Ann O'Hare appointed to Bill Peckham Endowed Professorship in Person-Centered Care
Dr. Ann O’Hare, professor (Nephrology) has been honored with the Bill Peckham Endowed Professorship in Person-Centered Care. She previously held the Endowed Fund.
O’Hare received her medical degree from the University of Virginia, completed her residency training at Stanford University, and her Nephrology fellowship at the University of California San Francisco.
She was recruited to the University of Washington in 2007 and is based at the Puget Sound VA.
Her clinical and research interests focus on the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in older individuals, as well as palliative and end-of-life care in older adults with kidney diseases. She has earned international recognition for her pioneering research focused on aligning the care of older adults with kidney disease with their individual goals, values, and preferences. Her work has drawn attention to the high intensity of end-of-life care experienced by this population, as well as the underutilization of hospice services.
Her scholarship has had a profound impact on the field, driving the development of innovative, person-centered approaches to care. This influence is evident in our own community through initiatives such as the Kidney Supportive Care Program at Northwest Kidney Centers, which reflects many of the principles advanced through her research.
The endowment was established in memory of Bill Peckham, who developed kidney failure in his early 20s and spent decades on home hemodialysis.
Peckham was a strong advocate for patient engagement, served on the Board of Trustees of the Northwest Kidney Centers (including a term as chair), and catalyzed the founding of the Kidney Research Institute at the University of Washington.
During his years on dialysis, he visited 34 countries on five continents, dialyzing in 23 of them. While he passed away in 2019, he continues to be an inspiration.