Tuesday, January 3, 2023
Neuropsychologist Dr. April Wiechmann will be inducted into the National Academies
of Practice (NAP) as a distinguished fellow in psychology. The University of North
Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth practitioner and professor will be honored
during the organization鈥檚 annual meeting and forum on the weekend of March 30. The
induction ceremony will take place in Washington, DC, at a black-tie gala banquet.
Wiechmann practices at HSC Health鈥檚 Center for Older Adults, in addition to teaching and mentoring students at HSC鈥檚 Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine.
鈥淭he application process was pretty extensive,鈥� Wiechmann said. 鈥淵ou have to demonstrate your expertise and implementation of interprofessional practice. In psychology and/or neuropsychology, we typically do not have the opportunity to work interprofessionally. One of the unique things about our clinic is how we truly do interprofessional care within the Center for Older Adults.鈥�
NAP only extends the distinguished practitioner appointment to those who are leaders in their profession and in interprofessional care. All HSC Health clinics are centered around this team-based approach to provide the best possible care for every patient.
鈥淭his is the only outpatient practice I know of where interprofessional care is provided with neuropsychology, physician and social work,鈥� Wiechmann said. 鈥淚 honestly don鈥檛 know another neuropsychologist outside our practice that works in-person interprofessionally in DFW. They may send reports and referrals as feedback to other providers, but we are unique in that we all sit at the table together and discuss with the patient and their family all the different options and resources available.鈥�
NAP nominees must have an exemplary career of 10 years or more and made significant contributions to interprofessional health care to be eligible for consideration. Wiechmann was nominated by executive vice president of Health Systems Jessica Rangel.
鈥淒r. Wiechmann is a strong advocate for all people,鈥� Rangel said. 鈥淪he also embodies values that make her approachable, trustworthy and very knowledgeable.鈥�
鈥淔rom the moment I met her, she has been and still is an advocate dedicated to supporting and integrating interprofessional health care practice for both students and patients,鈥� Rangel said. 鈥淪he has demonstrated through her practice that close collaboration and coordination of different health care professions 鈥� aligned in purpose 鈥� is essential to the well-being of all patients.鈥�
Wiechmann鈥檚 patient meetings go beyond just presenting a diagnosis and recommending a resource or two. She analyzes key pieces to a patient鈥檚 independent living, which she calls the Big 5: cooking, cleaning, driving, medication management and financial management. She also encourages individuals and their family members to evaluate if an activity in one of these categories is becoming unsafe or overly frustrating.
鈥淧atient-centered care is looking at all aspects of living, functioning and being independent, not just a diagnosis,鈥� she said. 鈥淎 diagnosis of dementia 鈥� that鈥檚 hard to hear. There are so many questions that come with that diagnosis about a patient鈥檚 future, independence, driving, life expectancy and more. It鈥檚 important to have a group of experts to treat and manage these diagnoses. When I have to provide feedback without my team, it鈥檚 just not the same for the patient and family.鈥�
HSC is well represented among NAP鈥檚 distinguished fellows. Dr. David Farmer, executive director of Interprofessional Health and Behavioral Health, is a distinguished scholar fellow within NAP鈥檚 Psychology Academy. He also serves as NAP鈥檚 vice chair of the Psychology Academy and sits on its leadership council.
鈥淚 think that HSC鈥檚 emphasis on interprofessional teamwork helped to uniquely position Dr. Wiechmann and myself to be nominated and elected by our peers as fellows in recognition of our accomplishments in the field of psychology and interprofessional education and teamwork,鈥� Farmer said. 鈥淚 am very proud of Dr. Wiechmann鈥檚 accomplishments in bringing psychology to the health care team at HSC Health.鈥�
In addition to sponsoring an annual forum to help educate and inform NAP members and others, the organization also facilitates collaborative scholarship and research opportunities, recruits, engages and mentors their network of members and advocates for the value of interprofessional practice to improve health care and policy for all.
Wiechmann summed up her health care philosophy simply: 鈥淎t the end of the day, interprofessional practice is all about comprehensive care for the patient.鈥�
From by Kimberly Rossiter