| Meet the BOD: Dr. Albert Lam |
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Albert Lam, MD
CALTCM President (2020-2022)
Albert Lam studied Gerontology and Bioethics at the University of Southern California (USC), received his medical degree from USC, completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Kaiser Los Angeles - University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and Geriatrics at UCLA. He is current Chair of the Department of Geriatrics at the Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group and is passionate about building healthcare systems that align incentives for best care. He is honored to serve on the board and as President of CALTCM and hopes to elevate the voices of clinical experts as healthcare looks to improve the post acute and long term care experience of our elders.
Meet The CALTCM Board of Directors: (Interviewed January 2016)
Dr. Lam studied Gerontology at the University of Southern California and continued on to study medicine at the same university. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles-UCLA program and he completed his fellowship in Geriatrics at the University of California Los Angeles. CALTCM: Brief background of your training, practice setting and how many years you have been in practice. Dr. Lam: I have been in practice for seven years post fellowship. I have done consult work, hospitalist work, and mostly nursing facility care, post-acute and long-term. CALTCM: What are you passionate about in post-acute/ long term care? How are you pursuing your passion? Dr. Lam: I'm passionate about making long-term care a real solution in the healthcare continuum, desirable for both workers and patients and their families. One of the projects I'm working on is called SNF 2.0. This project grew from my desire of making nursing facilities fulfill the potential of becoming a place that provides a rewarding career for staff, and is a deliverer of excellent care for the community. CALTCM: What advice would you give to a new graduate contemplating a career in long-term care? Dr. Lam: Long-term care has many wonderful challenges that needs your new graduate passion and enthusiasm to find solutions to. CALTCM: What additional training do you wish you had that may help with your current practice? Dr. Lam: The biggest challenges tend to be people related rather than technical. It's always helpful to receive additional training and experience in fields outside of medicine that help you to relate to people in different ways. These experiences outside of medicine have shaped me the most as a physician leader. CALTCM: How has CALTCM impacted your practice? Dr. Lam: CALTCM has been an important promoter of leading change in long term care. CALTCM is led by people who shape care throughout California, and who are amazing resources for any physician looking to improve care and their teams. I have learned a lot from my colleagues at CALTCM. |
