JPS Health Network is looking ahead to the future of patient care with the appointment of Dr. Timothy Kremer, MD, as Chief Medical Officer and Dr. Timothy Niacaris, MD, PhD, as Chief Medical Information Officer.
Both doctors said they’re excited about the chance to make JPS an even better place for patients to receive care and for healthcare providers to hone their skills.
“It is an enormous challenge,” Kremer said of his new job which he described as a conduit between providers and administration in the quest to maximize the quality of care. “But it’s also an absolutely thrilling opportunity. I really love the people here and the patients we take care of. So, I’m honored to be able to contribute in this new way.”
Niacaris said a large portion of a Chief Medical Information Officer’s job is responsibility for making sure physicians have technology at their disposal to do their jobs as efficiently and effectively as possible. He said, thanks to technological advancements, there is more information available than the human brain has the capacity to store or process. So it’s important to rely on computerized assistance to keep resources at doctors’ fingertips. He likened his mission to creating the medical version of a fighter pilots’ high-tech helmet that displays relevant information at the right time to help the flier to tackle his most important responsibilities at that moment.
“Data is like gold in the ground,” Niacaris added. “The process of finding that gold and turning it into information which can be used is like mining. We want to take that unprocessed resource, harness it and turn it into something we can use to provide the best quality care for patients.”
An obstetrician-gynecologist, Kremer said he plans to continue to practice about 40 percent of his work schedule, dedicating the other 60 percent to his new position. He views it as the best of both worlds: An opportunity to still help patients and to stay in touch with his what JPS doctors experience on a daily basis while also working with other physicians and healthcare providers to make sure they have the tools and policies in place to do their jobs best.
“I want to know what’s going on and I want people to reach out and share what their concerns are,” Kremer said. “If no one says anything and all we hear is the sound of crickets, people tend to believe that everything is OK. We don’t want to be too comfortable. We need to set the bar high because our patients deserve it.”
Niacaris, who specializes in hand, upper extremity and microvascular orthopedic surgery, said he plans to similarly divide his time. To truly understand how technology affects physicians, he believes you have to use it in real world situations.
JPS President and CEO Robert Earley said in a statement announcing the appointments that he believed Kramer and Niacaris are ideally suited for their new roles.
“Dr. Kremer will provide a crucial link between our active providers and the administration in an effort to better serve our patients, employees and physicians,” said Earley. “Dr. Niacaris will lead JPS’s efforts to continue the transformation of how we use clinical IT systems to improve the quality of care we provide our patients.”
Kremer and Niacaris agreed they will work in concert to make sure JPS provides the best care possible for patients and the best support it can for physicians.
“It’s important to keep all our decisions in the best interests of patients,” Kremer said. “The challenge is that what people think is in the best interest of patients isn’t always the same. So, one of my major goals is to bring everyone together to make sure we’re communicating and working together to give the best care to the people we serve.”