by Michael Foutz, MD
I can understand this being the case during the pandemic. It’s been a year or so, though, since the height of the pandemic and, yes, we’re having some economic difficulties; but it seems like the irritability level is still high.
By Stephen Asher, MD
Like many of the literate community, I am concerned about the nationwide push to ban books that the self-appointed few opine as unsuitable. Book banning represents a misguided effort to kill ideas, particularly those that are felt antithetical to a narrow set of beliefs or attitudes. These efforts, many threatening monetary fines and violations of law, have resulted in the intimidation of librarians, booksellers, school boards, university departments, and open-minded citizens.
Dr. Souza has played a very strong and visible role as Chief Medical Officer of St. Luke’s Health System over the past 5 years. During the COVID crisis, he provided a reasoned and empathetic voice about public health matters in news interviews, testimony to public health boards, and with the medical staff of the System. He also stood fast against the politically motivated intimidation of St. Luke’s employees during an imminent danger child welfare case earlier this year. Under his leadership, SLHS has remained in IBM Watson Health’s Top 15 Health Systems for nine years running.
Since becoming the CMO, Dr. Souza has helped oversee the development of SLHS’ Provider Well-being Center of Excellence. He championed its creation, staffed by a part-time physician leader (a former ACMS board member) and a full-time administrative dyad to support the effort. He remains an active clinician practice pulmonary and critical care medicine with St. Luke’s – Idaho Pulmonary Associates on a limited basis, keeping him very much in touch with the challenges which physicians face daily.
by Audrey Dutton, Idaho Capital Sun
September 29, 2022
Ethan Sims and his two daughters went to Washington, D.C., last week. The girls, ages 13 and 14, spent the afternoon telling aides for Idaho’s all-Republican congressional delegation how climate change affects their lives.
I recently met with a physician leader for coffee on the top floor of the new St. Luke’s parking garage downtown. Admittedly, it was an unusual place to confer, but I had two really good reasons:
Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment
which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words.
Most of us have heard about microaggressions in the workplace, a term for brief and commonplace daily, verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities. They communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative prejudicial slights and insults toward any group. The "micro" refers not to the insignificance of these exchanges, but rather to their being so commonplace that they hardly draw any attention. Even though a comment may not be intended to offend or cause harm, it does not change its effect on the receiving party.[i]
by John Werdel, MD, Idaho Capital Sun
August 23, 2022
I have been fortunate to serve our community as an obstetrician/gynecologist since 1991 and have cared for more than 6,000 women during my career in the Treasure Valley.
Lindsay Goddard, M.D., joins the Dermatology Clinic of Idaho in Boise as their newest fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon. She is double board-certified in dermatology and micrographic dermatologic surgery. She completed her ACMS micrographic surgery and dermatologic oncology fellowship at Scripps MD Anderson Cancer Center, receiving extensive training under a physician who trained with Dr. Frederic Mohs.
by Kylie Cooper, Idaho Capital Sun
August 1, 2022
A couple sits in front me, staring intently while I tell them the worst news of their lives. They try to hold it together as I explain a pregnancy complication they have never heard of but will change their lives forever.
“I am emotionally drained
Another death witnessed
When the Family Medicine Health Center (FMHC) board decided it need to rebrand its clinic name, Dr. Penny Beach wasn’t so sure, “I was a late convert to the process because it is so time-consuming and expensive.” But she also knew that the small health system of eight clinics operated by the Family Medicine Residency of Idaho (FMRI) had a bit of an identity crisis. “People would just call us 'Family Medicine,' whether they were referring to the clinics or to the residency. And it just did not stand out as anything special.”
But what FMRI has done with FMHC since it started in the mid-1970s is something special. “We see more than 110,000 patients a year from birth to palliative and hospice care,” said Dr. Beach. FMRI is one of the original 11 Teaching Health Centers in the nation, a combination of being a Federally Qualified Health Center and a residency program. “A lot of people viewed us as training center for Idaho’s next generation of family physicians with a few patients. What they couldn't see sometimes with our old name is that we are actually one of the state’s largest Medicaid providers and there is a lot more going on clinically than one might suppose.”
“Your results are normal!” The story of how one woman with diabetes and chronic fatigue restored her health
Deena Clark had type 2 diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, and chronic fatigue when she discovered the lifestyle medicine program at St. Luke’s Health System in Boise, Idaho.
Dr. David Peterman Retiring as CEO of Primary Health Medical Group.
Last month, Primary Health Medical Group announced that David Peterman, M.D., CEO and pediatrician, will retire on May 13th, 2022. Current Director of Family Medicine, Daniel Reed, M.D., will become the new CEO of Primary Health Medical Group.
Nathan Green, MD, a fellowship-trained interventional cardiologist, and skilled medical executive, has joined Saltzer Health, an Intermountain Healthcare company.
Dr. Green has a passion for providing extraordinary cardiovascular care at an affordable price. In his new role, Dr. Green will be responsible for developing an innovative cardiology program in collaboration with Intermountain Healthcare.
by Amy Baruch, MD, Emergency Medicine of Idaho
The childhood board game of Chutes and Ladders is marked by a series of squares, where the goal is to reach the hundredth square by rolling the dice and advancing your game piece. Land on a chute and you fall back, or a ladder, and you climb closer to the winning square. This Milton-Bradley classic is based on a game originating in India called Snakes and Ladders. Its historic roots were founded on a lesson in morality from traditional Hindu philosophy.
By Steven Reames, Executive Director, Ada County Medical Society
In a season where many are contemplating and expressing some of the deeper values they hold dearest – such as family, faith, generosity – I have been mulling on this phrase: “But these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” These are words most of us have probably heard at a wedding, but it might seem a bit of a jump to think of them as words that could apply to a medical community. I do think that they could provide us with a lens to look at the challenges healthcare faces as we strive for novel solutions to old and emerging problems.
By Steven Reames, Executive Director, Ada County Medical Society
For those who have experienced true “Southern Hospitality,” coming to the Intermountain West must seem like a rude awakening. The classic Idaho touristy postcard says it all: a couple of rednecks sitting on the car next to a highway border sign menacingly brandishing their guns: “Welcome to Idaho. Now Go Home!” These kind of attitudes towards outsiders are not anything new in our nation and have been happening since at least the mid-19th century. A generation of settlers comes into a territory, finds a place worth establishing themselves in, and then rejects the next generation of newcomers. Same ole same ole.
Abhilash Desai, MD, Idaho Memory and Aging Centers
Hello and welcome to COVID Meditation – COVID stands for Compassion, Optimism, Vitality and Defiance. COVID Meditation is a combination of four short mantra repetition meditations – each one is one minute long. This meditation will help you activate “the defiant power of the human spirit” (holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl’s phrase). Let’s remind ourselves that Compassion Optimism Vitality and Defiant attitude are even more contagious than COVID!
