Training & Events

Training

When patients are experiencing serious illness—and perhaps approaching end of life—combining your medical skills with a solid understanding of what is important to your patients allows you to plan for the best care possible, together.  

Sometimes, this can be more challenging than it seems but, like other skills, how to gain this understanding can be learned, and your skills will improve over time with practice and support.  The Center for Advancing Serious Illness Communication (CASIC) will provide you with the training, skills and resources you need to help you provide the highest quality of care for your patients, thereby ensuring the care you deliver is concordant with your patient’s goals.  

CASIC’s comprehensive training series will introduce you to serious illness communication and to the Serious Illness Conversation Guide (SICG).  This evidence-based, patient-tested tool was developed by Ariadne Labs, a joint center for health systems innovation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 

There is no cost to take this training for Minnesota-based providers, and we welcome all members of care teams who work with patients with serious illnesses.  These modules are CME-eligible for physicians based in Minnesota.  Other Minnesota-based health professionals who participate in this CME activity may submit their Statement of Attendance to their appropriate accrediting organizations or state boards for consideration of credit. Providers practicing in other states are welcome to take the on-demand modules, but cannot receive CME credits for taking them.

On-Demand Training

Our on-demand three-module training series will introduce you to serious illness communication and to the Serious Illness Conversation Guide (SICG).  It’s important that you take the modules in sequence, as each subsequent module builds on the knowledge gained in previous modules.  You can take these modules alone and individually to receive credit, but taking them is also a prerequisite for taking the classroom training described below.

On-Demand Training Modules:

Part 1:  Serious Illness Communication—An Introduction (.25 credits) (link to Part 1)

Part 2:  The Serious Illness Conversation Guide (.5 credits) (link to Part 2)

Part 3:  Implementing Serious Illness Communication (.25 credits) (link to Part 3)

At the end of each of these videos, you will be asked to fill out a short evaluation form which is required to receive CME credits, and if you have watched the video in its entirety and filled out all of the information requested, you will receive your CME certification by email within a week.

Virtual Classroom Training

Upon completion of the three training modules, you’ll be eligible to register for and take part in a live, virtual three-hour classroom training session where you will: 

  • Experience the Serious Illness Conversation Guide as part of a structured approach for ensuring the delivery of serious illness conversations.

  • Practice the communication skills necessary to use the Serious Illness Conversation Guide, receive feedback to improve those skills, and integrate these skills into your practice.

Our expert, interprofessional faculty has been trained in the Ariadne Labs curriculum.  They also bring deep personal experience in helping patients who are seriously ill and near end of life through their work with Minnesota healthcare organizations.

The next training sessions, which qualify for 3 AMA PRA Category 1 credits, will take place on:

  • Tuesday, March 25, 12:45 pm to 4:30 pm

  • Tuesday, April 15, 12:45 pm to 4:30 pm

  • Tuesday, April 29, 12:45 pm to 4:30 pm

Space is limited and must be reserved and confirmed in advance.  If the sessions above are full, you will not be allowed to register, but we will work with you to find a future date for which you can be enrolled.  Future training dates will be posted on this website, so please check back regularly if the sessions above are full.

For more information or to register, please contact us at registration@advancingsic.org.

Accreditation and Credit Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Minnesota Medical Association (MMA) and the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA). The MMA is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation Statements:

Part 1: The MMA designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Part 2: The MMA designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Part 3: The MMA designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Classroom training: The Minnesota Medical Association designates this live activity for a maximum of 3 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Other health professionals (physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, etc.) who participate in this CME activity may submit their Statement of Attendance to their appropriate accrediting organizations or state boards for consideration of credit. The participant is responsible for determining whether this activity meets the requirements for acceptable continuing education.

Disclosures:

The content of these activities is not related to products or services of an ACCME-defined ineligible company, and there was no opportunity for individuals in control of content to introduce commercial bias into the education.

The activity was sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, an insurance/managed care company. Such companies are not considered ineligible in the ACCME system. No commercial support was used in creating these enduring materials.

Events

COMING SOON!

The Center for Advancing Serious Illness Communication is a joint project of the Minnesota Medical Association and the Minnesota Hospital Association.

Funding for this project is provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, as part of their long-term commitment to improving the health of Minnesota communities, and ensuring that all people have opportunities to live the healthiest lives possible.