Jaya Amaram-Davila, MD
Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Palliative Care, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2007 | S.V.S. Medical College, Yenugonda, Mahabubnager, Telangana, IN, Internal Medicine, MBBS |
Postgraduate Training
| 2019-2020 | Clinical Fellowship, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2017-2018 | Clinical Residency, The Heart Of Leadership For Faculty, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2017-2018 | Clinical Residency, TMA Leadership Academy, Texas Medical Association, Austin, Texas |
| 2017-2017 | Clinical Internship, Clinical safety and Effectiveness Program certification, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2012-2014 | Clinical Residency, Texas Tech Health Science Center, Odessa, Texas |
| 2011-2012 | Clinical Internship, Internal Medicine, Texas Tech Health Science Center, Odessa, Texas |
| 2010-2011 | Foreign Medical Graduate Internship, University of Health Science Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2026 | Basic Life Support |
| 2025 | Internal Medicine Board Certification-ABIM hospice and palliative care |
| 2025 | Harvard Medical School Executive AI in Healthcare: Strategies to Implementation |
| 2025 | Harvard Medical School Postgraduate Medical Education, Effective Writing in Healthcare Program |
| 2023 | Mississippi Medical License |
| 2023 | Washington State Department of Health |
| 2023 | Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure |
| 2023 | Georgia Composite Medical Board |
| 2023 | Florida Board of Medicine |
| 2023 | Arizona Board of Medical Examiners |
| 2023 | Alabama Medical License |
| 2023 | Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners |
| 2023 | Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners |
| 2016 | Texas Medical Board |
| 2014 | American Board of Internal Medicine |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Palliative Care, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2020 - 2024
Assistant Professor, Section of Hospital Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 2016 - 2019
Assistant Professor, General Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2016 - 2019
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Co-Chair of the Department Scheduling Committee, Palliative Care, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, 2022 - 2023
Associate Medical Director, Inpatient Supportive Care Consult Service, Palliative Care, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2022 - 2022
Other Professional Positions
Hospitalist, Methodist San Jacinto, San Jacinto, TX, 2016 - 2017
Division of sound Physicians, Echo Locums, Westlake, TX, 2016
Hospitalist, Beverly Hospital, Beverly, MA, 2014 - 2016
Hospitalist, Addison Gilbert Hospital, Gloucester, MA, 2014 - 2016
Hospitalist, Lahey Health Clinic, Beverly, MA, 2014 - 2016
Instructor, CIWA-AR protocol to Nurses, Interns and Residents, Texas Tech Health Science Center, Odessa, TX, 2014 - 2014
Clinic Coordinator, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM, 2010 - 2011
Medical Director, Urban Health Center, Telangana, 2007 - 2008
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Co-Chair, Increasing patient safety around transdermal patches, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2023 - Present
Senator, Faculty Senate, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2022 - Present
Member, Fellowship Program Development Committee, Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program, Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation, & Integrative Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2020 - Present
Member, Handoff Communication Taskforce, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2019 - Present
Member, Challenging case presentation Didactics Section of Hospital Medicine, Department of General Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2018 - 2019
Member, Sedation & Procedures Committee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2018 - Present
Member, Clinical Safety and Effectiveness Subcommittee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2017 - 2019
Member, Discharge Cycle Subcommittee, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 2017 - 2019
Honors & Awards
| 2024 | Clinical Safety and Effectiveness Program certification, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2018 | Fellow of American College of Physicians |
| 2017 | Clinical Safety and Effectiveness Program certification, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2017 - 2018 | The Heart of Leadership for Faculty, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2017 - 2018 | Texas Medical Association Leadership College, TMA |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2024. Universal Screening for NMOU, remembering Kevin Pearson; THIS IS US. Grand Rounds. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Co-prescription of Naloxone for cancer pain. 27th Supportive Palliative Care Clinical and Research Symposium. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Co-prescription of Naloxone for cancer pain. 6th Interdisciplinary Pain and Opioid Crisis Seminar. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2024. Pain & Non-medical Opioid Use (ECHO-PANO) Research. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2021. End of Life care and difficult family discussion. Conference. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Houston, TX, US.
- 2018. Alcohol Withdrawal syndrome and management. Conference. Baylor School of Medicine. Houston, TX, US.
- 2017. Brain Mass, if not cancer what can it be? Challenging Cases Series. Conference. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, General Internal Medicine. Houston, TX, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2022. Pain management in cancer patients. Conference. Brazoria County Medical Society (CME). Lake Jackson, TX, US.
National Presentations
- 2017. Brain Mass, if not cancer what can it be?. Invited. GAP 2017 Conference. Houston, TX, US.
International Presentations
- 2024. Strategies to Integrate Hospital-based Palliative and Supportive Care Programs. Invited. Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein. Sao Polo, BR.
- 2023. It's only palliative care, but I like it. Role of Take-home naloxone in cancer pain management overview. Conference. Palliative Care Congress. Palermo, IT.
- 2023. Complexity of managing concurrent cancer pain and NMOU and, importance of take-home Naloxone. Invited. Palliative Network Event, University of Oxford, Department of Palliative medicine. Oxford, GB.
- 2022. Deficiencies with CAGE-AID screening tool in capturing nonmedical opioid use in Cancer Pain Management: A Report of Two Cases. Conference. IASP 2022. Toronto, CA.
- 2022. The frequency and characteristics of abnormal urine drug testing among patients receiving opioid therapy at an outpatient cancer pain clinic. Conference. IASP 2022. Toronto, CA.
- 2021. Randomized Clinical Trials in Palliative Care Medicine. Invited. International Palliative Care Meeting in Liver Diseases, PT.
Formal Peers
- 2021. "Management of Pain in Cancer Patients". Invited, US.
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Amaram-Davila J, Urbauer D, Lopez Garayua G, Dev R, Bruera E, Reddy A. Perception Toward Take Home Naloxone Among Patients With Cancer on Opioids Who Live Alone. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42009266.
- Amaram-Davila J, Maria C. Franco Vega, Patricia Bramati, Stewart H, Aceves M, Dalal S, Reddy A, Azhar A, Reddy S, Bodurka D, George M, Aiss MA, Bruera E. From Emails to EMR: Implementing I-PASS Among Inpatient Palliative Care Clinicians at a Comprehensive Cancer Center – A Quality Improvement Initiative. Cancers (Basel) 17(17):2875, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40940972.
- Ward, K, Page, VD, Song, J, Amaram-Davila, JS, Mamlouk, O, Abudayyeh, A. Correcting hyponatraemia is associated with improved survival in hyponatraemic metastatic cancer patients. Clinical Kidney Journal 18(3), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40052166.
- Amaram-Davila, JS, Vega, MF, Kim, MJ, Dalal, S, Dev, R, Tanco, KC, Admane, S, De Moraes, AR, Thomas, L, Shelal, Z, Gogineni, M, Bramati, PS, Urbauer, D, Hui, D, Arthur, JA, Haider, A, Bruera, E, Reddy, AS. Perceptions Toward Naloxone Among Patients With Cancer Receiving Opioids. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 68(6):e500-e507, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39218123.
- Abdalla-Aslan, R, Bonomo, P, Keefe, DM, Blijlevens, NM, Cao, K, Cheung, YT, Fregnani, ER, Miller, RC, Raber-Durlacher, J, Epstein, JB, van Sebille, YZ, Kauark-Fontes, E, Kandwal, A, McCurdy-Franks, E, Finkelstein, J, McCarvell, V, Zadik, Y, Ottaviani, G, Amaral Mendes, R, Speksnijder, CM, Wardill, H, Bossi, P, Laheij, A, Tonkaboni, A, Scott, J, Abasaeed, R, Kauzman, A, Flato, AL, Gore, A, Hardman, AM, Horvath, A, Hovan, A, Al-Jamaei, A, koizumi, A, Santos-Silva, AR, Majorana, A, Giannini, A, Teixeira, A, Shazib, MA, Melvin, A, Filho, AM, Gruza, A, Brown-Dahl, A, Harilall, A, El Maghrabi, A, Rogulj, AA, Abreu, FA, Amaram-Davila, JS, Chambers, MS, Brito-Dellan, N. Guidance on mucositis assessment from the MASCC Mucositis Study Group and ISOO. EClinicalMedicine 73, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38933098.
- Pawate V, Davila JSA, Reddy A, Bruera E. Routine Monitoring of QTc Interval as a Barrier for Efficient Use of Methadone in Palliative Care. J Pain Symptom Manage 67(2):e147-e150, 2024. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37863373.
- Amaram-Davila J, Bramati P, Gammon L, Mallipeddi T, Jastrzemski O, Clark MD, Arthur J, Reddy A, Bruera E. Deficiencies with CAGE-AID questionnaire in identifying nonmedical opioid use-a report of two cases. Ann Palliat Med 12(5):976-980, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37691336.
- Amaram-Davila J, Reddy A, Clark MD, Nancherla A, Arthur J, Bruera E. Reliability of Urine Drug Testing Among Patients on Buprenorphine Transdermal Patch. Palliat Support Care:1-3. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37525588.
- Amaram-Davila J, Reddy A, Arthur J, Narayanan S, Gogineni M, Mallipeddi T, Moraes AR, Maddi R, Shelal Z, Urbauer D, Chen M, Bruera E. Efforts to Improve Naloxone Co-Prescription for Patients with Cancer Pain at Risk of Opioid Overdose. J Palliat Med 26(7):969-973, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37074064.
- Reddy A, Haider A, Arthur J, Hui D, Dalal S, Dev R, Tanco K, Amaram-Davila J, Hernandez F, Chavez P, De Moraes AR, Wu J, Nguyen K, Subbiah I, Epner D, Shelal Z, Guay MOD, Mallipeddi T, Bruera E. Levorphanol as a Second Line Opioid in Cancer Patients Presenting to an Outpatient Supportive Care Center: An Open-label Study. J Pain Symptom Manage 65(6):e683-e690, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36720398.
- Dev R, Fortuno ES, Amaram-Davila JS, Haider A, Bruera E. Benefits and risks of off-label olanzapine use for symptom management in cancer patients-a case report. Ann Palliat Med 12(3):600-606, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37038067.
- Amaram-Davila J, Kim MJ, Reddy A, Edwards T, Dai J, Urbauer D, Shelal Z, Ross Y, Hosain M, Bruera E, Arthur J. Health Care Provider Attitudes and Beliefs Toward Nonmedical Opioid Use in Patients with Cancer Pain. J Palliat Med 26(2):248-252, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36476019.
- Reddy A, Sinclair C, Crawford GB, McPherson ML, Mercadante S, Hui D, Haider A, Arthur J, Tanco K, Dalal S, Dev R, Amaram-Davila J, Adile C, Liu D, Schuler U, Jammi S, Shelal Z, Del Fabbro E, Davis M, Bruera E. Opioid Rotation and Conversion Ratios Used by Palliative Care Professionals: An International Survey. J Palliat Med 25(10):1557-1562, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35930252.
- Arthur JA, Edwards T, Lu Z, Tang M, Amaram-Davila J, Reddy A, Hui D, Yennurajalingam S, Anderson AE, Jennings K, Reddy S, Bruera E. Interdisciplinary Intervention for the Management of Nonmedical Opioid Use among Patients with Cancer Pain. Cancer 128(20):3718-3726, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35997289.
- Bramati PS, Amaram-Davila JS, Reddy AS, Bruera E. Reduction of Missed Palliative Care Appointments After the Implementation of Telemedicine. J Pain Symptom Manage 63(6):e777-e779, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35151799.
- Amaram-Davila, JS, Arthur, JA, Reddy, AS, Bruera, E. Managing Nonmedical Opioid Use Among Patients With Cancer Pain During the COVID-19 Pandemic Using the CHAT Model and Telehealth. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 62(1):192-196, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33515659.
- Amaram-Davila, J, Mallipeddi, T, Reddy, A. Opioid Prescribing with Take-Home Naloxone: Rationale and Recommendations. Curr Anesthesiol Rep, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Abudayyeh A, Song J, Abdelrahim M, Dahbour I, Page VD, Zhou S, Shen C, Zhao B, Pai RN, Amaram-Davila J, Manzano JG, George MC, Yennu S, Mandayam SA, Nates JL, Moss AH. Renal Replacement Therapy in Patients with Stage IV Cancer Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit With Acute Kidney Injury at a Comprehensive Cancer Center Was Not Associated With Survival. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 37(9):707-715, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31986903.
- Blazin LJ, Sitthi-Amorn J, Hoffman JM, Burlison JD. Improving Patient Handoffs and Transitions through Adaptation and Implementation of I-PASS Across Multiple Handoff Settings. Pediatr Qual Saf 5(4):e323, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32766496.
- Varghese S, Amaram-Davila JS, George MC. Prior authorization process improvement for pain medications in an oncology unit: Timely initiation of test claim request form. Journal of Clinical Oncology 38(15_Suppl):7050, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Narayanan S, Reddy A, Lopez G, Liu W, Wu J, Liu D, Manzano J, Williams JL, Mallaiah S, George M, Amaram J, Subramaniam B, Cohen L, Bruera E. Randomized Feasibility Study of Meditative Practices in Hospitalized Cancer Patients. Integr Cancer Ther 19:1534735420909903, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32153208.
- Kalpana Bhairavarasu MD, Satish Mocherla MD, Jaya Amaram MD, Ena Sharma MD, Philip A Conlin MD, Imran Umer MD. Drug-induced leukocytoclastic vasculitis: tigecycline a rare cause. The Southwest Respiratory and Critical Care Chronicles:55-58, 2015. e-Pub 2015.
- Amaram-Davila J, Arthur J, Reddy A, Bruera E. Managing nonmedical opioid use among patients with cancer pain during the COVID-19 Pandemic using the CHAT model and telehealth. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.
- Amaram-Davila J, Pawate V, Yennu S, Rizvi AM, Hickman K, Ayyagari S, Ongel E, Kandaswamy R, Roach RM, Admane S, Kim MJ, Reddy A, Feng L, Diver L, Bruera E, Arthur J, Koyyalagunta D. Urine Drug Testing in Patients with Cancer Receiving Long-Term Opioids at a Pain Management Clinic. JPSM.
- Jaya Amaram-Davila MD, Urbauer D, Garayua GL, Dev R, Bruera E, Reddy AA. Perception Towards Take Home Naloxone Among Patients with Cancer on Opioids Who Live Alone. JPSM.
Invited Articles
- Amaram-Davila J, Mallipeddi T, Reddy A. Opioid Prescribing with Take-Home Naloxone: Rationale and Recommendations. Current Anesthesiology Reports:428-435, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Amaram-Davila J, Davis M, Reddy A. Opioids and Cancer Mortality. Curr Treat Options Oncol 21(3):22, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32095929.
Review Articles
- Reddy A, González JB, Rizvi A, Nortje N, Dalal S, Haider A, Amaram-Davila JS, Bramati P, Chen M, Hui D, Bruera E. Impact of an Institution-Wide Goals of Care Program on the Timing of Referrals to Outpatient Palliative Care. J Pain Symptom Manage 66(6):e666-e671, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37643654.
- Raizada V, Hillerson D, Amaram JS, Skipper B. Angiotensin II-mediated left ventricular abnormalities in chronic kidney disease. J Investig Med 60(5):785-91, 2012. e-Pub 2012. PMID: 22481164.
Abstracts
- Amaram-Davila J. Quality improvement project: Implementation of I-PASS, a structured patient hand-off tool to improve communication, increase patient safety, and prevent burnout among palliative care providers at a comprehensive cancer center. ASCO Quality Care Symposium, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Amaram-Davila, J. Deficiencies with CAGE-AID screening tool in capturing nonmedical opioid use in Cancer Pain Management: A Report of Two Cases. IASP 2022 World Congress on Pain-Toronto Canada, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Amaram-Davila J. The frequency and characteristics of abnormal urine drug testing among patients receiving opioid therapy at an outpatient cancer pain clinic. IASP 2022 World Congress on Pain-Toronto Canada, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Reddy A, Sinclair C, Crawford G, McPherson ML, Mercadante S, Hui D, Haider A, Arthur J, Tanco K, Dalal S, Dev R, Amaram-Davila J. An International Survey of Opioid Rotation and Conversion Ratios Used by Palliative Care Professionals, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35930252.
- Amaram-Davila, J. Healthcare Provider Attitudes and Beliefs regarding Nonmedical Opioid Use in Patients with Cancer Pain. MASCC/ISOO, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Reddy A, Haider A, Arthur J, Dev R, Dalal S, Tanco K, Amaram-Davila J, Hernandez F, Chavez P, Bruera E. Levorphanol as a Second Line Opioid in Cancer Patients Presenting to an Outpatient Supportive Care Center: an Open-Label Study. MASCC, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Reddy A, Sinclair C, Crawford G, McPherson ML, Mercadante S, Hui D, Haider A, Arthur J, Tanco K, Dalal S, Dev R, Amaram-Davila J, Adile C, Liu D, Schuler U, Del Fabbro E, Davis M, Bruera E. An International Survey of Opioid Rotation and Conversion Ratios Used by Palliative Care Professionals. MASCC, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Amaram-Davila, J. Impact of an Educational Program to Increase Prescriptions for Take Home Naloxone among Cancer Patients at High-risk for Opioid Overdose. E-Poster for the MASCC/ISOO 2021, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Investigator C. Improving the Prior Authorization Process for Pain Medications in an Oncology Unit: Timely Initiation of the Claim Request Form. ASCO 2020, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Amaram-Davila J. Piloting Discharges Before 11AM for Hospitalized Patients at a Comprehensive Cancer Hospital, Project Lead. Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) BMJ, Melbourne, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Amaram-Davila, Jaya. Early Discharges for General Internal Medicine Hospitalist service on G22. Early Discharges for General Internal Medicine Hospitalist, 2018. e-Pub 2018.
- Reddy A, Haider A, Arthur J, Dev R, Dalal S, Tanco K, Amaram-Davila J. Levorphanol as a Second Line Opioid in Cancer Patients Presenting to an Outpatient Supportive Care Center: An Open-Label Study.
- Amaram-Davila, Jaya. Patient and Caregiver's perspective, attitudes, and beliefs towards Naloxone Nasal spray. 15th Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Cae Conference.
- Amaram-Davila J. EHR Based process to reduce no-shows at the outpatient supportive care clinic at a tertiary cancer center. 15th Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Conference 2023.
- Amaram-Davila J. Quality Improvement Project: Implementation of I-PASS, a structured patient hand-off tool to improve communication, improve patient safety and prevent burnout among palliative care providers at a comprehensive cancer center. ASCO.
Book Chapters
- Amaram-Davila J. Palliative care in patients with substance use disorder. In: Handbook of Psychiatry in Palliative Medicine Psychosocial Care of the Terminally Ill. 3rd, 2022.
- Amaram-Davila J. Pain Management, Pediatrics and nonmedical opioid use. In: PALLIATIVE CARE BOARD REVIEW QUESTION BANK, 2022.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified July 29, 2026