On July 1. the HSC Office of Professionalism, led by new Director Dr. Jonathan Bolton, opened its doors to UNM Hospital, School of Medicine, and colleges of Nursing and Pharmacy to raise the level of Health Sciences Center service and teaching quality.

UNM's Office of Professionalism is at the forefront of a national movement to develop professional accountability and improve patient care. The primary mission of the Office is to identify positive influences on medical practice and teaching, and to reduce negative influences.

"Increasingly, medical care is provided by teams of professionals working in institutions. As a result, health care professionals must be able to work across disciplinary boundaries within an atmosphere of mutual respect," Bolton says. "The better we work together, the better our patient care."

The Professionalism Program initiated by Dr. Paul Roth, UNM chancellor for Health Sciences, has been under development for more than a year, gathering input from departmental chairs, division heads, deans and other HSC leadership. Ultimately, the program will provide workshops, public lectures and unit discussions according to Bolton.

For more information on the HSC Office of Professionalism, call 272-6663.

Media contact: Luke Frank (505) 272-3679; e-mail: lfrank@salud.unm.edu