Healthy Communities Online

Maria Lorenzo receives Catherine Kennedy Award for Excellence from AIDS-CT

October 2, 2015 Mark Masselli

Today, at the AIDS CT Annual Meeting, Maria Lorenzo, a case worker for our Oasis Wellness Center, was recognized with the Catherine Kennedy Award for Staff Excellence. This award is given for excellence in the HIV field. Maria was recognized for her years of service, unwavering commitment to our patients, dedication to CHC, and the joy and love with which she always does her job. She goes above and beyond what is expected of her on a daily basis. Congratulations,…

Under the BODI Tree

October 1, 2015 Mark Masselli

Tom Bodenheimer — physician, researcher, mensch and architect of the redesign of primary care — was the focus and namesake of this weekend’s symposium at the University of San Francisco Center for Excellence in Primary Care. Tom’s career spans 50 years, in which he has wasted no time in producing a prestigious amount of thought pieces about what he cares about most: providing and transforming primary care. At the conference, he left no doubt in anyone’s minds that this was not…

Dr. John Ball, Vice President Emeritus, American College of Physicians

September 30, 2015 Marianne OHare

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Dr. John Ball, VP Emeritus of the American College of Physicians and Chair of the Committee on Diagnostic Error in Health Care at the National Academies of Medicine, which determined diagnostic errors are a major contributor to patient harm and need to be addressed by all stakeholders in the health care system.

Dr. Darrell G. Kirch, President and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges

September 21, 2015 Marianne OHare

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Dr. Darrell G. Kirch, President and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges which advocates for medical education issues at over 140 American Medical Schools as well as at numerous Veterans Administration Medical Centers. He discusses the challenges being faced by the medical education establishment during this time of rapid transformation of the health care system.

eConsults: Telemedicine for our Neediest Populations

September 17, 2015 Mark Masselli

Two articles caught my eye today. The first was an issue brief from the Commonwealth Fund, which focused on the strength of America’s premier primary care safety net: community health centers. The article evaluated those health centers who had adopted the Patient Centered Medical Home ( PCMH) model of care. The study looks at the period from 2009 to 2013 and makes the observation that on almost all metrics, capability has improved dramatically – except in providing access to specialty care….

Tara Montgomery, Senior Director of Health Impact, Consumer Reports

September 14, 2015 Marianne OHare

This week, hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter speak with Tara Montgomery, Senior Director of Health Impact at Consumer Reports, the world’s largest organization dedicated to consumer rights and safety. She discusses their participation in the Choosing Wisely Campaign and discusses their Health Ratings Center and Best Buy Drug program aimed at insuring consumers get the best prices for prescriptions as well as the most accurate patient safety information.