About Assembly
The Annual Assembly, jointly presented by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA), is a 3-day event that brings together more than 3,400 of your colleagues and peers to share research, clinical best practices, and practice-related guidance to advance the specialty of hospice and palliative care. At the Assembly, we aim to connect with fellow clinicians and reignite attendees’ passion so they leave the meeting feeling inspired and rejuvenated.
AAHPM has more than 5,300 members who are physicians from many medical specialties who are committed to enhancing the practice of high-quality hospice and palliative medicine.
HPNA has more than 11,000 members who are nurses who specialize in the practice of hospice and palliative nursing, promoting excellence across the lifespan continuum.
Intended Audience
The Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care is designed for physicians, advanced practice nurses, pharmacists, PAs, registered nurses, researchers/scientists, psychologists, social workers, fellows, residents, chaplains and spiritual care providers, students and professionals in training and others interested in acquiring, maintaining, or expanding the skills needed to function effectively in the field of hospice and palliative care.
Purpose
The AAHPM and HPNA collectively identify and share the responsibility to advance the specialty of hospice and palliative care. Our purpose for the Assembly is to foster a premier continual learning experience where both expert, proficient, and early-career hospice and palliative care providers and others wishing to advance their hospice and palliative care practice skills can collaborate to improve the care of patients and families with serious illness.
Desired Outcome
The AAHPM and HPNA collectively identify and share the responsibility to advance the specialty of hospice and palliative care. Our purpose for this assembly is to foster a premier continual learning experience where expert, proficient, and early-career hospice and palliative care professionals and non-specialty clinicians wishing to integrate primary hospice and palliative care into their practice can collaborate to advance the care of patients and families with serious illness.
Through interdisciplinary team collaboration and integrated enactment, our Annual Assembly desired outcome is to enhance the learners’ knowledge/skills/strategy or performance to increase competency, influence behaviors, and/or improve patient outcomes in hospice and palliative care.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The planners of the 2025 Annual Assembly are committed to creating a welcoming environment in which all members see themselves reflected in the Annual Assembly experience and can join together to support one another in a diverse and inclusive atmosphere.
In support of this commitment, submitted abstracts are to address the impact of the proposed topic or research on underrepresented and underserved populations to better equip hospice and palliative care professionals with knowledge and skills to deliver high-quality, culturally sensitive person-centered care. You are asked to address issues of cultural humility and sensitivity in your abstract, case examples, and, where applicable, describe how issues of cultural diversity and inclusion are considered in the specific aims or session narrative of your proposed content.
Policies and Waivers
The following policies and waivers will need to be accepted upon registration for assembly attendees:
- Annual Assembly Code of Conduct
- 2025 Pre-Registration Disclosure
- 2025 Cancellation Policy
- 2025 Media Disclosure
- 2025 Liability Disclosure
Upcoming Assemblies
Registration for the Annual Assembly typically opens in October. The price to attend the meeting reflects the costs associated with organizing and executing the event. Conference pricing is benchmarked against other hospice and palliative care programming.
Locations for the Annual Assembly are selected at least 5 years in advance and rotated between regions of the U.S. (West, Central, and East locations) to provide different parts of the country to more easily participate.
March 4-7, 2026
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, CA