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Medical Director Report - Dr. Zun
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Physical Health
Provider Collaboration
* An internal medicine physician, Istiklal Arikan, MD has accepted a full-time position at the Zion Health Center.
* A number of APRNs and one physician assistant have interviewed for the two open midlevel positions.
Clinical Operations
* Provider and medical assistant staffing remains a challenge as leadership continues to look into staffing alternatives.
* Focus on Patients - Physical Health, in partnership with Prevention, has embarked on a focus of antibiotic stewardship for the clinic system. The CDC describes antibiotic stewardship as the effort to measure and improve how antibiotics are prescribed by clinicians and used by patients. Improving antibiotic prescribing and its use are critical to effectively treat infections, protect patients from harm caused by unnecessary antibiotic use, and combat antibiotic resistance. The attached graph shows our reduced use of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections.
External Relations
* A tour of the Grand Avenue Health Center along with presentations from Physical Health, Behavioral Health, Prevention and the Executive Director was given to a number of the Deans from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science on Thursday, January 6, 2022.
* Physical Health and Behavioral Health are working with Region X EMS systems on implementation of the new 988 call system.
Regulatory
* Continuous readiness preparation to ensure regulatory compliance remains ongoing.
Psychiatry/MAT
Provider Collaboration
* No updates
Clinical Operations
* No significant FQHC-related changes in clinical operations. Most services continue to be provided using phone or video, though face-to-face appointments are available daily.
* The Behavioral Health Medical Director position remains posted.
* New Psychiatric APRN, Kathryn Ellis, began full time at the Belvidere Medical Center on December 6, 2021.
External Relations
* Nothing new to report...
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