SHM has created a new seat on the Board of Directors that must be filled by a pediatric hospitalist and has elected Jack Percelay, MD, FAAP as its new pediatric board member. Dr. Percelay began serving a 1-year term on the SHM board beginning April 29, 2005. In the Fall of 2005, during the next board elections, the new position will become a 3-year pediatric board seat.
“The addition of a pediatrics seat to the board is important because pediatric hospitalists have a unique and important perspective on our growing specialty of hospital medicine,” said new SHM President, Steven Pantilat, MD, FACP. “Jack Percelay has long been a leader in field of pediatric hospital medicine, has nurtured the development of pediatric hospitalists, and has been a key link in our work with the American Academy of Pediatrics for many years now. We welcome his insights and vision as we continue to expand the role of education and leadership for pediatric hospitalists.”
“For many years SHM has had a pediatrician represented on the board―first with Mike Ruhlen from Toledo and more recently with David Zipes from Indianapolis,“ added SHM immediate past President Jeanne Huddleston. “At this stage in the growth of hospital medicine, the SHM board felt it was important to ensure that we continue to have a pediatric voice represented on the board.”
Dr. Percelay currently is director, Virtua Inpatient Pediatrics and CARES at Children’s Health Associates in Vorhees, NJ. Virtua Inpatient Pediatrics is a 13-person pediatric hospitalist group providing coverage at West Jersey Vorhees and Burlington Memorial Hospitals in southern New Jersey. The group covers the pediatric ward, pediatric ICU and emergency room.
In 2003, Dr. Percelay coauthored a survey initiated by the American Association of Pediatrics entitled “Attitudes Toward and Experiences with Pediatric Hospitalists: A National Survey.” The goal of the survey was to explore the extent to which the pediatric hospitalist practice has developed and to examine pediatricians’ attitudes and experiences with pediatric hospitalists. It was the first survey the AAP has conducted on hospitalists.
Dr. Percelay also was a lead author for the recent AAP Policy statement “Guiding Principles for Pediatric Hospitalist Programs” (Pediatrics 2005;115: 11012).
A charter member of SHM, Dr. Percelay has served on numerous committees, including chair of the Pediatric Committee and a member of the Public Policy committee.