A public forum to provide information on the issue of Hospice and Palliative care will be held Wednesday, October 15 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. It is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Northern Lower Michigan (LWVNLM). The forum will be held at the Petoskey District Library’s downstairs conference room. Participants can attend either in person at the library or by Zoom.
Program overview:
Paul Blanchard, MD will provide a brief overview of issues and decisions to be considered as end of life approaches. A graduate of Wayne State University Medical School, Dr. Blanchard has practiced internal medicine in Petoskey since 1987. He is board certified in internal medicine and geriatrics. He has been medical director of Hospice of Little Traverse Bay and Northwest Michigan Hospice during his career. He has extensive experience managing chronic disease and in advanced care planning discussions.
Courtney Brinkman, MSN, FNP-C, NorthStar Palliative Care. Ms. Brinkman will explain what Palliative Care is, when it is appropriate, who provides it, and what insurance coverage might be available. Courtney Brinkman is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner, in practice since 2014. She obtained her BSN from Lake Superior State University, and obtained her Master of Science in Nursing from Georgetown University. Her career experiences include primary care, adolescent health, geriatric medicine and home based palliative care and hospice for the past three years. It is here that she is able to share her skills and knowledge base with medically complex and chronically ill patients, helping them to improve their quality of life, feel supported, educated, and empowered to be active participants in their healthcare journey.
Chris Hurley, LPN, Business Development and Sales Supervisor for McLaren Health Management Group, will discuss Hospice Services in our community. Chris has been in her current role for over 18 years, promoting McLaren Health Management Group’s community-based health care continuum of home care, hospice, and palliative care. Chris will focus on eligibility, scope of services, where they are provided, what hospice providers are available locally, what is the cost and what insurance coverage might be available.
A question and answer period will follow.