Parkside Hosts Addiction Medicine Expert David R. Gastfriend, M.D.

(Tulsa, OK) Parkside Psychiatric Hospital & Clinic (Parkside) will host David R. Gastfriend, M.D., from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 10 for professional education centered on addiction medicine. The event, which will take place in the Perkins Auditorium at the OU Schusterman Center, is now open for registration. Cost is $89 before March 1 and provides six continuing education units for mental health professionals.

Dr. Gastfriend’s presentation is titled “Addiction Treatment in the Age of Science, Healthcare Reform and Epidemics.” Addiction treatment can draw on a considerable body of evidence in the age of science, and healthcare reform offers new opportunities for coverage and longitudinal care. The biggest challenge in the era of a national drug epidemic is implementation of these behavioral treatments and pharmacotherapies. This workshop will review the leading approaches, clinical guidelines, new technologies, and paths to adoption. The opportunity now exists to achieve high levels of long-term success in addiction treatment, thereby demonstrating that patients and families can expect results similar to what is found elsewhere in modern healthcare, and thereby finally overcoming our long-term societal stigma.

Dr. Gastfriend is Scientific Advisor at the Treatment Research Institute. He directed addiction research at Massachusetts General Hospital and was an investigator on studies with the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. As Vice President at Alkermes, Inc., he directed publications on Vivitrol research. His American Society of Addiction Medicine Criteria research contributed to their endorsement by most U.S. states and the Departments of Veterans Affairs. He has produced 150 scientific publications.

Parkside, Inc. is an independent, nonprofit, mental and behavioral healthcare provider offering inpatient and outpatient care to those in need across Eastern Oklahoma. More information and conference registration is available at www.parksideinc.org.

BECKERS HOSPITAL REVIEW RECOGNIZES PARKSIDE

Parkside Psychiatric Hospital & Clinic was named in “100 Great Places to Work in Healthcare” by Becker’s Hospital Review, a well respected health care industry publication and considered the leading source of cutting edge business and legal information for hospital and health system leaders. According to Beckers, “The 2013 list was developed through nominations and editorial research, and organizations were chosen for their robust benefits, wellness initiatives, professional development opportunities and work environments that promote employee collaboration and satisfaction.” According to the listing on Becker’s website, Parkside was named to the listing because of initiatives like the “By Your Side” program, which offers patients and their families emergency assistance for essentials like food, clothing and school supplies through volunteer-staffed programs. Parkside offers a rich array of employee benefits including employer-sponsored health insurance plans, flexible health spending accounts, employer-matched 401(k) plans and low-cost health club membership. In addition, the hospital hosts the “Knowledge is a Bonus” program, under which employees are presented monthly learning opportunities on anything from psychiatry to general healthcare to healthy living. Employees can take a test at year’s end, with the highest performer earning a $1,000 bonus. Other hospitals named in the listing include the prestigious Mayo Clinic and the Duke University Health System. Becker’s Hospital Review states the selection process involves a compilation of all the nominations, which are then evaluated by the publications editorial team on a number of criteria, including employee benefits, employee satisfaction awards or recognitions, success stories from employees and other factors. After receiving feedback from a panel of healthcare industry veterans, Becker’s selects what they determine to be 100 of the best places to work.

See the Becker’s website for the complete listing of 100 Great Places To Work in Healthcare