Dr. Mary S. Applegate, MD, FAAP, FACP
An honors graduate of The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Dr. Mary Applegate is double-boarded in Pediatrics and Internal medicine. After over twenty years of experience in rural private practice Dr. Applegate serves as the Medical Director of Ohio Medicaid. She is responsible for infusing high quality in clinical medicine into the program, driving improvements in health outcomes for Medicaid beneficiaries. Dr. Applegate leads several quality improvement initiatives across multiple agencies and disciplines particularly in the fields of perinatal health, physical and mental health integration, and the appropriate utilization of high risk drugs such as atypical antipsychotics and opiates. She spearheads the perinatal workgroup for the Medicaid Medical Directors Network & Co-chairs the CMS expert panel to improve maternal and infant outcomes. Other interests include home and hospice care, patient empowerment, and health system transformation.
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. 
