Physician assistant program designed for Special Forces vets
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and the UNC School of Medicine are creating a physician assistant master's degree program for returning military veterans with input from the Army Special Operations Command team at Fort Bragg, N.C. The program will build on the experience and training that Special Forces medical sergeants receive during their service, and will help to reduce the shortage of health care professionals in the state. BCBSNC has pledged $1.2 million over the next four years to help UNC establish the master's curriculum, hire full-time program staff and provide scholarship funds.
Hospitalist report released; also, now non-docs can be Fellows
The Society of Hospital Medicine announced that it is extending its Fellow in Hospital Medicine designation beyond physicians to include nurse practitioners, physician assistants and hospital medicine practice administrators. The move recognizes that teamwork among all caregivers is an important part of quality improvement. Visit www.hospitalmedicine.org. Also, the AHA's Physician Leadership Forum published "Creating the Hospital of the Future: The Implications for Hospital-Focused Physician Practice" based on a session hosted by the PLF and SHM earlier this year. The report tracks the evolution of hospitalists and how other specialties are adopting the model. Visit www.ahaphysicianforum.org.
Medical professonals rated 'most ethical' in Gallup poll
For the 13th of the last 14 years, registered nurses rank as the most trusted of any type of professional in Gallup's 2012 survey. The medical fields dominated the top 10 in the poll that asks respondents to rate various professions on honesty and ethical standards. Eighty-five percent of respondents said nurses have high or very high ethical standards, followed by pharmacists (75 percent) and physicians (70 percent). HMO managers got just 12 percent. Car sales staff and members of Congress ranked lowest. Visit www.gallup.com.
