Integrating palliative care education into hematology-oncology fellowships

Integrating palliative care education into hematology-oncology fellowships
The ASCO Post; 6/11/2024
An integrated palliative care rotation for hematology-oncology fellows may improve their palliative care knowledge and skill confidence, according to findings presented by Bauman et al at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting (Abstract 9007). “Despite national guidelines advocating that patients with advanced cancer receive dedicated palliative care services, many patients lack access to specialty palliative care due to workforce shortages,” stressed lead study author Jessica Bauman, MD, Associate Professor in the Department of Hematology/Oncology, Chief of the Division of Head and Neck Medical Oncology, and Director of the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Training Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center. “Training hematology-oncologists to provide primary palliative care could close this gap and ensure [the] basic palliative care needs of patients are met,” she highlighted.