AAHPM reached out to the 2024 Emerging Leaders to gain insight into what motivated them to pursue leadership positions and what they find more fulfilling in their experiences. Finly Zachariah, MD FAAFP FAAHPM FAMIA has been recognized as one of the exceptional individuals chosen as a 2024 AAHPM Emerging Leader in Hospice and Palliative Care.
Who has most influenced your work and how have they shaped your contributions?
Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to receive support and guidance from many individuals, but the chief medical officers at City of Hope, a comprehensive cancer center, have had the most profound influence on my work. Initially, Dr. Alexandra Levine and, for the past several years, Dr. Vijay Trisal, have been instrumental in shaping my contributions. Their steadfast dedication to the belief that cancer patient care should be compassionate and person-centered has been transformative. The priority placed on personalized cancer treatment is particularly evident in their support and advocacy for the work of City of Hope’s Department of Supportive Care Medicine. As a palliative care clinician within the supportive care department for the past 11 years, I’ve had the privilege of being mentored by them. Crucially, they also entrusted me with leadership roles and programmatic responsibilities, offering both the freedom and grace necessary to effect change at a national system level. Under their guidance, City of Hope has made significant progress in areas such as advance care planning, goals of care, quality improvement, and informatics. Their mentorship and support have not only fueled my professional growth but have also enabled me to contribute meaningfully to the enhancement of person-centered patient care at City of Hope and beyond.
What is the significance to you of being recognized as a “Emerging Leader” in Hospice and Palliative Medicine?
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. I am grateful to be counted among them and am eagerly looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead. I am particularly excited about the opportunity to utilize technology, including artificial intelligence, to substantively transform the delivery of personalized, compassionate care for patients facing serious illness.
What is your aspiration for the evolution of hospice and Palliative Medicine?
With a decade of experience in fields spanning supportive care medicine, quality, value-based care, and informatics, I have encountered numerous complex situations while caring for patients with serious illnesses. I foresee a promising future for the field of hospice and palliative care. As we strive to deepen our understanding, integrate supportive care medicine into the fabric of healthcare, and advocate for necessary legislative changes, it’s essential for our field to adopt appropriate technologies thoughtfully and strategically. Through this approach, we can scale the impact of limited workforces, reduce administrative burden, and bolster support for patients, their families, clinicians, health systems, and payors, ensuring that care becomes increasingly person-centered throughout the journey of serious illness. This effort becomes especially crucial as patients near the end of life.
Learn more about the AAHPM 2024 Emerging Leaders in Hospice and Palliative Care and view a full list of all current and past Emerging Leaders.