Priority Area #3: Clinical Service

Goal: The Department will promote and provide innovative, high quality, evidence-based clinical care delivered to diverse communities

Objective 1: We will recruit and retain a Family Medicine workforce of a size and breadth to meet the needs of the diverse community of central Massachusetts

Strategies:

1.1 We will provide a variety of attractive clinical and academic opportunities for Family Physicians which will inspire them to succeed in their professional goals.

1.2 We will enhance our cooperative relationships with community health centers and other agencies that serve vulnerable populations, emphasizing the unique perspective that Family Physicians bring to these settings.

Objective 2: We will support innovative systems and programs that support all Department practices in the care of patients across the entire spectrum of clinical settings

Strategies:

2.1 We will ensure all practices access to the "full basket" of services provided by family physicians by implementing systems that facilitate care across the clinical spectrum, such as after-hours/acute care, hospital care of adults, children and laboring women, and long term care.

2.2 We will encourage and support members of our practice community who develop areas of expertise that complement or enhance the “full basket” of services, such as maternal/child health, office-based procedures, addiction medicine, geriatrics, sports medicine, and integrated primary care

 Objective 3: We will implement practice improvements that increase the satisfaction of physicians and patients and improve quality and effectiveness

Strategies:

3.1 We will incorporate transformative practice redesign that is based on the precepts of the patient-centered medical home.

3.2 We will support practice innovations that broaden and evolve the scope of family medicine clinical services that are responsive to population needs.

Objective 4: We will apply methods for the creation, measurement, and maintenance of a clinically superior healthcare workforce

 Strategies:

4.1 We will implement methods by which our members can maintain, enhance and demonstrate their clinical expertise.

4.2 We will foster a culture that inspires every clinician to participate in quality improvement activity.

4.3 We will develop a communication infrastructure that facilitates the spread of exemplary practices.

4.4 We will assess and implement incentives that sustain the provision of premier quality care.

Objective 5: We will cultivate and encourage integration of clinical teaching in all of our practices as part of the culture of the department

Strategies:

5.1 We will support the spread of clinical teaching into our community practices.

5.2 Our faculty will be expert at integrating the teaching of medical students into their clinical practices.

5.3 We will develop “model teaching practices” with facilities and resources that can host a compliment of medical students and other learners.