The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) is a professional organization for physicians specializing in
Hospice and Palliative Medicine
In 2006, ''hospice and palliative medicine'' was officially recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, and is ''co-sponsored'' by the American Boards of
* Internal Medicine
* Anesthesiology
* Family Medicine
* Physical Medicine ...
, headquartered in
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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. Membership is open to all health care providers committed to improving the care of patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses. AAHPM has more than 5,200 members; 82 percent are physicians, 12 percent are nurses or other health care providers and 6 percent are residents or students.
AAHPM started a patient website to help educate the public on the importance of hospice and palliative care.
Background
AAHPM was founded in 1988, with 250 charter members, as the Academy of Hospice Physicians (The Academy).
Josefina B. Magno, MD, president of the
International Hospice Institute and Gerald Holman, MD, director of St. Anthony's Hospice and Life Enrichment Center met to discuss the formation of The Academy.
During the next few years, members worked to build the association by educating people on the importance of hospice care through newsletters and position statements. The Academy worked on publishing a quarterly newsletter and a physician self-study series. In 1994, The Academy was awarded a grant from the
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) coordinates the United States National Cancer Program and is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is one of eleven agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ...
to develop a book series.
The American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine was incorporated by the Academy in May 1996. They offered their first certifying exam later that year. The Academy gained approval from the
Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), which allowed it to provide
CME to physicians. The Academy also changed its name to the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM).
By the turn of the century, AAHPM's membership grew, and it secured a seat in the
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association (AMA) is a professional association and lobbying group of physicians and medical students. Founded in 1847, it is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Membership was approximately 240,000 in 2016.
The AMA's sta ...
(AMA) House of Delegates.
AAHPM's strong presence and position on highly controversial subjects has made the Academy a prominent voice in hospice and palliative care. In 2003, AAHPM was able to develop its infrastructure and establish the College of Palliative Care with a $1.2-million grant from Open Society Institute's Project on Death in America.
Position statements
AAHPM tracks critical issues and provides members with the information, tools, and training required to be effective advocates for their patients and their practice. In recent years, AAHPM has promoted policies that would increase the number of palliative medicine specialists, expand support for research, and improve access to palliative care services for patients with serious illness and their families.
Publications
The Academy publishes a variety of resources for hospice and palliative care professionals, including: UNIPAC Self-Study Program: A Resource for Hospice and Palliative Care Professionals, Primer of Palliative Care, Hospice Medical Director Manual, and online practice tests: HPM PASS, HPM FAST and HMD PREP.
Educational offerings
AAHPM, together with the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA), sponsors an educational conference each year. The Annual Assembly provides disease updates and sessions on the latest advances in clinical research, cultural, ethical and legal, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of care for physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, and others who practice hospice and palliative care.
Annual Assembly Sites:
* March 14–17, 2018: Boston, Massachusetts
* March 13–16, 2019: Orlando, Florida
* March 18–21, 2020: San Diego, California
AAHPM also offers educational courses during the year which focus on topics of interest to hospice and palliative care professionals.
See also
*
Hospice
*
Palliative Care
Palliative care (derived from the Latin root , or 'to cloak') is an interdisciplinary medical caregiving approach aimed at optimizing quality of life and mitigating suffering among people with serious, complex, and often terminal illnesses. Wit ...
*
Hospice care in the United States
In the United States, hospice care is a type and philosophy of end-of-life care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms. These symptoms can be physical, emotional, spiritual or social in nature. The concept of hos ...
*
Stephen Connor (psychologist)
References
External links
AAHPM's Official Web siteAAHPM's Patient Web siteAAHPM's YouTube Channel
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Medical associations based in the United States
Palliative care
Hospices in the United States
Medical and health professional associations in Chicago