Vinay Rao, DO

Vinay Rao, DO (doctor of osteopathic medicine), is an internal medicine-trained palliative care physician who cares for patients at Yale New Haven Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital.

Palliative care is a specialized kind of medical care for people living with serious illnesses. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness, improving quality of life, working together with other doctors to provide an extra layer of support, and tailoring the care provided based on the needs of the individual person.

Dr. Rao views each of his patients as a whole person, in addition to understanding the biological processes of his or her disease. He attends to the physical, psycho-emotional, spiritual, social, and functional needs of each of his patients. He also has an interdisciplinary team of other medical professionals who he works closely with to provide this comprehensive level of care.

Dr. Rao has a keen interest in improving communication between patients, families, and their health care providers. He understands that each patient has a unique perspective, and each patient their own goals, hopes, and values for the care they want to receive. Dr. Rao sits with and supports each one of his patients throughout their illness journey.

Dr. Rao’s research interests include improving communication, helping patients cope with prognostic uncertainty, and improving the quality of outpatient care. He is a member of the Yale New Haven Hospital Ethics Committee and the NCCN Distress Management Guidelines Institutional Review committee.

He is currently an assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine.