CHRISTUS believes access to high-quality palliative and hospice care is essential for patients and their families facing the advanced stages of a terminal illness or other complex, chronic conditions. CHRISTUS urges enactment of the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (H.R. 1673 / S. 693) to augment and improve the education and training of physicians and other health care professionals providing palliative care.

Issue: Expand Access to High-Quality Palliative and Hospice Care

As the population grows, demand is increasing for well-trained hospice and palliative care health professionals to assist parents and their families during difficult times, such as the advanced stages of a terminal disease or other complex, chronic diseases. Enactment of the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act will address this need by enhancing physician training in palliative medicine, establishing fellowship programs and intensive courses focused on palliative care, and providing grants for eligible health professionals who teach or practice in the palliative care field. In addition, the legislation will establish Palliative Care Hospice Education Centers to further augment and improve the training of palliative care health professionals and direct the National Institutes of Health to expand and improve research of the delivery of palliative care.

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