I believe that one of our most important jobs as a physician is the ability to have a conversation...not just about routine checkups, chronic conditions, and treatments, but critical conversations with our patients regarding when traditional medical approaches may not be the best approach. This duty to foster critical conversations have nurtured my passion for end-of-life care.

I stepped into the role of Blessing Hospice Medical Director in September 2019 and I quickly learned that our community has a great need in Palliative Care. Unfortunately, with the demands of a modern day medical practice, often times those critical conversations are lacking in routine visits with primary and specialty providers. I moved into a full-time role in July 2020 with Hospice and Palliative care to help fill a void that we had within our health system. Our goal is to offer Palliative Care for any patient with a critical or serious illness so that we can focus on the critical conversations and lessen the burden facing primary providers. These conversations will help to determine end-of-life wishes, establish POA/Advanced Directives and to provide symptom management that may be a result of their chronic illnesses.