PeaceHealth launches new Palliative Care Provider Academy

BELLINGHAM, Wash., –  PeaceHealth will offer recurring one-day, hands-on trainings to PeaceHealth and community providers in its newly formed Palliative Care Provider Academy.  The program’s objective is to better equip local providers with the knowledge, skills and tools to provide palliative care to people living with serious or life-threatening illness in Whatcom County.

Palliative care aims to improve quality of life for seriously ill and dying patients and their families. It involves preventing and relieving suffering and stress for anyone affected by serious illness; helping patients and families with the psychological, social and spiritual concerns arising from serious illness; and ensuring that the medical care patients receive is in accord with their preferences, goals and wishes. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage of a serious illness and can be provided together with curative treatment.

According to the Center to Advance Palliative Care, although there is on average a cardiologist for every 71 people with a heart attack and an oncologist for every 141 new cancer patients, there is only one palliative medicine physician for every 1,200 persons with a serious or life-threatening illness in the U.S. The Palliative Care Provider Academy is a key step in PeaceHealth’s campaign to bridge that access gap in our community.   

“Palliative care should use a coordinated and collaborative approach,” said Patrick Tandingan, MD, PeaceHealth medical director of Hospice and Palliative Care, who will instruct the courses. “Our Palliative Care Provider Academy was designed to improve generalist palliative care knowledge, skills, and practice behavior in order to provide deeply meaningful palliative care for the majority of patients in need.”

The academy will be offered on a quarterly basis, with the first session taking place on March 9.

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About PeaceHealth: Based in Vancouver, Wash., PeaceHealth is a not-for-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center provides quality care for northwest Washington with its full-service 253-bed hospital and PeaceHealth Medical Group clinics. Key services in Bellingham include comprehensive cardiology, oncology, orthopedic and rehabilitation services and a joint venture outpatient imaging service.