Mastodon AAHMP/HPNA Annual Assembly 2011 Preview - Wednesday Pre-Con's ~ Pallimed

Monday, February 14, 2011

AAHMP/HPNA Annual Assembly 2011 Preview - Wednesday Pre-Con's

Since 2007 I have posted a yearly preview of the AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly.  Usually it is a LOT earlier then the few days before the conference, but I thought this year I would try to post closer to the conference and maybe get people's feedback the evening after they went to the sessions.  Always give feedback on the official forms/online, but if you want to talk about any session you found particularly helpful feel free to post here.  

(Don't forget to read Handy Hints for a National Meeting either!)



My previews will not go through every presentation, but I'll just talk about the things I find interesting, so feel free to offer your opinion because it's a free world!

Now, in reviewing the pre-cons, I will note that I am unable to attend because the board meeting is that day, but if I were going here are a few I would be looking out for.

Last year I saw my first presentation by VJ Periyakoil.  It was fantastic.  She opened my eyes to all sorts of new ideas and words to describe non-verbal communication behaviors.  So when she is presenting for 4 hours on Latest Updates in Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine: A Skill-Based Immersive Learning Workshop, I would rate that pretty highly.  I just don't know how she will do that all by herself.  That is a long time!

I guess it is a sign of the Medicare Budget Tightening times but a session that I bet will be packed is the session titled: Developing, Documenting, and Defending Your Hospice Care: An Advanced Curriculum.  Presented by a gaggle of VITAS team members, this should be helpful for anyone facing ADR's and increased regulatory scrutiny on longer lengths of stay.  Here is my quick answer: Document, document, document, but I am sure these folks will give you some better ideas!

Nominee for best title of a presentation: I Am Not Dying, I Am Playing Dragon Quest® IX: Learning to Embrace Providing Care in Complex Pediatric Situations.  Presented by Jody Chrastek, this session as well as the Pediatric Advanced End of Life Support session (unfortunately at the same time) demonstrate a strong focus on pediatric topics this year.

In the afternoon, there is something for everyone.  Hear are my two word descriptions for each session highlighting the theme:

  • International Care
  • Methadone/Ketamine
  • Reflection/Rediscovery
  • Heart Failure
  • Interdisciplinary Conflict
  • Social Work
  • Difficult Conversations
  • Research Publication
  • Legislation/Advocacy
  • Veterans/Soldiers
  • Chronic Pediatrics

If you cannot find something in there that interests you, I think you would need the budget of a Super Bowl halftime show to get you excited about learning! Of those different topics, the one that most interests me is the one on Enhancing Social Work Practice Through Evidence-Based Research: Best Practices for Delivering Care to Families.

The other ones are also interesting but I like going to other disciplines talks because that tends to broaden my thinking the most. Learning the terms that are common in their field is helpful to me when I get back to work with the rest of the team.   Does anyone else like to do this?

Pallimed | Blogger Template adapted from Mash2 by Bloggermint