A new medical direction structure has been launched in SHC’s ICUs to enhance accountability and evidence based medicine.

A focal point of a new initiative, intended to be a model for the institution, is the appointment of five associate medical directors with a portfolio of projects and responsibilities in their service areas.

Norman W. Rizk, currently medical director of ICUs, will continue in an expanded role with the five faculty physician assistants reporting to him. The new associate medical directors (AMDs) appointed in March are:

Fred Mihm, anesthesia
Ann Weinacker, medicine
Christine Wijman, neuroscience
Paul Maggio, surgery
Pieter van der Starre, CT surgery

“The overall goal is to improve quality of care by adopting a physician leadership structure that strongly supports and enables improvements in patient outcomes and overall care among physicians, nurses and other team members,” said Joseph Hopkins, senior medical director of quality. “We are formalizing the role, reporting structure and accountability of physician leaders in the ICUs, and defining their leadership responsibility for clinical care improvement initiatives. [see more]