December 7, 2012
MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA
Vol. 31, No. 17
Inside Crime
Prevention
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The Department of Public Safety offers advice on staying safe when shopping or at home.
Family mediCine reloCates
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The Department of Family Medicine, formerly located on Calhoun Street, has moved to Ellis Oaks Drive on James Island.
Top, artwork from 15-year-old Ayla El-Meerebi, of Hanahan, is available in addition to work from former patient Harper Drolet, bottom left, and 9-year-old Trey Purves, of Mount Pleasant, bottom right.
2 Book donations 5 Meet Jason 7 Giving back
t h e C ata ly s t online http://www. musc.edu/ catalyst
rtwork painted by A 27 patients and friends of the MUSC
Children’s Hospital will be displayed on the front of holiday greeting cards. The cards may be purchased in packs of 16
for $15 through Dec. 31, and all of the proceeds go to programs for the children of MUSC and for research. The annual “Kids Helping Kids” holiday card project raised $55,000 last year.
To purchase holiday cards, go to: • www.musckids. com/holidaycards • Any MUSC gift shop • Open House in West Ashley • Any branch of the S.C. Federal Credit Union • All Wonderworks locations • Charleston Place Gift Shop • Gwynn’s of Mount Pleasant • Southern Belles • University Books on King Street • RSVP Shoppe on Broad Street
2 The CaTalysT, December 7, 2012
President provides ride for Waring Library volunteer Independent Transportation Network (ITN) CharlestonTrident marked its sixth anniversary of providing dignified rides by inviting MUSC President Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., to drive one of ITNCharlestonTrident’s regular riders. Greenberg met Curtis Worthington, M.D., at his residence and provided him with a ride to the Waring Historical Library, where Worthington is a volunteer. Worthington is about to celebrate 30 years as director of the library. His primary role is historian for internal and external events surrounding the Library and MUSC. Worthington graduated from MUSC in 1952. Susan Hoffius, the library curator, has worked with Worthington for nearly eight years and said, “If not for ITNCharlestonTrident, Dr. Worthington would not be able to continue the work he loves. We are fortunate that ITNCharlestonTrident is available to deliver him to us three times a week so that we can benefit from his knowledge and memories.” In addition to helping ITNCharlestonTrident celebrate its sixth anniversary, Greenberg and Worthington participated in the 35,125th ride since ITNCharlestonTrident provided its first ride on Nov. 15, 2006. The program operates for seniors 60 and older and visually impaired adults 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week. Utilizing standard automobiles with volunteers using their own vehicles
Editorial of fice MUSC Office of Public Relations 135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C, Charleston, SC 29425. 843-792-4107 Fax: 843-792-6723 Editor: Kim Draughn catalyst@musc.edu Catalyst staff: Cindy Abole, aboleca@musc.edu Ashley Barker, barkera@musc.edu
Books arrive at MUSC
The Robinovitz family donated 1,000 books to the Children’s Hospital Nov. 15, bringing the family’s donation total to 21,125. From left are: Terri Alexander; Jennifer Robinovitz; Rosemarie Battaglia, R.N., nurse manager of Children’s Service/Ambulatory Care Services; Alec Robinovitz; Margaret Burra; and Amanda Robinovitz. The books will be in waiting rooms throughout the more than 40 children’s clinics in Rutledge Tower.
Dr. Ray Greenberg, left, provides a ride for Dr. Curtis Worthington to the Waring Historical Library. and paid drivers using donated cars, ITNCharlestonTrident’s goal is to permit its member riders to enjoy the freedom and independence that comes from being able to go to any destination for any purpose. All of ITNCharlestonTrident’s drivers, both volunteers and paid, undergo a thorough background and driving record check, and participate in a comprehensive training program before providing their first ride. For information on how to become a member rider or volunteer driver, call 225-2715 or email info@ ITNCharlestonTrident.org. The Catalyst is published once a week. Paid adver tisements, which do not represent an endorsement by MUSC or the State of South Carolina, are handled by Island Publications Inc., Moultrie News, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, S.C., 843-849-1778 or 843-958-7490. E-mail: sales@moultrienews.com.
OSHP provides guidelines for use of space heaters MUSC prohibits portable space heaters within patient sleeping areas and treatment areas, in accordance with Joint Commission Accreditation Standards and the National Fire Protection Association. Portable space-heating devices are permitted to be used in non-sleeping staff and employee areas when the heating elements do not exceed 212 degrees Fahrenheit. All space heaters must adhere to the following guidelines in order to operate within a hospital facility: q UL listed, oil-filled radiator type heaters are the only approved heaters allowed within MUSC facilities. q A minimum of four feet must be maintained around the space heater to prevent combustibles from overheating.
No space heaters are allowed under desks. q The device must be equipped with a tip-over switch that will shut the power off if the heater is accidently turned over. q The heater must be under constant supervision while being operated. q The device must be plugged directly into a wall outlet and must not receive power from an extension cord or surge protector. q All heating devices must be procured through the appropriate hospital channels. No heater purchased outside the facility by an employee may be utilized on campus. For information on the use of space heaters, call Occupational Safety and Health Programs (OSHP) at 792-3604.
The CaTalysT, December 7, 2012 3
Public Safety offers advice on crime prevention By lT. John PliTsCh Public Safety The holiday shopping season is a peak time for burglaries, thefts and muggings. Here are some tips to help prevent you from being the victim of a crime during the holidays:
aT home q Be extra cautious about locking your doors and windows at all times. q Don’t display gifts and other valuables where they can be seen from a window or doorway. q If you go out in the evening, turn on lights and a radio or television so the house looks occupied. q If you go on vacation, get an automatic timer for your lights. Ask a neighbor or trusted friend to watch your house, pick up your mail and newspapers, and park their car in your driveway from time to time. q Beware of package deliveries where couriers have the “wrong” address. Write down the tag numbers of suspicious delivery attempts. q After Christmas, don't advertise your new electronics or other valuables by putting the empty boxes out on the curb for the garbage collectors. Break the boxes down and fold them to where the words are on the inside.
shoPPing q Stay alert to your surroundings and the people around you. Avoid the area if you see people “hanging around” parking garages, parking lots, or outside of stores. Notify the police or security department. q If possible, shop before dark. Coordinate your shopping trips with a friend if you plan to be out late. Never park your car in a dark area, no matter how convenient it is. q Lock your car doors and windows even if you are only gone for a few minutes. q Keep packages and other valuables out of public view, preferably locked in the trunk. q Have your keys in hand when you return to your car. Always check the interior of your car before you unlock the door to get in. q To discourage purse snatchers, don't overburden yourself with packages. q Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Pay for purchases with a check, ATM card or credit card whenever possible. q Be extra careful with purses and wallets. Carry purses under your arm with the strap across your body. Keep wallets in an inside jacket pocket, not a back pant pocket. q Teach your children to go to a store clerk or security
guard and ask for help if they become separated in a store or shopping mall. They should never go into a parking lot alone.
aT work
q Always keep your valuables out of public view, and keep your vehicles secured. q In your work area, keep valuables secured. Lock your office whenever you are not present, even if you only plan to be away for a minute or two. Remember most thefts are “crimes of opportunity,” when individuals see easy targets and are convinced that they can get away with your valuables. For information, visit http://www.musc.edu/ publicsafety/ or call the Department of Public Safety at 792-2261.
Holiday Break The Catalyst will not be published Dec. 28 or Jan. 4 and will resume publication Jan. 11. For information, call Kim Draughn at 7924107 or e-mail catalyst@musc.edu. For advertising information, call Island Publications at 849-1778 or e-mail sales@ moultrienews.com.
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Telemedicine offers modern version of house call The quality of one’s health care should not depend on one’s zip code. And yet, in rural states like South Carolina, many citizens live in areas far from the metropolitan areas where most physicians practice. Rates of high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity are often high in these areas, meaning that those in our state with the most need for health care often have the least access to it. They can, of course, choose to drive to a city where better medical services are available, but that means a day off work, the arrangement of child care and Kimberly McGhee transportation costs, real barriers to those living paycheck to paycheck in these poorer rural areas. Telemedicine could offer a solution. Capitalizing on the Internet’s ability to collapse distance, telemedicine (usually provided via video teleconferencing) erases many of the traditional barriers to care by bringing the care to the patient. It offers a modern version of the house call. MUSC has been a leader in telemedicine in the state. REACH [remote evaluation of acute ischemic stroke] MUSC, directed by Robert Adams, M.D., provides consultations with stroke neurologists at MUSC to partner sites statewide, allowing the rapid evaluation of
Frontiers
Dr. Ron Acierno provides PTSD treatment to veterans via telemedicine. stroke patients and a prompt decision about whether to administer a clot-busting drug (tissue plasminogen activator of tPA) that can lessen the risk of permanent disability after stroke in some patients if given within three hours of stroke onset. MUSC’s maternal fetal telemedicine program, developed by Donna Johnson, M.D., chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at MUSC, makes the services of MUSC maternal fetal medicine specialists, who have received special training in managing high-risk pregnancies, available via telemedicine to women in areas experiencing shortages of these specialists and high rates of hypertension, diabetes and obesity, all risk factors for high-risk pregnancy. Telemedicine allows medical and mental health
services to be delivered not only at hospitals or physician’s offices but at the locations where they are most needed and most convenient. Schoolbased programs, such as those developed by James T. McElligott, M.D., for both pediatric primary care (with funding from the Southeastern Virtual Institute for Health Equity and Wellness, directed by Sabra Slaughter, Ph.D.) and specialty care (as part of the Virtual Teleconsult Clinic of Samir Fakhry, M.D., chief of general surgery at MUSC), offer health care to children during the school day. Parents need not miss a day’s work, and children receive prompt treatment for underlying conditions like asthma, making it less likely that they will end up in an emergency room. Ron Acierno, Ph.D., and Michael A. de Arellano, Ph.D., both professors of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at MUSC, direct programs delivering telemental health services at rape crisis centers, police departments, community centers, women’s shelters, or even the patient’s own home. To learn more about these and other telemedicine programs at MUSC, read the October/November issue of Progress Notes at MUSChealth.com/progressnotes and watch the video on MUSC’s telemedicine initiatives available at MUSChealth.com/telemedicine. Editor’s note: “Progressnotes” is a bimonthly publication produced by Business Development & Marketing Services. It is sent to all physicians licensed in South Carolina to inform them about clinical and research innovations at MUSC. For information, email mcgheek@musc.edu.
Time management may help reduce holiday stress, balance work Time management strategies can help reduce stress associated with finding the correct balance between work, family, shopping and down time. Here are seven time–management tips that will help you get the important things done and reduce holiday stress: q Try single-tasking: Jumping from task to task can actually waste time and multi-tasking can lower productivity by as much as 40 percent. For the best approach to managing time, resist the allure to jump around and stick to one thing at a time. q Prioritize: When calendars are overbooked, start cutting from the bottom and take things off. There are only 24 hours in the day, so cross off anything that can wait until tomorrow or after the holidays. q Make time for yourself: Every day,
block personal time. Even 20 minutes away from social media, phone calls, internet and work can do wonders for reducing stress. q Make the most of waits: Holidays mean lots of time waiting in lines or traffic. Make the most of this time by working on a to-do list or use that time for a five-minute break. That will help take the stress out of what would normally be “wasted time.” q Plan for work and play: For most people, if it’s not on the calendar it doesn’t get done. So schedule important tasks as well as personal activities. q Leave extra time: Add padding between appointments, especially during the holidays. Tasks will sometimes take longer than scheduled so extra time will reduce the stress of always running late for the next appointment.
q Say no: When declining an invitation, be sure to send regrets and well wishes. Reschedule work meetings at a mutually convenient time after the holidays. Above all, make time for what matters this holiday season – family, friends and good health. For more information on how to deal with holiday stress, sign up for a free session from 5 to 5:30 p.m., Dec. 11 in Room 501 of the Children’s Hospital. To register, email maguirel@musc.edu. Employee Wellness events q Wellness Wednesday: Stop by the Children’s Hospital lobby from 11 a.m. to noon, Dec. 12, for information on focusing on sleep and alcohol awareness. q Zumba at Harborview Office Tower: Join licensed Zumba instructor Felecia Curry for a weekly Wednesday night
Zumba class from 5 to 6 p.m. in Room 302, Harborview Office Tower. Zumba is a dance-based aerobic exercise class, and Curry tailors the workout to accommodate any fitness level. Space is limited. Email curryf@musc.edu for information or to register. q Mobile mammograms: The Hollings Cancer Center mobile van will conduct mammograms from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Dec. 12 behind the Clyburn Research Building, off President Street. Call 7920878 to schedule an appointment. q Final worksite screening for 2012: This screening, valued at about $350, is available to employees with the State Health Plan for $15 (covered spouses can also participate for $15). Employees and spouses without this insurance can participate for $42. The screening
See Time on page 5
The CaTalysT, December 7, 2012 5
Meet Jason
Jason Just Department Engineering & Facilities How long at MUSC 10 years How are you changing what’s possible at MUSC By keeping a positive attitude and helping others when I can Unique talent I am extremely organized. Dream job Running my own business Who in history would you most like to meet Dr. Ernest Just. It would be interesting to meet a family member who made history. I would ask him what motivated him to keep going during such hard times (To read about Ernest Just, visit http:// ernestjustfoundation.org/). Greatest moment Becoming a father for the first time Last book read “A Right to be Hostile” by Aaron McGruder Something you always wanted to learn How to play the piano
Time Continued from Page Four includes: height, weight, blood pressure and a blood draw for a blood chemistry profile, hemogram, and a blood lipid profile. The screening will take place from 7 to 11 a.m., Dec. 13 at the Wellness Center auditorium. To register, go to www.musc.edu/employeewellness and click on “Worksite Screening.” MUSC Urban Farm q Work and Learns: The topic is “Preparing for winter and planning for spring.” The event will take place from noon to 1 p.m., Dec. 11. Take home some fresh produce in return for work efforts on the farm. Please bring water and sunscreen, and wear closed-toe shoes. On Dec. 15 the work and learn, held from 9 to 11 a.m., will include child-friendly activities. Email urbanfarm@musc.edu to register. The event is open to the community. q Early-bird maintenance: Maintenance on the farm will be held from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., Dec. 11 and 12. Contact Susan Johnson, Ph.D., at johnsusa@musc. edu for more information on the Office of Health Promotion at MUSC. For information on Employee Wellness, contact Suzan Benenson Whelan at whela@musc.edu.
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Same staff, same great care, just five minutes away By ashley Barker Public Relations
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fter 40 years in the same building, the MUSC Department of Family Medicine has finally received the upgraded facility that it desperately needed. Approximately 20 clinical employees moved from the 295 Calhoun St. location to an 8,000-square foot practice located at 650 Ellis Oaks Drive on James Island. The remaining 13 faculty, five staff and three grant employees in the department are now located at 5 Charleston Center Drive. It was necessary to locate new facilities because of the decaying health of the building on Calhoun Street. The facility was built as a nursing home in 1963, according to Carolyn Thiedke, M.D., and the university purchased it in 1972 for Family Medicine. “This has always been a thriving, bustling facility for the whole range of family medicine — from newborns to adults over 100 years old. We do acute care — like sprains, chest pain and abdominal pain — chronic care — such as diabetes and hypertension — inpatient care, outpatient care, obstetrics, and preventative care,” Thiedke said. As the patients aged, so did the building. The roof was a constant problem and the boiler was eventually condemned by the state of South Carolina. “The university leadership determined it was not worth the investment to keep that building up and operational,” said Scott Laird, administrator and instructor for the Department of Family Medicine. “The university, from a clinical perspective, had decided that primary care, of which family medicine is part of, should not be on the main campus but in the communities.” An initial concern of the move was the reaction of the 28,000 patients that the practice took care of last year at the Calhoun Street facility. Leaders of the department are confident, though, that they’ll regain any losses and eventually exceed the number of patient visits. “Certainly we are going to have some patients who can’t follow us, but it’s amazing to me the number who have,” said Barry Hainer, M.D., the department’s interim chair. “My schedule is filled with patients who largely have seen me before and have made the effort to find our new location. It’s really just a five-minute drive from where we have been in the past.” Adjusting to the new facility has had its difficult moments, but the clinic’s new neighbors on James Island have made the practice feel welcome. With about 50 less parking spots than on Calhoun Street, patient and staff parking was an initial struggle. But Harris Teeter, Wells Fargo Bank, Lowes and Ruby Tuesday,
The Department of Family Medicine moved from Calhoun Street to 650 Ellis Oaks Drive on James Island. Pictured from left are: Dr. Kesh Hebbar, clinical associate professor; Dr. Alex O. DeCastro, assistant professor; registered nurse Jacqueline M. Whelan; Dr. Vanessa Diaz, clinical services director; Queen E. Haynes; nurse practitioner Katherine Tabor; and Stella Seels. For information on the Department of Family Medicine, call 792-3451. businesses that are all in the same general area, agreed to allow family medicine staff members to park in their lots with proper identification hanging from their vehicle mirrors. “The business community right over in our area has been very supportive and has stepped forth to give us parking,” Laird said. “They’ve been very receptive, which has been positive.” Having to deal with some employees on James Island and some at Charleston Center was another initial change. “We’ve dealt with separation before, but our flagship site was 295 Calhoun because it was large enough to keep clinical activities, administrative staff and research activities all under one roof,” Hainer said. “That is the area where we all feel some loss or change because we don’t have everyone together.” In order to help communication between the sites, the department is expanding its use of video conferencing and is ordering new equipment to link faculty and staff at East Cooper Family Medicine, Flowertown Family Medicine in Summerville, Trident Family Health in North Charleston, the Family Medicine Center on James Island and the academic department at Charleston Center on the main campus. “This was the spiritual home. This was the home
where it originated. This is where it carved itself out of a specialty center to become family medicine, and this was the first practice, which has been with the department since day one,” Laird said. “It was a collaborative team because we had pharmacy in the building. We had our research faculty in the building. We had our departmental staff in the building. The people that were away always felt like this was home. It was a hub in which we kept that connectivity, and that is what has been lost in our new locations.” Patient care will still remain the No. 1 priority for the department. With the new office, the staff hopes to improve efficiency and effectiveness. “We will be able to provide services that we’ve been providing to the downtown community to a different community and expand our patient base and presence in a different part of Charleston,” said Peter Carek, M.D., professor and vice chair for the Department of Family Medicine. “It’s a step in the overall process of further integrating family medicine and primary care into the overall mission of the university. We’re excited about the future.” If patients are concerned about the new location, he said he tells them the facility is in a different building, but it’s the same staff, same nurses, same physicians and same great care, just five minutes away.
The Catalyst, December 7, 2012 7
MUSC employees help victims of Hurricane Sandy By ashley Barker Public Relations
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ays after Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast of the United States — leveling neighborhoods, flooding streets and killing more than a hundred people — three MUSC employees were deployed to New York to provide medical assistance to homeless victims. Philippe Gresle, director of business reporting and IT in the Department of Pediatrics; Sean Carroll, patient care technician on 6 East; and Amy Funderburk, a nurse in the neuroscience intensive care unit; were sent to Manhattan and Long Island for a two-week medical deployment as part of the Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT). Most states in America have one or more DMAT teams — consisting of doctors, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, etc. — that work under the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), a federal program that sends teams of medical professionals into emergency areas and disaster zones. Thirty five members of South Carolina’s DMAT were deployed at dawn on Nov. 3, with only a few hours’ notice, to relieve a team from California and returned home in time for Thanksgiving. During that time, Carroll, who has been a member of DMAT since 2002, worked 192 hours. This wasn’t his first interaction with victims of a natural disaster. He was deployed to Galveston, Texas, after hurricanes Gustav and Ike hit, and to Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina to help with
The DMAT team members from MUSC spent the majority of their medical deployment in a gymnasium at Nassau Community College that was transformed into a shelter. electronic medical records that keep track of patients. “Being out there with patients who are telling you their story, you just feel like that’s what you need to do,” Carroll said. “They were telling us that they lost everything. One of our patients was saying that he was so grateful that we were there to help him. He was thankful that he had people watching over him 24 hours-a-day, a roof over his head, three square meals a day, and all the help he needed.” Carroll, Gresle and Funderburk spent the majority of their deployment in a gymnasium at Nassau Community College that was transformed into a shelter for nearly 800 people. They each took enough food and water to survive for 72 hours without draining the local resources, and they slept on small cots after working 16 – 18 hour days. “It just changes some perspectives here
“You’re becoming their little rock of sanity when they’ve lost everything. ” Philippe Gresle at MUSC on how patients are handling their situation, even though they haven’t lost their house here when they’re in the hospital,” Carroll said. The team’s main responsibilities included providing medication refills to patients who had time-sensitive needs such as cardiac conditions or diabetes. The team was also concerned with emergencies and an outbreak of the norovirus, or GI bug. “Their doctors are not reachable. The pharmacies are all destroyed,” Gresle,
Sean Carroll, from left, Amy Funderburk, R.N., and Philippe Gresle, were deployed to New York to assist victims of Hurricane Sandy through the Disaster Medical Assistance Team. who spent 10 years as an EMT for Charleston County, said. “It was a pretty heavy logistical nightmare.” The city of Manhattan was completely eerie, according to Gresle. “We were standing in the middle of Broadway, and there wasn’t a single car running and maybe 10 people in the street. It was like they had shut down the city to shoot a movie. It was like the apocalypse.” Living in what seemed like the end of the world helped create an intense bond for everyone involved. The patients knew that the DMAT members were on rotating shifts so that someone would always be available, but they also knew that eventually the teams would be
See sandy on page 10
Pediatrician receives endowed chair in neurodevelopment
On Sept. 20, Jane Charles, M.D, developmental behavioral pediatrician in the Department of Pediatrics was honored as a recipient of the Jeffery Edwin Gilliam Endowed Chair of Neurodevelopment. Charles’ areas of specialization are in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disabilities. She manages a diagnostic clinic for children suspected of ASD and provides follow up and medication management for children into adulthood. For the past 12 years, Charles has been co-principal investigator (PI) for the South Carolina Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, funded by the Centers for Disease Control. This project
provides ongoing surveillance for ASD and intellectual disabilities in South Carolina. She has received research funding as PI or co-investigator for a variety of grants exploring issues related to developmental disabilities including investigating autism and Fragile X. She also is working on a five-year study of aripipoprazole and risperidone, this is the largest drug trial attempted for autism patients; and a new study called Success which provides a direct assessment of autism prevalence in the Tri-county area. Charles, in the last 10 years, has given more than 100 presentations on autism and developmental disabilities
See Chair on page 11
Dr. Jane Charles, seated, is presented with the Jeffery Edwin Gilliam Endowed Chair of Neurodevelopment. With Charles is Dr. Rita Ryan, left, Department of Pediatrics, and Dr. Etta Pisano, College of Medicine.
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Endocrinology staff brings awareness to diabetes Throughout November, members of the pediatric and adult endocrinology clinics recognized National Diabetes Awareness Month. In observance of World Diabetes Day on Nov. 14, clinic staff members dressed in blue and the hospital’s North Tower was lit blue to commemorate the day. The event highlighted the prevalence of diabetes, as well as the impact of diabetes across an individual’s lifespan. According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately 26 million people in the United States have diabetes. One in 400 children will be diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, previously referred to as juvenile diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which an individual’s pancreas fails to produce insulin. There is currently no cure for Type 1 diabetes and patients are insulin dependent, often needing multiple daily injections of insulin. The MUSC Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic sees approximately 100 newly diagnosed patients with diabetes each year. The clinic also has seen a large portion of pediatric patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, which is consistent with national and statewide data showing increasing rates of childhood obesity. At MUSC, approximately 20 percent of new onset childhood diabetes patients have Type 2 diabetes. Overall, the pediatric endocrinology clinic has approximately 650 patients with diabetes. Many individuals associate diabetes with adulthood, and that continues to be a lack of knowledge of Type 1 diabetes. According to Jessica Credeur, social
The pediatric endocrinology team holds up blue shoes, which are part of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation fundraising effort. Visit www. muschealth.com/diabetes/index.htm or call 792-9200. worker in the pediatric endocrinology clinic, parents of children with Type 1 are often frustrated with the community’s lack of knowledge of Type 1 diabetes. They often receive comments from friends and family telling them their child will grow out of the diagnosis or no longer be insulin dependent if they change their diet or lifestyle. The clinic facilitates support groups and social outings for families of children with diabetes, as this allows them to network with and find support among other parents of children with Type 1 diabetes. The clinic also supports Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation fundraising and advocacy efforts. To meet the growing number of adolescent patients with diabetes transitioning to the adult medical care setting, Katherine Lewis, M.D., who is trained in pediatric and adult endocrinology, developed a transition program. Lewis works
alongside the clinic social worker, as well as other clinic staff, to assist adolescent patients who are transitioning to adult medical care settings. Transition program patients are provided with age-specific goals and homework during their clinic visits. The clinic also is participating in two multicenter National Institutes of Health funded research studies: SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth, which examines the incidence of diabetes, and TrialNet-Natural History Study of the Development of Type 1 diabetes. Deborah Bowlby, M.D., division chief for the pediatric endocrinology department, is the principal investigator for both studies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that in 2010 there were approximately 364,000 adults (18 and older) diagnosed with diabetes in South Carolina. The three counties closest to MUSC,
(Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester), have approximately 118,300 people or 32.5 percent of South Carolina’s population with diabetes. The adult endocrine clinic in 2012 had 1,885 patient visits with diabetes. According to the 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet, there are an estimated 90 to 95 percent of newly diagnosed people with Type 2 diabetes as opposed to those with Type 1 diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes is on the rise and the southern United States has more diabetes than other parts of the region. Steps for the prevention of diabetes include weight loss and getting more physical activity as shown by The Diabetes Prevention Program. This study focused on people at high risk for diabetes, and results showed that lifestyle intervention to lose weight and increase physical activity reduced the development of Type 2 diabetes by 58 percent during a three-year period. The MUSC Adult Endocrinology Clinic has a certified diabetic educator (CDE) to help patients maintain a healthy life with education on glucose monitoring, diet, exercise, taking medication, problem solving, reducing health risks and healthy coping. The adult endocrine clinic also has the IDEAL (Intensive Diabetes Education and Awareness Lifestyle) program, an intensive management program to help manage difficult diabetes that involves the doctor, nurse practitioner, dietitian and CDE during one visit. Patients with diabetes, with the help from their health care professional, can lead a healthy life.
The CaTalysT, December 7, 2012 9
Currents Dec. 4 People – Fostering employee pride and loyalty Employee of the Month q Susan Lucas, Referral Call Center supervisor, Business Development & Marketing Services, was praised for her leadership and motivation and for building teamwork among her employees. Lucas is recognized for going above and beyond to support her staff and care for customers. Lucas was nominated by a coworker. q Chris Larimore, MUHA respiratory therapist and Gate coordinator, was recognized for assisting an elderly couple who had lost their way around the hospital. Fuller took the time to reunite the couple with their family and locate their vehicle. Larimore was nominated by Barrie Tyler. q Stacy Harris, 9E, was applauded for her work and dedication to reduce and
manage her unit’s supply costs. In six months, she coordinated a system that would review inventories and reduce waste with supply items. She collaborated with areas outside of the unit to determine proper usage and ordering of supplies. Her efforts led to a monthly cost savings of $1,000 for a period of time. Harris was nominated by Leah Ramos. HR update Karen Rankine, MUHA education and training manager, reported on the following: q Training opportunities for December: Just in Time Consultation Sessions for Leaders with Joan Herbert from noon to 1 p.m., Dec. 18, Room 207, Quadrangle Building. Registration is not required; q Register in CATTS for the following session: Protecting Yourself in the Digital Age from 10 to 11:30 a.m., Dec. 11; Presentation Skills Workshop from 1 to 2 p.m., Dec. 12; HR 101: Tools and
Systems from 9 to 11:30 a.m., Dec. 13; Process Improvement—IMPROVE from 10 to 11 a.m., Dec. 14. Organizational orientation The first orientation of 2013 will be Jan. 14. Human Resources will conduct book orientation in emergency cases only prior to Jan. 14. December Benefit of the Month James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine, 29 Bee Street, welcomes MUSC employees and the public for their dental care. New patient screening line is 792-2101, choose option #2 to arrange a screening appointment. Patients also can be seen in an emergency walk-in basis, on the first floor, Oral Medicine clinic. To make an appointment, call 792-3444. Wellness update Susan Johnson, Ph.D., Office of
Health Promotion, shared wellness activities for December: Worksite screening from 7 to 11 a.m., Dec. 13, Wellness Center Auditorium; Employee Fitness series – Spin, 4:15 to 4:45 p.m., Dec. 19; and Lunchtime Losers will start Jan. 10. To register, email browjosh@ musc.edu. The MUSC Urban Farm was named Charleston Friendly Yard by the Keeping Charleston Beautiful Committee. The farm will be closed Dec. 16 to Jan. 6. For information on the farm, email johnsusa@musc.edu. For information on MUSC Employee Wellness activities, email whela@musc. edu. Announcements q A special hospital communications meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m., Dec. 11, 2West Amphitheater, and will feature a Joint Commission update from Lois Kerr, accreditation manager. The next scheduled meeting is Dec. 18.
10 The CaTalysT, December 7, 2012
sandy Continued from Page Seven replaced with new ones. That didn’t stop one patient from connecting with Gresle, though. “You’re becoming their little rock of sanity when they’ve lost everything,” he said. Gresle remembers an 80-yearold lady, who he described as frail, abrasive and a little demanding. She was alone at the shelter and was constantly complaining. Gresle took five minutes one evening to talk with her about her family. When he was done, he told her good night and stood up to leave. With a sudden look of sadness, she asked him, “Are you going to be back tomorrow?” He explained to her that his shift was over, but he would return the next day. She responded, “Oh good. That gives me something to look forward to.” “A hurricane swept her house away. That’s how quickly it happened. She might have lived in that house her whole life, for all we know,” Gresle said. “Then she lost everything. Literally, she had her clothes and a bag. The fact that she needed something to look forward to the next day, that was very touching.” Moments like that are what pushed the team members to continue working. “Whether you’re an EMT or a nurse, we’ve all experienced the craziness of a demanding shift. But it’s still fairly short in time. Then you go back to your home,” Gresle said. “The craziness lasted for two weeks. For two weeks, you don’t go back to a good night’s sleep. You’re on non-stop. It’s exhilarating but at the same time it’s very draining.” Gresle said that one of the South Carolina team members explained the deployment in the best way. He said, “These were the longest two weeks ever,
DMAT team members sleep in tight quarters while helping hurricane victims. but they went by like a breeze.” Funderburk felt the same way when she returned home. “It was fabulous,” she said. “It’s kind of a horrible thing to say because it was such a sad situation. But we were fortunate to be so welcomed by the people in New York. Even in the airport, they were clapping for us.” She also developed a connection with one of her patients, a 95-year-old man who lost his home and all of his belongings during the storm, including pictures of his deceased wife. “Every day he got up and was walking around saying ‘good morning’ and ‘how are you doing today?’ It really showed the human spirit,” she said. “He had an unbelievable attitude, and it really made me look at my life and the things I take for granted.” When their deployment was finished, the South Carolina team was replaced by teams from Arizona and Alaska. The members of South Carolina’s DMAT will soon go back on emergency call on a rotating basis. To find out more information, visit http://ndms.dhhs.gov.
The CaTalysT, December 7, 2012 11
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All other classifieds are charged at rate below. Ads considered venture-making ads (puppy breeder, coffee business, home for sale, etc.) will be charged as PAID ADS •• PROOF OF ELIGIBILITY REQUIRED * NO MORE THAN 3 LINES * FREE ADS RUN 2 WEEKS ONLY!
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Chair Continued from Page Seven to local, state and national organizations. She has published 18 professional articles on autism and developmental disabilities. She was asked to be the editor of a special issue on autism for the Journal of the South Carolina Medical Society.
Charles was recently promoted to full professor and has twice been given the South Carolina Autism Society Presidential Award. Invited by the Centers for Disease Control, she has helped develop a strategic plan of autism intervention in South Carolina and remains
Furniture Relax The Back chair: Lifeform: 869 / blue-grey, located at MUSC $636.00 792-0788
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12 The CaTalysT, December 7, 2012
Angel Tree Parade Noon, Friday, Dec. 7 The MUSC Angel Tree Toy Parade will begin at noon, Dec. 7 at the Institute of Psychiatry. The parade will continue past the Clyburn Research Center, College of Nursing, Clinical Sciences Building, Holllings Cancer Center, Rutledge Tower, Calhoun Street to Ashley Avenue and into the Horseshoe. Participants of the parade will be carrying toys and bikes donated by MUSC employees, staff and students. Joining the parade will be the West Ashley ROTC, Burke High School Drum Corp, MUSC Children’s Hospital parade marshal, floats with local veterans and Santa.