Jenney Samuelson
Jenney Samuelson is an assistant director with the Blueprint for Health at the Department of Vermont Health Access. Acting as an “agent of change”, the Blueprint is leading a transition from an environment where healthcare tends to be reactive, fragmented, and poorly coordinated, to a new environment where all Vermonters have access to a continuum of seamless, effective, and preventive health services. Ms. Samuelson oversees the Blueprint Expansion and Quality Improvement Program (EQuIP) which consists of a team of highly trained Practice Facilitators that assist over one-hundred adult, family, and pediatric primary care practices implement continuous quality improvement. In addition Ms. Samuelson oversees the community-based self-management programs. Ms. Samuelson earned a masters of science in community health education from Southern Illinois University and is a master certified health education specialist.
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. 
