February 2017 • Vol. 47, No. 2
Mecklenburg Medicine A Publication of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society | www.meckmed.org
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women.
February 3
National Wear Red Day On this day, women are encouraged to wear red as a symbol of their support of women’s heart health.
Mecklenburg County Medical Society facebook.com/meckmed
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Mecklenburg County Medical Society Foundation @meckmedsociety
@meckcountymedsociety
World-class cardiovascular physicians, nurses and technology working together to save lives Novant Health Heart & Vascular Institute Adult cardiology 1718 E. Fourth St. Suite 501, Charlotte 704-343-9800 10030 Gilead Road Suite 201, Huntersville 704-887-4530 1450 Matthews Township Parkway Suite 380, Matthews 704-264-3500 106 Langtree Village Drive Suite 200, Mooresville 704-887-4530
1640 E. Roosevelt Blvd. Monroe 704-226-0500 911 W. Henderson St. Suite 230, Salisbury 704-633-9620
Pediatric cardiology 1718 E. Fourth St. Suite 605, Charlotte 704-316-1220 10030 Gilead Road Suite 344, Huntersville 704-316-1220
530 Corporate Circle Suite 200, Salisbury 704-316-1220
Prevention 125 Baldwin Ave. Suite 200, Charlotte 704-384-5043
Cardiovascular and thoracic surgery 301 Hawthorne Lane Suite 200, Charlotte 704-316-5100
201 E. Matthews St. Suite 100, Matthews 704-316-1220
Learn more at NovantHealth.org/heart Š Novant Health, Inc. 2017
2 | February 2017 • Mecklenburg Medicine
GCM-137711
February 2017 Vol. 47 No. 2
Table of Contents 5 President’s Letter: Elegy
OFFICERS President Stephen J. Ezzo, MD
By Stephen J. Ezzo, MD, President, MCMS
6 Feature: When Is Science Corrupted? By Gordon Hull, PhD, Director, Center for Professional and Applied Ethics, UNC Charlotte
7 Take Steps for Crohn’s & Colitis 7 National Health & Wellness Observances for February 8 Feature: Taking the Pulse of Medical Marriages By Lee McCracken, Contributing Writer
9 Mecklenburg Medical Alliance & Endowment (MMAE) 10 Member News 10 New Members 10 Upcoming Meetings & Events 11 At the Hospitals 13 Independent Physicians of the Carolinas 13 Charlotte AHEC Course Offerings for February 13 Advertising Acknowledgements 14 Feature: Fighting For Women With Fashion 2016 By Mary T. Crowder, MD, Planning Committee Co-Chair
President-Elect Scott L. Furney, MD Treasurer Elizabeth B. Moran, MD Secretary Robert L. Mittl, Jr., MD Immediate Past-President Simon V. Ward III, MD
BOARD MEMBERS John R. Allbert, MD Maureen L. Beurskens, MD Raymond E. Brown, PA May N. Doan, MD Donald D. Fraser, MD W. Frank Ingram III, MD Stephen R. Keener, MD, MPH Shivani P. Mehta, MD, MPH Babak Mokari, DO B. Lauren Paton, MD Rachel L. Storey, MD Andrew I. Sumich, MD
EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS Tracei Ball, MD, President-Elect Charlotte Medical Dental & Pharmaceutical Society Sandi D. Buchanan, Executive Director Mecklenburg County Medical Society Karen Chandler, President Mecklenburg Medical Alliance & Endowment Docia E. Hickey, MD NCMS Past President Darlyne Menscer, MD NCMS Delegate to the AMA Marcus G. Plescia, MD, Health Director Mecklenburg County Health Department Douglas R. Swanson, MD, FACEP, Medical Director Mecklenburg EMS Agency
EXECUTIVE STAFF
1112 Harding Place, #200, Charlotte, NC 28204 704-376-3688 • FAX 704-376-3173 meckmed@meckmed.org Copyright 2017 Mecklenburg County Medical Society
Executive Director Sandi D. Buchanan Finance & Membership Coordinator Stephanie D. Smith Meetings & Special Events Coordinator Jenny H. Otto
MECKLENBURG MEDICINE STAFF
Mecklenburg Medicine is published 10 times per year by the Mecklenburg County Medical Society, 1112 Harding Place, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28204. Opinions expressed by authors are their own, and not necessarily those of Mecklenburg Medicine or the Mecklenburg County Medical Society. Mecklenburg Medicine reserves the right to edit all contributions for clarity and length, as well as to reject any material submitted. Mecklenburg Medicine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. Non-members may subscribe to Mecklenburg Medicine at a cost of $30 per year, or $3.50 per issue, if extra copies are available. Classified Ads: Open to members, nonprofits and non-member individuals only; advance approval of the Managing Editor and advance payment required. Member rate is 0, non-members $20 for the first 30 words; $.75 each additional word. Display Ads: Open to professional entities or commercial businesses. For specifications and rate information, contact Mark Ethridge at mecklenburgmedicine@gmail.com. Acceptance of advertising for this publication in no way constitutes professional approval or endorsement of products or services advertised herein. We welcome your comments and suggestions: Call 704-376-3688 or write Mecklenburg Medicine, c/o Mecklenburg County Medical Society, 1112 Harding Place, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28204.
Editor Stephen J. Ezzo, MD Managing Editor Sandi D. Buchanan Copy Editors Lee McCracken Stephanie Smith Advertising Mark Ethridge mecklenburgmedicine@gmail.com Editorial Board N. Neil Howell, MD Jessica Schorr Saxe, MD Graphic Design — Wade Baker
Mecklenburg Medicine • February 2017 | 3
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4 | February 2017 • Mecklenburg Medicine
President’s Letter
Elegy By Stephen J. Ezzo, MD
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few months ago, a friend of more than 30 years decided his time on earth was not worth continuing and ended his life. Such news is never easy to receive. I learned of his death at the end of a particularly stressful week leading into a call weekend. I was stunned, confused and mute. I didn’t even have the strength to read the text to my wife. Before he moved away from Charlotte a few years back, our lives were intertwined. I was at his wedding to a woman, who I was as close to as I was to him, and present for the birth of their child. We took our wives away on vacations together; our interests were similar. There were times when I looked at his life and felt a twinge of envy. But at the same time, I was close enough to him to understand his frailties. There was a strong family history that placed him at risk for pathology. He struggled at balancing life and work, as his wife worked long hours, and with the responsibilities of being a new father. When he separated from his wife — oddly enough on the eve of another planned trip — I was caught off-guard. (We all do a good job of hiding our private lives when necessary.) He moved in with me until he could find a place of his own. He was the one who reached out to me. While I offered support and tried to walk a fine line between him and his ex-wife, I never thought of asking about living arrangements. Life settled down, wounds began to heal. His ex-wife remarried, an event with which he seemed to be comfortable. He, too, remarried. I found his new wife to be very enjoyable and felt she would be a grounding presence. He maintained an open and honest relationship with his son. But the demons that haunt us are never far away. They lurk in shadows, hiding in the cob-webbed attics of our mind, and come at us with their full fury at the most inopportune times. These ongoing to-and-fro battles leave an unmeasurable toll on the brain.
The demons that haunt us are never far away. They lurk in shadows, hiding in the cob-webbed attics of our mind, and come at us with their full fury at the most inopportune times. These ongoing to-and-fro battles leave an immeasurable toll on the brain.
We all know people who deal with the terror of mental health issues, be it patients, friends, family or loved ones. We also are well-versed concerning the roadblocks in caring for them — from the dearth of qualified providers and facilities to the social stigma associated with it that prevents so many from seeking care. What I think we do not, and never will know, is the depth of loneliness and sadness that envelopes these poor souls. Of the pain that gnaws at the very marrow of their bones, when desperation has such an unrelenting grip that there seems to be no way out. After my friend moved away from Charlotte, we had less contact. He was never very far from my mind though, as I received frequent updates from his son. The times I did see him, he appeared to be in a good place. Perhaps it was all a show. Yet, all along there were cracks forming. A falling-out with his job resulted in another relocation and less-consistent employment. Then a little over a year ago, his ex-wife died unexpectedly and tragically. These events undoubtedly led him to a darker place, and eventually to a point where no light existed. Why didn’t he reach out to me as he had before? More important, why didn’t I reach out more to him? I made it a point to keep in close contact with his son and ex-wife’s husband after her death, but not him. Why did I think his grief would be any less since they had divorced? Maybe I just didn’t think. I let him down as a friend. It may have made no difference, but I never will know. I have felt old and vulnerable since hearing the news. I look at my hands and see the age spots spreading. Goodbye, my friend. I pray that none of the troubles you carried in this life made the journey to the next. “Loneliness is, and always has been, the central and inevitable experience of every man.” — Thomas Wolfe
Trivia question: What was Ehrlich’s Magic Bullet? Answer on Page 10.
Mecklenburg Medicine • February 2017 | 5
Feature
When Is Science Corrupted? Gordon Hull, PhD, Director, Center for Professional and Applied Ethics, UNC Charlotte
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paper by Cristin Kearns, just published in JAMA Internal Medicine, makes the case that the Sugar Research Foundation — an industry advocacy group — contributed to the catastrophe that is coronary heart disease (CHD) in the United States by paying some prominent scientists to blame fat for CHD, not sugar, despite evidence to the contrary. According to Kearns, in the mid-1960s, the SRF paid Harvard professors led by Mark Hegsted $48,900 (in 2016 dollars) to critically review studies linking coronary heart disease to excess sucrose consumption. As the article went off to print, the SRF representative reported to them his assurance that “this is quite what we had in mind, and we look forward to its appearance in print” (qt E3). The resulting review (which made no mention of the authors’ ties to the SRF) made a herculean effort to discredit the research linking sugar consumption to CHD, sometimes even inconsistently. It first denied that epidemiological evidence was relevant in determining dietary causes of CHD, but (in the next part) also implied that epidemiological evidence pointed to dietary cholesterol and saturated fat as the primary causes of CHD (E3). Was this corrupted science? There are legitimate, honestlyheld scientific disagreements, and certainly legitimate clinical ones about what to do with that science. The question is where we draw the line between a dispassionate study of the evidence and cases where that study was sufficiently nudged by inappropriate factors to cross an ethical line. Kearns’ research makes Hegsted’s work look like a nearly paradigmatic case of corruption. If so, it was consequential corruption. Coronary heart disease is, of course, the No. 1 cause of death in the United States; only cancer (all of them combined) comes close. That implies large numbers of people are now dead because of bought-and-paid-for science, and a nontrivial part of the blame for this rests on Hegsted (who died in 2009). This would be up there with the tobacco industry’s efforts to bury the link between smoking and cancer, or the fossil fuel industry’s efforts to bury the link between carbon emissions and climate change. On the other hand, one can argue (as does Adele Hite, a PhD candidate in Communication, Rhetoric and Digital Media at N.C. State) that the situation is more complicated than that. Hegsted and colleagues apparently thought consumption of fat was the main
Was this corrupted science? The question is where we draw the line between a dispassionate study of the evidence and cases where that study was sufficiently nudged by inappropriate factors to cross an ethical line.
6 | February 2017 • Mecklenburg Medicine
contributor to blood cholesterol (which was, in turn, the preferred predictor of CHD) before being approached by the SRF. They published an article to this effect that appeared in November 1965. The timeline is a bit murky: Kearns says the SRF visited Hegsted on July 1, 1965, but ordinary journal timelines suggest the original study probably was complete before July. Hite suggests this means the SRF knew beforehand what Hegsted would say, because of his publication record, and that this exonerates him from the pay-toproduce charge. (She does not, however, explain how the SRF had his research months before it appeared in print). Hegsted et al. also did not think anyone would embark on a low-fat, high-sugar diet: Supremely cheap corn syrup was a thing of the future. It is the status quo now; in his book “Salt Sugar Fat,” Michael Moss argues that the convenience food industry essentially has rotated between these three additives in response to consumer demand for convenience foods that can be stored easily and require minimal or no preparation to eat. Whenever popular opinion decides fat is a problem, lower-fat but higher-sugar and salt alternatives are offered. When sugar is discredited, fat and salt go up. And so on. But this was arguably not Hegsted’s world. Indeed, research in science studies dating at least to 1997 points to an extremely complicated socio-political-scientific nexus that generated dietary recommendations to cut fat and cholesterol; the science is and was disputed, but was only part of the debate. And, of course, the role of sugar also is debated still. One lesson is that food research is hard, because double-blinded studies where you precisely control food intake long enough in two different groups to measure health outcomes essentially are impossible. Hence the reliance on debated proxies like serum cholesterol, or isolated populations with similar diets, as in Okinawa. So, was Hegsted’s work morally compromised by the payment he received from the SRF? And, to what extent is the SRF morally compromised? They apparently have pursued a marketing strategy since the 1950s encouraging people to eat a lower-fat (and therefore, presumably, higher-sugar) diet. For that matter, when is research into the relationship between food and particular health outcomes robust enough to serve as a basis for policy? I don’t have the answers to these questions, but given the prominence of CHD and other diseases like Type II diabetes that appear to be — most of the time, at least — generated by lifestyles, it is urgent to ask and answer them as honestly as we can.
Whenever popular opinion decides fat is a problem, lower-fat but higher-sugar and salt alternatives are offered. When sugar is discredited, fat and salt go up. And so on.
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Saturday, June 3, 10 a.m.
Lake Crabtree County Park, Raleigh — Saturday, April 29, 10 a.m. n Wrightsville Beach Loop — Fall Date TBA
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
FEBRUARY 2017
$1,500 SPONSORSHIP LEVEL (PER WALK)
AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
Social & Online Benefits:
Event Benefits:
n Name on local Take Steps website during event month n Recognition of partnership on social media outlet during event month (2x)
n Name or logo on walk T-shirt (deadline will vary based on walk date) n Inclusion on sponsor thank you banner n Company booth (table and chairs) in Health Corner n Opportunity for approved product/promotional sampling or material distribution at booth n Logo on Health Corner sponsor signage
$1,000 SPONSORSHIP LEVEL (PER WALK)
Social & Online Benefits:
NATIONAL HEALTH & WELLNESS OBSERVANCES American Heart Month Cancer Prevention Month Children’s Dental Health Month Wise Health Consumer Month
Event Benefits:
n Name inclusion in social media outlets n Inclusion on sponsor thank you banner during event week n Company booth (tables and chairs) in Health Corner n Opportunity for approved product/promotional sampling or material distribution at booth n Listing on Health Corner sponsor banner
February 1: Girls & Women in Sports Day February 3: Wear Red Day (Women’s Heart Disease)
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America Carolinas Chapter
February 12-18: Cardiac Rehabilitation Week
1100 S. Mint St., Suite 204, Charlotte, NC 28203 n Phone: 704-264-0587 n Fax: 704-332-1612
February 12-18: Random Acts of Kindness Week
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Mecklenburg Medicine • February 2017 | 7
Feature
Taking the Pulse of Medical Marriages By Lee McCracken, Contributing Writer
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ore and more physicians are committing their lives to each other and wielding stethoscopes by day and spatulas by night. It’s no wonder, given that young doctors can spend 60-80 hours a week at the hospital and the remaining hours eating and studying (often together). The bonds between medical students/residents are strong. The long hours in the library or hospital certainly can stoke the flames of romance, as shared exhaustion and stress are unifiers. While Hollywood is making a fortune sensationalizing the flirtation between wide-eyed interns, confident residents and skilled physicians on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Chicago Med,” the reality isn’t so glamorous. Statistics confirm hospital corridors are extremely coed. The number of women enrolled in medical school is at an all-time high, according to a November 2016 report released by the Association of American Medical Colleges, and some 40 percent of doctors marry other doctors or healthcare professionals, according to the AMA Insurance 2014 Work/Life Profiles of Today’s U.S. Physician. Charlotte pediatrician Janie Chai, MD, says 11 couples married from her class of 180 students at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta (now Georgia Regents University). She and her husband met in their first year, were engaged in their third year and got married in their fourth year. “We’re all still married,” says Dr. Chai about her 22 fellow students who tied the knot. Chai is with Novant Health Randolph Pediatrics. Charlotte has quite a few doctor duos, who speak each other’s language and have a shared passion for caring for the sick. Two couples chimed about their experience.
Tips for a Healthy Medical Marriage
20 minutes a day. Make time to talk, even for Don’t rely on mindreading. fect; rk-life balance solution is per 4 Accept that no wo be prepared for challenges. solutely personal accomplishments. Ab 4 Feel satisfied with do not compare careers. , compulsiveness and any 4 Leave perfectionism the office. exaggerated sense of self at intimacy at home. 4 Nurture humility and . don’t neglect emotions/feelings 4 Care for each other; e to pursue common interests 4 Carve out couple tim away from medicine.
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8 | February 2017 • Mecklenburg Medicine
Jean Chai, MD, Janie Chai, MD, and their daughters
Ideal Match Working in the same field while building a family and overcoming challenges together strengthens a marriage says relationship experts. A physician-physician match can be ideal … even when the doctors work for different hospital systems. Chai’s husband, Jean, is an oncologist at Carolinas HealthCare System’s Levine Cancer Institute. The couple has been married for 18 years and has two daughters, ages 12 and 13. “We get each other,” says Chai, noting she and her husband understand their respective busy schedules and office lingo. “When one of us is running late to get home for dinner, the other just knows — there’s understanding.” Dating through medical school and residency, Janie and Jean were comrades in sleep deprivation, stress, fear and grief as they faced morbidity and mortality. As a married couple, they strive to communicate well and often about the children’s/family’s schedule, and being present with each other (as opposed to preoccupied with patient concerns) when they are at home. “We tend to have friends who also are doctors,” says Chai, “and one of the benefits is being able to take family vacations around medical conferences.” As their careers and marriage progressed, Chai assumed most of the responsibilities of running their home and family life. “There’s the possibility of a professional power struggle, but we didn’t fall into it,” she says. “It came down to who made the most money, and I eventually went part time in my practice. We always felt like equals, until I went on maternity leave. Child care almost always falls on the woman, and it suits me fine.”
Mutual Respect Doctors who have another doctor as a spouse are choosing to live life with a respected colleague, says Charlotte plastic surgeon Bryan Criswell, MD. He and his wife, Kara Criswell, MD, met during their general surgery residency at the State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. “Bryan was my chief resident on the trauma service when I was an intern,” explains Dr. Kara Criswell. “We kept our dating
MMAE
Books for the Bedside Table
Save the Dates!
n “Doctors’ Marriages: A Look at the Problems and Their Solutions” by Michael Myers (Springer, 2013) n “At Least You’ll Be Married to a Doctor: Managing Your Intimate Relationship Through Medical School” by Jordyn Paradis Hagar (Outskirts Press, 2012) n “The Medical Marriage: Sustaining Healthy Relationships for Physicians and Their Families” by Wayne and Mary Sotile (American Medical Association Press, 2000)
undercover for a year!” The couple married in 2003, after he finished his residency and, eventually, the couple ended up as fellows (but one year together) at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. “Residents see each other at their absolute worst — dirty, fatigued, no makeup and wearing scrubs. If you find that person attractive, it will only get better,” she laughs, adding (quite seriously), “Bryan always has been my senior — he’s a great teacher and mentor. It’s an incredible honor and privilege to work with someone I really respect.” Drs. Bryan and Kara Criswell have been married for 13 years and have two boys, ages 6 and 9. They are thankful to be in practice together, fully understanding the other’s training and mindset. The physicians see their own patients, but complement each other clinically and have the other’s back. “We love each other and what we do … our patients benefit from that,” says Dr. Bryan Criswell. When it comes to leisure and date nights, both couples say it’s generally easier to have (and keep!) other doctor duos as friends. Around the dinner table, “shop talk” can be boring if one husband or wife isn’t in health care. Everyone also agrees, however, it is essential to turn off the office when spending time with the children and the family is playing together. The trend of doctors choosing life mates from within the medical community is going to continue. Keeping the pulse of marriage strong requires an extra dose of compassion, humility, intimacy and mutual respect.
We are having some great events in 2017 ... and we look forward to seeing you!
Thursday, January 12
Calling All Christie Brinkleys
Join us at Nordstrom at 9 a.m. for a breakfast buffet and a fashion show featuring our very own members!
Wednesday, February 22
The Smallest Miracles!
Learn about the care of our smallest angels during a special tour of the NICU at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center at 10 a.m.
Tuesday, March 14
What Foods Fuel You?
Come and listen to a talk “Eating Tips to Reduce Inflammation to Improve Health,” by a Whole Tulip representative at Myers Park Country Club at 10 a.m.
Wednesday, April 12
Spread Your Wings!
Discover the beauty of Wing Haven with a private, guided tour by one of their docents, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Convene with the birds and other wildlife in this suburban sanctuary. Kara Criswell, MD, and Bryan Criswell, MD
Mecklenburg Medicine • February 2017 | 9
Member News
NEW MEMBERS Nathan C. Givens, MD Obstetrics and Gynecology Novant Health Mintview OB/GYN 1918 Randolph Road #300 Charlotte, NC 28207 704-377-5675 Virginia Commonwealth University, 2012
Cuong T. Nguyen, MD Radiology, Neuroradiology University of Maryland, 2008
Esther R. L. Hayes, MD Family Medicine Cabarrus Family Medicine 4315 Physicians Blvd., #101 Harrisburg, NC 28075 704-455-6521 Medical University of South Carolina, 2000
Scott A. Young, PA-C Medical University of South Carolina, 1998
Caitlin E. Volchansky, PA-C James Madison University, 2015
Southeast Radiation Oncology Group 200 Queens Road #400, Charlotte, NC 28204 704-333-7376 Marquiez D. Ballard, PA-C Howard University, 2009
Lane Luke, PA-C Claremont Family Medicine 3221 W. Main St. Claremont, NC 28610 828-459-4445 Medical University of South Carolina, 2015
Mecklenburg Radiology Associates P O Box 221249, Charlotte, NC 28222 704-384-4177 Atabak Allaei, MD Vascular and Interventional Radiology SUNY-Upstate, 2009 Brittany Cheney, PA-C Medical University of South Carolina, 2014 Andrew P. Crane, MD Diagnostic Radiology SUNY-Upstate, 2006 Christine N. Eppelheimer, MD Diagnostic Radiology University of Arizona, 2010 Sinisa Haberle, MD Pediatric Radiology UNC-Chapel Hill, 2009
Lauren T. Jones, PA-C Wake Forest University, 2010 Photo not available.
Jeffrey G. Kuremsky, MD Radiation Oncology George Washington University, 2009 Elizabeth A. Stratton, PA-C Chatham College, 2009
Trivia answer from page 5: In 1909, researchers in Paul Ehrlich’s lab discovered an arsenic-based compound that was effective against Treponema pallidum, the bacterium that caused syphilis. Ehrlich termed it “magic bullet,” in that he believed the compound would target specific receptors and not the cells of the host. In the 1940’s, penicillin replaced arsenic as the preferred treatment for syphilis.
FEBRUARY
Friday, Feb.10 MCMS office closed for meetings. n Friday, Feb. 10 NCSG Board meeting. Pinehurst Resort. n Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 11-12 NCSG Annual Conference. Pinehurst Resort. n Tuesday, Feb. 14 MedLink meeting. Mecklenburg County Health Department. 8:30 a.m. n Wednesday, Feb. 15 MMAE Board meeting. 10 a.m. n Thursday, Feb. 16 CAMGMA meeting. Myers Park Baptist Church Cornwell Center. Noon. n Thursday, Feb. 16 Charlotte Medical Society Membership meeting. Time and location TBD. n Monday, Feb. 20 Executive Committee meeting. 5:45 p.m. n Wednesday, Feb. 22 April magazine deadline. n
Did You Know?
Bonus Trivia Question: By what “national” name was syphilis known? Bonus trivia question answer: The French disease. In 1495, an outbreak of syphilis in Naples occurred during a French army invasion. The Italians claimed the disease was spread by French troops, giving rise to the term “French disease” by the Neapolitans.
Joseph A. Molitierno, Jr., MD Urological Surgery Pediatric Urology Associates 3135 Springbank Lane #200 Charlotte, NC 28226 704-540-3667 UNC-Chapel Hill, 2000
Linda Coverdale, PA-C Duke University, 2011
Upcoming Meetings & Events
10 | February 2017 • Mecklenburg Medicine
Annie Lowrie Alexander, who in 1885 became the state’s first licensed woman doctor, was honored with a state highway historical marker on North Tryon Street, the site of Alexander’s home and office. Alexander practiced in Charlotte for more than 40 years and was the first female president of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society in 1909.
At the Hospitals
Steven Limentani, MD, Announced as Cancer Service Line Lead Novant Health is pleased to announce the selection of Steven Limentani, MD, as the senior vice president of cancer services. In his new role, Dr. Limentani leads the system service line for cancer services, including hematology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, gynecologic oncology and oncology research. Limentani is Board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in hematology, medical oncology and internal medicine. He is a graduate of Tufts University School of Medicine, where he obtained a doctorate in medicine with honors in research. He did his residency in internal medicine at the New England Deaconess Hospital, a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. He completed his hematology and oncology training at New England Medical Center in Boston. Limentani, who has extensive experience with physician and service line leadership, has a particular interest in population health and clinical research trials. He has practiced in the Charlotte market since 1995, when he was the medical director of clinical trials at the Levine Cancer Institute and focused on the care of patients with breast cancer. Most recently, he served as vice president, cancer services and chief research officer at Mission Health in Asheville. n
New Technology Improves Surgical Experience for Breast Cancer Patients Novant Health Cancer Care continues to demonstrate its commitment to offering the most advanced treatment options to patients with breast cancer by becoming the first hospital in North Carolina to use the new SAVI SCOUT radar localization system during breast conservation surgeries. An alternative to wire localization, SCOUT is an FDA-cleared device used by surgeons and radiologists to precisely locate and direct the removal of a tumor during a lumpectomy or surgical biopsy procedure. “Breast cancer surgery can be physically and emotionally distressing for women, and we strive to find ways to create a better experience — and better outcomes — for our patients,” says Peter Turk, MD, surgical oncologist and director of the Novant Health multidisciplinary breast
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cancer program at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center. “SCOUT resolves one of the most difficult aspects of breast conservation surgery by eliminating the need to place a wire inside breast tissue to locate a tumor.” SCOUT uses nonradioactive, radar technology to provide real-time surgical guidance during breast surgery. Rather than placing a wire immediately before surgery, a SCOUT reflector is placed in the target tissue up to 30 days before the procedure. During surgery, the SCOUT guide accurately detects the location of the reflector and the tumor. “Patients are finding it much less painful and stressful relative to needle localization,” says Dr. Turk. “It is safer for the staff, with no sharp needles to work around in surgery, radiology or pathology.” The ability to precisely locate and direct the removal of a tumor during a lumpectomy or surgical biopsy procedure enables surgeons to increase the probability of complete cancer removal and reduce the likelihood of needing follow-up surgeries — a huge advantage for early-stage breast cancer patients. In addition, the ability to strategically plan the incision may decrease the amount of tissue being removed, resulting in better cosmetic outcomes. “We’re proud to be the first hospital in the state to be utilizing the innovative SCOUT infrared locations system,” says Nicole Abinanti, MD, radiologist and director of women’s imaging with Mecklenburg Radiology Associates at Novant Health. “As research and technology advances, we’re committed to adopting the safest and most progressive treatment options for patients with breast cancer.” A Look Into Neurosciences at Novant Health Eric Eskioglu, MD, senior vice president for stroke and neurosciences at Novant Health, shares how he and his team are creating a world-class experience for patients, and what the expansion of neurosciences at Novant Health means to communities: Q: What kind of physicians make up the neurosciences team at Novant Health? A: We truly have a comprehensive neurosciences team — from neurosurgeons who perform general neurosurgery, to neurohospitalists who manage acute neurologic illnesses, to neuro-intensivists who care for patients in the intensive care unit. We also n
have neuro-oncologists who are using some of the most advanced care protocols to treat brain tumors. Q: How does Novant Health neurosciences differentiate itself from other healthcare systems in the area of neurosciences? A: We have experts who can provide highend subspecialty care, such as cerebrovascular neurosurgery, brain tumor neurosurgery, multiple sclerosis neurology, Parkinson’s movement disorder neurology, vascular neurology and more. We are truly structured to provide the most comprehensive neurologic care possible. These subspecialties are most commonly found at academic hospitals, but we have some of the country’s most knowledgeable subspecialists in our two major markets: Charlotte and Winston-Salem. Other unique aspects of our neurosciences team are that, in Charlotte, we have the first female neurosurgeon, Jennifer Orning, MD, and the first neurology-trained neuro-intensivist, Kevin Meier, MD. Q: Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center is a Primary Stroke Center. What is the importance of this designation? A: The Joint Commission awards these accreditations to organizations that follow the best practices for stroke care. Primary Stroke Centers use a standardized method of delivering care, support patient selfmanagement activities, individualize treatment and intervention, and have an open dialogue among all patient care providers. They follow the guidelines established by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. Hospitals recognized as an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center, which is the highest level of designation, must first become a Primary Stroke Center and then show they are dedicating significant resources in staff and training to treat a complex stroke. This includes providing neuro-critical care 24/7, the use of advanced imaging and participation in stroke resources. It signifies we are providing our patients with care comparable to the best that’s given anywhere in the country. We’re proud we have achieved the designation of Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center in WinstonSalem, and are well on our way to achieving this designation in Charlotte. To read more of this Q&A with Dr. Eskioglu, visit NovantHealth.org/HealthyHeadlines.
Mecklenburg Medicine • February 2017 | 11
At the Hospitals edX was launched by Harvard University and MIT in 2012. Davidson joined the edX consortium in 2013 as a charter member and has developed a variety of courses for high school, undergraduate and now professional development students. Davidson College and CHS Launch First-Ever CME Course Davidson College, Carolinas HealthCare System and the Charlotte Area Health Education Center (AHEC) launched “Medical Genomics 101,” a self-paced, online continuing medical education (CME) course designed for physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. The course is the first CME course on edX.org — one of the world’s leading massive open online course (MOOC) platforms. Malcolm Campbell, PhD, biology professor and director of the James G. Martin Genomics Program at Davidson College, leads the course, which is a thorough, focused overview of the rapidly evolving field of genomics. Michael Ruhlen, MD, vice president, medical education and director of Charlotte AHEC, developed the curriculum with Campbell to ensure all clinicians, regardless of area of practice, will benefit from the genomics primer. Six clinicians from CHS are featured in the course, speaking about the application of genomics principles in their practices. “This partnership marks a significant evolution in continuing education at Carolinas HealthCare and the Charlotte Area Health Education Center,” says Dr. Ruhlen. “Our doctors can now learn about genomics from Campbell, one of the finest professors in this particular academic field, while hearing from their clinician peers. And we expect this course to benefit patients, as well. The flexibility an online class offers will give doctors more time to devote to patients.” “Medical Genomics 101” is available worldwide at no cost to anyone with an Internet connection. However, doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners seeking CME credit can complete the accompanying assessments and receive up to two hours of CME credit for $199. The course is composed of six modules that highlight new insights in the field of genomics and explores the ethical, legal and social implications that they raise. The two-hour course is the first CME course offered on edX.org. The nonprofit n
Patients Sought for Heart Failure Study The DREAM-HF study currently is enrolling chronic heart failure patients who have exhausted all forms of medical treatment. Currently, there are no available therapies to restore the function of the damaged heart muscle. Joseph Mishkin, MD, the principal investigator for Carolinas HealthCare System, will study if injecting rexlemestrocel-L, which consists of mesenchymal precursor cells, or MPCs, with a special type of needle will help restore heart muscle function. Recently, the RENEW clinical trial used stem cell therapy in select study participants, with the goal of reducing the frequency of chest pain through stem cell therapy. Patients who were not candidates for revascularization with at least seven episodes of chest pains per week were eligible to participate. Glen Kowalchuk, MD, FACC, implanted CD34+ stem cells into randomly selected study patients. Cardiologists at Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute are continuing to research stem cell therapy opportunities through two on-going clinical trials. In addition to the DREAMHF study, the ALLSTAR trial, in which Dr. Kowalchuk is the principal investigator for Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute, has 10 people enrolled and will study the impact of using cardiac stem cells to regenerate heart muscle tissue. Patients who had a heart attack with difficulty to the left bottom chamber of the heart were eligible to participate. The study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of CAP-1002 allogeneic cardiosphere-derived cells, a biologic product consisting largely of cells grown from donated human heart muscle tissue. Researchers across multiple sites will examine if the use of CAP-1002 will minimize heart muscle damage and improve heart function after a heart attack. For more information about ongoing clinical trials at Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute, call the clinical research office at 704-355-4794. n
12 | February 2017 • Mecklenburg Medicine
Levine Children’s Hospital Reflects on Pediatric Surgery Group’s Achievements, Future With more than seven decades of collective experience, the pediatric surgery team at Levine Children’s Hospital will celebrate three years of success this year. But this is just the beginning for this group of nationally and internationally recognized specialists, whose breadth of experience is as Anthony Stallion, MD diverse as the conditions they treat. Led by Anthony Stallion, MD, the team is working to streamline Carolinas HealthCare System’s pediatric surgery services in order to establish improved care protocols — especially for more complex cases. In 2013, Stallion was named one of the “Best Doctors in America.” That same year, he joined Carolinas Healthcare System as the chief of pediatric surgery. Considered a pediatric trauma expert, the former staff surgeon at Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital now oversees the region’s only Level II pediatric trauma center, as well as pediatric surgery throughout Carolinas HealthCare System, Levine Children’s Hospital and Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital. Dr. Stallion’s position was created, in part, to help develop a pediatric surgery department that spans throughout all of Carolinas HealthCare System’s hospitals. The efforts he leads will help ensure children get the same level of care at facilities throughout the region and the system. Joining him in the pediatric surgery department at Levine Children’s Hospital are Jeffrey Dehmer, MD, David Fisher, MD, Michael Goretsky, MD, Eric Grossman, MD, and Steven Teich, MD. Among the team’s accomplishments are: outcomes that exceed national benchmarks, treatment of chest wall deformity in children and adults, treatment of bowel motility or unusual intestinal contractions or paralysis, performing minimally invasive lung surgeries, use of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC, a highly concentrated, heated chemotherapy treatment delivered directly to the abdomen during surgery), and participation in a national clinical trial for use of gastric stimulation for gastric dysmotility. n
Independent Physicians of the Carolinas
Independent Physicians of the Carolinas is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) membership organization whose mission is to create public awareness of medical doctors not employed by a network or hospital system and to provide educational programs and resources to physician members and their administration. Visit us at IndependentPhysicians.org.
Justin P. Favaro, MD, PhD
Patients with hearing loss?
Physician member, Justin P. Favaro, MD, PhD, with Oncology Specialists of Charlotte was nominated to be one of the “Pink Tie Guys” with Susan G. Komen Charlotte. “Pink Tie Guys” is a group of male community leaders comprising financial and business executives, athletes and physicians, who support the Komen mission to end breast cancer.
Help them hear clearly again with a referral to CEENTA. ceenta.com | 704.295.3000
Oncology Specialists of Charlotte (OSC) welcomes nurse practitioner, Natalie O’Kelly, FNP-C, to their team of clinicians. O’Kelly originated from South Carolina, where she earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and then a master’s degree in nursing from Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Prior to joining OSC, O’Kelly worked as an operating room nurse in the trauma center at Palmetto Health Richland Natalie O’Kelly, FNP-C Hospital in Columbia, S.C. She has experience in trauma, cardiac, ear nose and throat, pediatrics, plastics, neurosurgery and robotic surgery.
Advertising Acknowledgements The following patrons made Mecklenburg Medicine possible.
Carolina Asthma and Allergy Center...................................4 Carolinas HealthCare System.............................................15 Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates...................13 Charlotte Radiology...............................................................4 Flagship Healthcare Properties.............................................7 LabCorp................................................................ Back Cover Novant Health.........................................................................2
Charlotte AHEC Course Offerings Charlotte AHEC is part of the N.C. Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program and Carolinas Health Care System.
FEBRUARY 2017
Continuing Medical Education (CME)
2/10 2/18 Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Online Online Online Online Online Online Online Online
Utilization of Ultrasound in OB/GYN 2017 Carolinas Trauma Related Issues and Critical Knowledge (TRICKS) of Fracture Management Communication in Health Care: 4 hr, Basic Communication Course Communication in Health Care: Train the Trainer Course University of Colorado: Excellence in Communication Protecting Your Patients From Air Pollution DOT Medical Examiners Course Risk Management: Patient Identification Social Media: Risks and Benefits for Physicians Prevention and Management of Concussion/Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Motor Vehicle Crash Victims MTAC Trauma Modules Get the 4-1-1: Everything Primary Care Providers Should Know About Parent Training in Behavior Therapy While Working With Families With Young Children With ADHD
For more information or to register, call 704-512-6523 or visit www.charlotteahec.org.
Mecklenburg Medicine • February 2017 | 13
Feature
Fighting For Women With Fashion 2016 By Mary T. Crowder, MD, Planning Committee Co-Chair
The Women Physicians Section of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society, in conjunction with the Charlotte Women Attorneys, held the sixth annual Fighting for Women With Fashion event on October 4, at the Design Center Atrium in SouthEnd. Proceeds from the event, more than $45,900, will benefit victims of domestic violence in Mecklenburg and surrounding counties through our support of the Mary T. Crowder, MD Safe Alliance Clyde and Ethel Dickson Domestic Violence Shelter. In the past six years, our collaborative efforts have raised more than $250,000 for this worthy cause. What started in the fall of 2011 as a “girl’s night out” event for the members of our respective associations has evolved into an evening of fashion and fun for the entire community, male and female alike. More than 360 guests attended this year’s event and enjoyed delicious food by Best Impressions, wine from Common Market and beer from local breweries Triple C and Birdsong. WBTV news anchor Maureen O’Boyle emceed the event and introduced this year’s models. Those members of the medical profession and the MCMS who modeled for us this year included Kara Criswell, MD, Jessica Deane-Wyman, MD, Lisa Rentz, MD, James Appel, MD, Josh Counihan, MD, Brian Criswell, MD, and Taylor Stone, MD. These physicians, along with their attorney counterparts, modeled fashions provided by Dillard’s and presented looks in casual, business and evening attire for the fall. Kendra Scott supplied jewelry accents, as well as an item for the raffle. As the medical chair for our event this year, a tremendous “thank you” to my co-chairs on the legal side, Kaylan Gaudio-Buckingham, Esq., and Ashley Bonomini, Esq., and all the committee members and volunteers for their hard work and support in planning and carrying out this year’s event. Specifically, I would like to thank my fellow physicians on this year’s planning committee who worked to make this event possible: Maureen Beurskens, MD, Amy Fletcher, MD, Kathleen Hickey, MD, Kathleen Reardon, MD, and Nancy Teaff, MD. We will be meeting soon to plan Fighting for Women With Fashion 2017 and encourage anyone interested to join our planning committee, become a sponsor, or sign up to model. At least, plan to join us in October 2017 for a night of fun and fashion for this most worthy cause!
We would like to wholeheartedly thank our 2016 Sponsors! Satin Level: Carolinas HealthCare System; Moore & Van Allen; PLLC, Novant Health; Reproductive Endocrinology Associates of Charlotte (REACH); and RM Machinery, Inc. Linen Level: Arthritis and Osteoporosis Consultants of the Carolinas; CHS Charlotte OB/GYN Associates; Charlotte Radiology Vein & Vascular and Breast Centers; Charlotte Skin & Laser by Elizabeth Rostan, MD; Charlotte Women Attorneys, CHS Eastover OG/GYN Associates; Dixon Hughes Goodman Wealth Advisors, LLC; Horack, Talley, Pharr & Lowndes, PA; Novant Health Maternal-Fetal Medicine; McGuire Woods McIlween Family Law; Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, PA; Sodoma Law; and Southeast Anesthesiology Consultants. Denim Level: Carolina HealthSpan Institute; Criswell & Criswell Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery; Gardner Skelton, PLLC; Investor Advisory Group LLC; Jas-Am Group; Knox, Brotherton, Knox & Godfrey; Novant Health Mintview OB/GYN; Orsbon & Fenninger, LLP; Parton Buckingham, PLLC; Pease Law PLLC; Piedmont Plastic Surgery and Dermatology; Novant Health Randolph OB/ GYN; Rech Law, PC; Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick; Williams & Fudge, Inc.; CHS Women’s Center for Pelvic Health; and World Class CME. Friends of the Event: Dr. and Mrs. T.H. Crowder, Jr.; Laura Danile, MD; Essex Richards, PA; King Law Offices PLLC; Christopher Larkin; Maeve O’Connor, MD; Patricia P. Parker Fund; Kathleen M. Reardon, MD; Julius Walthall, Sr.; Herb Zebrack; and Goldie Spector.
14 | February 2017 • Mecklenburg Medicine
Carolinas HealthCare
Celebrating 31 years and over 600 heart transplants
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More than 175 providers and 20 care locations across the Carolinas Mecklenburg Medicine • February 2017 | 15
Mecklenburg County Medical Society
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID CHARLOTTE, N.C. PERMIT NO. 1494
1112 Harding Place, #200 Charlotte, NC 28204 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED MCMS Mission: To unite, serve and represent our members as advocates for our patients, for the health of the community and for the profession of medicine. Founders of: Bioethics Resource Group, Ltd., Hospitality House of Charlotte, Teen Health Connection, N.C. MedAssist, Physicians Reach Out
LabCorp Laboratory Corporation of America
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*Drug Screens only **Blood Draws only
16 | February 2017 • Mecklenburg Medicine
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