NEWS FROM THE REGION’S PREMIER ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTER A ...

[Pages:4]Neurology Spotlight

ADVANCES 2 SEPTEMBER 26, 2013

NEWS FROM THE REGION'S PREMIER ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTER

A culture of giving

Volunteering is a

hallmark of our

people. Why it benefits

everyone involved.

Physicians, nurses and others at the region's premier academic medical center save lives every day. They do plenty of good in their spare time, too.

Volunteering and community support are common practice among the approximately 14,000 people who work and study at The University of Kansas Hospital, University of Kansas Medical Center and The University of Kansas Physicians.

You see them nearly every weekend sporting "We are KU" and "HERO" (Hospital Employees Reaching Out) T-shirts. They volunteer to refurbish homes of low-income residents, participate in 5K walks to raise money for charities and help fit bicycle helmets on youngsters.

Some travel the world on medical

missions from Guatemala to Nepal. Others devote afternoons closer to home, reading to at-risk children or working in free clinics like JayDoc, where they provide care to the area's uninsured residents. The list goes on.

Such outreach efforts also benefit those who give, studies show. Healthcare workers gain a better understanding of their community's social, economic and cultural differences ? factors that directly influence health outcomes.

"Our faculty, staff and students who volunteer in the community learn more about the needs of our county and state ? and even the world," said April Blackmon, the medical center's community engagement communications manager. "Those needs translate into better education, research and patient care.

"Volunteering," she added, "is also about reinforcing the importance of compassion ? a crucial need for anyone in a career like healthcare."

Next month brings the United Way campaign, the largest unified charitable initiative for

Above, hospital employees teach bicycle safety to area children and fit them with helmets several times a year. Right, Physical Therapy's Rachel August and her fellow students renovate a home during a community service project.

the hopital, medical center and physicians group. The goal is $300,000 in pledges.

While different than volunteering, United Way donations are redistributed to the community where the needs are greatest. Funding supports more than 30 agencies in Wyandotte County that provide

medical services, shelter, clothing and education ? all helping to improve the community's health.

By the Numbers: Volunteering

To suggest a By the Numbers, email Advances@kumc.edu.

Employees and students at The University of Kansas Hospital, University of Kansas Medical Center and The University of Kansas Physicians participate in a wide range of volunteer activities.

9,000

Bicycle helmets distributed to youngsters since 2005 (through Headstrong for Jake)

1,845

Volunteer hours last year among student interns and student director in the Community Outreach Program

2,000

Patients treated each year at the JayDoc free clinic

340

Students participated in this year's Community Service Day, volunteering at 14 locations

380

Hospital employees participated in HERO (Hospital Employees Reaching Out) programs in 2012, volunteering in 14 programs

$300,000

This year's United Way donation goal

Events

Going Forward: Life After Treatment ? The free program is for cancer patients who have completed treatment but face challenges with diet, exercise, emotions and other issues. The program consists of six weekly Thursday sessions, 3-4 p.m. at the KU Clinical Research Center in Fairway. They start Oct. 3. Register by Friday, Sept. 27, at 913-5881227 or bewell.

Tour de BBQ ? The 5th annual bicycle ride is Saturday, Oct. 5, starting and ending at the Power & Light District. Register at using code KUTDBBQ13 to receive $25 off entry. In addition to supporting The University of Kansas Cancer Center, participants sample great BBQ along the way. Proceeds support hiring a nurse navigator for a new collaborative transitions clinic for adult survivors of childhood cancer.

Updates in Men's Health ? The program provides a brief synopsis on issues concerning sports medicine, heart and prostate health. The program is 5:45-7:45 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Grand Street Caf?. RSVP by Friday, Oct. 4, at continuinged.ku.edu/kumc or call 785-864-5823 or 877-404-5823.

An Evening of Beauty ? Learn about the latest minimally invasive and surgical facial enhancement procedures. The free event is 6-8 p.m. Oct. 10 at KU MedWest in Shawnee. Also enjoy demonstrations of in-office procedures and discounts on all skin care products. Registration required by Oct. 4 at 913-5881227 or bewell.

Tom O'Sullivan Memorial Golf Classic ? The sixth annual tournament is Oct. 11 at Deer Creek Golf Club. Cost (early registration) is $165 per player or $660 per foursome. The tournament benefits The University of Kansas Cancer Center's colorectal cancer research and prevention program. Information: or 913-383-2291.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

New clinic speeds access to neurologists

Demand for neurology is growing across the country, but a shortage of neurologists means long wait times. In the Kansas City area, the wait to see a neurologist averages at least six to eight weeks ? often longer.

Not so at The University of Kansas Hospital, which has reduced the wait to four weeks and is working to shorten it further. Patients not only see their physician faster, but when referral to a specialist is indicated, it happens sooner.

The practice has grown to 35 neurologists, including five who joined within the past month. A new neurology clinic ? Indian Creek Specialty Care ? also provides more timely access to care.

At Indian Creek, patients receive a full neurological evaluation by one of our faculty neurologists. Neurologists Patrick Landazuri, MD; Deetra Ford, MD; and Brennen Bittel, DO, already see patients at Indian Creek, and two additional neurologists will join the clinic in the coming weeks.

While the new clinic offers comprehensive neurological diagnostic and treatment options, patient evaluation can be coordinated with the main campus for

The Indian Creek Campus Neurology team includes Deetra Ford, MD (from left); Patrick Landazuri, MD; and Brennen Bittel, DO.

more advanced therapies, such as surgical epilepsy evaluation, referral to the area's only ALS center or surgical evaluation for movement disorders.

"We have among the area's finest, and at times only, fellowship-trained physicians in neurology subspecialty areas, including neuromuscular, dementia, movement disorders, stroke and epilepsy," said Abe Teferra, senior administrator in the Department of Neurology. "This breadth of expertise means patients can receive care and treatment for any need.

"Patients often come to our hospital after they've seen other physicians," he added. "We provide neurological care for any complex case."

While most patients are referred to our neurologists by other physicians, patients can make appointments directly with our physicians as well.

The University of Kansas Hospital neurology and neurosurgery program ranks No. 20 among the nation's top 50 in U.S. News & World Report's 2013-14 Best Hospitals.

EXPOSURE

All athletes welcome

The University of Kansas Hospital last week opened its Center for Sports Medicine at Truman Sports Complex. The clinic ? inside The University of Kansas Hospital Training Complex next to Arrowhead Stadium ? features seven exam rooms and full MRI and digital X-ray capabilities. It caters to weekend warriors as well as Chiefs and Royals players. Hospital staff supporting the new clinic include athletic trainer Drew Hutchison (from left), scheduling rep Amanda Vadnais and athletic trainer Briana Fugitt.

News Briefs

In the News

A recap of recent articles, TV segments and other media coverage of the region's leading academic medical center.

BMT opens lab space ? 41 Action News, Sept. 10. The University of Kansas Cancer Center's Blood and Marrow Transplant program has opened a dedicated laboratory to support the needs of its expanding patient population. The lab, which is dedicated space in 3020 Wahl Hall East, will be used primarily by Hematology/ Oncology's Omar Aljitawi, MD, and Tara Lin, MD. Both physicians will continue to see patients, but the majority of their time now will be spent in research. The new lab represents the third phase of BMT's vision: Develop a translational science research arm.

Hematology/Oncology's Tara Lin, MD, and Omar Aljitawi, MD (front), will conduct translational research and clinical trial projects in the new lab space.

Physicians `cook' tumors in spine ? Fox 4 News, Sept. 19. The segment features Anesthesiology's Dawood Sayed, MD, at the University of Kansas Medical Center, and a new procedure he used to control pain in a patient with a tumor in his spine. The procedure, radio frequency ablation, has been used for years on tumors in soft tissue, but it's new for bone tumors. Once the tumor was ablated ? through heat delivered through a probe ? Sayed injected medical cement into the cavity to stabilize the bone. "As soon as I woke up, I was dang near pain-free," the patient said.

Wichita campus: High marks for training rural MDs ? KHI News Service, Sept. 17. The University of Kansas School of Medicine's campus in Wichita is among the nation's top producers of primary care physicians, according to a survey of medical school data. It also places far more physicians in rural and underserved areas than most medical schools. "What's happening in Wichita is fantastic," said Candice Chen, assistant research professor at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. "The data show 30 percent of their residents are going to rural and underserved areas. It's amazing when you consider nationally it's around 5 percent."

Promoting Big Safety with Big E

The University of Kansas Hospital on Sept. 20 launched a na-

tional safety campaign featuring Evan "Big E" Doherty, a local

skateboarding star.

Doherty, who is 10, has

been taking top honors at

national and international

competitions since he

was 5.

"My parents put a hel-

met on me the first time I

skated, and I've worn one

ever since," said Doherty,

who has never experi-

enced a concussion. "It

would feel weird to skate

without one."

However, he sees too

many kids skateboarding, Evan "Big E" Doherty is partnering

riding bikes and playing

with The University of Kansas Hospital

other sports without a

to encourage kids to wear helmets.

helmet.

It's why he's teaming up with the hospital to kick off its "Big

Safety" campaign with a dedicated website (big-

safety) filled with easy-to-understand information about the

signs of concussion. The site also urges kids to take a pledge

with Big E to always wear their helmets. After taking the pledge

they can tweet about it using #BigSafety.

"Concussions are serious business, especially for young

athletes," said Randall Goldstein, DO, Big E's team physician

and medical director of the Center for Youth Sports Medicine at

the hospital.

"We hope this program helps both parents and children un-

derstand more about how to avoid and recognize concussions

so they can be safer," he said. Go to kuhospital to

see videos of Big E in action, talking about safety and taking a

Concussion Impact Test, which establishes a baseline.

Nursing Annual Report debuts online

The University of Kansas Hospital's 2013 Nursing Annual Report for the first time is available online (nursingannualreport.).

With the theme Meaningful Moments, Everyday Excellence, the report highlights the nursing staff's many achievements during Fiscal Year 2013. Also new this year, videos featuring nursing excellence in action are on the website.

The online report showcases many of the hospital's touching nursing stories, including Medical Telemetry (Unit 46)'s "Five Minutes of Caring," shown here with Trey Bennett, RN.

Our People

Daisy Award winners ? Every quarter, three nurses at The University of Kansas Hospital receive the Daisy Award, a national program honoring extraordinary nurses for their clinical skills and compassion. The awards are based on comments by patients and colleagues.

Congratulations to our most recent winners (with information from their nomination forms).

? Donna Robinson, RN, Medicine Telemetry Progressive Care (Unit 66) ? "Donna exemplifies the culture and characteristics of a great bedside nurse .... Her care for others is so authentic and natural it puts others at ease. People can feel her motives are genuine."

? Gene Grodzinsky, RN, Cardiovascular ICU (HC 2) ? "No one wants to spend time in an intensive care unit, but Gene's sense of humor; refreshing approach to patient care concerns; his mental, emotional and physician support; and his willingness to advocate for me are things I will carry with me the rest of my life."

? Stephanie Nigro, RN, BMT (Unit 41-42) ? "Stephanie was the best for our family. She was knowledgeable, worked with his team of doctors and made recommendations about his care. There is a science and an art to most occupations. Stephanie has them both."

Research Administrator award ?

Susan Harp, assistant director for

education and re-

search resources

at The University

of Kansas Cancer

Center, has

received the 2013

Research Grant

Administrator

Award.

Harp

The award, from the University

of Kansas Medical Center Research

Institute, honors a research ad-

ministrator who has contributed

significant support to research and

shows high potential for sustained

productive research support.

Harp has been involved with

grant development, research

administration and laboratory

project management for more than

16 years. She currently manages all

pilot project programs within the

cancer center as well as the KUCC

summer research training program

for undergrad, graduate and MD/

PhD students.

She also coordinates the annual

KUCC Research Symposium, featur-

ing nearly 200 researchers, 80 post-

ers and several internal and external

speakers to celebrate the cancer

center's research efforts.

ADVANCES

is a bi-weekly publication produced by:

The University of Kansas Hospital Corporate Communications 2330 Shawnee Mission Pkwy., Suite 303 Westwood, KS 66205

Send story ideas to Advances@kumc.edu.

Bob Page, President and CEO The University of Kansas Hospital

Doug Girod, MD, Executive Vice Chancellor University of Kansas Medical Center

Kirk Benson, MD, President The University of Kansas Physicians

Staff: Mike Glynn, Editor Kirk Buster, Graphic Designer

@kuhospital @kucancercenter @kumedcenter

kuhospital kucancercenter kumedicalcenter

kuhospital kucancercenter kumedcenter

New Physicians

Kathi Glauner, MD Chaitalia Mahajan, MD Manoj Mittal, MD

Emergency Medicine Neonatology

Neurointensivist

Shaji Pillai, MD Pediatrics

Kimberlee Reetz, MD Anesthesiology

Barbara Semakula, MD Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Advanced emergency care

Drivers, crew members and fans at Kansas Speedway are in good hands. There to keep everyone in the race is The University of Kansas Hospital's expert medical team.

Physicians, nurses and technicians on the infield care team earned NASCAR's 2012 Team Work Award for excellent care during even the most medically challenging event.

Official healthcare provider of Kansas Speedway. 913.588.1227 speedway

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download