You are registered
Go to My Registration
The Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Iowa Conference feature a variety of clinical, regulatory and leadership topics presented by national consultants and industry authorities.Monday, December 1st and Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025, in personIHA Conference Center, 100 E. Grand Ave. Ste. 100, Des Moines Optional Pre-Conference – End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC)PRECONFERENCE | MONDAY, DEC. 1IHA Conference Center9 a.m. End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC); Angie Meyer, MSN, RN, CHPN, Home Health and Hospice Manager, Gundersen Palmer Hospital and Clinics, West UnionNoon Lunch12:30 p.m. End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) Continued3:30 p.m. Adjourn 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Volunteer Recognition CeremonyIHA Conference Center CONFERENCE AGENDA | TUESDAY, DEC. 2IHA Conference Center8:30 a.m. Registration and Breakfast9 a.m. Welcome and HPCAI Business Meeting9:15 a.m. 15 Things Veterans Want You to Know; Angie Meyer, MSN, RN, CHPN, Home Health and Hospice Manager, Gundersen Palmer Hospital and Clinics, West Union9:45 a.m. BreakBREAKOUT SESSIONS10 a.m. The Changing Landscape of Substitute Decision-making; Cynthia Letsch, JD, CMP, Managing Attorney, Letsch Law Firm, Grimes10 a.m. Making the Most of Veterans Administration Benefits; Michael Mortensen, Deputy Director, Polk County Veteran Affairs, Des Moines11 a.m. BreakBREAKOUT SESSIONS11:15 a.m. HOPE - Are You Getting Credit?; Annette Lee, RN, Founder, Provider Insights, Des Moines11:15 a.m. Hey, Mr. Funeral Director!; Blair A. Overton, Licensed Funeral Director, Iowa Funeral Planning, Des Moines12:15 p.m. LunchBREAKOUT SESSIONS1 p.m. Audits: What to Expect and How to Prepare and Succeed; Annette Lee, RN, Founder, Provider Insights, Des Moines1 p.m. Ensuring Goal-concordant Pharmacotherapy in Palliative and Hospice Care; James B. Ray, PharmD, FPPCP, Associate Professor Emeritus, The University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Iowa City2 p.m. Break2:15 p.m. Navigating Critical Situations in Hospice Care: When to Involve External Authorities; A panel of law enforcement, health services, and hospice resources3:15 p.m. Walking the Talk: Radical Self-Care for the Compassionate Professional; Heather Stang, MA, C-IAYT, Author and Founder, Frederick Meditation Center and the Mindfulness & Grief Institute, Maryland4:15 p.m. Closing CommentsCONTINUING EDUCATIONHPCAI will provide a certificate of attendance after completing the program evaluation and strongly encourages nurses to retain a program brochure as documentation of their participation. Nurses determine whether course content meets the Iowa Board of Nursing’s criteria for appropriate continuing education.For Iowa-licensed social workers, therapists and other health care professionals, it is the licensee’s discretion to choose relevant sessions and self-report. HPCAI will provide generic certificates of attendance.PROGRAM LOCATIONIHA Conference Center, 100 E Grand Ave. Ste. 100, Des MoinesLODGINGHPCAI offers a discounted corporate rate for attendees to use for overnight accommodation. HPCAI offers a discounted rate to attendees on “non-last room” availability, meaning that this rate may not always be available because of high demand. Book early if you think you may need arrangements. Staybridge Suites Des MoinesCorporate rate: $139/night plus taxes515-280-3828Corporate ID No.: IXNRDowntown Des Moines AC MarriottCorporate rate: $177/night plus taxes515-518-6060Corporate ID Code: 3QR View full conference details here.Contact Autumn McGill with questions about this event and student/volunteer pricing for the educational sessions.
The Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Iowa Conference feature a variety of clinical, regulatory and leadership topics presented by national consultants and industry authorities.
Monday, December 1st and Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025, in person
IHA Conference Center, 100 E. Grand Ave. Ste. 100, Des Moines
Optional Pre-Conference – End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC)
PRECONFERENCE | MONDAY, DEC. 1
IHA Conference Center
9 a.m. End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC); Angie Meyer, MSN, RN, CHPN, Home Health and Hospice Manager, Gundersen Palmer Hospital and Clinics, West Union
Noon Lunch
12:30 p.m. End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) Continued
3:30 p.m. Adjourn
4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Volunteer Recognition Ceremony
CONFERENCE AGENDA | TUESDAY, DEC. 2
8:30 a.m. Registration and Breakfast
9 a.m. Welcome and HPCAI Business Meeting
9:15 a.m. 15 Things Veterans Want You to Know; Angie Meyer, MSN, RN, CHPN, Home Health and Hospice Manager, Gundersen Palmer Hospital and Clinics, West Union
9:45 a.m. Break
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
10 a.m. The Changing Landscape of Substitute Decision-making; Cynthia Letsch, JD, CMP, Managing Attorney, Letsch Law Firm, Grimes
10 a.m. Making the Most of Veterans Administration Benefits; Michael Mortensen, Deputy Director, Polk County Veteran Affairs, Des Moines
11 a.m. Break
11:15 a.m. HOPE - Are You Getting Credit?; Annette Lee, RN, Founder, Provider Insights, Des Moines
11:15 a.m. Hey, Mr. Funeral Director!; Blair A. Overton, Licensed Funeral Director, Iowa Funeral Planning, Des Moines
12:15 p.m. Lunch
1 p.m. Audits: What to Expect and How to Prepare and Succeed; Annette Lee, RN, Founder, Provider Insights, Des Moines
1 p.m. Ensuring Goal-concordant Pharmacotherapy in Palliative and Hospice Care; James B. Ray, PharmD, FPPCP, Associate Professor Emeritus, The University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Iowa City
2 p.m. Break
2:15 p.m. Navigating Critical Situations in Hospice Care: When to Involve External Authorities; A panel of law enforcement, health services, and hospice resources
3:15 p.m. Walking the Talk: Radical Self-Care for the Compassionate Professional; Heather Stang, MA, C-IAYT, Author and Founder, Frederick Meditation Center and the Mindfulness & Grief Institute, Maryland
4:15 p.m. Closing Comments
CONTINUING EDUCATION
HPCAI will provide a certificate of attendance after completing the program evaluation and strongly encourages nurses to retain a program brochure as documentation of their participation. Nurses determine whether course content meets the Iowa Board of Nursing’s criteria for appropriate continuing education.
For Iowa-licensed social workers, therapists and other health care professionals, it is the licensee’s discretion to choose relevant sessions and self-report. HPCAI will provide generic certificates of attendance.
PROGRAM LOCATION
IHA Conference Center, 100 E Grand Ave. Ste. 100, Des Moines
LODGING
HPCAI offers a discounted corporate rate for attendees to use for overnight accommodation. HPCAI offers a discounted rate to attendees on “non-last room” availability, meaning that this rate may not always be available because of high demand. Book early if you think you may need arrangements.
Staybridge Suites Des Moines
Corporate rate: $139/night plus taxes
515-280-3828
Corporate ID No.: IXNR
Downtown Des Moines AC Marriott
Corporate rate: $177/night plus taxes
515-518-6060
Corporate ID Code: 3QR
View full conference details here.
Contact Autumn McGill with questions about this event and student/volunteer pricing for the educational sessions.
TO REGISTER: please first sign in (or create a new online user).
Sign In Now