Chief of Medicine Named Fellow to Royal College of Physicians
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Robert M. McCann, M.D.
Highland Hospital Chief of Medicine Robert M. McCann, M.D., has been named a fellow to the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE). Fellowship is the highest level of membership of the organization, which has supported and represented physicians for nearly 350 years.
Dr. McCann accepted the honor at a ceremony in Edinburgh, Scotland earlier this month.
“To be recognized among so many accomplished physicians from around the world is truly an honor,” said Dr. McCann.
To become a “fellow,” doctors must distinguish themselves in the practices of medicine, medical science or medical literature, and they must have made a significant contribution in one or more of these areas. Another fellow must nominate the physician in order to be elected by council.
Bilal Ahmed, M.D., Associate Chief of Medicine, and William Hall, M.D., Director of the Center for Healthy Aging at Highland, nominated Dr. McCann for this distinction. Both are fellows.
“This fellowship recognizes Dr. McCann’s excellent leadership skills and the significant contributions he has made in improving health care for the elderly at a local and national level,” Dr. Ahmed said.
“Dr. McCann was selected by his international peers to become a Fellow of the Royal College based on his exemplary reputation as a physician along with his high level of accomplishment as Chief of Medicine at Highland Hospital,” added Dr. Hall.
As a fellow, Dr. McCann will be serving as an international examiner for the membership test in Edinburgh and be involved in the RCP’s advisory board.
Dr. McCann has served as Highland Chief of Medicine since 1999. He helped develop the Hospital Elder Life Program to prevent delirium in older hospitalized patients; the Acute Care for Elders Unit; outpatient practices in geriatrics; and the Geriatric Fracture Center at Highland.
As acting Division Head of Geriatrics for the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), Dr. McCann has worked diligently to educate residents, fellows and medical students on how to best care for a growing elderly population. Since 2011, he has served as a principle investigator for a national geriatrics training project funded by a $1 million Donald W. Reynolds Foundation grant. The four-year grant is allowing geriatricians at Highland to teach and collaborate with hospitalists and physicians across several specialties, including orthopaedics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, emergency medicine and neurology.
Dr. McCann is the Interim CEO for Accountable Health Partners, the provider network under development by URMC. He also is a member of the Strong Health and Highland Hospital boards of directors. In addition, Dr. McCann serves as Governor for the Upstate Chapter of the American College of Physicians.
Dr. McCann earned his medical degree from the State University of New York Health Science Center in Syracuse. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Rochester General Hospital.