Dr. Judd Hollander is among the most productive members of our speciality. He has over 400 peer review papers and chapters, including some heavy hitters like the recent New England Journal of Medicine CT Coronary Article and an early study of B-Type Natriuretic Peptide for CHF that went on to be cited over 3,000 times. In addition to producing research, he curates it as a deputy editor at the Annals of Emergency Medicine. His academic prowess had lifted him to such positions as President of SAEM and now is the Associate Dean at Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. How does he pull it off? Does it have to do with his interest in cocaine associated myocardial ischemia or his overnight stays in the office? Dr. Hollander generously shared a few of his secrets.

 

  • Name: Judd Hollander, MD Judd Hollander
  • Location: Philadelphia, PA
  • Current job:  Associate Dean for Strategic Health Initiatives at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University; Vice Chair of Finance and Healthcare Delivery in the Department of Emergency Medicine.
  • One word that best describes how you work: Collaboratively
  • Current mobile device: iPhone 5S
  • Current computer: Several

What’s your office workspace setup like?

IMG_0552

Really cool for an ER doc. Desk with 2 computer monitors, 3 seater couch, table with 4 chairs around it, 60 inch flat screen, and 2 windows that let me see the outside world.

What’s your best time-saving tip in the office or home?

You only get 24 hours in a day, don’t waste them. Make sure you get dedicated time for family and friends and make that time count. Put it on your calendar and block it out.

What’s your best time-saving tip regarding email management?

Keep your inbox empty. Turns out work seldom just goes away on its own, so you might as well just get it done now-ish (or delete it).

What’s your best time-saving tip in the ED?

Remember it is all about the patient (yes, even at 3am).

  • Do what you would want done for your mother with the same medical concern.
  • Only order the tests you need (things that change your decision making based upon the result).
  • Don’t let consults request things that are not needed (things that won’t change decision making but just delay care).
  • Attending to attending discussions upfront are always easier than landing in the middle of a resident to resident pissing match (you are in charge, so act it).
  • Be more active earlier in the care of your patients and then things go more smoothly.

ED charting: Macros or no macros?

Macros when they make sense. Always read them over. Don’t be writing PERRLA for patients with a glass eye, or “no CCE” for patients s/p bilateral BKA.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received about work, life, or being efficient?

Always make an active decision. You should not be constipated about decision making or you will harm your patient. Sometimes the active decision might be to do nothing. That is ok – it is still a decision. On the other hand, doing nothing because you never got around to making a decision is not.

Is there anything else ™you’d like to add that might be interesting to readers?

Two things will dictate your career success:

  • Work Ethic
  • Sharing

If you work hard, others around you will notice and want to work with you. If you are generous, collaborative and mentor others, the satisfaction and payback is enormous. It lets you build a great network of colleagues and you all help each other. It is both more fun and more productive than going it alone.

The other thing – there is no such thing as worklife balance. They won’t be balanced.

Couch After a Night in the Office
Couch after night in office-2

You really spend your life trying to decide on your own degree of imbalance. I have yet to meet someone who has a great life who is not happy at work. When you are miserable at work, you bring it home, and screw up your home life. If your job is not satisfying, get a new one. It helps improve your home life.

Who would you love for us to track down to answer these same questions?

  1. Jesse Pines
  2. Deb Diercks
  3. Renee Hsia

Benjamin Azan, MD

Benjamin Azan, MD

Emergency Physician
Lincoln Medical Center
Founder/Editor of foambase.org
Benjamin Azan, MD

@benazan

ED attending in NYC, #FOAMed enthusiast, #MedEd, founder of https://t.co/29SO7xxO8X
Benjamin Azan, MD

Latest posts by Benjamin Azan, MD (see all)