Palliative Care at The University of Kansas Health System

08/03/2025

04/16/2022

New paper published in the Journal of Rural Health by two palliative medicine faculty Dr. Brooks and Dr. Wulff-Burchfield. This study found 2 potentially distinct styles of care delivery in rural communities, which may require distinct interventions: (1) innovation-isolated rural oncologists, who are more likely to be solo providers, provide care at few locations, and practice with doctors with similar training experiences; and (2) urban-rural spanning oncologists who provide care at a high number of locations and have potential to spread innovation, but may face high complexity and limited opportunity for care standardization.

01/18/2022

On this day in 2012, nurse Amy Velasquez and division director Dr. Karin Porter-Williamson began the pilot program of outpatient palliative care in the bone marrow transplant clinic at KU Cancer Center - Westwood, supported by the Allen J Block Family Foundation.

We just added two full time positions to outpatient palliative care, and in 2021 started outpatient pilots in pulmonary and pediatric clinics.

We appreciate the donations and support that kickstarted this program. If you would like to donate, please see the comments for a link.

07/09/2021

Our outpatient team is growing and we are looking for an APP!

The work will be in the cancer center locations across the metro and involve telehealth as well.

Position Title Palliative Outpatient APP - Cancer Center Westwood Medical Pavilion - West Position Summary / Career Interest:The Advanced Practice Provider (APP) in the Internal Medicine Department manages health problems and coordinates health care in specialty settings. These APPs deliver patient....

07/06/2021

We are growing! Help us reduce the stress and suffering for patients and their families living with serious illness.

We are looking for nurses to work on the inpatient palliative care consult team. Preference is for nurses with experience with hospice and/or palliative care either as a specialty focus or a major part of their nursing role (i.e. ICU, oncology).

https://kansashealthsystem.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/careers/job/Kansas-City-KS/Clinical-Nurse-Coordinator_R-6455-1

06/04/2021

Our colleague, Dr. Kalender-Rich, wrote this beautiful and moving essay published in JAMA

In this narrative medicine essay, a geriatrician and palliative care physician learns what it's like to be a patient’s family member during her father’s last days, what it’s like to know the outcome before being told, and what it’s like to wait until after doing everything possible medically...

03/08/2021

Making sure patients and caregivers are informed about their health is essential to good palliative care.

Kudos to Dr. Wulff-Burchfield and Dr. Potts on their recent publication in the journal Supportive Care in Cancer highlighting a nurse-led education program about stomas for patients with bladder cancer.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33661368/

The University of Kansas Cancer Center - The University of Kansas Health System

03/06/2021

Congratulations to Dr. Sinclair who was inducted as a 2021 faculty member into the Gold Humanism Honor Society last night!

The Gold Humanism Honor Society recognizes those who have displayed outstanding humanistic and professional behaviors and the highest standards of compassion and sensitivity in their interactions with patients, faculty, student peers, and institutional administration.

Dr. Sinclair joins Dr. Porter-Williamson who is already a member, as well as Dr. Taylor and Dr. Doolittle who have both worked with the palliative care team in the past.

03/04/2021

Very thankful for our hospitalists on . They make great teammates!

2 of our docs Dr. Olson and Dr. Zogleman are dual docs and hospitalists, which helps us work better together!

01/19/2021

Whoa! Our outpatient clinic at The University of Kansas Cancer Center started on this date, January 18, in 2012. So if today is our 9th anniversary...that means we are beginning our 10th year of service!

A big thanks to Amy V, the nurse who identified the need and got it started with Dr. Porter-Williamson.

12/14/2020

For the 6th year the Cancer Center Navigation Department and Outpatient Palliative Care have collected Christmas gifts for families at Hillcrest Transitional Housing. Over 4 towering grocery carts of items will provide much needed items and joy to families struggling to overcome homelessness.

12/04/2020

Congratulations to Dr. Emily Hansen on her case being accepted to the Annual Assembly of Hospice & Palliative Care

"Music to Soothe the Soul: Music as Medicine in End-of-Life Care, a Patient Case Report"


American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) &
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association