Hospice-Veteran Partnership Toolkit : About the Hospice-Veteran Partnership Program : Acknowledgments

The development of the HVP Toolkit was guided by the Department of Veterans Affairs Hospice and Palliative Care Initiative (VAHPC). The third in a series of national projects spanning more than five years, VAHPC reflects the ongoing commitment of VA to expand and improve veterans' access to excellent end-of-life care. This national project has brought together more than 40 dedicated professionals who have volunteered their time, energy, and expertise in a unique collaborative effort between VA and the community. Supported in part by generous grants from the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and the Center for Advanced Illness Coordinated Care (CAICC), VAHPC also represents the ongoing cooperation among the VA Offices of Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC), Academic Affiliations (OAA), and Employee Education (EES).

While the HVP Toolkit was primarily shaped by the efforts of two of the five VAHPC workgroups (Community Outreach and Policy & Regulations), the remaining three workgroups (Finance & Marketing, Education, and Research & Evaluation) also made significant contributions. Many of the materials in the toolkit were initially developed during the creation of the HVP of Florida, which had the courage to be the first. Special thanks also go to the HVP Toolkit review committee: Tina Purser Langley, former Rallying Points Manager; Kathy Brandt, director of the Rallying Points Regional Resource Center (Eastern Region); Chris Cody, vice president, Education and Innovation, NHPCO; Thomas Edes, MD, Chief, Home and Community-Based Care, Geriatrics, and Extended Care Strategic Healthcare Group in the Office of Patient Care Services; Diane Lewis, Policy Coordinator, National Resource Center on Diversity in End-Of-Life Care; Judi Lund Person, vice president, State and Regulatory Affairs, NHPCO; Michele Hayunga, freelance writer; and Diane Jones, VAHPC project administrator.

Guidance and direction for developing the toolkit came from the VAHPC Executive Committee: co-chairs Stephanie Pincus, MD, MBA, Chief Academic Affiliations Officer and Marsha Goodwin, RN, MSN, Director, Geriatric Programs; Executive Director Evert Melander, MBA, Director of Administrative Operations; Co-Project Directors Linda Johnson, PhD, Director of Associated Health Education and Thomas Edes, MD, Chief, Home and Community-Based Care; and Michael Kussman, MD, deputy chief, Patient Care Services Officer.

Finally, a big round of applause goes to Dan Tobin, MD, director of the Center for Advanced Illness Coordinated Care and the Life Institute. Without his sheer determination and unwillingness to let this effort fail, VAHPC would still be a vision in the making rather than the reality it has become.

VAHPC participants include (listed by workgroup membership):

Community Outreach Workgroup

Policy and Regulations Workgroup Education and Training Workgroup Finance and Marketing Workgroup Research and Evaluation Workgroup
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This toolkit is provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs National Hospice-Veteran Partnership (HVP) Program. Development of the toolkit was made possible through support by Rallying Points, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, the Center for Advanced Illness Coordinated Care, and other end-of-life care advocates. Information about VAHPC initiatives is made available for use within the Inter-Institutional Collaborating Network on End-of-life Care (IICN) with the assistance of Growth House, Inc.