Presenters
Ira Byock, MD
Ira Byock, MD, is a practicing physician who directs the Palliative Care Service at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He is a Professor at Dartmouth Medical School. Dr. Byock has been involved in hospice and palliative care since 1978. He is a past president of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and widely acknowledged as one of the leaders who has shaped the field. He has been a consistent advocate for the voice and rights of incurably ill patients and their families. He has written widely on palliative and end-of-life care in academic journals and general public media. His first book, Dying Well (1997), has become a standard in the field and The Four Things That Matter Most (2004) is used as a counseling tool in palliative care and hospice programs, as well as within pastoral care. His forthcoming book, The Best Care Possible, will be published in March 2012.
Dale G. Larson, Ph.D.
Dale G. Larson, Ph.D., is a professor of counseling psychology at Santa Clara University, where he directs graduate studies in health psychology. A national leader in end-of-life care and training, Dale Larson is a Fulbright Scholar, a Fellow in the American Psychological Association, and was senior editor and a contributing author for Finding Our Way: Living with Dying in America, the Robert Wood Johnson-funded national newspaper series that reached seven million Americans. He is the author of the award-winning book, The Helper's Journey: Working With People Facing Grief, Loss, and Life-Threatening Illness, and his scholarly publications on grief and loss, grief counseling, stress management, self-concealment and secrets, and transdisciplinary team development are widely cited, both in the scientific literature and in the popular media. Dr. Larson's insightful and energizing vision of end-of-life work, combined with his ability to translate theory and research into effective clinical practice, have made him an extraordinarily popular national and international speaker.
Stewart B. Fleishman, MD
Stewart B. Fleishman, MD, founded and directed cancer supportive services at Continuum Cancer Centers of New York: Beth Israel and St. Luke's-Roosevelt. He also served as the associate chief medical officer of Continuum Hospice Care and chaired its Ethics Committee. Dr. Fleishman is an investigator for Cancer and Leukemia Group B, a National Cancer Institute-sponsored cooperative clinical trials group, and was the Vice Chair of its Quality of Life Sub-Committee. His research interests include running trials to reverse cancer-related weight loss, fatigue and cognitive impairment. Currently, he surveys cancer centers around the country for accreditation assessment from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. He is the author of companion books, LEARN to Live Through Cancer: What You Need to Know and Do and the Manual of Cancer Treatment Recovery: What the Practitioner Needs to Know and Do. He is board certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine and Psychiatry/Neurology. Prior to attending medical school, Dr. Fleishman taught in the New York City public schools.
Gail Elliott Evo
Gail Elliott Evo is the director of integrative medicine at Beaumont Hospitals. Her role has been to design, implement and direct holistic medicine services for patients, caregivers and staff at multiple locations in the hospital system. She has a graduate degree from Oakland University in Complementary Medicine and Wellness, and has studied and worked in the area of integrative medicine. Gail is a Reiki master, hypnotherapist and guided imagery specialist with numerous hours of hospice training.
Experts Panel
Michael Paletta, MD
Michael Paletta, MD, is vice president for medical affairs and chief medical officer for Hospice of Michigan. A graduate of Wayne State University School of Medicine, he served an internal medicine residency at William Beaumont Hospital and a fellowship in geriatrics at the University of Michigan. He is board certified in internal medicine, earned a certificate of additional qualification in geriatrics, and is certified in hospice and palliative medicine. He is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Dr. Paletta is also executive director of the Maggie Allesee Center, and serves as faculty for the WSU palliative medicine fellowship in Detroit and the Michigan State University palliative medicine fellowship in Grand Rapids.
Robert Zalenski, MD
Robert Zalenski, MD, is board certified in hospice care and palliative medicine, and in emergency medicine. He is the Brooks F. Bock professor of emergency medicine and chair of the division of palliative medicine at Wayne State University. He also serves as director of Wayne State University's Center For Palliative-Care Excellence, and is medical and research director of Seasons Hospice, Michigan. Dr. Zalenski has authored more than 100 scientific articles on the topics of hospice and palliative care.
Peg Nelson, NP, ACHPN
Peg Nelson, NP, ACHPN, is director of palliative care and pain services at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland. She has been a nurse for 31 years and is a member of the Pain Management Nurses Association, and the Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses Association. She is also adjunct faculty for Madonna University's Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner Program. Ms. Nelson is the recipient of numerous awards including the Lane Adams Award for Compassionate Care from the American Cancer Society and the Florence Nightingale Award. In 2010 her program: Comfort Companion / No One Dies Alone won a national award for hospital volunteerism from the American Hospital Association. She has lectured on palliative care at multiple national conferences and has consulted with many programs and hospitals to assist them in developing and improving their palliative care and pain services.
Jeanne Lewandowski, MD
Jeanne Lewandowski MD, is board certified in pediatrics and palliative medicine. As director of palliative medicine at St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Dr. Lewandowski is part of a team that received the American Hospital Association's Circle of Life Award for innovation in palliative care. She served on the Michigan Commission on End-of-Life Care, serves on the State of Michigan advisory committee on pain and symptom management, and is a principal author of the Michigan Physician's Guide to End of Life Care. She has served as a member of the board of directors for the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, chaired its' ethics and membership committees, and its pediatric special interest group. She has been voted a metro-Detroit "Top Doc" in palliative medicine each of the last two years.
Les Bricker, MD
Les Bricker, MD completed medical school at Wayne State University, internal medicine training at Sinai Hospital of Detroit, and a hematology/medical oncology fellowship at University of Michigan. He joined the medical staff at Henry Ford Hospital (HFH) in the medical oncology division in 1985 and was a medical advisor for Henry Ford Hospice for almost 20 years. In 2000, Dr. Bricker along with Virginia Paige NP-C, originated the HFH Palliative Medicine Service and presently serves as its section head and program director of the Henry Ford Hospital/Wayne State University Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program. A fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Dr. Bricker is EPEC-trained, and board certified in hospice and palliative medicine.