IPOS News

Interprofessional Psychosocial Oncology Part 1: Introduction to Theory and Practice

Psychosocial Oncology is a specialty area focused on the myriad of psychological, emotional, social and spiritual responses of persons affected by cancer. This introductory course will help you develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess individuals and families from a psychosocial and spiritual perspective and develop a collaborative patient/family centered plan of care that is responsive to patient/family needs. Offered in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Pyschosocial Oncology. Registration for Part 1 closes December 30, 2019. Course starts January 13 2020. Click here to find out more.

Email the IPOS office to get the IPOS Member exclusive 10% off discount code.

Sexual Health in Cancer Part 1 and 2

Sexual concerns are one of the most common cancer survivorship issues, yet they are the least likely to be discussed. Learn skills in assessment and counseling for common sexual health issues in cancer care. Offered in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Pyschosocial Oncology. Registration for Part 1 closes December 27, 2019. Course starts January 13 2020. Click here to find out more.

Email the IPOS office to get the IPOS Member exclusive 10% off discount code.

Thanks to all those that supported the IPOS Training Academy in Maputo, Mozambique, November 3-4, 2019. We are pleased to report it was a great success!

Some key highlights to report:

• Scholarships were extended to 37 professionals working in oncology in Africa, including in the following Countries: 11 in Mozambique, 13 in Nigeria, 5 in Kenya, 4 in Tanzania, 3 in Rwanda, 1 in Uganda, and 1 in Ethiopia.
• Twenty-five professionals attended the 2019 IPOS Mozambique Academy.
• We conducted a World Café as part of our Academy to identify: 1) the current state of psycho-oncology in Africa; 2) the contribution of psycho-oncology to cancer prevention / control and palliative care in Africa; and 3) future clinical, education, and research interests to develop psycho-oncology in Africa. We also consulted different stakeholders during the AORTIC congress such as members of the World Health Organization, the Ministry of Health, Cancer Societies, and individual physicians, nurses, and allied professionals practicing in oncology in Africa. The main highlights included:

1. Psycho-oncology is not integrated in the public health system, which almost solely emphasized cancer treatment. There is a need to integrate psycho-oncology in cancer prevention initiatives and along the continuum of care including in palliative care. Continuity of care and navigation is essential during the cancer trajectory. We need to move forward using a comprehensive model of care to make sure patients are properly supported in their cancer journey, breaking the social isolation and stigma often associated with this devastating disease.
2. There is a need for structure through establishing a training program, including curriculum for physicians, nurses, and allied professionals. Core training components should include communication, screening for distress, evaluating depression, and building coordinated psycho-oncology programs. These components are central to early detection and treatment adherence in Africa and can be a starting point for more specialized training.
3. One needs to leverage human resources in countries and loco-regional contexts, as well as identify gaps in care to search for funding of additional resources. The training needs to be adapted to national and locoregional contexts.

• Following the Training Academy, we created a community of practice on the WhatsApp platform combining academy scholars and faculty to facilitate exchange and implementation of ideas.
• IPOS had three symposiums at AORTIC this year, including two on communication skills training and one on the importance of growing and developing psychosocial oncology programs in Africa. These symposiums included presence of WHO either as an active supportive member of the audience or as a presenter. They were chaired by Dr. Melissa Henry, Dr. Luzia Travado, and Dr. Chioma Asuzu.
• During the AORTIC Congress, Dr. Henry and other IPOS Faculty met with the World Health Organization Officer for Brazaville / Sub-Saharan Africa Dr. Prebo Barango, the Mozambique Director of Cancer Division Dr. Cesaltina Ferreira, the Princess of Jordan and President of UICC Dina Mired, Roche Sub-Saharan Africa, the National Cancer Institute, and heads of Project ECHO at the University of New Mexico. All agreed psycho-oncology should be part of National Cancer Plans and were supportive of building training programs in psycho-oncology.

Awards will be presented at the 22nd Annual World Congress in Kyoto, Japan, June 16-19, 2020. SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATIONS BY JANUARY 31, 2020!

Please note:

1. ANYONE and EVERYONE can submit nominations;
2. There is no cost to nominate and/or submit a nomination;
3. Nominations are kept in strict confidence - only the Awards Committee and Reviewers (void of any conflict of interest) are aware of nominees;
4. We will confirm within three business days once your nomination is received.

FIVE AWARDS TO SELECT FROM:

1. The Jimmie Holland Memorial Award honors an IPOS or psycho-oncology community member, recognized for making a unique contribution that is considered to be a highly creative or pioneering innovation or activity that advances the field of Psycho-oncology. The award is unique in its recognition of Jimmie Holland as a pioneer and chief innovator of our time, as well as for her enormous contribution as a mentor. This award is considered for nominees within early to senior levels of careers with documentation and support to provide clear evidence of what is “visionary or outside the box” about the activity and how it represents an outstanding idea or activity or line of work, within the chosen area of the field of psycho-oncology. It is important that the nominator provide evidence in his/her letter of recommendation that the nominee meets the criteria. In addition, the nominator needs to provide two further letters of recommendation from other individuals to whom the nominee is known which, provides evidence that the nominee meets these criteria. 
2. The Arthur M. Sutherland Award honors an IPOS or psycho-oncology community member with a lifetime achievement in the field of psycho-oncology. This is a late career award and recognizes sustained and distinguished output in psycho-oncology over their whole career. This is the Society’s most important award and reflects the international standing of the recipient. The recipient will have achieved international recognition for his/her work and be considered to have contributed important innovations to the field of psycho-oncology. Quantity of output is less important than evidence of international standing and innovation across an individual’s whole career. It is important that the nominator provides evidence in their letter of recommendation that the nominee meets these criteria. In addition, the nominator needs to provide two further letters of recommendation from other individuals to whom the nominee is known, which provide evidence that the nominee meets these criteria. This award will be presented at the next IPOS World Congress of Psycho-Oncology. The award recipient will be invited to present an overview on a topic related to their research as part of a plenary session of the IPOS World Congress. 
3. The Bernard Fox Memorial Award honors an IPOS or psycho-oncology community member who has made an outstanding contribution in education or research to the field of psycho-oncology. The primary focus is on the academic and educational output of the nominee. This is a mid to late career award, and the nominee may work as an educator, as a researcher and/or provide clear evidence of being a leader in his/her chosen area of psycho-oncology. It is important that the nominator provides evidence in his/her letter of recommendation that the nominee meets these criteria. In addition, the nominator needs to provide two further letters of recommendation from other individuals to whom the nominee is known, which provide evidence that the nominee meets these criteria.
4. The Noemi Fisman Award for Lifetime Clinical Excellence honors an IPOS or psycho-oncology community member in recognition of outstanding clinical contributions to the field of psycho-oncology. He/she must have served for a major proportion of his/her career as a clinician and be able to demonstrate novel, beneficial and substantial initiatives impacting directly on the care of patients and his/her families either through their own practice or practice developments. Candidates must be licensed and have been actively practicing in the field of clinical psycho-oncology for a minimum of 20 years. The award focuses on the distinctive contribution made in developing services to patients and families. Innovation and sustained successful clinical service of outstanding character should be what distinguishes the recipient of this award. It is important that the nominator provide evidence in his/her letter of recommendation that the nominee meets these criteria. In addition, the nominator needs to provide two further letters of recommendation from other individuals to whom the nominee is known, which provide evidence that the nominee meets these criteria.
5. The Hiroomi Kawano New Investigator Award honors a new investigator for outstanding research contributions in the field of psycho-oncology and is an early career award. Candidates must be within seven years of active work in psycho-oncology after completing his/her postgraduate, fellowship or equivalent specialist training (defined as a PhD or MD or equivalent). This award is sponsored by the Hiroomi Kawano Foundation in Japan. The award is linked to professional attainment rather than to age. Recipients are distinguished by the level and quality of research output at this early career stage. It is important that the nominator provides evidence in his/her letter of recommendation that the nominee meets these criteria. In addition, the nominator needs to provide two further letters of recommendation from other individuals to whom the nominee is known, which provide evidence that the nominee meets these criteria.

Awards Criteria:

• All award nominations must include a completed and signed nomination form, a letter of nomination from the nominator, two letters of support for the nomination from other individuals to whom the nominee is known, the curriculum vitae or resume of the nominee, and any additional paperwork required by the specific award for which the individual is being nominated.
• Award recipients must be available to attend the IPOS World Congress at which the award is to be presented.
• For all awards, consideration may be given for travel reimbursement and/or registration fee waiver, if required.
• Each award shall have a peer review panel consisting of at least: (a) one previous recipient of the award, (b) one member of the Federation, and (c) one member of the Awards Committee.
• An award recipient may receive only one Society award in any calendar year.
• No recipient of an IPOS Award shall be eligible for nomination to a second or subsequent award within a period of 10 years from the date of their previous award.
• The Society Treasurer shall review, ratify where required and advise on all financial recommendations and requests made by the Awards Committee.
• Specific criteria for each award are identified below.

Find out more by going to https://ipos-society.org/awards

All IPOS members from around the world are welcome to submit interest in volunteering. Right now, the IPOS Early Career Professionals in Psycho-Oncology (ECPP) committee is looking for volunteers. The ECPP committee brings together and represents the interests of IPOS members who are early in their career and want to provide a platform through which they can find and support each other.

If you are interested in volunteering on the ECPP committee, please download the ECPP volunteer application and email the completed form the chair of the ECPP committee, Helena Lewis-Smith, [email protected] by the November 30, 2019.

2019 IPOS Academy in Maputo, Mozambique

Overall Goal: To train attendees on best-practices around communication in African oncology settings

IPOS has developed, in close partnership with our colleagues in Africa and in collaboration with AORTIC, an Academy on the theme of Optimizing Communication in African Oncology Settings. The goal of this Academy is to train attendees on evidence-based practices around communication to reduce suffering and social stigma as main barriers to early detection and treatment of cancer in African oncology settings. The Academy will use a combination of didactic seminars, hands-on training exercises, and roundtable discussions, in which participants will be encouraged to discuss knowledge translation as it relates to public policy, research, clinical, and training, as well as outline needs for collaboration in these areas (see preliminary program attached).

We are accepting applications from health care professionals working in direct contact with cancer patients in Mozambique and in neighbouring countries, to attend the 2019 IPOS Academy in Maputo, Mozambique. Fees for the Academy will be waived, and applications will be accepted on a first come first serve basis. Kindly send your CV to [email protected], accompanied by a completed and signed checklist.

Our Organization:

IPOS is the sole multidisciplinary international charitable organization devoted to psycho-oncology, leading in education, research, training, public policy, and advocacy. In 2014, IPOS celebrated its 30th anniversary and began a partnership with the World Health Organization. Part of our mandate is to build capacity for cancer care in low- and low-middle income countries including in Africa. IPOS includes 100+ member countries from 6 continents.

Full eligibility criteria for the application (please note that all criteria must be met):

• Be a professional working in direct contact with cancer patients in Africa;
• Conduct clinical work in a field appropriate to the field of psycho-oncology (e.g., physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapist);
• Be fluent in oral English. The Academy will be conducted in English;
• Be eligible to obtain a Visa from Mozambique if a Visa is required;
• Commit to attend the two-day Academy on November 3-4, 2019;
• Commit to sharing the knowledge learned through the Academy to professionals in your city and country in Africa;
• Commit to arrange and pay for your own travel and accommodation;
• Assume responsibility for your safety and physical health during your travels to and from the Academy as well as during the Academy.

HOW TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION?

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the application is complete. Incomplete applications or handwritten applications will be automatically withdrawn from the contest without notice. Applications will only be accepted if they are received at your earliest convenience before September 20, 2019 to the following e-mail address: [email protected]. Applications must include the checklist and a five-page Curriculum Vitae for the applicant.

IPOS Academy – Maputo, Mozambique

IPOS holds non-state actor status with the World Health Organization (WHO)

Theme: Optimizing Doctor-Patient Communication in African Oncology Settings

Overall Goal: Train attendees on evidence-based practices around communication to reduce suffering and social stigma as main barriers to early detection and treatment of cancer in African oncology settings.

Methods: The Academy will use a combination of didactic seminars and roundtable discussions, in which participants will be encouraged to discuss knowledge translation of communication skills as it relates to public policy, research, clinical, and training, as well as outline needs for collaboration in these areas.

Day 1:

Opening Comments from Co-Chairs Dr. Melissa Henry and Dr. Chioma Asuzu and distinguished representatives

Importance of communication and screening for distress

• a.     Improving cancer outcomes in Africa through communication skills and strategies (Dr. Chioma Asuzu)
• b.     Screening for distress as an essential tool to communication (Drs. Melissa Henry)
• c.     Review of conceptual models of doctor-patient communication and the shared-decision making model (Dr. Elizabeth Akin-Odanye, Nigeria; Dr. Joyce Terwase, Nigeria)

Barriers around communicating bad news to patients and families in African oncology settings: Results of a World Café and pan-African survey indicating similarities with barriers to prevention and the need for concerted strategic planning (Dr. Melissa Henry, Montreal, Canada; Dr. David Lounsbury, New York, USA)

Morning Break

A family-systems approach to communication and how to communicate with children in an age-appropriate way (Dr. Chioma Asuzu, Nigeria; Dr. Luzia Travado, Lisbon, Portugal)

The importance of family-centered communication in the context of African medical oncology practice: A palliative care physician’s perspective (Dr. Christian Ntizimira, Kigali, Rwanda)

LUNCH

Evidenced-based strategies to address beliefs/stigma: A literature review and model

Round table discussion – World Café discussion on addressing knowledge, beliefs, and stigma to reduce delayed presentation and treatment onset in Africa. Goal: Initiate a discussion on structural and public health changes required in Africa and the role of IPOS and Association of Psycho-Oncology in Africa (APOA) (Drs. Scott and Sharon Nichols, California, USA; Phillip Odiyo, Kenya; Dr. Chioma Asuzu, Nigeria; Dr. Melissa Henry, Canada).

Closing remarks for Day 1

Day 2: Doctor-Patient Communication Skills Training Day – featuring Dr. Patricia Parker and Dr. Smita Banerjee, Communication Skills Training and Research Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering, New York; and Dr. Luzia Travado, Champalimaud Clinical Center, Lisbon, Portugal

Overview: 

Effective communication is essential for the optimal delivery of healthcare services. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has developed an evidence-based, robust program in communication skills training with a mission “to work in partnership with clinicians of all disciplines to improve communication with cancer patients and their families, and thus enhance overall adaptation to the illness.” The overall objective of the Communication Skills Training and Research Laboratory is to develop, evaluate and disseminate communication skills interventions (The Comskil Training Program) for health care professionals and patients to communicate more effectively. The Comskil Training Program provides a unique training opportunity with a dedicated staff of communication skills facilitators, standardized patient actors, and customized laboratory space including training rooms equipped with video recording and playback equipment. Training modules have been developed to address high priority communication challenges in the oncology setting such as Shared Decision Making, Introducing Palliative Care, and Discussing End-of-Life Goals of Care. The training program relies on a multidisciplinary approach to the delivery of communication skills training, with more than 90 trained facilitators at the institution. The Comskil Training Program is taught to oncology attending physicians, fellows, residents, nurses and nurse practitioners. Since the inception of the Comskil training program in 2005, more than 4,000 oncology health care providers have participated in this program.  

Opening Comments from Co-Chairs Dr. Melissa Henry and Dr. Chioma Asuzu

Introduction to the Comskil Conceptual Model 

Shared Decision Making (SDM) Didactic 

SDM Fishbowl/Role Play 

Break 

Responding to Patient Anger Didactic 

Lunch 

Responding to Patient Anger Fishbowl/Role Play 

Break 

Discussing Death, Dying and End of Life Goals of Care Didactic – In Africa 80% of cancers are diagnosed in advanced stage

Discussing Death, Dying and End of Life Goals of Care Fishbowl/Role Play 

Debrief and Discussion. 

Closing remarks for Day 2 (speaker)

Interprofessional Education in Palliative and End of Life Care-Oncology and Sexual Health in Cancer Part 1 (IPODE) Online Courses

For a decade now, de Souza Institute has been offering continuing professional development courses to healthcare professionals, to enhance their knowledge and competency and give them tools to provide the best possible cancer and/or palliative care. With online course offerings, participants can start at any time, from anywhere! Join over 15,000 healthcare professionals who have learned with de Souza.
 
IPOS Members receive 10% off until August 19 on the below course with coupon code. Please email the IPOS office to request the coupon code.
 
“As it is crucial to quality palliative care, we have integrated core psychosocial care competencies throughout all the curriculum“ – Dr. Mary Jane Esplen, Executive Director de Souza Institute, Professor, Dept of Psychiatry, U of Toronto
 
The Interprofessional Education in Palliative and End of Life Care-Oncology (iEPEC-O) online course is based on the internationally recognized EPEC^TM-O curriculum developed by a team of clinicians at Northwestern University in partnership with the National Cancer Institute in USA. Supported by de Souza Institute, the content is updated by a team of palliative care experts in Canada. This course is self-directed and covers a comprehensive curriculum in palliative and end-of-life care topics, including core competencies in symptom management, ethical issues, communication skills, bereavement and psychosocial care. Interactive activities and case studies are used to highlight clinical applications. The iEPEC-O course offers 13.0 CME learning hours.
 
Visit the iEPEC-O course webpage for additional details, including accreditation information.
Sexual concerns are one of the most common cancer survivorship issues, yet they are the least likely to be discussed. Learn skills in assessment and counseling for common sexual health issues in cancer care. Register for the Sexual Health in Cancer online course, offered in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology. Enroll by August 19, course starts on September 3.
 
Visit the Sexual Health in Cancer course webpage for additional details, including online classroom dates.

The OFFICIAL IPOS Journal
July 2019 – Volume 1 – Issue 1
Editor-in-Chief: Dr Linda E. Carlson and Dr Brian Kelly
View the latest issue by going to https://journals.lww.com/jporp/pages/default.aspx

To learn more about the Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research & Practice, please visit About the Journal - https://www.editorialmanager.com/jporp/default.aspx

The Journal is open for submissions; please click here to submit your paper - https://www.editorialmanager.com/jporp/default.aspx

To learn more about submitting articles, please visit the Instructions to Authors - http://edmgr.ovid.com/jporp/accounts/ifauth.htm

The APCs for Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice are $1,000 USD ($800 for current IPOS members) for Tier 1 manuscripts (original articles, reviews, and guidelines) and $500 USD ($400 for current IPOS members) for Tier 2 papers (Case Reports, Editorials, and Letters to the Editor). Discounted APCs are available for members of the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS) where both the first and last authors are verified members at the time of submission.

Dr. David Lounsbury (co-PI, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA) and Dr. Melissa Henry (co-PI, McGill University's Faculty of Medicine) along with other investigators (Ali Alias, Dr. David Kissane, Dr. Scott Nichols, Philip Odiyo, Dr. Vince Okungu, Dr. Patricia Parker, Dr. Chioma Asuzu, and Dr. Maggie Watson) are conducting a survey to learn about current programs, practices and policies regarding breaking serious news in Africa including delivery of a cancer diagnosis. This study is conducted in collaboration with the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) and the Association for Psycho-Oncology in Africa (APOA). 

You are being invited to participate in this brief on-line (digital) 15-minutes survey if you are a physician or nurse delivering care to cancer patients in an African hospital or clinic. Your participation will help inform guidelines on how to improve delivering a cancer diagnosis and other serious news to patients and family members in Africa.

You will find the 15-minute survey on the following website: https://redcap.ric.einstein.yu.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=H8JYLA3PX9

We thank you for your valuable collaboration! Apart from completing the questionnaire, we ask that you forward it to all of your colleagues physicians and nurses working in oncology in Africa so we can get a representative sample of respondents.

The Armenian Psycho-Oncology Association, with the support of Open Society Foundations-Armenia, organized a two-day interdisciplinary conference “Pain Management In Palliative Care: Applying Sector Reforms in Armenia” on June 7-8, 2019. The conference was organized with the co-sponsorship of the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS)  and Worldwide Hospice and Palliative Care Alliance and holds the status of the first IPOS Academy in Armenia. #iposinarmenia

Day 1 of the Conference on Pain Management in Palliative Care - Applying Sector Reforms in Armenia, in Yerevan, Armenia. The Head of the MoH Healthcare Policy Department presents a firm commitment to expand palliative care in the region. Dr. Melissa Henry presented research data supporting the integration of psycho-oncology and multidisciplinary care in addressing pain along the continuum of cancer care.

Day 2 of the conference in Yerevan, Armenia, dedicated to an IPOS Training Academy on Motivational Interviewing to build a solid therapeutic alliance and overcome resistance in oncology. A special thanks to Dr. Rachel Green for her inspiring seminar, it was great to Chair this with you! May we strive to build a better healthcare for all. #iposinArmenia

Thank you for all your support in helping IPOS grow to record level of members around the world AGAIN! We continually look for new and innovative ways to add member value, and appreciate the ideas and suggestions submitted to us. We are listening! Continue to submit your suggestions to [email protected].

We now have had members in exactly 99 countries around the world and are now working to serve almost 600 members internationally. If you are not already, you can still be part of our networking for 2019. Find out more by going to https://ipos-society.org/Membership

THANK YOU!