Centre of Expertise in Palliative Care
Objectives
The Center of Expertise in Palliative Care (CEPC) at the VUmc is one of the four centres of Expertise in the Netherlands. It is a so-called network organisation. Participants in this organisation are the research institutes EMGO and V-ICI and hospice Kuria in Amsterdam, and the board members are appointed from the departments of anaesthesiology, oncology, otorhinolaryngology/head and neck surgery, public and occupational health and nursing home medicine. The centre is being chaired by Prof. dr. L Deliens from the department of public and occupational health. The academic pillars are represented in three workgroups: patient care, education and research. The aim of the CEPC is to enhance the level of quality of palliative care in the three academic pillars and to become a national and international acknowledged centre of expertise.
Collaborations
On a local level the CEPC collaborates with the Network Palliative Care Amsterdam, Hospice Kuria and the regional Cancer Center IKA. In the future, it is also the ambition to establish academic workplaces for the CEPC, starting with hospice Kuria in Amsterdam. On a national level there is a collaboration with the CEPC’s in Nijmegen, Utrecht and Rotterdam. Recently a website of the four CEPC’s has been launched (http://www.kenniscentrapalliatievezorg.nl/). On an international level the EMGO-institute participates in the PRISMA-study. PRISMA is a concerted action project within the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme. The project involves eleven partners in nine countries. The overall aim of this project is to inform best practice and harmonise research in end-of-life care for cancer patients across Europe through comparison and exchange of approaches and experiences in measurement and research priorities. Furthermore, the CEPC has the intention to participate in one or more upcoming taskforces of the European Association of Palliative Care. Measurement instruments in palliative care will be a major attention of the CEPC is interested within its EAPC activities.
Results
A two year ZonMw-research program on palliative care will end in 2009. The CEPC has been successful in this program. In june 2009 a new four year ZonMw program will start and CEPC is still in competition in the second round with about seven grant applications.
Contact information
Wim JJ Jansen MSc, coordinator CEPC, 020 4442933, wjj.jansen@vumc.nl