Leadership and Staff
Diane E. Meier, MD, FACP, FAAHPM
Dr. Diane E. Meier, FACP, FAAHPM, is director of the Center to Advance Palliative Care, a national organization devoted to increasing access to quality palliative care in the United States for people living with a serious illness and their families. Under her leadership the number of palliative care programs in U.S. hospitals has more than tripled in the last ten years. She is codirector of the Patty and Jay Baker National Palliative Care Center; professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine and Catherine Gaisman Professor of Medical Ethics; and was the founder and, from 1997 to 2011, director of the Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute, all at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
Dr. Meier was named one of “20 People Who Make Healthcare Better in the United States” by HealthLeaders Media in 2010, and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 2013. In 2017 she received both the Gustav O. Lienhard Award of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Hospital Association’s HRET TRUST Award. In September 2008 she was awarded a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. Dr. Meier served as a Health and Aging Policy Fellow in Washington, DC, in 2009–10, working on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) and at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Dr. Meier has published more than two hundred works in peer-reviewed medical literature. Her most recent book, Meeting the Needs of Older Adults with Serious Illness: Challenges and Opportunities in the Age of Health Reform, was published by Humana in 2014.
Books:
- Kelley AS, Meier DE, (eds.). Meeting the Needs of Older Adults with Serious Illness: Challenges and Opportunities in the Age of Health Care Reform. Humana Press: 2014. ISBN 9781493904068
- Hughes RG, Isaacs SL, Meier DE, (eds). Palliative Care: Transforming the Care of Serious Illness. Wiley/Jossey-Bass: March 2010. ISBN 9780470527177
- Cassel CK, Leipzig RM, Cohen HJ, Larson EB, Meier DE, (eds). Geriatric Medicine. 4th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. ISBN 0387955143
- Cassel CK, Leipzig RM, Cohen HJ, Larson EB, Meier DE, eds. Geriatric Medicine: An Evidence-Based Approach. 4th ed. New York: Springer-Verlag, 2003. ISBN 0387955143
- Morrison RS, Meier DE (eds). Geriatric Palliative Care. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. ISBN 0195141911
Selected Publications:
- Meier DE, Lim B, Carlson MD. Raising the standard: palliative care in nursing homes. Health Affairs (Millwood) 2010 Jan-Feb;29(1):136-40. PMID 20048372
- Adler ED, Goldfinger JZ, Kalman J, Park ME, Meier DE. Palliative care in the treatment of advanced heart failure. Circulation 2009 Dec 22;120(25):2597-606. Review. PMID 20026792
- Weissman DE, Meier DE. Operational features for hospital palliative care programs: consensus recommendations. Journal of Palliative Medicine 2008 Nov;11(9):1189-94. PMID 19021479
- Morrison RS, Meier DE, Fischberg D, Moore C, Degenholtz H, Litke A, Maroney-Galin C, Siu AL. Improving the management of pain in hospitalized adults. Archives of Internal Medicine 2006;166:1033-1039.
- Meier DE. Palliative care as a quality improvement strategy for advanced, chronic illness. Journal of Healthcare Quality 2005;27: 33-39.
- Meier, DE; Morrison, RS. Palliative Care. New England Journal of Medicine 2004 (June)
- Meier DE; Thar W; Jordan A; Goldhirsch SL; Siu A; Morrison RS. Integrating case management and palliative care. Journal of Palliative Medicine 2004; Feb. 7(1):119-134
- Meier DE, Morrison RS. Autonomy reconsidered. New England Journal of Medicine 2002 Apr 4;346(14):1087-1089
- Meier DE, Back AL, Morrison RS. The inner life of physicians and care of the seriously ill. JAMA 2001 Dec 19;286(23):3007-3014
- Morrison R, Siu A, Leipzig R, Cassel C, Meier D. The hard task of improving the quality of care at the end of life. Archives of Internal Medicine 2000 Mar 27;160(6):743-7
Selected Original Peer-Reviewed Reports:
- Cassel JB, Spragens L, Bowman B, Rogers M, Meier DE. Palliative Care Leadership Centers are key to the diffusion of palliative care innovation. Health Affairs 2018;37:231-9.
- Meier DE, Back AL, Berman A, Block SD, Corrigan JM, Morrison RS. A national strategy for palliative care. Health Affairs 2017;36(7):1265-73.
- Spetz J, Dudley N, Trupin L, Rogers M, Meier DE, Dumanovsky T. Few hospital palliative care teams meet national staffing recommendations. Health Affairs 2016;35:1690-7.
- Meier DE. Measuring quality of care for the sickest patients. NEJM Catalyst February 2016 - http://catalyst.nejm.org/measuring-quality-of-care-for-the-sickest-patients/
- Dumanovsky T, Rogers M, Spragens LH, Morrison RS, Meier DE. Impact of staffing on access to palliative care in U.S. hospitals. Journal of Palliative Medicine 2015;18:998-9.
- Peter May, Melissa M Garrido, J Brian Cassel, Amy Kelley, Diane E. Meier, Charles Normand, Thomas J Smith, Lee Stefanis, and R. Sean Morrison. Prospective cohort study of hospital palliative care teams for inpatients with advanced cancer: earlier consultation is associated with larger cost-saving effect. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2015;33:1-10.
- Meier DE. Focusing together on the needs of the sickest 5%, who drive half of all healthcare spending. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2014;62:1970-72.
- Meier DE. ‘I don’t want Jenny to think I’m abandoning her’: views on overtreatment. Health Affairs 2014;33(8):1492
- Tamura MK, Meier DE. Five policies to promote palliative care for patients with end stage renal disease. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 2013, June 6.
- Unroe K, Meier DE. Quality of hospice care for individuals with dementia. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2013; 61:1212-14.
- Smith TJ, Temin S, Alesi ER, Abernethy AP, Balboni TA, Basch EM, Ferrell BR, Loscalzo M, Meier DE et al. American Society of Clinical Oncology provisional clinical opinion: the integration of palliative care into standard oncology care. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2012;30:880-7.
- Morrison RS, Augustin R, Souvanna P, Meier DE. America’s care of serious illness: a state-by-state report card on access to palliative care in our nation’s hospitals. Journal of Palliative Medicine 2011; 14:1094-6.
- Meier DE. Increased access to palliative care and hospice: Opportunities to improve value in healthcare. Millbank Quarterly 2011;89:343-380.
- Morrison RS, Dietrich J, Ladwig S, Quill T, Sacco J, Tangeman J, Meier DE. Palliative care consultation teams reduce hospital costs for Medicaid beneficiaries. Health Affairs 2011;30:454-463.
- Carlson MD, Lim B, Meier DE. Strategies and innovations for delivering palliative care in nursing homes. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 2011;12:91-98.
- Kelley A, Meier DE. Palliative care: A shifting paradigm. New England Journal of Medicine 2010;363:781-2.
- Meier DE, Lim B, Carlson, MD. Raising the standard: Palliative care in nursing homes. Health Affairs 2010;29:136-40.
Upcoming Events
From the Blog
Measurement and Quality
Diane Meier on CAPC Past, Present, and Future
Clinical Care
Balancing Pain Treatment with Risks of Comorbid Substance Use Disorder for Patients with Serious Illness
Clinical Care
An Interview with Dr. Edward Machtinger: Lessons of Trauma-Informed Care
Courses
An In-Depth Look At Palliative Care And Its Services
Defining palliative care, which patients need it, how it is delivered, and how palliative care diff…
Course 1: Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Conducting a comprehensive pain assessment to guide safe and effective treatment.
Course 2: Matching the Drug Class to the Pain
Selecting a safe and appropriate analgesic for patients with serious illness based on the pain asse…
Course 3: Patient Factors that Influence Prescribing Decisions
Patient and family factors that influence prescribing decisions for patients with serious illness.
Course 4: Assessing Risk for Opioid Substance Use Disorder
Integrating routine risk assessment for substance use disorder when considering or using opioid the…
Course 5: Opioid Trials: Determining Design, Efficacy, and Safety
Designing a safe and effective opioid trial for the patient with serious illness.
Course 6: Prescribing An Opioid
Safe and appropriate opioid prescribing for the opioid-naive patient with serious illness.
Course 7: Prescribing Short-Acting Opioids: Four Case Studies
Four indications for using short-acting opioids.
Course 8: Monitoring for Opioid Efficacy, Side Effects, and Substance Use Disorder
Ongoing evaluation of opioid benefits, risks, and side effects for the patient with serious illness.
Course 9: Converting from Short-Acting to Long-Acting Opioids
Guidance on safe conversion to long-acting opioids for patients with serious illness.
Course 10: Prescribing Practice and Opioid Conversions
Prescribing practice for long half-life opioids, converting from one opioid to another, and account…
Course 11: Advanced Conversions and Opioid Side Effects
Changing the route of opioid delivery, rotating opioids, advanced opioid conversions, and tapering …
Course 12: Special Populations And Patient-Controlled Analgesia
Safe opioid prescribing in older adults, cognitively impaired patients, children, and the imminentl…
Course 13: Managing Pain in Patients At Risk for Substance Use Disorder
Pain management for patients with serious illness and high risk for substance use disorder, includi…
Course 14: Pain Management: Putting it All Together
Safe opioid prescribing for patients with serious illness, using the Federation of State Medical Bo…
Nausea and Vomiting
Identifying and managing nausea and vomiting for patients living with serious illness and their car…
Dyspnea
Reducing physical and emotional suffering from dyspnea for patients with serious illness.
Constipation
Assessing and managing constipation in people with serious illness.
Anxiety
Prevalence, screening recommendations, and evidence-based strategies to treat anxiety in patients w…
Depression
Prevalence, screening recommendations, and evidence-based strategies to treat depression in patient…
Discussing Prognosis
How to discuss patient prognosis in a manner that is sensitive, clear, and supportive.
Clarifying Goals of Care
Strategies for eliciting patient goals and preferences to inform treatment decisions.
Advance Care Planning Conversations
How to initiate and conduct conversations about advance care planning.
Discussing Your Patient’s Dementia Diagnosis
Disclosing a dementia diagnosis to patients and caregivers in a way that is sensitive, clear, and s…
Communicating About What to Expect as Dementia Progresses
Helping patients and caregivers understand challenges they may face as dementia worsens.
Planning for the Future with People Living with Dementia and Their Caregivers
Enabling patients and caregivers to plan ahead for the financial, legal, and other impacts of demen…
Supporting the Caregivers of People Living with Dementia
Assessing for caregiver burden and connecting caregivers to needed support systems.
Understanding and Responding to Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia
Strategies for understanding and addressing the sources of behavioral symptoms for people living wi…
Mood and Sleep Disturbances in People Living with Dementia
Addressing common sources of suffering for people living with dementia.
Critical Decisions in Advanced Dementia
Addressing common sources of suffering for people living with advanced dementia.
Dementia: Relieving Suffering for Patients and Families
Identifying and addressing the sources of suffering for patients and families living with dementia.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Assessing and addressing sources of suffering for people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary …
Heart Failure
Interventions to reduce suffering along the disease trajectory for people living with congestive he…
Communicating with Treating Clinicians: How Medical Directors Can Support Best Care for the Seriously Ill
Guidance for collaborating with treating providers to ensure that members who would benefit receive…
Care Management for Seriously Ill Patients: Addressing Gaps in Care
Communication and assessment techniques for case managers to elicit goals of care and address suffe…
A Palliative Approach to Care for Direct Care Workers
The role of the direct care worker in observing and reporting suffering in patients with serious il…
Supporting the Family Caregiver: The Burden of Serious Illness
Assessing and supporting caregivers of people with serious illness.
Care Coordination
Guidance for all clinicians on improving communication and ensuring smooth transitions of care for …
Needs Assessment for the Hospital Palliative Care Program
Evaluating patient need, service requirements, and stakeholder priorities for the inpatient program.
Hospital Palliative Care Program Design
Incorporating needs assessment and stakeholder priorities into design of a high-quality inpatient p…
Building the Business Plan for Your Hospital Program
Building a budget and a business plan for the inpatient program. Includes business planning tools.
Introduction to Palliative Care in the Community
Defining community-based palliative care: which patients need it, how it is delivered, and how it d…
Needs Assessment: Ensuring Successful Community-Based Palliative Care
Evaluating patient need, service requirements, care settings, and stakeholder priorities for the co…
Office-Based Palliative Care Program Design
Designing and implementing an office-based palliative care program, including clinical model and op…
Program Design for Palliative Care Delivered in the Home
Translating needs assessment into service design for the community-based palliative care program.
Building the Business Plan for Community-Based Palliative Care
Building a budget and a business plan for the community-based program. Includes business planning t…
Improving Team Performance
Strategic planning for new or veteran programs, and a framework for identification of barriers to t…
Consult Etiquette: Communicating with Referring Providers
Guidance for palliative care teams to build collaborative relationships with referrers.
Toolkits
This toolkit includes crisis communication and symptom management protocols for all clinicians, and guidance to help palliative care teams address high levels of volume and stress during a crisis. Includes 92 resources
Tools to make the case for palliative care resources and financial partnerships, including: the palliative care evidence base, and downloadable tools for presenting the case. Includes 28 resources
Toolkit for building a business plan and budget, forming financial partnerships, and operating the program efficiently. Includes 47 resources
Strategic planning for program growth, including making the case, demonstrating value, and strengthening relationships with partners. Includes 24 resources
Hire and onboard your staff, manage program operations, and ensure a healthy high-functioning team using this toolkit. Includes 66 resources
Toolkit with billing and coding best practices for palliative care services delivered in the hospital or the community. Includes 61 resources
Use this toolkit to select program measures that demonstrate value to stakeholders and support quality care delivery. Overcome common measurement obstacles and synthesize program data. Includes 16 resources
Toolkit to support strategic planning, team leadership, and professional development for the palliative care leader. Includes 24 resources
Addressing the physical, psychological, and social impacts of serious illness, as well as the functioning of a healthy interdisciplinary team. Includes 48 resources
Guidance on program design and program operations for the pediatric palliative care program. Includes 75 resources
Improving operations and training clinical staff to identify, stratify, and meet the needs of patients living with serious illness at the population level. Includes 20 resources
Toolkit for finding the right patients at the right time to address gaps in care. Includes 49 resources
Improving productivity and efficiency to ensure team health and operating within budget. Includes 22 resources
Tools to develop financial partnerships including: making the case, contracting considerations, and how to use legal and financial advisers. Includes 32 resources
Integrating palliative care practices in the ICU through training and collaboration. Includes 36 resources
Integrating palliative care practices in the Emergency Department (ED) through training and collaboration. Includes 31 resources
Information for clinicians from all disciplines about specialty certification, and for teams about program certification. Includes 11 resources
Tools to design and implement a training initiative for care teams from all specialties, to improve quality of life for patients and families living with serious illness. Includes 21 resources
Training clinicians to support people with dementia and their caregivers, and guidance for quality improvement initiatives. Includes 18 resources
Recommended policy improvements at the federal level. Includes 19 resources
Implementing change at the state level. Includes 27 resources
