Carrie Hanlon, Project Director
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Carrie Hanlon is a project director at NASHP, where she analyzes best practices in health system performance and provides technical assistance to states. She studies state policies designed to improve quality of care, health equity, care coordination, and patient safety, including states’ collection, reporting and use of health care data. Her projects focus on Medicaid, children’s health, racial and ethnic health disparities, and oral health. Prior to joining NASHP in 2007, Carrie was a planning and research associate at the Maine Quality Forum, a division of Maine’s Dirigo Health Agency. There, she helped coordinate statewide quality improvement initiatives. Her previous experience includes work with the Institute for Women’s Policy Research and analyses of policies affecting women’s health. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Elmira College, Carrie holds a master’s degree in public policy from the George Washington University.
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For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
