Annual Assembly of the
American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
and Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association

Glenview, IL – The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM), in collaboration with the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, will host its Annual Assembly February 14-17, 2007, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, UT. The conference is a platform for the dissemination of the evidence base, knowledge, skills, and philosophy of care of the terminally-ill and dying. Physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists and others who practice hospice and palliative care are invited to attend.

The event is expected to draw over 2000 attendees, who will be able to participate in a full program of 70 concurrent sessions, 35 paper presentations, and three plenary sessions with opportunities to earn more than 17 CME credits. Educational sessions will cover all 8 domains of the practice of caring for the terminally-ill and dying, and their families, including disease updates and the psychological, social, spiritual, cultural, and ethical and legal aspects of care.

Hospice and palliative medicine has recently been recognized as a new subspecialty of medicine, reflecting the need for specialized medical care for the growing number of older adults and persons with serious, complex, and chronic illnesses—an enormous challenge to the healthcare industry.

Palliative medicine focuses on relieving pain and suffering, improving the quality of life, and helping patients and families to cope with serious illness and death. In addition to better managing physical pain and non-pain symptoms, and relieving multiple other causes of suffering, healthcare providers trained in palliative care are equipped to communicate with patients and families under difficult circumstances, help them navigate the healthcare system, make decisions concordant with their goals and values, and receive care in the setting of their choice. Palliative medicine can also reduce medical costs by facilitating discussions with patients and families about changing goals of care and ensuring that patients get the highest quality care in the appropriate setting at the right time.

Contact: Mary Louise Carr,

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AAHPM’s membership includes over 2800 physicians and other medical professionals dedicated to excellence in palliative medicine and the prevention and relief of patient and family suffering. Since 1988, AAHPM has supported hospice and palliative medicine through advancement of clinical practice standards, fostering research, providing education, and through public policy advocacy. For more information about the 2007 Annual Assembly or membership in the Academy, contact AAHPM at 847/375-4712 or visit the web site at www.aahpm.org