Duke Ob/Gyn’s vice chair for ambulatory services, Alice Cooper, OGNP, RNC, is represented in and contributed to a peer-reviewed article and expert perspective published by the American Association for Physician Leadership in March: “A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of the Emerging Role of Access Medical Director in U.S. Health Systems”; additionally, she contributed to the expert perspective “The Case for Patient Access Medical Director."
In addition to her departmental leadership role, Alice is a member of the Duke Health Integrated Practice leadership team and serves as Duke Health’s medical director for Access Services.
Alice was represented in the articles — which aimed to create an evidence-and expertise-informed framework to identify elements of the emerging clinician leadership role in ambulatory access in U.S. health systems, and to identify the prevalence of clinician leaders assigned to this role — as the only advanced practice provider serving in the capacity of medical director of access services.
The research may serve as a source of reference material for health systems considering the role of access medical director. Ninety health systems were invited to participate in the quantitative survey; 53 accepted in 2022 and 50 in 2023.
Also of note:
- Alice and Duke University Health System Director of Access Operations Kevin Cooper presented at the 2024 Patient Access Collaborative Symposium on May 14 in Atlanta, Georgia.
- Alice and colleagues who serve as medical directors will be featured in the July “PAC All Access Pass” podcast, which will be available at this link.