Activations update
The PatientConnection Contest continues through the end of June with the goal of 50,000 patient activations. As of March 20, there are 24,553 total activations. 

Doctors Day - March 30
PeaceHealth asked doctors to share their stories and why the got into medicine. We continue to feature their profiles through the month of March.

Dianna Bordewick, MD Ophthalmology: "There are so many things you can do that truly make a difference in the quality of a patient's life. Cataract surgery for example: 'Yesterday I can't see and now I can,' or 'The colors look dull and now they're beautiful.'"

Kierst Bradley, MD Pediatrics: "In pediatrics we see a huge change throughout time and we are invited into people's families, and that is pretty priceless."

Journey of grace and growth
The Center for Mission is offering daily reflections throughout the observance of Lent, the 40-day period of prayer, penance, sacrifice and good works before Easter. Click here each morning to receive a new inspirational reflection.

Dr. Howard Graman

Epic ICD-10 Educational Sessions

Patient-Centered Medical Home

Provider and administrative leads from each of the six pilot sites, along with a PeaceHealth patient, met last Monday to kick off the Patient-Centered Medical Home pilot program.

These representatives began the process of defining the PeaceHealth medical home model, determining roles and responsibilities, and creating a work plan for the next 6-9 months. Specific operations and organizational structure within a medical home will vary based on the individual site's needs but each office will emphasize team-based care and will look to improve patient, provider and caregiver satisfaction.

Leads from the pilot sites also prioritized the capabilities of their medical home including case management, behavioral health services, space modifications and improved access.

Our next steps will look to unload the teams by identifying and removing inefficiencies so we can add new services without adding work. There are also plans to deliver team-care and competency training so everyone can work to the top of their licensure. Additionally, these offices will receive project management support, additional staffing, and productivity, quality, and access reporting.

Pilot sites and a steering committee will meet regularly as the program gets under way. For more information: please email Karen Sharpe, MD.

Building Trust Beyond a Patient Panel

Providers may not always have a patient's personal history to rely on, and sometimes they may treat a patient only once. Here are tips for rapport building and setting the right tone with a patient in these situations:

Introduce yourself and establish a friendly rapport with the patient. A first impression counts: clear your mind of distractions, make eye contact, smile, shake hands as appropriate, sit down, and try not to appear hurried (even if you feel that way). Patients are inclined to like you to the extent that they think you like them. Beginning with a non-clinical question or remark ("What a beautiful scarf you're wearing!") can help the visit feel more personal and less rushed.

When possible, leverage the relationship patients have with their PCP to establish trust. This shows the patient that their care is well coordinated and that they can trust you as an extension of their care team. As Dr. Stephen Beeson writes in Practicing Excellence: "Assume that patients have a strong relationship with their primary care physicians, and speaking well of them will create allegiance to you."

Example: "Hi, I'm Dr. Jones. Nice to meet you, Mr. Smith. I know how fun it can be to see a new doctor for the first time [smile] but I've been working with [PCP] at this clinic for X years. We work as a team and I'll keep her informed of what we cover today."

Continued: More tips on building trust »