SHM Converge

Whether they realize it or not, hospitalists treating patients during the COVID-19 pandemic have been in a combat-like situation, with challenges and stresses similar to those faced by soldiers in a war zone.

And now, as the pandemic shows signs of subsiding, they’re about to emerge from this fight, which poses a whole new set of challenges, according a retired U.S. Army general who spoke May 4 at SHM Converge, the annual conference of the Society of Hospital Medicine.

Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mark Hertling, DBA, said during his keynote speech that clinicians and soldiers – the only two professions that routinely have to navigate through life and death situations – must lead during all phases of combat.

“This is a period where you’re going to experience some things that you may or may not be ready for,” he said. “These are the same kind of issues soldiers face when redeploying from a combat zone.”

To help draw the comparison between hospitalists during the COVID-19 era and troops during a war, Lt. Gen. Hertling showed a photo of a U.S. paratrooper who’d just dropped into northern Iraq, carrying a backpack engorged with gear. He was on one knee with his face downcast as he seemed to be taking a moment to reflect on the enormity, complexity, and danger of the crisis into which he was about to plunge. He was, Lt. Gen. Hertling said, likely pondering the mission, his family he left behind, and concerns about making mistakes in front of his comrades.

Then he showed a picture of a health care worker in a hospital corridor slumped on the floor with his or her back against the wall, knees up, and hands loosely clasped, looking exhausted and dazed. Health care workers also have carried a load that has seemed unbearable.

“You can certainly see that they are experiencing an emotional trauma at the very start of the pandemic,” he said. “The things you have carried over the last year-plus as the pandemic has raged will be with you in good and sometimes bad ways, and you need to address those things.”

Lt. Gen. Hertling described several issues – mirroring those seen in combat – that clinicians will take away from the COVID-19 experience and must grapple with as the closing chapters of the pandemic play out:
 

A sense of teamwork in a crisis

While it’s not unusual, he said, for physicians not to get along well with administrators, and for nurses sometimes not to trust doctors, the COVID-19 crisis created a sense of effective teamwork.

“They have built trust because they see a common mission and a common requirement,” he said.
 

A sense of loss

“You have lost patients, you probably have lost comrades, and some of you are having this associated survivor’s guilt – why did you survive and so many of your patients, perhaps a lot of your friends, did not?”

At memorial services for fallen soldiers, Lt. Gen. Hertling would bring a laminated card with the soldier’s picture and put it in a box with the words “Make It Matter” on it.

“That was our code for ensuring that every one of these individual soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the organization, we would carry on their legacy and make their sacrifice matter,” he said. “That’s one of the few ways you can overcome survivor’s guilt.”
 

Sense of accomplishment

Lt. Gen. Hertling said hospitalists, pushed to the extreme, were able to do things they never thought they were capable of.

“You have to relish in that, and you have to write those things down so you can go back and think about the things you did in a crisis environment to help,” he said.

In the post-pandemic era, health care workers should reflect on what they have seen, learned, and experienced, to help set a new standard and to establish ways to eliminate “bureaucratic morasses,” which seemed more possible than ever because the urgency of the moment demanded it.

Lt. Gen. Hertling also said hospitalists should take time to make a plan to handle personal, professional, team, and organizational requirements. For instance, health care workers should get a physical to take stock of how their bodies reacted to the stress of the pandemic. He said they should also recognize the difference between posttraumatic stress, which is to be expected, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is less common.

“It’s only at the extreme that it becomes a dysfunction and you have to address it with the help of others,” he said. Hospitalists should examine the state of their emotional and spiritual relationships – with family and friends as well as with God or other figures important to them spiritually.

Professionally, hospitalists should review professional accomplishments and shortcomings and make changes based on those assessments, he said. It’s also a good time to assess leadership issues – recall who the contributors were and who could have done more. Hospitalists should also consider contributing post-pandemic articles to the Journal of Hospital Medicine, he said.

Lt. Gen. Hertling concluded by suggesting that hospitalists seek feedback on themselves and their own leadership qualities, from their team members.

“Really press the issue,” he said, “and get a good critique on how you can improve personally and professionally in terms of your leadership approach.”

Whether they realize it or not, hospitalists treating patients during the COVID-19 pandemic have been in a combat-like situation, with challenges and stresses similar to those faced by soldiers in a war zone.

And now, as the pandemic shows signs of subsiding, they’re about to emerge from this fight, which poses a whole new set of challenges, according a retired U.S. Army general who spoke May 4 at SHM Converge, the annual conference of the Society of Hospital Medicine.

Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mark Hertling, DBA, said during his keynote speech that clinicians and soldiers – the only two professions that routinely have to navigate through life and death situations – must lead during all phases of combat.

“This is a period where you’re going to experience some things that you may or may not be ready for,” he said. “These are the same kind of issues soldiers face when redeploying from a combat zone.”

To help draw the comparison between hospitalists during the COVID-19 era and troops during a war, Lt. Gen. Hertling showed a photo of a U.S. paratrooper who’d just dropped into northern Iraq, carrying a backpack engorged with gear. He was on one knee with his face downcast as he seemed to be taking a moment to reflect on the enormity, complexity, and danger of the crisis into which he was about to plunge. He was, Lt. Gen. Hertling said, likely pondering the mission, his family he left behind, and concerns about making mistakes in front of his comrades.

Then he showed a picture of a health care worker in a hospital corridor slumped on the floor with his or her back against the wall, knees up, and hands loosely clasped, looking exhausted and dazed. Health care workers also have carried a load that has seemed unbearable.

“You can certainly see that they are experiencing an emotional trauma at the very start of the pandemic,” he said. “The things you have carried over the last year-plus as the pandemic has raged will be with you in good and sometimes bad ways, and you need to address those things.”

Lt. Gen. Hertling described several issues – mirroring those seen in combat – that clinicians will take away from the COVID-19 experience and must grapple with as the closing chapters of the pandemic play out:
 

A sense of teamwork in a crisis

While it’s not unusual, he said, for physicians not to get along well with administrators, and for nurses sometimes not to trust doctors, the COVID-19 crisis created a sense of effective teamwork.

“They have built trust because they see a common mission and a common requirement,” he said.
 

A sense of loss

“You have lost patients, you probably have lost comrades, and some of you are having this associated survivor’s guilt – why did you survive and so many of your patients, perhaps a lot of your friends, did not?”

At memorial services for fallen soldiers, Lt. Gen. Hertling would bring a laminated card with the soldier’s picture and put it in a box with the words “Make It Matter” on it.

“That was our code for ensuring that every one of these individual soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the organization, we would carry on their legacy and make their sacrifice matter,” he said. “That’s one of the few ways you can overcome survivor’s guilt.”
 

Sense of accomplishment

Lt. Gen. Hertling said hospitalists, pushed to the extreme, were able to do things they never thought they were capable of.

“You have to relish in that, and you have to write those things down so you can go back and think about the things you did in a crisis environment to help,” he said.

In the post-pandemic era, health care workers should reflect on what they have seen, learned, and experienced, to help set a new standard and to establish ways to eliminate “bureaucratic morasses,” which seemed more possible than ever because the urgency of the moment demanded it.

Lt. Gen. Hertling also said hospitalists should take time to make a plan to handle personal, professional, team, and organizational requirements. For instance, health care workers should get a physical to take stock of how their bodies reacted to the stress of the pandemic. He said they should also recognize the difference between posttraumatic stress, which is to be expected, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is less common.

“It’s only at the extreme that it becomes a dysfunction and you have to address it with the help of others,” he said. Hospitalists should examine the state of their emotional and spiritual relationships – with family and friends as well as with God or other figures important to them spiritually.

Professionally, hospitalists should review professional accomplishments and shortcomings and make changes based on those assessments, he said. It’s also a good time to assess leadership issues – recall who the contributors were and who could have done more. Hospitalists should also consider contributing post-pandemic articles to the Journal of Hospital Medicine, he said.

Lt. Gen. Hertling concluded by suggesting that hospitalists seek feedback on themselves and their own leadership qualities, from their team members.

“Really press the issue,” he said, “and get a good critique on how you can improve personally and professionally in terms of your leadership approach.”

Whether they realize it or not, hospitalists treating patients during the COVID-19 pandemic have been in a combat-like situation, with challenges and stresses similar to those faced by soldiers in a war zone.

And now, as the pandemic shows signs of subsiding, they’re about to emerge from this fight, which poses a whole new set of challenges, according a retired U.S. Army general who spoke May 4 at SHM Converge, the annual conference of the Society of Hospital Medicine.

Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mark Hertling, DBA, said during his keynote speech that clinicians and soldiers – the only two professions that routinely have to navigate through life and death situations – must lead during all phases of combat.

“This is a period where you’re going to experience some things that you may or may not be ready for,” he said. “These are the same kind of issues soldiers face when redeploying from a combat zone.”

To help draw the comparison between hospitalists during the COVID-19 era and troops during a war, Lt. Gen. Hertling showed a photo of a U.S. paratrooper who’d just dropped into northern Iraq, carrying a backpack engorged with gear. He was on one knee with his face downcast as he seemed to be taking a moment to reflect on the enormity, complexity, and danger of the crisis into which he was about to plunge. He was, Lt. Gen. Hertling said, likely pondering the mission, his family he left behind, and concerns about making mistakes in front of his comrades.

Then he showed a picture of a health care worker in a hospital corridor slumped on the floor with his or her back against the wall, knees up, and hands loosely clasped, looking exhausted and dazed. Health care workers also have carried a load that has seemed unbearable.

“You can certainly see that they are experiencing an emotional trauma at the very start of the pandemic,” he said. “The things you have carried over the last year-plus as the pandemic has raged will be with you in good and sometimes bad ways, and you need to address those things.”

Lt. Gen. Hertling described several issues – mirroring those seen in combat – that clinicians will take away from the COVID-19 experience and must grapple with as the closing chapters of the pandemic play out:
 

A sense of teamwork in a crisis

While it’s not unusual, he said, for physicians not to get along well with administrators, and for nurses sometimes not to trust doctors, the COVID-19 crisis created a sense of effective teamwork.

“They have built trust because they see a common mission and a common requirement,” he said.
 

A sense of loss

“You have lost patients, you probably have lost comrades, and some of you are having this associated survivor’s guilt – why did you survive and so many of your patients, perhaps a lot of your friends, did not?”

At memorial services for fallen soldiers, Lt. Gen. Hertling would bring a laminated card with the soldier’s picture and put it in a box with the words “Make It Matter” on it.

“That was our code for ensuring that every one of these individual soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the organization, we would carry on their legacy and make their sacrifice matter,” he said. “That’s one of the few ways you can overcome survivor’s guilt.”
 

Sense of accomplishment

Lt. Gen. Hertling said hospitalists, pushed to the extreme, were able to do things they never thought they were capable of.

“You have to relish in that, and you have to write those things down so you can go back and think about the things you did in a crisis environment to help,” he said.

In the post-pandemic era, health care workers should reflect on what they have seen, learned, and experienced, to help set a new standard and to establish ways to eliminate “bureaucratic morasses,” which seemed more possible than ever because the urgency of the moment demanded it.

Lt. Gen. Hertling also said hospitalists should take time to make a plan to handle personal, professional, team, and organizational requirements. For instance, health care workers should get a physical to take stock of how their bodies reacted to the stress of the pandemic. He said they should also recognize the difference between posttraumatic stress, which is to be expected, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is less common.

“It’s only at the extreme that it becomes a dysfunction and you have to address it with the help of others,” he said. Hospitalists should examine the state of their emotional and spiritual relationships – with family and friends as well as with God or other figures important to them spiritually.

Professionally, hospitalists should review professional accomplishments and shortcomings and make changes based on those assessments, he said. It’s also a good time to assess leadership issues – recall who the contributors were and who could have done more. Hospitalists should also consider contributing post-pandemic articles to the Journal of Hospital Medicine, he said.

Lt. Gen. Hertling concluded by suggesting that hospitalists seek feedback on themselves and their own leadership qualities, from their team members.

“Really press the issue,” he said, “and get a good critique on how you can improve personally and professionally in terms of your leadership approach.”

Click here for the preview issue of the SHM Converge Daily News newsletter.

Click here for the preview issue of the SHM Converge Daily News newsletter.

Click here for the preview issue of the SHM Converge Daily News newsletter.

U.S. Surgeon General, Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, will be a keynote speaker at SHM Converge, the Society of Hospital Meidicine’s annual conference.

Dr. Murthy will discuss burnout and well-being in health care, key themes of the conference, during a fireside chat with Danielle Scheurer, MD, MSCR, SFHM, president of SHM’s board of directors. The conversation will be held on Thursday, May 6, 2021 from 1:30 to 2:00 p.m. ET.

“It is an honor to welcome Dr. Murthy back to SHM’s annual conference during a time when his leadership is more important than ever,” said Eric E. Howell, MD, MHM, chief executive officer of SHM. “Dr. Murthy is dedicated to the health of the American people and to the well-being of those who care for them. I know his message will resonate with hospitalists who have been on the front lines of the pandemic since day one. They are key to navigating the future of our nation’s health care system.”

Dr. Murthy has devoted himself to improving public health through service, clinical care, research, education, and entrepreneurship. In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Murthy has two decades of experience in improving health in communities around the world and served as the 19th U.S. Surgeon General from 2014 to 2017, prior to being reappointed with an expanded role earlier in 2021. As “America’s Doctor,” the Surgeon General’s role is to provide clear, consistent guidance and healthcare resources for the public, ensuring to reach the nation’s most vulnerable communities.

“As we guide our nation out of the pandemic, hospitalists can look to Dr. Murthy as a leader and innovator who will do what is best for our hospitalist community and the patients they serve,” Dr. Scheurer said. “Dr. Murthy will provide a unique perspective to help hospitalists care for themselves during a time when they have been hyper-focused on caring for others.”

In addition to Dr. Murthy, SHM Converge will feature three keynote speakers who will address pressing topics in hospital medicine:

• Mark Hertling, DBA: Coming Out of Combat: Post-Pandemic Recovery
• Vineet Arora, MD, MAPP, MHM: Hospitalists Healing: Surviving, Salvaging, Sustaining, and Succeeding for a Pandemic World
• Larry Wellikson, MD, MHM: Out of COVID and Into the Light: Hospitalists More Essential Than Ever

SHM Converge is the premier educational experience for hospital medicine professionals. This year’s virtual conference will be held from May 3-7, 2021 and offers 21 educational tracks, more than 250 speakers, advanced learning courses, networking opportunities, a scientific abstract competition, and more. SHM Converge On Demand is also available until 2024, including the opportunity to earn additional continuing medical education credit.

To register for SHM Converge, visit shmconverge.org. If you are a member of the media who would like to obtain a press pass, email [email protected].

U.S. Surgeon General, Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, will be a keynote speaker at SHM Converge, the Society of Hospital Meidicine’s annual conference.

Dr. Murthy will discuss burnout and well-being in health care, key themes of the conference, during a fireside chat with Danielle Scheurer, MD, MSCR, SFHM, president of SHM’s board of directors. The conversation will be held on Thursday, May 6, 2021 from 1:30 to 2:00 p.m. ET.

“It is an honor to welcome Dr. Murthy back to SHM’s annual conference during a time when his leadership is more important than ever,” said Eric E. Howell, MD, MHM, chief executive officer of SHM. “Dr. Murthy is dedicated to the health of the American people and to the well-being of those who care for them. I know his message will resonate with hospitalists who have been on the front lines of the pandemic since day one. They are key to navigating the future of our nation’s health care system.”

Dr. Murthy has devoted himself to improving public health through service, clinical care, research, education, and entrepreneurship. In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Murthy has two decades of experience in improving health in communities around the world and served as the 19th U.S. Surgeon General from 2014 to 2017, prior to being reappointed with an expanded role earlier in 2021. As “America’s Doctor,” the Surgeon General’s role is to provide clear, consistent guidance and healthcare resources for the public, ensuring to reach the nation’s most vulnerable communities.

“As we guide our nation out of the pandemic, hospitalists can look to Dr. Murthy as a leader and innovator who will do what is best for our hospitalist community and the patients they serve,” Dr. Scheurer said. “Dr. Murthy will provide a unique perspective to help hospitalists care for themselves during a time when they have been hyper-focused on caring for others.”

In addition to Dr. Murthy, SHM Converge will feature three keynote speakers who will address pressing topics in hospital medicine:

• Mark Hertling, DBA: Coming Out of Combat: Post-Pandemic Recovery
• Vineet Arora, MD, MAPP, MHM: Hospitalists Healing: Surviving, Salvaging, Sustaining, and Succeeding for a Pandemic World
• Larry Wellikson, MD, MHM: Out of COVID and Into the Light: Hospitalists More Essential Than Ever

SHM Converge is the premier educational experience for hospital medicine professionals. This year’s virtual conference will be held from May 3-7, 2021 and offers 21 educational tracks, more than 250 speakers, advanced learning courses, networking opportunities, a scientific abstract competition, and more. SHM Converge On Demand is also available until 2024, including the opportunity to earn additional continuing medical education credit.

To register for SHM Converge, visit shmconverge.org. If you are a member of the media who would like to obtain a press pass, email [email protected].

U.S. Surgeon General, Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, will be a keynote speaker at SHM Converge, the Society of Hospital Meidicine’s annual conference.

Dr. Murthy will discuss burnout and well-being in health care, key themes of the conference, during a fireside chat with Danielle Scheurer, MD, MSCR, SFHM, president of SHM’s board of directors. The conversation will be held on Thursday, May 6, 2021 from 1:30 to 2:00 p.m. ET.

“It is an honor to welcome Dr. Murthy back to SHM’s annual conference during a time when his leadership is more important than ever,” said Eric E. Howell, MD, MHM, chief executive officer of SHM. “Dr. Murthy is dedicated to the health of the American people and to the well-being of those who care for them. I know his message will resonate with hospitalists who have been on the front lines of the pandemic since day one. They are key to navigating the future of our nation’s health care system.”

Dr. Murthy has devoted himself to improving public health through service, clinical care, research, education, and entrepreneurship. In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Murthy has two decades of experience in improving health in communities around the world and served as the 19th U.S. Surgeon General from 2014 to 2017, prior to being reappointed with an expanded role earlier in 2021. As “America’s Doctor,” the Surgeon General’s role is to provide clear, consistent guidance and healthcare resources for the public, ensuring to reach the nation’s most vulnerable communities.

“As we guide our nation out of the pandemic, hospitalists can look to Dr. Murthy as a leader and innovator who will do what is best for our hospitalist community and the patients they serve,” Dr. Scheurer said. “Dr. Murthy will provide a unique perspective to help hospitalists care for themselves during a time when they have been hyper-focused on caring for others.”

In addition to Dr. Murthy, SHM Converge will feature three keynote speakers who will address pressing topics in hospital medicine:

• Mark Hertling, DBA: Coming Out of Combat: Post-Pandemic Recovery
• Vineet Arora, MD, MAPP, MHM: Hospitalists Healing: Surviving, Salvaging, Sustaining, and Succeeding for a Pandemic World
• Larry Wellikson, MD, MHM: Out of COVID and Into the Light: Hospitalists More Essential Than Ever

SHM Converge is the premier educational experience for hospital medicine professionals. This year’s virtual conference will be held from May 3-7, 2021 and offers 21 educational tracks, more than 250 speakers, advanced learning courses, networking opportunities, a scientific abstract competition, and more. SHM Converge On Demand is also available until 2024, including the opportunity to earn additional continuing medical education credit.

To register for SHM Converge, visit shmconverge.org. If you are a member of the media who would like to obtain a press pass, email [email protected].

As Jade Myers set out to help create the virtual platform for SHM Converge, she was aware, through surveys and other communication, that the top wish of members of the Society of Hospital Medicine was an extensive and interactive educational experience.

“People really wanted to get back to the in-person conference,” said Ms. Myers, SHM’s director of meetings. “While we couldn’t do that, we can provide the same caliber and as robust an experience from an educational perspective as we would for an in-person activity.”

That has required significant revamping of the virtual platform compared to the platform for last year’s annual conference. In 2020, there was only one session running live at a time. This year, there will be 12 sessions running at the same time. There will also be more opportunities for networking, as well as other features for enjoyment and a sense of calm.

Here are some features of the SHM Converge platform:

• A host segment to kick-start each day, with an introduction of the day’s sessions and events.
• Nine didactic educational sessions at any given time. These sessions will include a live chat for peer-to-peer engagement, as well as questions and answers throughout the session to continue the discussion between speakers and participants.
• Three workshops at any given time. These sessions – on topics such as communication, gender equity, and clinical guidelines – will provide an opportunity for dynamic small-group discussion.
• A scientific abstract poster competition and reception, with an e-gallery of about 700 posters, providing a networking opportunity and highlighting emerging scientific and clinical cases.
• Special Interest Forums, in the form of live, interactive Zoom conferences. There will be 25 forums, which are designed to build community and facilitate collaboration.
• A variety of games, including trivia and a word scramble.
• Personalized profiles with information such as “Hospitalist in Training,” or “Committee Member.” These will be visible to other attendees to make it easier for people to connect when they have something in common.
• Early- and Mid-Career Speed Mentorship, in which a mentor and mentee can interact one-on-one, with each mentee able to meet with two mentors, with pairings designed for the best mentorship experience.
• Sessions on wellness and resilience.

“People are kind of Zoom fatigued,” Ms. Myers said, “so we’re trying to meet their needs while also offering an opportunity for respite, because our attendees are on the front lines right now, and they’re dealing with all types of fatigue and challenging times.”

The annual conference was on target for a banner year in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the in-person conference in San Diego, and SHM Converge is a product of planning that began then, as organizers started considering a virtual event.

“In 2020, we were slated to have the largest conference in person that we have ever had,” said Hayleigh Scott, SHM’s meeting projects manager. “San Diego was going to be our really big year.”

But attendance at last year’s virtual conference was a fraction of what was expected at the in-person conference. This year, that seems poised to improve. There will be many more offerings, with more than 125 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ and 45 Maintenance of Certification points possible, Ms. Myers said. Because attendees won’t have to worry about being in two places at once, it will be possible to secure more CME credits at SHM Converge than at any previous SHM annual conference, she said.

The volume of content will be a heavy load on SHM personnel. Last year, three society staff members were on hand at each session to make sure it ran smoothly and to answer questions. With 12 sessions running simultaneously this year, many more staff members will need to be involved. But that is not unfamiliar for the society during meeting week, Ms. Myers said.

“We’re going to need to pull from pretty much our entire staff in order to make this conference happen, which is exciting and daunting,” she said. “It’s always been an all-hands-on-deck program and this is going to be more similar to an in-person conference in that way.”

As Jade Myers set out to help create the virtual platform for SHM Converge, she was aware, through surveys and other communication, that the top wish of members of the Society of Hospital Medicine was an extensive and interactive educational experience.

“People really wanted to get back to the in-person conference,” said Ms. Myers, SHM’s director of meetings. “While we couldn’t do that, we can provide the same caliber and as robust an experience from an educational perspective as we would for an in-person activity.”

That has required significant revamping of the virtual platform compared to the platform for last year’s annual conference. In 2020, there was only one session running live at a time. This year, there will be 12 sessions running at the same time. There will also be more opportunities for networking, as well as other features for enjoyment and a sense of calm.

Here are some features of the SHM Converge platform:

• A host segment to kick-start each day, with an introduction of the day’s sessions and events.
• Nine didactic educational sessions at any given time. These sessions will include a live chat for peer-to-peer engagement, as well as questions and answers throughout the session to continue the discussion between speakers and participants.
• Three workshops at any given time. These sessions – on topics such as communication, gender equity, and clinical guidelines – will provide an opportunity for dynamic small-group discussion.
• A scientific abstract poster competition and reception, with an e-gallery of about 700 posters, providing a networking opportunity and highlighting emerging scientific and clinical cases.
• Special Interest Forums, in the form of live, interactive Zoom conferences. There will be 25 forums, which are designed to build community and facilitate collaboration.
• A variety of games, including trivia and a word scramble.
• Personalized profiles with information such as “Hospitalist in Training,” or “Committee Member.” These will be visible to other attendees to make it easier for people to connect when they have something in common.
• Early- and Mid-Career Speed Mentorship, in which a mentor and mentee can interact one-on-one, with each mentee able to meet with two mentors, with pairings designed for the best mentorship experience.
• Sessions on wellness and resilience.

“People are kind of Zoom fatigued,” Ms. Myers said, “so we’re trying to meet their needs while also offering an opportunity for respite, because our attendees are on the front lines right now, and they’re dealing with all types of fatigue and challenging times.”

The annual conference was on target for a banner year in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the in-person conference in San Diego, and SHM Converge is a product of planning that began then, as organizers started considering a virtual event.

“In 2020, we were slated to have the largest conference in person that we have ever had,” said Hayleigh Scott, SHM’s meeting projects manager. “San Diego was going to be our really big year.”

But attendance at last year’s virtual conference was a fraction of what was expected at the in-person conference. This year, that seems poised to improve. There will be many more offerings, with more than 125 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ and 45 Maintenance of Certification points possible, Ms. Myers said. Because attendees won’t have to worry about being in two places at once, it will be possible to secure more CME credits at SHM Converge than at any previous SHM annual conference, she said.

The volume of content will be a heavy load on SHM personnel. Last year, three society staff members were on hand at each session to make sure it ran smoothly and to answer questions. With 12 sessions running simultaneously this year, many more staff members will need to be involved. But that is not unfamiliar for the society during meeting week, Ms. Myers said.

“We’re going to need to pull from pretty much our entire staff in order to make this conference happen, which is exciting and daunting,” she said. “It’s always been an all-hands-on-deck program and this is going to be more similar to an in-person conference in that way.”

As Jade Myers set out to help create the virtual platform for SHM Converge, she was aware, through surveys and other communication, that the top wish of members of the Society of Hospital Medicine was an extensive and interactive educational experience.

“People really wanted to get back to the in-person conference,” said Ms. Myers, SHM’s director of meetings. “While we couldn’t do that, we can provide the same caliber and as robust an experience from an educational perspective as we would for an in-person activity.”

That has required significant revamping of the virtual platform compared to the platform for last year’s annual conference. In 2020, there was only one session running live at a time. This year, there will be 12 sessions running at the same time. There will also be more opportunities for networking, as well as other features for enjoyment and a sense of calm.

Here are some features of the SHM Converge platform:

• A host segment to kick-start each day, with an introduction of the day’s sessions and events.
• Nine didactic educational sessions at any given time. These sessions will include a live chat for peer-to-peer engagement, as well as questions and answers throughout the session to continue the discussion between speakers and participants.
• Three workshops at any given time. These sessions – on topics such as communication, gender equity, and clinical guidelines – will provide an opportunity for dynamic small-group discussion.
• A scientific abstract poster competition and reception, with an e-gallery of about 700 posters, providing a networking opportunity and highlighting emerging scientific and clinical cases.
• Special Interest Forums, in the form of live, interactive Zoom conferences. There will be 25 forums, which are designed to build community and facilitate collaboration.
• A variety of games, including trivia and a word scramble.
• Personalized profiles with information such as “Hospitalist in Training,” or “Committee Member.” These will be visible to other attendees to make it easier for people to connect when they have something in common.
• Early- and Mid-Career Speed Mentorship, in which a mentor and mentee can interact one-on-one, with each mentee able to meet with two mentors, with pairings designed for the best mentorship experience.
• Sessions on wellness and resilience.

“People are kind of Zoom fatigued,” Ms. Myers said, “so we’re trying to meet their needs while also offering an opportunity for respite, because our attendees are on the front lines right now, and they’re dealing with all types of fatigue and challenging times.”

The annual conference was on target for a banner year in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the in-person conference in San Diego, and SHM Converge is a product of planning that began then, as organizers started considering a virtual event.

“In 2020, we were slated to have the largest conference in person that we have ever had,” said Hayleigh Scott, SHM’s meeting projects manager. “San Diego was going to be our really big year.”

But attendance at last year’s virtual conference was a fraction of what was expected at the in-person conference. This year, that seems poised to improve. There will be many more offerings, with more than 125 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ and 45 Maintenance of Certification points possible, Ms. Myers said. Because attendees won’t have to worry about being in two places at once, it will be possible to secure more CME credits at SHM Converge than at any previous SHM annual conference, she said.

The volume of content will be a heavy load on SHM personnel. Last year, three society staff members were on hand at each session to make sure it ran smoothly and to answer questions. With 12 sessions running simultaneously this year, many more staff members will need to be involved. But that is not unfamiliar for the society during meeting week, Ms. Myers said.

“We’re going to need to pull from pretty much our entire staff in order to make this conference happen, which is exciting and daunting,” she said. “It’s always been an all-hands-on-deck program and this is going to be more similar to an in-person conference in that way.”

With dozens and dozens of sessions on the SHM Converge program, picking what to go to can feel virtually impossible.

The editorial board of The Hospitalist is here to help. With knowledge in an array of subspecialties – and experience in attending many SHM annual conferences, they have pointed out sessions they consider “must see,” whether based on the importance of the topic, the entertainment aspect, or the dynamic qualities of the speakers.

Here are their selections:
 

Ilaria Gadalla, DMSc, PA-C, physician assistant department chair, South University, West Palm Beach, Fla.

What You Say, What They Hear: Conversations with Your Hospital C-suite (Tuesday, May 4, 1:40 p.m. to 2:40 p.m.)

“As a department leader, developing my communication skills is always an area I seek to improve,” Dr. Gadalla said. “Tips to help with interpreting the audience and tailoring presentations for receptive feedback are invaluable tools.”

Hiring the Right Hospitalist: The Other Kind of Choosing Wisely (Wednesday, May 5, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.)

“[This] is also an interesting session – selection criteria in the age of virtual interviewing is challenging,” she said. “I look forward to benefiting from my colleagues’ experience to enhance my leadership style.”

Shyam Odeti, MD, SFHM, FAAFP, MBA, hospitalist at Ballad Health, Johnson City, Tenn.

Understanding High-Value Care: Cost, Rationing, Overuse, and Underuse: Workshop (Tuesday May 4, 1:40 p.m. to 2:40 p.m.)

“Health care in the U.S. is expensive, and we have to pay utmost attention to the cost while providing the highest-quality medical care and service to sustain the health care,” Dr. Odeti said. “I am excited about this workshop organized by Dr. Justin Glasgow, Dr. Sarah Baron, Dr. Mona Krouss, and Dr. Harry Cho. I have known these leaders in the health care quality and patient safety arena over several years and their immense contributions to their organizations and the quality improvement special interest group of SHM. This workshop will help us understand how to define value in health care, implement high-value care, and eliminate low-value care.”

Hospitalists Piloting the Twin Engines of the Mid-Revenue Cycle Ship: A Primer on Utilization Management and Clinical Documentation Improvement (Thursday, May 6, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.)

“The business of running hospitals carries with it many financial challenges,” Dr. Odeti said. “The intersection of tremendous fixed overhead and the vagaries of payer behavior is the cause. The COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating impact have compounded the problem. Hospitalists are natural institution leaders who are fundamental in overcoming this impasse through taking command and piloting the twin-engine ship of utilization management and clinical documentation improvement. These two domains working in synergy with experienced pilots are critical to attaining both high-quality care and the long-term viability of our health care systems. Dr. Aziz Ansari has been an expert in this domain and a highly sought-after speaker at SHM annual conferences. His sessions are incredibly captivating and educational.”

Harry Cho, MD, FACP, SFHM, chief value officer at NYC Health+ Hospitals

Medical Jeopardy (Thursday, May 6, 2:30 p.m. to 3:10 p.m.)

“[I am] always looking forward to a fun-filled session for medical learning with this fantastic group of facilitators,” Dr. Cho said.

Back to the Future - Things I Wish I Knew Earlier in my Career (Wednesday, May 5, 3:50 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

“Listening to Brad Sharpe brings me back to the days in training, eagerly absorbing every pearl of wisdom from mentors,” he said.

Marina Farah, MD, MHA, performance improvement consultant, FarahMD Consulting, Corvallis, Ore.

James Kim, MD, associate professor of medicine, Emory University, Atlanta

Health Equity and Disparities in Hospitalized Patients (Tuesday, May 4, 3:30 p.m. to 4:10 p.m. )

“[Kimberly Manning, MD] is an amazing speaker, and I know that this is a topic that she can speak about both eloquently and passionately,” Dr. Kim said. “She has been advocating for her patients at Grady for years and so this is something that she has first-hand experience about.”

Top 5 Clinical Practice Guidelines Every Hospitalist Needs to Know: Workshop (Wednesday, May 5, 3:50 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. )

“This sounds like a high-yield session,” he said. “For busy clinicians, being able to know what guidelines should affect your daily practice is extremely important.”

Lonika Sood, MD, MHPE, FACP, FHM, clinical education director of internal medicine, Washington State University, Spokane

Anika Kumar, MD, FAAP, FHM, assistant professor of pediatrics, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

Fireside Chat: Story-telling and the Nocturnist in Pediatrics (Tuesday, May 4, 3:30 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.)

“I look forward to their discussion about storytelling and the role narrative medicine plays in patient care, especially pediatrics,” Dr. Kumar said.

Febrile Infant Update (Thursday, May 6, 3:10 p.m. to 3:50 p.m.)

“This clinical update session with Dr. Russell McCulloh will be exciting, as caring for febrile infants is bread-and-butter pediatric hospital medicine,” she said. “And this update will help review new research in this diagnosis.”

Kranthi Sitammagari, MD, FACP, CHCQM-PHYADV, director of clinical operations, quality, and patient experience, Atrium Health Hospitalist Group, Monroe, N.C.

Any session in the “Clinical Updates” and “Quality” tracks

“I would recommend ‘Clinical Updates’ and ‘Quality’ sessions, as they are so close to my practice and I look forward to those sessions,” Dr. Sitammagari said. “Clinical Updates provide the latest updates in clinical practice which is very useful for everyday patient management for hospitalists. Quality sessions discuss innovative ways to improve the quality of hospitalist practice.”

Raman Palabindala, MD, SFHM, medical director of utilization management, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson

Medical Jeopardy (Thursday, May 6, 2:30 p.m. to 3:10 p.m.)

“I will always promote my fun event, Medical Jeopardy (Dr. Palabindala is a moderator). It is going to be a challenge between three great attendings from three great organizations across the country to win the national Jeopardy competition. Not only will you learn a lot, but you also will have a lot of fun. I am sure it is going to be more entertaining this time, given virtual play.”

LAMA’s DRAMA: Left AMA – Documentation & Rules of AMA (Friday, May 7, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

“I also recommend the talk by Dr. Medarametla not just for the title LAMA DRAMA (for ‘left against medical advice’),” he said. “We all need to learn this one to the core and I am sure he will deliver the most engaging presentation.”

With dozens and dozens of sessions on the SHM Converge program, picking what to go to can feel virtually impossible.

The editorial board of The Hospitalist is here to help. With knowledge in an array of subspecialties – and experience in attending many SHM annual conferences, they have pointed out sessions they consider “must see,” whether based on the importance of the topic, the entertainment aspect, or the dynamic qualities of the speakers.

Here are their selections:
 

Ilaria Gadalla, DMSc, PA-C, physician assistant department chair, South University, West Palm Beach, Fla.

What You Say, What They Hear: Conversations with Your Hospital C-suite (Tuesday, May 4, 1:40 p.m. to 2:40 p.m.)

“As a department leader, developing my communication skills is always an area I seek to improve,” Dr. Gadalla said. “Tips to help with interpreting the audience and tailoring presentations for receptive feedback are invaluable tools.”

Hiring the Right Hospitalist: The Other Kind of Choosing Wisely (Wednesday, May 5, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.)

“[This] is also an interesting session – selection criteria in the age of virtual interviewing is challenging,” she said. “I look forward to benefiting from my colleagues’ experience to enhance my leadership style.”

Shyam Odeti, MD, SFHM, FAAFP, MBA, hospitalist at Ballad Health, Johnson City, Tenn.

Understanding High-Value Care: Cost, Rationing, Overuse, and Underuse: Workshop (Tuesday May 4, 1:40 p.m. to 2:40 p.m.)

“Health care in the U.S. is expensive, and we have to pay utmost attention to the cost while providing the highest-quality medical care and service to sustain the health care,” Dr. Odeti said. “I am excited about this workshop organized by Dr. Justin Glasgow, Dr. Sarah Baron, Dr. Mona Krouss, and Dr. Harry Cho. I have known these leaders in the health care quality and patient safety arena over several years and their immense contributions to their organizations and the quality improvement special interest group of SHM. This workshop will help us understand how to define value in health care, implement high-value care, and eliminate low-value care.”

Hospitalists Piloting the Twin Engines of the Mid-Revenue Cycle Ship: A Primer on Utilization Management and Clinical Documentation Improvement (Thursday, May 6, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.)

“The business of running hospitals carries with it many financial challenges,” Dr. Odeti said. “The intersection of tremendous fixed overhead and the vagaries of payer behavior is the cause. The COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating impact have compounded the problem. Hospitalists are natural institution leaders who are fundamental in overcoming this impasse through taking command and piloting the twin-engine ship of utilization management and clinical documentation improvement. These two domains working in synergy with experienced pilots are critical to attaining both high-quality care and the long-term viability of our health care systems. Dr. Aziz Ansari has been an expert in this domain and a highly sought-after speaker at SHM annual conferences. His sessions are incredibly captivating and educational.”

Harry Cho, MD, FACP, SFHM, chief value officer at NYC Health+ Hospitals

Medical Jeopardy (Thursday, May 6, 2:30 p.m. to 3:10 p.m.)

“[I am] always looking forward to a fun-filled session for medical learning with this fantastic group of facilitators,” Dr. Cho said.

Back to the Future - Things I Wish I Knew Earlier in my Career (Wednesday, May 5, 3:50 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

“Listening to Brad Sharpe brings me back to the days in training, eagerly absorbing every pearl of wisdom from mentors,” he said.

Marina Farah, MD, MHA, performance improvement consultant, FarahMD Consulting, Corvallis, Ore.

James Kim, MD, associate professor of medicine, Emory University, Atlanta

Health Equity and Disparities in Hospitalized Patients (Tuesday, May 4, 3:30 p.m. to 4:10 p.m. )

“[Kimberly Manning, MD] is an amazing speaker, and I know that this is a topic that she can speak about both eloquently and passionately,” Dr. Kim said. “She has been advocating for her patients at Grady for years and so this is something that she has first-hand experience about.”

Top 5 Clinical Practice Guidelines Every Hospitalist Needs to Know: Workshop (Wednesday, May 5, 3:50 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. )

“This sounds like a high-yield session,” he said. “For busy clinicians, being able to know what guidelines should affect your daily practice is extremely important.”

Lonika Sood, MD, MHPE, FACP, FHM, clinical education director of internal medicine, Washington State University, Spokane

Anika Kumar, MD, FAAP, FHM, assistant professor of pediatrics, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

Fireside Chat: Story-telling and the Nocturnist in Pediatrics (Tuesday, May 4, 3:30 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.)

“I look forward to their discussion about storytelling and the role narrative medicine plays in patient care, especially pediatrics,” Dr. Kumar said.

Febrile Infant Update (Thursday, May 6, 3:10 p.m. to 3:50 p.m.)

“This clinical update session with Dr. Russell McCulloh will be exciting, as caring for febrile infants is bread-and-butter pediatric hospital medicine,” she said. “And this update will help review new research in this diagnosis.”

Kranthi Sitammagari, MD, FACP, CHCQM-PHYADV, director of clinical operations, quality, and patient experience, Atrium Health Hospitalist Group, Monroe, N.C.

Any session in the “Clinical Updates” and “Quality” tracks

“I would recommend ‘Clinical Updates’ and ‘Quality’ sessions, as they are so close to my practice and I look forward to those sessions,” Dr. Sitammagari said. “Clinical Updates provide the latest updates in clinical practice which is very useful for everyday patient management for hospitalists. Quality sessions discuss innovative ways to improve the quality of hospitalist practice.”

Raman Palabindala, MD, SFHM, medical director of utilization management, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson

Medical Jeopardy (Thursday, May 6, 2:30 p.m. to 3:10 p.m.)

“I will always promote my fun event, Medical Jeopardy (Dr. Palabindala is a moderator). It is going to be a challenge between three great attendings from three great organizations across the country to win the national Jeopardy competition. Not only will you learn a lot, but you also will have a lot of fun. I am sure it is going to be more entertaining this time, given virtual play.”

LAMA’s DRAMA: Left AMA – Documentation & Rules of AMA (Friday, May 7, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

“I also recommend the talk by Dr. Medarametla not just for the title LAMA DRAMA (for ‘left against medical advice’),” he said. “We all need to learn this one to the core and I am sure he will deliver the most engaging presentation.”

With dozens and dozens of sessions on the SHM Converge program, picking what to go to can feel virtually impossible.

The editorial board of The Hospitalist is here to help. With knowledge in an array of subspecialties – and experience in attending many SHM annual conferences, they have pointed out sessions they consider “must see,” whether based on the importance of the topic, the entertainment aspect, or the dynamic qualities of the speakers.

Here are their selections:
 

Ilaria Gadalla, DMSc, PA-C, physician assistant department chair, South University, West Palm Beach, Fla.

What You Say, What They Hear: Conversations with Your Hospital C-suite (Tuesday, May 4, 1:40 p.m. to 2:40 p.m.)

“As a department leader, developing my communication skills is always an area I seek to improve,” Dr. Gadalla said. “Tips to help with interpreting the audience and tailoring presentations for receptive feedback are invaluable tools.”

Hiring the Right Hospitalist: The Other Kind of Choosing Wisely (Wednesday, May 5, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.)

“[This] is also an interesting session – selection criteria in the age of virtual interviewing is challenging,” she said. “I look forward to benefiting from my colleagues’ experience to enhance my leadership style.”

Shyam Odeti, MD, SFHM, FAAFP, MBA, hospitalist at Ballad Health, Johnson City, Tenn.

Understanding High-Value Care: Cost, Rationing, Overuse, and Underuse: Workshop (Tuesday May 4, 1:40 p.m. to 2:40 p.m.)

“Health care in the U.S. is expensive, and we have to pay utmost attention to the cost while providing the highest-quality medical care and service to sustain the health care,” Dr. Odeti said. “I am excited about this workshop organized by Dr. Justin Glasgow, Dr. Sarah Baron, Dr. Mona Krouss, and Dr. Harry Cho. I have known these leaders in the health care quality and patient safety arena over several years and their immense contributions to their organizations and the quality improvement special interest group of SHM. This workshop will help us understand how to define value in health care, implement high-value care, and eliminate low-value care.”

Hospitalists Piloting the Twin Engines of the Mid-Revenue Cycle Ship: A Primer on Utilization Management and Clinical Documentation Improvement (Thursday, May 6, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.)

“The business of running hospitals carries with it many financial challenges,” Dr. Odeti said. “The intersection of tremendous fixed overhead and the vagaries of payer behavior is the cause. The COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating impact have compounded the problem. Hospitalists are natural institution leaders who are fundamental in overcoming this impasse through taking command and piloting the twin-engine ship of utilization management and clinical documentation improvement. These two domains working in synergy with experienced pilots are critical to attaining both high-quality care and the long-term viability of our health care systems. Dr. Aziz Ansari has been an expert in this domain and a highly sought-after speaker at SHM annual conferences. His sessions are incredibly captivating and educational.”

Harry Cho, MD, FACP, SFHM, chief value officer at NYC Health+ Hospitals

Medical Jeopardy (Thursday, May 6, 2:30 p.m. to 3:10 p.m.)

“[I am] always looking forward to a fun-filled session for medical learning with this fantastic group of facilitators,” Dr. Cho said.

Back to the Future - Things I Wish I Knew Earlier in my Career (Wednesday, May 5, 3:50 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

“Listening to Brad Sharpe brings me back to the days in training, eagerly absorbing every pearl of wisdom from mentors,” he said.

Marina Farah, MD, MHA, performance improvement consultant, FarahMD Consulting, Corvallis, Ore.

James Kim, MD, associate professor of medicine, Emory University, Atlanta

Health Equity and Disparities in Hospitalized Patients (Tuesday, May 4, 3:30 p.m. to 4:10 p.m. )

“[Kimberly Manning, MD] is an amazing speaker, and I know that this is a topic that she can speak about both eloquently and passionately,” Dr. Kim said. “She has been advocating for her patients at Grady for years and so this is something that she has first-hand experience about.”

Top 5 Clinical Practice Guidelines Every Hospitalist Needs to Know: Workshop (Wednesday, May 5, 3:50 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. )

“This sounds like a high-yield session,” he said. “For busy clinicians, being able to know what guidelines should affect your daily practice is extremely important.”

Lonika Sood, MD, MHPE, FACP, FHM, clinical education director of internal medicine, Washington State University, Spokane

Anika Kumar, MD, FAAP, FHM, assistant professor of pediatrics, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

Fireside Chat: Story-telling and the Nocturnist in Pediatrics (Tuesday, May 4, 3:30 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.)

“I look forward to their discussion about storytelling and the role narrative medicine plays in patient care, especially pediatrics,” Dr. Kumar said.

Febrile Infant Update (Thursday, May 6, 3:10 p.m. to 3:50 p.m.)

“This clinical update session with Dr. Russell McCulloh will be exciting, as caring for febrile infants is bread-and-butter pediatric hospital medicine,” she said. “And this update will help review new research in this diagnosis.”

Kranthi Sitammagari, MD, FACP, CHCQM-PHYADV, director of clinical operations, quality, and patient experience, Atrium Health Hospitalist Group, Monroe, N.C.

Any session in the “Clinical Updates” and “Quality” tracks

“I would recommend ‘Clinical Updates’ and ‘Quality’ sessions, as they are so close to my practice and I look forward to those sessions,” Dr. Sitammagari said. “Clinical Updates provide the latest updates in clinical practice which is very useful for everyday patient management for hospitalists. Quality sessions discuss innovative ways to improve the quality of hospitalist practice.”

Raman Palabindala, MD, SFHM, medical director of utilization management, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson

Medical Jeopardy (Thursday, May 6, 2:30 p.m. to 3:10 p.m.)

“I will always promote my fun event, Medical Jeopardy (Dr. Palabindala is a moderator). It is going to be a challenge between three great attendings from three great organizations across the country to win the national Jeopardy competition. Not only will you learn a lot, but you also will have a lot of fun. I am sure it is going to be more entertaining this time, given virtual play.”

LAMA’s DRAMA: Left AMA – Documentation & Rules of AMA (Friday, May 7, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

“I also recommend the talk by Dr. Medarametla not just for the title LAMA DRAMA (for ‘left against medical advice’),” he said. “We all need to learn this one to the core and I am sure he will deliver the most engaging presentation.”

Ingrid Pinzon, MD, FACP, was working as a medical assistant to a physician a decade ago when she heard the doctor prescribe ibuprofen to a woman who was in the latter stages of pregnancy. Dr. Pinzon was a doctor, having received her education and training in Colombia, but because she had emigrated to the United States and hadn’t yet completed her certification and training here, she was not recognized yet as an American physician.

But she knew that ibuprofen was not recommended during late-term pregnancy, and she was alarmed. She informed the physician of the mistake. The doctor headed to Google, Dr. Pinzon said, and called the patient to rescind the ibuprofen prescription. But she soon fired Dr. Pinzon, seemingly for having had the courage to speak up.

Dr. Pinzon, now medical director of care coordination at Emory Johns Creek Hospital in Atlanta, will describe her experience as an immigrant physician in the Society of Hospital Medicine Converge session: “A Walk in Our Shoes: Immigrant Physicians Sharing Their Stories.” She will be joined by Patricia O’Brien, MD, PhD, FAAP, a pediatric hospitalist in Tampa; Manpreet Malik, MD, a hospitalist at Emory University; and Benji Mathews, MD, SFHM, FACP, chief of hospital medicine at HealthPartners and associate professor at the University of Minnesota.

They will describe their struggles to find their way in the United States, along with the satisfaction of having hard work pay off with better lives for themselves and their families. And together, they’ll provide a variety of narratives that will show, contrary to how many Americans view immigrants, how the experiences of immigrants don’t follow the same path, but each one carves out a path of his or her own.

“The thrust of this is really storytelling, along with putting into context what we can do to help our hospitalist brothers and sisters who are immigrants, and shining the light on it,” Dr. O’Brien said.

Dr. Pinzon was working as a doctor for the Colombian government when she began receiving threats from soldiers in a guerrilla army, which didn’t agree with her alignment with the government. One day, a guerrilla soldier threatened her and her two daughters – aged 5 and 11 at the time – and accurately described her daughters’ whereabouts.

Less than a week later, she and her daughters flew from Bogota to the United States, never to return to Colombia.

“I dropped everything I had when I came here,” she said. An immigration attorney initially recommended that she marry an American man in order to stay in the United States. When Dr. Pinzon declined, they pursued political asylum, and she received it less than a year later.

For 3 years, she worked jobs as assistants in medical offices and in other jobs, well below her education level, as she guided her daughters through school and went through the U.S. medical certification process. She was besieged by doubt constantly, she said.

“I cried for 3 years in a row,” she said. “I wanted to go back to my country. I didn’t want to stay here.”

Finally, she did her medical residency between 2011 and 2014, and got a job with Emory. Her daughters are grown, and one is a doctor in general surgery residency. Dr. Pinzon said she is happy to care for patients, particularly those who are Spanish-speaking and struggle as she did. But she often encounters patients who don’t hide that they dislike her accent.

“I will mute the TV and I will say: ‘I have a strong accent and so I want to make sure communication is clear,’ ” she said. “We have to prove ourselves all of the time. I feel like I have to prove myself to my patients that I’m a good doctor all of the time.” American-born doctors, she added, “shouldn’t take for granted what they already have.”

Dr. O’Brien grew up in Ireland, but in the late 1980s, the country was in a serious recession, with unemployment close to 20%, and her father applied for residency in Canada and the United States. They were accepted in Canada first, and moved there in 1988. A few years later, her parents moved them to Florida.

“They knew in order for us to do well, we had to go abroad,” she said. Dr. O’Brien went to college, medical school and graduate school in Florida, and completed residency in Cincinnati. Feeling the tug of her birthplace, she moved back to Ireland and worked there for a couple years.

“I never really wanted to leave because it was my home,” she said. While there, she came to a new-found appreciation for the U.S. health care system. It’s true that, in Ireland, everyone is insured, but there long wait times – for example, up to 2 years for a sedated nonurgent MRI for a child. She once had to send a patient to Dublin in a taxi with a nurse because an ambulance was unavailable.

“After going back to Ireland, where – I honestly thought I was going to go back and settle there – I realized how visionary my parents were in moving us,” Dr. O’Brien said. “This system in the U.S., there are lot of things broken about it, but we have all the resources.”

She moved back to the United States in August 2016, during a period of anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Nonetheless, Dr. O’Brien said she is happy to be here despite the lack of tolerance she sees in a minority of the U.S. population.

“Have a bit of sensitivity toward your provider. Maybe they speak with an accent. Maybe they don’t speak English perfectly. Maybe they have a different skin color. But their intention is good and it’s to help you and improve your health,” she said.

Ingrid Pinzon, MD, FACP, was working as a medical assistant to a physician a decade ago when she heard the doctor prescribe ibuprofen to a woman who was in the latter stages of pregnancy. Dr. Pinzon was a doctor, having received her education and training in Colombia, but because she had emigrated to the United States and hadn’t yet completed her certification and training here, she was not recognized yet as an American physician.

But she knew that ibuprofen was not recommended during late-term pregnancy, and she was alarmed. She informed the physician of the mistake. The doctor headed to Google, Dr. Pinzon said, and called the patient to rescind the ibuprofen prescription. But she soon fired Dr. Pinzon, seemingly for having had the courage to speak up.

Dr. Pinzon, now medical director of care coordination at Emory Johns Creek Hospital in Atlanta, will describe her experience as an immigrant physician in the Society of Hospital Medicine Converge session: “A Walk in Our Shoes: Immigrant Physicians Sharing Their Stories.” She will be joined by Patricia O’Brien, MD, PhD, FAAP, a pediatric hospitalist in Tampa; Manpreet Malik, MD, a hospitalist at Emory University; and Benji Mathews, MD, SFHM, FACP, chief of hospital medicine at HealthPartners and associate professor at the University of Minnesota.

They will describe their struggles to find their way in the United States, along with the satisfaction of having hard work pay off with better lives for themselves and their families. And together, they’ll provide a variety of narratives that will show, contrary to how many Americans view immigrants, how the experiences of immigrants don’t follow the same path, but each one carves out a path of his or her own.

“The thrust of this is really storytelling, along with putting into context what we can do to help our hospitalist brothers and sisters who are immigrants, and shining the light on it,” Dr. O’Brien said.

Dr. Pinzon was working as a doctor for the Colombian government when she began receiving threats from soldiers in a guerrilla army, which didn’t agree with her alignment with the government. One day, a guerrilla soldier threatened her and her two daughters – aged 5 and 11 at the time – and accurately described her daughters’ whereabouts.

Less than a week later, she and her daughters flew from Bogota to the United States, never to return to Colombia.

“I dropped everything I had when I came here,” she said. An immigration attorney initially recommended that she marry an American man in order to stay in the United States. When Dr. Pinzon declined, they pursued political asylum, and she received it less than a year later.

For 3 years, she worked jobs as assistants in medical offices and in other jobs, well below her education level, as she guided her daughters through school and went through the U.S. medical certification process. She was besieged by doubt constantly, she said.

“I cried for 3 years in a row,” she said. “I wanted to go back to my country. I didn’t want to stay here.”

Finally, she did her medical residency between 2011 and 2014, and got a job with Emory. Her daughters are grown, and one is a doctor in general surgery residency. Dr. Pinzon said she is happy to care for patients, particularly those who are Spanish-speaking and struggle as she did. But she often encounters patients who don’t hide that they dislike her accent.

“I will mute the TV and I will say: ‘I have a strong accent and so I want to make sure communication is clear,’ ” she said. “We have to prove ourselves all of the time. I feel like I have to prove myself to my patients that I’m a good doctor all of the time.” American-born doctors, she added, “shouldn’t take for granted what they already have.”

Dr. O’Brien grew up in Ireland, but in the late 1980s, the country was in a serious recession, with unemployment close to 20%, and her father applied for residency in Canada and the United States. They were accepted in Canada first, and moved there in 1988. A few years later, her parents moved them to Florida.

“They knew in order for us to do well, we had to go abroad,” she said. Dr. O’Brien went to college, medical school and graduate school in Florida, and completed residency in Cincinnati. Feeling the tug of her birthplace, she moved back to Ireland and worked there for a couple years.

“I never really wanted to leave because it was my home,” she said. While there, she came to a new-found appreciation for the U.S. health care system. It’s true that, in Ireland, everyone is insured, but there long wait times – for example, up to 2 years for a sedated nonurgent MRI for a child. She once had to send a patient to Dublin in a taxi with a nurse because an ambulance was unavailable.

“After going back to Ireland, where – I honestly thought I was going to go back and settle there – I realized how visionary my parents were in moving us,” Dr. O’Brien said. “This system in the U.S., there are lot of things broken about it, but we have all the resources.”

She moved back to the United States in August 2016, during a period of anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Nonetheless, Dr. O’Brien said she is happy to be here despite the lack of tolerance she sees in a minority of the U.S. population.

“Have a bit of sensitivity toward your provider. Maybe they speak with an accent. Maybe they don’t speak English perfectly. Maybe they have a different skin color. But their intention is good and it’s to help you and improve your health,” she said.

Ingrid Pinzon, MD, FACP, was working as a medical assistant to a physician a decade ago when she heard the doctor prescribe ibuprofen to a woman who was in the latter stages of pregnancy. Dr. Pinzon was a doctor, having received her education and training in Colombia, but because she had emigrated to the United States and hadn’t yet completed her certification and training here, she was not recognized yet as an American physician.

But she knew that ibuprofen was not recommended during late-term pregnancy, and she was alarmed. She informed the physician of the mistake. The doctor headed to Google, Dr. Pinzon said, and called the patient to rescind the ibuprofen prescription. But she soon fired Dr. Pinzon, seemingly for having had the courage to speak up.

Dr. Pinzon, now medical director of care coordination at Emory Johns Creek Hospital in Atlanta, will describe her experience as an immigrant physician in the Society of Hospital Medicine Converge session: “A Walk in Our Shoes: Immigrant Physicians Sharing Their Stories.” She will be joined by Patricia O’Brien, MD, PhD, FAAP, a pediatric hospitalist in Tampa; Manpreet Malik, MD, a hospitalist at Emory University; and Benji Mathews, MD, SFHM, FACP, chief of hospital medicine at HealthPartners and associate professor at the University of Minnesota.

They will describe their struggles to find their way in the United States, along with the satisfaction of having hard work pay off with better lives for themselves and their families. And together, they’ll provide a variety of narratives that will show, contrary to how many Americans view immigrants, how the experiences of immigrants don’t follow the same path, but each one carves out a path of his or her own.

“The thrust of this is really storytelling, along with putting into context what we can do to help our hospitalist brothers and sisters who are immigrants, and shining the light on it,” Dr. O’Brien said.

Dr. Pinzon was working as a doctor for the Colombian government when she began receiving threats from soldiers in a guerrilla army, which didn’t agree with her alignment with the government. One day, a guerrilla soldier threatened her and her two daughters – aged 5 and 11 at the time – and accurately described her daughters’ whereabouts.

Less than a week later, she and her daughters flew from Bogota to the United States, never to return to Colombia.

“I dropped everything I had when I came here,” she said. An immigration attorney initially recommended that she marry an American man in order to stay in the United States. When Dr. Pinzon declined, they pursued political asylum, and she received it less than a year later.

For 3 years, she worked jobs as assistants in medical offices and in other jobs, well below her education level, as she guided her daughters through school and went through the U.S. medical certification process. She was besieged by doubt constantly, she said.

“I cried for 3 years in a row,” she said. “I wanted to go back to my country. I didn’t want to stay here.”

Finally, she did her medical residency between 2011 and 2014, and got a job with Emory. Her daughters are grown, and one is a doctor in general surgery residency. Dr. Pinzon said she is happy to care for patients, particularly those who are Spanish-speaking and struggle as she did. But she often encounters patients who don’t hide that they dislike her accent.

“I will mute the TV and I will say: ‘I have a strong accent and so I want to make sure communication is clear,’ ” she said. “We have to prove ourselves all of the time. I feel like I have to prove myself to my patients that I’m a good doctor all of the time.” American-born doctors, she added, “shouldn’t take for granted what they already have.”

Dr. O’Brien grew up in Ireland, but in the late 1980s, the country was in a serious recession, with unemployment close to 20%, and her father applied for residency in Canada and the United States. They were accepted in Canada first, and moved there in 1988. A few years later, her parents moved them to Florida.

“They knew in order for us to do well, we had to go abroad,” she said. Dr. O’Brien went to college, medical school and graduate school in Florida, and completed residency in Cincinnati. Feeling the tug of her birthplace, she moved back to Ireland and worked there for a couple years.

“I never really wanted to leave because it was my home,” she said. While there, she came to a new-found appreciation for the U.S. health care system. It’s true that, in Ireland, everyone is insured, but there long wait times – for example, up to 2 years for a sedated nonurgent MRI for a child. She once had to send a patient to Dublin in a taxi with a nurse because an ambulance was unavailable.

“After going back to Ireland, where – I honestly thought I was going to go back and settle there – I realized how visionary my parents were in moving us,” Dr. O’Brien said. “This system in the U.S., there are lot of things broken about it, but we have all the resources.”

She moved back to the United States in August 2016, during a period of anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Nonetheless, Dr. O’Brien said she is happy to be here despite the lack of tolerance she sees in a minority of the U.S. population.

“Have a bit of sensitivity toward your provider. Maybe they speak with an accent. Maybe they don’t speak English perfectly. Maybe they have a different skin color. But their intention is good and it’s to help you and improve your health,” she said.

An overview of five important advances in pulmonary and critical care medicine are on the agenda for the “Update in Pulmonary and Critical Care” session on Tuesday, May 4, at the virtual 2021 SHM Converge conference.

“I hope this session gives attendees a nice, broad look at advances both in the intensive care unit and in general pulmonary medicine,” said James Walter, MD, of Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, who serves as director of the session.

On the critical care medicine side, Dr. Walter will review the latest research on the efficacy of ascorbic acid in treating patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. “There was a lot of excitement and some skepticism about early results promising a really large treatment effect in giving critically ill patients with sepsis large doses of vitamin C,” Dr. Walter said. The last year has produced some high-quality randomized trials that have contributed to a better understanding of the potential effects ascorbic acid in sepsis can have, he noted.

Dr. Walter, who is also medical director of the Northwestern Lung Rescue Program, intends to discuss what he believes is a definitive trial regarding the benefit of preemptively starting critically ill patients with acute kidney injury on renal replacement therapy instead of waiting until there are specific clinical signs. “This has been another area of uncertainty in critical care and I think we finally have a very definitive answer with this high quality, randomized, controlled trial that I plan to review,” he said.

Though he said there have been a number of important advances in pulmonary medicine over the past year, Dr. Walter will highlight just two.

Up until recently, the antifibrotics nintedanib and pirfenidone have mostly been used in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. However, recent research suggests there may be a potential benefit to using these drugs in patients with fibrotic lung disease outside of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. “I think this is an important advance for hospital medicine providers to be aware of,” said Dr. Walter.

He will also go over some large randomized controlled trials of the use of triple therapy – a combination of a long-acting beta agonist (LABA), a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), and an inhaled corticosteroid in one inhaler – in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The trials looked at whether triple inhaler therapy was beneficial compared to the typical therapies used for COPD.

The session wouldn’t be complete without a nod to COVID-19, which Dr. Walter said has significantly changed the landscape for hospital medicine providers. He plans to discuss what he considers the most impactful study – the RECOVERY trial. This study looked at the role of dexamethasone in patients with more severe manifestations of SARS-CoV-2.

“From the incredible amount of data that’s come out in the last year about COVID, I think this is probably the trial that’s changed practice the most and shown the largest therapeutic benefit of all the pharmacotherapies,” Dr. Walter said. “It’s an important one for providers to be aware of in terms of what the trial shows and how it informs which patients are most likely to benefit from dexamethasone therapy.”

Dr. Walter hopes clinicians who participate in the session will leave with these takeaways:

• Be able to summarize recent trials of ascorbic acid in sepsis and think about how to incorporate – or not – the use of vitamin C in critically ill sepsis patients.
• A thorough understanding of when renal replacement therapy should be offered to critically ill patients with acute kidney dysfunction.
• Be able to discuss the impact of antifibrotic therapy in interstitial lung diseases outside of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
• An understanding of the role of triple inhaler combinations in COPD.
• Be able to explain when dexamethasone is most likely to benefit hypoxemic patients with COVID-19.

An overview of five important advances in pulmonary and critical care medicine are on the agenda for the “Update in Pulmonary and Critical Care” session on Tuesday, May 4, at the virtual 2021 SHM Converge conference.

“I hope this session gives attendees a nice, broad look at advances both in the intensive care unit and in general pulmonary medicine,” said James Walter, MD, of Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, who serves as director of the session.

On the critical care medicine side, Dr. Walter will review the latest research on the efficacy of ascorbic acid in treating patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. “There was a lot of excitement and some skepticism about early results promising a really large treatment effect in giving critically ill patients with sepsis large doses of vitamin C,” Dr. Walter said. The last year has produced some high-quality randomized trials that have contributed to a better understanding of the potential effects ascorbic acid in sepsis can have, he noted.

Dr. Walter, who is also medical director of the Northwestern Lung Rescue Program, intends to discuss what he believes is a definitive trial regarding the benefit of preemptively starting critically ill patients with acute kidney injury on renal replacement therapy instead of waiting until there are specific clinical signs. “This has been another area of uncertainty in critical care and I think we finally have a very definitive answer with this high quality, randomized, controlled trial that I plan to review,” he said.

Though he said there have been a number of important advances in pulmonary medicine over the past year, Dr. Walter will highlight just two.

Up until recently, the antifibrotics nintedanib and pirfenidone have mostly been used in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. However, recent research suggests there may be a potential benefit to using these drugs in patients with fibrotic lung disease outside of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. “I think this is an important advance for hospital medicine providers to be aware of,” said Dr. Walter.

He will also go over some large randomized controlled trials of the use of triple therapy – a combination of a long-acting beta agonist (LABA), a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), and an inhaled corticosteroid in one inhaler – in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The trials looked at whether triple inhaler therapy was beneficial compared to the typical therapies used for COPD.

The session wouldn’t be complete without a nod to COVID-19, which Dr. Walter said has significantly changed the landscape for hospital medicine providers. He plans to discuss what he considers the most impactful study – the RECOVERY trial. This study looked at the role of dexamethasone in patients with more severe manifestations of SARS-CoV-2.

“From the incredible amount of data that’s come out in the last year about COVID, I think this is probably the trial that’s changed practice the most and shown the largest therapeutic benefit of all the pharmacotherapies,” Dr. Walter said. “It’s an important one for providers to be aware of in terms of what the trial shows and how it informs which patients are most likely to benefit from dexamethasone therapy.”

Dr. Walter hopes clinicians who participate in the session will leave with these takeaways:

• Be able to summarize recent trials of ascorbic acid in sepsis and think about how to incorporate – or not – the use of vitamin C in critically ill sepsis patients.
• A thorough understanding of when renal replacement therapy should be offered to critically ill patients with acute kidney dysfunction.
• Be able to discuss the impact of antifibrotic therapy in interstitial lung diseases outside of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
• An understanding of the role of triple inhaler combinations in COPD.
• Be able to explain when dexamethasone is most likely to benefit hypoxemic patients with COVID-19.

An overview of five important advances in pulmonary and critical care medicine are on the agenda for the “Update in Pulmonary and Critical Care” session on Tuesday, May 4, at the virtual 2021 SHM Converge conference.

“I hope this session gives attendees a nice, broad look at advances both in the intensive care unit and in general pulmonary medicine,” said James Walter, MD, of Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, who serves as director of the session.

On the critical care medicine side, Dr. Walter will review the latest research on the efficacy of ascorbic acid in treating patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. “There was a lot of excitement and some skepticism about early results promising a really large treatment effect in giving critically ill patients with sepsis large doses of vitamin C,” Dr. Walter said. The last year has produced some high-quality randomized trials that have contributed to a better understanding of the potential effects ascorbic acid in sepsis can have, he noted.

Dr. Walter, who is also medical director of the Northwestern Lung Rescue Program, intends to discuss what he believes is a definitive trial regarding the benefit of preemptively starting critically ill patients with acute kidney injury on renal replacement therapy instead of waiting until there are specific clinical signs. “This has been another area of uncertainty in critical care and I think we finally have a very definitive answer with this high quality, randomized, controlled trial that I plan to review,” he said.

Though he said there have been a number of important advances in pulmonary medicine over the past year, Dr. Walter will highlight just two.

Up until recently, the antifibrotics nintedanib and pirfenidone have mostly been used in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. However, recent research suggests there may be a potential benefit to using these drugs in patients with fibrotic lung disease outside of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. “I think this is an important advance for hospital medicine providers to be aware of,” said Dr. Walter.

He will also go over some large randomized controlled trials of the use of triple therapy – a combination of a long-acting beta agonist (LABA), a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), and an inhaled corticosteroid in one inhaler – in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The trials looked at whether triple inhaler therapy was beneficial compared to the typical therapies used for COPD.

The session wouldn’t be complete without a nod to COVID-19, which Dr. Walter said has significantly changed the landscape for hospital medicine providers. He plans to discuss what he considers the most impactful study – the RECOVERY trial. This study looked at the role of dexamethasone in patients with more severe manifestations of SARS-CoV-2.

“From the incredible amount of data that’s come out in the last year about COVID, I think this is probably the trial that’s changed practice the most and shown the largest therapeutic benefit of all the pharmacotherapies,” Dr. Walter said. “It’s an important one for providers to be aware of in terms of what the trial shows and how it informs which patients are most likely to benefit from dexamethasone therapy.”

Dr. Walter hopes clinicians who participate in the session will leave with these takeaways:

• Be able to summarize recent trials of ascorbic acid in sepsis and think about how to incorporate – or not – the use of vitamin C in critically ill sepsis patients.
• A thorough understanding of when renal replacement therapy should be offered to critically ill patients with acute kidney dysfunction.
• Be able to discuss the impact of antifibrotic therapy in interstitial lung diseases outside of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
• An understanding of the role of triple inhaler combinations in COPD.
• Be able to explain when dexamethasone is most likely to benefit hypoxemic patients with COVID-19.

The weeks leading up to our Annual Conference always trigger certain rituals for me.

Deciding which sessions to attend feels like planning an intellectual feast mixed with an exercise in compromise, as I realize there is just no way to attend every session that I want to. Scheduling all my plans to connect over dinner and drinks with current and former colleagues is a logistical challenge I undertake with anticipation and some stress, especially when I’m the one tasked with making restaurant reservations. Thinking about how to pay for it all means digging out the rules around my CME faculty allowance, after first figuring out if I still even have a CME allowance, of course.

In the years that I am presenting, there are the last-minute emails with my co-presenters to arrange a time to run through our slides together on site. The prospect of seeing cherished colleagues and friends from SHM mixes with the fact that I know I will miss my wife and young son while I am away. Overall though, I am filled with a tremendous sense of excitement, a feeling that I enjoy in a sustained way for weeks before the meeting.

My excitement for SHM Converge is just as strong, but different in some great and important ways. The availability of on-demand content means I won’t have to choose one session over another this year – I can have my cake and eat it, too. Without the need to travel, expenses will be considerably less, and I won’t need to be away from my family.

But what I am most thrilled about when I think about SHM Converge is the content. A year of planning by our outstanding SHM staff, leadership, and Annual Conference Committee has produced a lineup of world-class speakers. Our virtual platform will offer a rich interactive and networking experience. Perennial favorite sessions, such as the Great Debate, Rapid Fire, and Update sessions will provide attendees the chance to update their core clinical knowledge across the breadth of hospital medicine.

Many aspects of health equity will be explored. Over 15 sessions and four special-interest forums covering topics such as racial and gender inequities, implicit bias, vulnerable populations, and ethics will help attendees not only understand the issues but also will show them how they can take action to make a difference.

Clinical and operational aspects of COVID-19 will also be covered at SHM Converge as speakers share the tremendous innovation, triumphs, and challenges that have taken place over the past year. Wellness and resilience are, of course, as relevant as ever, and sessions on balancing parenthood and work, learning from personal failures, and how to handle uncertainty and be resilient are among the topics that will be covered.

The essence of what we will do at SHM Converge in May is captured in our new meeting logo, an animation of nodes connecting with each other through lines that travel short and long, and intersect along the way. It’s a great representation of the togetherness, community, and mutual support that is at the core of who we are as SHM – now, more than ever. Thank you for joining us!

Dr. Steinberg is chief patient safety officer at Mount Sinai Downtown, and associate dean for quality/patient safety in GME, Mount Sinai Health System, New York. He is professor of medicine and medical education at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and course director of SHM Converge.

The weeks leading up to our Annual Conference always trigger certain rituals for me.

Deciding which sessions to attend feels like planning an intellectual feast mixed with an exercise in compromise, as I realize there is just no way to attend every session that I want to. Scheduling all my plans to connect over dinner and drinks with current and former colleagues is a logistical challenge I undertake with anticipation and some stress, especially when I’m the one tasked with making restaurant reservations. Thinking about how to pay for it all means digging out the rules around my CME faculty allowance, after first figuring out if I still even have a CME allowance, of course.

In the years that I am presenting, there are the last-minute emails with my co-presenters to arrange a time to run through our slides together on site. The prospect of seeing cherished colleagues and friends from SHM mixes with the fact that I know I will miss my wife and young son while I am away. Overall though, I am filled with a tremendous sense of excitement, a feeling that I enjoy in a sustained way for weeks before the meeting.

My excitement for SHM Converge is just as strong, but different in some great and important ways. The availability of on-demand content means I won’t have to choose one session over another this year – I can have my cake and eat it, too. Without the need to travel, expenses will be considerably less, and I won’t need to be away from my family.

But what I am most thrilled about when I think about SHM Converge is the content. A year of planning by our outstanding SHM staff, leadership, and Annual Conference Committee has produced a lineup of world-class speakers. Our virtual platform will offer a rich interactive and networking experience. Perennial favorite sessions, such as the Great Debate, Rapid Fire, and Update sessions will provide attendees the chance to update their core clinical knowledge across the breadth of hospital medicine.

Many aspects of health equity will be explored. Over 15 sessions and four special-interest forums covering topics such as racial and gender inequities, implicit bias, vulnerable populations, and ethics will help attendees not only understand the issues but also will show them how they can take action to make a difference.

Clinical and operational aspects of COVID-19 will also be covered at SHM Converge as speakers share the tremendous innovation, triumphs, and challenges that have taken place over the past year. Wellness and resilience are, of course, as relevant as ever, and sessions on balancing parenthood and work, learning from personal failures, and how to handle uncertainty and be resilient are among the topics that will be covered.

The essence of what we will do at SHM Converge in May is captured in our new meeting logo, an animation of nodes connecting with each other through lines that travel short and long, and intersect along the way. It’s a great representation of the togetherness, community, and mutual support that is at the core of who we are as SHM – now, more than ever. Thank you for joining us!

Dr. Steinberg is chief patient safety officer at Mount Sinai Downtown, and associate dean for quality/patient safety in GME, Mount Sinai Health System, New York. He is professor of medicine and medical education at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and course director of SHM Converge.

The weeks leading up to our Annual Conference always trigger certain rituals for me.

Deciding which sessions to attend feels like planning an intellectual feast mixed with an exercise in compromise, as I realize there is just no way to attend every session that I want to. Scheduling all my plans to connect over dinner and drinks with current and former colleagues is a logistical challenge I undertake with anticipation and some stress, especially when I’m the one tasked with making restaurant reservations. Thinking about how to pay for it all means digging out the rules around my CME faculty allowance, after first figuring out if I still even have a CME allowance, of course.

In the years that I am presenting, there are the last-minute emails with my co-presenters to arrange a time to run through our slides together on site. The prospect of seeing cherished colleagues and friends from SHM mixes with the fact that I know I will miss my wife and young son while I am away. Overall though, I am filled with a tremendous sense of excitement, a feeling that I enjoy in a sustained way for weeks before the meeting.

My excitement for SHM Converge is just as strong, but different in some great and important ways. The availability of on-demand content means I won’t have to choose one session over another this year – I can have my cake and eat it, too. Without the need to travel, expenses will be considerably less, and I won’t need to be away from my family.

But what I am most thrilled about when I think about SHM Converge is the content. A year of planning by our outstanding SHM staff, leadership, and Annual Conference Committee has produced a lineup of world-class speakers. Our virtual platform will offer a rich interactive and networking experience. Perennial favorite sessions, such as the Great Debate, Rapid Fire, and Update sessions will provide attendees the chance to update their core clinical knowledge across the breadth of hospital medicine.

Many aspects of health equity will be explored. Over 15 sessions and four special-interest forums covering topics such as racial and gender inequities, implicit bias, vulnerable populations, and ethics will help attendees not only understand the issues but also will show them how they can take action to make a difference.

Clinical and operational aspects of COVID-19 will also be covered at SHM Converge as speakers share the tremendous innovation, triumphs, and challenges that have taken place over the past year. Wellness and resilience are, of course, as relevant as ever, and sessions on balancing parenthood and work, learning from personal failures, and how to handle uncertainty and be resilient are among the topics that will be covered.

The essence of what we will do at SHM Converge in May is captured in our new meeting logo, an animation of nodes connecting with each other through lines that travel short and long, and intersect along the way. It’s a great representation of the togetherness, community, and mutual support that is at the core of who we are as SHM – now, more than ever. Thank you for joining us!

Dr. Steinberg is chief patient safety officer at Mount Sinai Downtown, and associate dean for quality/patient safety in GME, Mount Sinai Health System, New York. He is professor of medicine and medical education at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and course director of SHM Converge.

The Society of Hospital Medicine team (myself included) is very excited to get geared up for the 2021 SHM Annual Conference, now known as SHM Converge. While we all long for a traditional in-person meeting “like the good old days”, there are some significant advantages to a virtual meeting like Converge.

The most significant advantage is the ability to review more content than ever before, as we offer a combination of live and recorded “on-demand” sessions. This allows for incredible flexibility in garnering “top-shelf” content from hospital medicine experts around the country, without having to choose from competing sessions. We are especially looking forward to new sessions this year focused on COVID-19; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and resilience.

The Converge conference will still be offering networking sessions throughout – even in the virtual conference environment. We consider networking a vital and endearing part of the value equation for SHM members. For example, we now can participate in several Special Interest Forums, since many of us have several niche interests and want to take advantage of more than one of these networking opportunities. We also carefully preserved the signature “Update in Hospital Medicine” session, as well as the scientific abstract poster reception and the Best of Research and Innovation sessions. These are long-term favorites at the annual conference and lend themselves well to virtual transformation. Some of the workshops and special sessions have exclusive audience engagement and are not offered on demand, so signing up early for these sessions is highly recommended.

SHM remains the professional home for hospitalists, and we rely on the annual conference to keep us all informed on current and forward-thinking clinical practice, practice management, leadership, academics, research, and other topics. This is one of many examples of how SHM has been able to pivot to meet the needs of hospitalists throughout the pandemic. Not only have we successfully converted “traditional” meetings into virtual meetings, but we have been able to curate and deliver content faster and more seamlessly than ever before.

Whether via The Hospitalist, the Journal of Hospital Medicine, the SHM website, or our other educational platforms, SHM has remained committed to being the single “source of truth” for all things hospital medicine. Within the tumultuous political landscape of the past year, the SHM advocacy team has been more active and engaged than ever, in advocating for a myriad of hospitalist-related legislative changes. These are just a few of the ways SHM continues to add value to hospitalist members every day.

Although we will certainly miss seeing each other in person, we are confident that the SHM team will meet and exceed expectations on content delivery and will take advantage of the virtual format to improve content access. We look forward to “seeing” you at SHM Converge this year and hope you take advantage of the enhanced delivery and access to an array of amazing content!

Dr. Scheurer is president of the Society of Hospital Medicine. She is a hospitalist and chief quality officer, MUSC Health System, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.

The Society of Hospital Medicine team (myself included) is very excited to get geared up for the 2021 SHM Annual Conference, now known as SHM Converge. While we all long for a traditional in-person meeting “like the good old days”, there are some significant advantages to a virtual meeting like Converge.

The most significant advantage is the ability to review more content than ever before, as we offer a combination of live and recorded “on-demand” sessions. This allows for incredible flexibility in garnering “top-shelf” content from hospital medicine experts around the country, without having to choose from competing sessions. We are especially looking forward to new sessions this year focused on COVID-19; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and resilience.

The Converge conference will still be offering networking sessions throughout – even in the virtual conference environment. We consider networking a vital and endearing part of the value equation for SHM members. For example, we now can participate in several Special Interest Forums, since many of us have several niche interests and want to take advantage of more than one of these networking opportunities. We also carefully preserved the signature “Update in Hospital Medicine” session, as well as the scientific abstract poster reception and the Best of Research and Innovation sessions. These are long-term favorites at the annual conference and lend themselves well to virtual transformation. Some of the workshops and special sessions have exclusive audience engagement and are not offered on demand, so signing up early for these sessions is highly recommended.

SHM remains the professional home for hospitalists, and we rely on the annual conference to keep us all informed on current and forward-thinking clinical practice, practice management, leadership, academics, research, and other topics. This is one of many examples of how SHM has been able to pivot to meet the needs of hospitalists throughout the pandemic. Not only have we successfully converted “traditional” meetings into virtual meetings, but we have been able to curate and deliver content faster and more seamlessly than ever before.

Whether via The Hospitalist, the Journal of Hospital Medicine, the SHM website, or our other educational platforms, SHM has remained committed to being the single “source of truth” for all things hospital medicine. Within the tumultuous political landscape of the past year, the SHM advocacy team has been more active and engaged than ever, in advocating for a myriad of hospitalist-related legislative changes. These are just a few of the ways SHM continues to add value to hospitalist members every day.

Although we will certainly miss seeing each other in person, we are confident that the SHM team will meet and exceed expectations on content delivery and will take advantage of the virtual format to improve content access. We look forward to “seeing” you at SHM Converge this year and hope you take advantage of the enhanced delivery and access to an array of amazing content!

Dr. Scheurer is president of the Society of Hospital Medicine. She is a hospitalist and chief quality officer, MUSC Health System, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.

The Society of Hospital Medicine team (myself included) is very excited to get geared up for the 2021 SHM Annual Conference, now known as SHM Converge. While we all long for a traditional in-person meeting “like the good old days”, there are some significant advantages to a virtual meeting like Converge.

The most significant advantage is the ability to review more content than ever before, as we offer a combination of live and recorded “on-demand” sessions. This allows for incredible flexibility in garnering “top-shelf” content from hospital medicine experts around the country, without having to choose from competing sessions. We are especially looking forward to new sessions this year focused on COVID-19; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and resilience.

The Converge conference will still be offering networking sessions throughout – even in the virtual conference environment. We consider networking a vital and endearing part of the value equation for SHM members. For example, we now can participate in several Special Interest Forums, since many of us have several niche interests and want to take advantage of more than one of these networking opportunities. We also carefully preserved the signature “Update in Hospital Medicine” session, as well as the scientific abstract poster reception and the Best of Research and Innovation sessions. These are long-term favorites at the annual conference and lend themselves well to virtual transformation. Some of the workshops and special sessions have exclusive audience engagement and are not offered on demand, so signing up early for these sessions is highly recommended.

SHM remains the professional home for hospitalists, and we rely on the annual conference to keep us all informed on current and forward-thinking clinical practice, practice management, leadership, academics, research, and other topics. This is one of many examples of how SHM has been able to pivot to meet the needs of hospitalists throughout the pandemic. Not only have we successfully converted “traditional” meetings into virtual meetings, but we have been able to curate and deliver content faster and more seamlessly than ever before.

Whether via The Hospitalist, the Journal of Hospital Medicine, the SHM website, or our other educational platforms, SHM has remained committed to being the single “source of truth” for all things hospital medicine. Within the tumultuous political landscape of the past year, the SHM advocacy team has been more active and engaged than ever, in advocating for a myriad of hospitalist-related legislative changes. These are just a few of the ways SHM continues to add value to hospitalist members every day.

Although we will certainly miss seeing each other in person, we are confident that the SHM team will meet and exceed expectations on content delivery and will take advantage of the virtual format to improve content access. We look forward to “seeing” you at SHM Converge this year and hope you take advantage of the enhanced delivery and access to an array of amazing content!

Dr. Scheurer is president of the Society of Hospital Medicine. She is a hospitalist and chief quality officer, MUSC Health System, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.