The goal of the cancer treatment rotation is to familiarize the fellow with cutting edge, comprehensive care of patients with a wide range of malignancies, concentrating on chemotherapy and radiation oncology treatments, particularly of common tumors such as lung, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer. Emphasis is on combining high-tech cancer treatments with an early and pervasive palliative approach to the malignancy, symptoms, and goals of care, throughout the continuum of the disease process.
Required PGY-4 rotation, 4 weeks
Central Georgia Cancer Care
1062 Forsyth Street, Suite 1B
Macon, GA 31201
Central Georgia Radiation Oncology
770 Pine Street, #L20
Macon, GA 31201
The goal of the inpatient Hospice rotation is to immerse the HPM fellow in the day-to-day workings of the 15-bed free-standing inpatient Hospice managed by Hospice of Central Georgia, Atrium Health Navicent Hospice Pine Pointe, as well as managing patients who at home on Hospice with their families. The fellow will manage patients of all ages and terminal conditions.
The focus of care is on the patient and the patient's family, and the HPM fellow will join a dedicated team of nurses, social workers, chaplains, bereavement counselors, and others in providing comprehensive physical, psychological, and spiritual support of patients suffering from life-limiting illness. Inpatient Hospice visits and home Hospice visits are also scheduled in other block rotations throughout the year, in order to offer continuity of care opportunities for the HPM fellow.
Required PGY-4 rotation, 16 weeks (may be split into 4 and 8-week blocks)
Atrium Health Navicent Hospice Pine Pointe
Hospice of Central Georgia
6261 Peake Road
Macon, Georgia 31210
The HPM fellow will evaluate and treat patients of all ages and disease conditions who are suffering from severe chronic disease or life-limiting illnesses in a hospital-based palliative care setting, including both consultation and management of a dedicated palliative care unit. Fellows will review the management of common symptoms encountered in end-of-life care, including pain (physical, psychological, and spiritual), nausea, vomiting, constipation, dyspnea, asthenia, sedation, anorexia, depression/anxiety, and delirium. Fellows will explore ethical and legal decision-making with patients who suffer from severe chronic disease and terminal illness, advance directives, the Medicare Hospice Benefit, and the impact of Hospice and palliative medicine on healthcare costs. An interdisciplinary approach to communication and grief support will be experienced.
Hospital palliative care service visits are also scheduled in other block rotations throughout the year, in order to offer continuity opportunities to the HPM fellow.
Required PGY-4 rotation, 16 weeks (may be split into 4 and 8-week blocks)
Palliative Care Service
Medical Center, Navicent Health
777 Hemlock St.
Macon, GA 31201
The fellow will evaluate and treat patients in a variety of long-term care settings, a Medicare Part A and Medicaid-supported nursing homes (Peake Healthcare Center and Heritage Health Care) and a private nursing home associated with a continuing care retirement community (Atrium Health Navicent Carlyle Place). The fellow will concentrate on comprehensive geriatric assessment and syndromes such as cognitive impairment, incontinence, polypharmacy, impaired mobility, and depression. The fellow will appreciate the comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to institutionalized older adults, with a special emphasis on end-of- life care.
Long-term care visits are also scheduled in other block rotations throughout the year, in order to offer continuity of care opportunities to the HPM fellow.
Required PGY-4 rotation, 4 weeks
Atrium Health Navicent Carlyle Place
5300 Zebulon Road
Macon, GA 31210
The HPM fellow will evaluate and treat patients admitted to the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units of the Children's Hospital, under the direct supervision of neonatologists and intensive care pediatricians. The HPM will not have direct patient care responsibilities for these infants and children, but rather will work as a member of the inter-disciplinary, concentrating on patients with severe chronic disease and life-limiting illnesses. The major purpose of the experience is not to fully prepare a pediatric palliative care physician, but rather to enable the HPM fellow to evaluate children facing terminal illnesses and help them and their family access appropriate palliative and Hospice services.
Required PGY-4 rotation, 4 weeks
Atrium Health Navicent Beverly Knight Olson Children's Hospital
700 Spring St.
Macon, GA 31201
Over the 12-month fellowship program, rotations occur at various locations throughout the Atrium Health Navicent Medical Center, which include the adjacent Levine Children's Beverly Knight Olson Children's Hospital, Pine Pointe Hospice and the WT Anderson Community Health Center:
The remaining weeks will be split with the fellows spending time with anesthesia, oncology, radiation oncology, and geriatrics.
Fellows must complete a quality improvement project during their fellowship year and are assigned mentor(s) who help walk them through the process of root cause analysis and the Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycle to complete their project.