History of AAHPM
The field of Hospice and Palliative Medicine has come along way and so has the Academy. Read about the history of AAHPM, from today since its inception!
Present - 2010's
2020
JPSM, the official journal of AAHPM, welcomed David Casarett, MD as its new editor in chief. It also fast tracked articles that describe palliative care in COVID preparation and response.
All in-person meetings, including the Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care, the State of the Science in Hospice and Palliative Care, the Intensive Board Review Course and the Advanced Pain Management course, were cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
More than 100 professionals participated in the 2020 Ascend: COVID-Edition – Next Level Leadership, including learners, presenters and navigators. The program offered a mix of live interactive webinars, pre-recorded sessions, and small group virtual discussions.
AAHPM hosted two virtual career fairs giving attendees the opportunity to visit with potential employers online.
The Academy’s advocacy efforts focused on advancing policies that remove barriers to timely, safe patient care and protect clinicians on the front lines of the epidemic.
AAHPM contributed to an amicus brief supporting a request for U.S. Supreme Court review of Circuit Court decisions offering opposing conclusions as to whether a difference of opinion among physicians alone is sufficient to prove falsity of a hospice claim.
The Academy issued an official statement denouncing racial injustice and its negative impact on healthcare and reinforcing AAHPM’s pledge and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
2019
The Journal of Pain and Symptom Management’s Impact Factor increases to 3.378 – an all-time high for the journal.
The 7th edition of the Primer of Primer of Palliative Care and the 2nd edition of HPM FAST Hospice Regulatory are published.
The Annual Assembly of Hospice and Palliative Care draws 3,200 hospice and palliative care providers to Orlando.
The US Cancer Pain Relief Committee provides funding to establish the AAHPM Richard Payne Outstanding Achievement in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award.
AAHPM guided the creation of the Palliative Care Quality Collaborative (PCQC), which will offer a unified registry for palliative care.
Two new guides were developed: The HPM Fellowship and Hospice Program Partnerships Guide and the HPM Fellowship Program Directors Guide.
AAHPM led the development of two patient-reported performance measures to be used in CMS’s Quality Payment Program, along with the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care and RAND.
AAHPM publishes an updated Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan and a new 5-year Strategic Plan.
AAHPM ended 2019 with the highest membership number to date: 5,441.
2018
Membership reaches an all-time high of 5,239 members at the end of 2018. Dues for medical students and residents are waived.
AAHPM recognizes 30 new visionaries who have made exemplary contributions to the field of hospice and palliative medicine.
AAHPM is awarded several grants:
- from the Hearst Foundations to support a scholarship program for AAHPM physician members to participate in leadership development activities
- from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to create and deploy a unified, program- and patient-level outcome quality improvement organization for palliative care
- from CMS to develop patient-reported outcome quality measures for community-based palliative care, in partnership with NCHPC and the Rand Corporation.
More than 3,000 people attend the Annual Assembly for education, connection, reflection and fun, while 400 people attend the Pedi-Innovate Course and Intensive Board Review Course in the summer.
AAHPM meets the requirements to maintain representation in the AMA, allowing the Academy to retain its seat in the AMA House of Delegates.
AAHPM convenes a national workgroup to develop the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Curricular Milestones for the field.
AAHPM endorses the National Consensus Project’s Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care, 4th edition.
The Journal of Pain and Symptom Management’s impact factor increases to 3.249, a 12% climb from last year.
2017
A mobile app is introduced at the Annual Assembly in Phoenix, which attracts more than 3,400 attendees - the largest conference to date.
AAHPM receives two grants: one from AARP to develop and test new pain treatment and other outcome measures in a seriously ill population; and the second from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to explore the feasibility for integrating existing registries or creating a new one to advance the quality of care for patients with serious illness.
The 5th edition of the popular UNIPAC series is revised, updated, and launched with a new name, Essential Practices in Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
The Journal of Pain & Symptom Management's impact factor reaches an all-time high of 2.905.
AAHPM launches Mentor Match on the AAHPM Connect platform, giving members the opportunity to become a mentor or mentee and matched based on personal and professional backgrounds.
AAHPM proposes an alternative payment model for palliative care entitled Patient and Caregiver Support for Serious Illness.
Websites aahpm.org and PalliativeDoctors.org are named "one of the best palliative care blogs (websites) of 2017" by Healthline for providing users with up-to-date education and inspiring personal stories.
2016
This year marks a major milestone for the AAHPM as it reached 5,000 members.
Shattering industry benchmarks, AAHPM communities tally more than 2,000 discussions within the first 12 months of AAHPM Connect launch.
AAHPM publishes a joint guidance statement with the American Society of Clinical Oncology defining aspects of routine cancer care that should be incorporated in oncologists' practices.
A first-ever Congressional hearing is held for the Palliative Care Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA), legislation developed by AAHPM.
By facilitating the HPM Match, the Academy encourages programs to post positions, which helps increase the number of physicians certified in hospice and palliative medicine.
Two new councils are formed: one for Academic Palliative Medicine and one for Hospice Medical Directors - providing new pathways for participation in AAHPM.
2015
Creates a committee focused on diversity and inclusion initiatives and develops its first welcoming environment statement.
Partnering with George Washington University's Workforce Study Center, AAHPM collects post graduate job data and is conducting trend analyses across settings.
Working with other specialty societies, AAHPM helps secure the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' adoption of CPT codes for advance care planning.
AAHPM Connect, an online community platform, launches, which helps members connect with fellow members in more than 30 communities and special interest groups.
2014
Receives grant funding from the Gentiva Foundation.
AAHPM recognizes emerging leaders in hospice and palliative medicine highlighting their exceptional involvement in AAHPM, participation in charitable work, mentoring of students or residents, and other professional accomplishments.
94% of fellowship programs agree to participate in the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Match, with AAHPM serving as the National Resident Matching Program sponsor.
Acquires the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, its official journal.
2013
As a member of the Choosing Wisely® campaign, AAHPM releases a list of Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question in Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, AAHPM launches a list of the top visionaries in hospice and palliative medicine and membership reaches an all-time high of nearly 5,000.
Partners with the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association on Measuring What Matters, a consensus project aimed at identifying a recommended portfolio of cross-cutting performance measures for all hospice and palliative care programs.
Collaborates with the American Academy of Pediatrics to support the completion of Competencies for the Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Medicine Subspecialist.
In partnership with the American Association for Physician Leadership, AAHPM develops a comprehensive leadership training program, AAHPM Leadership Forum.
2012
To increase awareness among healthcare professionals, AAHPM sponsors Hospice and Palliative Medicine SmartBriefs, which quickly grows to 7,800 subscribers in its first year.
The Hospice Medical Director Certification Board is established with seed money from AAHPM.
The AAHPM-crafted Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA), a bill aimed at expanding opportunities for interdisciplinary education and training in palliative care, is introduced in Congress.
AAHPM leaders join representatives from external organizations at a Workforce Summit to identify critical workforce challenges and explore future scenarios for the field.
Launches the Shaping the Future campaign to raise money for initiatives designed to bridge the imminent workforce gap, educate the specialists and generalists, and increase our reach with policymakers and the public.
Assists in preparing messaging and actively promoting The Joint Commission's campaign, Speak Up: What You Need to Know About Your Serious Illness and Palliative Care.
As the grandfathering period closes, nearly 6,500 physicians are now certified in hospice and palliative medicine, far surpassing the initial goal of a few thousand.
2011
Publishes the AAHPM Physician Compensation and Benefits Survey Report, based on a survey of nearly 800 HPM physicians.
AAHPM's You're Sick. It's Serious YouTube video becomes part of a campaign to improve public awareness, attitudes and understanding of hospice and palliative medicine.
Receives grants from the Hearst Foundations' Aging Initiative and Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation to partially support fellowship training programs in hospice and palliative medicine.
2010
Launches an enhanced online Job Mart with connections to the National Healthcare Career Network, linking to other healthcare associations and professional organization job sites.
2000's
2009
In an effort to help seriously ill patients and their families better understand hospice and palliative care, AAHPM creates PalliativeDoctors.org.
Becomes one of the first medical societies to become active on social media, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to generate awareness, support knowledge, and add value to new audiences.
Elects to participate in the Electronic Residency Application Service, joining 34 other specialties.
A new Communities Model launches, allowing members the opportunity to network and learn from their peers.
Creates scholarships to physicians who practice in developing countries the opportunity to network with other hospice and palliative medicine clinicians at the Annual Assembly.
Partnering with ReachMD, a medical news and information network, AAHPM hosts Perspectives in Palliative Medicine.
Sponsors its first annual Capitol Hill Days, a "fly-in" to Washington DC, that allows members to connect one-on-one with federal policymakers and promote the interests of hospice and palliative care patients and providers.
2008
Ventures into e-learning with the release of HPM PASS and HPM FAST, online tests designed to assess knowledge of the field and PC-FACS, an electronic “journal watch” that summarizes key articles from more than 100 medical and scientific journals ranks as a top member benefit.
Academy membership nearly triples to 3,600 members, and AAHPM affiliates with the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, an established, well-respected journal that publishes peer-reviewed research focusing on pain management and palliative care.
2006
Working closely with the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, helps achieve recognition for the subspecialty of hospice and palliative medicine.
2005
Partners with the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association to sponsor a joint Annual Assembly, bringing together physicians, nurses, social workers, physician assistants, chaplains and others on the hospice and palliative care team.
2004
Receives a $1.2 million grant from the Open Society Institute's Project on Death in America. The monies are used to expand the Academy's infrastructure.
2003
Becomes a founding member of the Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition, now known as the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care.
With membership approaches 1400.
Secures a seat in the American Medical Association House of Delegates.
Affiliates with its first journal, the Journal of Palliative Medicine.
Publishes the Medical Director Model, a go-to reference for physicians working in hospice settings.
1980s and 1990s
1999
Achieves continuing medical education provider status from the American Council on Continuing Medical Education.
1997
Begins to publish books, including the first Primer of Palliative Care and the UNIPAC series, the core curriculum of hospice and palliative care.
The American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine is incorporated and begins to offer certification of physicians.
1996
The Academy changes its name to the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
1990
Publishes Hospice Update newsletter and develops educational programs.
1988
The Academy of Hospice Physicians is born, with 250 founding members.