Jason Carris

Practicing at the top of your license, billing and reimbursement, recruiting and orientation – Those were some of the hot topics discussed by more than 50 attendees of HM17’s Special Interest Forum for nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs).

“Every year, we are seeing more and more HM groups integrating NPs and PAs into their practice,” said forum moderator Emilie Thornhill, PA-C, a certified PA, who works for Oschner Health in New Orleans, La.

Ms. Thornhill emphasized that a common issue among attendees is restrictive HM policies in dictating the scope of practice for NP/PAs in hospitalist groups.

“That seems to be the thing that is holding us back the most,” she said. “SHM is really going to be the home for these individuals to find the resources they need to address these issues.”

Practicing at the top of your license, billing and reimbursement, recruiting and orientation – Those were some of the hot topics discussed by more than 50 attendees of HM17’s Special Interest Forum for nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs).

“Every year, we are seeing more and more HM groups integrating NPs and PAs into their practice,” said forum moderator Emilie Thornhill, PA-C, a certified PA, who works for Oschner Health in New Orleans, La.

Ms. Thornhill emphasized that a common issue among attendees is restrictive HM policies in dictating the scope of practice for NP/PAs in hospitalist groups.

“That seems to be the thing that is holding us back the most,” she said. “SHM is really going to be the home for these individuals to find the resources they need to address these issues.”

Practicing at the top of your license, billing and reimbursement, recruiting and orientation – Those were some of the hot topics discussed by more than 50 attendees of HM17’s Special Interest Forum for nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs).

“Every year, we are seeing more and more HM groups integrating NPs and PAs into their practice,” said forum moderator Emilie Thornhill, PA-C, a certified PA, who works for Oschner Health in New Orleans, La.

Ms. Thornhill emphasized that a common issue among attendees is restrictive HM policies in dictating the scope of practice for NP/PAs in hospitalist groups.

“That seems to be the thing that is holding us back the most,” she said. “SHM is really going to be the home for these individuals to find the resources they need to address these issues.”

Quality improvement at the program level is a major concern for most hospitalists. That’s exactly why Venkata Dontaraju, MD, MRCP, FHM, attended a Tuesday afternoon HM17 workshop entitled “Adding to Your Toolbox: QI Methodologies.”

Dr. Dontaraju, a hospitalist for 7 years with Rockford Health Physicians in Loves Park, Ill., wants to begin QI projects of his own. He planned to attend a number of QI-focused sessions at the annual meeting, with the toolbox session laying the foundation for such work.

“There is a lot of emphasis on cutting down the waste in health care, and also improving the processes,” he said. “That is where the role of QI comes into place. I want to do QI projects at my own hospital, but I first want to get the tools necessary for a successful project.”

Quality improvement at the program level is a major concern for most hospitalists. That’s exactly why Venkata Dontaraju, MD, MRCP, FHM, attended a Tuesday afternoon HM17 workshop entitled “Adding to Your Toolbox: QI Methodologies.”

Dr. Dontaraju, a hospitalist for 7 years with Rockford Health Physicians in Loves Park, Ill., wants to begin QI projects of his own. He planned to attend a number of QI-focused sessions at the annual meeting, with the toolbox session laying the foundation for such work.

“There is a lot of emphasis on cutting down the waste in health care, and also improving the processes,” he said. “That is where the role of QI comes into place. I want to do QI projects at my own hospital, but I first want to get the tools necessary for a successful project.”

Quality improvement at the program level is a major concern for most hospitalists. That’s exactly why Venkata Dontaraju, MD, MRCP, FHM, attended a Tuesday afternoon HM17 workshop entitled “Adding to Your Toolbox: QI Methodologies.”

Dr. Dontaraju, a hospitalist for 7 years with Rockford Health Physicians in Loves Park, Ill., wants to begin QI projects of his own. He planned to attend a number of QI-focused sessions at the annual meeting, with the toolbox session laying the foundation for such work.

“There is a lot of emphasis on cutting down the waste in health care, and also improving the processes,” he said. “That is where the role of QI comes into place. I want to do QI projects at my own hospital, but I first want to get the tools necessary for a successful project.”

An original member of the Society of Hospital Medicine, new SHM Board President Ron Greeno, MD, MHM, is excited about helping to guide hospitalists into a new era of health system transformation.

The former chair of SHM’s Public Policy Committee, Dr. Greeno believes payment reforms like MACRA will have a “huge impact” on both hospitalists and the hospitals/health systems they work in. He expects hospital medicine, as a field, is well positioned for such changes and can play a vital role in systems change at the global level.

“In order to impact those things, hospitalists have to be ready to help change systems,” he said after his plenary address Tuesday at HM17.

An original member of the Society of Hospital Medicine, new SHM Board President Ron Greeno, MD, MHM, is excited about helping to guide hospitalists into a new era of health system transformation.

The former chair of SHM’s Public Policy Committee, Dr. Greeno believes payment reforms like MACRA will have a “huge impact” on both hospitalists and the hospitals/health systems they work in. He expects hospital medicine, as a field, is well positioned for such changes and can play a vital role in systems change at the global level.

“In order to impact those things, hospitalists have to be ready to help change systems,” he said after his plenary address Tuesday at HM17.

An original member of the Society of Hospital Medicine, new SHM Board President Ron Greeno, MD, MHM, is excited about helping to guide hospitalists into a new era of health system transformation.

The former chair of SHM’s Public Policy Committee, Dr. Greeno believes payment reforms like MACRA will have a “huge impact” on both hospitalists and the hospitals/health systems they work in. He expects hospital medicine, as a field, is well positioned for such changes and can play a vital role in systems change at the global level.

“In order to impact those things, hospitalists have to be ready to help change systems,” he said after his plenary address Tuesday at HM17.

Eight hospitalists have joined Team Hospitalist, the only reader involvement group of its kind in hospital medicine. Each of the new members has experience in the practice of HM; many offer specialized backgrounds in pediatrics, academics, quality and patient safety, and group administration. The new members will serve two-year terms and act as special editorial consultants to the magazine.

Geeta Arora, MD, is a locum tenens hospitalist.  She travels around the country practicing hospitalist medicine, telemedicine and travels the world practicing global medicine. Dr. Arora currently resides in New York City and holds board certifications in both internal medicine as well as integrative holistic medicine.

Michael J. Beck, MD, FAAP, is division chief of pediatric hospital medicine in the Department of Pediatrics, associate professor of pediatrics and internal medicine, and assistant program director, medicine/pediatrics residency program at Penn State Children's Hospital and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania.

Kevin M. Conrad, MD, MBA, is a hospitalist and medical director of community affairs and health policy at Ochsner Health Systems in New Orleans, La. He is an associate professor of medicine at Tulane University.

Stella Fitzgibbons, MD, FACP, FHM, is a hospitalist and emergency physician with Mint Physicians, primarily in Apollo Hospital System.

Benjamin Frizner, MD, FHM, is a hospitalist and director of the ventilator unit at Future Care, a Baltimore, Md.-based organization providing post-acute care across 12 facilities throughout southern Maryland.

Sarah A. Stella, MD, is an academic hospitalist in the division of hospital medicine and physician advisor for the department of care management at Denver Health in Colorado. She is an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora.

Miguel Angel Villagra Diaz, MD, is a hospitalist and medical director for the hospital medicine program at White River Medical Center in Batesville, Ark.

Jill Slater Waldman, MD, SFHM, is director of the adult hospital service at Phelps Memorial Hospital Center in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. She is medical director and physician advisor for utilization management, assistant to the CMO, and course coordinator for the internal medicine rotation.

Eight hospitalists have joined Team Hospitalist, the only reader involvement group of its kind in hospital medicine. Each of the new members has experience in the practice of HM; many offer specialized backgrounds in pediatrics, academics, quality and patient safety, and group administration. The new members will serve two-year terms and act as special editorial consultants to the magazine.

Geeta Arora, MD, is a locum tenens hospitalist.  She travels around the country practicing hospitalist medicine, telemedicine and travels the world practicing global medicine. Dr. Arora currently resides in New York City and holds board certifications in both internal medicine as well as integrative holistic medicine.

Michael J. Beck, MD, FAAP, is division chief of pediatric hospital medicine in the Department of Pediatrics, associate professor of pediatrics and internal medicine, and assistant program director, medicine/pediatrics residency program at Penn State Children's Hospital and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania.

Kevin M. Conrad, MD, MBA, is a hospitalist and medical director of community affairs and health policy at Ochsner Health Systems in New Orleans, La. He is an associate professor of medicine at Tulane University.

Stella Fitzgibbons, MD, FACP, FHM, is a hospitalist and emergency physician with Mint Physicians, primarily in Apollo Hospital System.

Benjamin Frizner, MD, FHM, is a hospitalist and director of the ventilator unit at Future Care, a Baltimore, Md.-based organization providing post-acute care across 12 facilities throughout southern Maryland.

Sarah A. Stella, MD, is an academic hospitalist in the division of hospital medicine and physician advisor for the department of care management at Denver Health in Colorado. She is an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora.

Miguel Angel Villagra Diaz, MD, is a hospitalist and medical director for the hospital medicine program at White River Medical Center in Batesville, Ark.

Jill Slater Waldman, MD, SFHM, is director of the adult hospital service at Phelps Memorial Hospital Center in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. She is medical director and physician advisor for utilization management, assistant to the CMO, and course coordinator for the internal medicine rotation.

Eight hospitalists have joined Team Hospitalist, the only reader involvement group of its kind in hospital medicine. Each of the new members has experience in the practice of HM; many offer specialized backgrounds in pediatrics, academics, quality and patient safety, and group administration. The new members will serve two-year terms and act as special editorial consultants to the magazine.

Geeta Arora, MD, is a locum tenens hospitalist.  She travels around the country practicing hospitalist medicine, telemedicine and travels the world practicing global medicine. Dr. Arora currently resides in New York City and holds board certifications in both internal medicine as well as integrative holistic medicine.

Michael J. Beck, MD, FAAP, is division chief of pediatric hospital medicine in the Department of Pediatrics, associate professor of pediatrics and internal medicine, and assistant program director, medicine/pediatrics residency program at Penn State Children's Hospital and Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania.

Kevin M. Conrad, MD, MBA, is a hospitalist and medical director of community affairs and health policy at Ochsner Health Systems in New Orleans, La. He is an associate professor of medicine at Tulane University.

Stella Fitzgibbons, MD, FACP, FHM, is a hospitalist and emergency physician with Mint Physicians, primarily in Apollo Hospital System.

Benjamin Frizner, MD, FHM, is a hospitalist and director of the ventilator unit at Future Care, a Baltimore, Md.-based organization providing post-acute care across 12 facilities throughout southern Maryland.

Sarah A. Stella, MD, is an academic hospitalist in the division of hospital medicine and physician advisor for the department of care management at Denver Health in Colorado. She is an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora.

Miguel Angel Villagra Diaz, MD, is a hospitalist and medical director for the hospital medicine program at White River Medical Center in Batesville, Ark.

Jill Slater Waldman, MD, SFHM, is director of the adult hospital service at Phelps Memorial Hospital Center in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. She is medical director and physician advisor for utilization management, assistant to the CMO, and course coordinator for the internal medicine rotation.

The Hospitalist, the official news magazine of the Society of Hospital Medicine, is always on the lookout for creative individuals dedicated to the field of hospital medicine to assist with editorial ideas and occasional writing.

Team Hospitalist is a voluntary, editorial advisory board made up of physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and administrators working in hospitalist groups all across the United States. Now in its eighth year, the 12-member group meets monthly to discuss hot topics in hospital medicine. Members are featured in the magazine and publish news articles at our website. Two-year terms will be seated during the SHM annual meeting this March in San Diego.

If interested in joining the team, send a cover letter of interest and CV to publication editor Jason Carris. Deadline to apply is Jan. 19, 2016.

The Hospitalist, the official news magazine of the Society of Hospital Medicine, is always on the lookout for creative individuals dedicated to the field of hospital medicine to assist with editorial ideas and occasional writing.

Team Hospitalist is a voluntary, editorial advisory board made up of physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and administrators working in hospitalist groups all across the United States. Now in its eighth year, the 12-member group meets monthly to discuss hot topics in hospital medicine. Members are featured in the magazine and publish news articles at our website. Two-year terms will be seated during the SHM annual meeting this March in San Diego.

If interested in joining the team, send a cover letter of interest and CV to publication editor Jason Carris. Deadline to apply is Jan. 19, 2016.

The Hospitalist, the official news magazine of the Society of Hospital Medicine, is always on the lookout for creative individuals dedicated to the field of hospital medicine to assist with editorial ideas and occasional writing.

Team Hospitalist is a voluntary, editorial advisory board made up of physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and administrators working in hospitalist groups all across the United States. Now in its eighth year, the 12-member group meets monthly to discuss hot topics in hospital medicine. Members are featured in the magazine and publish news articles at our website. Two-year terms will be seated during the SHM annual meeting this March in San Diego.

If interested in joining the team, send a cover letter of interest and CV to publication editor Jason Carris. Deadline to apply is Jan. 19, 2016.

Day Four highlights from HM15, the Society of Hospital Medicine’s (SHM) annual meeting in National Harbor, Md., just outside Washington, D.C.

Day Four highlights from HM15, the Society of Hospital Medicine’s (SHM) annual meeting in National Harbor, Md., just outside Washington, D.C.

Day Four highlights from HM15, the Society of Hospital Medicine’s (SHM) annual meeting in National Harbor, Md., just outside Washington, D.C.

Day Three highlights from HM15, the Society of Hospital Medicine’s (SHM) annual meeting in National Harbor, Md., just outside Washington, D.C.

Day Three highlights from HM15, the Society of Hospital Medicine’s (SHM) annual meeting in National Harbor, Md., just outside Washington, D.C.

Day Three highlights from HM15, the Society of Hospital Medicine’s (SHM) annual meeting in National Harbor, Md., just outside Washington, D.C.

Day Two highlights from HM15, the Society of Hospital Medicine’s (SHM) annual meeting in National Harbor, Md., just outside Washington, D.C.

Day Two highlights from HM15, the Society of Hospital Medicine’s (SHM) annual meeting in National Harbor, Md., just outside Washington, D.C.

Day Two highlights from HM15, the Society of Hospital Medicine’s (SHM) annual meeting in National Harbor, Md., just outside Washington, D.C.