image: Finly Zachariah, M.D., FAAFP, FAAHPM, FAMIA, associate chief medical information officer at City of Hope®, was named an Emerging Leader in hospice and palliative care by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM).
Credit: Department of Supportive Care Medicine / City of Hope
LOS ANGELES — Finly Zachariah, M.D., FAAFP, FAAHPM, FAMIA, associate chief medical information officer at City of Hope®, was named an Emerging Leader in hospice and palliative care by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM).
Dr. Zachariah is recognized as a compassionate and highly skilled supportive care medicine physician who provides symptom management, pain control and palliative care for adult and pediatric patients.
AAHPM asked its more than 5,000 members to nominate individuals who are the best and brightest new leaders in the field. Dr. Zachariah is one of these physicians recognized by his peers for innovation in and dedication to the medical specialty of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and AAHPM.
“These individuals are enhancing care for seriously ill patients and their families through innovation, education, mentoring and clinical care,” noted Vicki Jackson, M.D., M.P.H., FAAHPM, president of AAHPM.
Hospice and palliative medicine is the medical specialty that focuses on improving quality of life and relieving pain and other symptoms in seriously ill patients. Palliative care can and should be provided to patients who continue to receive treatments to try to cure or control their disease, regardless of their prognosis. Hospice is a specific type of palliative care for patients whose life expectancy is likely to be six months or less. Hospice and palliative care help patients and families understand their treatment options and make decisions about their care. This type of supportive care medicine provides information on spiritual and psychosocial services, offers support for family and caregivers, and gives grief counseling.
“Being recognized as an Emerging Leader by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine is a deeply meaningful honor that I will always hold close to my heart. It is especially humbling to stand alongside the distinguished recipients of this award from previous cohorts,” Dr. Zachariah said. “As we strive to deepen our understanding, integrate supportive care medicine into the fabric of health care and advocate for necessary legislative changes, it's essential for our field to adopt appropriate technologies thoughtfully and strategically. Technology, such as artificial intelligence, is beginning to substantively transform the delivery of personalized, compassionate care for patients facing serious illness.”
Dr. Zachariah is board certified in family medicine, hospice and palliative medicine, and clinical informatics. After earning his medical degree from Chicago Medical School, he completed a family medicine/tropical medicine residency in Whittier, California, at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital, followed by a fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine at Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles. Combining his training in tropical medicine with his humanitarian values, Dr. Zachariah has volunteered significant time to underserved parts of the world to teach palliative care and help patients in Cameroon, Zambia, India and Ethiopia.
He currently serves as an associate chief medical information officer at City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, and supports his colleagues in the adoption of clinical technologies, refining the electronic health record system to improve care delivery. His programmatic and academic foci includes tailoring patient care to individual values and goals, advance care planning, and leveraging technology to enhance the coordination and delivery of patient-centered medical care in serious illness.
Outside of work, he has been married to his wife, a hematology nurse practitioner, for 16 years. Together, they have four children ages 2 to 10. He enjoys spending time with family and tinkering around the house — from construction projects to home automation.
More information on this award, including the list of the award winners, is on the academy’s website: www.aahpm.org.
About City of Hope
City of Hope's mission is to make hope a reality for all touched by cancer and diabetes. Founded in 1913, City of Hope has grown into one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope research has been the basis for numerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. With an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center at its core, City of Hope brings a uniquely integrated model to patients spanning cancer care, research and development, academics and training, and innovation initiatives. City of Hope’s growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and cancer treatment centers and outpatient facilities in the Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix areas. City of Hope’s affiliated group of organizations includes Translational Genomics Research Institute and AccessHopeTM. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) is the professional organization for physicians specializing in hospice and palliative medicine (HPM), as well as nurses, social workers, and other health and spiritual care practitioners committed to improving quality of life for seriously ill patients and their families. For more than 30 years, AAHPM has been dedicated to expanding access to high quality palliative care, and advancing the discipline of HPM, through professional education and training, development of a specialist workforce, support for clinical practice standards, research and public policy. AAHPM is governed by a 20-member Board of Directors and managed by a full-time staff along with additional support provided by Association Management Center (AMC) based in Chicago, IL.