Letter from Shelly Voet, MD - Executive Community Physician Leader
March 26, 2023
Happy Spring to my fellow pediatric providers! Thanks for reading Synapse.
CCHMC has remained busy this month. Mental health ED and inpatient volumes remain very high. There is much going on behind the scenes to help ensure flow through the system is optimized given these demands. All PCP efforts in providing and coordinating mental health care are appreciated.
Same Day OR cancellations at CCHMC - In early March, our CPAC group met with a group of Peri-Op team members to discuss common reasons for same day cancellations of procedures at CCHMC. You can find a document HERE outlining common reasons and steps parents and providers can take to avoid same day cancellations. Thanks for reviewing and discussing with your team.
Unmasking – Three years after schools and businesses shut down due to COVID-19, many of us in healthcare are now incorporating voluntary masking protocols in our clinical areas, including CCHMC. This change will be welcomed by many but may be a source of additional stress for others. More information about the approach at CCHMC is included in this issue.
Third next outpatient appointments – Thanks to the Physician Outreach team who added a summary of the average of the third next available clinic appointments to Weekly Vitals for all divisions at CCHMC. Please note that PPL can be used if you think a patient needs an urgent visit (or E-Consult if not sure). Access remains a priority goal at CCHMC, and we look forward to sharing progress on this over time.
March 17 was Match Day for our medical schools and residency programs. The CCHMC residency program matched sixty new interns this year. Reach out to Chris Peltier at chris.peltier@cchmc.org if you are interested in teaching residents. Additionally, community associate medical staff will once again have the opportunity serve as a faculty mentor for interns interested in primary care. The time commitment is minimal, and it is very rewarding. Reach out to Nick DiBlasio at Nick.DiBlasio@cchmc.org if interested in mentoring. Our region also celebrated the first Match Day for the University of Kentucky College of Medicine’s NKY regional campus with 30 students matching in programs across the country. Community providers interested in teaching opportunities for the UK COM students can contact Rachel Cooper at Rachel.cooper@uky.edu. Congrats to all the medical students!
Chief of Staff transition - This summer will bring the planned retirement of our Chief of Staff at CCHMC, Dr. Patty Manning. I am personally very grateful for Patty’s leadership over the last 3 years, as well as the expert care she provided in DDBP prior to that. Congrats, Patty, on your upcoming retirement!
East Region Meet and Greet – Please plan to join us for our Eastern edition of the Community Physician/CCHMC Faculty Meet and Greets. This casual event will be held at Deadlow Brewing, 5959 Kellogg Avenue on April 20th from 6-8pm. Please rsvp to sheila.perry@cchmc.org. Events will be held in other regions in the upcoming months.
Finally, thanks again for all you are doing every day. These last 3 years have been incredibly challenging. Pediatric providers and the kids we serve have gone directly from pandemic response to facing a mental health crisis, formula shortages, the return en force of every common communicable disease, to shortages of antibiotics and other medications. This is in the setting of worsening inequities for many that we serve. What we do matters, and I am proud to work with you for the kids and families in our region. Thanks for doing hard things!
Shelly F. Voet MD
Pediatric Associates PSC
CCHMC Executive Community Physician Leader