About 23 years ago, Tracy Peace joined the George Washington University (GW) Medical Faculty Associates (MFA) as a staff nurse, working directly with the patients in the Division of Internal Medicine. In the years since she started, her role has evolved into an informatics position working in support of clinical staff and providers. While she no longer works directly with patients, Peace finds that by using the skills she refined and the lessons she learned during her time at GW MFA, she can still have a positive impact on the quality of care patients receive.
Q: What is your role at the GW MFA and what does it entail?
Peace: As a clinical informatics nurse, I am a liaison between the technical and clinical communities. I work with both to help design functionality and workflows that allow our users to get the most out of our electronic health records. I work with leadership to help facilitate any number of initiatives from capturing regulatory requirements to patient safety and outcomes. A big part of my role is to support our providers and clinical staff members as they use our current systems, while always looking for ways to improve efficiency and ease.
Q: How long have you been with the GW MFA?
Peace: I have been with the GW MFA since 1998. I came on board as a staff nurse with the Division of Internal Medicine. I then transitioned to clinical supervisor before moving to an informatics role within the Department of Medicine. The informatics department was formalized and is now with Information Systems and Technology.
Q: Have you learned any lessons while working here?
Peace: So many! I have been here for a long time and have the privilege of working with people in many different roles across the organization and I learn something (or many things) from all of them. Health care and technology are constantly changing so there will always be something new to learn.
Q: Was there a moment during your time at the GW MFA where you realized the impact of your role?
Peace: I think every role has an impact. In my current position, I no longer work directly with patients, but by streamlining workflows, improving documentation and information capture, and supporting clinical staff and providers, I am still able to have an impact on care delivery and organizational goals.
Q: What excites you the most about your role? What motivates you?
Peace: I love a good puzzle and I enjoy dissecting a problem and finding a way to solve it. I spend my day doing a lot of different things for a lot of different people, but ultimately my goal is always to find a way to make their jobs a little easier to do.
