Caring Community - Advocacy

AGS Measuring Quality of Care at the End of Life: A Statement of Principles

Sat, 30 Oct 2004 11:16:53 -0700

The quality of care provided to persons near the end of life would be captured reasonably well by measuring the nine domains listed in this statement. The tools to do so need development, and funders and researchers should attend to this work. As adequate measurement tools are developed, they should be incorporated into the continuous quality improvement for care systems. With all possible haste, benchmarks of quality in good systems need to be made available. Eventually, information about the performance of insurance plans and care delivery systems should be available to the public for use in selecting insurers and providers; and payors and certifiers should set minimal performance standards for contracting and certification.

American Public Health Association

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 19:02:03 -0800

Founded in 1872, the American Public Health Association (APHA) is the oldest, largest and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world. The association works to protect all Americans and their communities from preventable, serious health threats. APHA represents a broad array of health officials, educators, environmentalists, policy-makers and health providers at all levels working both within and outside governmental organizations and educational institutions. Information about disparities in health literacy including a health disparities data base may be found at this site along with advocacy tips and resources, educational opportunities and publications related to public health.

Americans for Better Care of the Dying

Mon, 7 Nov 2005 16:02:26 -0800

Americans for Better Care of the Dying goals are to: build momentum for reform; explore new methods and systems for delivering care; and shape public policy through evidence-based understanding.

Every dying person needs to be able to count on excellent care. Americans for Better Care of the Dying (ABCD) aims to improve end-of-life care by learning which social and political changes will lead to enduring, efficient, and effective programs. ABCD works with the public, clinicians, policymakers, and other end-of-life organizations to make change happen.

ABCD President Joanne Lynn, MD is one of the foremost national leaders in this movement and the author of Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness; and Improving Care for the End of Life. Extensive excerpts from both of these books are accessible via the ABCD website

California Coalition for Compassionate Care

Fri, 10 Sep 2004 12:05:38 -0700

The California Coalition for Compassionate Care is a statewide partnership of over 50 regional and statewide organizations dedicated to the advancement of palliative medicine and end-of-life care in California.

Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC)

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:17:07 -0800

The Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) is a national initiative supported by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, with direction and technical assistance provided by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine (NY). CAPC provides health care professionals with the tools and training necessary to start and sustain successful palliative care programs.

CAPC publishes The Case for Hospital-Based Palliative Care â�� Why leading hospitals are starting palliative care programs to provide high-quality, effective management of advanced illness. Other publications include The Guide to Building A Hospital-Based Palliative Care Program, a how-to handbook with step-by-step guidance.

Children's Hospice & Palliative Care Coalition

Fri, 1 Oct 2004 20:55:13 -0700

Children's Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition of California is a group of organizations, institutions and individuals from throughout the State of California working together to promote compassionate medical care which includes spiritual, emotional and financial support for children with life-threatening illnesses. ...because when a child has a serious illness, medicine is not enough...

Community Network for Appropriate Technologies

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:58:58 -0800

Overview

The Community Network for Appropriate Technologies was incorporated in 1978 as a federally recognized nonprofit, tax-exempt educational and charitable organization. Susan Keller, Executive Director and Principal Planner, founded the Community Network based on principles which she developed and employed in the Midwest while facilitating creation of a nationally prominent library council.

The general focus of our work is the development of cooperative working relationships within individual organizations, and across organizational and political boundaries. Our overall goal is the development of programs, services, and organizations that are socially, economically, and ecologically sound.

Cross Cultural Health Care Project

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 10:17:23 -0800

Since 1992, the Cross Cultural Health Care Program (CCHCP) has been addressing broad cultural issues that impact the health of individuals and families in ethnic minority communities in Seattle and nationwide.

Through a combination of cultural competency trainings, interpreter trainings, research projects, community coalition building, and other services, the CCHCP serves as a bridge between communities and health care institutions to ensure full access to quality health care that is culturally and linguistically appropriate. For more information contact CCHCP

Last Acts

Fri, 10 Sep 2004 11:54:01 -0700

Last Acts is a national coalition of organizations engaged in an unprecedented education campaign to improve care for people who are dying and their families. Last Acts serves as a clearinghouse for sharing information and ideas at the national, state and local levels. Last Acts also provides a forum for discussion, collaboration and broad dissemination of new information.

National Alliance for Caregivers

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 16:59:10 -0700

The National Alliance for Caregiving was created to conduct research, do policy analysis, develop national programs and increase public awareness of family caregiving issues. The Alliance’s mission is to be the objective national resource on family caregiving with the goal of improving the quality of life for families and care recipients. Established in 1996, NCA is a non-profit coalition of national organizations focusing on issues of family caregiving. Alliance members include grassroots organizations, professional associations, service organizations, disease-specific organizations, a government agency, and corporations.

National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 19:06:28 -0800

The mission of the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) is to promote minority health and to lead, coordinate, support, and assess the National Institutes on Health effort to reduce and ultimately eliminate health disparities. In this effort NCMHD will conduct and support basic, clinical, social, and behavioral research, promote research infrastructure and training, foster emerging programs, disseminate information, and reach out to minority and other health disparity communities. The NCMHD envisions an America in which all populations will have an equal opportunity to live long, healthy and productive lives. The NIH conduit for grantgiving in the arena of health disparity and related training and advocacy.

Partnership for the Public's Health

Fri, 10 Sep 2004 11:54:55 -0700

PPH is both a place-based and people-based strategy. PPH supports strong, dynamic partnerships that bring residents, community groups and health departments together to improve community health. Resources are invested directly in communities through both community organizations and local health departments. Community residents understand what is needed to improve health and well-being because health happens at the community level, where people live. The engagement and investment of community residents in improving their own health is vital to sustaining improvement and building accountability. Public health departments are the only enduring public resource that has the mission and mandate to protect and promote the health and well-being of the public. Looking beyond medical care, public health departments are charged with preventing illness and disease before they happen.

Promises to Keep: Changing the Way we Provider Care at the End of Life

Thu, 1 Mar 2007 08:44:32 -0800

Promises to Keep: Changing the Way We Provide Care at the End of Life published by the National Coalition on Health Care and The Institute for Healthcare Improvement. in October, 2000. This report presents the stories of institutions and organizations that made a commitment to change and innovation to improve care at the end of life. The profiles presented in this report reflect some of the most promising pioneering efforts underway in the field of palliative care. RAND’s Center to Improve Care of the Dying (CICD) staff worked closely with the National Advisory Panel of Americans for Better Care of the Dying to develop selection criteria for groups profiled.

Reluctant Realism - Latino Perspective on End of Life Issues

Thu, 3 Nov 2005 10:00:49 -0800

Reluctant Realism
by Margaret R. McLean and Margaret A. Graham published in Issues in Ethics, Winter, 2003 Volume 14, Number 1, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University pp. 7-9.

To assist in the goal of improving the Latino health care experience in the San Jose community, 66 adults agreed to participate in a series of three focus group sessions that explored their attitudes and concerns regarding end-of-life care. This article presents their views of death and dying, their interactions with the health care system, and their concerns about discussing these issues with their families.

Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care

Fri, 10 Sep 2004 12:08:27 -0700

The Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care is an association, 1300 members strong, dedicated to promoting the universal availability, accessibility, coordination, and effectiveness of health care that addresses the psychosocial components of health and illness.