EDUCATION
PhD, Boston University
MSW, New York University
BS, Cornell University
AREAS OF INTEREST
Palliative and end-of-life care, oncology, family-oriented health care, interdisciplinary education and teamwork, advanced care planning, clinical and research ethics, qualitative research methods, mixed methods, and evaluation.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Refereed Journal Articles
Guan, T., Otis-Green, S., Sharma, A., Kuiken, A., Chan, B. M., Fineberg, I. C., & Song, L. (2026). Family meetings in palliative care: A systematic review. Patient Education and Counseling, 146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2026.109499
Nuruzzaman, F., Lu, W-H., DeChello, K., Fineberg, I. C., Kagan, K., & Fleit, H. B. (2025). Development and implementation of a multidisciplinary translational course using rheumatoid arthritis as a model for chronic illness during the medical student clerkship year. Medical Science Educator, 35, 47-50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-024-02200-y
Parsons, S.K.*, Fineberg, I.C.*, Lin, M., Singer, M., Tang, M., & Erban, J.K. (2016). Promoting high-quality cancer care and equity through disciplinary diversity in team composition. Journal of Oncology Practice. 12(11), 1141-1148. (*Contributed equally as first authors)
Stein, G.L., & Fineberg, I.C. (2013). Advance care planning in the U.S. and U.K.: A comparative analysis of policy, implementation, and the social work role. British Journal of Social Work, 43(2), 233-248.
Fineberg, I. C., Kawashima, M., & Asch, S.M. (2011). Communication with families facing life-threatening illness: a research-based model for family conferences. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 14(4), 421-427.
Fineberg, I.C. (2010). Social work perspectives on family communication and family conferences in palliative care. Progress in Palliative Care, 18(4), 213-220.
Fineberg, I. C., Wenger, N. S., & Brown-Saltzman, K. (2006). Unrestricted opiate administration for pain and suffering at the end of life: Knowledge and attitudes as barriers to care. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 9(4), 873-83.
Fineberg, I. C. (2005). Preparing professionals for family conferences in palliative care: Evaluation results of an interdisciplinary approach. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 8(4), 857-66.
Book Chapters
Altilio, T, Otis-Green, S., Hedlund, S., & Fineberg, I. C. (in press). Palliative care and pain management. In S. Gehlert & T. Brown (Eds.), Handbook of health social work (4th Ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Fineberg, I. C. & Savara, J. (2024). Social determinants of health: Cancer-related health disparities and financial toxicity. In S. Hedlund, B. Miller, G. Christ, & C. Messner (Eds.), Oncology and palliative social work: Psychosocial care for people coping with cancer (pp. 45-56). Oxford University Press.
Fineberg, I. C. (2022). Families and family conferencing. In T. Altilio, S. Otis-Green, & J. G. Cagle (Eds.), Oxford textbook of palliative social work (2nd Ed.) (pp. 537-549). Oxford University Press.
Fineberg, I. C. (2015). Family and team conferencing in oncology. In G. Christ, C. Messner, & L. Behar (Eds.), Handbook of oncology social work (pp. 409-415). Oxford University Press.
Otis-Green, S. & Fineberg, I. C. (2015). Enhancing team effectiveness. In B. R. Ferrell, N. Coyle, & J.A. Paice (Eds.), Oxford textbook of palliative nursing (4th Edition) (pp. 1039-1047). Oxford University Press.
Fineberg, I.C. (2004). Hematopoietic cell transplantation and end-of-life care. In J. Berzoff & P. R. Silverman (Eds.), Living with dying: A handbook for end-of-life healthcare practitioners (pp.675-695). Columbia University Press.
SELECTED REFEREED PRESENTATIONS
Fineberg, I. C. (2026, May). Helping palliative care research happen: Navigating gatekeeping and advancing access. Oral presentation at the Social Work Hospice & Palliative Care Network (SWHPN) Annual Forum.
Fineberg, I. C. (2022, June). Unleashing your inner researcher: First steps for oncology social workers to build practice-informed research. Oral presentation at the 38th Annual Conference of the Association of Oncology Social Work, Raleigh, NC.
Fineberg, I. C. (2018, May). Staying current: Speaking the language of social determinants of health to demonstrate social work value in oncology care. Oral presentation at the 34th Annual Conference of the Association of Oncology Social Work, Atlanta, GA.
Fineberg, I. C. (2018, March). Flipping the Focus: Palliative Care as a Platform for Interprofessional Education. Oral presentation at the 6th Social Work Hospice & Palliative Care Network (SWHPN) General Assembly, Boston, MA.
SELECTED GRANT ACTIVITY
Principal Investigator. 2008 – 2011. National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme. Community-based evaluation of 'Preferred Place of Care' in the North West of England.
Principal Investigator. 2007 – 2009. Dimbleby Cancer Care Research Fund. Evaluation of Preferred Place of Care (PPC): Towards Quality Improvement.
Co-Principal Investigator / Project Director. 2004 – 2006. The UniHealth Foundation (co-PI: Steven Asch, MD). Educating Providers to Practice Family-Oriented End-of-Life Care.
AWARDS AND HONORS
2018: Elected Chair of the Social Work Academy of the National Academies of Practice
2018: Chosen for the Inaugural cohort, Fellow of the Association of Oncology Social Work (FAOSW)
2017: Elected to the National Academies of Practice. Distinguished Scholar and Fellow in Social Work
2014: Project on Death in America (PDIA) Career Achievement Award, Social Work Hospice & Palliative Care Network (SWHPN)
