Q: Outside of patient care, what other career interests do you have?
A: I’m interested in smart clinics, and I actually have a patent for smart clinic chains. I’m a big fan of primary care, because, like hospitalists revolutionized inpatient care, I think we can revolutionize the outpatient care experience as well. I don’t think we are being very efficient with outpatient care.
But if I was not practicing medicine, I probably would be a chef. I like to cook, and I would open up my own restaurant if I was not doing this.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
A: I want to be a consultant, evaluating hospitalist programs and guiding programs to grow and be more efficient. That, I think, would be the primary job that I would like to be doing, along with giving lectures and teaching about patient safety and quality, and educating younger physicians about the business of medicine.
Q: What experience with SHM has made the most lasting impact on you?
A: I would say the best impression was from the Academic Hospitalist Academy meeting I attended in Denver. I think that was helpful, because it was like a boot camp where you have only a limited number of attendees with a dedicated mentor. That was amazing, and I learned a lot. It helped me in redesigning my approach to where I would like to be both short- and long-term. I implemented at least 50 percent of what I learned at that meeting.
Q: What’s the best book that you’ve read recently and why was it the best?
A: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. It’s a really beautiful book.
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