The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care has announced the following winners of the IAHPC 2004 Awards:
Institutional Category winner: Programa Argentino de Medicina Paliativa-Fundacion FEMEBA (Argentina)
Established in 1983, the Programa Argentino de Medicina Paliativa is directed by Dr Roberto Wenk. Divided into three care centers, the Hospital Tornu in Buenos Aires, Hospital Sommer on the outskirts of the city, and a Home Care program in San Nicolas, the program provides inpatient, outpatient, and home care to patients who are able to stay at home.
The program's mission is to provide good quality palliative care, professional education, and research in clinical, nursing, and psychological issues. Three different multidisciplinary groups provide care to patients of low socioeconomic status by subsidizing medications and other costs. The program has become a role model for the rest of the country and Latin America.
Vittorio Ventafridda Award (Individual) winner: David Joranson, MSW (USA)
David Joranson is Senior Scientist and Director of the Pain & Policy Studies Group (PPSG) at the University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Policy and Communications in Cancer Care. Formerly, Mr Joranson administered state drug regulatory policy, cofounded national associations for state-controlled substances agencies, and introduced state initiatives to improve cancer pain relief and address regulatory barriers. Mr Joranson has contributed to the study and modernization of narcotics control and professional practice policies to improve pain patient access to opioid analgesics in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia in cooperation with national projects in China, Colombia, India, Italy, Mexico, and Romania. He has advised the US Institute of Medicine's global heath program, the World Health Organization cancer program, and the International Narcotics Control Board. Joranson is a member of the International Association for the Study of Pain and participates in its Developing Country Task Force; he is also a life member of the Indian Association for the Study of Pain and has received a humanitarian award for enhancing compassionate care of addicts and pain patients, as well as awards for distinguished public service. He is author of numerous book chapters and peer-reviewed articles about national and international pain policy and addressing regulatory barriers.
University Award winner: University of Bristol (UK)
The University of Bristol, founded in 1876, has become one of the most popular and successful universities in the United Kingdom. It currently has more than 14,000 full-time students. The Department of Palliative Medicine was established in 1993 under the leadership of Professor Geoffrey Hanks. The goals of the program are to develop education and research in palliative medicine and provide clinical care at the University Teaching Hospital with a Palliative Medicine curriculum closely linked with communication skills and ethical issues. Palliative Medicine is taught every year of the 5-year course in Bristol. Teaching is directed by Dr Karen Forbes, who was recently elected as the Clinical Tutor of the Year during 2001, 2002, and 2003 by the university medical students.
The University also provides a Master of Science in Palliative Medicine for medical students who wish to earn a Palliative Medicine Diploma. In addition, several of the modules are open to students of other disciplines who wish to participate and learn about certain specific topics.
The IAHPC congratulates all for these well-deserved awards and for their outstanding efforts in improving palliative care around the world. Many thanks to the committee members, who worked hard at selecting the winners from a large number of applications.
For additional information and photos of the 2004 winners, visit the IAHPC Web site at http://www.hospicecare.com/Awards/awardsindex.htm.
(Release)