As the keynote speaker of NSSC’s 2026 Annual Meeting, Dr. Martha Twaddle, Medical Director for Palliative Medicine & Supportive Care at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital and Chief Resident at the Feinberg School of Medicine, warmed the cold morning with humor, connection, and sharing expertise on her field — palliative medicine.
After reviewing the standard definitions of types of care and sharing an overview of our current healthcare system, Dr. Twaddle walked through the main tenants of palliative care. Tailored specifically to people diagnosed with a serious illness, which is a condition that carries a high risk of mortality and either negatively affects a person’s life or excessively strains their caregiver, palliative medicine specializes in holistic medical care.
Dr. Twaddle described how an interdisciplinary care team works together to achieve the goals of the patient and their caregiver. She asks the important question, “What do I need to know to take the best possible care of you?”
Later in the presentation, she shared the best ways to prepare for the later stages of life, such as establishing advanced directives like health care powers of attorney, a living will, and practitioner orders for life-sustaining treatment. She emphasized this communication provides peace of mind for everyone, from the patient to their loved ones and the medical professionals providing care.
To access a Dr.Twaddle’s presentation slides, click here.
To learn more about her work or about palliative care, visit Northwestern Medicine’s website.
