Table 4.

Key takeaways from HEC’s EPAC collaborative

Topic	Key learnings
Education on palliative care	HEC learning activities increased the knowledge, skills and comfort level of staff to have earlier and more effective GOC conversations with residents and families. It is recommended to have palliative care education as a core part of staff orientation and subsequent training and consider creative methods for tracking progress and celebrating successes (eg, team posters and/or presentations).
Education in LTC	HEC’s regional workshop approach helped train more people on the EPAC model on-site and increased the level of engagement of teams. This is especially important in LTC where staff travel may be a barrier to participating in face-to-face learning activities.
Understanding the ‘why’	The experience of HEC’s lead coach with the EPAC model in VCH helped provide practical advice, resources and tools. As the innovator of the EPAC model, HEC’s lead coach explained the value of the gift of time in palliative care by sharing personal stories with loss and grief to emphasise the why behind the collaborative.

EPAC, Embedding a Palliative Approach to Care; HEC, Healthcare Excellence Canada; LTC, long-term care.