DELEtCC is an education project for improving end-of-life care for patients in cancer centers, presented by the City of Hope National Medical Center and funded by the National Cancer Institute. The primary aim of DELEtCC is to prepare clinical leaders with the information and resources to assure high-quality end-of-life care to cancer patients. Interdisciplinary two person teams made up of physicians, nurses, social workers or other professionals from 300 cancer treatment centers will be selected to attend one of four annual courses. The three day intensive course involves lectures by internationally recognized palliative care experts, an interactive format with opportunities for discussions in large, small, and panel sessions, and a comprehensive syllabus that will be a valuable resource for clinical care and staff education.

Registration, breakfast and lunch during the 3-day course, an extensive syllabus and other educational resources are funded through the NCI grant. A $200 travel stipend will be provided for each participant. Travel, lodging arrangements, and expenses are the responsibility of the participant.

Conference Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will:

• Identify the content and resources for high-quality end-of-life care for cancer patients.
• Explore creative teaching and learning strategies for use in end-of-life education for cancer center professionals.
• Use institutional change principles to plan goals for involving cancer center colleagues in improving end-of-life care.
• Join a national network of cancer centers in providing high-quality end-of-life care.

Intended Audience:

This course is intended for healthcare professionals including physicians, nurses, administrators, social workers, psychologists, pharmacists, chaplains, and rehabilitation therapists who participate in the end-of-life care of cancer patients. Two-person institutional teams from cancer centers will be selected by an application process.