Goal is to help patients become informed advocates and active partners in their care
PHILADELPHIA, August 8, 2013 -- The American College of Physicians (ACP) today announced the launch of a new Center for Patient Partnership in Healthcare (CPPH) that will engage patients, families, and patient organizations as partners with ACP in designing patient-centered care delivery and in developing educational materials for patients.
"To promote and practice truly patient-centered care, we as a physician organization have to work closely with patient partners, hearing their voice and assuring that care is focused on patients' needs and preferences," said Steven Weinberger, MD, FACP, ACP's executive vice president and CEO. "We envision the CPPH as the vehicle to move patient care in that direction."
The CPPH will be guided by an Advisory Board for Patient Partnership in Healthcare chaired by Phyllis Guze, MD, MACP, immediate past chair of ACP's Board of Regents. The Advisory Board will include two representatives from patient organizations, a nurse, a physician assistant, and several physicians.
"By bringing together physicians, patients, and other healthcare professionals, the CPPH will develop programs and offer resources targeted to both the macro level of care delivery and the micro level of the individual patient-physician interaction," Dr. Guze said.
Wendy Nickel will serve as the CPPH's director. With close to 20 years experience in healthcare, her work has focused on improving the quality of care and patient safety through use of quality improvement teams, patient engagement, and development of disease management programs.
Prior to joining ACP, Nickel led the Center for Hospital Innovation and Improvement at the Society of Hospital Medicine. She has also held positions at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Albert Einstein Network. Nickel earned a Master of Public Health degree from Emory University in Atlanta.
About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest
medical specialty organization and the second-largest physician
group in the United States. ACP members include 137,000 internal
medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and
medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who
apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis,
treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum
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