CANADIAN SOCIETY OF PALLIATIVE CARE PHYSICIANS
Monday, January 11, 2016 Teleconference
9 AM PST / 10 AM MST / 11 AM CST / 1200 EST / 1300 ATL / 1350 NL
PRESENT: Susan MacDonald (Chair), Ted St. Godard, Anne Boyle, Bruno Gagnon, Stephen Singh, Bernard Lapointe, Monica Branigan, Dave Henderson, Stephanie Connidis, Leonie Herx, Kim Taylor (Executive Director), Michelle Veer (Recorder).
1.0 Call to order at 0903 h
· Additions to agenda: None
· MOTION: Stephen Singh motioned & Anne Boyle seconded to approve the agenda with no additions. Approved.
2.0 Minutes Approval – David
· December 14, 2015 Minutes
· MOTION: Ted St. Godard motioned & Bruno Gagnon seconded to approve the minutes with no changes. Approved.
3.0 Member Engagement & Communications - Kim
· Endorse Awards Committee recommendation for Lifetime Achievement Award Winner 2016 – attachment
o Awards Committee has been formed and minutes were attached.
o Recommended Ina Cummings for the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2016
o Board approved
o Committee is forwarding this to the Board
o Very ill; no travel to receive award.
o Suggested that President of Society notify the recipient.
o ACTION: Michelle to order plaque ASAP.
o ACTION: Bernard to inquire about best way to contact Dr. Cummings. Susan will inform her of the award.
o Dr. David Roy passed away on December 28th, 2015. Suggested to mention this on an E-Brief and annual meeting to give notice of contribution, editor of journal of Palliative care for past 30 years.
o ACTION: Michelle to search for existing bios (e.g., CHPCA award recipient) and obituary. Bernard to help. Forward information to Ted St. Godard to write a posting/e-brief message.
· Engagement of young physicians – Kim
o Board has discussed how to attract/retain young members.
o Idea to engage students, Residents, and young physicians, in palliative work and to help them grow as leaders.
o Communications Committee developed messaging that will go out in January through education committees and First 5 years group
o Postgrad not interested in asking a Resident or young MD to join their committee.
o Undergrad very interested in having a resident involved. Kim will circulate survey results on this topic.
o UG committee proposed drafting a TOR for having a younger person involved as a learner representative to become a part of the Undergrad Committee.
o Requested for Board to consider how younger physicians could be involved with Board or CSPCP in general
o Suggested to have small advisory committee made up of those that are new in practice or residents to answer.
o ACTION: Kim to share results of undergrad committee survey.
o ACTION: Kim to send a survey to be distributed to Board
o Suggested that it will depend on which universities that have PGY3 roles could meet virtually to make up this committee.
o Suggested to create an interest group at ALPM to meet and that we would fund one meeting.
· Membership update – attachment - Michelle
o Michelle reported on the final totals for December 2015 and new totals as of January 11, 2016.
o Suggested that Board circulate share CSPCP with colleagues as appropriate, invite them to join
4.0 Advocacy & Partnerships
· CSPCP representative on the Royal College Specialty Committee in Palliative Medicine – Dave
o TOR have been distributed to Board.
o We are to give suggestions for CSPCP rep and a neurologist but not to contact them directly
o ACTION: Dave will suggest two physicians in Halifax who could potentially replace him as a regional rep. Dave will put his name forward as Board rep.
o Suggestions for neurology: Dr. Teneille Gofton (London); suggest asking Doris Barwich
· Hastened Death – Susan
o The Supreme Court is meeting today to discuss potential extension: unsure of when response is expected
o Feb 6, 2016 is the date of Physician Hastened Death being legalized.
o What are next steps for Society? And what kind of response if any should we have regards to this?
o Our main message is that we need more, and better, palliative care.
o We could make a difference by advocating for a separate, parallel system; this was acknowledged in the provincial/territorial report.
o A short message of how such a system would support opting out physicians, remote places, institutions opting out, and support accountability.
o Needs to be done individually at a provincial level and there may be a federal panel created.
o Can we get individual colleges to be a little clearer?
o Senators are already appointed and we should try to have Board members set up meetings with Senators to educate and to answer their questions.
o Important to act now. Critical to move our agenda.
o College has recommended MDs to call CMPA on a case-by-case basis to ensure they are not liable (criminal code).
o Suggested that as soon as members of the new parliamentary committee are announced then a meeting should be set up, either as an official invitation to the Society to present our concerns to this committee, or as individual member of the Board meet with members of the committee.
o ACTION: Bernard to circulate names of Senators on the senate/parliamentary committee
o Provincial level - Susan, Dave are involved in their provinces.
o We will need to be aware of safety issues.
o There may well be no laws created in time and as a result, individual provincial medical colleges may have the only regulations around physician practice. In Newfoundland, Susan is assisting to set up College policy; in Nova Scotia, Dave is involved in same.
o CMA is setting up an online course appropriate for any physician who may have involvement with this. Timeline is for August.
o Can CMA send out information to colleges? Relationships between CMA & colleges is unknown.
o Monica may have opportunities on provincial level as she is near the Ministry of Health, & Deputy Minister is a physician.
o In the next few weeks they will be a lot of significant things to pay attention. Potential to distribute previous letter.
o ACTION: Leonie to engage Board to decide what special session will be by early February. Call Executive meeting to discuss.
· National Death Certificate Study – Dave
o Email from James Downar distributed requesting support endorsement and participation from CSPCP.
o Is it our role to endorse studies? Do we have a policy on this?
o We do have a separate list for those who have indicated that they are willing to receive surveys.
o DISCUSSION:
§ Subject is Hastened Death: where is it happening? Why are people choosing?
§ In Quebec the cause of death is not to be reported on the death certificate because insurance companies could deny the funds due to cause of death.
§ In Newfoundland they are looking to amend the death certificate.
§ Potentially we should endorse transparency and accurate reporting on deaths.
§ Not clear enough about subject of survey and what is being requested
o ACTION: Michelle to look back at decision log regarding our position. Kim to draft a policy based on past decisions.
o ACTION: Dave to ask James for clearer information regarding this so the Board can make an informed decision.
5.0 Infrastructure & Operations
· ED Report for Q4 2015 – attachment
o ACTION: Board members to review independently.
· Board Elections
o 5 people whose Board terms are expiring: Susan MacDonald, Bernard Lapointe, Monica Branigan, Ted St. Godard, Leonie Herx.
o To continue in executive positions, Susan and Leonie need to be re-elected in order continue to be voting members of the Board.
o There is no way legally around this under our bylaws. Alternatives have even more drawbacks.
o Bernard will be retiring from the Board.
o Ted St. Godard will be resigning.
o Susan will run again and would have another 2 years but could resign after her Past-Presidency ends in 1-year.
o Monica and Leonie to decide
o ACTION: Kim to circulate a summary email. Kim to check timeline for Board elections, formation of Nomination Committee, call for candidates etc. and to coordinate actions accordingly.
6.0 Conference
· No updates this month.
7.0 Education
· Subspecialty Exam Preparation Course– David
o Potential revenue generator
o Need to plan who will lead and to develop budget for course development
o Kim reminded that course could result in a net loss to the CSPCP
o The exam committee hasn’t been identified as of yet. Defer decision until then.
o ACTION: Put at top of Board agenda as soon as exam committee members have been chosen.
ADJOURN: Meeting adjourned at 1008 h PST.
NEXT MEETING: T-CON February 8, 2016