2016; Volume 17, No 9, September

Resources and Announcements

Each month, we publish a limited selection of items that may be of interest to our global readership. Contributions are welcomed but please observe the following:

Please also consider promoting your education and training events in the IAHPC Global Directory of Education in Palliative Care. It’s quick and easy – just submit your content online.

IAHPC re-launches Pallipedia

IAHPC is delighted to announce that a new version of our free online palliative care dictionary, Pallipedia, is now available. The revised version offers updated definitions of over 900 palliative/hospice and general health-related terms and several new features, including easier searching capabilities. Check out the dictionary here.

Pallipedia resulted from a strategic plan carried early in 2008 by the IAHPC Board of Directors, who recommended developing and implementing a Palliative Care specialized online dictionary to improve palliative care knowledge and resources for the global community.

Pallipedia offers visitors the option to search for a term or concept related to the field of Palliative Care. The searching capability includes stop words and query language. Its quality is ensured through a set of criteria that has to be met in order for a term to be uploaded. Pallipedia offers only definitions based on articles in peer reviewed journals or chapters in textbooks, or resulting from sound consensus-based processes, or from institutional websites.

Dr. Roberto Wenk, Past Chair of the Board of Directors of IAHPC and Senior Editor for Pallipedia:

“Over the past decades, with the advances in technology and new knowledge resulting from research, the amount of information on the Internet has grown exponentially. As part of this growth, several online dictionaries have been built, but none specific to palliative care. Individuals seeking for the definition of terms related to the field are forced to look in different sources, some of which do not meet appropriate quality standards.”


Integrated palliative care: Lessons from practice

Registration is now open for a free, massive open online course (MOOC) focusing on palliative care. Commencing on 17 October 2016 for three weeks, this free online course is coordinated by the International Observatory on End of Life Care, a world-leader in the field of palliative care based at Lancaster University.

The MOOC will be of interest to anyone with a personal or professional interest in palliative care. The course is based upon current European research that examines integrated palliative care services in Europe. International guest speakers will provide real-life examples of best practice.

By taking part, you will have the opportunity to explore and discuss the best ways to care for and support people who are approaching the end of life.

Find information and registration here.

European Palliative Care Academy announces first Award for Palliative Care Leadership Programmes

Leaders are of utmost importance for the development of palliative care worldwide. Therefore, we are delighted to announce the first ‘Award for Palliative Care Leadership Programmes’ to reward those already doing this important work and to encourage others to follow suit.

The European Palliative Care Academy (EUPCA), in collaboration with the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC), has developed the award. We are looking for leadership capacity-building programmes worldwide that are striving to develop palliative care at a time when it is needed most. These initiatives could take place in your hospice, hospital or other palliative care institution.

The winner will be announced at an award ceremony during the 15th EAPC World Congress, Madrid 2017. A representative of the winning institution will receive registration, accommodation and travel costs to attend the conference and ceremony.

Deadline for submissions: 15 November 2016.

Find out more here.

For any questions please email us.

Former International Pain Policy Fellow publishes work to improve availability and accessibility of opioids for cancer pain management in Serbia

An article by Dr. Snežana Bošnjak, an oncologist at the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia and a former International Pain Policy Fellow (2006), outlines a multifaceted approach to improving access to strong opioids for cancer pain management and palliative care in Serbia, a middle-income country, and offers a potential road map to success. The article, published in the Journal of Pain & Symptom Management, 1 focuses on the work she accomplished through the Pain & Policy Studies Group’s International Pain Policy Fellowship (IPPF). Guided by IPPF program faculty and mentors, Dr. Bošnjak conducted an in-depth assessment of the problems impeding adequate opioid availability for cancer pain relief in Serbia and developed and implemented a comprehensive action plan to improve the situation over a six-year period. These collaborative efforts resulted in several positive outcomes for Serbia, including the availability of immediate-release oral morphine, registration of controlled-release hydromorphone, and reimbursement of oral methadone for cancer pain treatment. Reflecting on the IPPF, Dr. Bošnjak identified lessons she learned that can serve as recommendations for colleagues in other low- or middle-income countries that are facing similar challenges with opioid availability and accessibility for pain management. Read the full article here.

1. S. Bosnjak et al. A multifaceted approach to improve the availability and accessibility of opioids for the treatment of cancer pain in Serbia: Results from the International Pain Policy Fellowship (2006-2012) and recommendations for action. J Pain Symptom Manage, Aug. 2016 vol. 52 (2) 272–283.

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