Dr. Lori J. Heim, a hospitalist at Scotland Memorial Hospital, traveled to Boston for her installation as president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, an organization with more than 94,000 members across the country.
As president, Heim advocates on behalf of family physicians and patients nationwide to inspire positive change in the U.S. health care system.
Earlier this month, Heim was among a group of doctors from across the country who joined President Barack Obama for a Rose Garden ceremony at the White House. Prior to the ceremony, she joined several other doctors for a briefing with the president in the Oval Office.
The Pilot newspaper reported that the scene at the White House was something of a sea of white coats, because all doctors attending were asked to don their lab coats for the occasion.
Heim said she had to drive to the hospital in Laurinburg to pick up a lab coat before taking her early morning flight to Washington.
A practicing family physician for 20 years, Heim she manages the inpatient care of adult patients referred by primary care physicians in the community.
Hospitalists bridge the gap between hospitalized patients and their primary care doctors to ensure continuity of care.
Heim is the first family physician to serve as a hospitalist at Scotland Memorial Hospital. She is joined in the hospitalist program by four internal medicine physicians and two family nurse practitioners. Previously, she was in private practice in Pinehurst.
A member of the AAFP since 1985, Heim served as a delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates from 2000 to 2004. She served on the Commission on Health Care Services and on the Task Force of Linkages to Practice Improvement. In addition, she held the offices of president, vice president, and member of the board of directors of the Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians. Heim joined the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians when she retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2007 and relocated to North Carolina.
Heim also served on the board of managers of TransforMED LLC, a for-profit wholly-owned subsidiary of the AAFP that is focused on helping primary care medical practices adopt the patient-centered medical home model of care. In this role, Heim worked with other members of the board of managers to approve and oversee the TransforMED operating budget, as well as goals and performance measures to assure consistency with the AAFP’s budgeted capital contributions to the new business entity.
Heim earned her bachelor’s degree with honors from Portland State University, Oregon, and was then commissioned in the U.S. Air Force and earned her medical degree at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. She completed her residency at the Family Medicine Residency, Andrews Air Force Base, Md. She then completed a fellowship in faculty development and research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Heim is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and has the AAFP Degree of Fellow, an earned degree awarded to family physicians for distinguished service and continuing medical education.
Heim’s appointments with the Air Force included staff physician, clinic chief, residency director, assistant professor, university health center director, chief of the medical staff and commander. She was stationed internationally in Turkey and domestically in Washington, D.C., Florida, North Carolina and Washington state. She retired as a colonel from the Air Force after 25 years of service.
Heim has lectured worldwide and her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals. She participated in humanitarian missions and volunteered in medical clinics in underserved communities. She has received numerous decorations including the Air Force Meritorious Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal and the Air Force Achievement Medal. Her awards include the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Humanitarian Service Award and the National Defense Service Award.
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