Meet the Board: Adi Gundlapalli, MD, PhD, MS

Dr. Adi Gundlapalli, ABPM’s Clinical Informatics Sub-Board Chair, recently moved to Atlanta to take a new position at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We asked him a few questions to learn about his new role at the CDC, his background in Clinical Informatics, and what board certification means to him!

What led you to your current position at the CDC?

As an infectious disease physician with a keen interest in public health surveillance and expertise in clinical and research informatics, the opportunity to work at the CDC is like coming home to the mothership!

What is the role of the Chief Public Health Informatics Officer at CDC’s Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Sciences?

The Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services (or CSELS) is a cross-cutting center at CDC. We describe ourselves as the “scientific backbone of the U.S. Public Health System.” Our work encompasses public health surveillance systems, laboratory systems, and public health workforce development. As the Chief Public Health Informatics Officer for CSELS, I facilitate informatics collaborations and serve as a liaison for informatics across CSELS, other CDC centers, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and external partners. Importantly, the position advocates for enhanced informatics capability in public health at the local, state, and federal level.

What do you hope to accomplish in this position?

CDC has an amazing breadth and depth of expertise and experience in developing and nurturing public health information systems. Given the importance of healthcare reform for public health goals, I am hoping to bring the provider and health care perspective to this evolving dynamic ecosystem where data flows bi-directionally from health care to public health with minimal or no burden to the providers. My goal is to provide strategic public health informatics leadership to address priority needs of local, state, and federal public health agencies. I am also looking forward to providing leadership to ensure informatics investments in public health are interoperable and standards-based to promote synergy, increase efficiency, and foster re-use.

How did you get into the subspecialty of Clinical Informatics?

Great mentorship, good fortune, and being in the right place at the right time! I was an infectious disease fellow at the University of Utah when the 2002 Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City, Utah. With the Olympics being a high-profile target as they were being held just a few months after 9/11 and the anthrax attacks of October 2001, there was increased attention to monitor the Olympics village for unusual events. I had the opportunity to build and deploy a syndromic surveillance system from scratch using available electronic health record data and that started my interest and career in informatics. The Olympics experience was life-changing and I subsequently went on to complete a master’s degree in biomedical informatics from the University of Utah. Subsequently, I had the opportunity to be on the faculty at the University of Utah School of Medicine, serve as the Chief Health Informatics Officer for the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, co-direct the VA advanced informatics fellowship, mentor fellows and junior faculty, and conduct research using electronic health record data.

Why did you choose to become board-certified in CI, and what do you think the value of board certification is?

Board certification is a pathway that demonstrates excellence and commitment in a clinical specialty or subspecialty. So, when CI board certification was offered, it seemed quite natural for me to pursue this board certification to show my commitment to the field of clinical informatics. The value is in the respect that is engendered when I introduce myself as a board-certified physician-informatician to other physicians and to leadership.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Spending time and traveling with family, gardening, and watching movies!

Dear Diplomates and Colleagues,

On behalf of the ABPM Board of Directors and Staff, I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and wish you all the best for the coming New Year!

The ABPM’s vision for the New Year includes increased bidirectional communication between the Board and our Diplomates. This includes dissemination of various surveys designed to elicit feedback and inform the Board as to what our Diplomate’s believe are the most relevant and meaningful activities to be included in a Continuing Certification Program (CCP).  Additionally, the Board is responding to the feedback it has already received regarding the interim steps that, to date, have been taken in order to bridge the gap between the ABPM’s current MOC Program and the ABPM’s future CCP.  If you don’t take the time to participate, then your inputs won’t influence the process.

One of the most exciting new initiatives is the ABPM’s longitudinal assessment pilot (the “LAP”). The LAP, approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties in November 2019, is a twenty-four-month pilot program that will begin in the first quarter of 2021 and include all Diplomates Certified by the ABPM in Clinical Informatics.  The LAP is another step toward a total renovation of the ABPM’s current MOC process.  This issue has more info on the LAP pilot effort.

The LAP is just one part of ABPM’s transition from its current MOC program to a new and innovative CCP.  ABPM Directors and Staff have carefully considered suggestions and recommendations gleaned from Diplomate survey responses (we do read your comments!) and personal interactions with Diplomates in order to make meaningful and acceptable changes to the recertification process. Our website holds many of the latest details and can be found by reading through this newsletter and clicking on the various embedded links.

We want to be sure that the transition from MOC to Continuing Certification is more than just a name change and instead represents a new direction emphasizing continuing education and improvement through useful performance feedback to physicians and targeted physician learning while eliminating unnecessary and burdensome requirements on your time and resources. The end goal is for our CCP to aid Diplomates in maintaining their knowledge, skills and abilities as well-rounded and current preventive medicine specialists and subspecialists.

Throughout this process, the ABPM wants to hear from you on what works and what doesn’t. Your suggestions and recommendations are welcome, so send us a note.

Thanks for reading this entire edition and for checking out the website info. We hope to hear from every one of you as we reimagine continuing certification!

Hernando “Joe” Ortega, Jr., MD, MPH
Chair, American Board of Preventive Medicine

Dr. Weaver has been involved with the Board since 2016 when the first Addiction Medicine subspecialty certification exam was administered, and he has been an instrumental part of bringing on Addiction Medicine as a subspecialty.

The ABPM Board of Directors recently appointed him as the first Sub-Board Chair, a full member of the Board of Directors representing the growing number of subspecialists certified by ABPM.

We asked Dr. Weaver to share his background and his thoughts on board certification in our interview below.

How did you choose the specialty of Addiction Medicine? 
During medical school, I worked in the laboratory of a research pharmacologist who was using rats to study opioid receptors, and she encouraged me to read more about how these and other drugs can be used and abused. Later in medical school, I worked with a student-led organization that educated other students about problems of drug use, and I enjoyed that aspect as well. During my residency in Internal Medicine, my first elective was with the hospital’s Substance Abuse Consult Service, and I enjoyed working with those patients in that context. I was encouraged by the faculty in Addiction Medicine to consider doing more in the field. I even wrote a research grant during residency that was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and did a fellowship in Addiction Medicine. What I find most rewarding about Addiction Medicine is that I can help patients to make an amazing—and life-saving—change in their lives when they enter recovery.

What would you like to accomplish during your term on the Board? 
I have worked closely with the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the American College of Academic Addiction Medicine, so I am familiar with working with professional societies. I plan to continue working with different professional societies, which I believe is a very important aspect for a Director. I have worked extensively with the National Board of Medical Examiners, so I can help facilitate with this organization as a Director for ongoing development of initial certification examinations and longitudinal assessment programs for Maintenance of Certification (now known as the Continuing Certification Program, or CCP). I recently started working with the American Board of Medical Specialties, so my work with specialty societies, NBME, and ABMS, especially with different aspects of Continuing Certification, can be a valuable contribution to the Board as this evolves. I am a former Fellowship Director and I am developing a fellowship at my current institution, so this experience will help me represent this important educational mission of the Board. As a Director, I will be a voice for all subspecialties to the Board, and I would strive to represent the concerns and values of the different subspecialties, not just my own.

Why did you choose to become board-certified in Addiction Medicine, and what value do you think board certification provides for physicians? 
It is estimated that 16 percent of the non-institutionalized U.S. population age 12 and older – more than 40 million Americans – meets medical criteria for addiction involving nicotine, alcohol, or other drugs. Addiction Medicine is defined as the prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of individuals with the disease of addiction and substance-related health conditions, as well as of people who show unhealthy use of substances including nicotine, alcohol, prescription medications, and other licit and illicit drugs. Physicians specializing in this field also help family members whose health and functioning are affected by a loved one’s substance use or addiction. I chose to become board-certified in Addiction Medicine because it demonstrates that I have the expertise necessary to treat patients with evidence-based practices and will help me stay current with my colleagues in this emerging field. In the context of the opioid crisis, it is imperative that more medical schools, health systems and insurers help increase the number and size of Addiction Medicine fellowship programs and work to better integrate addiction care into mainstream health systems by employing certified Addiction Medicine physicians.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I enjoy reading novels and biographies. I enjoy hiking in the woods and sightseeing in new places. I enjoy trying new foods, although I don’t care for really spicy dishes. Most of all, I enjoy spending time with my two children.

Any other information you’d like to share with ABPM Diplomates?
The Board is working hard to make MOC (now known as the Continuing Certification Program, or CCP) simpler and easier for ABPM Diplomates, and in line with the recommendations of the ABMS Visioning Commission. More updates on this will be coming soon.

The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) appointed Heather O’Hara, MD, MSPH, FACOEM to its Board of Directors.  Dr. O’Hara’s appointment will fill the vacant Specialty Member Director position for Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Dr. O’Hara currently serves as an Associate Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Program Director for the Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Preventive Medicine residencies at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. O’Hara shared her background and what board certification means to her in our interview below.

How did you choose the specialties of Occupational & Environmental Medicine and Public Health & General Preventive Medicine? 

I do not think that it would be fair to say I chose either of the specialties, but rather they chose me.  I knew I wanted to focus on developing the patients’ ability to maintain health or become healthy, however I did not know that there were specialties that would directly provide this opportunity.  The Dean of Student and Academic Affairs when I was a fourth year medical student, Dr. Pamela Williams, knew of my interests in prevention and public health and encouraged my application to the General Preventive Medicine residency at Meharry Medical College.  If she had not intervened, I may have never found my passion and purpose.

What would you like to accomplish during your term on the Board?

First, I never imagined that I would be selected to serve on the Board.  I am extremely appreciative of the opportunity and the support that I have received thus far from the current and past Board members and staff.  I am continuing to define how I want to best serve the Diplomates in our specialty, but I definitely want to engage in activities that will support increased visibility to drive interested physicians into our specialty and advocate for the value of board certification.  I know that serving in this capacity is not going to be easy, but I am ready to overcome the challenges that will arise and be a better Diplomate because of this experience.

Why did you choose to become board-certified in Preventive Medicine, and what value do you think board certification provides for physicians?

Interesting story, when I was finishing residency, I was talking to a friend of mine who specialized in Internal Medicine and mentioned that I was preparing for the preventive board exam.  His response was probably one of several reasons why I was determined to become board-certified.  He said, “You guys get board certified?”  That question told me a lot that day.  While I am sure he meant nothing by it, the idea that I would have worked to gain residency training and not be able to become board certified, the premier way of identifying physicians who have mastered their specialty, was unbelievable.  I did not know until that moment that our specialty was thought of in this manner and I knew that I wanted to change that perspective.  I chose to do whatever needed to be done to achieve board certification because my training meant something to me and the possibilities were endless if I was able to become a Diplomate.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I am a wife and mother of two boys, CJ (4) and Caleb (2).  One of my greatest joys in the majority of my spare time is playing with and learning from these guys.  I also enjoy playing tennis, traveling with my family, and cooking new recipes.

Any other information you’d like to share with ABPM Diplomates?

I am excited to be here to serve as a member of the ABPM Board.  I look forward to working hard with the other members and preparing our specialty for the future.

The ABPM Board of Directors elected David W. Niebuhr, MD, MPH, MSc, FACPM, FAAFP to the Public Health and General Preventive Medicine Director position.

Dr. Niebuhr is currently the Medical Officer for the Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and serves as Professor of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. (Note: Dr. Niebuhr is serving in his personal capacity.)

Dr. Niebuhr graciously answered a few questions to help us learn a little bit more about him.

How did you choose the specialty of Public Health and General Preventive Medicine?
As a senior at Johns Hopkins I did the course work for my MPH and solidified my interest in determinants of health and population-based interventions to address high burden conditions. I completed a family medicine residency which gave me a strong background in primary care for individuals over the lifespan. The limitations of a curative approach led me to pursue a general preventive medicine residency. Since then I have been fortunate to have positions  across the spectrum of public health including practice, policy and research, all focused on improving the health of populations.

What would you like to accomplish during your term on the Board? 
As an ABPM Board Director I hope to contribute substantively to the Board’s efforts to enhance the value of certification and maintenance of certification to a broad range of stakeholders including our specialty physicians, health systems and the public.

Why did you choose to become board-certified in Preventive Medicine, and what value do you think board certification provides for physicians? 
Board certification and recertification is a validated indicator of my competency in the specialty and so is a high priority for me, the broad medical profession and my patients/populations.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? 
I enjoy travel, music, theater, dining out with friends and spending time with our grandchildren

Any other information you’d like to share with ABPM Diplomates?
Healthcare, medicine and public health are evolving and our specialty must anticipate and accommodate these changes. Therefore the training, certification, continuing education and recertification requirements must continually be reviewed and periodically revised to maintain the relevance and credibility of our specialty.

Dear Diplomates and Colleagues,

We at the ABPM are pleased to present this issue of our quarterly newsletter!I’ll start by introducing myself, the incoming Chair of the Board of Directors. I’m Hernando J. “Joe” Ortega, originally grew up in Atlanta, GA, and spent 30 years in the US Air Force as an aerospace medicine physician. I was board certified in Aerospace Medicine in 2001 and in Occupational and Environmental Medicine in 2004. I joined the Board seven years ago, and it is my honor to serve the specialists we represent at the ABPM.

I can’t go any further without thanking my predecessor, Dr. Marie “Tonette” Krousel-Wood for her service to our specialties, subspecialties and diplomates. As the ABPM’s Board Chair, Dr. Krousel-Wood proved not only an excellent steward but also a thoughtful visionary who successfully advanced the mission of the ABPM on several fronts. During her tenure, Dr. Krousel-Wood oversaw implementation of the ABPM’s electronic application and examination processes, secured ABMS approval of the ABPM’s newest Subspecialty of Addiction Medicine, and added both Subspecialty and Public Member representation on the ABPM’s Board of Directors. I am humbled to be able to follow such an amazing physician leader and look forward to advancing the many other initiatives begun under Tonette’s leadership.

While it is important to recognize how far we have come, it’s vital to keep in sight where we are headed. The ABPM is on track to finalize its transition plans from its current MOC program to a new and innovative Continuing Certification Platform.  I look forward to sharing more details about the transition in the very near future. Additionally, I’m pleased to welcome three new Directors to the ABPM Board. Like me, Dr. David Niebuhr (Public Health & General Prev Med Rep), Dr. Heather O’Hara (Occupational and Environmental Medicine Rep) and Dr. Michael Weaver (Subspecialty Rep) began their terms on August 11, 2019. I look forward to working with them and the other Directors as we continue important work on behalf of our profession and our diplomates. You can learn more about Dr. Niebuhr, Dr. O’Hara and Dr. Weaver in this issue.

Thank you for reading; we are pleased to share these stories with you. If you have any of your own stories, we would love to hear them and share them with your fellow ABPM Diplomates! From your personal perspective on what board certification means to you, to a shout-out to a Preventive Medicine colleague, let us know. You can send your stories to Clare Bonnema at [email protected].

Hernando “Joe” Ortega, Jr., MD, MPH
Chair, American Board of Preventive Medicine

ABPM Executive Director, Christopher J. Ondrula, JD, joined ABPM’s Sub-Board Director, Michael Weaver, MD, FASAM, and President-Elect of the American College of Academic Addiction Medicine (ACAAM) and ABPM Addiction Medicine Diplomate, Martha Wunsch, MD, FAAP, FASAM, along with stakeholders from across the United States at an Office of National Drug Control Policy session on “Building the Addiction Medicine Workforce: Giving Americans Access to the Care They Need” on June 25, 2019 in Washington, D.C.

“We are very pleased with the attention this incredibly important issue is receiving,” said Dr. Weaver, “and we are very encouraged that the momentum from this meeting continues in the discussions we have had and will continue to have with others who are committed to moving forward towards achieving an adequate physician workforce to confront the current opioid crisis.”

Read more about this important development in the ongoing fight against opioid addiction.