Building Sustainable Care Models through APP Leadership

1. Can You Tell Us About Your Professional Journey And The Experiences That Led You To Your Current Leadership Role At Atrium Health?

My career in primary care began 36 years ago, a journey defined by unwavering commitment, adaptability and a deep passion for improving patient outcomes and APP practice in general. Atrium Health has been my employer for most of these years.

In 2023, I took on the role of director of Advanced Practice – Primary Care, broadening my responsibilities and placing me at the forefront of strategic development.

My key areas of focus now include:

Primary Care Strategy: Creating and implementing long-term plans to improve primary care quality, accessibility and efficiency. We work closely with clinicians, administrators and stakeholders to ensure our goals align with our patients’ needs.

Workforce Development: I am committed to recruiting, mentoring and supporting health care professionals at every stage of their careers, developing an environment that fosters learning and professional development.

Growth: Through new service lines, community partnerships or embracing technology, my focus is on sustainable, patient centered growth.

I seized the opportunity to participate in several leadership development academies early in my leadership journey. The courses introduced organizational behavior, strategic planning and team building concepts, as well as health care management and leadership concepts. As part of a mentorship program, I shadowed one of my APP leaders.

2. How Do You Ensure Apps Are Positioned Not Just As Clinical Extenders, But As Strategic Partners In Delivering High-Value Primary Care?

A rapidly evolving health care landscape requires accessible, high-quality primary care. Health care systems face enormous challenges to ensure every individual receives timely care due to rising populations, changing demographics and increasing demands. It is projected that there will be a severe shortage of primary care clinicians in the United States as early as next year. With this looming crisis, APPs will be a significant part of the solution. APPs offer quality, as well as cost-effective care.

3. What Leadership Strategies Have Helped You Expand Access While Maintaining Quality And Consistency Across Diverse Clinical Settings?

We have implemented several forward-thinking initiatives to streamline clinical processes, improve patient care and support urban and rural areas as patients’ needs change.

We have established virtual primary care as a cornerstone improvement that significantly leverages APPs. Our skilled clinicians work remotely to extend our brick-and-mortar practices. Virtual consultations provide patients with flexibility, shorter waiting times and convenience.

Virtual care has proven particularly effective for:

• Monitoring chronic diseases and routine follow-ups

• Acute, but non-emergent, health concerns

• Preventative health advice and education

With this approach, our physical primary care practices can focus on cases requiring in-person care, while maintaining high standards of accessibility.

Our region has deployed a mobile health care unit to provide primary care services – such as health screenings, immunizations, minor treatments and health education – to rural populations.

By bringing care directly to the doorstep of rural residents, the mobile units help to:

• Make care accessible close to home

• Reduce travel and other barriers to care for patients in remote locations

• Foster stronger community relationships and trust in the health care system

These efforts ensure that everyone, regardless of their location, can benefit from timely, comprehensive and accessible care.

Furthermore, we have been addressing the growing administrative demands placed upon our clinicians by introducing AI-driven transcription tools. With this HIPAA-compliant technology, providers can focus on direct one-to-one contact with their patients, rather than needing to focus on hand-documenting key elements of their conversation or zeroing in on a set of boxes to fill in on a computer screen.

The benefits of this tool include:

• Significant reduction in clinicians’ administrative workload

• Improved accuracy and consistency in medical records This time-saving measure has been warmly received by clinicians, freeing them to devote attention to where it is most needed – on delivering high-quality patient care.

4. How Are You Using Data Or Patient Outcome Metrics To Inform Your Leadership Decisions And Drive Improvements In Primary Care Delivery?

Understanding the needs of our patient population is foundational to Atrium Health’s mission. We harness the power of data in a multitude of ways to gain a clear and nuanced picture of those we serve to help us identify trends.

Health Status and Utilization Patterns: The health status and utilization patterns of the population can be tracked and forecasted.

Patient Feedback and Satisfaction: Digital reviews, surveys and focus groups are used to gain insight.

Integrating these data streams enables Atrium Health to respond to current needs as well as predict and plan emerging trends in patient care.

In order to assess and improve the effectiveness of our current operations, Atrium Health relies on a robust suite of metrics and analytical tools.

Process Metrics: We monitor patient wait times, appointment availability and throughput rates to pinpoint inefficiencies and streamline workflows.

Resource Utilization: Maximizing productivity and minimizing waste by tracking staffing levels, equipment usage and supply inventory.

Financial Performance: Analyses of revenue cycle, cost and productivity.

Atrium Health uses outcome metrics to measure the efficacy of our services and benchmark our performance against industry standards.

Clinical Outcomes: To identify best practices, we track recovery, readmissions, complications and mortality rates.

Patient-Reported Outcomes: Besides clinical measures, patient-reported outcomes provide a holistic view of treatment effectiveness.

Compliance and Safety Metrics: Measuring compliance and safety helps protect patient health and promote accountability.

These outcome metrics not only inform our internal decision making but also provide transparency to patients, regulators and partners, reinforcing Atrium Health’s commitment to excellence.

5. What’s One Lesson You’ve Learned From Leading Through Change, Whether During Care Model Redesign Or Health Care System Transformation?

APPs, nurses, physicians and other health professionals are in high demand as the population ages and medical technology continues to raise standards. Health care financials are shifting as payers adjust reimbursement models. High demand for APPs, nurses, physicians and other health professionals affects patient care, staff morale and organizational sustainability. We need to educate and train employees, implement flexible scheduling and expand non physician roles to reduce these shortages.

Health care leaders must maintain fiscal discipline without compromising clinical outcomes. Value-based care models have replaced traditional fee-for-service models.

6. What Advice Would You Offer To Health Systems Looking To Scale The Impact Of Their App Workforce While Staying True To Patient centered Values?

Investing in an expanded APP workforce and developing APP leaders ensures sustainability, improved patient outcomes and operational excellence.

Acute care, specialty practices and primary care teams increasingly incorporate APPs. APPs are positioned as frontline clinicians capable of early intervention, contributing to better outcomes, health system efficiency and sustainability.

It is important for leaders keep up with APP trends, to understand their challenges and opportunities, resulting in a workforce that is more engaged and supportive. Team members on APP teams often possess a deep understanding of care delivery, regulatory environments and scope of practice. By developing APP leadership, executive vision and frontline care are bridged.