Karen DeSalvo, M.D., M.P.H., former national coordinator for HIT, will receive the 2018 Barbara Starfield Primary Care Leadership Award from the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative.
Founded in 2006, the PCPCC is a not-for-profit multi-stakeholder membership organization dedicated to advancing an effective and efficient health system built on a strong foundation of primary care and the patient-centered medical home. Stakeholders include physician and nursing groups, patient and consumer organizations, health plans, employers, industry, quality organizations, health systems
DeSalvo, who works at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas-Austin in the Divisions of Primary Care and Value-Based Health, is one of several leadership award recipients announced by PCPCC. The awards honor diverse members of the clinical team involved in providing high-value primary care and shaping the policies that support such care.
“Dr. DeSalvo is a visionary leader and it’s an honor to recognize her,” said PCPCC’s President and CEO, Ann Greiner, in a prepared statement. “During her remarkably varied career, she has worked tirelessly to transform healthcare delivery through technology, medical education, and community building. It is particularly inspiring that Dr. DeSalvo has insisted on improving primary care access in order to reduce inequities and improve health.”
Dr. Scharmaine Lawson, FNP, FAANP, FAAN, will receive the Advanced Primary Care Practice Award. Sheis being recognized for her work as a nurse practitioner in New Orleans. She started the first nurse practitioner-owned house call practice in Louisiana in order to improve access to primary care. To further extend the reach of her work, she has written Housecalls 101, a best-selling book, that outlines how to start a successful house call practice. In addition, Lawson created the book series and accompanying doll, Nola The Nurse, which introduces young children to the world of advanced practice nursing.
The PCPCC will also present the AppleCare Medical Group’s Hospital Discharge Clinic with the Primary Care Community/Research Leadership Award, recognizing the organization’s commitment to team-based care, with a focus on care transition services for post-discharge visits. Over the past year, the clinic has seen a sharp decline in hospital readmission rates due to its post-discharge services. These results are driven by dedicating a post-discharge “patient coach,” a collaborative approach to follow-up visits, and supporting continuous patient and family engagement.
The awards will be presented on Nov. 8, 2018, at the PCPCC’s Annual Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C.
