Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award

Recognizes outstanding contributions and significant publications that have helped shape the direction of the field of hospice and palliative care. All members of AAHPM are eligible for this award. View past winners by clicking Read More.

2022

J. Randall Curtis, MD MPH has been a pulmonary, critical care, and palliative care physician at Harborview Medical Center at the University of Washington. He also holds the A. Bruce Montgomery – American Lung Association Endowed Chair in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and he is the founding Director of the Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine. He has an active research program with over 25 years of continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health and has also received funding from a number of foundations including the Cambia Health Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Greenwall Foundation.  His research focuses on improving palliative care for patients with serious illness as well as for patients’ families.  He has authored more than 350 peer-reviewed research articles and more than 150 editorials and chapters. His publications have been in high-impact journals including JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, and JAMA Internal Medicine.

Dr. Curtis has been the recipient of several awards for his research and teaching in palliative care including an Award for Excellence in Scientific Research from the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and was named one of the 30 Visionaries in Hospice and Palliative Medicine by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Dr. Curtis has made mentoring in palliative care research a priority during his career. He received a K24 Award from NHLBI for two successive 5-year periods for mentoring in patient-oriented research. He was the founding Director of a T32 award for palliative care research from NHLBI. He is also a dual Director of an additional T32 award for pulmonary and critical care research that has been funded for over 30 years by NHLBI and is a multiple Director of an Implementation Science K12 Award, also from NHLBI. He has been a primary mentor for 24 physician fellows in clinical research focused on palliative care. He has also mentored 10 pre- or post-doctoral trainees from the Schools of Public Health, Pharmacy, Nursing, and Social Work.

Gerald H. Holman Distinguished Service Award

Recognizes outstanding and dedicated service to the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. The award will be presented to an individual (or group) that has advanced the mission of the AAHPM in a significant and lasting way. All members of AAHPM are eligible for this award.

2022

Kyle Edmonds, MD FAAHPM is an academic palliative medicine physician and national leader in palliative care health policy. Kyle is the Director and Section Chief for Palliative Care in the Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology, & Palliative Care at UC San Diego where he is an Associate Professor of Palliative Medicine with appointments in the Department of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, and Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences. He received his medical degree from the University Of Arizona College Of Medicine and trained in Family Medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital & Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ.  Following residency, he trained in palliative medicine as a Dr. Seuss Foundation Fellow of Palliative Medicine at the Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice and Scripps. Kyle serves as the Young Physician on the AAHPM Delegation to the American Medical Association where he helps craft the development of AMA policy. He has been an active member of the AMA at the national level for 15 years, currently representing both AAHPM and the California Medical Association. Within the Academy, he is the Chair of the Health Policy & Advocacy Strategic Coordinating Committee, a past Co-chair and member of Public Policy Committee, and was a member of the Alternative Payment Model Task Force. Kyle is married to AAHPM member, Dr. Toluwalaṣé (Laṣé) Ajayi, who is also a delegate to the AMA from the American Academy of Pediatrics and a current candidate for the AMA Board of Trustees. The two of them live and work together in San Diego along with their three children, Ayokárí, Tiwalọlá, and Palmer. 

Josefina B. Magno Distinguished Hospice Physician Award

Recognizes a hospice medical director or hospice physician who provides the highest quality services and innovative programs and who demonstrates exemplary dedication to the practice of palliative medicine in a hospice setting.

2022

"Dr. John" Manfredonia, DO HMDC FACOFP FAAHPM is board-certified in both family medicine and hospice/palliative medicine (HPM) with 22 years of experience as a HPM Physician. He was one of the first physicians with a Hospice Medical Director Certification. He is a Fellow in both the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) and the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. He is currently the National Physician Educator with Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care. Dr John was formerly one of the National Medical Directors for Kindred at Home, formerly, Gentiva Health Services, one of the largest multi-state hospice & home healthcare organizations in the US.  Past responsibilities have been a hospice medical director for a hospice with an average daily census of 300+ with an eleven-bed free-standing in-patient unit. He is the Past President of the Hospice Medical Director Certification Board. He previously served six years on the Board of Directors of the AAHPM. His past activities within AAHPM include chair and faculty of the Intensive Board Review Course and Hospice Medical Director Courses. He is a contributing author to the Hospice Medical Director Manual and former Associate-Editor for Palliative Care-FACS. He is past vice-chair of the American Osteopathic Association Council on Palliative Care Issues. He formerly practiced family medicine and obstetrics and was family medicine residency director in Tucson, Arizona. 

Distinguished Hospice Interdisciplinary Team Member Award - NEW!

This award recognizes a hospice interdisciplinary team member who provides the highest quality services and innovative programs and who demonstrates exemplary dedication to the practice of palliative care in a hospice setting.

2022

Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD MA MDE BCPS is Professor and Executive Director, Advanced Post-Graduate Education in Palliative Care in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in Baltimore. In addition to a PharmD degree, Dr. McPherson has a master’s degree in Instructional Systems Development, and a Masters in Distance Education and e-Learning. Dr. McPherson has maintained a practice in both hospice (local and national) and ambulatory care her entire career. She is the Executive Program Director of the Online Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Science and Graduate Certificate Program in Palliative Care at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Dr. McPherson is particularly interested in the safe and effective use of medications in patients with a life-limiting illness, ranging from drug selection, deprescribing, and risk mitigation. Dr. McPherson developed one of the first and few palliative care pharmacy residencies in the U.S. Dr. McPherson has won numerous awards for teaching, and her innovative practice in end of life care. She has published numerous articles, chapters, and four books including the second edition of the best-selling “Demystifying Opioid Conversion Calculations: A Guide for Effective Dosing.”

Richard Payne Outstanding Achievement in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award

This award will be presented annually to an individual who demonstrates strong, lasting, personal and professional commitment to improving care for diverse, vulnerable and underrepresented patient populations. All members of AAHPM are eligible for this award.

2022

Tammie Quest, MD FAAHPM is the Montgomery Chair in Palliative Medicine and Director of the Emory Palliative Care Center for the Woodruff Health Sciences Center. She is Professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and the Department of Emergency Medicine and is the Chief of Palliative Medicine in the Department of Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine. She is the Past President of the American Academy of Hospice and serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.

Humanities Award

Recognizes person(s) whose work has advanced the relationship between humanities and palliative care, and who have employed the discipline of the humanities to improve end-of-life care through community or professional education. Candidates for the award include poets, artists, musicians, medical educators and others involved in medical humanities in the broadest terms.

2022

Nicole Robinson, MFA serves as the Narrative Medicine Coordinator at Akron Children’s Hospital under the auspices of the Haslinger Family Pediatric Palliative Care Division. She conducts narrative medicine workshops and writing interventions for children, families, and staff, as well as performing research to advance the field. Robinson’s articles and poetry publications have appeared in Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics, Journal of Palliative Medicine, Columbia Journal, Great River Review, and elsewhere. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in poetry from Ashland University and a Certification in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University.

Award for Excellence in Scientific Research in Palliative Care

Recognizes meaningful, exemplary research contributions to the field of hospice and palliative care. The recipient is expected to present his/her research within the broad context of the field of hospice and palliative care. All members of AAHPM are eligible for this award.

2022

Areej El-Jawahri, MD Dr. El-Jawahri graduated from Harvard Medical School and completed her residency training at Massachusetts General Hospital. She subsequently completed her hematology-oncology fellowship at the Dana Farber Harvard Cancer Center Fellowship Program. Dr. El-Jawahri is an oncologist specializing in the care of patients with hematologic malignancies and those undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and adoptive cellular therapy. Her goal is to improve the lived experience of patients with hematologic malignancies and their families. Her research interests include investigating patient-reported outcomes, developing interventions to enhance patient-centered decision-making, and designing supportive, palliative, and digital health interventions to improve the care of patients with hematologic malignancies and their families. She serves as the Director of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Survivorship Program, the Associate Director of the Cancer Outcomes Research and Education Program (CORE), and the Director of Digital Health at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Award for Excellence in Education and Training

This award recognizes, encourages and rewards an AAHPM member who has enhanced the practice and profession of hospice and palliative care through education. The educator has made significant, outstanding contributions to education in hospice and palliative care. Education may be in the form of teaching, directing, mentoring, writing, and/or presenting to multiple levels of audiences including physician, interprofessional, resident, fellow, student.

All members of AAHPM are eligible for this award. Special emphasis will be placed on educators who, through their example and methods have expanded patient connection and communication skills; stimulated the personal and professional growth of others.

2022

Janet Abrahm, MD FACP FAAHPM is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology, Oncology and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She joined the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 2001, creating the first Palliative Care service there and at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She is an Institute Physician at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Abrahm has over one hundred publications, most in the area of palliative care. The third edition of her book, “A Physician’s Guide to Pain and Symptom Management in Cancer Patients”, was published in 2014 by Johns Hopkins University Press, and the fourth, newly titled “Comprehensive Guide to Supportive and Palliative Care in Cancer Patients” will be published in 2022.  Dr. Abrahm served the Academy as a Board Member and Secretary and served on the American Board of Internal Medicine’s first test-writing committee for the Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine in 2008.  She lectures nationally and internationally on palliative care topics. Her research involves using computer-assisted Decision Support to enable oncology clinicians to provide optimal symptom management for cancer patients.

Early Career Investigator Award

Recognizes a member of AAHPM who is developing as a research leader, showing promise of making contributions to the development of a scientific foundation for practice and research, conducting or facilitating research by others that advances the field of hospice and palliative medicine, has a beginning record of scientific publications, and contributes to the AAHPM community at large. The nominees for this award will not yet have achieved independence as an investigator (ie having R01 level funding, or its equivalent). All members of AAHPM are eligible for this award.

2022

Kate Courtright, MD MS is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania where she attends in the medical intensive care unit and on the palliative care consultative service. Her research aims to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of palliative care delivery among seriously ill patients in the hospital by leveraging insights and methodologies from the fields of data science, behavioral science, and implementation science. To achieve these goals, Dr. Courtright develops novel care delivery approaches to improve the frequency and timing of palliative care among high-risk and high-need patients and evaluates their impact on patient-centered outcomes in large pragmatic clinical trials. She has received the Lee Lusted Student Research Prize from the Society of Medical Decision Making in 2015 and a Palliative Medicine Access Fund Award from the AAHPM in 2017 for this work. Dr. Courtright’s research has been supported by the NPCRC, NIH (NIDDK, NHLBI, NIA), the Donaghue Foundation, and Penn Roybal Centers.

The State of the Science in Palliative Care Research Mentoring Award

2022

J. Randall Curtis, MD MPH has been a pulmonary, critical care, and palliative care physician at Harborview Medical Center at the University of Washington. He also holds the A. Bruce Montgomery – American Lung Association Endowed Chair in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and he is the founding Director of the Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine. He has an active research program with over 25 years of continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health and has also received funding from a number of foundations including the Cambia Health Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Greenwall Foundation.  His research focuses on improving palliative care for patients with serious illness as well as for patients’ families.  He has authored more than 350 peer-reviewed research articles and more than 150 editorials and chapters. His publications have been in high-impact journals including JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, and JAMA Internal Medicine.

Dr. Curtis has been the recipient of several awards for his research and teaching in palliative care including an Award for Excellence in Scientific Research from the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and was named one of the 30 Visionaries in Hospice and Palliative Medicine by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Dr. Curtis has made mentoring in palliative care research a priority during his career. He received a K24 Award from NHLBI for two successive 5-year periods for mentoring in patient-oriented research. He was the founding Director of a T32 award for palliative care research from NHLBI. He is also a dual Director of an additional T32 award for pulmonary and critical care research that has been funded for over 30 years by NHLBI and is a multiple Director of an Implementation Science K12 Award, also from NHLBI. He has been a primary mentor for 24 physician fellows in clinical research focused on palliative care. He has also mentored 10 pre- or post-doctoral trainees from the Schools of Public Health, Pharmacy, Nursing, and Social Work.

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Presidential Citation(s)

These award(s) acknowledge individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of hospice and palliative medicine but do not qualify for consideration in other award categories. Recommendations would be made by the President, Board members or leadership, and approved by the Board of Directors or Executive Committee. This recognition would not have to be given each year – only when suitable and exceptional candidates are identified and selected. It would also be limited to a maximum of three recipients (individuals or organizations) in a given year.

2022

Association Management Center

Association Management Center (AMC) has nearly 50 years of experience working in partnership with professional societies - primarily healthcare, medical and scientific associations to provide strategic and innovative association leadership to help support and achieve their missions. For more than two decades, AMC has proudly partnered with AAHPM to help grow the field of hospice and palliative medicine, support its members in their professional journey, and assist in the long-term financial stability of the Academy. During our time working together, the membership, volunteer leadership, staffing, resources, influence, impact, and visibility of AAHPM has accelerated and soared as the field of hospice and palliative care has matured and grown. AMC employees including the AAHPM staff team bring professional expertise, unique skills and passion about our partners’ missions and are dedicated to furthering their causes through collaboration, strategic leadership, and vision. AMC believes that developing long-term, trusting relationships creates mutual success and growth and that providing superior service and strategic association leadership with the utmost integrity helps those relationships flourish. AMC is honored to support the important work of AAHPM.

Senator Tammy Baldwin

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) was elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2018. Tammy’s experience serving as her grandmother’s primary caregiver has inspired her work as a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) to be a longtime champion of the bipartisan Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA). Senator Baldwin is also the co-founder of the Senate Comprehensive Care Caucus, established to advance palliative care policy.

National Institute on Aging

The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was established in 1974 to improve the health and well-being of older adults through research. NIA conducts and supports genetic, biological, clinical, behavioral, social, and economic research on aging and the challenges and needs of older adults. NIA is at the forefront of scientific discovery about the nature of healthy aging to extend the healthy, active years of life. It is also the lead federal agency for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias research.

NIA supports scientific initiatives and innovation at universities, medical centers, and research institutes across the U.S. and around the world; conducts research at its scientific laboratories in Baltimore and Bethesda, Maryland; and maintains an active communications and outreach program to share knowledge and disseminate information to the broader research community and to the public. Its work has led to important scientific discoveries about the aging process, age-related diseases and conditions, and the needs of the growing older adult population.

Paper Awards

These awards recognize the top 5% of papers, as determined by the Scientific and Quality Improvement Subcommittee during the abstract review and scoring process.

Scientific and Quality Improvement Poster Awards

These awards recognize the best poster in each research topic category and best quality improvement project poster.

Case Poster Awards

These awards recognize the best poster submitted by a professional and a professional in training.

Project on Death in America (PDIA) Palliative Medicine National Leadership Award

These awards were sunsetted in 2020. Recognizes a physician leader who has advanced the field of palliative care by the education of the next generation of palliative care leaders. The award program promotes the visibility and prestige of physicians in both academic and clinical settings who are committed to mentoring future leaders and serving as role models for other health professionals engaged in improving the care of the dying.

Project on Death in America (PDIA) Palliative Medicine Community Leadership Award

These awards were sunsetted in 2020. Recognizes a physician leader who has advanced the field of palliative care in their communities through distinctive mentorship and leadership. This award recognizes physicians in both academic and clinical settings who are committed to mentoring future leaders and serving as role models for other health professionals engaged in improving the care of the dying.