Andrew Putnam, MD

Andrew Putnam, MD, practices adult and pediatric palliative medicine, caring for patients both in and out of the hospital.

Dr. Putnam’s goal is “making people feel better so that they are able to be treated for their disease.” He especially enjoys forming relationships with patients to help them more successfully navigate their medical issues. “I want to help people at crucial times in their lives, to help them think of themselves as whole people—and not just as a disease,” Dr. Putnam says.

The doctor-patient relationship is the key to the successful practice of medicine, not only in palliative care, but in general, Dr Putnam says. “I will always tell the truth even if it is hard to hear and hard to say,” he says, adding that it’s important for patients to understand what is happening medically, and be aware of the options available to them.

Dr. Putnam was director of palliative care at Georgetown University for 11 years before coming to Yale, where he is an assistant professor of medicine and assistant clinical professor of nursing. His interests include pain and symptom management in people with severe disease including cancer, as well as physician-patient communication.