CME Coordinators Are Great Reference for Premier Health Physicians
Perhaps one of the most valuable resources Premier Health provides for physicians is ongoing access to Continuing Medical Education credits. Each Premier Health hospital has a CME coordinator who can assist in a variety of ways, whether doctors are searching for a specific CME course or event, or they have an idea to create and host an event of their own.
“I try to be open and help everyone to find what they might need,” said Theresa Cory, CME coordinator at Miami Valley Hospital. “Physicians can contact me and I'll work with them, whether they need to gather their transcript information, or they have an interest and want to host a presentation or educational opportunity.”
At the end of each week, Cory and her colleagues distribute an email summarizing the latest CME opportunities and highlighting regularly scheduled educational offerings, as well as different symposiums. Premier Health physicians can also access updated CME opportunities by checking Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine calendars through the physician portal.
James Ouellette, DO, FACS, notes that in addition to education, the CME program offers other advantages as well. “The benefit of Premier Health’s CME program is that it not only allows you to attend important conferences without having to travel, but it also brings colleagues from the same specialty together and some excellent interaction takes place as a result,” he said.
Premier Health’s ongoing joint providership with Wright State enables CME coordinators to work with physicians to create these unique CME events.
“If physicians wish to create a new program, then they can reach out to me or one of the other CME coordinators to begin that process,” said Cory. “Once they’ve communicated their interest, I’ll start the application process and we'll schedule meetings to discuss in more detail and begin planning. We are able to then help them get speakers and complete the paperwork that needs to be sent to Wright State for approval.”
Once Wright State’s approval process is completed – typically within a couple of weeks – Premier Health’s CME coordinators can begin the process of advertising the event to garner as much interest as possible. Physicians, however, are the best advocates to contribute to an event’s success.
“Physicians are the very best at promoting an event just by using simple word of mouth,” said Cory. “They have the best understanding of the upcoming event, and they can share that knowledge and spread the word among their colleagues.”
Premier Health’s CME coordinators continue to look for ways to support physicians and are currently seeking new opportunities for them to access CMEs through online learning tools. The CME coordinators also are committed to assisting with educational opportunities for the organization's other medical professionals, many of whom also apply CMEs toward their specific licensure renewal.
“We also want to be a helpful resource in the future for the advanced practice nurses and physician assistants as they also need to obtain CMEs for their licensure,” said Pam Winkle, CME coordinator at Good Samaritan Hospital (closed in 2018).
Physicians who would like more information about obtaining CMEs or creating new CME events can contact one of these Premier Health CME coordinators:
Atrium Medical Center
Pat Lowman, Manager, Medical Staff Services
(513) 974-4271
ptlowman@premierhealth.com
Good Samaritan Hospital
Pam Winkle, CME Coordinator
(937) 734-3317
pwinkle@premierhealth.com
Miami Valley Hospital and Miami Valley Hospital South
Theresa Cory, CME Coordinator
(937) 208-2144
tmcory@premierhealth.com
Upper Valley Medical Center
Lynnee Beculheimer, Director, Medical Staff Services
(937) 440-4523
lbeculheimer@premierhealth.com
Back to the February 2018 issue of Premier Pulse
