Jennifer Palmer PhD
Assistant Professor, General Internal Medicine
801 Massachusetts Ave | (617) 364-4897japalmer@bu.edu
Sections
General Internal Medicine
Biography
Dr. Jenny Palmer is a study coordinator with the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research.
Dr. Palmer’s current research assesses the implementation of an advance care planning video education program in two large U.S. nursing home systems. She is also conducting research that examines the intersection of dementia, spiritual care, and palliative care.
Dr. Palmer conducted her undergraduate studies in Psychology at Yale University, her master’s studies in Speech-Language Pathology at Boston University, and her doctoral studies in Health Services Research at Boston University.
After her clinical fellowship in a skilled nursing facility, she worked as a clinical speech-language pathologist on the Stroke Unit at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. She then served as a Research Associate at Tufts Medical Center’s Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies. Most recently, she served as Project Director at the Bedford, MA Veterans Administration Medical Center for a study that developed observational tools to promote nursing home residents’ quality of life; these tools are now being adopted for use across the VA’s nursing homes nationally. Dr. Palmer has volunteered in leadership positions within the Gerontological Society of America’s Emerging Scholars and Professionals Organization.
Education
Health Policy, PhD, Boston University School of Public Health
Speech Language Pathology, MS, Boston University
Psychology, BA, Yale University
Publications
Palmer JA, Kertesz SG, Harvey KL, Tsai J, S Roncarati J, Sista A, Hyde J. Spiritual Supports for Formerly Unhoused US Veterans: A Quality Improvement Evaluation. J Relig Health. 2026 Feb 20. PMID: 41721180.
Published on 9/5/2025Robinson SA, Lipschitz JM, Ndiwane N, Bixler FR, Etingen B, Zocchi MS, Shimada SL, Palmer JA, Newton TJ, Shah N, Hogan TP. Same goal, different perspectives: Stakeholder views on context for connected care technology implementation in an integrated healthcare system. J Telemed Telecare. 2025 Sep 05; 1357633X251371113. PMID: 40910952.
Published on 5/16/2025Mills L, Sepulveda ER, Miller Z, Jones J, Hernandez G, Ly SM, Canfield J, Flanigan T, Goulet P, Joseph R, Hurstak E, Palmer JA, Sanchez M, So-Armah K, Fitzpatrick AM. Social Determinants of Health and Linkage to HIV Care Among Groups at High Risk for Not Linking to HIV Care. Res Sq. 2025 May 16. PMID: 40470238.
Published on 4/18/2025Fitzpatrick AM, Ly SM, Canfield J, So-Armah K, Palmer JA, Hurstak EE. Experiences of Trainees From Underrepresented Groups Within Addiction Medicine Training Programs: A Qualitative Study. Subst Use Addctn J. 2025 Jul; 46(3):612-623. PMID: 40249028.
Published on 11/8/2024Palmer JA, Engle RL, Hyde J, Petrakis BA, McInnes DK. Addressing spiritual needs of Veterans post-incarceration: a needs assessment. J Health Care Chaplain. 2025; 31(2):97-110. PMID: 39517119.
Published on 8/22/2024Etingen B, Zocchi MS, Higashi RT, Palmer JA, Richardson E, Bixler FR, Patrianakos J, McMahon N, Smith BM, Kale I, Fortney JC, Turvey C, Lipschitz JM, Evans JA, Frisbee KL, Hogan TP. Mental health provider perspectives on a mobile health application to support remote measurement-based care: Challenges and impacts. Psychol Serv. 2025 May; 22(2):243-255. PMID: 39172403.
Published on 11/27/2023Griesemer I, Palmer JA, MacLaren RZ, Harvey KLL, Li M, Garikipati A, Linsky AM, Mohr DC, Gurewich D. Rural Veterans' Experiences with Social Risk Factors: Impacts, Challenges, and Care System Recommendations. J Gen Intern Med. 2024 Apr; 39(5):782-789. PMID: 38010459.
Published on 9/15/2023Palmer JA, Mccullough M, Wormwood J, Soylemez Wiener R, Mesfin N, Still M, Xu CS, Linsky AM. Addressing clinician moral distress: Implications from a mixed methods evaluation during Covid-19. PLoS One. 2023; 18(9):e0291542. PMID: 37713379.
Published on 11/1/2022Shi SM, Palmer JA, Newmeyer N, Carroll D, Steinberg N, Olivieri-Mui B, Kim DH. Restricted mean survival time versus conventional effect summary for treatment decision-making: A mixed-methods study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2023 Feb; 71(2):528-537. PMID: 36318788.
Published on 4/20/2022Palmer JA, Hilgeman M, Balboni T, Paasche-Orlow S, Sullivan JL. The Spiritual Experience of Dementia From the Health Care Provider Perspective: Implications for Intervention. Gerontologist. 2022 Apr 20; 62(4):556-567. PMID: 34498084.