Decade-long initiative cultivated 108 emerging palliative care leaders and seeded innovation for health care transformation

Cambia Health Foundation today released the results of a comprehensive evaluation of its Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program, demonstrating the significant impact of a 10-year, $25 million investment in developing the next generation of palliative care leaders. The evaluation, conducted by Future Work Design, confirms that the program successfully achieved its goals of identifying, cultivating and advancing emerging leaders who are transforming care for people with serious illness, while generating insights and capturing key learnings.

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Launched in 2014, the Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program supported 108 scholars across diverse professions including physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains and other specialists. Each scholar received dedicated mentorship and a two-year, $180,000 grant to conduct an innovative project in the field of palliative care and execute a leadership development plan designed to support the individual's growth as a national leader in the field.

“I've witnessed how transformative palliative care can be—easing pain, improving quality of life and helping patients and loved ones navigate difficult journeys,” said Peggy Maguire, president of Cambia Health Foundation. “Unfortunately, palliative care as a specialty is under-resourced and misunderstood, which limits access for people and families who could truly benefit from it. We saw an opportunity to change this through purposeful funding, mentorship and collaboration, investing in a community of emerging palliative care leaders who could expand access and ensure that compassionate, whole-person support becomes available to everyone facing serious illness.”

Notable evaluation findings

The program’s goals were measured against more than 175 sources, as well as 18 individual interviews, 5 focus groups and a comprehensive written survey completed by 117 individuals, including program participants and industry experts. Notable findings include:

• Seeding innovation: 91% of participants agreed that the program created a next generation of palliative care leaders that can transform care delivery
• Developing leaders: 85% of scholars reported that the program had significant influence on their achievements
• Improving care: 84% of scholars reported that their project had or will have a significant impact on improving care for people with serious illness

Comprised of 108 diverse leaders and unique projects, standardized outcomes from the program were difficult to collect and compare—yet the evaluation found evidence of systems change through scholar collaboration. Together, scholars converted their insights into broader impact by shaping standards of practice, informing policy and amplifying their work, ultimately improving care for people with serious illness.

Despite these advances, 13 million Americans with serious illness still need access, particularly in lower-income and rural areas. This evaluation offers vital lessons for continued growth; program participants identified critical priorities such as expanding care settings, addressing disparities, advancing research, workforce development and more.

“My hope is that the insights provided in this evaluation will inspire a continued commitment to supporting the next generation who will carry this work forward,” Maguire said. “The dedication shown by the original 108 Sojourns Scholars strengthens my belief in the power of collaborative leadership to create a more person-focused health care system.”

To access the full evaluation and learn more about the Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program, please visit the Cambia Health Foundation website.

About Cambia Health Foundation

Cambia Health Foundation is the corporate foundation of Cambia Health Solutions, connecting the company’s philanthropic dollars to communities through nonprofit partners. Founded in 2007, the foundation has funded over $137 million in grants to advance patient and family centered care for all. We purposefully invest in ideas that expand access to behavioral health care as part of our long-term commitment to whole-person health.

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"The dedication shown by the original 108 Sojourns Scholars strengthens my belief in the power of collaborative leadership to create a more person-focused health care system," said Peggy Maguire, president of Cambia Health Foundation.