Louisville Medicine Volume 70, Issue 2 | Page 6

FROM the PRESIDENT by VALERIE F . BRIONES-PRYOR , MD , MHA , SFHM , FACP

THE JOURNEY TO VALUE

Mabuhay !* I became a physician leader at the time when talk of the value of health care started to be the focus of health care executives throughout the country . Words like value-based purchasing became a part of the everyday discussions at Board meetings , and as hospitalists , we were now on the hook for patient satisfaction , readmission rates and health care acquired infections . Somehow , these metrics became a measure of a hospital ’ s value .

When you look at the various definitions of “ value ,” whether you use it as a noun or a verb , it comes down to what one holds as important , high worth or useful . For me , value is very subjective and personal . What I find valuable to me may not necessarily be of value to another .
Last month , I teased that we were starting a journey that would explore how GLMS can be of value to you as well to all physicians and the Metro Louisville community . This month , we are sharing with you the roadmap , also known as the GLMS Strategic Plan , for that journey . This journey is different from the ones we have been on before , but still honors the ideals that GLMS were founded on , such as uniting physicians , advocacy and promoting the profession of medicine . This journey hopefully will allow GLMS to be more agile to the changing environment and most importantly , this journey will be inclusive of all physicians , regardless of their employment , their practice or time in life .
All journeys also start with a mission and vision . After all , why go on a journey if there is no purpose or aspiration ? The new GLMS mission and vision clearly lay out what we want to do and where we want to be . As physicians , it is more important now for us to unite and collaborate with one another to further promote our profession , not just in the present day , but for future generations of physicians . Many of our colleagues are doing great work in their respective specialties and outside the field of medicine . GLMS strives to be the glue that brings us all together so that our great work can reach as many people as possible and benefit our patients and our community .
This journey will not be easy and is not meant to be quick . I expect that we will stumble along the way , trying to figure out how GLMS fits in your world . We may try different routes while sticking to familiar ones , all with the purpose of bringing GLMS to you and you to GLMS . We recognize that everyone views value differently , and the value of GLMS for you may be different than it is for your colleague . Our mission is to offer a variety of events and programming for physicians such that you find something that is valuable to you .
My commitment to you is that we will listen to you as we go on this journey together . We , the GLMS Board and Staff , need your constructive feedback as to what is working and what is not . The future of GLMS is upon us , and we need to take action to keep our society vibrant and sustainable so that future physicians have a place where they can collaborate and serve the community . We are open to the tough discussions if it means improving how we serve our physician community .
Take this journey with me and let ’ s make GLMS valuable to all the physicians in our community .
*
Mabuhay is a Filipino greeting meaning “ long life .”
Dr . Briones-Pryor is the Medical Director for the Hospital Medicine Service Line for UofL Health and is the Chief Medical Officer for UofL Health Shelbyville Hospital .
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