Stay Certified in Hospice and Palliative Medicine

Why Does HPM Subspecialty Certification Matter?

According to Daniel Fischberg, MD PhD FAAHPM, “Maintaining certification in hospice and palliative medicine is the single best measure to demonstrate my dedication to ensuring I am delivering the best care possible.” Diane E. Meier, MD FACP FAAHPM, said, “HPM certification is crucial to the legitimacy, reputation, and commitment to quality for our field. Specialty societies and specialists, defined by achievement of board certification, are the real power brokers in organized medicine in the United States. If we want to have a seat at the table, we need to take our specialty and its knowledge base seriously.”

Leaders in HPM agree that subspecialty certification is increasingly a minimum qualification for some positions and positively impacts marketability and salary. As the demand for patient-centered care and the corresponding communication skills increases, HPM subspecialists are well positioned to lead and mentor other clinicians and non-HPM physicians in the basics of these core skills.