About Us

The creation of Oklahoma Palliative Care Resource Center on March 1, 2006, is the result of almost two years of investigation and preparation by Oklahomans committed to removing barriers for consumers of health care nearing the end of life.

In April, 2004, Oklahoma Attorney General W.A. Drew Edmondson invited 15 state leaders from the health and legal professions to serve as members of a task force along with more than 80 decision-makers from the state legislature, judiciary, state agencies, long term care facilities, hospices and educators on an advisory committee to report on the state of end-of-life care in Oklahoma.  As chair of the task force, Attorney General Edmondson recruited the leadership of three co-chairs: Dr. Gary Johnson, M.D., University of Oklahoma College of Medicine; Dr. Carole Kenner, DNS, RNC, FAAN, Dean and Professor of the Oklahoma College of Nursing; and Linda Edmondson, MSW.

With the support of advisory committee members and experts in end-of-life care, the task force submitted 50 recommendations to improve end-of-life health care for Oklahoma consumers in April, 2005.  One of these recommendations was for the creation of a resource center for pediatric and adult palliative care.

Building on the vision of the Office of Attorney General, the recommendation of the task force, and the leadership of Dr. Carole Kenner at the University of Oklahoma College of Nursing, the resource center is now a reality.

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What is OPCRC?

Our goals are two-fold:

1. to encourage a continuing dialogue between patients, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and physicians regarding complex medical and  bioethical issues; and
2. to encourage conversation between family and friends so that Oklahoma consumers may make informed decisions about the care that we want for ourselves and others in both curative and palliative treatment of chronic, debilitating and life-threatening illness

Our Mission

Our Mission is to establish a state-wide resource and structure to serve as a clearinghouse dedicated to providing competent, comprehensive, compassionate palliative and end-of-life care accessible to all Oklahomans by:

• encouraging community dialogue about living with serious chronic, debilitating and terminal illness near the end of life
• promoting professional training and continuing education for healthcare professionals in palliative and end-of-life care
• providing a forum for hospices, hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, state government, advocacy organizations, colleges and universities to share best practices for palliative and end-of-life care
• providing an educational catalyst and central contact for professionals and interested citizens who want to learn more about palliative and end-of-life care; and
• educating through the OPCRC website, lectures, seminars, in-services, public presentations and professional consultation.

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