Physicians and other health care professionals can use the model as a guide for conducting family conferences and strengthening communication with patients, families and colleagues.

Increasing emphasis is being placed on the need for advanced care planning (ACP) at the end of life. The Preferred Priorities for Care (PPC) document is a patient-held record promoted by the End of Life Care Strategy as an ACP tool to promote discussion and communication amongst patients, family and health care providers. However, little research exists into evaluating its effectiveness or exploring patient and carer views, particularly in non-malignant disease. Because the majority of patients with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) lose verbal communication, early discussion of patients' wishes and preferences, a central aspect of ACP, is vital. This study examined MND patients' bereaved relatives' experiences of using the PPC document and their perceptions about its impact on end-of-life care using qualitative methods. Key findings adding to existing literature were that the PPC document was felt to have little impact on end-of-life care amongst this patient group and that there was a perceived lack of awareness of the document amongst health care professionals (HCPs), in particular hospital staff. This was felt to limit the effectiveness of the document. This has obvious implications for practice, looking at awareness amongst HCPs and ways to improve this situation, particularly in light of the current pressures to meet patient preferences at the end of life.

An interdisciplinary educational intervention improves role understanding early in the process of professional socialization in a pilot program. Further implementation of interdisciplinary education should evaluate the effect on subsequent interdisciplinary practice and the quality of patient care.

Background: Patients, families, and health care professionals recognize the need for better communication in palliative and end-of-life care. Family conferences are a powerful clinical tool for communicating with patients and family members. Although family conferences are often used in medical care, few clinicians are prepared to conduct them effectively. An innovative palliative care educational model that included specific attention to family conferences was developed and evaluated. To intervene early in the process of professional socialization, the interactive and interdisciplinary training included medical and social work students.Method: A quasi-experimental longitudinal design was employed to evaluate the educational intervention. Survey measures were administered before, immediately after, and three months after training. Questions addressed experience, education, and attitudes about family conferences. A standardized scale was used to measure change in students' confidence in their ability to lead family conferences.Results: For both professions, the intervention group demonstrated a significant increase in confidence in the ability to lead family conferences compared with the control group. Threemonth follow-up data suggested that subjects in the intervention group maintained these gains.Conclusion: This pilot intervention showed that an interdisciplinary educational approach improves confidence in the ability to lead family conferences when students are exposed early in the process of professional socialization. Early intervention increases the propensity and skills needed to conduct family conferences and advances communication in palliative care. Future research on interdisciplinary education should evaluate effects on clinical practice behaviors, satisfaction with communication and collaboration, and patients' and families' perceptions of quality of care.