AAHPM and the Specialty of Hospice and Palliative Medicine

AAHPM is the professional organization for physicians specializing in hospice and palliative medicine, nurses, and other healthcare providers. Since 1988, the Academy has dedicated itself to advancing hospice and palliative medicine and improving the care of patients with serious illness. Our activities focus on education and training, resources, networking, and advocacy. Learn more about these activities and more in the AAHPM Annual Report video.

The Academy’s core mission is to advance hospice and palliative medicine through enhancing learning, cultivating knowledge and innovation, strengthening workforce and advocating for public policy to achieve our vision. The core vision of the Academy is that all patients, families and caregivers who need it will have access to high-quality hospice and palliative care. AAHPM values include: Respect for Person- and Family-Centered Care; Quality; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Collaboration; Responsiveness; and Creative and Ethical Leadership.

Strategic Plan

The strategic plan serves as the Academy's guiding map for its future direction. Download the 2020-2024 plan to learn more about the following five overarching goals:

Expand and Enhance Engagement

AAHPM serves as a leading source of information, engagement and support for physicians and all professionals in hospice and palliative care.

Build and Sustain a Diverse Workforce

AAHPM attracts, develops, and sustains a robust and diverse workforce – including clinicians, educators, researchers and innovators – in order to expand access to high-quality hospice and palliative care.

Engage, Develop and Sustain Expertise

AAHPM provides learning and educational opportunities that build and sustain competence and skills to support high-quality, evidence-based hospice and palliative care practice in diverse career pathways and practice settings.

Promote Quality of Care, Research, and Translation of Evidence into Practice

AAHPM strives to improve the quality of healthcare based on evidence and research for people with serious illness and their caregivers in all settings.

Advance Health Policy and Advocacy

AAHPM promotes the value of hospice and palliative care in order to transform serious illness care, expand access for patients and their caregivers, support physicians and interprofessional teams, and ensure the growth and sustainability of the field.

What is hospice and palliative care?

Palliative care focuses on improving a patient's quality of life by managing pain and other distressing symptoms of a serious illness. Palliative care should be provided along with other medical treatments. Hospice is palliative care for patients in their last year of life. Hospice care can be provided in patients' homes, hospice centers, hospitals, long-term care facilities, or wherever a patient resides. Physicians who specialize in hospice and palliative medicine work with other doctors and healthcare professionals, listen to patients and align their treatments with what's important to them, and help families navigate the complex healthcare system.

Who provides hospice and palliative care and where can patients get it?

Care is usually provided by an interdisciplinary team of experts, including palliative care doctors, nurses, and social workers. Chaplains, counselors, massage therapists, pharmacists, nutritionists, and others might also be part of the team. The team addresses the physical, psychological, spiritual, and practical burdens of illness and provides support to and works in partnership with the doctor. Care is offered in hospitals, long-term care facilities, hospices, or at home.

To learn more about hospice and palliative care, visit AAHPM's patient website, PalliativeDoctors.org.

Annual Report

AAHPM created an Annual Report video to highlight the successes and growth of the association. View the video to see what we have accomplished.