Presenter: Karen Wyatt,MD

Studies have shown thatterminally ill patients who have a conversation with their healthcare providersabout end-of-life options are more likely to choose care that is lessaggressive and more supportive of quality of life. But often theseconversations don't take place because healthcare providers have not beentrained to discuss these difficult topics and don't know how to lead theconversation. This presentation will show the power of end-of-life discussionsto transform care and provide tools and best practices for communicating withpatients and family members about care at the end of life. 

Learners will be ableto: 

• Recognize the obstacles to talking about death and dying that exist in our society. 
• Explain why conversations about death and dying can transform the way we approach the end of life.
• Utilize tools and practices to increase the frequency of conversations about the end of life with patients and loved ones.