Public Policy

Register Now for February’s SHM Leadership Academy

SHM’s Level I Leadership Academy is back. If you were unable to register for the sold-out September Academy, now is your chance. This semi-annual course will be held during the week of February 26–March 1, 2007, at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. This course gives attendees hands-on experience and a unique opportunity to learn from the best in the field. All previous Level I academies have sold out weeks in advance, so reserve your spot today by visiting www.hospitalmedicine.org for more information.

Hospital Medicine Fast Facts

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ASHP Foundation Launches New Hospital Pharmacist-Hospitalist Team Research Grant

Foundation seeks to encourage collaborative studies of VTE prevention

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitals. It mostly affects patients with primary medical conditions; those who have had surgery for gynecologic, orthopedic, urologic, and vascular conditions; and those receiving care in critical care settings.

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Research and Education Foundation has created a new grant program sponsored by the Sanofi Aventis Group to support multidisciplinary research studies conducted by hospital pharmacists and hospitalists to prevent and treat VTE in hospitalized patients.

“Because the focus of a hospitalist is providing quality medical care for hospitalized patients and the unique medical problems that they may face as a result of being hospitalized, the ASHP Foundation felt it was important to offer hospital pharmacists an opportunity to partner with this group of physicians,” says Daniel J. Cobaugh, PharmD, FAACT, DABAT, ASHP Foundation director of research. “We wanted to focus the research grant on a major patient care issue that can be effectively addressed through hospital pharmacist-hospitalist collaborations. We believe this collaborative approach will have far-reaching implications for improving patient care and patient safety.”

“The hospital of the future will be based on patient-centered care, with measurable quality outcomes and delivered by teams of health professionals,” explains Larry Wellikson, MD, FACP, SHM CEO. “This collaborative process with hospital-based pharmacists and hospitalists working together to improve VTE care is just the kind of interdisciplinary teamwork that can serve as a beacon to lead us to a better future.”

Applications should emphasize the following:

  • Project objectives that address health services research related to the prevention and treatment of VTE;
  • Sound research methods that support the study objectives;
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration between hospital pharmacists and hospitalist physicians;
  • The potential for findings to be replicated in other healthcare facilities; and
  • Prudent use of grant funds.

Potential areas of research focus include the use of appropriate interventions to prevent VTE, optimization and monitoring of therapies used for VTE, ensuring continuity of care, provision of literacy-sensitive education to patients and caregivers, and health professional education.

Applications and detailed instructions for the Hospital Pharmacist-Hospitalist Collaboration: VTE Prevention and Treatment Team Grant is available on the ASHP Foundation Web site at www.ashpfoundation.org. The deadline for completed applications is March 1.

SHM Chapter reports

New Jersey

The New Jersey Chapter of SHM held a meeting in September at the Highlawn Pavilion in West Orange, N.J. A presentation titled “The Role of Hospitalists and Hypertension in the Inpatient” was given by Larry Bryd, MD. There were 23 attendees representing five hospital medicine groups in attendance. The meeting was sponsored by Ortho-Biotech. The next New Jersey Chapter meeting is scheduled for March or April 2007 and will take place in South Jersey.

Boston

The Boston chapter of SHM hosted nearly 50 attendees at its October meeting, held at Davio’s restaurant. The featured speaker was Geno Merli, MD, director of internal medicine at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Dr. Merli spoke about “Key Issues in VTE Prevention.”

At press time the Boston chapter’s next meeting was scheduled for Dec. 7, 2006. The discussion was expected to be “An Influenza Pandemic: Is Your Hospitalist Program Ready?”

Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Chapter met in October and included five participants from three Pittsburgh-area hospitals. The speaker for the event was Frank Michota, MD, head, Section of Hospital Medicine, Department of General Medicine, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. His presentation, “The Basics of Hospital Throughput—A Case Study in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure,” generated an excellent discussion on hospital throughput. An election for an acting president was conducted; Michael Cratty, MD, PhD, will serve as acting president. Additional elections will be held as the chapter grows. The next meeting will be held in January.

New York City

The New York City Chapter held an event at in October at March Restaurant in Manhattan. Steven L. Cohn, MD, FACP, chief, Division of General Internal Medicine, director of medical consultation service, and clinical professor of medicine at State University of New York Downstate, gave an update on perioperative medicine. The event was well attended. The evening was sponsored by the Sanofi Aventis Group.

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