When we think of the New Year, we think of resolutions – all the things we’re going to do better or more of next year. But, we don’t always take time to think about our hopes for the New Year. So, we asked a few physicians what’s your biggest hope for 2024?
Dr. Jeremy Rogers, Emergency Medicine, Grandview Medical Center, Birmingham, Ala – I wish for two things – an overwhelming resurgence of high-quality nurses who want to work on a med-surg floor and that AI-powered technologies will be implemented to transform and improve the quality of care, documentation, medication reconciliation, billing, hospital efficiency and patient experience.
Dr. Luis Egelsee Jr., Family Medicine, Cedar Park Physician Associates, Cedar Park, Texas – My hope for the New Year is that we continue to expand our presence in Central Texas and that we find a way to provide better access to vaccinations and screenings for Medicaid patients. I also hope the medical community does a better job of educating patients so they can take preventative steps to stay well instead of waiting to get sick before seeking care. This would, of course, require patients to actually follow through with tests and screenings their physicians order for them.
Dr. Gregory Oden, Internal Medicine/Hospitalist, Merit Health, Jackson, Miss. – My wish for 2024 is that all levels of health care delivery strive to protect their patients and decrease preventable harm. I am proud of the work we are doing in our company as a national leader in patient safety. One area of focus in just the last few months has been our intensive management of septic shock, which already has saved hundreds of lives. My hope is that innovation and an ongoing focus on patient safety not only continues to make a difference for our patients, but that the same efforts globally can result in healthier people worldwide in the coming year.
Dr. Bernard Kurecki, Family Medicine, Crestwood Medical Center, Huntsville, Ala – My wish for healthcare in the future is simple. I wish there would be more emphasis on the “doctor-patient relationship.” In my professional career, I have seen more and more governmental interference in what I consider the destruction of the interpersonal nature of how physicians relate to patients. My professional success has been driven by the relationships I have built with my patients. It truly is the most important thing that I do. My patients trust me and appreciate the fact that I care about them. When I am in the exam room, they know that I care for them. I may be a hopeless romantic, but one day I hope we can get back to the idea that doctors are here to care for their patients.
Dr. C. Allen Scott, Emergency Medicine, East Georgia Regional Medical Center, Statesboro, Ga – I wish patients and family members would have the difficult conversations about aging and end of life care. This could be a new holiday tradition where end of life discussions are a truly open topic of conversation. That way there is no confusion or doubt about their personal desires and advanced directives.
Dr. Daniel Ridout III, Gastroenterology, Eastern New Mexico Medical Group, Roswell, N.M. – I wish patients had access to more screenings than they currently do – not just diagnostic screenings, but also preventative screenings or advanced studies that don’t require a physician to order them. Even if patients have to pay out-of-pocket, they wouldn’t have to get their physician involved unless or until something concerning comes back.