SHM Launches Geriatric Special Interest Group

SHM: BEHIND THE SCENES

Education and quality improvement: Reflections of a New Staff Member

By Kristin Beck

It’s nice to come to work every day and focus on education and quality improvement. Ensuring that hospitalists have the most up to date information as well as support and encouragement for implementing positive change are good reasons for leaving the house in the morning.

Only three weeks into my role as senior project manager, I have had the sincere pleasure of being involved with updating quality improvement resource rooms (common Web site areas that house tools for implementing quality improvement programs) by initiating a grant-supported program for examining observation units as they relate to treating the number one reason people are hospitalized. I have also accomplished writing and submitting a grant for the Quality Improvement Pre-Course, as well as, working with a committee that looks at patient quality care and projects to enhance it.

Our work here focuses on examining what has been done, how we can improve it, and how we can institute best practices. Not bad for three weeks’ work!

Conversations in our department focus on whether members get what they need and want. People meet regularly to discuss how we can refine and improve the services we offer. Strategies for securing funding and developing programs are reviewed, not for this calendar or fiscal year but for years to come. In one of my final interviews for this job, I was reminded that we don’t deliver here—we over-deliver. Looking through The Hospitalist, titles that stand out include the words unforgettable, safety, expert, leader, admire, and smart.

When people ask what I do in my new job, I tell them that hospital medicine looks at the total experience of being a doctor. It focuses not only on medical care but also on the complete experience of being a working professional: the arts of research, negotiation, best practices, team-focused care, conflict resolution, and systems change. I explain that we do life-saving work, for it is far more than the practice of just day-to-day medicine that improves all of our lives. I tell people that it is work that makes sense.

When you come to work every day and are surrounded by a dynamic, positive energy, the work you produce is likely to mirror the hospital medicine movement: You will reflect, revise, and grow stronger. Sincere, well-planned initiatives are infectious. Continually participating in an environment that asks the questions, “Where can we take this?” and “What can we do better?” is a pretty good reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Beck is the senior project manager at SHM.

Chapter summaries

Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh chapter held its meeting Jan. 30, 2007, at Morton’s Steakhouse in Pittsburgh. The speaker for the event was David Lasorda, MD, director of Interventional Cardiology at Allegheny General Hospital. His presentation topic was “Aggressive Lipid Management.” The subject matter generated an excellent discussion. At press time, the next meeting was scheduled for April 2007. For more information on the Pittsburgh chapter, please contact Michael Cratty, MD, PhD, at mcratty@wpahs.org.

Northern Nevada

The inaugural Northern Nevada SHM chapter meeting on Feb. 13 in Reno was attended by 38 physicians, including four specializing in internal medicine, two family practice residents, and two group administrators. The physicians represented the three large groups from the Reno area and the major groups from Carson City and South Lake Tahoe. Phil Goodman, MD, welcomed the group and provided an overview of SHM. A DVD featuring former SHM President Mary Jo Gorman, MD, was then shown.

Following a round of introductions and dinner, a short business meeting was held, at which the following chapter members were elected to office for the current year:

• President: Damon Zavala, DO, Renown Regional Hospitalists;
• Secretary/VP Logistic: Joel McReynolds, MD, Sierra Hospitalists;
• Membership VP: Ned Jaleel, MD, Carson Tahoe Hospitalists; and
• Projects VP: Phil Goodman, MD, University Hospitalists.

Rocky Mountain

SHM’s Rocky Mountain chapter met Feb. 8, 2007, at Landry’s Downtown Aquarium in Denver. Attendees spent time networking. Eugene Chu, MD, was announced as president. Other officer nominations followed. An update was then given by Bob Brockmann, MD, on the chapter’s Public Policy Committee; Ken Epstein, MD, gave a report on the status of the chapter’s Research Committee. The guest speakers for the night were Jean Kutner, MD, MSPH, FACP, who gave a presentation on palliative care, and Barry Molk, MD, FACC, who spoke on congestive heart failure.

The meeting was sponsored by Ortho McNeil and Medtronic.

SHM: BEHIND THE SCENES

Education and quality improvement: Reflections of a New Staff Member

By Kristin Beck

It’s nice to come to work every day and focus on education and quality improvement. Ensuring that hospitalists have the most up to date information as well as support and encouragement for implementing positive change are good reasons for leaving the house in the morning.

Only three weeks into my role as senior project manager, I have had the sincere pleasure of being involved with updating quality improvement resource rooms (common Web site areas that house tools for implementing quality improvement programs) by initiating a grant-supported program for examining observation units as they relate to treating the number one reason people are hospitalized. I have also accomplished writing and submitting a grant for the Quality Improvement Pre-Course, as well as, working with a committee that looks at patient quality care and projects to enhance it.

Our work here focuses on examining what has been done, how we can improve it, and how we can institute best practices. Not bad for three weeks’ work!

Conversations in our department focus on whether members get what they need and want. People meet regularly to discuss how we can refine and improve the services we offer. Strategies for securing funding and developing programs are reviewed, not for this calendar or fiscal year but for years to come. In one of my final interviews for this job, I was reminded that we don’t deliver here—we over-deliver. Looking through The Hospitalist, titles that stand out include the words unforgettable, safety, expert, leader, admire, and smart.

When people ask what I do in my new job, I tell them that hospital medicine looks at the total experience of being a doctor. It focuses not only on medical care but also on the complete experience of being a working professional: the arts of research, negotiation, best practices, team-focused care, conflict resolution, and systems change. I explain that we do life-saving work, for it is far more than the practice of just day-to-day medicine that improves all of our lives. I tell people that it is work that makes sense.

When you come to work every day and are surrounded by a dynamic, positive energy, the work you produce is likely to mirror the hospital medicine movement: You will reflect, revise, and grow stronger. Sincere, well-planned initiatives are infectious. Continually participating in an environment that asks the questions, “Where can we take this?” and “What can we do better?” is a pretty good reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Beck is the senior project manager at SHM.

Chapter summaries

Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh chapter held its meeting Jan. 30, 2007, at Morton’s Steakhouse in Pittsburgh. The speaker for the event was David Lasorda, MD, director of Interventional Cardiology at Allegheny General Hospital. His presentation topic was “Aggressive Lipid Management.” The subject matter generated an excellent discussion. At press time, the next meeting was scheduled for April 2007. For more information on the Pittsburgh chapter, please contact Michael Cratty, MD, PhD, at mcratty@wpahs.org.

Northern Nevada

The inaugural Northern Nevada SHM chapter meeting on Feb. 13 in Reno was attended by 38 physicians, including four specializing in internal medicine, two family practice residents, and two group administrators. The physicians represented the three large groups from the Reno area and the major groups from Carson City and South Lake Tahoe. Phil Goodman, MD, welcomed the group and provided an overview of SHM. A DVD featuring former SHM President Mary Jo Gorman, MD, was then shown.

Following a round of introductions and dinner, a short business meeting was held, at which the following chapter members were elected to office for the current year:

• President: Damon Zavala, DO, Renown Regional Hospitalists;
• Secretary/VP Logistic: Joel McReynolds, MD, Sierra Hospitalists;
• Membership VP: Ned Jaleel, MD, Carson Tahoe Hospitalists; and
• Projects VP: Phil Goodman, MD, University Hospitalists.

Rocky Mountain

SHM’s Rocky Mountain chapter met Feb. 8, 2007, at Landry’s Downtown Aquarium in Denver. Attendees spent time networking. Eugene Chu, MD, was announced as president. Other officer nominations followed. An update was then given by Bob Brockmann, MD, on the chapter’s Public Policy Committee; Ken Epstein, MD, gave a report on the status of the chapter’s Research Committee. The guest speakers for the night were Jean Kutner, MD, MSPH, FACP, who gave a presentation on palliative care, and Barry Molk, MD, FACC, who spoke on congestive heart failure.

The meeting was sponsored by Ortho McNeil and Medtronic.

SHM: BEHIND THE SCENES

Education and quality improvement: Reflections of a New Staff Member

By Kristin Beck

It’s nice to come to work every day and focus on education and quality improvement. Ensuring that hospitalists have the most up to date information as well as support and encouragement for implementing positive change are good reasons for leaving the house in the morning.

Only three weeks into my role as senior project manager, I have had the sincere pleasure of being involved with updating quality improvement resource rooms (common Web site areas that house tools for implementing quality improvement programs) by initiating a grant-supported program for examining observation units as they relate to treating the number one reason people are hospitalized. I have also accomplished writing and submitting a grant for the Quality Improvement Pre-Course, as well as, working with a committee that looks at patient quality care and projects to enhance it.

Our work here focuses on examining what has been done, how we can improve it, and how we can institute best practices. Not bad for three weeks’ work!

Conversations in our department focus on whether members get what they need and want. People meet regularly to discuss how we can refine and improve the services we offer. Strategies for securing funding and developing programs are reviewed, not for this calendar or fiscal year but for years to come. In one of my final interviews for this job, I was reminded that we don’t deliver here—we over-deliver. Looking through The Hospitalist, titles that stand out include the words unforgettable, safety, expert, leader, admire, and smart.

When people ask what I do in my new job, I tell them that hospital medicine looks at the total experience of being a doctor. It focuses not only on medical care but also on the complete experience of being a working professional: the arts of research, negotiation, best practices, team-focused care, conflict resolution, and systems change. I explain that we do life-saving work, for it is far more than the practice of just day-to-day medicine that improves all of our lives. I tell people that it is work that makes sense.

When you come to work every day and are surrounded by a dynamic, positive energy, the work you produce is likely to mirror the hospital medicine movement: You will reflect, revise, and grow stronger. Sincere, well-planned initiatives are infectious. Continually participating in an environment that asks the questions, “Where can we take this?” and “What can we do better?” is a pretty good reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Beck is the senior project manager at SHM.

Chapter summaries

Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh chapter held its meeting Jan. 30, 2007, at Morton’s Steakhouse in Pittsburgh. The speaker for the event was David Lasorda, MD, director of Interventional Cardiology at Allegheny General Hospital. His presentation topic was “Aggressive Lipid Management.” The subject matter generated an excellent discussion. At press time, the next meeting was scheduled for April 2007. For more information on the Pittsburgh chapter, please contact Michael Cratty, MD, PhD, at mcratty@wpahs.org.

Northern Nevada

The inaugural Northern Nevada SHM chapter meeting on Feb. 13 in Reno was attended by 38 physicians, including four specializing in internal medicine, two family practice residents, and two group administrators. The physicians represented the three large groups from the Reno area and the major groups from Carson City and South Lake Tahoe. Phil Goodman, MD, welcomed the group and provided an overview of SHM. A DVD featuring former SHM President Mary Jo Gorman, MD, was then shown.

Following a round of introductions and dinner, a short business meeting was held, at which the following chapter members were elected to office for the current year:

• President: Damon Zavala, DO, Renown Regional Hospitalists;
• Secretary/VP Logistic: Joel McReynolds, MD, Sierra Hospitalists;
• Membership VP: Ned Jaleel, MD, Carson Tahoe Hospitalists; and
• Projects VP: Phil Goodman, MD, University Hospitalists.

Rocky Mountain

SHM’s Rocky Mountain chapter met Feb. 8, 2007, at Landry’s Downtown Aquarium in Denver. Attendees spent time networking. Eugene Chu, MD, was announced as president. Other officer nominations followed. An update was then given by Bob Brockmann, MD, on the chapter’s Public Policy Committee; Ken Epstein, MD, gave a report on the status of the chapter’s Research Committee. The guest speakers for the night were Jean Kutner, MD, MSPH, FACP, who gave a presentation on palliative care, and Barry Molk, MD, FACC, who spoke on congestive heart failure.

The meeting was sponsored by Ortho McNeil and Medtronic.