A Note from Our Leaders: December Newsletter Introduction from Dr. Nathaniel Beers and Terry Lindquist

Dear Pediatric Health Network,

As we approach the end of 2022 it is a good reminder to reflect on our shared accomplishments and look boldly towards a new year. The Pediatric Health Network and Children’s National remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the success of our practice partners and are grateful for your partnership in transforming the health of children –  focusing on what matters most to patients and families.

As practice leaders and care providers, we face immense pressures: a pediatric mental health crisis, gun violence, racism, the tripledemic, ongoing financial stresses, and more. Our PHN community allows us to work and learn together – this is more important than ever as we lean on each other and innovate together to relieve some of that shared pressure. This will allow us all to emerge stronger for our children.

Pediatricians across the PHN are leading the way in advocating for kids’ health (in all meanings of the word). Together we have built PHN into the premier pediatric CIN in our region. We are proud to share some of our successes from the past year with you:

• Built a behavioral health learning community to address the current crisis in pediatric mental health
• Successfully pushed forward quality improvement initiatives
• Implemented population health IT infrastructure which will allow us to target gaps in care and transparently share information
• Brought our community together for  Future of Pediatrics in July  – marking our first in-person event in three years

We have big plans for 2023, focused on investing in patient outcomes and practice success. Some of these plans for the New Year include: 

• Completing our suite of payer contracts
• Expanding our behavioral health portfolio 
• Developing actionable strategies to address staffing challenges
• Maturing our managed services offering to align to the new ‘normal’ for practices
• Collaborating on Social Determinants of Health

In the spirit of supporting practice success, we are returning to Business of Pediatric in person on January 12, 2023. We have a robust program planned and hope you have signed up to join us! 

We will certainly be taking time to reflect and rest at the end of a challenging, yet rewarding, year and hope you each do the same.

With gratitude and best wishes for a healthy new year,

Terry Lindquist
VP/Executive Director, PHN

Nathaniel Beers, M.D.
EVP Community and Population Health, Children’s National Hospital