Palliatively Speaking Ep 8 - The Winding Road to Practice Change

Guest: Rachelle Bernacki

Guest’s guest: Stephanie Harman

Summary: In this engaging podcast episode, Dr. Toby Campbell interviews Dr. Rachelle Bernacki, a palliative care physician and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, alongside guest Dr. Stephanie Harman. Dr. Bernacki shares her journey into palliative care and geriatrics, mentorship, and systemic change. She reflects on the development and scaling of the Serious Illness Conversation Guide, a tool now used globally, despite initial rejections and challenges in publishing the foundational research.

The interview shifts to a discussion about Dr. Bernacki’s transition to geriatric surgery and her collaboration with Dr. Zara Cooper to improve care for older surgical patients. This 16-million-dollar grant from the West Health Foundation focuses on practical changes like reducing harmful medications and preventing delirium among surgical patients. Dr. Bernacki emphasized the importance of persistence and curiosity to learn about a new clinical area and drive meaningful change.

Dr. Harman adds deeper insights into Dr. Bernacki’s leadership and their shared commitment to fostering supportive spaces in medicine. The episode closes with the ongoing national and global impact of Dr. Bernacki’s work, from New Zealand’s nationwide adoption of the Serious Illness Care Program to her current efforts in transforming hospital care for older adults.