Palliative Perspective Podcast

Ep. 36: Breaking Down the Silos Between Palliative Care and Hospice

In this episode, HPNA and HPNF board members Rikki Hooper and Yvonne Ruathaiwat expand on their perspectives and experiences regarding the palliative continuum of care, and how they break down the silos between palliative care and hospice. 

About the Speakers:
Moderator: Lynn Reinke, PhD, ANP-BC, FAAN, FPCN, ATSF

Featuring: 
Richelle (Rikki) Hooper, MBA, MSN, FNP-BC, ACHPN, NE-BC, FPCN
Yvonne Ruathaiwat, RN, MSN, GCNS-BC, NE-BC

Rikki Nugent Hooper MBA, MSN, FNP-BC, ACHPN® NE-BC, FPCN
Rikki Hooper joined Four Seasons, a not-for-profit Hospice and Palliative Care organization, in 2005 as a palliative care nurse practitioner and has been providing patient care since that time. Initially in a full-time clinical role she has also served in various leadership roles including Palliative Care Professional Development Director, Regional Director of Palliative Care, Vice President of Palliative Care and now Chief Clinical Operations Officer with leadership for both Hospice and Palliative Care programs. As a strong believer in quality care at end of life, Rikki consistently advocates for her patients and families to achieve their goals.

Certified in Advanced Hospice and Palliative Nursing, she provides care for patients in all settings, both pediatric and adult in Palliative Care and Hospice services. She has presented at regional and national meetings on a variety of topics related to serious and advanced illness as well as operation of community-based programs and has served on the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) Task Force for Quality, and on the Home-Based Workgroup for the Center to Advance Palliative Care. She has been part of the long-term care faculty for Bootcamp at the CAPC annual seminar for 3 years and facilitated Virtual Office Hours since 2018. Rikki is the author of several book chapters in APRN textbooks and Core Competencies and contributed to a number of articles published in HPM journals. 

She has been part of the core team for several Project Echo projects at Four Seasons. Rikki has provided both didactic education and mentoring to APRNs on Palliative Care and Hospice to local students over multiple years. 

Most recently she has attained certification as a Nurse Executive and was inducted as a 2023 Fellow in Hospice and Palliative Nursing. She has volunteered on the HPNA Clinical Forum planning committee, the AAHPM/HPNA Annual Assembly Abstract Review Committee, served as the Co-Chair for the Community Palliative Care SIG and currently serves as State Ambassador for North Carolina and on the FPCN Application Review Committee. 

Yvonne Ruathaiwat, MSN, RN, GCNS-BC, NE-BC, CCM, PHN
Yvonne Ruathaiwat has a diverse clinical and leadership background across the care continuum. Yvonne most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer/Senior VP of Clinical Services for Hospice of the East Bay in Northern California. Her previous experience involved operations and quality improvements for Palliative Care service line, transition of care programs, post-acute ambulatory care, skilled nursing facility partnerships, and population health management for medical respite/high utilizer groups. Yvonne’s past roles ranged from advanced practice nurse to adjunct professor.
 
Yvonne obtained her Master of Science degree as a Geriatric Clinical Nurse Specialist with specialty in Nursing Education. With a passion to deliver seamless and timely access to services, Yvonne is certified as a nurse executive, case manager, and in hospice operations. She is active with the schools in her community to foster creativity and opportunities.

 

 

Ep. 35: Incorporating an Assessment Tool for Patients Undergoing Advanced Heart Failure Therapies

In this episode, Holli and Brett discuss the integration of the Family Frailty Score as an assessment tool for patients undergoing advanced heart failure therapies. Various key considerations surrounding the tool are discussed, including multidisciplinary team involvement, socioeconomic challenges, patient and family support, and more.

Featuring:

• Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP
• Holli Martinez FNP-BC, ACHPN®, FPCN

Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP
Brett Snodgrass has been a registered nurse since 1997 and a family nurse practitioner since 2007, practicing in multiple settings, including family practice, urgent care, emergency departments, administration, chronic pain, and palliative medicine. She is currently the Operations Director for Palliative Medicine at Baptist Health Systems in Memphis, TN. She is board certified with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She is also a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse.

She is a nationally recognized nurse practitioner, speaker and teacher. Brett Is a chronic pain expert, working for more than 20 years with chronic pain patients in a variety of settings. She currently serves on the TN Chronic Pain Task Force. She is a director at large of the TN Pain Society. Past awards include AANP State Excellence Award for Tennessee for her work across the state on the TN Chronic Pain Task Force, as well as advocating for TN Full Practice Authority for Nurse Practitioners and the 2017 Memphis Business Journal Healthcare Hero Award.

Holli Martinez FNP-BC, ACHPN®, FPCN
Holli has been a nurse for 26 years with the last 17 as an advanced practice registered nurse. In addition to providing palliative care consultations to patients and families, Holli also serves as the Program Director for the Supportive and Palliative Care Program at the University of Utah Hospital and Huntsman Cancer Institute; an adjunct faculty member for the University of Utah College of Nursing; past Board president for the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation; and faculty member for UCoPE - Utah Certificate of Palliative Education and Senior Faculty for VitalTalk. She is Board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse. Holli has been inducted as an HPNA Fellow in Palliative Care Nursing and has been honored with the Cambia Foundation Sojourns Award and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners State of Utah Award for Excellence.

Ep. 34: The Journey into Hospice & Palliative Care

In this episode, we welcome HPNA and HPNF board members Craig Durie, DNP, CRNP, ACHPN®, RNFA and Blake J. Tobias Jr., MHCI, MS, HA-ODL. Moderated by Board President Lynn Reinke, PhD, ANP-BC, FAAN, FPCN, ATSF, the group discusses their respective roles within health care, highlighting their commitment to improving patient outcomes through innovative practices and leadership in their respective professions.

Featuring:

• Craig Durie, DNP, CRNP, ACHPN®, RNFA
• Blake J. Tobias Jr., MHCI, MS, HA-ODL

Craig Durie, DNP, CRNP, ACHPN®, RNFA
Craig is a palliative care nurse practitioner working in an multi hospital inpatient consult-based practice in Eastern Pennsylvania.  He is passionate about education and creating access through program development. He is a book author, educator, and TEDx speaker. During his 28 years of practice, he has worked in critical care, emergency medicine research, as an organ transplant coordinator, adjunct faculty, and colorectal surgical NP before finding his calling in palliative care. During his 13 years of palliative practice, he worked to develop the region's first palliative telemedicine consult service to reach underserved rural patients. Outside of the hospital he has engaged in state and national lobbying relating to diabetes care and full practice authority for nurse practitioners. Craig balances his professional activities with family, a love of gardening, biking, and the outdoors.

 

Blake J. Tobias Jr., MHCI, MS, HA-ODL
Blake Tobias, Jr., MHCI, MS HA-ODL, a first-generation college graduate, is a biologist turned administrator and educator with a proven record of pivotal and innovative leadership. Blake has been a member of the board since 2019 and currently is the Secretary/Treasurer for the HPNA and HPNF boards. He has previously held the positions of HPNF Board Treasurer, HPNF Board President, and HPNA/HPNF Co-Chair of Governance Committee. Blake is Senior Regional Practice Manager for the Penn Medicine Transplant Institute, overseeing a dozen satellite clinics for Kidney, Liver, and Pancreas transplant across Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Blake is also an Adjunct Professor of Professional Practice at the Albright College School of Business and Professional Studies, a doctoral student at Saint Joseph's University, and spends his time volunteering for numerous local and national board of directors. His professional experience focuses on health operations and disruptive innovation, with extensive experience managing process improvement, accreditation adherence and regulatory compliance, leading complex projects, budgets, and service integration, as well as managing stakeholder relations in various service lines, including General Hospital Operations, Oncology, and Solid Organ Transplantation. A member of the Saint Joseph's University 30under30 inaugural class, Blake was also one of six students awarded the President and Provost's Honor for Developing New Initiatives in Graduate and Professional Student Life in 2023 as a graduation honor from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Ep. 33: An Inside Look at the Team Conference: Validating Dreams & Visions of the Dying

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Christopher Kerr, who discusses his upcoming opening session for the Team Conference for Hospice & Palliative Care. Moderated by HPNA member and Team Conference planning committee chair Joan Carpenter, this episode touches on Dr. Kerr’s experiences and published research that describes and validates patients’ dreams and visions at the end of life. 

Learn more about the Team Conference for Hospice & Palliative Care and register today!

 

About the Speakers:

Moderator: Joan G. Carpenter, PhD, CRNP, ACHPN®, FPCN
Featuring: Christopher Kerr, MD, PhD

Joan is an expert in geriatric palliative care. She in an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, a Health Scientist at the US Department of Veterans Affairs, and a nurse practitioner with Coastal Hospice and Palliative Care. Her research focuses on the implementation and evaluation of non-pharmacologic palliative care interventions to improve the quality of life, reduce symptom burden, and enhance decision making for people living with serious illness and their care partners.

Christopher is the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Executive Officer at Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Chris earned his MD as well as a PhD in Neurobiology. Outside of direct patient care, Chris’ focus is in the area of patient advocacy. His passion is palliative care and a belief that such care should be throughout the continuum of illness. Under Dr. Kerr’s medical leadership, Hospice Buffalo now serves 1,200 patients a day, the majority of whom receive services upstream of hospice care.

 

Ep. 32: An Inside Look: APRN Billing in Hospice & Palliative Care

This episode features Chris Acevedo, CHC, the presenter of HPNA's upcoming three-part APRN billing and coding webinar series. Chris discusses the series, which is designed for APRNs practicing in Palliative Care and within the hospice benefit. Moderated by HPNA Board member, Mansara Hassan, the discussion touches on recent changes to billing, EMR documentation, billing restrictions, and more.  

Register for the three-part billing webinar series today! Registration is free for HPNA members. 

The Basics on APRN Billing in Hospice and Palliative Care  
June 24, 2024 
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET 
1 NCPD 
Register Today 

Nuances of APRN Coding and Billing in Hospice and Palliative Care 
July 16, 2024 
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. ET 
1 NCPD 
Register Today 

Optimizing Revenue in APRN Hospice and Palliative Care Billing 
August 12, 2024 
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET 
1 NCPD 
Register Today 

 

About the Speakers: 

Moderator: Mansara Hassan, MSN, APRN, AGNP-C 
Featuring: Christopher Acevedo, CHC 

Mansara Hassan, MSN, APRN, AGNP-C, is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner in Dallas, TX. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. Mansara is deeply committed to ensuring equitable access to palliative care. She is also passionate about teaching and empowering nurses and is a proud End of Life Nursing Education (ELNEC) trainer. Mansara is an HPNA member and serves on the Board of Directors for HPNA and HPNF. 

Christopher Acevedo, CHC is Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Acevedo Consulting Incorporated. He is a health care industry veteran with more than 20 years of expertise in combining the unique perspective of avoiding risk and liability with opportunities for optimizing reimbursement. Chris has a particular expertise in chart audits, compliance, and education related documentation and coding. He has assisted clients nationwide with these and many other organizational needs. His experience in operational management brings clients invaluable expertise in the operational aspects of organizations' billing processes and identifying areas for potential improvement. Through the firm, Chris often serves as an expert for clients undergoing alleged overpayment and/or fraud investigations, as the Independent Review Organization (IRO) representative in accordance with Corporate Integrity Agreements (CIA) with the OIG and as a litigative consultant to the US Department of Justice. 

Chris is the Healthcare Compliance Officer for Barry University, is Adjunct Faculty at Florida Atlantic University teaching regulatory compliance and is a member of multiple CMS MAC Provider Outreach and Education Advisory Groups. 

Ep. 31 - The Role and Professional Standards of the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner in Hospice and Palliative Care

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Heather Coats and Dr. Kelly Henrichs. Moderated by Dr. Betty Ferrell, this episode discusses the adult-gerontology nurse practitioner's role in hospice and palliative care. Listen in as Heather and Kelly touch on common areas for the nurse practitioner, examples of when two APRNs work together to care for a patient, the differences between primary and specialty care, and more. 

This podcast episode coincides with an article written by Heather and Kelly in the June 2024 issue of the Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing.

1. Coats, Heather PhD, APRN-BC; Henrichs, Kelly DNP, RN, GNP-BC. The Role and Professional Standards of the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner in Hospice and Palliative Care. Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing 26(3):p 116-121, June 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/NJH.0000000000001025.

Resources from the Episode:

• ACHPN® Credential
• AACN Call for Action: Nurses Lead and Transform Palliative Care
• ANA Call to Transform Palliative Care

About the Speakers:

Moderator: Dr. Betty Ferrell, PhD, MSN, RN, CHPN®, FAAN, FPCN, Director of Nursing Research & Education and Professor, City of Hope 

Featuring: 
Dr. Heather Coats, PhD, APRN-BC, FAAN, Director of Research, HPNA, and Assistant Professor, University of Colorado College of Nursing 
Dr. Kelly Henrichs, DNP, RN, GNP-BC, Specialty Director, AGPCNP Program, Associate Professor, University of Colorado College of Nursing 
 
Dr. Henricks  works at CU as an associate professor, where she has taught for nearly 10 years and her clinical specialty is Gerontology. She was recently appointed the specialty director of the Adult/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program at CU and teaches across the undergraduate and graduate program. Her research interests are focused on older adults, and how to shift nursing student attitudes toward them. She is passionate about improving care and outcomes for the older adult population. She currently practices in the UCHealth Senior's Clinic as a nurse practitioner. 

Dr.  Coats, PhD, APRN-BC, FPCN, FAAN is Director of Research for Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) and faculty at the University of Colorado, College of Nursing, Anschutz Medical Campus, in Aurora, CO. With a well-founded base of palliative, oncology, and hospice care spanning over 26 years, Heather is sought out as a researcher, teacher, and consultant to nurses, physicians, and other health care professionals. She has been in numerous leadership positions and developed national/international recognition through her impact on the PC/EOL field. Heather is a well-known palliative care nurse leader who has communicated extensively through her publications, presentations and consultations with patients, families, and clinicians on the importance of palliative care for individuals living with serious illness.   

Nationally, she was invited to the prestigious keynote at the AAHPM/HPNA National Assembly to present the “State of the Science” for three years, and a subsequent keynote for the HPNA Clinical Practice Forum. She was the 2021 HPNA Vanguard recipient, is a Fellow in Palliative Care Nursing, and a Fellow of the Western Academy of Nurses, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. Internationally, she has been invited to both India and Japan to share her knowledge and expertise in PC/EOL nursing.  Her program of research which investigates the use of person-centered narrative interventions to improve communication between patients, family caregivers, and clinicians has been funded by NIH and the Cambia Health Foundation. In 2015, she earned her PhD in Nursing from the University of Arizona, College of Nursing, earned her master’s in nursing: Adult Nurse Practitioner from the University of Colorado, College of Nursing in 2006, and received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Arkansas, Eleanor Mann School of Nursing in 1996. 

Ep. 30 - Caring for Underserved Patients in Rural and Urban Settings

In this episode, we welcome Tracy Fasolino and Mansara Hassan, board members from the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) and the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF), Moderated by Lynn Reinke, this episode discusses the considerations surrounding caring for underserved patients in rural and urban settings.

Resources from the Episode:

• HPNA DEIB Style Guide
• HPNF Diversity in Health Care Video Series
• HPNA Research Agenda
• HPNA Advocacy Efforts

About the Speakers:

Moderator: Lynn Reinke, PhD, MSN, ARNP-BC, FAAN, FPCN
Featuring Tracy Fasolino, PhD, FNP-BC, ACHPN, FPCN and Mansara Hassan, MSN, APRN, AGNP-C

Tracy Fasolino, PhD, FNP-BC, ACHPN, FPCN is a Professor and Distinguished Palliative Care Leader at Clemson University School of Nursing, Clemson, SC. She is passionate about rural communities having lived in rural Appalachia all her life. She is a rising policy leader for underserved, rural communities. Tracy is honored to serve as a mentor to students and peers exploring primary and specialty palliative care. She was inducted as a Fellow of Palliative Care Nursing (FPCN) of the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) in 2024, serves on the Board of Directors for HPNA and the Hospice & Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF), and is an HPNF Florence Wald Champion.

Mansara Hassan, MSN, APRN, AGNP-C, is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner in Dallas, TX. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. Mansara is deeply committed to ensuring equitable access to palliative care. She is also passionate about teaching and empowering nurses and is a proud End of Life Nursing Education (ELNEC) trainer.  Mansara is an HPNA member and serves on the Board of Directors for HPNA and HPNF.

 

 

Ep. 29 - An Inside Look at the Diversity in Health Care Video Series

In this episode, we welcome Komal Patel Murali, PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, Chair of the HPNA DEIB Committee, and a panel of experts who provide an inside look at the Diversity in Health Care video series. The panel includes Dr. Leah Rosenberg, Dr. Rushil Patel, Reverend Katherine Engel, and Raniah El-Gendi. Listen to hear Dr. Murali ask the panel about their contributions to the video series and discuss the importance of providing interculturally sensitive care.

The first in the series of Diversity in Health Care videos was made possible through a grant from the American Nurses Foundation. HPNF partnered with the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Florida to develop this resource for providing culturally appropriate care to patients observing the Islamic faith.

The three additional videos were made possible through a grant to HPNF from the Jack Buncher Foundation to develop resources for providing culturally appropriate end-of-life care to Jewish, Hindu, and Buddhist patients. View the video series here.

 

About Komal:

Moderator: Komal Patel Murali, PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, Chair of HPNA DEIB Committee
Featuring Dr. Leah Rosenberg, Dr. Rushil Patel, Reverend Katherine Engel, and Raniah El-Gendi

Komal Patel Murali is an assistant professor at New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing interested in end-of-life care for seriously ill older adults in the home healthcare setting. Dr. Murali’s research focuses on improving equity and end-of-life care surrounding hospice transitions for people living with dementia and their care partners. She aims to develop transitional care management interventions to improve hospice transitions and reduce disparities in hospice use through embedded pragmatic clinical trials in real-world practice in home healthcare. Dr. Murali is also interested in palliative care integration in the intensive care unit as her program of research is strongly influenced by her prior clinical experiences as a nurse and nurse practitioner delivering end-of-life care in the critical care setting.

Dr. Murali is an HPNA member and volunteer. She currently serves as the chair of the HPNA DEIB Committee.

Ep. 28 - The Power of Mentoring

In this episode, we welcome Lynn Reinke, PhD, MSN, ARNP-BC, FAAN, FPCN back to the show where she speaks with HPNA’s 2024 President-Elect Masako Mayahara, PhD, RN, FAAN, CHPN, FPCN and HPNA’s Immediate Past President Michelle Webb, DNP, RN, CHPCA on the power of mentoring.

About Lynn:

Dr. Reinke is the Claire Dumke Ryberg, RN, Presidential Endowed Chair for Palliative and End of Life Care at the University of Utah, College of Nursing. In this role, she works to increase the palliative care workforce in rural and underserved populations by educating professionals and laypersons to deliver primary palliative care.

Dr. Reinke’s clinical practice and program of research focuses on improving the delivery of palliative and end-of-life care for patients with serious illnesses. She is internationally recognized as an expert in dyspnea management for patients diagnosed with advanced lung diseases. Her studies, funded by NIH, VA, and Foundations, are designed to test nurse-led palliative care interventions in sub-specialty and primary care services and to improve the quality of clinicians’ end-of-life communication skills.

About Masako:

Dr. Mayahara is a clinical expert in pain management in hospice and palliative care. Her research focuses on reducing pain and suffering in patients and families facing serious illness. She utilizes innovative technology and evidence-based interventions to support family caregivers in delivering patient pain management at home. Her federally funded research includes the development and testing of a digital application (e-PainSupport) designed to reduce pain intensity in home hospice patients. Additionally, she serves as a co-investigator on multiple NIH R01 grants, including a study funded by the National Institutes of Aging to provide chronic grief intervention to dementia caregivers using video conference technology. She is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing and serves as the president-elect of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation.

About Michelle:

Dr. Webb is an Assistant Professor in the Duke University School of Nursing. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Indiana University, a Master of Science in Nursing from The George Washington University and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Minnesota. She has diverse nursing practice and leadership experience and has held executive leadership positions in behavioral/psychiatric-mental health, home health, acute care, and hospice care. She is a member of the National Black Nurses Association and currently serves as the Past President of HPNA and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation Board of Directors. 

Ep. 27 - Racial and Cultural Competence in Palliative Care

In this episode, we welcome Amisha Parekh de Campos, PhD, MPH, RN, CHPN to the show where she speaks on the research that she is conducting surrounding people of color in end-of-life care. Amisha speaks on the importance of incorporating race into practice to best serve our minority populations and how we can advocate for our patients of color. 

 

About Amisha:

Amisha Parekh de Campos, PhD, MPH, RN, CHPN has a joint appointment as an Assistant Clinical Professor, University of Connecticut School of Nursing, and Quality and Education Coordinator of the Middlesex Health Hospice Program, Middletown, CT. Amisha received her PhD in Nursing from the University of Connecticut (2020), and BS and MPH in Global Health from George Washington University (2001 & 2005). She received her BSN from the University of St. Joseph in 2009; additional certifications include hospice and palliative care (CHPN). Amisha started her career in public health by establishing public health clinics and training community health workers in rural areas of south India and the Dominican Republic. She led initiatives on the prevention of HIV, tuberculosis, and mosquito-borne illnesses with community, government, and private organizations.

For the past ten years, Amisha has worked in hospice home care in various leadership roles, including community liaison and clinical supervisor. Currently, she manages research, quality, education, and orientation for the Hospice Homecare program, which serves approximately 150,000 people in Connecticut. In addition, Amisha is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Connecticut, School of Nursing working towards enhancing the palliative care curriculum and education among undergraduate students. She is a Robert Wood Johnson, Future of Nursing Scholar (2017-2020) and Jonas Scholar for Chronic Health (2017-2020). In 2019, Amisha received the 2019 Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation Scholarship to fund a study in advance care planning through simulation with registered nurses. She is the 2021
recipient of the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse of the Year and recipient of the 2021 Young Investigator Award from the Connecticut Coalition to Improve End-of-Life Care. Amisha was also featured in the Journal of Hospice and
Palliative Nursing.

Amisha’s program of research focuses on end-of-life care communication. Her dissertation focused on simulation among registered nurses in advance care planning communication.

Working at a community health system, she has noticed the disparities in end-of-life care among people of color. With her public health background and working with communities, she would like to assess the barriers and facilitators to end-of-life care and provide interventions to expand EOL services to this population.