The University of Alabama at Birmingham Center for Palliative and Supportive Care Ambulatory Program has received a Citation of Honor celebrating innovation in palliative and end-of-life care from the American Hospital Association’s Circle of Life Award® program. The citation is awarded to the center for its focus on expanding access to palliative care where patients need it, including in outpatient settings, at home and through telemedicine.The UAB program, along with three other institutions receiving the Circle of Life Award, will be honored at a ceremony July 21 in San Diego.
“This year’s Circle of Life honorees have made end-of-life and palliative care a key part of their care mission,” said AHA President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock. “These programs have found new ways to expand the reach of palliative and end-of-life care to patients, families and communities. They are model programs that other hospitals and health care systems can adapt, and we are pleased to recognize the great strides they are taking in providing dedicated, compassionate care.”
Now in its 15th year, the Circle of Life Award celebrates programs across the nation that have made great strides in palliative and end-of-life care. The 2014 awards are supported, in part, by the California HealthCare Foundation and the Cambia Health Foundation. Major sponsors are the American Hospital Association, the Catholic Health Association, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, and the National Hospice Foundation.