2025 Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

This intensive full-day workshop led by national hospice medicine faculty leaders is designed to explore and further develop the skills needed to successfully navigate today’s hospice environment. This immersive review will serve as part of your preparation for the Hospice Medical Director Certification Board (HMDCB) exam and is based on the exam blueprint (http://www.hmdcb.org/). The workshop also serves as a great orientation for those new to the hospice field or as a critical update for all hospice practitioners and managers.

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

This instructor-led certification review course is designed to help prepare attendees for their upcoming Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) ACHPN® certification exam. This session will provide the framework to prepare and a process to assess strengths and weaknesses of content before sitting for an HPCC certification exam. Join the nationally recognized facilitators to strengthen your preparation plans for the ACHPN® certification exam.

This course is co-located with the Annual Assembly for Hospice & Palliative Care and can be registered for with your Annual Assembly Registration. Registration to the Annual Assembly is not required for participation in this review course.

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Grant Funded – open access at no charge to attendees

The CO*RE 2023-2024 curriculum, developed by nationally known experts in pain management, addiction, and opioids, thoughtfully balances the risks and benefits of opioid prescribing, providing the latest insights in this vital healthcare area. It covers many important topics, including understanding the nature and pathophysiology of pain, effective patient assessment, creating patient-centered pain treatment plans, non-pharmaceutical pain treatment options, managing patients on opioid analgesics, educating patients and caregivers, and addressing opioid use disorder.

Content is focused on the ability to make appropriate diagnostic and clinical decisions surrounding pain management and opioid use that have important consequences for patients and families experiencing serious and complex illnesses.

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

This is a two for one pre-con! This session focuses on starting, sustaining and growing clinic-based outpatient palliative care programs as well as clinical out-patient direct patient care management.
Our target Audience includes program leaders, physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, PAs, social workers, pharmacists, and researchers.

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Over the past half century palliative care has evolved from conception to a robust specialty across professions and systems, geographic and technological universes. Creating opportunity to interrogate this past and its influence in the present invites an imagining of a future that does not simply replicate our past but challenges us to question and innovate.

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Using a multi-disciplinary, case-based, and discussion-centered approach, this ½ day preconference workshop will provide an in-depth exploration of the pharmacologic management and transition strategies for adult and pediatric patients experiencing complex and refractory Participants should expect to actively engage with the presenters, drawing upon their experience with complex cases. We plan to critically assess the benefits and limitations of various hospice versus palliative care programs in managing complex patients nearing the end of life. Participants will gain insights into the nuanced differences between these services, enabling them to make informed decisions that align with the unique needs and preferences of each patient.

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

In this pre-conference session, attendees will explore the critical importance of wellness in the demanding field of hospice and palliative care by learning to create personalized professional wellness programs. Participants will gain insights into identifying and managing burnout, compassion fatigue, and emotional stress through evidence-based practices and practical strategies.

This interactive workshop will guide health care professionals in designing a tailored wellness plan that incorporates mindfulness, reflective practices, yoga, and work-life balance techniques to enhance personal well-being and professional effectiveness. By fostering a supportive environment, this session aims to empower attendees with the tools necessary to cultivate resilience, improve patient care, and sustain a fulfilling career in hospice and palliative care.

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Shuffle the deck and elevate your leadership game! In this hands-on pre-conference session, palliative care professionals will explore the art of leadership through the strategic lens of poker. Just as poker players assess risks, make critical decisions under pressure, and understand the importance of reading people, attendees will learn to enhance their leadership skills in clinical and corporate environments.

Participants will engage in interactive activities that draw parallels between poker strategies and leadership tactics, such as calculating risks, managing team dynamics, and maintaining a “poker face” in challenging situations.

By the end of the session, attendees will be equipped with innovative tools and insights to lead with confidence and decisiveness in the high-stakes world of palliative care. This session concludes with some non-cash poker play. Come ready to learn and use new skills at the poker table.

1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Patients living with a serious illness frequently rely on medications to palliate their symptoms (pain and non-pain). Drug therapy at this stage of a patient’s life is a balancing act – clinicians need to be knowledgeable about when, what, and how to deprescribe, and how to critically select new medications to add to the mix. This pre-conference will cover a variety of topics that will illustrate precision pharmacotherapy – referred to as “The Goldilocks Guide.”

Topics will include management of challenging non-pain symptoms such as malignant bowel obstruction, nausea/vomiting, terminal secretions, fatigue and more. We will also address symptom management in end-stage renal disease and end-stage liver disease. We will discuss essential techniques of kidney supportive care focusing on several key areas. We will explore various approaches to treating fatigue, constipation, itching/pruritus in renal disease, and nausea, confusion, and ascites in liver disease. We will emphasize the importance of proper selection and dosing for medications such as opioids, gabapentin, and, dare we say, maybe even NSAIDs (in renal disease)!

As a special treat, we will discuss a practical real-world approach to managing agitation in the hospice and palliative care patient. This content will focus on the thoughtful use of pharmacology to relieve the highly distressing symptoms of delirium our patients often experience. As if that weren’t enough, this presentation will cover the use of buprenorphine for patients receiving palliative or hospice care. This will include candidate selection, and dosing considerations. And as a special treat, each speaker will review two recent and impactful studies on the appropriate use of pharmacotherapy in serious illness. How could you NOT attend this pre-conference!

1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

This interactive leadership workshop, co-led by AAHPM and CAPC, is designed for emerging and existing leaders to deepen their self-awareness, strengthen their emotional intelligence, and develop essential skills for business planning. Participants will engage in self-assessments, discussions, and exercises that focus on both personal leadership development and the fundamentals of business strategy. This session will guide participants through identifying their leadership goals and understanding their behavioral styles. Using insights from personal assessments, participants will frame a personalized leadership development plan.

The workshop will also introduce the core elements of business planning. Participants will work through a planning worksheet to identify a project and explore each section of the business planning process. This workshop encourages participants to take the next steps in their leadership development, equipping them with the tools and insights to lead with emotional intelligence and strategic vision for business planning.

Designed for emerging or existing leaders across all settings (acute care, home, clinic, virtual), professions (administration, chaplaincy, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, social work, etc.), and organization types (adult and pediatric acute care, hospice, outpatient, group practice, health plans, etc.)

1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

This preconference workshop is designed to equip fellowship program directors and other interested educators with the tools and knowledge to lead innovative improvements in their training programs. Participants will learn about best practices in fellowship administration and curriculum design, as identified by the Fellowship Training Committee, and will have the chance to share key successes from their own programs. The session will also include a review and discussion of the proposed updates to the ACGME Hospice and Palliative Medicine Program Requirements. Additionally, the AAHPM Assessment Workgroup will present updates on faculty development materials being created in partnership with the ACGME.

1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Within the often hectic and demanding clinical practice of palliative care, clinicians are called to closely observe and process care encounters for deeper meaning and the benefit of all involved. Time to nurture these skills and to reflect is critical for optimal clinical practice and sustainability over time. The Art Museum space can provide opportunities for educators and interprofessional clinicians to focus on more intentional observation in connecting to a piece of art. It can also allow for learning and exploration to be focused on themes like wellness, diversity, implicit bias, interprofessional work, joy, death, and resilience as a strategy for renewal within self and team care.

This engaging and intimate pre-conference workshop, held at the Denver Art Museum, invites participants to experience art museum teaching with a focus on building connections with colleagues and finding deeper meaning in their practice. Participants will also consider how to learn and apply these teaching strategies in their home settings. The Denver Art Museum is located about a half mile from the convention center and transportation will be provided.

1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

This pre-conference session will delve into the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in hospice and palliative care, offering attendees a comprehensive overview of how AI technologies can enhance patient care and operational efficiency. Participants will explore the latest AI applications, from predictive analytics that anticipate patient needs to chatbots that provide real-time support for caregivers and families. Through interactive discussions, health care professionals will learn how AI can improve decision-making, personalize treatment plans, and streamline administrative tasks, ultimately improving patient outcomes and experiences. This session aims to equip attendees with the knowledge and tools necessary to integrate AI innovations into their practice, fostering a forward-thinking approach to compassionate end-of-life care. 

1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Attend this dynamic pre-conference session designed specifically for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) looking to enhance their leadership, research, and clinical skills. This interactive session will provide APRNs with valuable insights and tools to elevate their practice through evidence-based treatment, innovative clinical approaches, research initiatives, and effective leadership strategies. Presentations will include case based scenario involving pain and symptom management. Attendees will learn how to author successful abstract submission and the best approach to local and national advocacy. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your clinical skills, advance your research capabilities, or strengthen your leadership acumen, this session offers a comprehensive approach to professional growth and excellence in nursing practice.