Development and Implementation of a Surgeon-Tailored Serious Illness and Palliative Care Education Program

To develop and implement a surgeon-tailored serious illness and palliative care education program DESIGN: Fourteen surgeons from a single academic center were recruited and enrolled in a nontailored, general palliative care education program. Following the nontailored program, we conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews to examine learning needs that were unique to surgeons. Thematic analysis was performed to identify key learning needs. Using the Kern's 6-step approach for curriculum development, we identified general and targeted learning needs, formulated goals and objectives, and using learning theories, developed and implemented a serious illness and palliative care education program that was tailored for surgeons.

We identified 3 key palliative care learning needs for surgeons. First, in pain and symptom management for patients with serious illness. Second, palliative surgery and the application of palliative concepts in routine surgical care. Finally, communication skills to improve engagement during difficult conversations on goals of care and prognoses with patients and their families near end-of-life. Adopting situated and adult learning theories, we developed and implemented an interactive 1.5-day surgeon-tailored serious illness and palliative care education (SPLICES) program in July 2024. The tailored program comprised of 3 key components: 1) Applied palliative care in surgery, 2) Palliative surgery and peri-operative considerations, and 3) Serious illness communication and shared-decision making in surgery.

A surgeon-tailored serious illness and palliative care education program is feasible and has the potential to improve engagement and application of palliative care concepts in surgical care.