Q & A with Kristin B. Gershfield, MD, FHM, Vituity Director of Quality and Performance, Sequoia Hospital, in Redwood City, Calif.
Dr. Gershfield is passionate about quality improvement initiatives, especially those outside of academic hospital settings, and she brings these perspectives to The Hospitalist’s editorial board.
I enjoy creating new workflows and clinical education tools that make it easier for hospitalists to provide safe, high-quality care.
Q: Why did you choose a career in hospital medicine?
It chose me. After I finished residency, my husband was still a resident, we just had a baby, and we were planning to move for his fellowship. I took a job doing hospitalist shifts for convenience and never looked back.
Q: What’s been your biggest success?
Successfully leading my hospitalist group as our medical director and our medical staff as the medical staff president through COVID-19.
Q: What challenges have you overcome?
I have worked hard to incorporate empathy and curiosity into my leadership style.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your work?
I enjoy creating new workflows and clinical education tools that make it easier for hospitalists to provide safe, high-quality care.
Q: Why did you join SHM?
To learn from and connect with hospitalists and other hospitalist leaders.
Q: Why did you become an editorial board member?
I wanted to see more articles that are relevant to community (nonacademic) hospital practices.
Q: What’s the first page you turn to when you get your copy of The Hospitalist?
I love to read the front page first.
Q: What topics would you like to see more of in The Hospitalist?
Quality improvement outside of academic settings.
Q: What’s your best piece of advice for new hospitalists?
Keep your focus on patient care quality and get to know your patients.
Q: What’s something someone would be surprised to know about you?
I love to do jigsaw puzzles.
Q: What do you wish the world knew about hospitalists?
We work really hard and have hundreds of demands from many different sources constantly.
Q: How do you stay motivated during stressful days?
I try to stay curious and spend time connecting with my patients or other members of the care team.
Dr. Gershfield is the Vituity Director of Quality and Performance, at Sequoia Hospital, in Redwood City, Calif. She earned her medical degree from Yale University in New Haven, Conn., and completed her residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.