The benefits and difficulties of academic collaboration

People working in academia and in hospice organizations can help each other succeed while serving the needs of the people in hospice care. This is especially important in times of tight budgets for all concerned. Hospice organizations would benefit from educating themselves about research and participating as partners in research activities. Collaborating researchers must be willing to discuss their research with members of hospice organizations and explain how it is to be structured, conducted, and how it can improve services. Researchers can make scientific investigation and its findings more user-friendly and understandable. The hospice organization can set up forums that promote dialogue between hospice professionals and researchers at meetings, conferences, and symposia that will benefit the academic group, hospice organization, and, ultimately, people in hospice care.