Thursday, January 23, 2025

Enhancing the Value of CME/CPD Activities by Incorporating the Caregiver

By: Cody Ortmann

Through this two-part Supporter Perspective series, I’ve shared my healthcare journey in “Addressing Inequities, Access and Communication: One Supporter’s Personal Story” and “Addressing Mental Health and Well-being, One Supporter’s Perspective”. (And, I was featured on this episode of The Alliance Podcast, “Supporter Perspectives With Cody Ortmann”.) Collectively, the series highlights the implications of addressing healthcare inequities, access and communication, while emphasizing the need for focusing on patient emotional health and well-being. I ended both articles with a call to action to address the fostering of a more holistic and inclusive, patient-centered approach to healthcare that might address the totality of the patient’s journey.

One critical aspect of holistic, patient-centered healthcare is the integration of caregivers into the management plan. Including caregivers in treatment planning and decision-making not only supports the patient but also helps align the entire support network toward common goals. However, in the CME/CPE setting, balancing responsibilities between educational providers and advocacy partners can be complex, as it's not always clear who should lead caregiver education.

This intersection of caregiver involvement, patient outcomes and industry support raises important questions about the roles and boundaries within healthcare education. Industry supporters, when genuinely committed to patient- and caregiver-centered learning, can facilitate essential resources and insights, enhancing the value of CME/CPE initiatives. This approach not only strengthens the quality of care but also enriches educational experience, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world patient needs.

When faced with a loved one’s illness — especially a child, even a furry one like my dog Huck was — everything about our work takes on a different dimension. Huck was first diagnosed with a genetic condition causing him to go blind. I knew this was going on before the ophthalmologist told me, I just didn’t know how bad it was. However, my heart sank when he told me the only available treatment was pre-clinical. A few months later, Huck was diagnosed with a large tumor on his kidney that had metastasized to his neck. Even though I know some canine cancer journeys can be like humans in terms of outcomes, side effects, etc., I knew not to ask about the safety and efficacy of available treatments. Somehow in that pre-dawn moment at the vet, I knew. In that moment of diagnoses, all the technical language of oncology transformed into a very personal question: Can we find a way through this? Will we become a statistic?

Huck was given three to four months to live.

I’d had Huck since he was two months old, and he moved across the U.S. with me to start a new job in Boston at the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The next few weeks after the cancer diagnosis were difficult, humbling, and provided clarity that shifted my perspectives about the patient and caregiver journey. Moments of clarity where the medical jargon falls away, replaced by the need for human connection, hope and a path forward — even if it’s not clear.

That need for human connection and hope wasn’t always met or available during Huck’s journey. While I did have many CME/CPE colleagues, my chosen and immediate family reach out and check on me, the vets never called or asked how Huck or I were doing unless we were being seen in the office. It was only several days after Huck passed that I was even made aware that the veterinary ER clinic had a social worker and support group for people who lost their pets. I remember wishing the vet or someone from their office would call and see how everything was going. It was a lot to coordinate 11 pills twice a day, give him the best end-of-life care, and take care of myself.

The amazing thing about the CME/CPE community evaluating the role of and potentially incorporating caregivers more regularly into our strategies and activities is that we’re not alone in the endeavor. There are state, and federal, policies on implementation of strategies to support caregivers at those levels. Most recently, the HHS released their report on Federal Implementation of the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers. Additionally, it may be possible to support a quality improvement activity that evaluates the impact of caregiver education or intervention on Home Health Quality Measures (Discharge to the Community and Rate of Preventable Hospital Readmissions 30 Days After Discharge from Home Health).

Re-imagining the patient journey with caregivers at the forefront strikes a chord, as it’s the caregivers who hold so much of the emotional and logistical load. Envisioning a healthcare system that truly supports both patients and their caregivers, with radical empathy, is inspiring and could redefine patient outcomes.