Providence Portland: Improving the Health Care System
TRAINING MINDS - TRANSFORMING LIVES
The Population-Based Health rotation is designed to accomplish several educational objectives:
To understand the structure and function of our healthcare system and how physicians can contribute to the evolution of health care systems
To learn about and utilize Continuous Quality Improvement methods
To emphasize important issues of caring for populations of patients
To explore opportunities for physician advocacy in improving the healthcare system, as well as volunteer opportunities within our community
Experiences within the rotation include:
Development of a CQI (continuous quality improvement) project, which focuses on improving quality of care in our continuity practice. Each intern takes a sequential leadership role in designing and implementing the project. Past projects have included:
Increasing the cost-effective prescription of drugs
Optimal radiographic ordering in the PACE practice
Increasing colon cancer screening
Reducing polypharmacy among elderly patients in the PACE practice
One-on-one teaching sessions with full-time faculty and health care leaders from inside and outside the Providence Health & Services. Course faculty bring expertise on medical economics, health insurance, quality improvement, health care administration, medical informatics and information technology, health care reform, community care delivery, and the care of underserved populations.
Volunteer evening at Wallace Medical Concern, a volunteer staffed free clinic in the Portland area, serving people without insurance.
Site visit to the Multnomah County Jail to learn about the correctional health care system.
Evening speaker series. Past speakers have included three of Oregon’s state senators discussing legislative efforts in Oregon to reform health care.
He has served seven years as the medical director and then associate medical director of one of the largest independent hospice agencies in Oregon. Since moving to Portland, he has served as medical director for Our House of Portland, a residential care facility for people living and dying with AIDS. For the last three years, he has served on HIV/AIDS training teams sent to China to teach HIV care skills to medical providers and students in Sichuan Province and in Beijing.
