Research Summary

Dr. Kara Bischoff is the Associate Division Chief for Outpatient Palliative Care and the Medical Director of UCSF's Outpatient Palliative Care Service. She provides palliative care to people with a range of serious illnesses, including neurologic diseases, chronic lung diseases, and cancer. She sees patients in clinic and by video. In recent years Dr. Bischoff has developed particular expertise in palliative care for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). She conducts research in this area and leads a national Palliative Care for ALS Working Group. She has been recognized nationally as an Emerging Leader in Palliative Medicine.

Dr. Bischoff is seeking to ensure that people of all demographic groups have equal access to palliative care, and that the palliative care provided at UCSF is inclusive for diverse populations. She runs a program called Care Plus that systematically and equitably identifies palliative care needs in populations of patients and routes people to appropriate services based on the needs that are identified.

She also teaches medical students, residents, and fellows.

Dr. Bischoff received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School, followed by a residency and chief residency at UCSF in Internal Medicine, and a fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, also at UCSF. She is an active member of The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and the International Neuropalliative Care Society. She is a mother, an outdoor enthusiast, and a Bay Area native.

Education

2018 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, University of California
Chief Residency, 2014 - , University of California, San Francisco
Fellowship, 2014 - , University of California, San Francisco
Residency, 2012 - , University of California, San Francisco
Internship, 2010 - , University of California, San Francisco
MD, 2009 - , Harvard Medical School
BA, 2004 - , Stanford University

Honors & Awards

  • Quality of Care Research Award: Palliative Care for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), ALS Association, 2024
  • Emerging Leader in Palliative Medicine, American Academy of Hospice & Palliative Medicine, 2024
  • Highest Rated Improvement Initiative for Embedded Palliative Care in ALS, UCSF Health Improvement Symposium, 2021
  • Abstract Achievement Award, American Society of Hematology, 2020
  • Top Doctors Award for Recognition of Excellence, Marin Magazine, 2019
  • Outstanding Achievement of Reducing Unnecessary Utilization, UCSF Value Improvement, 2019
  • Best Commitment to Patient Satisfaction, UCSF Value Improvement, 2018
  • Outstanding Resident Teaching Award, UCSF, 2017
  • Grant Awardee, Stupski Foundation, 2016
  • Case Presentation Poster Award, AAHPM, 2014
  • Quality Week Celebration Award, UCSF, 2014
  • Paper of the Month, Cicely Saunders Institute, 2013
  • Chief Residency, UCSF, 2012-2013
  • Quality and Safety Innovation Challenge Award, UCSF, 2012
  • Distinguished Professor of Geriatrics Award, Society of General Internal Medicine, 2011
  • Thayer Award, Harvard Medical School, 2009
  • First Place Clinical Science Oral Presentation, AMA Student Research Forum, 2008
  • Firestone Award for Excellence in Research, Stanford University, 2004

Selected Publications

  1. Mehta AK, Kojimoto G, O'Riordan DL, Leavell YL, Maiser S, Grouls A, Smith AK, Pantilat SZ, Kluger BM, Bischoff KE Patients' and Caregivers' Perceptions of Specialty Palliative Care for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Multicenter Evaluation.  View on PubMed
  2. Bischoff KE, Kojimoto G, O'Riordan DL, Leavell YL, Maiser S, Grouls A, Smith AK, Pantilat SZ, Kluger BM, Mehta AK Strengths and Opportunities: Clinicians' Perspectives on Palliative Care for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in the United States.  View on PubMed
  3. Melo V, Vanegas G, O'Riordan DL, Kuruvilla P, Pantilat SZ, Rabow M, Chen LM, Bischoff KE A population health approach to assessing for and addressing palliative care needs in outpatients with advanced gynecologic malignancies.  View on PubMed
  4. Rennels CF, Rosow L, Pantilat S, Bell BK, Lomen-Hoerth C, Cohen E, Bischoff KE. Characteristics and Motivations of People With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Who Pursue Medical Aid in Dying in California. Neurol Clin Pract. 2025 Jun; 15(3):e200478.  View on PubMed
  5. Suen AO, Bischoff K, Iyer AS, Radhakrishnan K, Fenton C, Singer JP, Sudore RL, Kotwal A, Farrand E. Differences in Health Care and Palliative Care Use at the End of Life: A Comparison Study Among Lung Cancer, COPD, and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Chest. 2024 Dec; 166(6):1487-1496.  View on PubMed
  6. Bischoff KE, Liera D, Tang J, Madugala N, Cohen E, Galea MD, Lindenberger E, Pantilat SZ, Lomen-Hoerth C. Development and Piloting of a Bereaved Care Partner Survey to Inform Quality Improvement in ALS Supportive Care. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2024 Nov; 68(5):467-476.e2.  View on PubMed
  7. Bischoff KE, Patel K, Boscardin WJ, O'Riordan DL, Pantilat SZ, Smith AK. Prognoses Associated With Palliative Performance Scale Scores in Modern Palliative Care Practice. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 07 01; 7(7):e2420472.  View on PubMed
  8. Calton BA, Nouri S, Davila C, Kotwal A, Zapata C, Bischoff KE. Strategies to Make Telemedicine a Friend, Not a Foe, in the Provision of Accessible and Equitable Cancer Care. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Oct 24; 15(21).  View on PubMed
  9. Tsang M, Bischoff K, Schoenbeck KL, Berry K, O'Riordan D, Fakhri B, Wong SW, Shah N, Olin R, Andreadis C, Vieaux J, Cohen E, Lopez NS, Mannis GN, Rabow M. Value of embedded palliative care: outpatient palliative care and health care utilization for patients with hematologic malignancies. Blood Adv. 2023 07 11; 7(13):3146-3149.  View on PubMed
  10. Bischoff KE, Vanegas G, O'Riordan DL, Sumser B, Long J, Lin J, Berkey AR, Kobayashi E, Zapata C, Rabow MW, Pantilat SZ. A Systematic Approach to Assessing and Addressing Palliative Care Needs in an Outpatient Population. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2023 09; 66(3):270-280.e8.  View on PubMed
  11. Digitale JC, Nouri SS, Cohen EL, Calton BA, Rabow MW, Pantilat SZ, Bischoff KE. Differential Use of Outpatient Palliative Care by Demographic and Clinical Characteristics. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2023 08; 66(2):e163-e176.  View on PubMed
  12. Leiter RE, Bischoff KE, Carey EC, Gelfand SL, Iyer AS, Jain N, Kramer NM, Lally K, Landzberg MJ, Lever N, Newport K, O'Donnell A, Patel A, Sciacca KR, Snaman JM, Tulsky JA, Rosa WE, Lakin JR. Top Ten Tips Palliative Care Clinicians Should Know About Delivering Specialty-Aligned Palliative Care. J Palliat Med. 2023 10; 26(10):1401-1407.  View on PubMed
  13. Zapata CB, Dionne-Odom JN, Harris HA, Kalanithi L, Lin J, Bischoff K, Fazzalaro K, Pantilat SZ. Honoring What We Say We Do: Developing Real-World Tools for Routine Family Caregiver Assessment and Support in Outpatient Palliative Care. J Palliat Med. 2023 03; 26(3):376-384.  View on PubMed
  14. Rohlfing AB, Bischoff KE, Kolaitis NA, Kronmal RA, Kime NA, Gray MP, Bartolome S, Chakinala MM, Frantz RP, Ventetuolo CE, Mathai SC, De Marco T, PHAR investigators. Palliative care referrals in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension: The Pulmonary Hypertension Association Registry. Respir Med. 2023 01; 206:107066.  View on PubMed
  15. Bischoff KE, Lin J, Cohen E, O'Riordan DL, Meister S, Zapata C, Sicotte J, Lindenfeld P, Calton B, Pantilat SZ. Outpatient Palliative Care for Noncancer Illnesses: One Program's Experience with Implementation, Impact, and Lessons Learned. J Palliat Med. 2022 Oct; 25(10):1468-1475.  View on PubMed
  16. Bischoff KE, Lin J, Cohen E, O’Riordan D, Meister S, Zapata C, Lindenfeld P, Calton B, Pantilat SZ. . Outpatient Palliative Care for Non-Cancer Illnesses: One Program’s Experience with Implementation, Impact & Lessons Learned. Journal of Palliative Medicine. 2022.  View on PubMed
  17. Fahrner-Scott K, Zapata C, O'Riordan DL, Cohen E, Rosow L, Pantilat SZ, Lomen-Hoerth C, Bischoff KE. Embedded Palliative Care for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Pilot Program and Lessons Learned. Neurol Clin Pract. 2022 Feb; 12(1):68-75.  View on PubMed
  18. Deng LX, Bischoff KE, Kent DS, O'Riordan DL, Pantilat SZ, Lai JC. Frailty is strongly associated with self-reported symptom burden among patients with cirrhosis. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021 12 01; 33(1S Suppl 1):e395-e400.  View on PubMed
  19. Deng LX, Kent DS, O'Riordan DL, Pantilat SZ, Lai JC, Bischoff KE. Symptom Burden Is Associated with Increased Emergency Department Utilization among Patients with Cirrhosis. J Palliat Med. 2022 02; 25(2):213-218.  View on PubMed
  20. Fahrner-Scott K, Zapata C, O’Riordan DL, Cohen E, Rosow L, Pantilat SZ, Lomen-Hoerth C, Bischoff KE. . Embedded Palliative Care for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Pilot Program and Lessons Learned. Neurology Clinical Practice. 2021.  View on PubMed

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