Implementation of the Serious Illness Conversation Program – Lessons Learned from a Canadian Provincial Health System
Early conversations about values and preferences with seriously ill patients have been associated with better outcomes for patients and families and are key enablers for the integration of a palliative approach into serious illness care. The British Columbia Centre for Palliative Care adapted the Serious Illness Conversation Program (SICP) from Ariadne Labs to the context of the health system in British Columbia, a province of 5 million people in Western Canada.
The goal of the BC initiative is to facilitate more, earlier and better serious illness conversations between clinicians and patients/families facing a life-limiting illness and to influence systematic documentation of conversation outcomes. To influence implementation within health organizations, we developed and trained local champions and facilitators, made educational and evaluation resources available and built networks of trained clinicians.
A link to the white paper in PDF format can be found here.
Implementation of the Serious Illness Conversation Program