Talk with ME

Our objective is to empower care team members to have early conversations about patients’ values and preferences and understanding of disease prognosis as a routine part of medical care.

The coordinator of the team is Stewart Barbour, RN; she also serves as an educator!

Our project team includes Rachael Burgess CPNP-AC and Becca Hutchinson, MD MPH.

This work is made possible by grant funding from Community Physicians of Maine.

Why do Goals of Care Conversations matter?

Goals of Care Conversations that are guided by the patients’ values and preferences are linked to improved quality of life, fewer hospitalizations, and earlier hospice care. However, these conversations frequently do not happen, or they only occur very close to the end of life.

Clinicians identify lack of skills and training as two explanations.

To help meet these needs, we have put together an educational series based on two national evidence-based communication skills training programs:

Serious Illness Conversation Guide 

and 

VitalTalk.

All faculty are specially trained to lead these courses.