Sheri M Kittelson, MD

My name is Sheri Kittelson, and I am the Division Chief for the University of Florida Palliative Care Program in the Department of Medicine. I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Colorado, where I completed my undergraduate, medical school, and palliative care fellowship training. I completed my residency training at the University of Florida. During my training, I served as chief resident and was awarded the “Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Resident Teaching Award for Excellence in Education.” I am board-certified in both family medicine and palliative care through the American Academy of Family Physicians. I am a co-investigator for cancer related research trials through the supportive oncology clinic. Nationally I, along with the UF Palliative Care program have become a recognized center for quality palliative care services and called upon by other hospitals to assist in education, consultation, and expertise in quality data management and patient care models.

My two areas of expertise within palliative care are oncology research focusing on improved communication and system quality implementation and measurement using technology. In response to poor healthcare quality outcomes and rising costs, healthcare reform triple aim has increased requirements for providers to demonstrate value to payers, partners, and the public. Given my interest in quality, statistical analysis, data and technology, I set out on a three year project to create and publish the first ever quality palliative care scorecard. Electronically automating measurement via the electronic health record of the meaningful quality impact of palliative care programs on clinical, operational, and financial systems over time is imperative to the success of the field, and was the goal of the automated scorecard. Ultimately, the results may form the basis of a national palliative care quality registry for governmental reporting and reimbursement. Health care reform is moving toward high value care, and palliative care is positioned as a leader in this effort, improving Value (Value = Quality/Costs). This scorecard has been published in a high impact journal and presented at a national conference.