The Institute for Palliative Medicine (IPM)
Overview
The Institute for Palliative Medicine (IPM) at San Diego Hospice is committed to relieving suffering by improving the quality and accessibility of palliative care.
San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine was established as the original hospice program in San Diego County in 1977. Today, the organization is one of the largest hospice and palliative care programs in the United States. More than 800 hospice staff and 600 volunteers annually care for over 4,000 adult and pediatric patients and their families, as well as more than 12,000 bereaved clients.
The Institute for Palliative Medicine (IPM) faculty members serve on the Hospice interdisciplinary teams, facilitating the transfer of critical knowledge between academic and clinical settings. IPM formally known as the Center for Palliative Studies was established in 1989. For over 20 years, IPM has achieved international recognition for its innovative education programs, patient/family-centered research and evidence-based advocacy.
IPM advances the art and science of palliative care through the work of its centers and programs.
IPM is a teaching and research affiliate of the University of California San Diego, San Diego State University and the University of San Diego.
CENTERS AND PROGRAMS
Center for Advanced Learning. This Center trains health, social service, and mental health professionals in the principles and practice of palliative care. Each year, more than 1,700 healthcare students and professionals participate in clinical rotations, practicums, internships, fellowship and continuing education programs. IPM also sponsors visiting lectureships/ professorships, visiting scholars and scholars-in-residence. Faculty includes physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, dieticians, chaplains, and marriage and family therapists, all of whom are actively involved in patient/family care.
Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program. This one-year program is the largest palliative medicine fellowship program in North America. Designed to provide physicians with specialist level knowledge and skills of palliative medicine, graduates go on to lead palliative care programs or to incorporate palliative care into their clinical practices. Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), this program integrates didactic instruction with mentorship and bedside training.
Center for Research. This Center conducts interdisciplinary research on novel approaches to palliative care and professional education. With financial support from federal health agencies and the private sector, research studies include IRB-approved protocols in areas such as (1) pain and symptom management, (2) the recognition and treatment of depression and delirium, (3) the effectiveness of palliative care education for health professions students and practicing clinicians, and (4) counseling and support for families facing loss and significant transitions in their lives. IPM researchers also lead and/or participate in multi-site clinical trials of new palliative medications and therapies.
International Programs. The IPM International Programs help countries and healthcare systems build palliative care programs that fit with their expressed needs, available resources, and cultural values. IPM also offers International Fellowship Training Programs that enable clinicians from other countries to receive specialist-level bedside training in San Diego based on US Palliative Medicine Fellowship training standards, while they develop palliative care services in their home institution.
Psychiatry Programs. In its commitment to innovation in the relief of suffering, IPM is home to one of the country’s first palliative care psychiatry programs. Focused on addressing psychiatric issues that cause distress for patients and families, it brings immediate improvements to care provision, provides education, and undertakes vital research to quickly address these issues.
The Center for Grief Care and Education. Understanding the societal and health implications of unresolved grief, The Center for Grief Care and Education (CGCE) addresses both the clinical needs of the bereaved and the educational needs of the health care community. Our goals include building capacity of individuals, professionals and organizations in order to enhance the well-being of those involved in life transitions, particularly during the end-of-life and after a death. CGCE houses the largest and most extensive psychotherapy training program in grief and life transition in the nation integrating evidence based practice into the clinical setting.