A Resource Guide for Providing Palliative Care Services Through the Ryan White CARE Act
By John Palen, Associate Professor of Health Policy, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services
Purpose of the Guide
This resource guide provides Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act grantees and providers specific information on key issues related to the development and implementation of palliative care services. The HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) hopes to enhance and expand the existing community-based HIV/AIDS care and treatment service programs to include palliative care as a vital component in the continuum of care services.
Issues for consideration, as shown in Figure 1, include the following:
- Organizing and Financing Palliative Care Services. What is the array of palliative care services and who delivers them? What professional categories and services are supported by each of the CARE Act programs? How can palliative care services be delivered and financed? What program models and reimbursement methods are supported by the CARE Act and other sources of public and private funding?
- Laws and Policies. What congressional or government policies and which administrative procedures support the use of CARE Act funds for palliative care services?
- Planning for Health and Support Services. How can providers plan for palliative care services? How can current planning processes advance a palliative care approach?
- Provider Education and Training. What variables affect service provider practice patterns? What educational and training programs specific to palliative care are needed by providers? How can they be made available to the array of providers who deliver palliative services?
- Drug Coverage. What treatments are necessary for palliative care interventions? What is the experience of the State AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) in providing access to these treatments?
- Quality Management and Evaluation. What quality management measures can be used to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of palliative care services? How can existing methods be modified to measure quality? How have palliative programs been evaluated, and what were the findings? How can existing research be translated into program activities?
Each issue is presented in a separate section of the resource guide; each section includes a general overview of the topic and a list of additional resources for further exploration. The guide is meant to serve as a starting point for the integration of palliative care services into existing systems. Additional materials and technical assistance may be necessary to accomplish specific objectives.
Figure 1. Factors That Affect Inclusion of Palliative Care Services in CARE Act Programs
