Section on Palliative Care - Related Sites and Links, Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh

Consortium Ethics Program - A regional bioethics education network sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Center for Bioethics and Health Law and the Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania.

Center for Bioethics and Health Law - Includes information on faculty, programs, events, and other bioethics resources available on the Web.

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) - A wealth of cancer-related information, including patient education, research, and physicians who specialize in cancer care at UPCI and UPMC Health System.

Division of General Internal Medicine

Pain and Oncology

Agency for Health Care Policy and Research - Lists various resources on pain and cancer pain.

American Pain Society - APS information, calendar, database of archived APS Bulletin articles, resources for patients and professionals.

American Society of Clinical Oncology - Offers site visitors a connection to information and each other.

Association of Cancer Online Resources - A growing list of online resources.

Cancer Net - Wide range of accurate, credible cancer information from the National Cancer Institute.

The International Association for the Study of Pain - Dictionary of pain terminology; curriculum outline on the study of pain in medical schools.

MSK Web - Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's web site provides a wide range of information for medical professionals, patients, their families, and the general public.

OncoLink, The University of Pennsylvania Cancer Resource - Fast access by disease, specialty, etiology; current clinical trials; more.

Pediatric Pain - Provides professional, research, and self-help resources for health care workers, researchers, and parents caring for children in pain.

Resource Center for State Cancer Pain Initiative - Provides an advocacy network for cancer pain.

Talarian Map-Cancer Pain - AHCPR Clinical Practice for Cancer Pain.

UW Pain and Policy Studies Group - The mission of the University of Wisconsin Pain and Policy Studies Group is the study of public policy in relation to pain management. They are interested in the extent to which the regulation (or the perception of regulation) of drugs and professional practice affects pain management and in the effects of prescription monitoring and health insurance on pain management.

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Palliative Care and Hospice

American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine - Originally organized as the Academy of Hospice Physicians in 1988, the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) is the only organization in the United States for physicians dedicated to the advancement of hospice/palliative medicine, its practice, research and education. AAHPM members are physicians from many medical specialties who are committed to furthering and fostering the practice of hospice/palliative care for the terminally ill and their families. American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine members believe that this organization is the beginning of an organized discipline in the United States devoted to the special areas of palliative care and the management of terminal illness.

ABCD - Americans for Better Care of the Dying - ABCD is a non-profit organization dedicated to social, professional, and policy reform aimed to improve the care system for patients with serious illnesses and their families. ABCD is a coalition of citizens and professionals united to ensure that public policy addresses the needs of individuals and families coping with a fatal illness. ABCD will provide an information network, encouraging and supporting public involvement in correcting system deficiencies. ABCD seeks to harness the strength of many concerned people to speak with a shared voice.

Bereavement and Hospice Support Netline - Public service directory of bereavement support groups.

Center to Improve Care of the Dying - The Center to Improve Care of the Dying (CICD) was founded in the belief that life under the shadow of death can be rewarding, comfortable, and meaningful for almost all persons--but achieving that goal requires real changes in the health care system. CICD is a unique, interdisciplinary team of committed individuals, engaged in research, public advocacy, and education activities to improve the care of the dying and their families.

Cochrane Collaboration - Reviews of research evidence about the effects of health care.

Compassion in Dying

Dying Well - Resources for patients and families facing life-limiting illness.

Eldercare Web - Eldercare Web is one of the oldest and most comprehensive eldercare gateways on the World Wide Web. It's a collection of hundreds of reviewed links to on-line information about health, financing, housing, aging, and other related issues. This Web site is designed for caregivers, family, healthcare providers, and professional advisors of elderly people with care needs.

Growth House - Monthly guide to Best of the Net sites for life-threatening illness and bereavement.

Hemlock Society USA and PRO-USA - This is a critical time for all those who support the rights of the terminally ill to choose death with dignity, support personal control and autonomy in end-of-life decisions, and believe that laws should allow a terminally ill person the choice of medical assistance in hastening their death. Through PRO-USA, the Hemlock Society is attempting to achieve legal changes in every state.

Hospice Foundation of America - Information about hospices and hospice care.

Hospice Hands - Articles, chatroom, links to related sites.

Hospice Web - Hospice links, information, search for hospice in your area.

Last Acts - Last Acts is a call-to-action campaign dedicated to improving end-of-life care through the sharing of ideas and solutions by professional care givers, institutions, and individuals. The Last Acts Web site includes news updates, a resource center and reports on palliative care, family needs, service providers, education and training, financing and the workplace.

Medical College of Wisconsin Palliative Care Program - The Palliative Medicine Program is committed to improving care for the dying in America through the development, implementation and dissemination of innovative education and clinical care programs.

National Association for Home Care

National Conference of State Legislatures - Legislation related to end-of-life issues in states.

Oversight Hearing: "Assisted Suicide in the United States" -- April 29, 1996 - Web site of the House Committee on the Judiciary. This site will keep you informed about Judiciary Committee activities and other important issues facing our nation.

"When Death is Sought: Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in the Medical Context" - In May 1994, the New York State Task Force on Life and the Law published a 217-page report titled "When Death Is Sought: Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in the Medical Context." Since this particular issue has received so much public attention, the report has been made available electronically on the NYSDOH Web site. The report is posted in individual chapters.

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Patient Forums and Support

Administration on Aging

Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation - Written materials and more than 400 peer support groups and contacts for all family members nationwide.

Caregiver Network - Caregiver Bulletin Board enables you to talk to other caregivers to find help and answers to questions.

Caregiver Survival Resources - Caregving-- the process of providing constant, vital care to a loved one-- is becoming a significant issue for many people. This resource provides help to others to cope with the demands of caregiving.

Choice in Dying - Fostering communication about complex end-of-life decisions.

Living Beyond Breast Cancer - Helpline and a wide variety of breast cancer related information.

National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations - Information and access to support groups nationwide and in Canada.

National Family Caregivers Association - NFCA espouses a philosophy of empowerment and self-care that is predicated on the belief that caregivers who choose to take charge of their lives, and see caregiving as but one of its facets, are in a position to be happier and healthier individuals.

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI)

Y-ME National Organization for Breast Cancer - Written materials; access to support groups nationwide; will provide lists of breast cancer facilities nationwide.

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Other Organizations

The American College of American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP-ASIM) -The American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP-ASIM) is the nation's largest medical specialty society. Its mission is to enhance the quality and effectiveness of health care by fostering excellence and professionalism in the practice of medicine.

The American Geriatrics Society -The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is the premier professional organization of health care providers dedicated to improving the health and well-being of all older adults. With an active membership of more than 6,000 health care professionals, the AGS has a long history of effecting change in the provision of health care for older adults.

American Society for Bioethics and Humanities - The American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH) is a professional society of more than 1,200 individuals, organizations, and institutions interested in bioethics and humanities. This Web site, established in January 1998, is intended initially to serve as a source of information about ASBH for members and prospective members. It also will serve as a resource for anyone interested in bioethics and humanities by providing a group of further on-line resources and links to aid in finding other related information through the Internet.

American Medical Association - The AMA is much more than a voluntary membership organization of physicians. It is the patient's advocate and the physician's voice. It sets standards for the profession of medicine.

Catholic Health Association of the United States - Serving the aged and chronically ill remains an essential part of the Catholic health ministry. Catholic-sponsored health organizations provide this population with a broad spectrum of high-quality professional services, including acute and primary care, nursing home, medical and social day care, home health, senior housing and assisted living, counseling, case management, and more.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -The mission of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is to promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability.

Center for Medical Ethics and Mediation - The Center for Medical Ethics and Mediation is a leader in advancing ethics and mediation as a means of transforming conflict in the healthcare environment. The Center is an educational association dedicated to providing quality training, research, consultations and mediations for healthcare professionals and organizations.

The Commonwealth Fund - The Commonwealth Fund, a New York City-based national foundation, engages in independent research on health and social policy issues.

Department of Health and Human Services, Healthfinder - Healthfinder™ is a gateway consumer health and human services information web site from the United States government. Healthfinder™ can lead you to selected online publications, clearinghouses, databases, web sites, and support and self-help groups, as well as the government agencies and not-for-profit organizations that produce reliable information for the public.

Extended Care Information Network - Extended Care originated as a software tool used by hospital discharge staff to find information about providers specializing in all levels of long-term nursing care, home health agencies, retirement communities and additional types of extended care providers. The Extended Care system matches patient needs with providers or agencies that can accommodate them and then produces a professional package of information to be presented to the patient and their family containing detailed information about providers/agencies.

FACCT--The Foundation for Accountability - FACCT works to ensure that Americans have clear, accurate information about quality that they can use to make better health care decisions.

The Foundation Center - The Foundation Center's mission is to foster public understanding of the foundation field by collecting, organizing, analyzing, and disseminating information on foundations, corporate giving, and related subjects.

Grantmakers in Health - The mission of GIH is to increase the capacity of private-sector grantmakers to enhance the health and well being of all people.

Idealist - With 14,000 organizations under one roof, this site will allow you to look for organizations, volunteer and job opportunities, and much more.

Lindesmith Center - In response to inquiries from state legislatures, medical examiners, regulators, and doctors regarding the appropriate use of opioids by physicians, the boards of directors of APS and AAPM have promulgated a consensus statement, Use of Opioids for the Treatment of Chronic Pain, which urges states to recognize the importance of opioid therapy for the treatment of pain and to eschew legal, regulatory, or philosophical barriers that hinder or prevent the appropriate medical use of opioids for pain relief.

Medicare Rights Center - The Medicare Rights Center (MRC) was established in 1989 by Whitney North Seymour, Jr. to provide free counseling services to Medicare beneficiaries who cannot afford private assistance. MRC has conducted training sessions for organizations such as the Administration on Aging, the American Public Health Association, the American Association of Retired Persons, the Practicing Law Institute, Families USA, Teamsters Local 237, and the National Association of Geriatric Care Managers.

National Association for Home Care (NAHC) - Since its inception in 1982, NAHC has remained committed to serving the home care and hospice industry, which provides services to the sick, disabled, and terminally ill in the comfort of their homes.

National Conference of State Legislatures - A new NCSL report helps state lawmakers make informed decisions regarding assisted suicide, pain management, and other end-of-life care policies.

The National Institute on Aging - The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is one of the National Institutes of Health, the principal biomedical research agency of the United States Government. The NIA promotes healthy aging by conducting and supporting biomedical, social, and behavioral research and public education.

The National Center for Health Statistics - The mission of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is to provide statistical information that will guide actions and policies to improve the health of the American people. As the nation's principal health statistics agency, NCHS leads the way with accurate, relevant, and timely data.

The Nathan Cummings Foundation - The Nathan Cummings Foundation is rooted in the Jewish tradition and committed to democratic values, including fairness, diversity, and community. The Nathan Cummings Foundation seeks to build a society that values nature and protects ecological balance for future generations; promotes humane health care; and fosters arts to enrich communities.

Oregon Health Sciences University Center for Ethics in Health Care - The Center for Ethics in Health Care combines the perspectives of health professionals, patients, and families to improve teaching, research, and clinical consultation about ethical issues in patient care and health policy.

Resource Directory for Older People - The Resource Directory for Older People is a cooperative effort of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the Administration on Aging (AoA). It is intended to serve a wide audience including older people and their families, health and legal professionals, social service providers, librarians, researchers, and others with an interest in the field of aging.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based in Princeton, NJ, is the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care. It became a national institution in 1972 with receipt of a bequest from the industrialist whose name it bears, and has since made more than $2 billion in grants.

SeniorScape - SeniorScape is a one-stop source for information on elder law, community resources for elders, senior health and nutrition, senior lobbying efforts, geriatric care, financial management in later years, and much more. In addition to supplying this annotated list of links, SeniorScape provides a locator database where elder care professionals and service providers maintain their own home pages and an interactive bulletin board where elder care professionals interact and share information and referrals.

UB Center for Clinical Ethics and Humanities in Health Care - The Center for Clinical Ethics and Humanities in Health Care is an interdisciplinary academic center of the University at Buffalo. The Center draws upon a wide range of individuals from the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences as well as various health care and academic institutions in the Buffalo, N.Y., area.

The Video Health Information Project - The Video Health Information Project (VHIP) has been developed at the Mid-Hudson Library System to provide free access to consumer health information in a large collection of videotapes. The web site is in collaboration with the Mid-Hudson Library System, Southeastern New York Library Resources Council and the MacArthur Foundation Library Video Project.