On May 9, 1952, Clark Thorpe Bishop was born at Utah Valley Hospital. Now, at age 42, Bishop will take the reins as medical director of that facility - the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.
Bishop will replace Dr. Robert R. Romney, who served as medical director until July 1993 when he returned to his private practice."I am excited beyond measure that Clark would be available to take on this important role," said Larry Dursteler, administrator of the hospital. "He is tremendously respected with the medical staff."
Bishop graduated from the University of Utah College of Medicine in 1980 and served his internship and residency at Duke University Medical Center, in Durham, N.C. He returned to Utah in private practice in 1985.
As medical director, Bishop will continue to seek ways to improve the quality of care at the center.
"My philosophy is learn and implement the best - the best for the patient, hospital and doctors. If you're not doing it the best way, some patients will have to have things done over again."
Bishop would like to see more analysis done on the type of care, number of medications and other aspects of patient care. For instance, he said pneumonia can be treated with as many at 46 different antibiotics - some better than others, some less expensive.
In many areas of health care, eliminating duplication and waste can be just as cost-effective and healthful for the patient as it is for the hospital, he said.
"As we devise health-care systems, the end systems implemented must be the best for the patients and ensure quality. The national changes and pressures (in health care) will be felt here. That is one of the reasons I want to do this job, to be able to influence some of those de-ci-sions."
Mark Howard, CEO of IHC Hospitals' Central Utah Region, said, "I'm excited about the opportunity of working with him (Bishop). He has so much medical knowledge. I am so impressed with his ability to work with people and to solve problems."
Bishop would also like work with physicians to develop a new strategic plan.
"Health care is 13 percent of the gross national product. We need to have leadership and patient advocates," he said.