Michael Mason, MD, wanted a career in medicine ever since he was a child. When he made his dream come true, he specialized in Geriatric Medicine.
“When we are taking care of older adults, we need to ask ourselves: what if this were my aunt or uncle?” Dr. Mason says.
Dr. Mason’s reverence for this population motivated him to help make KP the best place to grow older in America. “We can build systems that default to the best option for seniors,” he says. “The first step is teaching others about the complex issues they face.”
Teaching became a craft Dr. Mason refined to an impressive degree, through numerous Continuing Medical Education courses and Grand Rounds sessions. He has been an advocate for teaching all levels of learners, including nurses, administrators, residents, and physicians.
Dr. Mason also identified common practice gaps, such as hyper-polypharmacy, fall prevention, and care planning, focusing lessons on these subjects. He also developed a series in support of the TPMG Geriatrics and Continuing Care Strategic Plan.
“Dr. Mason’s curriculum is based on the 5M framework (Mind, Mobility, Medications, Multi-complexity, and What Matters Most). He distributed these modules across multiple channels to reach more professionals. This exemplifies CME teaching excellence,” says Eric Au, MD, FACC, physician-in-chief, KP Napa-Solano.
Dr. Mason has taught in a variety of venues, including small group discussions, regional sessions, nursing homes, clinics, and hospitals. His ability to customize content to different audiences has not only set him apart but also helped Kaiser Permanente achieve national recognition for its geriatric accreditation.
“Dr. Mason has provided his colleagues with a framework for how to think about geriatrics and how to have difficult conversations with patients,” Ted O’Connell, MD, FAAFP, National Medical Director for KP Medical Education says. “He has emphasized the principles of the Triple Aim, introducing practical everyday frameworks delivered in an approachable way. This drives better patient care and a better patient experience.”