My Textbook is Now Available for Presale!

I am thrilled to announce that the textbook I've written over the last three years is now available for presale on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

The Arc of Conversation:
A How-to Guide for Goals of Care Conversations, by Amy Shaw, PA
Springer Nature

Intending to fill an important gap in medical training, this book presents an easy-to-learn, standardized approach to having compassionate and collaborative goals of care conversations with patients and families, a skill that can be difficult for clinicians to learn and that is not part of standard medical education curricula.

Developed by a Palliative Care provider, this is the first book to teach everything clinicians need to know to gently guide patients and families through what can often be difficult discussions about illness, disease, end-of-life wishes, and hospice care. This technique can be used to discuss any medical diagnosis or treatment, be employed at any age or stage of an illness, and can be used by health care professionals at any level.

Readers will be introduced to the patterns of decline patients follow toward the end of life, criteria for recognizing when a patient’s time is limited, hospice care, ground rules for compassionate communication, and a step-wise method of leading patients and families through difficult goals of care conversations in a collaborative way. The book includes specific questions to ask and starter language clinicians can use for developing their own patient-friendly talking points about disease progression, the end of life, concerns that a patient’s time is limited, advanced directives, code status, and hospice care. An Arc of Conversation Guide, for use when learning this technique, is also included.

While modern medicine is terrific at acute stabilization of illness or injury, it often ignores the elephant in the room—disease progression and death. By doing so, the healthcare system frequently misses opportunities to align patient wishes with the care they receive. Furthermore, physicians often avoid difficult conversations with patients due to a lack of training or the assumption that hospice care represents medical or personal failure. Incorporating the material and technique taught in The Arc of Conversation into everyday practice will enable clinicians to acknowledge and discuss patient decline and to confidently include hospice care as a viable option for treatment that can support patient values, wishes, and priorities. Moving toward a continually collaborative approach with patients—a shift away from physician-directed care to patient-centered care—will enable clinicians to develop treatment plans that prioritize outcomes that matter most to patients and families, improving patient and family experience of health care across their lives and providing patients with the ‘soft landing’ they want at the end.

Compassionate Dementia Consulting

Amy Shaw, PA, is a dementia care specialist who has helped over 450 families through the dementia journey. Having developed the first comprehensive Alzheimer's and Dementia Care program in Wyoming, she believes expert guidance and education are the foundation of a joyful and connected experience. Although dementia can be challenging, the dementia journey does not have to be characterized by doom and gloom. On the contrary, when a loved one's level of care is matched to their level of need, loved ones and family members alike can thrive.

10+

450+

450+ Families Assisted

Years of Experience

Private Medical Care

Amy Shaw, PA, is a physician assistant with ten years of experience supporting patients and families with chronic and terminal illnesses. She has served thousands of patients over her career, including experience in Urgent Care, Cardiology, and Palliative & Hospice medicine. She developed the first comprehensive Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Program in Wyoming, serving hundreds of families in her community. With a foundation in whole-patient care, she is passionate about empowering patients and families to age with grace and compassion. She is available to provide medical care in Wyoming and serves patients and families in Laramie County.

2000+

10+

2000+ Families Assisted

Years of Experience

Amy came into my family's life when we were trying to navigate my mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis. She provided our family with knowledge and guidance in a compassionate and understanding way. She has been there for me when I was overwhelmed by a situation with no true beacons. She is a leader in dementia and Alzheimer's care with compassion that is rarely found in the medical field. Thank you, Amy.

Kristie

★★★★★