U.S. Palliative Care Leaders Gather for Global Palliative Care Workshop

The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) hosted its annual summit in Chicago, IL on April 27-29, 2026. Prior to attending the summit, 24 U.S. hospice and palliative care leaders gathered for a global palliative care workshop, co-hosted by Global Partners in Care (GPIC) and the Eck Institute for Global Health at the University of Notre Dame.  

Participants gathered from 15 states across the United States and many different organizations. They represented a variety of backgrounds, including physicians, nurses, and administrators. For many, this was their first engagement with global palliative care.  

Two faculty members from the University of Notre Dame, Professors Marie Donahue and Paul Perrin, co-facilitated the workshop. Professor Donahue taught on foundational principles of global health and global partnerships, encouraging attendees to think about how they can engage in the global palliative care community in ways that will support care in their communities and abroad. Professor Perrin led participants through a guided activity on global partnership development based on the principles of intentionality, mutuality, and humility. After reflecting on these principles, participants explored how to apply them through their own organizations. 

During their midday break, workshop attendees engaged with University of Notre Dame students who have worked with GPIC through our internship program. Students shared their experiences of learning and engaging with GPIC’s partners and how this impacted both their academic and professional trajectories.  

After the workshop sessions, participants joined the larger University of Notre Dame community for a panel discussion titled “Reducing the Final Inequity: Improving Access to Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care for All.” Professor Richard Harding, Executive Dean and Professor of Palliative Care, King’s College London,presented on challenges in advancing palliative care globally and what engagement opportunities exist for academic institutions. Dr. Mark Stoltenberg, Physician and Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, presented on his experiences in partnership development in Latin America and Africa and how building relationships has led to collaborative initiatives that have evolved with partner needs. Dr. Jim Cleary, Physician and Board Chair, Worldwide Hospice and Palliative Care Alliance, presented his personal reflections on the impact of palliative care and how he has engaged in collaborative partnerships to reduce inequities in access to opioids. 

At the end of the workshop, participants left with foundational knowledge of global palliative care and tools to build and engage in collaborative partnerships. Building on these concepts, they left with ideas on how to apply these in their own communities and organizations to improve access and quality of care.