Throughout Caris Healthcare’s annual Clinical Leadership Development Institute held in Knoxville, Tennessee, conference attendees had the privilege of hearing from a number of expert clinicians on topics related to hospice and end-of-life care. These speakers provided insight and expertise on how to better provide patients and their families with an excellent hospice experience that reflects the Caris values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Integrity and Service.

Pictured below, David Wooten, MD, addressed the Leadership Development Institute on Prognostication in Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). With so many factors affecting the health of a hospice patient, Dr. Wooten discussed strategies to more accurately determine a terminal prognosis for patients diagnosed with CHF and COPD.

Monica Crane, MD, of the Cole Neuroscience Center at UT, gave a fascinating presentation on The Clinical Course and Management of Dementia.

Raul Couret, MD, spoke on how to be an efficient and effective hospice Medical Director without losing focus on providing excellent care to the patient. As he combined clinical expertise and personal stories on the impact physicians can have on a hospice patient’s life, conference attendees were laughing with him one minute, and tearing up the next.