Oncologist in my Pocket: What the Palliative Clinician Needs to Know About Hematology, Oncology and Radiation Oncology

Outcomes 1. Equip palliative care providers with the essential tools needed to approach upstream palliative care for patients with hematologic or oncologic malignancies.2. Foster collaborative communication techniques to “speak the language” of the hematologist/oncologist and radiation oncologist, particularly in the outpatient setting.Care of adult patients with hematologic or oncologic malignancies is increasingly complex. Hospice and palliative care (HPC) clinicians are now asked to care for them early in the course of care, based on evidence that early palliative care improves survival, symptoms, mood, cost, and patient & caregiver satisfaction. To ensure success of upstream involvement, HPC clinicians must be equipped to competently care for these patients and “speak the language” of the hematologist/oncologist and radiation oncologist, particularly in the outpatient setting.This session will provide HPC clinicians the essentials needed to approach the care of these patients, including; terminology, systemic treatment options (chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, CAR-T cell therapy), prognostic uncertainty, radiotherapy, expected side effects of treatments, and the unique characteristics of hematologic malignancies.The session will target attendees’ specific needs and questions, with real-time adjustment of the curriculum to fulfill their goals and provide appropriate resources. This session is informed by six years of workshops with improvements based on participant feedback. Upon completion of this session, HPC clinicians will have the tools necessary to develop an approach to the care of patients with hematologic or oncologic malignancies along the continuum of cancer care.