UPMC Palliative Medicine Leader Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

By Jennifer C. Yates

The medical director of the UPMC Palliative and Supportive Institute has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM), a professional organization for physicians who care for patients with serious illness.

Robert Arnold, M.D.

Robert Arnold, M.D., professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, is a national leader in palliative care, and his research focuses on educational interventions to improve communication between doctors and patients when patients face life-threatening illnesses.  He is widely published on end-of-life, hospice and palliative care issues and is working with UPMC leaders to integrate palliative services throughout the UPMC system.

“It is truly an honor to be recognized by my colleagues for my work in the field of hospice and palliative medicine,” Dr. Arnold said. “I am lucky to be working in an incredibly supportive environment and to have colleagues who support and promote palliative care.”

The AAHPM Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes outstanding contributions and significant publications that have helped shape the direction of the field of hospice and palliative medicine. Dr. Arnold will receive his award during the Annual Assembly of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association in New Orleans on March 15.

Dr. Arnold completed his medical school training at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and residency at Rhode Island Hospital before coming to Pittsburgh. In 2000, he was named the first Leo H. Creip Chair of Patient Care, which emphasizes the importance of the doctor-patient relationship, particularly at the end of life. He is the director of the Pitt  Institute for Doctor-Patient Communication and is clinically active in palliative care.

The AAHPM membership includes more than 4,900 physicians and other health care professionals committed to improving the care of patients with serious or life-threatening conditions.