Advancing Palliative Care Through International Partnerships
October 21 | 2:00 PM-3:00 PM CDT
Join the AAHPM Latino Professionals, Patients, and Families in Hospice and Palliative Care Forum for a special Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month webinar exploring the growth and impact of palliative care across Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States.
This inaugural international panel discussion will feature palliative care leaders from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico who will share insights on clinical innovation, workforce development, education, research, leadership, mentorship, and efforts to expand access to high-quality palliative care. Panelists will discuss the current state of palliative care in their countries, highlight successful programs and collaborations, and explore opportunities for strengthening international partnerships that improve care for patients and families facing serious illness.
Participants will gain a broader understanding of global palliative care advancements, challenges, and strategies that can help advance clinical practice, scholarship, advocacy, and equitable access to care across diverse Hispanic-Latino communities.
Please note: This webinar will be presented in English. Live closed captioning will be available in both English and Spanish.
Meet the Speakers
Luis Miguel Hernández Flores
Luis Miguel Hernández Flores, MD MPH, is a Mexican physician specializing in Preventive Medicine and Palliative Medicine. He holds a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Aging from Mexico’s National Institute of Public Health and completed advanced postgraduate training in Palliative Medicine at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and Dr. Manuel Gea González General Hospital in Mexico City.
He currently serves as Head of the Health Promotion Division at the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), the largest social security institution in Latin America.
His work focuses on the intersection of palliative care, healthy aging, health promotion, and caregiving. He has led the development of caregiver training programs and educational resources, as well as interventions focused on respite care, caregiver support, and improving the well-being of older adults and people approaching the end of life. He also has clinical experience providing home-based palliative care, which informs his work in developing person- and family-centered models of care.
João Batista Santos Garcia
Professor João Batista Santos Garcia is a Brazilian anesthesiologist and internationally recognized specialist in Pain Medicine and Palliative Care. He is Full Professor at the Federal University of Maranhão and Head of the Pain Management and Palliative Care Service at the Maranhão Cancer Hospital.
He currently serves as President of the Latin American Association for Palliative Care for the 2026–2028 term and as President of the Brazilian Academy of Palliative Care. He previously served as President of the Brazilian Society for the Study of Pain and of the Latin American Federation of Associations for the Study of Pain, as well as Councilor of the International Association for the Study of Pain and Liaison for Latin America.
Professor Garcia is also an experienced researcher, postgraduate supervisor, author, and international lecturer in Pain Medicine and Palliative Care.
Bethania Martínez del Villar
Dr. Bethania Martínez del Villar is an anesthesiologist and pain medicine specialist with advanced fellowship training in interventional pain management, palliative care, and clinical research. With more than two decades of experience, she has dedicated her career to the treatment of chronic, acute, and postoperative pain, integrating innovative approaches such as radiofrequency ablation and neurostimulation into patient care. Following specialized fellowship training at the Boston Pain Center in Massachusetts, she has developed extensive expertise in clinical practice, education, professional training, and research. Dr. Martínez del Villar serves on the Anesthesiology Staff at Hospital Maternidad Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia and as a physician at UNIDOLOR.
As recognized leader in pain medicine and palliative care across Latin America, she is currently President of the Central American Federation of Pain and Palliative Care (FEDOPAC) and the Dominican Association for the Study and Treatment of Pain and Palliative Care. Her international leadership roles, including service with the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) and the Latin American Federation of Pain, have established her as a prominent advocate for advancing pain management, palliative care, education, and research throughout the region.
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