We propose a 2-day consensus conference, """"""""Palliative and Supportive Care in Advanced Heart Failure"""""""" to be held on September 5-6, 2002.
The specific aims of the conference are to: 1. Identify gaps in current knowledge, practice and research relating to identifying prognosis, managing symptoms, and supporting patients and families at likelihood of death from congestive heart failure. 2. Draft a consensus statement about care for patients with advanced heart failure, including optimal medical management, advance care planning, decision-making about life-prolonging interventions, palliation of symptoms, and support and education for the patient and family. 3. Identify a research agenda for supportive care of patients with advanced heart failure and identify strategies and mechanisms for studying the domains identified. 4. Develop partnerships with stakeholder organizations, including the major societies for cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, and congestive heart failure, Center for Medicare and Medicaid, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in order to create participation in research and education about Supportive Care. 5. Create a working group of heart failure specialists, palliative care specialists and Peer Review Organizations to address Supportive Care in advanced heart failure. Conference attendees will include experts in heart failure, quality of life research in heart disease and palliative are, and working group participants.
