Marta Ximena Leon, MD

Chief of Pain and Palliative Care Group
Universidad de La Sabana, Chia, Colombia

E-mail: martaxleon@gmail.com
Skype: marta.ximena.leon

Dr. Marta León is focused on education, availability of opioids and home care programs in palliative care. She has published many articles related to barriers to an adequate availability of opioids and educational programs for undergraduate medical students.

Download and Read Marta’s Personal Story (200 KB)

Other Appointments:

Associate Professor, Universidad de La Sabana Pain and Palliative care group, Bogotá, Colombia
Member of the Colombian Association of Palliative Care
Fellow of the International Pain and Policy studies Group University of Wisconsin

Key Accomplishments:

Advisor to the Regulatory Commission in Health of the Ministry of Health for the inclusion of Methadone 10 mg, Hydromorphone 2,5 mg and Morphine 3% in the National list
Advisor to the Ministry of Health to increase the prescription time of opioids from 10 to 30 days
Advisor to the National Competent authority to implement the 24/7 schedule to dispense opioids
Advisor to the Senate for the Law of Cancer and the Law of Palliative Care
Organizer and Director of the only obligatory undergraduate course for medical students in palliative care in the region.

Education / Honors:

Graduate, International Palliative Care Leadership Development Initiative, The Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice, San Diego, CA, and OhioHealth, Columbus, Ohio, USA, 2012-2014
International Pain and Policy Fellow University Wisconsin, 2006-2011
Fellow, Medical Education Universidad de La Sabana, 2005
Post-graduate training, Palliative Care, Pain and Palliative Care Unit, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Bogota, Colombia, 1998
Post-graduate Training in Anesthesiology, 1984
Medical School, 1980

Key Publications:

MX León, LF Giraldo, J Restrepo, ML Rengifo-Varona. Palliative care in patients with chronic nononcological diseases. Techniques in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management (2014) 17 (1), 2-6
Goss P, Lee B, Badonivac-Crnjevic T, Strasser-Weippl K, Chavarri-Guerra Y, St Luois J,Villareal-Garza C et al. Planning Cancer control in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Lancet Oncology, (2013) vol 14 (5); 2013 383-433
Atlas de Cuidados Paliativos de Latino America. (2012) ISBN 978-0-9834597-2-9 http://www.cuidadospaliativos.org/article
León MX, Educación en Cuidados Paliativos. Paliación y Cáncer. Ladiprint Editorial. (2012) ISBN: 978-958-57783-0-6
Bosnjak S. Maurer M. Ryan K. Leon MX, Mayide G. Improving the availability and accessibility of opioides for the treatment of pain: The International Pain Policy Fellowship. Support care Cancer (2011) 19; 1239-1247.
Leon MX, Flórez S, De Lima L, Ryan K. Integrating palliative care in public health: The Colombian experience following an International Pain Policy Fellowship. Palliat Med. (2011) Vol 25 No 4; 365-369.
Florez S, Leon MX, Rubiano L, Sintura Y, Gómez S, Catellanos C,Briker A, Torres M. Access and barriers to access to opioids in Colombia:the patient´s perspective. Univ Med.(2011) Vol 52 No 2 140-149.
León MX, Florez S. Torres M et al. The Importance of Evaluating Symptoms and Functional Alterations in Chronic Neurological Diseases: Experiences in Palliative Care and Rehabilitation at a Colombian Institution. Aquichán. (online). Sept.Dec.(2010) vol.10, no.3 (cited 10 February (2011)), p.228-243.
Leon M, De Lima L, Florez S. Torres M, Daza M, Mendoza L et al. Improving availability of and access to opioids in Colombia. Description and preliminar results o fan action plan for the country. Journal of pain and symptom management (2009) 38 (5) 758-766.
Florez S. Leon MX, Torres M. Reyes F, Serpa JC. Rios A. Pharmacological Management of Neuropathic Pain. Rev Col Anest, Nov (2009) Jan (2010) Vol 37- No 4:358_374.
Leon M, Florez S, Torres M, Trujillo C, Castilla M. Educación en cuidado paliativo para pregrado de medicina:Resultados de una encuesta acerca de la percepción de los conocimientos adquiridos. Med Pal Vol (2009) 16 (1).
Leon M, GaravitoA, Fernandez C, Trujillo C, Gómez D. Gaitan H. Cuidado Paliativo. Un modelo de atención domiciliario en Bogotá, Colombia. Med Pal (2007)14 (4): 1-6.
León M, Sanabria A, Gónima E, et al. “Qué perciben los estudiantes de Medicina sobre sus conocimientos en dolor: Análisis de la situación en Colombia.” Med Pal (2007)14 (1):1-7.
León M, Crump J, Griego M, et al. “Guidelines of Clinical Practice of Neuropathic Pain” (I) Protocol. Rev Neurología (2005) 40(4): 229-36.
León M, Aguilera J, Arrizaga E, et al. “Guidelines of Clinical Practice Neuropathic Pain “(II) Guidelines. Rev Neurología (2005) 40(4): 303–316.
León M, Rodríguez C, Amezquita A, et al. Prevalence of Symptoms at Palliative Care Unit. Rev Col Cancer (1999) 2(2): 5-12.
León M, Pinilla A. “Anesthesia for the Coronary Patient” Rev Col Anesth (1983) 11(1): 45-62.

Key Presentations:

Formación del personal de salud. Workshop Honduras, November 21-22, 2011
Therapeutical Indications in the use of Opioids. Workshop Panama, April 28-29, 2011
Availability of Opioids Workshop Chile, February 25-26, 2010