I've always wanted to work in a hospital. Now I am getting my chance. Starting June 12, I will be working at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare as their new Director of Business Development. In this role, I'll be finding great ideas to enhance/expand the health system's services, evaluate them from a business perspective, and then implement them into reality.

I'm asking all of you healthcare folks out there who read and blog - what advice would you have for me as a mid-level person working in a hospital for the first time? I've already received some advice from some friends and fellow bloggers - take the time to build trust and credibility with physicians; get to know the clinical areas more than you think you'll need; shadow a doc or nurse once a quarter; understand that difference of opinions is sometimes because difference of incentive.

But what would you say? What advice would you give a family member or friend who was going into hospital management as a newbie?

Specifically:
- What are some best practices or pitfalls in working with physicians and other clinical staff?
- How do I make constructive changes in a constructive way?
- Are there any "Sacred cows" in hospitals that can not be touched or talked about?
- What type of person stays the long haul in hospital management, enjoying it every step of the way?
- What do you *really* think of hospital management folks?

a little help, please!?

UPDATE: make sure you check out this hilarious/disturbing bit of "advice" I received from someone.

Medpundit (aka Dr. Sydney Smith) has bid farewell to her blog. 500,000 visits in, she realized that she couldn't keep up with the frequency and quality while taking on additional work responsibilities and spending more time with family. Go back to her first post way back in March 2002 here on the problems Europeans were finding with herbal medicines.

Medpundit is considered the matriarch of the healthcare blogosphere. 4+ years of blogging, a few posts per week - tha's probably close to 1,000 posts. What dedication. What insight. Even though I've never met her, I feel like one of my most respected and beloved neighbors is moving away. Syd, we will miss you.

I think just about every healthcare blogger feels a loss today, but we are also happy for her. Also, if we're honest, at least for a second, we considered whether we should call it a bloggin-day as well. For me, the last 15 months of blogging has felt like a lifetime (in a good way). And yet, we know that we haven't even scratched the surface of the many things we could blog about.

New baby on the way. Moved from the city to the suburbs. Starting a new job in 3 weeks. and now Medpundit signing off the blogosphere. This is just too much!

Check out this week's grand rounds for more thoughts on Medpundit's last post as well as the good-bye party.

well, it's been quite a few days for me recently. Last week, we closed on a new townhome, we moved in, and I accepted an a job offer to go into the provider setting. All the while, I've been trying not to overstrain my 8-month-pregnant wife.

Next month, I'll be joining Evanston Northwestern Healthcare as their new Director, Business Development. Essentially, I'll be looking for the best new ideas to grow the hospital's services, analyzing them from a business perspective, and implementing them into reality. More on this later, but in the meantime, the blogging here at hospital impact will keep going but probably at a slower pace. New baby on the way, new home, and new job - I guess I'll have to practice what I preach in regards to change management.

Also, this would be a good time to say that we are still looking for one more guest blogger.