New Year, New Approaches

A new year prompts us to consider new possibilities that may include novel ideas that are revolutionary in scale. The big idea comes rarely, and innovation is mostly anchored in incremental quality improvement where better ways of doing things are identified and studied in moments of frustration with the status quo.

This issue of Physician Leadership Journal builds on this new year concept by presenting research and discussion on topics aimed at innovative approaches that help us explore and learn new ways to improve our care of patients.

First, we include a discussion article that emphasizes the importance of developing female physician leaders. The authors describe how women's support groups (WSGs) for resident physicians can bolster professional development, career advancement, networking opportunities, and collaboration across specialties. Additionally, WSGs can provide an outlet for women in residency to come together, share unique experiences, and address burnout. The study offers a unique 12-step approach for creating a support group for women in residency that can provide important leadership skills that persist throughout a career.

Second, we offer a discussion article addressing COVID-19 vaccinations that provides important context for the complex and uneasy conversation of mandatory vaccination among healthcare workers — something we are all confronting. There are laws and regulations to comply with and emotional misinformation challenges to navigate. The authors recommend both precautionary measures and vigorous vaccine campaigns as the best approaches to overcoming COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The underlying discussion points are worth noting as you craft policies for your own workforce.

Lastly, a research article evaluates the association between hospital primary care physician utilization and the reduction in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-related 30-day readmissions. The authors’ primary focus was to determine if having an increased number of primary care providers within the facility would reduce COPD readmission rates. Their findings are interesting and highlight structural components that are essential for achieving quality outcomes.

As the official journal of the American Association for Physician Leadership, PLJ provides a platform for you to share your research with members throughout the world. Now is the time to use this platform to help inspire change in healthcare and to improve the way we deliver care to the patients, families, and communities we serve.

Please send me your thoughts at editor@physicianleaders.org. We would enjoy hearing stories about the relevance of mentorship and the methods you use to assure that you and your team are well cared for in our demanding careers.