatric palliative care is a growing and important specialty. But it is not without its challenges. The complexities of caring for critically ill and sometimes dying children and their families can create a milieu rife with ethical dilemma, moral distress, complex family/cultural dynamics, and the potential for compassion fatigue and burnout. This session will help participants identify the path to resilience in the face of ongoing challenge and suffering. Presented by Rev Susan A Cosio, MDiv, BCC, Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento

Presented by Amy Vandenbroucke, JD, Executive Director, National POLST

National POLST has been working with state leaders to increase consistency among POLST programs, making POLST easier for patients and providers to use. This session will include a short overview of how national policies and standards are created and will feature updates on National POLST projects and activities.

Presented by Maribeth Gallagher, DNP, PMHNP-BC, FAAN, Hospice of the Valley, Phoenix, AZ

Although the number of persons living with dementia continues to rise, our health care system does a poor job of serving their needs for specialized support and expertise. For this reason, Hospice of the Valley (HOV), a large community based non-profit hospice in Arizona with a hospice census of 2,000 and a palliative care census of 1,000, developed the Supportive Care for Dementia (SCD) program. This session will provide an overview of Hospice of the Valley’s Supportive Care for Dementia program, its core components, and a case study.

Presented by Chikal A. Patel, MD, Optum/United Health Group; and Leah J. Jones, MD Tucson Medical Center

The presenters of this session developed a palliative care telehealth program to address the issues of access and availability for palliative care support across Arizona and especially in underserved communities. The intention of this session is to share the development process and best practices of the program, as well as interpret data gathered from telehealth consults.

Presented by Hope Young, Advance Care Planning Coordinator, Kokua Mau; and Susie Lee, RN, BSN, Kokua Mau

Kōkua Mau started the “Let’s Talk Story” program in 2016 and added a full time Advance Care Planning Coordinator, Hope Young, in 2017. Learn how the coalition grew the “Let’s Talk Story” program to a state-wide campaign to raise awareness and understanding the value of Advance Care Planning through partnerships with community organizations including senior clubs, faith communities, senior centers, and workplace wellness initiatives.

We secured a special rate for residents of Hawai‘i and offer a discount for Kōkua Mau members. If your employer is a Kōkua Mau member you qualify for the discount as well. Please check our membership list for current members. Please register by June 15.

We hope you will join us. This will be a great chance for us to learn about what is happening in others states, share about what is happening in Hawai‘i and grow our movement together.

A dedicated website for the Annual Summit is maintained by our partner the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California (CCCC). Please visit it for program details, CE credits and speakers.