The Summit 2021
June 4 & 5, 2021




Hilton Orlando-Bonnet Creek Resort
14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Ln • Orlando, FL 32821
www.hiltonbonnetcreek.com
The Summit 2021
For the past three years, representatives from three dozen organizations throughout the State worked together as a Steering Committee to form the Florida Palliative Care Coalition and plan a quality-of-life Summit. The pandemic may have pushed back our timeline for our inaugural event, but it only enhanced our resolve to make a difference in the lives of our fellow Floridians since there are currently no formal activities or plan relative to palliative education, advocacy, awareness, access, and quality. With your support and involvement, the Coalition will be one voice, the axis for advancing palliative care in our state.
Leonard Hock, Florida Medical Directors Association
Steve Bahmer, LeadingAge Florida
Kim Streit, Florida Hospital Association
Jeri Francoeur, Florida Breast Cancer Foundation
Ken Goodman, University of Miami
Laura Morse, Florida Department of Health
Rebecca Gatian, Avow Hospice
Wendy Kraszewski, Stratum Health Services
Paul Malley, Aging with Dignity
Susan Ponder-Stansel, Alivia Care, Inc.
Scott Kistler, Empath Health
Gail Matillo, Florida Senior Living Association
Margherita Labson, Health Care Affiliated Network
Bobbie McKee, Moffitt Cancer Center/ CCRAB
Sheri Kittelson, University of Florida
Tony Carvajal, Florida Tax Watch
Bobby Lolley, Home Care Association of Florida
Vicki Caraway, Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute
Cantwell Holtz, Children’s Hospital-University of Miami
Jamie Wilson, Moffitt Cancer Center
Valerie Kenworthy, Hospice of Health First
Paula Ludwig, Hospice of Health First
Mike Simmons, Bridge Builder Strategies
Paul Ledford, FHPCA
Richard Noah, AVOW
Megan Wessel, American Cancer Society
Lauren Lane, Ascension St. Vincent’s
Attendee List
Ben Eby, Halifax Health Hospice
Bridget Highet, Halifax Health Hospice
Linda McIver, Halifax Health Hospice
Patricia Stanco, The ALS Association Florida Chapter
Sarah Ascher, AZ End of Life Care Partnership anchored at United Way of Tucson and Southern Az
Cal Cates, Healwell
Duenna Dorsett, Sunshine Health
Amanda Pellington, BayCare
Kashan Sanaz, Catholic Hospice
Jaysen Roa, Avow
Colleen Walters, BayCare Health System
Dian Backoff, Catholic Hospice
Ken Peach, Health Council of East Central Florida
Marc Kaprow, FOMA
Ken Kniepmann, Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops
Mariana Khawand-Azoulai, University of Miami Health System
Alicia Labrecque, Orlando Senior Health Network
Margarita Cunningham, Optum
Sara Beil, Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice & Palliative Care
Angela Fontenot, LHC Group, Inc
Carmelle Casimir, Optum
Rick Bourne, Hospice of Marion County
Melissa Allman, BAYADA Home Healthcare
Sally Covey, OPTUM
Clement K Gwede, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research institute
Rory Farrand, VITAS Palliative Care Corporate Office
Peggy Pettit, VITAS
Juan Palacios, US Department Of Veteran Affairs
Bruce Inverso, American Heart Association
Davis Baird, National Homes and Hospice Association
Jim Akin, FL – NASW
Mary Mayhew, Florida Hospital Association
Michael Lawton, United Healthcare
Nercy Radcliffe, Providence Healthcare Services
Sloane Karver, United Healthcare
Bill Novelli, C-TAC
Katy Lanz, Top Sight Partners | CAPC
Kimberly Comer, NAMI Palm Beach County
Aaron Bean, FL Senate
Margaret DiPasquale, BAYADA
David Totaro, BAYADA
Candace Dornstauder, Empath Health
Travis Blanton, Johnson & Blanton
Roger Lopez, United Homecare
Terry Hamilton, Lakeland Regional Health
Leslie Yadi, Lakeland Regional Health
Anna Cleveland, Agency for Health Care Administration – Medicaid Policy
William Scharf, Advent Health
Joanne Eason, FIve Wishes
Mary Thomas, Florida Medical Association
Marisette Hasan, Caroline Center
Jeffrey Goldhagen, UF – Jacksonville
Brenda Daniels, Baptist Health
Event Summary
The two-day groundbreaking of the Florida Palliative Care Coalition Summit opened on Friday, June 4, 2021, to a socially distanced invitation-only crowd of Florida’s 100 premier healthcare professionals at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek. The pandemic pushed back the summit’s original launch, but that only enhanced the Coalition’s resolve to create a pivotal event with nationally acclaimed speakers, one that would immediately and positively impact the lives of fellow Floridians.
For the past three years, representatives from three dozen organizations throughout the State worked together as a Steering Committee to form the Florida Palliative Care Coalition and plan a quality-of-life summit. The summit opened with co-steering committee leaders Paul Ledford, President of the Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association and Susan Ponder-Stansel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alivia Care, Inc. followed by Dr. Sloan B. Karver, M.D.’s presentation on the “National Perspective”, and a discussion on “Shaping Better Care” by nationally renowned healthcare experts, Bill Novelli and Dr. Katy Lanz. The day closed with “Thinking Globally, Acting Locally” moderated by Mike Simmons with presenters Sarah Ascher, and Marisette Hasan. The next day’s agenda included additional innovative presentations and the formation of work groups focused on public policy and advocacy, professional education and practice, community outreach and partnerships, and community education. These work group are the heart of the future of
The mission of the Florida Palliative Care Coalition is to support and inspire the acceleration of solutions that promote a better quality of life for Floridians living with serious, chronic, or advanced illness through research, education, advocacy, and access to holistic healthcare. The Coalition’s goals are:
- Create a greater understanding of the stakeholders involved in palliative care and their respective roles
- Create a uniform definition of palliative care in Florida
- Bring key stakeholders involved in palliative care together to help ensure access to care and improved quality of life
- Partner with the Florida Cancer Control and Research Advisory Council (CCRAB) and incorporate their goals related to standards and education
- Garner support for palliative care and the policies needed to: Expand access to hospice and palliative care
- Improve the quality of life for patients and families
- Assure excellence in hospice and palliative care
- Advocate for the needs of those in the final phases of life
The Founding Partners of the Summit are Alivia Care, Inc., Community Hospice & Palliative Care, Florida Hospice & Palliative Care Association, Suncoast Hospice, and Tidewell Hospice. The Summit sponsor is the Home Care Association of Florida.
As Bill Novelli said in his opening remarks, “We all want to be the authors of our lives.” This quote from Dr. Atul Gawande, M.D., a surgeon, writer, and public health leader sums up the mission of the Florida Palliative Care Coalition. This dynamic, newly formed Coalition is singularly focused on the acceleration of solutions to help people be the authors of their own lives.
Agenda
Facility Information
Hilton Orlando-Bonnet Creek Resor
14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Ln.
Orlando, FL 32821
www.hiltonbonnetcreek.com