Lisa Dulsky Watkins, MD
Lisa Dulsky Watkins, MD is the Associate Director of the Vermont Blueprint for Health at the Vermont Department of Health Access. Dr. Dulsky Watkins was in general pediatric practice in Vermont from 1988 to 1997, when she began a career in the public health and health information fields of medicine. She has been a researcher at the Vermont Program for Quality in Health Care, Inc., a medical content reviewer at Problem Knowledge Couplers Corporation, and has been working for the State of Vermont since 2006. As the Operations Chief for the Vermont Blueprint for Health, she manages a multi-million dollar budget with over 30 grants, contracts and Memoranda of Understanding. She serves as a central liaison with Vermont’s health system community (medical providers, hospitals, allied health professionals, key public and private sector stakeholders and community members) as this comprehensive reform program is expanded and implemented throughout the state. She is a frequent guest lecturer at academic, state and national health care reform and policy conferences.
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. 
