MD Anderson Cancer Center and Silverado Hospice of Houston sponsor “Bus Rounds”

The nature of hospice care and the challenges that it provides is an often overlooked aspect of professional education and training. Dr. Eduardo Bruera, the Director Palliative Care & Rehabilitation Medicine at MD Anderson, developed this unique program and has been sponsoring it in Houston and other US cities.

It is, in essence, a Grand Rounds on Wheels.

On February 23, 2010 a small bus with about 30 professionals visited Silverado Hospice patients in their residents.  The purpose was to allow the professionals to have a firsthand experience and learn about hospice care and interact with hospice professionals and patients. About one third of the group would visit each patient.  The patient’s situation including diagnosis, challenges, goals of care and successes were presented by the Silverado nurse, social worker, spiritual counselor and the patient.  The visits were made to two residents in our Silverado Senior Living-Cypresswood community and a home care patient.

The other two thirds of the “bus rounders” were able to listen to the presentation on earphones from the bus or adjoining rooms at the Silverado community.  Traveling to various locations throughout the Houston community, Texas Community Bus Rounds introduced medical providers to some of the devastating challenges both patients and their families face towards the end of life. Through this patient-centered approach, participants were able to identify these barriers and discuss methods of care for the patient with the common goal of how each patient can live as well as possible, for as long as possible.