Last month, more than 2,500 hospitalists and experts in HM gathered just outside Washington, D.C., to share the very best the specialty has to offer. The record-setting attendance surpassed the previous record—set at HM09 in Chicago—by more than 20%.
For hospitalists across the country, the meeting provided the perfect venue for continued education, professional development, and networking with friends and colleagues. To SHM CEO Larry Wellikson, MD, FHM, that is exactly what makes the annual meeting important.
“Hospital medicine is growing and evolving at a breakneck pace, and individual hospitalists are expected to keep up on a daily basis,” he says. “Our annual meeting is an opportunity to recognize the leaders in our field and identify the opportunities and challenges on the horizon for hospitalists.”
—Larry Wellikson, MD, SFHM, CEO of SHM
SHM Inducts First Senior Fellows and Masters in Hospital Medicine
The current and future leaders of HM were inducted as Fellows in Hospital Medicine at HM10 (see “Fellows in Hospital Medicine Class of 2010,” p.10). This year, SHM introduced the inaugural class of nearly 200 Senior Fellows in Hospital Medicine (SFHM) and three Masters in Hospital Medicine (MHM).
The three MHM designees—Winthrop F. Whitcomb, MD, MHM, Robert Wachter, MD, MHM, and John Nelson, MD, MHM—were recognized by SHM leadership for the “utmost demonstration of dedication to the field of hospital medicine through significant contributions to the development and maturation of the profession.”
Great Hospital Care? There’s an App for That
The Hospitalist Connection, a new, free handheld application developed specifically for hospitalists, is available at www.hospitalmedicine.org/epocrates.
Available for iPhone, Windows Mobile, and Palm devices, Hospitalist Connection puts the best in practice-management resources at hospitalists’ fingertips. Each article in Hospitalist Connection is selected by hospitalist Chad Whelan, MD, FHM, who adds his expert commentary on the topic.
“Staying up to date with the latest advances in hospital medicine is a key component of any hospitalist’s job, but they rarely find themselves with time at a desk behind a computer,” Dr. Whelan says. “That’s what makes this combination of format and content so powerful.”
In addition to exclusive content from Dr. Whelan, Hospitalist Connection presents excerpts of articles from the most trusted sources in HM. Topics range from management and care transitions to quality improvement (QI) and patient safety.
Hospitalist Connection is a joint collaboration between SHM and Epocrates, which develops Web-based and mobile applications for the healthcare sector. Epocrates estimates that more than 900,000 healthcare professionals—including 1 in 3 U.S. physicians—use Epocrates products.
The response to the Hospitalist Connection launch has been enthusiastic, according to SHM officials.
“Making great information more accessible empowers hospitalists to truly bring the best to their hospitals and patients,” says Todd Von Deak, SHM vice president and general manager. “We’re thrilled that so many hospitalists have shown such an interest in Hospitalist Connection. This is an extension of our commitment to bring the best resources to hospital medicine and our members.”
“This is a true milestone for the hospital medicine specialty,” said Dr. Wellikson. “The Masters in Hospital Medicine designation is the Hall of Fame of hospital medicine. We are honored to acknowledge Drs. Nelson, Wachter, and Whitcomb. We’re also thrilled to induct hundreds of new Fellows and Senior Fellows into the program. Their demonstrated commitment to improving patient care is one of the hallmarks of hospital medicine.”
The new SFHM designees represent the field’s experienced leaders and the next level of credentialing beyond the original Fellow in Hospital Medicine (FHM). Senior Fellows must have at least five years of HM practice and have been a society member for at least five years.