Today, it is a pleasure to recognize the 60,000+ hardworking hospitalists for the vital role they play in the healthcare industry. Hospital medicine doctors are responding to the ever-increasing need for medical services, filling gaps in the delivery of care across the country. 

2023 marks the fifth year of celebrating National Hospitalist Day. This year, we focus on the future of hospital medicine. The themes include: 

• Mentors in the field of hospital medicine 
• Medical students and residents who represent the future of the field 
• Innovators in the field who are advancing and transforming the growing specialty 

Why Is It Important to Celebrate National Hospitalist Day? 

The holiday focuses on promoting patient-centered care. National Hospitalist Day serves as a reminder to celebrate the individuals and teams that make up the hospital medicine community. These healthcare professionals always prioritize continuous care for our patients. 

Hospitalists serve as the single point of contact for a patient. They help guide patients through treatment and reduce uncertainty during hospitalization. Hospital medicine physicians oversee the entire journey of patient care from admittance to discharge, delivering direct care, consultations, and preoperative evaluations. 

March 2nd recognizes our hospital medicine professionals. Hospital medicine physicians actively support and implement evidence-based guidelines and practices. Hospitalists provide optimal continuity of care and enhance the performance of hospitals and healthcare systems each day. 

Hospital Medicine Residency programs incorporate business and operational aspects of medicine. The hospitalist role is a hybrid of internist and generalist. This exposes hospital medicine physicians to more cases than if they focused on a single specialty. Hospitalists are also equipped to help develop effective processes to improve quality, inpatient flow, and hospital operations. 

Hospitalists improve the efficiency of care for hospitalized patients. Patient care is the primary role of the hospitalist. However, the profession was built on a foundation for improving the hospital system. Hospital medicine physicians are responsible for internal innovation, improving efficiency, and fostering collaboration between hospital departments. 

How Can We Celebrate National Hospitalist Day? 

Appreciate a hospitalist you know! National Hospitalist Day is a chance to take pride in how hospitalists are transforming patient care and say thank you. Whether you send a text message, tag them on social media, or send a handwritten note, saying thank you goes a long way!  

#HowWeHospitalist The Society of Hospital Medicine encourages you to spread awareness on social media! Share your story; how you are making a difference in the lives of patients? Don’t forget to use the hashtags #NationalHospitalistDay and #HowWeHospitalist to spotlight why you are proud to practice hospital medicine. 

At Optimum, we understand the positive impact hospitalists have on the outcomes of hospitalized patients through their dedication, innovation, and collaboration. Every day, hospital medicine professionals strive to improve patient lives, as well as the field of hospital medicine. 

On March 2 and throughout the year, Optimum appreciates you and all hospitalists! 

If you are interested in hospital medicine positions, learn more about current openings here. 

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Optimum honors those who have helped pave the way for progress and change. To conclude the month, we are recognizing a few remarkable Black doctors. Additionally, we invite you to share the healthcare professionals from history that inspire you! 

Dr. James McCune Smith  

Dr. James McCune Smith was the first Black American in the United States to receive a medical degree. Dr. Smith was turned away by American universities but persevered and was finally accepted at a medical school in Scotland. After graduation, he returned to the United States and opened a medical practice in New York City. 

Dr. Smith was the first Black American published in U.S. medical journals. In addition, he was actively involved in anti-slavery and suffrage movements. Dr. Smith was instrumental in making the overthrow of slavery a success. He faced many barriers during his career, but today, he is celebrated as a symbol of strength and determination.  

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler 

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first African American female doctor in the United States. She attended the New England Female Medical College in Boston, Massachusetts, and was the only Black graduate. Dr. Crumpler was passionate about her work and treated patients regardless of whether they could pay. 

Dr. Crumpler published a book that incorporated medical notes from journals she had while practicing. A Book of Medical Discourses is said to be the first medical book written by an African American author. Virginia’s governor declared March 30, 2019, “Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler Day” to celebrate her perseverance and dedication to those in need of her care.   

Dr. Leonidas Harris Berry  

Dr. Leonidas Harris Berry was the first Black gastroenterologist and a pioneer in endoscopy. He led groundbreaking studies, invented the Eder-Berry biopsy gastroscope, encouraged African American youths to pursue a medical career, and more.  

Dr. Berry set off to receive many awards and was always very actively involved in the community. The Leonidas H. Berry Society for Digestive Diseases was established in 1980. This was in recognition of Dr. Berry’s groundbreaking contributions to gastroenterology. 

Black Americans Continue to Excel in Healthcare.   

Today, Black doctors are advancing every aspect of medicine and healthcare in the U.S. A report from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) found that the number of Black American first-year medical students increased by 21 percent between 2020 and 2021.   

Revisiting the stories of trailblazers like Smith, Crumpler, and Berry can be inspiring. It encourages us to pursue our passions and strive for equity throughout healthcare. 

The post Optimum Celebrates Black History Month appeared first on Optimum Perm.

1. Host a Doctors’ Day appreciation meal. Plan a luncheon, team breakfast, or dinner. Include everyone in the festivities; invite nurses, allied health professionals, and other employees to honor physicians. Hosting an appreciation meal is a great way to improve work culture and make your staff feel appreciated.
2. A red carnation boutonniere or small corsage. The red carnation is National Doctors’ Day’s symbolic flower, representing love, charity, sacrifice, bravery, and courage.
3. Invite patients to write “Happy Doctors’ Day” notes to their physicians. Starting in January, keep a supply of notecards and give them to patients. Find a spot where you can put a designated basket or mailbox for the completed cards! Then, on March 30th, distribute the thoughtful notes; this will surely brighten any doctor’s day!
4. Create a video for your doctors. The video can easily be shot and edited on an iPhone. Ask your healthcare staff to send a “thank you” video or take it for them. This can be a fun and easy way to get the whole team involved and, as a result, make your physicians feel truly special. If your facility or practice has a YouTube channel, you can post the video and encourage employees to share it on social media.
5. A personalized gift from Etsy. Engrave a pen, create custom bobbleheads, succulents, or a door sign! Etsy has a variety of handcrafted, customized pieces from small businesses that will be sure to make your doctors feel special.
6. Explore Pinterest boards for more inspiration. The visual bookmarking tool is an excellent resource for discovering and saving creative ideas for your annual celebration. (Use search terms like “Doctors’ Day,” “Doctors’ Day Ideas,” and “Doctors’ Day Gifts.”)

However you choose to commemorate National Doctors’ Day, your physicians will appreciate your gratitude for their service and acknowledgment of their valuable role in healthcare!

How are you celebrating National Doctors’ Day? We’d love to hear! Email us at info@optimumperm.com.

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Model of Persistence for All Physicians.  

As you celebrate National Women Physicians Day, we invite you to reflect on Blackwell’s story. Elizabeth Blackwell was:  

• Rejected 29 times from medical school  
• Accepted to Geneva Medical College after the entire student body (150 men) voted for her approval as a joke
• Barred from a lecture on reproductive anatomy 
• Treated with hostility by colleagues and male patients  
• Exposed to an infected patient and lost sight in one eye, yet continued to practice medicine 
• Refused a physician’s position in the women’s department of a large city medical practice 

Despite these and many other difficulties that Blackwell encountered, she never gave up. After each rejection letter, she pushed ahead. When accepted (at last) to medical school, she graduated top of her class. When forbidden from a lecture, she stood her ground until allowed to attend. When denied a job, she opened her own medical practice. No matter what the adversity, Blackwell worked relentlessly to become a caring physician, an influential writer, and a medical professor. 

She refused to let rejection get in her way. She refused to listen to naysayers who thought her goal of practicing medicine was not only unacceptable, but also unattainable. She refused to let fear or doubt squelch her extraordinary dream. Instead, Elizabeth Blackwell persevered.  

Women Physicians Continue to Achieve.  

Much has changed since Blackwell applied for admission to medical school in 1847. An analysis from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) showed 56.8 percent of applicants in 2021 were women. It is reported that nearly one-third of active physicians in the United States identify as women.  

Revisiting the struggles and successes of trailblazers like Blackwell, and keeping their stories alive, reminds us how far we have come while inspiring us to never give up. Today is a reminder to celebrate the amazing work of our female doctors. We thank and celebrate you for your contributions to healthcare and dedication to providing patient-centered care.   

How are you celebrating and supporting physicians in your life who identify as women? We’d love to hear! 

If you are looking to make your next career move, check out our permanent placement and/or locum tenens job opportunities!  

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Prior to modern anesthesia, operations were extremely painful for patients. Although doctors and nurses enlisted the help of herbal remedies and creative distractions, it was impossible to achieve any true level of comfort. For years, they sought ways to perform painless surgical procedures, highlighted in some of the earliest recorded medical notes. The ability to finally perform comfortable procedures and keep the patient from enduring significant pain spearheaded many other advances and medical breakthroughs. In the early 20th century, these advances allowed anesthesiology to become a medical specialty!  

Today, we celebrate our anesthesiologists for their significant contribution to medicine and the specialty for its lengthy timeline and incredible advancements. Here are a few fast facts to honor this timeline and highlight a few of its most significant milestones.  

1. Ever wonder where the phrase “bite the bullet” came from? Prior to the use of anesthesia during the American Civil War, doctors provided a bullet to bite on to wounded soldiers undergoing often gruesome procedures so the patient could concentrate on the bullet instead of the pain.  
2. The Ether Dome at Mass General is a beautifully preserved piece of history. In the 1800s, over 8,000 operations occurred in this location, including the first painless surgery. Now, this teaching amphitheater is also a historical landmark, housing an oil painting of the famous surgery and displaying surgical tools.  
3. Founded in 1905, The American Society of Anesthesiologists pledges to progress American medicine and remain an advocate for continual education and research in the anesthesiology field.  
4. In 1927, Dr. Ralph M. Waters taught one of the world’s first university-based residency training programs in anesthesiology.  
5. In 1940, the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) gained independent board status and helped define anesthesiology as a medical specialty, granting physicians formal recognition for their tremendous skill.  
6. The American Society of Anesthesiologists Charitable Foundation was founded in 2011 with a mission to improve access to quality anesthesia and improve health and medical care in underserved communities. 
7. New Jersey has the highest employment level in anesthesiologists, with 2,870 followed by New York, with 2,860.  

Whether you’re seeking your next permanent position, looking for a locum tenens opportunity, or simply observing the field’s advancements, we hope you enjoyed these fast facts! We thank our dedicated anesthesiologists for providing patient-centered care to our communities nationwide! 

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We advise you to apply for an NPI number now before you need to bill for services. Per CMS, the electronic NPI application could take fewer than 10 days, and a paper application takes about 20 business days.  

Now that you know the “why,” it’s time to get started. There are three ways to apply for an NPI number, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS):

1. Submit an online application through the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) website.
2. Mail a paper application (Form CMS-10114) to the relevant NPI Enumerator address. Call 800-465-3203 or TTY 800-692-2326, or email customerservice@npienumerator.com to request a hard copy.
3. Partner with an Electronic File Interchange Organization (EFIO) to send an application on your behalf. 

When applying online, you must first register with the CMS Identities & Access Management System to create an account. You will then navigate to the NPPES website to complete an application. 

The application process typically takes between 15 and 20 minutes. After you submit your application, you will receive your unique NPI number, the timeline will vary depending on the type of application method and the volume of applications being processed at a given time! Your unique 10-digit number will never expire or be recycled – it is yours for life.

If you have other questions about NPI here is a booklet of answers from the CMS. We welcome you to also contact Optimum to learn more about the NPI number application process. 

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Is your hospital, private practice, independent group, or medical facility looking to enhance your Millennial and Gen Z recruitment strategy?

Here are a few ways to attract the newer generations of physicians and advanced practitioners:

1. Work-Life Balance & Flexibility 

The newer generations hitting the workforce are changing the standard of what the traditional work-life balance looks like. Millennials and Gen Zs seek flexibility – they want to practice at a hospital, physician group, or medical facility that encourages taking time off for family leave or simply personal wellness.

You can accommodate the newer generations’ personal lives by offering increased scheduling flexibility, leveraging technology, having workplace childcare services onsite, and more. In addition, creating a culture that encourages taking time off helps keep physicians’ and advanced practitioners’ happiness a priority and, in return – their loyalty.

2. Wellness & Mental Health Support

The older, more traditional ways of working haven’t always been the healthiest for some healthcare professionals. In a survey by Medscape, 47% of physicians reported they were experiencing burnout, up from 42% from 2021. In addition, 48% of physicians surveyed said they exercise to cope with burnout. Therefore, it is essential to offer ways your staff can reduce stress and stay motivated! A great perk you could offer to employees is free gym memberships. Or even schedule group workouts where staff can burn off some steam and, as a bonus, strengthen workplace culture.

3. Workplace Culture, Development & Pay

Truly being part of a team and having a community of colleagues you respect and enjoy working with is valuable to newer generations entering the healthcare workforce. Your workplace culture directly impacts how medical staff, nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals work together to achieve a common goal. It is critical to make sure your employees feel valued, included and believe their ideas are appreciated. Feeling a sense of purpose and finding meaning in your work is essential for new graduates.

In addition to culture, many younger physicians and advanced practitioners seek generous compensation packages and development opportunities. A leadership development or mentorship program can help engage employees further and foster innovative ideas. Offering additional PTO, paid childcare services, sign-on bonuses, relocation benefits, and loan repayment assistance can be a great way to secure new talent.

4. Adopt Advanced Healthcare Technology

The younger generations are digitally savvy and choose to leverage technology to make their lives easier. New physicians and advanced practitioners appreciate utilizing digital tools to streamline administrative tasks, reduce medical errors, and improve patient communication. Telehealth assignments are also highly sought after; the ease of working from home and having a manageable workload decreases the risk of burnout and improves job satisfaction.

Integrating on-call provider support programs to relieve physicians and advanced practitioners from taking calls during the nights, weekends, and holidays is also a great way to secure and retain talent. This helps to normalize work schedules and limit the stress that comes from working irregular hours.

Relationships are crucial to the success of hiring and retaining new talent. Authentically connecting with recent graduates can help your medical facility shine during the interview process. If your team is looking to reduce staff burnout, increase PTO options, and more by leveraging a supplemental staffing partner, Optimum is happy to help. Our team ensures all physicians and advanced practitioners are a cultural and clinical fit for your facility. We are dedicated to your facility and committed to helping solve your unique challenges together. If you are interested in more information, contact us today.

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Being away from the people you love can be challenging during the holidays, so we put together a few ways you can celebrate and create new traditions while working at a healthcare facility this holiday season.  

Video Chats & Social Media.   

With technology right at our fingertips, communication has never been more accessible. This holiday season, plan a video call with your friends and family! If you’re on social media, digital platforms are a great way to share holiday updates and help you stay connected. With some help from technology, you’ll have no problem getting into the holiday spirit – and sharing the holiday experience with loved ones. 

Bring Holiday Fun to Work.   

If you are working during the holidays, this doesn’t mean you need to give up your traditions. In fact, you can bring them along with you. Do you have a favorite holiday movie? Bring it with you and have it playing in the break room for staff! Are you craving your aunt’s infamous apple pie? Get the recipe, head to your local supermarket, and try baking it yourself – your coworkers will also love this. Whatever your holiday traditions, there’s always an opportunity to recreate them from the healthcare facility you are working at. Whether it be baking or caroling, window shopping, or watching holiday movies, the opportunity to participate in holiday festivities is almost endless. Don’t be afraid to create new traditions, including your staff, in the process!  

Creating New Traditions.   

While there are probably many old traditions you have for the holidays, there are always new ones just waiting to be made! Play a game with family members or friends – this can be as easy as holiday bingo or everyone sharing their favorite moment of the holiday via text or over a video call. Even though you may not be in person with your family and friends this year, it doesn’t mean you can’t still be a part of the fun! Your co-workers might be keen to get in on the idea, too! Making new and old connections will help give you a sense of security and belonging this holiday season.  

Pick a New Day to Celebrate.  

While official holidays are traditionally celebrated on the date marked on the calendar – that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate on a day of your choosing as well. If what matters most to you is the time spent with family or friends, the date is not as important! Instead, consider scheduling a day before or after the official holiday to celebrate. By combining suggestions from above with an alternative date for celebrations, you can enjoy the spirit of the holidays over an extended period which can minimize the feeling of “missing out” for you and for your family members. 

Whatever the holidays mean for you, with help from technology, bringing old traditions along, and creating new ones, you’ll feel festive in no time. Thank you to all our healthcare professionals working this holiday season! 

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Read on for a few ideas and tips for appreciating nurse practitioners and shining a light on their many contributions this week!

Social Media #NPWeek: NPs have a passionate community of colleagues on social media. Join in on the fun, post a thank you message, or share an amazing story! Don’t forget to tag your NP colleagues and include the #NPWeek hashtag to reach millions of people celebrating.

Say Thank You: Start small; the best place to begin is by simply saying Thank You! Let your NPs know that their work, dedication, and expertise are appreciated. A simple card with words of gratitude will go a long way and make your NPs feel valued. You can make a selection of cards available for staff and others to write notes of thanks, too!

Gift Cards: Everyone loves gift cards! Pick their favorite restaurant, coffee shop, or spa. This is a thoughtful gift for any budget that will be sure to make their day.

Team SWAG: Order new NP team SWAG. Get their size and place an order for North Face fleece jacket full zips, L.L.Bean quilted sweatshirts, or even a Sport-Tek pullover!

Host An Event: Ideas could include organizing a coffee bar with specialty drinks and treats, arranging a potluck and inviting other healthcare staff to make food to share, going offsite for lunch or dinner, renting a couple of food trucks, or setting up a mini field day with fun games and activities! Whatever the event, the point is to make less work for your NPs and show them how much your team appreciates them.

Chair massages: Consider organizing a visit from a licensed massage therapist. Often, the companies that offer this service present different packages that you can fit into a budget. The firm supplies the necessary equipment, and your NPs will leave the chair feeling refreshed. Other ideas include providing a mobile car wash service or dry cleaning drop off and delivery!

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Regardless of whether physicians and advanced practitioners will be employed full-time or on a locum tenens basis, credentialing must be completed. For every procedure physicians and advanced practitioners perform, and for every piece of equipment they use, they must be certified – and, in turn, each certification must be verified.

Medical Credentialing: What to Know to Keep the Process Moving

When it comes to medical credentialing, it is important to know that every healthcare facility and state is different. The number of credentialing requirements may range; for example, some healthcare facilities require school transcripts to be sent directly from the issuing institution, while others may accept a scanned copy of a diploma. The most important thing is to be organized. Maureen Locke, Director of Credentialing, State Licensing, and Travel, has five important tips for you that will ensure a smooth credentialing process.

Know your CV and be honest about your background.

You should have a strong understanding of your CV; this includes being able to explain or account for any gaps. Knowing the chronological order of your work history will help the organization credentialing you to piece together the complete story of your career. In addition, if you know your name will be mentioned in a malpractice deposition, share that on the front end with your staffing partner in full detail. More support can be provided when information is shared in advance versus retroactively after being discovered.

Some information cannot be reused.

Every management services organization (MSO) has its own credentialing process and requirements. Not only are they not all the same, but the same information cannot always be reused. For instance, when physicians and advanced practitioners are credentialed in New York, the same references, affiliations, and verifications cannot always be used in another state. As the third party facilitating the credentialing process, Optimum does not have any control over what can and cannot be reused; however, we will be able to help you seamlessly navigate through the process.

Stay organized with your documentation.

To help move your credentialing process along, be prepared to have complete documentation and accurate information. It is a great idea to store copies of proof of training, including residency and fellowship, medical school diploma, board certifications, DEA certifications, ACLS, medical licenses, references, and vaccinations.

Fingerprint and background check processes have changed.

Fingerprints and background checks are a staple in credentialing physicians and advanced practitioners, but it is important to know that these services have changed as a result of COVID-19. It used to be that almost every police station, town clerk’s office, and other county support services functions would provide fingerprinting and background check services. This, however, is no longer necessarily the case. Before venturing to get your fingerprint and/or background check, first call to confirm your area still offers these services. In addition, make sure to confirm the location offers the required fingerprint method of the healthcare facility you are being credentialed for – some require wet fingerprints while others accept a scan.

Know that there will be immunization requirements.

Immunization records and requirements have always been part of the medical credentialing process. Different facilities require certain vaccinations. As the third party facilitating the credentialing process, Optimum does not have a say in what vaccines are or are not required.
One of the many benefits of working with a company like Optimum is that we are a partner to physicians and advanced practitioners in the credentialing process and serve as a shepherd for each facility’s requirements. We store what information we can reuse for future assignments and function as a secure, central repository for the personally identifiable information (PII) that facilities need to credential a new physician or advanced practitioner. We streamline the credentialing process and optimize the gathering of information in whatever format or context that is required.

The team of Optimum coordinators is highly skilled in physician and advanced practitioner credentialing and can make getting back to work or starting a new full-time position easier. If you are interested in learning more about Optimum or have a specific question about credentialing, please get in touch with us.

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