Palliative Medicine Division
Dedicated to care of the patient and family experiencing serious illness.
Palliative Medicine at Hennepin Healthcare
- Program started in 2011
- Provide training to fellows as part of the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program at the University of Minnesota Medical School
Clinical Care
Our clinical activities are centered at Hennepin Healthcare, a Level 1 Trauma Center and safety net hospital serving a diverse patient population. Our team of physicians, nurse practitioners, PAs, and mental health professionals meet people throughout their journey with serious illness and strive to improve their quality of life by understanding and addressing the physical, spiritual, emotional, and psychological factors that contribute to suffering. Our main footprint is in the inpatient setting, but we are working to expand our presence in the outpatient space.
Education and Training
Our providers serve as core faculty for the University of Minnesota Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship, in addition to teaching residents and medical students.
Research
With a small but growing team, our research is limited. We hope to contribute more to quality improvement through our excellent relationships with various hospital divisions and departments.
Palliative Medicine Division Faculty
Currently, our division has 7 physicians, 3 nurse practitioners, one PA, and one social worker/mental health professional.
David Flemig, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School
I have been Division Director at Hennepin Healthcare since June 2022. Like many faculty here, I was bitten by the “Hennepin Bug” as a medical student where I saw the tremendous clinical and educational skills of the providers who worked here and their amazing commitment to serving the patients they cared for. Prior to working at Hennepin, I was fortunate to gain experience working at several other large healthcare systems with sizeable palliative care programs, and am excited to bring the perspectives I have learned here. I am board-certified in hospice and palliative medicine and my clinical interests include improving provider-patient communication, and outpatient palliative medicine.
Education and training
- Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
- Internal Medicine & Pediatrics Residency, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
- MD, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN
- BS, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN
Anna Cox, MD
Dr. Cox is board-certified in Internal Medicine and board-eligible in hospice and palliative medicine. Dr. Cox has a particular interest in clinic in palliative care and loves opportunities to teach.
Education and training
- Chief Resident, Internal Medicine Residency, Hennepin Healthcare, Minneapolis, MN
- Internal Medicine Residency, Hennepin Healthcare, Minneapolis, MN
- MD, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN
- BA, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
Peter Hannon, MD
Education and training
- Fellow, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
- Fellow, Vascular Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
- Chief Resident, Neurology Residency, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
- Neurology Residency, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
- MD, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- BFA, Rice University, Houston, TX
- BA, Rice University, Houston, TX
Kurt Hessen, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School
I have been practicing Palliative Medicine at Hennepin Healthcare since September 2022. I became interested in practicing at Hennepin after spending three months here during my fellowship training. The most important factors that led me to Hennepin were the focus on underserved populations and the emphasis on education.
Prior to completing my Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship, I worked locally as a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician for 11 years. I transitioned to a career in Palliative Medicine to have a deeper and more longitudinal relationship with my patients. I have a particular interest in the integration of Palliative Medicine principles into the Emergency Department workflow and the significant impact it can have on patient care.
Education and training
- Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- Emergency Medicine Residency, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
- MD, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- BS, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI
Select Publications
Hessen K. The Disability Paradox and its Effect on Goals of Care Discussions in Patients with Severe Neurologic Deficits: A Case Report Involving a Patient with Locked-In Syndrome. Poster Presentation, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine Annual Conference 2022.
Teaching Activities
- Palliative Medicine Physician Lead on Emergency Medicine resident communication curriculum.
- Facilitator for 4th-year medical student communication techniques introduction during critical care rotation.
Thomas Klemond, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School
Site Director and Core Faculty Member, Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School
Vice President of Medical Affairs, President of the Medical Staff, Hennepin Healthcare
Dr. Klemond is a specialist in Palliative Medicine and Hospital Medicine; he provides guidance and support in the management of symptoms and suffering associated with serious illnesses.
Education and training
- Geriatric Medicine Fellowship, Hennepin Healthcare, Minneapolis, MN
- Palliative Medicine Fellowship, Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, WI
- Chief Resident, Gundersen Health System, La Crosse, WI
- Internal Medicine Residency, Gundersen Health System, La Crosse, WI
- MD, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN
- BS, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Samuel Maiser, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School
Associate Program Director, Adult Neurology Residency Training Program, Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota Medical School
Physician, Palliative Medicine Division, Department of Medicine and Neurology Department, Hennepin Healthcare
Neurology Department, Hennepin Healthcare
Director of Research, Hennepin Healthcare ALS Center of Excellence
Medical Director, ALS Center of Excellence, Department of Neurology, Hennepin Healthcare
Dr. Maiser is board-certified in neurology, clinical neurophysiology, hospice, and palliative medicine. He cares for patients with neurologic conditions in the clinic as well as patients with serious illnesses while hospitalized. He has a special interest in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and clinical research, as well as extensive experience in training resident and fellow physicians and medical students.
Education and training
- Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
- Family Medicine and Community Health Fellowship, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN
- Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN
- Chief Resident, Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN
- Neurology Internship and Residency, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN
- MD, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN
- BA, Hamline University, St. Paul, MN
Anne Pereira, MD, MPH, FACP
Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School
I have provided care for patients at Hennepin Healthcare since 2003 when I returned here after having completed my residency training in the 1990s. In addition to my clinical responsibilities (first in General Internal Medicine, and then since 2021, in Palliative Medicine), I have had a variety of leadership roles including Internal Medicine Residency Program Director, Vice Chair for Education, Co-Division Director of Palliative and Geriatric Medicine, Interim Vice-Chair of Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, Interim Chair, Department of Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, and Interim Scott F. Davies Endowed Chair, Hennepin Healthcare.
I have made Hennepin my professional home for most of my career because of the patients we serve and my colleagues for whom I have deep respect.
Education and training
- Palliative Medicine Fellowship, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- Academic General Internal Medicine Fellowship, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA
- Internal Medicine Residency and Chief Residency, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN
- MD, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
- MPH, Harvard School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA
- BA, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
Select Publications
- Warm EJ, Kinnear B, Pereira A, Hirsh DA. The Residency Match: Escaping the Prisoner’s Dilemma. Journal of Graduate Medical Education 2021;13(5):616-625.
- Ferris AH, Pereira AG, Angus SV, Kopelman RI. Compliance with CDIM-APDIM Guidelines for Department of Medicine Letters: An Opportunity to Improve Communication Across the Continuum. Journal of General Internal 2021, online ahead of print.
- Chretien KC, Raj JM, Abraham RA, Aronowitz A, Astiz DJ, Chheda SG, Esquivel EL, Garcia MM, Ismail N, Lane S, McLaughlin SE, Pereira A, Shaheen AW, Spencer AL, Tartaglia KM, Willett LL. AAIM recommendations for the 2020-2021 internal medicine residency application cycle in response to the COVID-19 American Journal of Medicine. 2020, online ahead of print.
- Coetzee D, Pereira A, Scheurer JM, Olson AP. Medical student workshop improves student confidence in working with trained medical J Med Educ Curric Dev. 2020;7:1-5.
- Garber AM, Kwan BK, Williams C, Angus SV, Vu TR, Hollon M, Muntz M, Weissman A, Pereira A. Use of filters for residency application review: Results from the Internal Medicine In-Training Exam Program Director Survey. Journal of Graduate Medical Education. 2019;11(6):704-707.
- Williams C, Kwan B, Pereira A, Moody E, Angus S, El-Bayoumi J. A Call to Improve Conditions for Conducting Holistic Review in Graduate Medical Education Recruitment. MedEdPublish (in press).
- Angus S, Williams C, Kwan B, Vu R, Harris R, Muntz M, Pereira A. Drivers of Application Inflation: A National Survey of Internal Medicine Residents. American Journal of Medicine. 2018;131(4):447-452.
- Pereira AG, Woods M, Olson AP, van den Hoogenhof S, Duffy BL, Englander R. Criterion Based Assessment in a Norm-Based World: How Can We Move Past Grades? Academic Medicine. 2018;93(4):560-564.
- Pereira AG, Kim M, Seywerd M, Nesbitt B, Pitt M. Collaborating for Competency – A Model for Single Electronic Health Record Onboarding for Medical Students Rotating among Separate Health Applied Clinical Informatics. 2018;9(1):199-204.
- Fazio SB, Ledford CH, Aronowitz PA, Chheda SG, Choe JH, Call SA, Gitlin SD, Muntz M, Nixon J, Pereira AG, Ragsdale JW, Stewart EA, Hauer KE. Competency-Based Medical Education in the Internal Medicine Clerkship: A Report from the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine Undergraduate Medical Education Task Academic Medicine. 2018;93(39):421-427.
- Elnicki DM, Aiyer MK, Cannarozzi ML, Carbo A, Chelminski PR, Chheda SG, Chudgar SM, Harrell HE, Hood LC, Horn M, Johl K, Kane GC, McNeill DB, Muntz MD, Pereira AG, Stewart E, Tarantino H, Vu R. An Entrustable Professional Activity (EPA)-Based Framework to Prepare Fourth- Year Medical Students for Internal Medicine Careers. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2017;32(11):1255-1260.
- Warm EJ, Englander R, Pereira AG, Barach Improving learner handovers in medical education. Academic Medicine. 2017;92(7):927-931.
Teaching Activities
- Teaching fellows, residents, and students on the palliative care service
- Career in education and educational leadership roles including Assistant Dean for Curriculum at the University of Minnesota Medical School (2014-2020) and Internal Medicine Residency Program Director, Hennepin Healthcare, 2005-2014
Koleena Harrison, APRN, CNP
James Orton, PA-C
