The Keck School of Medicine’s Clinical Strategic Planning Retreat brought together more than 100 clinicians and staff to discuss ideas for the future of the school.

Veronica Jauriqui

These were among the big ideas discussed by more than 100 Keck School of Medicine clinicians and staff gathered at the Davidson Conference Center Oct. 24 to envision the future of medicine at USC. The program focused on presentations from nine working groups comprised of more than 120 clinical faculty.

"The Clinical Strategic Planning Retreat is a testament to re-envisioning the practice of medicine at the Keck School of Medicine," said Dean Carmen A. Puliafito. "This retreat is the foundation on which we will build a new era for the Keck School as a regional and national leader in integrated, patient-centered health care."

Puliafito described the presentations as indicative of the clinical leadership, academic strength and collegiality of the Keck School faculty. The nine working group topics included: cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases; digestive disorders and surgery; musculoskeletal and sports medicine; transplant; women's and children's health; professional standards; cancer; sensory disorders/vision and hearing; and neuroscience.

Among the common themes across presentations were: the need for enhanced marketing activities to showcase The Doctors of USC and their expertise; opportunities to recruit additional faculty experts to grow priority programs; the importance of improved patient access for appointments and communication back to referring physicians; and suggestions for measuring patient satisfaction.

Session moderators included Puliafito, Vice Provost Mitch Creem, The Doctors of USC Chief Executive Officer Minor Anderson and Keck School Chief Operating Officer Coreen Rodgers.

Anderson proposed the idea of establishing a brand identity for professionalism at all the locations where USC physicians practice, and Creem probed ideas for coordinating patient services across campuses, including the Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center and the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles campus.

"It was wonderful to see our faculty working together to envision the future," Creem said. "I am inspired by their energy and enthusiasm for our new health care environment. They have clearly demonstrated their interest in assuming leadership roles in shaping our future."

Puliafito summarized the day by pointing out that the retreat represents the beginning of an ongoing clinical strategic planning process for USC, adding, "We will look to our faculty for continued input as our planning process continues."