OREANDA-NEWS. October 07, 2014. Loren Friedman, MD, FAAHPM, specializing in palliative medicine, has been selected to provide palliative care services to the patients of Virginia Cancer Specialists (VCS). Virginia Cancer Specialists, a practice in The US Oncology Network, is Northern Virginia’s premier cancer care center, providing 40 years of service to patients battling cancer and blood diseases.

Dr. Friedman joined VCS in early September and is now offering palliative care services to patients being treated at all VCS locations. He is dedicated to improving the quality of life for patients and families who are dealing with serious illnesses.

“Virginia Cancer Specialists is committed to providing well-rounded, comprehensive care to all patients,” said Linda Anderson, executive director, VCS. “Dr. Friedman is passionate about helping patients. He is a valuable addition to our practice, and I believe the patients we serve will benefit a great deal from his expertise as well as his compassion.”

Dr. Friedman’s increased interest in palliative medicine began early in his career when, while working as a family physician, he began to address the unique needs of patients coping with cancer diagnoses. Subsequently, he further developed his skills in pain and symptom management. In 2004, he founded the first hospital-based palliative medicine program in Northern Virginia at Virginia Hospital Center. He served as the medical director of that award-winning program for the next decade until leaving to join Virginia Cancer Specialists.

Locally, Dr. Friedman’s leadership roles have included mentoring many young palliative medicine physicians, chairing the Virginia Hospital Center Ethics Committee, and speaking frequently on pain management. Nationally, he has had the honor of serving as one of only ten physicians from across the country on the initial test writing committee for the American Board of Internal Medicine, developing the board examination for palliative medicine. Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Friedman has received multiple awards and honors, including the Haynes Rice Community Service Award and the CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield Outstanding Palliative Care Program Award at Virginia Hospital Center. He has served as a volunteer physician in programs such as the Arlington Free Clinic and the D.C. Partnership to Improve End of Life Care.

A graduate of Brown University, Dr. Friedman attended the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He then went on to complete his residency at Saint Francis Hospital at the University of Connecticut. He is board certified in hospice and palliative care as well as family medicine.

“Even for patients with easily treatable and curable disease, every aspect of their lives may be impacted by a cancer diagnosis,” said Dr. Friedman. “The goal of palliative care through expert symptom management and psychosocial support is to provide comprehensive care throughout the course of treatment, no matter what the stage of illness. I joined Virginia Cancer Specialists because its physicians, clinicians and staff are in the forefront of developing team-based approaches to cancer care. Patients with serious illnesses like cancer deserve interdisciplinary, specialized support.”