title: ACE Project--advocating for clinical excellence: creating change in the delivery of palliative care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychologists, social workers, and spiritual care professionals report inadequate preparation to maximize their effectiveness in advocating for institutional reform to meet oncology patients' diverse bio-psychosocial-spiritual and cultural needs. This article provides an overview of the ACE Project, a National Cancer Institute, 5 year, R25-funded transdisciplinary palliative care education program designed to enhance the advocacy and leadership skills of 301 competitively selected psycho-oncology professionals.
  
  
  METHODS
  ACE Project participants identified an institutional goal, refined their goals during the course and received mentorship and support throughout the subsequent year. Participants were invited to return to a Reunion Conference in year five to report on their activities, network, and share the results of their change efforts. A subset of 28 ACE Project participants contributed to this OMEGA special issue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants' goals primarily focused on strategies to improve clinical care through program development and improvements in palliative care education within their institutions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this transdisciplinary leadership skills-building program for psycho-oncology professionals affirm the feasibility and perceived need for the program. See the ACE Project website (http://www.cityofhope.org/education/health-professional-education/nursing-education/ACE-project/Pages/default.aspx) for additional program information.
authors: City of Hope, Duarte, California, 91010-3000, USA. sotis-green@coh.org
authors: Shirley
authors: S
authors: Otis-Green
authors: Eunice
authors: E
authors: Yang
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Lynne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D029181:Spirituality; D055815:Young Adult
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