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Engaging Physicians in Quality Improvement

Dr. Heather McLeanWhen Heather McLean, MD, was appointed Vice Chair for Quality in the Department of Pediatrics at Duke University in 2015, she was eager to expand Duke’s quality efforts to improve care for pediatric patients.

However, “it seemed that only a few faculty members were excited to drive change,” Dr. McLean, also Associate Professor in the Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, recalls. “The barrier is that everyone is busy!”

Tackling Burnout

Research shows that physician burnout takes a toll on patient care and outcomes, and nearly half of all U.S. pediatricians surveyed in 2014 (n=683) reported burnout — up from 35 percent for general pediatricians and 40 percent for pediatric subspecialties in 2011. Comparatively, the overall prevalence of burnout for the general U.S. working population was 28.4%.1 Physician burnout has been tied to decreased productivity, lower quality of care, decreased patient satisfaction, and problems with patient safety.2

Reaching Out to Rural Practices in Tennessee

As a Pediatric Portfolio Sponsor with the ABP, the Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (TNAAP) approves quality improvement (QI) projects for Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Part 4 credit. But unlike many Portfolio Sponsors that work solely in hospitals in large urban areas, TNAAP also focuses on primary care settings in small towns across the state through its Pediatric Healthcare Improvement Initiative for Tennessee (PHiiT) and other programs. This is the story of one such practice.

Breast Milk for Babies

Colostrum Kits Increase Early Breast Milk Feeding in Very Low Birth Weight Infants

Infants weighing less than 1500 grams (3 lb. 5 oz.) at birth typically spend six weeks or more in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) before going home with their families. Yet the benefits of receiving their mother’s breast milk soon after birth are well-documented and potentially lifesaving. And early expression of colostrum has been shown to increase a mother’s milk supply six weeks later.1

Data Visualization Highlights Disparities in Pediatrics, Drives Decision-Making

The ABP has transformed its workforce data book into an interactive experience through digital data visualizations.

Data relating to trainees, certification areas, and more can be filtered easily by gender, age, and location, instantly generating dynamic maps, graphs, and tables.

IDENTIFYING GEOGRAPHIC DISPARITIES

Dr. Michelle RheaultGeographic disparity is a significant problem in many subspecialties — an issue pediatric nephrologist Michelle Rheault, MD, sees in her field.

A Parent's RX for Pediatricians — Get to Know Patients' Families

Tamela Milan-AlexanderTamela Milan-Alexander recovered from opioid addiction, regained custody of her six children, moved out of public housing, earned not only a bachelor’s degree, but also a master’s, and became a parent advocate, peer educator, developmental screener, community health worker, and case manager.

Public Volunteers Contribute to ABP Mission

Rutledge Hutson is a child advocate and a mom. She also volunteers as one of two public (non-physician) members* of the 15-member ABP Board of Directors.

“It’s important that the Board has people who are not physicians to bring a different perspective to decisions,” she says.

Public members represent parents and other members of the public who rely on certification as a way of knowing that a pediatrician has completed an accredited pediatric training program and continues to stay up to date on the latest medical knowledge and best practices.

Professional Services: The ABP ‘Dream Team’

Calling them meeting planners is like calling Julia Child a cook. Technically, yes, they plan every detail to ensure that the purpose and goals of meetings are met, but they do so much more and do it with flair! For example, overseeing the interactions and relations with the ABP volunteers and other certified pediatricians and organizations also is on their bill of fare.

ABP Names Dr. Gary Frank 2019 Paul V. Miles Fellow

Gary Frank, MD, MS, Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, has been selected by the ABP to receive the 2019 Paul V. Miles (PVM) Fellowship Award. The award is given annually to an accomplished mid-career pediatrician dedicated to improving the quality of health care for children. Later this year, as part of the fellowship, Dr. Frank will visit the ABP offices and give grand rounds at the University of North Carolina and Duke University medical schools to discuss his work in quality and patient safety.

ABP Details Development of New Assessment Option in Pediatrics

The waiting room. A desk in an office. A comfortable chair at home.  These aren’t places that physicians normally associate with taking a high-stakes certification exam. But for pediatricians certified by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), that will soon change.

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