NHPCO NewsLine Winter 2017 - 36

Short Takes

Palliative Care and Hospice Organizations
Collaborate to Advance the Field
The National Coalition for
Hospice and Palliative Care:
Working together to
coordinate, communicate,
and collaborate on advocacy,
quality, and beyond.
What is the Coalition? Why is it
Important?
If you have attended a hospice or
palliative care conference in the
last few years, it is likely that you
have heard the proverb, "If you
want to go fast, go alone. If you
want to go farther, go together."
The National Coalition for Hospice
and Palliative Care (also referred
to as the Coalition) is a critical
mechanism for ensuring that the
field goes far.
Originally established by four
organizations in 2002 to create a
foundation for defining quality
palliative care, i.e., National
Consensus Project, Clinical
Practice Guidelines for Quality
Palliative Care, the Coalition is
now comprised of nine national
organizations representing
clinicians from the full
interdisciplinary team (physicians,
nurses, social workers, chaplains,
and physician assistants),
researchers, and hospice and
palliative care programs. The
Coalition's goals focus on four

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essential elements, the "Four C's": Cooperation, Communication,
Coordination, and Collaboration.
These nine hospice and palliative care organizations work independently
to improve quality of life for seriously ill patients by addressing the needs
of their constituencies in areas such as education, advocacy, quality
improvement, research, etc. While each has been incredibly effective on its
own, the field as a whole faces many challenges:
■ Rapid evolution of health care and health policy in the U.S.;
■ Rapid increase in the number of people who would benefit from
palliative care and/or hospice services;
■ Rapid proliferation of new interventions/initiatives designed to address
the high-need, high-cost populations (some with the patient and family
in mind, some with cost savings in mind), creating much "noise"
around the right way to care for these patients;
■ Continued misconceptions about what hospice and palliative care can
offer and who is eligible for these services; and
■ Limited resources in our small field.
Using the Four C's, the Coalition helps the field proactively address these
challenges by convening representatives monthly from each organization
to strategize on key public policy challenges; improve communication to
avoid duplication of effort where possible; and share intellectual resources.
We work together to respond to legislative and regulatory opportunities,
and are structured to nimbly respond to significant opportunities and
threats (e.g., the recent misrepresentation of palliative care by a U.S.
Senator). However, the most important function of the Coalition is to
initiate and strengthen relationships across the field.
As a result of the Coalition, members often feel more comfortable reaching
out to each other individually as needed to clarify an issue, brainstorm
ideas, and collaborate on new initiatives. By finding natural opportunities
to work together, we strengthen each other and increase our impact - both
within the field and to external audiences.
Visit the Coalition website to learn more and stay up to date on ongoing
activities.

NHPCO NewsLine | Winter 2017
https://www.nationalcoalitionhpc.org/
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NHPCO NewsLine Winter 2017
