New leadership roles within SPM better align the organization to advance its mission of advancing participatory healthcare
BOSTON—April 1, 2021—The Society for Participatory Medicine (SPM), the preeminent organization in promoting true collaboration among patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals, today announces organizational changes that will strengthen its advocacy for participatory medicine. As part of these efforts, Dr. Danny Sands will transition his role to chief advocacy officer and chairman emeritus, where he will publicly promote the organization’s mission. Mary Hennings has been named interim board chair, tasked with leading the organization’s operations.
In Dr. Sands’ new role, he will serve as ambassador to SPM, publicly representing the Society, acting as a liaison and assisting in fundraising efforts. He will also be actively involved in the organization’s major campaigns, including the Participatory Medicine Manifesto, a call to action for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to pledge to actively engage and work towards creating a collaborative, inclusive, compassionate, and mutually respectful healthcare environment.
“Our healthcare system faces significant challenges of cost, quality, and patient and clinician satisfaction,” said Dr. Danny Sands, a co-founder and new chief advocacy officer for the Society for Participatory Medicine. “Participatory medicine—collaboration between the patient and the healthcare professional around the patient’s health—promises to address these challenges.”
“This pandemic abruptly altered how medicine is practiced and experienced, making our work more critical,” said Mary Hennings, interim board chair for the Society for Participatory Medicine. “The opportunity for SPM to play an even bigger role in spreading the practice of participatory medicine is tremendous. One way to improve the relationships between healthcare professionals, patients and caregivers is through the principles outlined in our Manifesto. These values are core to fixing the healthcare experience.”
Open communication among providers, patients and caregivers is a prerequisite for quality healthcare, patient satisfaction and cost-effectiveness. SPM pulls together patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals all in the name of improving healthcare for all.
About the Society for Participatory Medicine
Created by a passionate group of professionals, caregivers and patients with a vision to start a movement to transform the culture of healthcare, The Society for Participatory Medicine (SPM) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit membership organization devoted to promoting the concept of participatory medicine, a movement in which activated empowered patients engage as drivers of their health, and in which providers encourage and collaborate with them as full partners in their care. SPM does this by stimulating dialogue, influencing policy, advocating research, and educating patients, health care professionals, and others. SPM members include stakeholders from across the healthcare continuum.
Please visit SPM via Twitter, Facebook and at participatorymedicine.org for more information.
