Physician Has Key Education Partner

Throughout her 30-year medical career, Sandra Garretson, MD, CMD, has been involved in countless training and education activities and values the support she gets from AMDA. “I like being able to access the AMDA webinar resources and the handouts again and again whenever I need them,” she shared. “The quality of the programs and information are extremely high, and I can be confident that I’m sharing up-to-date, evidence-based information, no matter how many times I talk about a topic.”

In 2014, Dr. Garretson joined JourneyCare, a community-based, non-profit palliative and hospice care provider in the Chicagoland area, as a medical director and now provides education and training to a diverse audience that includes nurses, physicians and family members. The AMDA webinars and online library remain her “go-to” resources for teaching support, and she recently used the AMDA webinar on acute change of condition to help her team better understand the importance of caring for patients at home and when to consider hospitalization. “It’s critical to have solid data and a reliable source of information to reinforce what we are doing,” she explained.

Having AMDA’s depth and breadth of programs readily available 24/7 has been indispensable to Dr. Garretson in enhancing her own knowledge and sharing her insights with her team. “AMDA’s great programs on hospice and palliative care, antipsychotic use and behavioral management have helped me understand how to deal with difficult challenges and be more effective on a daily basis,” she said. “Sharing this education with others helps ensure that we all are on the same page clinically and can work together effectively to manage issues and implement successful quality improvement efforts.”

In recognition of her deep commitment to the field of hospice and palliative medicine, Dr. Garretson is in the process of becoming a Fellow of the American Association of Hospice and Palliative Care. She continues to be driven by a passion for teaching and patient and family centered care. “I just want to be the best practicing physician I can and continue to make a difference in lives of my patients,” she said.

For more information on AMDA’s educational resources, click here.