Below are a list of resources about managing end of life issues recommended by Paul Tatum, MD, a family physician who serves as director of the Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program in the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at University of Texas Dell Medical School.
Dr. Tatum is sharing this information in light of the COVID-19 emergency and the need to provide end of life care to these patients.
The series of tools includes:
- Communication guide for complex issues from Vital Talk, a group of communication specialists who can assist office staff, especially phone staff and nursing team.
- Symptom management guide from the Center to Advance Palliative Care.
- Shared decision making tool for planning with high risk patients. May guide the seriously ill to choose home care option if preferred.
- ICU shared decision making guide for a patient considering life support to help discussion of hospitalized patient pre ICU.
- COVID-19 advance care planning that the office team can share with patients for self-completion.
- Brief COVID goals of care guide for outpatients at high risk, adapted by SFVA Palliative Care, is advanced care planning with high-risk patients for clinicians.