Roanoke Valley Edition | Fall 2010 | www.CarilionClinic.org
Special Issue
New Medical School Opens
Resources to Keep You Healthy Nurse Line Carilion Clinic’s physician referral and health information service is here to help. Call us at 540-266-6000 or 800-422-8482, or e-mail us at direct@carilionclinic.org.
“Well Said” Speaker’s Bureau If you’d like a speaker on a health topic for your community group, call 540-224-4961. For a speaker at your workplace, call 540-224-4967. Or visit www.CarilionClinic.org/speakers.
Community Health Screenings Health screenings throughout the community are available at little or no cost. Call 540-266-6000 or 800-422-8482, or e-mail us at direct@carilionclinic.org.
New, Improved Website Check out these features at www.CarilionClinic.org: • An easy-to-use physician database with multiple search criteria • Interactive maps to help patients find their way to our locations • Multimedia health and wellness content, including an A-Z library • A community health education and events calendar
News Blog Keep up with the latest news, photos, videos and more at Carilion Clinic’s news blog. Visit newsblog.CarilionClinic.org.
Social Media Stay connected with us through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn: www.facebook.com/carilionclinic www.twitter.com/carilionclinic www.youtube.com/carilionclinic www.linkedin.com/companies/carilion-clinic
Thoughts on Leadership ......................... 3 New Medical School Opens .................... 4 The Charter Class ...................................... 6 Publications Pick up a copy of verve, Carilion Clinic’s health and lifestyle magazine, at a magazine The 42 Students ....................................... 8 The Medical School Administration ... 10 rack or grocery store near you. Or read past issues of verve and the Carilion Clinic Quality Improvements .......................... 12 Report at www.CarilionClinic.org/publications. For health tips and news about Targeting a Tumor .................................. 13 health events, check out our e-newsletter, Carilion Clinic Living, at Around Our Community.........................14 www.CarilionClinic.org/living. New Physicians.........................................16 Support Groups Putting Patients First ............................. 18 Support groups are available for a wide range of health and emotional needs, including gynecologic cancer, breast cancer and perinatal loss. Learn more at www.CarilionClinic.org/support.
Health Information Centers Computer stations with health information are available at Carilion Clinic’s 3 Riverside building at the corner of South Jefferson Street and Reserve Avenue in Roanoke. Check out the audio library, video library, clinical wizards, health news and interactive tools.
Fall 2010 | www.CarilionClinic.org Produced by Strategic Development Carilion Clinic is a health care organization with more than 600 physicians in a multi-specialty group practice and eight not-for-profit hospitals. For information, call 540-266-6000 or 800-422-8482. © 2010 Carilion Clinic All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication is strictly prohibited by law.
On our cover (L to R): VTC School of Medicine students Donald Vile, Rebecca Kirschner, Raeva Malik, Christopher Vieau and Alice Chen.
Printed on recycled paper.
T H O U G H T S
Developing Physicians— and Leaders in Medicine Five years ago, Carilion Clinic began planning a new medical school in Roanoke in partnership with Virginia Tech. Now our joint vision for the school has been realized. In August, the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine opened its doors to its first class of 42 students. It is the first new medical school awarding an M.D. degree to open in the state since 1973 and is expected to help alleviate a nationwide shortage of doctors. Above all, the VTC School of Medicine is an innovative school with a leadership focus—one designed to develop physicians who will expand the frontiers of medicine. It will produce physician leaders who will pursue muchneeded, national health care solutions. Beginning on page 4, we discuss the hallmarks of the school and introduce the faculty of the Dean’s Office and our first class of
O N
L E A D E R S H I P
By Ed Murphy, M.D. President and CEO, Carilion Clinic
students. Our faculty members, who excel in their respective specialties, hail from all over the country, as do the students. Academically, our students are among the best in the nation, with an average Medical College Admission Test score of 33. The national average score, in contrast, is 30. Our students are also accomplished in scientific research. Eighty-seven percent have conducted research, and 17 percent have done original research or have been published in their field. Thirty percent have graduate degrees. In addition to their traditional medical education, all the students will have ongoing opportunities to pursue research in such disciplines as neuroscience, cardiology, physiology, infectious disease, applied molecular genetics and informatics. Naturally, we hope that many of our graduating physicians will remain in the region to serve our community. This will continue a
long-standing tradition of physicians who received their residency training at Carilion. But wherever they go to practice, we know they will apply their cutting-edge medical expertise coupled with a philosophy of patient-centered care. In the meantime, we are readying the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, which will open this fall. This institute, housed within the medical school building, will complement the work of the school— and its research focus. Significantly, as we move forward, we are strengthening the three pillars of Carilion Clinic’s foundation: clinical excellence, medical education and scientific research. ■ To your health,
President and CEO, Carilion Clinic
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The new medical school is located at Riverside Center in downtown Roanoke. (This special section is set against a background of Hokie Stone.)
New Medical School Opens The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, a world-class medical education center, has opened in Roanoke. An innovative school with a leadership focus, it is the first new medical school in Virginia awarding an M.D. degree since 1973. It is also the fifth medical school in the state. The VTC School of Medicine, which welcomed its inaugural class in August, will help alleviate a shortage of physicians nationwide. The United States is expected to face a shortfall of at least 125,000 doctors by 2025, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. A unique public/private partnership between Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech, the school is located
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at Carilion Clinic’s Riverside Center, near Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. It shares the Riverside campus with two Carilion Clinic outpatient facilities, with over 10 physician specialties represented. The school is designed to develop physicians who will expand the frontiers of medicine.
The proximity of the school to these physicians is by design: medical students will work in small groups to learn from patient cases. Classes will also be small, with only 42 students. When the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute opens this fall, physicians and researchers will take the process one step further by working together to poten-
Building on Strengths The new medical school builds on the existing strengths of Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech. Carilion Clinic, with its medical residency and fellowship programs, has been in the field of medical education for over 60 years. It has a 35-year association with the University of Virginia and now provides primary clinical training for 25 percent of its third-year medical students. Virginia Tech, the state’s largest university, is known for its extensive offering of science courses and world-class research programs in the biosciences, including bioengineering and bioinformatics. Clockwise from top: Shervin Mirshahi (second from left) and his fellow students on their first day of medical school. VTC School of Medicine President and Founding Dean Dr. Cynda Ann Johnson addresses the students.
tially develop better care. In doing so, they will bridge a traditional divide between their two fields—and expand the frontiers of medical education and research. In addition, VTC will train its medical students in research methods, and they will conduct their own original research. Only two other schools in the nation operate on this model: Harvard Medical School and the Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner College of Medicine. The VTC School of Medicine will accordingly make an important contribution to the limited pool of doctors who do active medical research—less than 2 percent. More importantly, its graduates will be adept at using research in their daily practice of medicine, thereby improving the quality of care for their patients.
“Our students will be inspired by collaboration and discovery, and patients will reap the benefits,” says VTC School of Medicine President and Founding Dean Cynda Ann Johnson, M.D., M.B.A. The combined economic impact of the school and research institute is forecast to be $40 million annually. Every dollar spent by a medical school or teaching hospital creates an additional $1.30 in economic activity, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. ■ For more information, go to www.vtc.vt.edu/ and www.me2md.vtc.vt.edu/.
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The Charter Class Forty-two students from 13 states comprise the first class of the new Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. About one-third are from Virginia; another third are from the mid-Atlantic region, including Washington, D.C., Maryland, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. The remaining third are from around the country. Many of the students graduated from Virginia colleges, including the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, the College of William & Mary and Washington and Lee University. More of these students went to the University of Virginia than any other school. Others have degrees from colleges such as Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, Northwestern University, Cornell University, the University of Michigan and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (See pages 8 and 9 for the hometowns and undergraduate institutions of the students.) The class ranges in age from 22 to 32, while 70 percent are between the ages of 22 to 25. Twelve are women.
Student Profile: Ashley Wohler, 23
Academically, members of the class are among the nation’s brightest medical students. The average Medical College Admission Test score for the class is 33— above the national average score of 30. The range of scores for the class was 30 to 42. “The caliber of students is exceptional,” says medical school President and Founding Dean Cynda Ann Johnson, M.D., M.B.A. “We have assembled an amazing class of students with the intelligence and personal characteristics to truly become our nation’s physician thought leaders,” she says. The average Medical College Admission Test score for the class is 33—above the national average score of 30.
Students were selected based on their high academic credentials and personal and professional experiences. Eighty-seven percent have also conducted research, and 17 percent report exceptional research experience (they have done original research or have been published). Thirty percent have graduate degrees. More than 1,650 aspiring medical students applied
Hometown: Philadelphia
As soon as she heard about the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Ashley Wohler knew she had to apply. Both of her parents are Virginia Tech alumni, and after graduating from Washington and Lee University in 2009, Wohler was eager to stay in southwest Virginia. Wohler, who has a B.S. in chemistry, spent the past year as a research assistant at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in the Department of Pharmacology. “I was very attracted to the research opportunities at VTC,” she says. “I did research in college, and while I knew I did not want to pursue grad school and research full-time, I liked that I would have the opportunity to do research while also studying medicine.” Wohler, who turned down another medical school to come to the VTC School of Medicine, is also looking forward to gaining exposure to patients right away and to taking small classes. “Having gone to a small college, I like the learning opportunities small classes afford,” she says. “I am very excited to be a part of the first class,” Wohler says.
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Greg Davis (right) looks back at fellow student Robert Brown.
to the school, and 220 were chosen to be interviewed. They were interviewed last fall and early spring by school officials and Roanoke community leaders in a collaborative effort to select those students best suited
Student Profile: Sean Fletcher, 22
to the school and the region. The 42 students accepted to the charter class had orientation and began classes during the first week in August. ■
Hometown: Blacksburg
“I was really intrigued by the prospect of attending a new school and being part of a groundbreaking class,” says Sean Fletcher of his decision to attend the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. “I withdrew my applications from other schools once I was accepted to VTC,” he says. “I knew after my interview that it was my top choice.” He was particularly attracted by the school’s philosophy. “The focus on research and becoming a physician scientist was very much in line with my hope to use innovative medicine as a doctor,” he says. Fletcher already has research experience involving genetic engineering in animals, including working with genetically modified hogs used to produce Human Factor IX in an effort to create treatments for hemophilia B. After graduating from Virginia Tech this year with a B.S. in biological sciences, Fletcher is attending the VTC School of Medicine under an Army scholarship. He would eventually like to spend part of his career in combat zones overseas. In the meantime, he welcomes the chance to attend medical school near his hometown of Blacksburg. “The opportunity to remain in the region I’ve grown so fond of was a big factor,” he says.
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The 42 Students of the Charter Class
Manek Aulakh
Sara Bahraini
Robert Brown
Alice Chen
Benjamin Cragun
Fairfax Station, VA Johns Hopkins University
Falls Church, VA American University
Chapel Hill, NC University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Irvine, CA University of California, San Diego
Granite Bay, CA Brigham Young University
Greg Davis
Katherine Dederer
Yi Deng
Joshua Eikenberg
Andrew Feczko
Pinehurst, NC Rice University
Mars, PA Bucknell University
New York, NY New York University
Upper Falls, MD Ursinus College
Murrysville, PA Case Western Reserve University
Sean Fletcher
Jonathon Freezer
Timothy Gall
Elizabeth Glazier
Thomas Hawken
Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech
Bloomsburg, PA Pennsylvania State University
North Wildwood, NJ Stevens Institute of Technology
Frederick, MD University of Georgia
Great Falls, VA College of William & Mary
Jerey Heimiller
Jarred Hicks
Oliver Joseph
Matthew Joy
James Joyner
Yisrael Katz
Richmond, VA Virginia Commonwealth University
Charlotte, NC Lee University
Dover, MA Boston University
Los Altos, CA University of Southern California
SummerďŹ eld, NC North Carolina State University
Wayne, PA Washington University in St. Louis
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Samuel Ryan Key
Rebecca Kirschner
Matthew Kona
Matthew Levine
James Light
Troutville, VA College of William & Mary
Winter Park, FL University of Florida
Williamsburg, VA Virginia Commonwealth University
Evanston, IL Northwestern University
Acton, MA Bowdoin College
Mina LotďŹ
Lindsay Makara
Raeva Malik
Annabelle Mangan
Shervin Mirshahi
Grand Blanc, MI University of Michigan
Ashburn, VA University of Virginia
Potomac, MD Georgetown University
Charlottesville, VA University of Virginia
Richmond, VA Virginia Commonwealth University
Andrew Moore
Joshua Nichols
Nathan Ogden
Caroline Osborne
Brian Pitts
Gig Harbor, WA University of Washington
Annapolis, MD Pennsylvania State University
West Palm Beach, FL University of Florida
Lovettsville, VA Virginia Tech
Denver, CO University of Kansas
Bradley Sipe
Travis Thompson
Oleg Uryasev
Christopher Vieau
Donald Vile
Ashley Wohler
Lakeland, FL College of William & Mary
Charlotte, NC University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Gainesville, FL University of Florida
Syracuse, NY Manhattan College
Philadelphia, PA Harvard University
Philadelphia, PA Washington and Lee University
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The Medical School Administration Cynda Ann Johnson, M.D., M.B.A. President and Founding Dean Dr. Johnson has had a distinguished career as a physician leader, medical educator and national leader in health care. She was named president and founding dean of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine in January 2008. From 2003 to 2006, Dr. Johnson served as dean of the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. While there she was also a professor of family medicine and senior associate vice chancellor for clinical and translational research. In addition, she led the development of the East Carolina University Center for Health Disparities Research. Earlier, Dr. Johnson served as residency director at the University of Kansas Medical Center and as interim chair of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Kansas. At the University of Iowa, she was a professor and head of the Department of Family Medicine in the College of Medicine; professor in the Department of Community and Behavioral Medicine in the College of Public Health; and director of the Family Care Center. Dr. Johnson was also a busy clinician for over 30 years, focusing on maternal and child health. Academically, she has a special interest in chronic kidney disease, international medicine and women in medicine. She is past president of the American Board of Family Practice (now Family Medicine) and the American Board of Medical Specialties. Dr. Johnson received a B.A. from Stanford University (with honors) and an M.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine. She completed her residency in family medicine at the University of Kansas Medical Center and a faculty development fellowship at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. She earned an M.B.A. at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. While at Stanford, she was elected to the honorary society Phi Beta Kappa. 10
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F. Terri Workman, J.D., M.BA. Vice Dean
Terri Workman was previously associate vice chancellor for health sciences at East Carolina University, where she identified system and process improvements to enhance the education mission of the school. She also served as the associate dean for finance and operations at the School of Dentistry and as director of the Office of Sponsored Programs. She has a J.D. from George Mason University School of Law and an M.B.A. from The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Mark M. Greenawald, M.D. Chair, Department of Family Medicine and Interim Associate Dean of Student Affairs
Dr. Greenawald is the former education director for the Carilion Clinic Family Medicine Residency and former medical director for the Carilion Clinic Office of Professional Development, where he helped create the Carilion Physician Leadership Academy and Carilion Faculty Development Fellowship. He is on the board of directors for the Virginia Academy of Family Physicians. Nationally, he is on the faculty for the American Academy of Family Physicians Chief Resident Leadership Development Program and is the author of two monthly leadership e-newsletters. Dr. Greenawald received his M.D. from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Virginia. Daniel P. Harrington, M.D. Senior Associate Dean
Dr. Harrington, Carilion Clinic’s vice president for academic affairs, led the early development of the medical school. As its senior associate dean, he is instrumental in implementing the academic strategy for the school, including admissions. He also oversees the clinical sciences and skills curriculum. He received a B.S. in pharmacy and an M.D. from West Virginia University and completed a diversified medicine internship and a combined internal medicine and psychiatry residency at the University of Virginia.
Bruce E. Johnson, M.D. Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
Dr. Johnson has been involved for many years in faculty and curriculum development. Prior to coming to the medical school, he was chief of the Division of General Medicine and vice chair for education in the Department of Medicine at East Carolina University. He is currently the vice chair for education in the Department of Medicine at Carilion Clinic. Dr. Johnson received a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles. He completed an internship in internal medicine at the Veterans Affairs Hospital, West Los Angeles. He then did a year of training in obstetrics and gynecology followed by completion of an internal medicine residency and a general medicine fellowship, all at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Timothy A. Johnson, Ph.D. Chair of Basic Science and Associate Dean for Research
Dr. Johnson is in charge of developing the innovative research curriculum for the medical school and for developing a new collaborative research model for basic, clinical and translational research projects between Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech. He had previously been on the faculty at the University of North Carolina and East Carolina University. Dr. Johnson earned his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. David B. Trinkle, M.D. Associate Dean for Community and Culture
Dr. Trinkle oversees the service learning, community outreach and interprofessional components of the
medical school’s curriculum. He is also an associate clinical professor of psychiatric medicine and program director of the Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Program of the Carilion Center for Healthy Aging at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Dr. Trinkle earned a B.A. and an M.D. from the University of Virginia and completed his residency at the Medical College of Virginia and geriatric fellowship at Northwestern University. Richard C. Vari, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Medical Education
Dr. Vari is an expert in medical school curriculum innovation and is well-known for his contributions to research, teaching, faculty development and community service. At the medical school, he is integrating and implementing a unique medical education program of basic sciences, clinical sciences and skills, research, and interprofessionalism. Dr. Vari received a B.S. in biology and an M.S. and Ph.D. in physiology from the University of Kentucky. Stephen M. Workman, Ph.D. Director of Admissions and Chief Enrollment Management Officer
Dr. Workman, who was instrumental in developing the admissions process for the school, has over 20 years of experience in planning and implementing programs with the U.S. Navy. He has also worked in organization management and corporate governmental affairs. He has a B.S. from Minnesota State University– Mankato, an M.A. from Georgetown University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from East Carolina University. ■
Director of the Research Institute Michael J. Friedlander, Ph.D., an internationally recognized neuroscientist, is the founding executive director of the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute. He currently holds research grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense on learning in the brain during health, during development and after traumatic brain injury. Dr. Friedlander joined the research institute in June, following five years as the Wilhelmina Robertson Professor of Neuroscience; chair of the Department of Neuroscience; and director of neuroscience initiatives at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Prior to that, he served for 25 years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham as professor and founding chair of the Department of Neurobiology; founding director of the Neurobiology Research Center; director of the Mental Retardation Research Center; director of the Civitan International Research Center for intellectual disabilities; and the first Evelyn McKnight Professor of Learning and Memory in Aging. Dr. Friedlander received his B.S. from Florida State University and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. He completed his postdoctoral training at the University of Virginia and SUNY Stony Brook, NY. Carilion Clinic Report | Fall 2010
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F EU AA TL UI TR Y Q E
I M P R O V E M E N T S
Carilion Clinic Expands Robotic Surgery Capability The da Vinci system is a miniCarilion Clinic has added a new mally invasive alternative to both robotic da Vinci Surgical System open surgery and laparoscopy and to its surgical options. has been used successfully in tens The state-of-the-art technology of thousands of procedures. It is the third robotic da Vinci system makes possible major surgery with to be acquired by Carilion, which the smallest of incisions, thus has been performing robotic surreducing pain and hospital stays. gery for many years. Carilion was By controlling the robot’s tiny, one of the first health care systems precise hands, surgeons can exein the country to perform da Vinci Dr. Dennis Scribner, a Carilion Clinic cute movements about five times surgery—on a cardiac patient in surgeon and oncologist, operates the smaller than they can with their 2001. robotic da Vinci Surgical System. own hands—allowing them to Robotic surgeries are now perperform difficult surgeries with increased accuracy. formed to correct many common conditions and treat Carilion Clinic is the only health care system in diseases. With the da Vinci system, for instance, surgeons can treat conditions such as gynecologic cancers, the region with such state-of-the-art equipment and expertise. ■ prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and urogynecology and urology disorders.
Stroke Program Awarded National Certification The Stroke Program of Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital has received the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center. This certification recognizes stroke centers that make exceptional efforts to foster better outcomes for stroke care. It also signifies that Roanoke Memorial is in compliance with the highest standards for treating strokes, and that it has the critical elements to achieve
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long-term success in improving outcomes. To become a Primary Stroke Center, a hospital must meet stringent response criteria. “Studies have consistently shown that stroke victims treated at Primary Stroke Center hospitals have shorter hospital stays and better outcomes from their strokes,” says Sidney Mallenbaum, M.D., medical director of Carilion Clinic’s Stroke Unit. This Gold Seal of Approval is the second awarded to Carilion Clinic. The Joint Commission earlier granted the Inpatient Orthopaedic Unit at Roanoke Memorial a Gold Seal for total hip and knee replacement. ■
PAT I E N T
T E S T I M O N I A L
Targeting a Tumor Carilion introduces Smart Arc—cutting-edge radiation therapy When Ron Ernest was diagnosed with a cancerous mass the size of a golf ball in his neck, he knew he was in for the fight of his life. That’s when radiation oncologist David A. Buck, M.D. recommended chemotherapy and intensitymodulated radiation therapy (IMRT) as the best alternative to fight his particular cancer. Because of its location, beams of targeted radiation could be shot into the mass with the goal of destroying the tumors. “I was amazed when Dr. Buck told me he could go in and shoot targeted beams of radiation,” says Ernest. “He said he was a ‘good aim,’ and he was.” When Ernest had his last scans in January, they came back clear. IMRT is an advanced type of radiation. Its threedimensional rays conform to the contours of a tumor and bend around healthy tissues to avoid them. Treatments involve hundreds of tiny rays of varying intensities controlled to precisely target a tumor. Typically, a series of treatments is given over a period of weeks depending on a tumor’s location, size and other factors. “With IMRT, we can treat large areas of the body with lower doses of radiation,” says Dr. Buck. “Rather than obliterating the area, IMRT can safely remove microscopic cancer cells without destroying tissue.” As a result, side effects are also lessened. “Another huge benefit to the patient is that radiation can be distributed without pain or discomfort,” says Dr. Buck. Ernest’s treatments last year took a typical 20 to 30 minutes, but Carilion Clinic has also begun to offer new IMRT technology that radiates tumors in a mere 90 seconds per session. Its beams are delivered via a new, $2 million state-of-the-art linear accelerator with technology called Smart Arc. Instead of emitting many
Ron Ernest (right); the Smart Arc linear accelerator.
small beams, it delivers a single arched beam of radiation to the tumor. With either type of IMRT treatment, doctors find IMRT to be especially effective in treating prostate cancer and certain other cancers or benign tumors. These include tumors of the head and neck and of organs near the spinal cord, brain, optic nerves, salivary glands, bladder, rectum, small bowel, kidneys, liver and lungs. “I jokingly told Dr. Buck that I liked my mustache and would like to keep it,” says Ernest. “And after six rounds of chemo and 39 rounds of IMRT, I didn’t lose a hair!” “Seriously though, my health care team was really awesome even in extreme circumstances,” he says. “I really think of them as my friends. I felt like their only patient.” ■
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C O M M U N I T Y
Around Our Community Carilion Clinic Supports Race for the Cure
The Inaugural Greater Roanoke Valley Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure attracted 2,078 runners and raised $283,000 in the fight against breast cancer. Carilion Clinic, a premium sponsor, contributed $20,000 toward the race. Carilion Clinic also provided emergency medical technicians, and hundreds of Clinic employees walked to raise money for the cure and worked as volunteers on the day of the race. A Carilion Clinic nurse, Catherine C. Hagan, R.N., M.S.N. (right), was also honored. Hagan, who was instrumental in founding the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Affiliate in southwest Virginia, was awarded the first Pink Star Award by its board of directors. Hagan, a clinical nurse specialist with the Carilion Clinic Breast Care Center, was called a key force in improving breast care in our region. “There are women alive today because of her vision, enthusiasm and untiring efforts,” the board said. ■ Mutt Strut Raises Funds for Hospice
The Carilion Clinic Hospice Mutt Strut—a fun day in the park with pet contests and parades—raised over $8,000 this year for the hospice. Dogs such as Chiquis (pictured) owned by Bryant Winters of Roanoke, competed in such categories as Costume, Agility, and Owner Look Alike, and attendees had the chance to meet pet therapy dogs. The annual event raises funds for Carilion Clinic Hospice, which provides symptom management, pain management, and emotional and spiritual support for terminally ill patients of all ages. The Mutt Strut was held in Wasena Park in Roanoke. ■ Get Fit with Your Doctor
The doctors of Carilion Clinic are putting on their walking shoes and hitting the Roanoke Valley Greenway in a new program called Physicians on Foot. Because the health of Valley residents is so important, the doctors are inviting others in the community to join them. Walks begin at 8:30 a.m. every Saturday at the corner of Hamilton Terrace and Belleview Avenue (in front of Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital). For more information, call 800-422-8482 or visit www.CarilionClinic.org/walking. ■ Carilion Clinic Sponsors Back to School Drives
Carilion Clinic employees donated over 145 boxes of school supplies this year in Carilion-sponsored back to school drives. Over 95 boxes of supplies were collected for the Back 2 School Blast, organized by the Rescue Mission of Roanoke and cosponsored by Carilion Clinic. The additional supplies collected by employees went directly to Greenvale School Child Care, the Northwest Child Development Center, the Child Health Investment Partnership of the Roanoke Valley and the YMCA to help children they serve. As a result of these donations and others, Carilion Clinic employees were able to provide 1,300 children with school supplies. ■
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C O MF M E A U TN UI TR Y E
Carilion Clinic Ranks as a National Leader in Electronic Medical Records Systems
With the conversion of Bedford Memorial Hospital to the Epic electronic medical records (EMR) system, Carilion Clinic continues to rank as a national leader in implementing EMR systems. Carilion Clinic is now the only multihospital health system in Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia to have all of its hospitals live on a single integrated EMR system for clinical care, orders and finances. Over 100 physician practices are live as well, with about 30 more practices to be added. Three Carilion Clinic hospitals have also been ranked in the top 2.5 percent of all U.S. hospitals for their use of EMR systems: Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Carilion New River Valley Medical Center, and Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital. These three hospitals are certified at Stage 6 by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, which grades hospitals on the scope of their adoption of EMR systems on a scale of Stage 1 to Stage 7. All seven Carilion Clinic hospitals are expected to achieve Stage 6 proficiency in the near future. ■ Carilion Clinic Residents Earn International Recognition
Carilion Clinic residents were asked to present five research and clinical posters at Internal Medicine 2010, the annual meeting of the American College of Physicians, in Toronto, Canada. The residents were (L to R): Zenon Belak, M.D., Kiranpreet Khosa, M.D., Sanjiva Lutchmedial, M.D., and Salman Gohar, M.D. “Out of 200 posters from 385 residency programs across the nation, we had five and one was chosen as a winner,” says Jon Sweet, M.D., F.A.C.P., program director of Carilion Clinic’s internal medicine residency program. “We are very proud of our residents and their mentors.” ■ Patient Transportation Services Win Reaccreditation
Carilion Clinic Patient Transportation (CCPT) has been reaccredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems. CCPT provides basic and advanced life support ambulance service, 911 response, ground critical care and air medical service throughout Virginia and into portions of West Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. The reaccreditation, based on an extensive site survey, is valid for three years and represents the highest levels of quality, medical treatment, safety, leadership and education standards in the medical transport industry. Nationwide, only 20 percent of patient transportation services are accredited, and CCPT, accredited since 2004, is the only such service to be accredited locally. ■
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N E W
P H Y S I C I A N S
New Physicians Nationally Praised Physicians Join Carilion Clinic Two nationally prominent physicians, surgeon Christopher Baker, M.D. and emergency physician John H. Burton, M.D., have joined Carilion Clinic. Each will play a pivotal role in improving patient care at the physician-led Clinic. Dr. Baker, a trauma surgeon, will be the new chair of the Department of Surgery for Carilion Clinic and the VTC School of Medicine. Most recently he has been the Isidore Cohn, Jr. Professor and chair of the Louisiana State University Department of Surgery in New Orleans. He received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School and Dr. Baker completed his surgical training at the University of California at San Francisco, where he had a National Institutes of Health-funded
research fellowship. He has also taught at Yale University, the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School. He will join the Clinic on November 1. Dr. Burton is the new chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine. He comes to Carilion Clinic from Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, where he was interim chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine and vice chair for the medical college’s academic affairs. He Dr. Burton received his M.D. from the University of North Carolina School of MedicineChapel Hill and completed his residency at the University of Pittsburgh.
Department of Medicine
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Timothy C. Ball, M.D., Ph.D. Cardiology
M. Ayoub Mirza, M.D. Cardiology
Education: Medical University of South Carolina Residency: Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Fellowships: Critical Care Medicine, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Cardiology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Interventional Cardiology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center 127 McClanahan St., Roanoke, VA 24014 540-982-8204
Education: Kashmir University Residency: Geisinger Medical Center Fellowships: Cardiology, University of Virginia Interventional Cardiology, University of Virginia 127 McClanahan St., Roanoke, VA 24014 540-982-8204
Joann G. Journigan, M.D. Cardiology
Carl W. Musser, Jr., M.D. Cardiology
Education: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Residency: Vanderbilt University Fellowship: Cardiology, Emory University 127 McClanahan St., Roanoke, VA 24014 540-982-8204
Education: Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Residency: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Fellowships: Cardiology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Cardiac Electrophysiology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center 127 McClanahan St., Roanoke, VA 24014 540-982-8204
Carilion Clinic Report | Fall 2010
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Department of Emergency Medicine
Department of Pediatrics
Keel E. Coleman, D.O. Emergency Medicine
James T. Wilson, III M.D. Pediatric Neurology
Education: University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine Residency: Virginia Commonwealth University Health Systems 1906 Belleview Ave., Roanoke, VA 24014 540-981-7000
Education: Medical College of Virginia Residency: Medical College of Virginia Fellowships: Child Neurology, University of Minnesota Electroencephalography, Medical College of Virginia 102 Highland Ave., Suite 104, Roanoke, VA 24013 540-985-8147
Department of Surgery
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Stepheny D. Berry, M.D. Trauma and Critical Care Surgery
Jamie L. Jennell, M.D. Obstetrics and Gynecology
Education: University of Kansas School of Medicine Residency: Henry Ford Health System Fellowship: Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, University of Tennessee at Memphis 3 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA 24016 540-224-5170
Specialty: Obstetrics and Gynecology Education: Virginia Commonwealth University Residency: Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center 1997 S. Main St., Suite 704, Blacksburg, VA 24060 540-961-1058
Department of Radiology
Department of Primary Care and Regional Medicine
Thomas H. Bishop, M.D. Radiology
Jo-Anne A. Llavore , M.D. Family Medicine
Education: University of North Carolina School of MedicineChapel Hill Residency: University of North Carolina Hospitals Program Fellowship: Vascular/Interventional Radiology, University of North Carolina 1906 Belleview Ave., Roanoke, VA 24014 540-981-7083
Education: University of Santo Tomas Residency: Carilion Clinic Family Medicine Residency Program 3369 Colonial Ave., Roanoke, VA 24018 540-772-0555
Daniel R. Karolyi, M.D., Ph.D. Radiology
Arlene S. McCain, M.D. Family Medicine
Education: Medical College of Georgia Residency: Emory University Fellowship: Body MRI, Emory University 1906 Belleview Ave., Roanoke, VA 24014 540-981-7122
Education: Eastern Virginia Medical School Residency: Eastern Virginia Medical School, Portsmouth Family Residency Program 200 High St., Bridgewater, VA 22812 540-828-2634
John W. Steffe, Jr., M.D. Radiology Education: Medical College of Virginia Residency: Medical College of Virginia Fellowship: Musculoskeletal Radiology, Medical College of Virginia 1906 Belleview Ave., Roanoke, VA 24014 540-981-7122
Carilion Clinic Report | Fall 2010
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Putting Patients First If you are trying to understand health care reform—what it means to us as health care providers and patients—you are likely somewhat confused by now. The debates in Washington and discussions on cable news talk shows have not really helped to explain and simplify things. While the political landscape of reform will continue to be complex, as caregivers we have the ability to cut through much of the confusion if we will do one thing: put our patients first. It sounds overly simplistic, and some would call it a “no brainer,” but the patient’s best interest is often at risk of being lost in the complexity of the health care discussion or the endless series of tasks we face each day. Washing our hands, listening and making sure patients know their instructions are kind of “no brainers,” but it can be hard to pull up from our busy day to listen to our instincts and be mindful of our patients’ needs. Talking and listening to patients, and helping them manage chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, isn’t always flashy, but it can have a tremendous impact on our patients’ lives. Simply taking the time to consider “What can I do to help my patient feel better?” can lead us to exciting and rewarding places.
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Carilion Clinic Report | Fall 2010
By Mark Werner, M.D. President, Carilion Clinic Physicians
Patient Gene Hobson says he feels better as a result of the care he receives at Carilion Clinic – Family Medicine in Vinton, a premier, patient-centered Medical Home.
Gene Hobson, a patient at Carilion Clinic – Family Medicine in Vinton, says he feels better, for instance. As it happens, the practice treating him is one of our premier, patient-centered Medical Homes. But he doesn’t feel better because his doctor’s office has a special designation—he feels better because his care coordinator, registered nurse Vianney Marengo, talks to him about managing his diabetes. She plans ahead for his office visits and may call him periodically to check on him. The goal is to help him manage his diabetes and avoid complications that could send him to the emergency room. Keeping Mr. Hobson out of the
emergency room, and preventing complications that could lead to additional treatment and surgery, doesn’t bring any financial benefit to Carilion Clinic—but it is the right thing to do. In the long-run, if we as caregivers can improve the health of thousands of patients like Mr. Hobson, we can cut the cost of care by millions of dollars and at the same time improve the health and quality of life of our friends and neighbors. We should not get distracted by the rhetoric and hyperbole surrounding health care reform. Instead, let’s focus on what we truly know: what is best for our patients. Meeting that need is our calling. ■
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Overcoming High Risks in Pregnancies When mother and child need cutting-edge care When Melissa Wright was nine weeks pregnant, she was told she had a rare blood disorder that could kill her baby. Wright, 28, learned she was “Kellpositive,” which meant she had a marker on her red blood cells that caused her to produce atypical antibodies. “As my baby was developing her own red blood cells, mine were killing them,” she says. “The doctors told me, ‘You could have a dead baby before your pregnancy reaches 20 weeks.’ ” Her goal became to keep the baby alive until the 20-week mark, when doctors might be able to do blood transfusions. (Babies younger than that can’t tolerate them.) Wright says she was “scared beyond belief.” Luckily she had access to the maternal-fetal medicine specialists at Carilion Clinic, who spelled out her risks—and the state-of-the-art resources they had to combat them. Wright made it to 20 weeks, and began going in for weekly ultrasound monitoring to determine if the baby was anemic. If so, the doctors were prepared to perform a blood transfusion in utero—possibly every two to three weeks until birth. Sure enough, she needed two transfusions: one at 26 weeks and another at 28 weeks. It was upon admission for the third transfusion that her doctors decided to deliver—the baby was too anemic to undergo the
Melissa Wright and her daughter Bailey.
procedure—and Bailey Wright came into the world two months premature. She was rushed into Carilion Clinic’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU. Then Wright—who happens to be a Roanoke Memorial labor and delivery nurse—faced another ordeal. Bailey, at 3 pounds and 14 ounces, stayed in the NICU for almost a month. She had two IVs in her at all times and received roundthe-clock, highly specialized care designed to build her immune system so she could begin to produce her own healthy blood cells. Otherwise doctors would have to drain all her blood and transfuse her. Thankfully, Bailey never needed that final transfusion, and she is now a thriving 7-month-old. “The NICU and the doctors did everything possible for her,” says Wright. “My husband and I told them: ‘You’re heroes. You saved her life. Twenty years ago, she would
have died.’ ” Wright’s story is one of the many successful outcomes at Carilion Clinic’s NICU in association with the Clinic’s maternal-fetal medicine practice. And while many high-risk expectant mothers in southwest Virginia used to be referred to the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, they now have access to the most advanced technology and medical care close to home. The Carilion Clinic NICU, the largest in the region, is located within Carilion Clinic Children’s Hospital in Roanoke and cares for about 600 babies each year. Infants born as early as 16 weeks premature are cared for in this Level III facility (the highest designation given by the Virginia Department of Health). Eighteen hospitals in southwest Virginia send mothers with complicated pregnancies to Roanoke Memorial, the regional perinatal referral center. They also send critically ill babies to the NICU for life-saving technology. Often they ask Carilion Clinic’s highly trained neonatal transport team to perform the delicate transport process. As for Wright and her daughter Bailey, both are doing well. Says Wright proudly: “My daughter is as healthy as any other baby now.” ■ For more information, talk to your obstetrician or call 540-985-9985.
Carilion Clinic Report | Fall 2010
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Find the Primary Care You Need in the Roanoke Valley Hospitals and Emergency Rooms H Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital 540-981-7000 H Carilion Roanoke Community Hospital 540-985-8000 Urgent Care 540-985-8465 (Monday – Sunday: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)
Carilion Clinic Physician Practices Family Medicine 3707 Brambleton Ave., S.W. 540-725-7800 18080 Main St., Buchanan 540-254-1239 3369 Colonial Ave. 540-772-0555 46 Wesley Road, Daleville 540-992-4100 6415 Peters Creek Road 540-265-5500 37 Laymantown Road, Blue Ridge 540-977-1436 415 S. Pollard St., Vinton 540-983-6700
1314 Peters Creek Road 540-562-5700 2102 W. Main St., Salem 540-375-0600 2145 Mt. Pleasant Blvd. 540-427-9200 150 Spartan Drive, Salem 540-389-5093 Internal Medicine 3 Riverside Circle 540-224-5170
Pediatric Medicine 4040 Postal Drive 540-772-4453 89 Summers Way 540-992-1251 1101 First St., S.W. 540-342-7681 902 S. Jefferson St. 540-985-8230 (Addresses are Roanoke unless otherwise noted.)
102 Highland Ave., S.E. 540-985-9715
Carilion Clinic also has more than 20 specialty practices, including 13 pediatric specialty practices. Carilion Clinic’s specialty centers are: Sleep Center, Breast Care Center, Wound Care, Urgent Care and Center for Healthy Aging.
902 S. Jefferson St. 540-985-9862
For emergencies, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
150 Spartan Drive, Salem 540-389-5174
For more information, call 800-422-8482 or 540-266-6000.
Obstetrics and Gynecology 213 McClanahan St. 540-343-1224