Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1538336
23 HEALTHCARE NEWS 23 Technology also is a key driver. Novant's AI-powered telestroke program has reduced door-to-needle time to 14 minutes, helping minimize stroke-related disability. Extending that platform to rural hospitals has reduced unnecessary transfers by 92%. Following Hurricane Helene, Novant launched a 24/7 virtual care network for impacted communities, free of charge. "Faster treatment leads to better recovery and reduced long-term disability, which also lowers the overall cost of care," he said. "ese are just a few of the innovative ways we're working to bridge care gaps — in everyday situations and in the most difficult circumstances." Bottom line As hospital and health system executives grapple with cost, access and sustainability, Mr. Gizdic urges a broader view. "Community health is not optional," he said. "We face increasing financial pressures and rising costs, but we remain committed to being the safety net, ensuring equitable access to care across every zip code, no matter what." n Why Judy Faulkner loves all her customers By Giles Bruce Epic founder and CEO Judy Faulkner compares her health system customers to her children. "When my children were young, they would sometimes ask me, 'Who do you love best?'" she recalled in a July 7 blog post. "The answer was always, 'You!' They liked that answer." Her children even accepted it as they grew older and realized she said the same thing to their siblings, Ms. Faulkner wrote. "Sometimes our health system customers want to be our best customer — and that, of course, is wonderful!" she wrote. "We love them all. Each is the best. Large or small. Community or academic or rural. Each is our best customer." That love has been reciprocated, as Epic has continued to grow its hospital market share lead among EHR vendors. n ADVERTISINGINDEX Note: Ad page number(s) given in parentheses HealthTrust. ascadvantage.com (pg. 3) Stryker. stryker.com/asc (pg. 24) Xtant Medical. xtantmedical.com (pg. 14) A new medical school's nontraditional approach to physician education By Mariah Taylor T he newly opened Charlotte, N.C.-based Wake Forest University School of Medicine is leaning into nontraditional teaching methods for medical students, NC Health News reported July 15. e city's first four-year medical school opened last month and is welcoming its first class of 49 students this week. e school is a part of e Pearl, Charlotte's 20-acre, $1.5 billion medical innovation district made in a public-private partnership between Charlotte-based Atrium Health and Wexford Science & Technology in Baltimore. Here are some of the school's nontraditional approaches to physician education: 1. Students will practice on high-fidelity "manikins," which are computerized patient dummies that can breathe, cough, talk and go into cardiac arrest. e manikins represent patients as young as infants born at 27 weeks. 2. Students will learn about the human body through virtual touchscreens, rather than cadaver labs. 3. e medical school's curriculum is centered on real-life clinical scenarios, rather than traditional lectures. 4. Students will start seeing patients at Atrium Health's Carolinas Medical Center on day 1 as part of the school's focus to give students early hands-on experience with patient-centered care. Many of these methods are used at other medical schools, but, the report said, e Pearl is building on the success of those models. n