Empowering Healthcare Excellence
Foundation delivers critical support for Mary Greeley's Continuing Medical Education offerings
When it comes to healthcare, the pace of change can be dizzying. As such, it is critically important for physicians and providers to remain abreast of the latest advancements and best practices in their areas of expertise.
In fact, maintaining knowledge of current trends in care is more than just a good idea, it is a requirement for medical practitioners. Providers must regularly receive Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits to maintain their practice. The requirement serves as a critical component in ensuring the highest quality of care for patients.
Mary Greeley Medical Center recognizes this imperative and has offered a robust CME program for decades. Supported by the Mary Greeley Foundation, this program is designed to provide ongoing education for healthcare professionals, playing a pivotal role in elevating the standard of care at the medical center.
Grand Rounds: Nurturing Knowledge for a Healthier Tomorrow
At the heart of Mary Greeley's CME program is Grand Rounds, a regular medical educational lecture series designed to help doctors and healthcare professionals stay informed about emerging trends, research, and treatments.
The weekly Grand Rounds are hosted in Bessie Myers Auditorium at Mary Greeley. In addition to being hosted live, video of each session is archived and available for physicians and other healthcare providers to access at their convenience. Dr. Steven Hallberg, McFarland Clinic Nephrology and Chair of the Mary Greeley CME Committee, says the Grand Rounds program is valuable—whether attending in person or watching online.
“Grand Rounds foster a sense of collegiality among the care team,” Dr. Hallberg says. “When attending in person, you can interact with the speaker and with your peers. That is valuable time to spend with the rest of the care team. And even when you can’t be there in person, there is value in having easy access to such a wide range of topics online. It is a great program, and we are lucky as a medical staff to have it so conveniently available.”
Grand Rounds is supported by gifts to the Mary Greeley Foundation. Rex Rohrrsen, Vice President of Availa Bank, which is a steadfast supporter of Grand Rounds, emphasizes the unique benefit provided by the program.
"The dissemination of knowledge is so impressive,” Rohrrsen says. “We look to sponsor community-based programming that has a meaningful impact on quality of life where we live. This does that. It provides a forum for doctors and the care team to learn about new processes, best practices, and more without even leaving town."
A Valuable Resource
That impact is felt far beyond Ames. Each Grand Rounds presentation is recorded and made available on Mary Greeley’s YouTube channel. The channel has nearly 40,000 subscribers from around the world and the Grand Rounds presentations regularly receive hundreds of views.
While view counts exceeding 1,000 are common, a few recent programs have racked up huge numbers. An update on Parkinson's disease and Parkinson's syndromes offered by Michael Kitchell, MD, McFarland Clinic Neurology, has reached nearly 25,000 views; and an update on sepsis by Paul Nassar, MD, MPH, Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine Health Care Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Occupational Medicine University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, is approaching 10,000 views. Both those programs were hosted in 2023.
“It is satisfying to work in an environment that values my time by making this type of programming accessible, whether in person or online,” Dr. Hallberg says. “The fact that some of our programs reach tens of thousands of viewers speaks to the high quality of the presentations we are able to offer.”
A Multifaceted Educational Approach
The Grand Rounds program is just one piece of the multifaceted CME program chaired by Dr. Hallberg. One key piece is the CME Committee which includes representatives from various medical disciplines. Its goal is to identify and address the educational needs of providers.
"As a committee we work to identify gaps among our audience, which primarily includes providers,” Dr. Hallberg says. “These gaps could be in knowledge around an emerging topic, advancements or discoveries as they relate to treatments, or information about outcomes. Working collaboratively in the committee, we can ensure the educational content we are providing is tailored to the specific needs of Mary Greeley's medical community.”
In addition to Grand Rounds, the CME program serves as a driver for several critical training and educational opportunities, including Advanced Cardiac Life Support classes, Cancer Case Conferences, and specialized training sessions.
Dr. Hallberg emphasizes that there is tremendous value in offering CME-focused programming that is so convenient to access.
"Having a committee that is familiar with our medical staff and providers, we can develop educational offerings that are specific to what our learners need,” Dr. Hallberg says, “And the fact that we can access these incredible learning opportunities from our desks or walk next door to attend in person is a bonus. It is a tremendous benefit to our care team."
Investing in Excellence: Foundation Support
The Mary Greeley Foundation's commitment to supporting the CME program reflects a recognition of the profound impact quality education has on healthcare. By investing in the ongoing education of healthcare professionals, the Foundation ensures that the medical team is well-equipped to navigate the complexities of modern medicine.
"It's a source of satisfaction that the organization values my time and the advancement of education," Dr. Hallberg says.
Rohrrsen says it is humbling to know that Availa Bank is making a difference. As a community bank deeply rooted in the Ames area, the sponsorship aligns with its commitment to community well-being.
"A highly skilled medical community leads to a thriving overall community," Rohrrsen says. “There is a strong connection between healthcare excellence and community vitality. We are happy to do our part to support both.”
