Mecklenburg Medicine October 2013 by Mecklenburg Medicine

October 2013 • Vol. 43, No. 9

Mecklenburg Medicine A Publication of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society | www.meckmed.org

Love should make you feel beautiful and smart.

You know the signs.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH Mecklenburg County Medical Society • Mecklenburg Medical Alliance and Endowment Founders of: Bioethics Resource Group, Ltd., Hospitality House of Charlotte, Teen Health Connection, N.C. MedAssist, Physicians Reach Out

A specialty clinic for your high cancer risk patients

If your patient is at risk to develop cancer due to genetics or family history, you know the special attention that’s needed to best manage their care. With experts from oncology, genetics, nutrition and wellness, radiology and research all coming to the table, our physician-led cancer risk clinic is the perfect place for your patients to come with questions and leave with a plan. It’s the same level of care you’d want for your own family, and it’s available right here at Novant Health. Call 704-384-5373 to refer your patient.

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2 | October 2013 • Mecklenburg Medicine

Contents

Features 7 Energy for Life: Local Woman Wins Energy Award 9 Congratulations! These MCMS Members Were

Named “Top Docs” in the July 2013 Issue of Charlotte Magazine

In This Issue -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4

Charlotte AHEC Course Offerings for October

5 5

President’s Letter: A History Lesson – Part 4 President’s Letter: Medical Education

OFFICERS Janice E. Huff, MD President James B. Hall, MD President-Elect Simon V. Ward III, MD Secretary Stephen J. Ezzo, MD Treasurer Maeve E. O’Connor, MD Immediate Past President BOARD MEMBERS Lloyd L. Bridges, MD Raymond E. Brown, PA Jonathan A. Buice, MD Scott L. Furney, MD Harold R. Howe, Jr., MD Scott L. Lindblom, MD John P. McBryde, MD Cheryl L. Walker-McGill, MD Thomas N. Zweng, MD

8 MedLink: Matthews Free Medical Clinic 8 MedLink: Serving the Matthews Area and Beyond 10 Member News 10 Upcoming Meetings & Events 10 NC DPH and UNC Introduces HIV Care Call Line: ONE CALL 11 Free Health Insurance Information for Uninsured Patients 11 In Memoriam 12 At the Hospitals 14 National Health & Wellness Observances for October 14 Advertising Acknowledgement

On The Cover

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. If you or someone you know is being abused, call the Mecklenburg County Domestic Violence Crisis Hotline at 704-332-2513.

Safe Alliance (www.safealliance.org) Clyde and Ethel Dickson Domestic Violence Shelter administrative line is 704-944-0169. It’s time to say eNOugh.

Mecklenburg County Medical Society

October 2013 Vol. 43 No. 9

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, call Mark Ethridge at 704-344-1980. 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.

EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS Gretchen Allen President, Mecklenburg Medical Alliance & Endowment Keia V. R. Hewitt, MD President, Charlotte Medical Society Docia E. Hickey, MD NCMS Speaker of the House Stephen R. Keener, MD, MPH Medical Director, Mecklenburg County Health Department Darlyne Menscer, MD NCMS Delegate to the AMA Douglas R. Swanson, MD, FACEP Medical Director, Mecklenburg EMS Agency EXECUTIVE STAFF Sandi D. Buchanan Executive Director Trisha G. Herndon Director, Meetings & Special Events Stephanie D. Smith Executive Assistant MECKLENBURG MEDICINE STAFF Editor Mark E. Romanoff, MD Managing Editor Sandi D. Buchanan Copy Editor Lee McCracken Advertising Mark Ethridge 704-344-1980 Editorial Board N. Neil Howell, MD Janice E. Huff, MD Jessica Schorr Saxe, MD Graphic Design — Wade Baker

Mecklenburg Medicine • October 2013 | 3

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At Charlotte Radiology, we don’t do anything halfway. All of our breast imaging radiologists are board-certified and sub-specialized in mammography. In fact, our entire breast center staff is dedicated to mammography, reading more than 100,000 mammograms each year. For us, it’s all about the breast, and studies show that practice really does make perfect: Radiologists with our experience are able to detect subtle irregularities that others may miss. And with a disease like breast cancer, where early detection saves lives, there’s comfort in knowing your doctors are actually experts. 1 in 8 women is affected by breast cancer. Schedule your mammogram today.

Charlotte AHEC Course Offerings Charlotte AHEC is part of the N.C. Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program and Carolinas HealthCare System.

OCTOBER 2013 Continuing Medical Education (CME) 10/7–10/9 New! Measuring Healthcare Improvement & 10/23 (3 Part Workshop & Webinar with Data Lab) 10/11–10/12 AAFP Post-Graduate Symposium 10/18 8th Annual Regional Neonatology Symposium: Enhancing the Management of the High-Risk Neonate 10/18–10/19 25th Annual Fall Foliage Cancer Conference 10/23–10/27 IR Updates for 2013 Behavioral Health Education 10/18 Traumatic Brain Injury 2013: The Myth of Mild Brain Injury

Schedule your mammogram online or call 704.367.2232

4 | October 2013 • Mecklenburg Medicine

Nursing Education 10/19 6th Annual Cardiology Update For more information or to register for these courses, call 704-512-6523 or visit www.charlotteahec.org.

President’s Letter

A History Lesson – Part 4 Medical Education

By Janice E. Huff, MD, President

ur journey continues. In previous letters, I looked at the growth of medicine as a whole in Charlotte, as well as the growth of the hospital systems. This article will give a brief history of medical education in the Queen City. With only a brief interruption, students and physicians have been training in Charlotte for 130 years. I will begin with Carolinas Medical Center, the one teaching institution that a great many of us have interacted with, as residents or as faculty members. Remember that St. Peter’s Hospital was succeeded by a new facility in Dilworth called Charlotte Memorial Hospital (CMH) in 1940. At that time, Paul Sanger, MD, had organized the 38th Evacuation Hospital for WWII — the first such unit not associated with a medical school. While this unit distinguished itself in Europe, at home, CMH struggled with governance and financial problems. Hospital board member Rush S. Dickson solicited financial support and lobbied government officials for reimbursement for emergency and indigent patients, while starting a campaign to strengthen the hospital’s commitment to education. Dickson and Judge Fred Helms helped organize the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority in 1943 to prevent political influence in hospital operations and provide a better framework to treat patients who could not afford to pay. Charlotte Memorial Hospital opened in 1940 with eight residents and two attending physicians. Through the 1940s and 1950s there was very little money for education, and the quality of the residents and teaching was variable. In the mid-1950s, a Professional Education Committee was established to improve the program. By January 1955, CMH had 21 applications — but all had CMH as their second choice. The only thing

that kept the education program going was “the Montreal Connection” through James Alexander, MD, and the McGill University School of Medicine. Montreal General Hospital agreed to rotate six interns through CMH every 60 days and pay their travel expenses. The first class started in 1956 and continued through 1960. But CMH’s training program began faltering again, and by 1961, there were only two interns and the Liaison Committee for Graduate Medical Education had rescinded its accreditation. Bryant Galusha, MD, a local pediatrician, was hired in September 1962 to head the education program. The Duke Endowment gave $250,000 over five years to pay Dr. Galusha ($22,000/year), a secretary and the residents. Dr. Galusha went to Chicago and received a one-year grace period for accreditation. He recruited 10 interns to start in June 1963 — all in the top half of their class. In 1966, the Duke Endowment gave another $450,000 over five years, and Marvin McCall, MD, was hired as the first full-time faculty member in internal medicine. J.C. Parke, Jr., MD, was hired the next year in the department of pediatrics. By 1969, there were 14 interns and 40 residents — in orthopedic and thoracic/CV surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, general practice, pediatrics and pathology — the largest number of any community hospital not affiliated with a medical school east of the Mississippi River. In July 1972, CMH became one of nine Area Health Education Centers (AHEC). Dr. Galusha was appointed AHEC Director, as well as Director of Medical Education. The full-time faculty expanded in pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology and internal medicine; family medicine was added in 1973. Ophelia Garmon-Brown, MD, past president of the Mecklenburg County Medical Society, was the first female African-American resident at Charlotte Memorial Hospital, matching in family

medicine in 1980. When Dr. Galusha left in 1984 to become the executive vice president of the Federation of State Medical Boards, there were 108 residents in 10 specialties, a full-time faculty of 35 doctors and 250 volunteer teaching private physicians. The medical school in Charlotte has been in the news the past few years, but it actually is our second medical school. The North Carolina Medical College, the first chartered medical school in the state, operated from 1883 to 1913 and graduated 340 doctors of medicine. It was started when the women of the First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte outfitted an infirmary for the students at Davidson College and hired Paul Barringer, MD, as the college physician and manager. In his spare time, he taught anatomy and physiology and started precepting interested students. In 1907, the medical college moved to Charlotte at Church and Sixth streets. In the late 1800s, the requirements for entering medical school were a high school diploma and a letter of character reference. In 1909, the Carnegie Foundation, under the direction of Abraham Flexner, investigated all the medical schools in the country. Our medical college received a class “C” rating with the recommendation of school closure. The requirements for a class “A” rating were a large, endowed hospital under college control, at least two years of college work prior to entering medical school and a full-time teaching faculty. Some felt Flexner had visited during a vacation time, when all the facilities were locked. The Forsythe Medical Society, however, accepted the Flexner report and proposed to the State Board of Medical Examiners that graduates of the North Carolina Medical College not be admitted for the state-wide exam. Officials at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill refused to have any part of the University of North Carolina outside of Chapel Hill, and the student body was

Mecklenburg Medicine • October 2013 | 5

transferred to the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. In 1966, UNC-Chapel Hill designated CMH as a teaching hospital for students in internal medicine. In 1990, Carolinas Medical Center was designated an Academic Medical Center Teaching Hospital and was the only teaching hospital in the state not based at a university. Another educational milestone was achieved in October 2010 when CMC-Main formally was designated as the Charlotte campus of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

Johnny on the Spot — A Leader in Preparedness In 1997, various Charlotte-Mecklenburg agencies founded ALERT (Advanced Local Emergency Response Team). The team, comprised of law enforcement, fire and emergency medical personnel, holds regularly scheduled training. After 9/11, with threats of biochemical agents, SARS and bird flu pandemics, it became apparent that preparedness needed to go beyond transport of casualties to existing facilities. Thus, the Carolinas MED-1 Project was initiated in 2003. The idea was to have a mobile hospital capable of providing medical care when hospital resources were not available due to proximity, damage, quarantine or surge capacity. The project was supported by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security; the mobile unit was completed in April 2004. It was the first of its kind in this country, and has been demonstrated at numerous medical and disaster response conferences. Carolinas MED-1 officially was called to action in

the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, where over a seven-week period while located in Bay St. Louis, Miss., the staff cared for more than 7,500 patients and performed 15 onsite surgeries. The 250-year history of medicine in Mecklenburg County has been colorful at times and always fascinating. What has remained consistent is the impetus to place the patient as the primary focus, provide the best care possible and ensure the next generation of physicians are trained not just to carry our lessons forward, but to improve upon them. With eight hospitals, 2,924 physicians, 471 physician assistants and 267 residents and fellows, we stand at the forefront of medicine in North Carolina. References: “The Black Physician in Charlotte, North Carolina (A Historical Review)” by Emery L. Rann, MD “History of Medicine in Mecklenburg County” by Lawrence K. Boggs, MD, 1978 “A History of Medicine and the Medical Society in Mecklenburg County in the Early 20th Century” by Wilson K. Wallace, May 1966 “A History of Medicine in Charlotte-Mecklenburg” from the MCMS Bulletin, January 1993 “History of Mecklenburg County Medicine” by Charles M. Strong, MD, February 1929 “A Great, Public Compassion: The Story of Charlotte Memorial Hospital and Carolinas Medical Center” by Jerry Shinn, 2002

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Feature

ENERGY FOR LIFE

Local Woman Wins Energy Award By Alison Cooley, National Staff, United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation

nergy is something we all have, because the mitochondria in our bodies produce it. In fact, mitochondria are responsible for creating more than 90 percent of the energy needed to sustain life and support growth. So, what would happen if our mitochondria were not working properly? Our bodies might act like Finn Schulz’s has. Finn of Matthews, is only 4-1/2 years old, yet he has suffered from feeding issues, reflux, seizures, poor muscle tone and immune issues. His parents, Jennifer and Andrew Schulz, searched for answers for years before he was diagnosed with a form of mitochondrial disease known as pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency. Most people have never heard of mitochondrial Every 30 minutes a child disease, yet every 30 minutes a child is born is born who will develop who will develop a a mitochondrial disease mitochondrial disease by age 10. Research also by age 10. Research also indicates that one in 200 indicates that one in 200 people harbor a genetic people harbor a genetic mutation that can lead to mitochondrial disease in mutation that can lead to them or their offspring. mitochondrial disease in Mitochondrial diseases result from the failure of them or their offspring. the mitochondria, which are located in the cells of our bodies. When mitochondria fail, less energy is produced, causing cell injury or cell death. On a larger scale, organ systems begin to fail. The disease is often debilitating, and in some cases, may result in death. Jennifer Schulz wanted to find a way to help others find a diagnosis for their children sooner than she had. She became involved with the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (UMDF), a nonprofit organization, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., that helps families affected by mitochondrial disease and is the leading non-governmental contributor of grants focused solely on mitochondrial disease. It wasn’t long before she began to spread awareness about mitochondrial disease. Since 2009, Schulz has been a driving force for mitochondrial disease awareness in Charlotte. She has planned patient and family meetings, which offer support to those affected by this disease. She was instrumental in bringing two meetings to educate health care professionals about mitochondrial disease to Charlotte, as well as a regional symposium for patients and families. In addition, she has served as co-chair for the Energy for Life Walkathon in Charlotte for the past three years.

It is no wonder Schulz was recognized as the inaugural Energy Award recipient on June 14 at the UMDF annual symposium in Newport Beach, Calif. The Energy Award was created to recognize an individual who embodies the spirit of the UMDF and its Mission — promoting research and education for the diagnosis, treatment and cure of mitochondrial disorders, and providing support to affected individuals and families.

Finn Schulz

Each year, the UMDF holds a symposium where researchers and clinicians from all over the world, representing many scientific and medical disciplines, attend research and clinical sessions. At the same time, patients and families attend family sessions and meet some of the top clinical mitochondrial specialists. There is no cure for mitochondrial disease, but you can help. Attend the Energy for Life Walkathon on Saturday, Oct. 12 at Freedom Park. For details, go to www.energyforlifewalk. org/charlotte. For every dollar donated to the UMDF over the last five years, $.79 was allocated to research, education and awareness, $.15 was allocated to fundraising and $.06 was allocated to administrative expenses. For more information about mitochondrial disease or the UMDF, visit www.umdf.org.

Mecklenburg Medicine • October 2013 | 7

MedLink

Matthews Free Medical Clinic Serving the Matthews Area and Beyond By Amy Carr, Executive Director

he Matthews Free Medical Clinic was established when Matthews United Methodist Church’s parish nurse, Gail Dokes, and Lou Ann McAdams, MD, partnered with other volunteers to pursue their dream of starting a free health clinic. At the time, preliminary studies determined there were more than 24,000 uninsured individuals who were in desperate need of medical care in the Matthews area. In February 2004, the dream became a reality. Under the direction of Dr. McAdams, medical director, and Gail Dokes, RN, executive director, the clinic opened its doors and started treating patients one evening a week. As the need in the community grew, so did the Matthews Free Medical Clinic. To meet the demand, the clinic staff expanded hours to five days a week, and because of generous volunteer providers, was able to increase the types of services offered. For the past nine years, the Matthews Free Medical Clinic has provided free quality health care to people Because of generous living in Mecklenburg supporters and volunteers, and Union counties, and continues to add the Matthews Free Medical office Clinic served more than 700 providers, volunteers and medical patients, resulting in nearly services. In addition to primary care, the clinic 3,000 patient visits in 2012. is able to offer chronic disease care programs, gynecological care, psychiatry, orthopedic care, physical therapy, chiropractic services, education, nutrition counseling and pharmacy services. In 2009, the clinic staff and board started looking for a new space to accommodate the growth of clinic staff, providers, services and patients. At the time, the clinic was run out of a 1,400-square-foot house and had only one exam room. Earlier this year, the clinic relocated to a much larger building and has five exam rooms. The Matthews Free Medical Clinic is not a walk-in clinic. To become an established patient, a person or family must be at 200 percent or below the federal poverty level guidelines, be uninsured, live in one of the service counties for at least three months and attend a new patient screening. The clinic does not receive reimbursement from private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, or federal or local government funding. The Matthews Free Medical Clinic is funded through grants and private donors. For years, the Annual Golf Tournament was the clinic’s only fundraiser. Each year the tournament was more successful, but it just wasn’t enough to accommodate the demand. In 2009, the clinic began hosting the Hearts & Hands Together benefit. The fifth

8 | October 2013 • Mecklenburg Medicine

Dr. Lou Ann McAdams, Medical Director, and Amy Carr, Executive Director, at the 2012 Golf Tournament

annual Hearts & Hands Together will be held November 8 at Maggiano’s Little Italy in SouthPark. Every year, the event has a silent and live auction with host Larry Sprinkle, NBC Charlotte. Funds from Hearts & Hands Together are raised through the auctions and a variety of sponsorship opportunities. Because of generous supporters and volunteers, the Matthews Free Medical Clinic served more than 700 patients, resulting in nearly 3,000 patient visits in 2012. Sadly, this represents a small fraction of those in need of health care in our community. Each week, the staff receives more than 100 inquiries from people looking to become new patients. More of our neighbors are facing difficult choices, denying themselves of much-needed medical care to meet basic necessities such as food, rent and utilities. As the number of uninsured continues to rise, the Matthews Free Medical Clinic will be the answer for many. The clinic is committed to providing quality healthcare to lowincome, uninsured patients in Matthews and surrounding areas, for many years to come.

Feature

Congratulations! The following MCMS members were named “Top Docs” in the July 2013 issue of Charlotte Magazine. Allergy & Immunology J. Gray Norris, MD Maeve E. O’Connor, MD*

Neurological Surgery Tim E. Adamson, MD E. Hunter Dyer, MD

Cardiology John E. Alexander, MD John A. Pasquini, MD Eric R. Skipper, MD (Cardiovascular Surgery)

Obstetrics and Gynecology Amy D. Fletcher, MD Leslie M. Hansen Lindner, MD J. Bruce Taylor, MD M. Kathryn Whitten-Bohmer, MD

Colon & Rectal Surgery Brian L. Jerby, MD Douglas M. Rosen, MD Dermatology Patricia K. Roddey, MD Emergency Medicine John P. McBryde, MD* W. Matthew Zban, MD Endocrinology Douglas B. Robinson, MD Family Medicine Darlyne Menscer, MD* Barbara E. Meyer, MD Lillian M. Teigland, MD Gastroenterology John S. Hanson, MD Hematology James F. Boyd, MD Geoffrey S. Chapman, MD David W. Miller, MD Infectious Disease David C. Tanner, MD Internal Medicine Jimmie W. Adcock, MD Scott L. Furney, MD* Charles B. Rich, MD Edwin H. Shoaf, MD Maternal-Fetal Medicine John R. Allbert, MD Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine J. Larry Brady, Jr., MD Nephrology George M. Hart, MD

Occupational Medicine Lawrence W. Raymond, MD Oncology James F. Boyd, MD Justin P. Favaro, MD James B. Hall, MD (Gynecologic Oncology)* Robert V. Higgins, MD (Gynecologic Oncology) Peter S. Turk, MD (Surgery) Richard L. White, Jr., MD (Surgery) Ophthalmology Timothy G. Saunders, MD David N. Ugland, MD Fredrick H. D. Weidman, MD Orthopedics/Orthopedic Surgery Robert B. Anderson, MD Donald F. D’Alessandro, MD Jerry L. Barron, MD R. Glenn Gaston, MD (Hand Surgery) David R. Mauerhan, MD Thomas H. McCoy, MD Lois K. Osier, MD (Hand Surgery) Otolaryngology John R. Blumer, MD Hunter A. Hoover, MD Pathology Arthur R. Cohen, MD Kemery L. Gilbert, MD B. Vittal Shenoy, MD Pediatrics Marty A. Baker, MD Hugh R. Black II, MD (Pulmonology) Virginia F. Casey, MD (Orthopedic Surgery) Timothy J. Eichenbrenner, MD Glenn C. Holladay, MD

C. Scott McLanahan, MD (Neurosurgery) Marc A. Mancuso, MD (Radiology) Duncan Morton, Jr., MD (General Surgery) Mark W. Parker, MD (Endocrinology) Rhonda P. Patt, MD Benjamin B. Peeler, MD (Cardiothoracic Surgery) Luis M. Perez, MD (Urology) Susan C. Shaffner, MD Paul M. Smolen, MD Arthur B. Spell, MD Plastic Surgery David C. Matthews, MD Psychiatry John E. Humphrey, Jr., MD Pulmonary Medicine Stuart J. Garner, MD Scott L. Lindblom, MD* Radiation Oncology Robert W. Fraser III, MD William B. Warlick, Jr., MD Radiology M. Alan Burns, MD W. Stuart Hartley, MD John D. Howard, MD Robert L. Mittl, Jr., MD James H. Oliver III, MD Rheumatology Andrew J. Laster, MD Sleep Medicine Carolyn E. Hart, MD Surgery – General Wyatt C. Fowler, MD Peter S. Turk, MD Leslie T. Webster III, MD Transplant Surgery Daniel H. Hayes, MD Urology Jacques P. Ganem, MD Daniel L. Watson, MD (Surgery) *Member, 2013 MCMS Board of Directors

Mecklenburg Medicine • October 2013 | 9

Member News

Affordable pricing for your patients at all income levels Charlotte Speech and Hearing Center is the only hearing center in this area that provides discounts based on income levels. It is our mission to provide affordable high quality hearing healthcare for those in need. We have been serving the Charlotte area since 1967 and offer:

• Full diagnostic evaluations for • children and adults • Advanced Hearing Aid Technology • including Completely in the Canal Aids • Free Hearing Screenings (must be 12 months or older)

Upcoming Meetings & Events Meetings are at the MCMS office unless otherwise noted.

October

Note: No MCMS Board meeting. No magazine deadline. n

• Nancy J. McKeown, Au.D., Board Certified in Audiology 741 Kenilworth Avenue, Suite 100, Charlotte NC 28204

704.523.8027 - Ext. 10

www.charlottespeechhearing.com

Congratulations TO MCMS BOARD MEMBERS

Lloyd L. Bridges, MD Maeve E. O’Connor, MD Simon V. Ward III, MD ACCEPTED TO THE NORTH CAROLINA MEDICAL SOCIETY LEADERSHIP COLLEGE FOR 2014

Tuesday, Oct. 1 Charlotte Dental Society Board meeting. 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1 Fighting for Women with Fashion Event to benefit the Clyde and Ethel Dickson Domestic Violence Shelter. Foundation for the Carolinas. 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8 MedLink meeting. 8:30 a.m. Friday-Saturday, Oct. 11-12 American Academy of Family Physicians Post-Graduate Symposium. Marriott SouthPark. Wednesday, Oct. 16 MMAE Board meeting. 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 17 Charlotte Area Medical Group Managers meeting. Myers Park Baptist Church Cornwell Center. Noon. Monday, Oct. 21 MCMS Executive Committee meeting. 5:45 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Oct. 25-26 North Carolina Medical Society Annual Meeting. Raleigh.

NC DPH and UNC Introduces HIV Care Call Line: ONE CALL

The North Carolina Department of Public Health has teamed up with the University of North Carolina to introduce a new HIV care call center, ONE CALL. ONE CALL is a toll-free, confidential call center that can be accessed from anywhere in North Carolina. Callers can speak directly to a nurse about HIV care information. The ONE CALL phone line will provide: • A central referral ONE CALL and it’s DONE source connecting HIV-infected individuals and providers to HIV clinical care and other related services throughout the state; • Nurses trained in HIV counseling, who can assist callers in locating an HIV care provider and scheduling appointments; • An up-to-date, comprehensive resource guide of HIV provider locations and available support services in the caller’s local area. For more information about ONE CALL, e-mail NCONE.CALL@ gmail.com or call ONE CALL toll-free at 866-883-1836.

10 | October 2013 • Mecklenburg Medicine

Member News

Your Uninsured Patients Can Find Insurance Information Charlotte-Area Residents Can Receive Free, Objective Health Insurance Advice from NC MedAssist and Legal Services of the Southern Piedmont

eginning this month, many uninsured area residents will have access to affordable coverage through the new health insurance marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. To assist with enrollment, on August 15 the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced funding to four North Carolina agencies through the Navigator funding opportunity. NC MedAssist and Legal Services of the Southern Piedmont were grant recipients as part of the 10-agency consortium, NC Community Care Network. They also will provide additional assistance to consumers who are disabled, do not speak English or are unfamiliar with health insurance. Open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act begins October 1 and will run through March 31, 2014. Legal Services of the Southern Piedmont and NC MedAssist will be coordinating the recruitment of volunteers. Volunteers are needed to expand enrollment assistance to the estimated 80,000 uninsured residents in Mecklenburg County who could qualify for premium subsidy assistance. More information on how your patients can access this service will be available in the next issue of Mecklenburg Medicine.

About NC MedAssist: NC MedAssist is a statewide nonprofit pharmacy that helps lowincome, uninsured North Carolinians get their needed prescription medication free of charge. They also offer services to seniors including medication management consultation and the Medicare Part D plan consultation and enrollment. Since expanding statewide in 2009, NC MedAssist has served more than 30,000 North Carolinians. Last year, NC MedAssist dispensed 174,000 prescriptions valued at more than $21 million. For more information, visit www.medassist.org. About Legal Services of Southern Piedmont: Legal Services of Southern Piedmont’s mission is to ensure a full measure of justice for those in need, providing a wide range of civil legal assistance to eligible low-income persons in the Charlotte metropolitan area and west-central North Carolina. LSSP accomplishes its mission through a variety of legal advocacy strategies including individual advice and representation, community education and outreach, representation of groups, self-help remedies, collaboration with other agencies, community economic development, legislative and administrative advocacy, and impact litigation. For more information, visit www.lssp.org.

In Memoriam JOHN L. RANSON, JR., MD No young physician working today knows how hard the Faison, Ranson and Rich group worked all the time. In addition to having an active office practice, they usually had 80-90 inpatients at all times at Mercy Hospital. They literally were the group that kept Mercy in business and their referrals to other specialties kept other groups busy. Doctors in outlying towns sent their patients to Charlotte so the family and the doctor could say they had done everything possible for their relative, and if they were too sick to live, the referring doctor was not to be blamed. John is one of the last of the World War 11 group. His intellect and disposition is worthy of being emulated. — Tom Dulin, MD John was a tough guy. One day, I was out at Charlotte Country Club on a frosty morning, the temperature was about 35 degrees, and who was out there all alone on the practice range but Dr. John Ranson, age 90, determined to improve his game. — Bill Mullis, MD During my summers in college at Duke, I worked as an orderly at old Mercy Hospital, along with Brunson Salley and Dick Hamer. I became friends with Dr. Elias Faison because of my love of good food and even better French wine, which he shared with his wife, who, I believe, was European. When John Ranson joined his practice I remember well their including me on morning rounds, patiently explaining the patient’s problems, their approach to them, and answering my questions. Years later, when I returned to Charlotte and established my own practice, John was one of the first to welcome me home and offer his support in whatever way possible. I still have and cherish the book he gave me. He truly exemplified the “True Physician” as described by Sir William Osler, a great teacher himself. John blew many a “Shimmering Bubble.” I used some of his characteristics in my novel of the same name. — Bill Wortman, MD

Mecklenburg Medicine • October 2013 | 11

At the Hospitals

Novant Health’s Medical Group Completes Electronic Health Record Rollout Three Years Ahead of Schedule Novant Health’s medical group completed its electronic health record (EHR) rollout this summer — three years ahead of schedule and under budget. As of mid-August, the System had 343 clinics and 1,441 providers live on its electronic practice management system, and 316 clinics and 1,205 providers using its EHR. “Our rollout was an integrated methodical process, and the results show,” says R. Henry Capps, Jr., MD, co-chief medical information officer for the medical group. “In two years, we brought more than 240 clinics onto an EHR for the first time, converted 40 different EHRs our clinics were already using, and consolidated more than 100 billing offices into one. This is a huge win for our organization, and most importantly for our patients.” With the medical group up and running, Novant Health’s acute-care facilities begin implementing the EHR this month at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center. Once the acute care rollout, scheduled for four years, is complete, Novant Health patients truly will have a single patient record. “One patient, one record, is our ultimate goal,” says Keith Griffin, MD, co-chief medical information officer. “Novant Health is committed to making health care easier, simpler, and more affordable, and our electronic health record is helping us deliver on this promise.” n

Novant Health Charlotte-Area Medical Centers Receive Cycle IV Chest Pain Accreditation Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center and Novant Health Matthews Medical Center recently obtained Cycle IV Chest Pain Accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers. This distinction is awarded to facilities that meet a list of stringent criteria aimed at: n

• Reducing the time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis and treatment; • Treating patients quickly during the critical window of time when the integrity of the heart muscle can be preserved; • Monitoring patients to ensure they are not sent home too quickly or needlessly admitted. Medical centers that receive Cycle IV Chest Pain Accreditation have achieved a higher level of expertise in dealing with patients who present with symptoms of a heart attack. In addition, the centers emphasize the importance of standardized diagnostic and treatment programs that provide more efficient and effective evaluation, as well as more appropriate and rapid treatment of patients with chest pain and other heart attack symptoms. Achievement of this accreditation by the three Charlottearea medical centers acknowledges the continued success of Novant Health in standardizing evidence-based care across our system — an important element in achieving and sustaining our goal of providing remarkable patient care. Novant Health Partners with Charlotte Soccer Academy Novant Health has partnered with Charlotte Soccer Academy (CSA) to provide advanced medical care during CSA tournaments. Novant Health Sports Medicine certified athletic trainers provide onsite care for injuries and illnesses at these events. Tournaments include the club’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Charlotte Invitational and Adidas Cup soccer tournaments, as well as golf tournaments that serve as fundraisers for the club. Additionally, Novant Health Sports Medicine offers first-aid and CPR training to all CSA coaches, as well as ImPACT™ concussion testing and 24-hour support for health-related concerns to CSA athletes. “Partnering with Charlotte Soccer Academy provides us the opportunity to live our mission of improving the health of our community, one person at a time,” says Andrew Mueller, MD, senior vice president of physician services. n

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“We already serve many of the club’s families at our hospitals and clinics. This relationship is a natural extension of that care to ensure the athletes have the care they need, both on and off the field.” “CSA is extremely excited about our new partnership with Novant Health,” says John Koslick, president of CSA. “This partnership will provide CSA families with an invaluable resource that will continue to grow over time. We appreciate their commitment to soccer, our players and their families, and the medical expertise and support they will be providing. I personally cannot imagine a better partner for CSA, given the high level of professionalism and expertise Novant Health brings to the table. Their philosophy and approach to managing the health and well-being of players is consistent with that of CSA and represents a perfect fit for our club.” “The services Novant Health will provide our membership, such as medical support for our events, first-aid qualifications and concussion baseline testing for each of our members, is truly appreciated,” says Brad Wylde, executive director of CSA. “We are extremely privileged to have the opportunity to work with a first-class organization like Novant Health!” The partnership formally launched in August at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Charlotte Invitational, one of the region’s premier preseason soccer tournaments. Novant Health Breast Center Introduces Breast Tomosynthesis Novant Health Breast Center now offers breast tomosynthesis for patients. This three-dimensional mammogram improves cancer screening and detection, reduces false positives, provides better views and lessens the need for additional exams and procedures. This tool is especially recommended for younger women and women with dense breasts. Breast tomosynthesis is available at Novant Health Breast Center’s Presbyterian Medical Tower location. To schedule an appointment, call 704-3847226 and request breast tomosynthesis for your patient. n

Carolinas HealthCare System Launches Center for Advanced Practice Carolinas HealthCare System has taken a leading role in confronting the challenge of the growing demand for advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs). It has initiated one of the nation’s first comprehensive centers for advanced care practitioners to better meet the needs of patients and providers in today’s ever-changing healthcare environment. The Center for Advanced practice will help build a pipeline of medical talent through training and fellowship opportunities for physician assistants and nurse practitioners. It also will focus on core services, such as education, mentoring, recruitment, employee satisfaction and professional development for existing advanced care practitioners. The new center offers a graduate acute care nurse practitioner program in partnership with UNC-Charlotte and a paid, post-graduate fellowship program for nurse practitioners and physician assistants. n

Reproductive Medicine and Infertility Center to Open This month, a new, top-of-the-line reproductive medicine and infertility center will open at Carolinas HealthCare System’s CMC Women’s Institute. The reproductive medicine and infertility team at Carolinas Medical Center is comprised of Michelle Matthews, MD; Rebecca Usadi, MD; Bradley Hurst, MD; and Paul Marshburn, MD. The center will have an expanded space with more capabilities than before. Before the space was created, an environmental consultant was hired to make sure all materials used in the construction would have the least amount of toxic materials. The air filtration system in the new facility is extremely complex. All air that enters the lab must be extremely pure and free of all organic solvents to encourage optimal embryo development. The new center currently is the only reproductive center in Charlotte to be staffed completely by board-certified reproductive n

endocrinologists, all of whom are recognized academic and research leaders. Each has a different sub-specialty, allowing comprehensive services for a broad range of patients. The center will be the only regional provider of advanced reproductive preservation for cancer patients. Carolinas Trauma Network and Carolinas Concussion Network Expand Concussion Guidelines to Regional Communities Carolinas HealthCare System is implementing evidence-based guidelines for preventing and treating concussions at care locations throughout the System, as part of Carolinas Trauma Network (CTN) and Carolinas Concussion Network (CCN). Over the past year, physician leaders collaborated to develop guidelines that advance the level of care available in the Carolinas, resulting in a standardized approach to managing concussions so patients have access to high-quality care, wherever they live. To date, the guidelines have expanded into seven local and regional facilities, including Cleveland Regional Medical Center, Kings Mountain Hospital, AnMed Health, Carolinas Medical Center, CMCLincoln, CMC-NorthEast and Stanly Regional Medical Center. Currently, Carolinas Medical Center is the region’s only Level 1 Trauma Center, the highest designation given by the American College of Surgeons. AnMed Health is a Level II n

Trauma Center, while CMC-Northeast and Cleveland Regional Medical Center are both Level III Trauma Centers. Carolinas Trauma Network was established in April 2011 to enhance trauma care at every care location across the System and meet the needs of patients who have experienced an injury. In addition to concussion guidelines, CTN has developed guidelines for fragility fractures and poisoning, and plans to develop guidelines for domestic violence in 2013-2014. The clinical integration model for trauma guideline development includes five phases: prevention, pre-acute care, acute care, postacute care and secondary prevention. An important component of the post-acute management of concussions is the education of providers who work with, or care for, athletes about the dangers of head injuries and the recognition of signs of concussion. The System’s sports medicine physicians and licensed athletic trainers have collaborated to develop a comprehensive post-acute care plan for athletes. Carolinas Concussion Network includes a comprehensive team of providers who specialize in the identification, diagnosis and management of concussions for all ages. CCN addresses the needs of patients in their local communities, partnering with local providers who participate in the network to use and continuously improve common tools, resources and approaches to the care of patients who have experienced a concussion.

Carolinas HealthCare System opened a new facility this summer to bring specialized rehabilitative care to the Concord area. Carolinas Rehabilitation-NorthEast is now open and caring for patients. In addition to this new location, Carolinas Rehabilitation operates rehabilitation hospitals in Charlotte and Mount Holly. An additional inpatient location will open on the campus of Carolinas Medical Center-Pineville this fall.

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NATIONAL HEALTH & WELLNESS OBSERVANCES: OCTOBER 2013 Children’s Health Month Domestic Violence Awareness Month Eat Better, Eat Together Month Health Literacy Month Healthy Babies Month Healthy Lung Month National Breast Cancer Awareness Month National Dental Hygiene Month National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month National Liver Awareness Month National Physical Therapy Month National Spina Bifida Month National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month October 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Child Health Day October 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . World Mental Health Day October 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . World Osteoporosis Day October 20–26 . . . . . . . . . . International Infection Prevention Week October 20-26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . National Health Education Week October 20–26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . National Health Care Quality Week October 20–26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . National Respiratory Care Week October 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lung Health Day

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