This presentation explains the value of the field of Supportive and Palliative Medicine to individuals and their loved ones. We discussed how our interdisciplinary approach supports patients when they are dealing with any type of serious illness in order to ensure that the patient’s goals, values, and quality of life are prioritized regardless of the circumstances of their health. This growing field of medicine is one that is often confusing to many both outside and even within the medical field, and this presentation will seek to demystify the field and highlight the incredible value we bring to any person going through serious illness.
About Dr. Alan Chiu
Dr. Alan Chiu is a board-certified physician in both Internal Medicine and Palliative Medicine and is an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. After completing his residency training at University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, MD, he practiced Internal Medicine and grew increasingly sympathetic to the unique and frustrating challenges faced by the patients and families dealing with serious illness. He completed Palliative Medicine fellowship training at University of California San Diego. He went on to work with the Sharp HealthCare system in the San Diego area as the Inpatient Medical Director of Palliative Care at one of their campuses. He joined as faculty at UT Southwestern in 2020 to continue his passion of training future physicians in effective and compassionate communication skills, particularly in the setting of serious and complicated illnesses, as well as understanding and addressing healthcare disparities present within the larger medical system. He specializes in Internal Medicine and Palliative Care, with additional expertise in symptom management, communication techniques, prognostication, advance care planning, and navigating patients and families through difficult decision making.