VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2 2 015
The Magazine for Health Care Professionals
Camp Winaca & Camp Hemovon WVU Pediatric faculty share camp experience with children
Our highly-trained urologists cover nearly every discipline within the field of urology
Specializing in complex and common urological conditions: Cancer (Bladder, Kidney, Prostate) • Minimally-invasive prostate and kidney cancer surgery (robotic surgery) • Partial and radical nephrectomy (robotic surgery) • Prolaris® testing for prostate cancer • Cysview® technology to detect bladder cancer Stone Center • Stone disease and lithotripsy • Minimally-invasive kidney stone removal • Medical management and prevention of stone disease Pelvic Floor Center • Male and female incontinence • Bowel and bladder disorders • Minimally-invasive treatment for pelvic-floor prolapse and urinary fistula reconstruction • Urethral reconstruction/management of stricture disease Other Urologic Care • Pediatric urology • Erectile dysfunction • Urology laser surgery • Vasectomy • Male infertility and andrology • Sexual dysfunction and impotence • Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) therapy • Advanced laparoscopic surgery/da Vinci Surgical System
Samuel Deem, DO, fellowship trained in urologic oncology Joshua Lohri, DO, fellowship trained in reconstructive urology R. N. Haricharan, MD, pediatric surgeon fellowship trained in urology James P. Tierney, DO, specializing in robotic and general urology Ryan H. Fitzwater, DO, specializing in kidney stones, bladder control and general urology Frederick Martinez, MD, FACS, specializing in all aspects of general urology Anthony Sibley, MD, specializing in all aspects of general urology
Now accepting patients. | (304) 388-1900 | camc.org/Urology
Contents
2
COVER STORY
Camp Winaca and Camp Hemovon WVU pediatric faculty share unique camp experience with children
Features
Hospital News
6 I nnovative 4D ultrasound gives providers and patients a very real experience
11 Cabell Huntington Hospital 12 Charleston Area Medical Center 13 Davis Health System
8 Radiation Oncology joins comprehensive services available at CAMC Cancer Center
14 Marshall University Medical School 17 WVU Charleston News 19 WVU Medicine
COVER PHOTO: Dr. Chibuzo O’Souji, a pediatric hemotologist/oncologist at the Children’s Cancer Center at CAMC and a faculty member at West Virginia University’s Charleston Division, is proud of the work Camp Winaca and Camp Hemovon does to enhance the lives of children and families effected by childhood cancers and blood disorders.
Although every precaution is taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials. WV Physician Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts expressed by its authors. ©2015, Austin Development Company, LLC dba WV Physician. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.
Send press releases and all other related information to: WV Physician Magazine Post Office Box 11311 Charleston, WV 25339 Contact us at 866-844-7376, or submit via email to: info@wvphysician.net Visit us on the web at: www.WVPhysician.net Volume 6 - Issue 2 • 2015
1
Cover Story
Camp Winaca and Camp Hemovon:
WVU pediatric faculty share unique camp experience with Children By: Jeff Driggs
Nestled in the hills near Marlinton, West Virginia, the sounds of children enjoying the fun and activities of summer camp ring through the hollows. The whir of the zip line, the splashing of paddle boards in the lake and the whinny of saddled horses is second only to the laughter and excitement of the children. Only this camp is different. Camp Winaca and Camp Hemovon is a combined camp for children with either a pediatric cancer diagnosis or a bleeding disorder, and is sponsored by the West Virginia University department of pediatric hematology and oncology. “I didn’t really know what to expect when I got here,” said Sebastian Bravo, a darkhaired, bright eyed, athletic young man.
“I mean, I’ve heard about summer camp. There are summer camps all the time, but this is a camp for kids that have gone through a very challenging time in their life. The camp aspect was how I had imagined it but the bond that everyone here has, I didn’t quite imagine that. We’re like a family here. We all went through this together. This is our struggle. We did this.” Bravo is in remission from Burkitt’s lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system that grows in immune cells. The camp gives Bravo a chance to meet others who share his cancer journey and to learn more about his fellow campers who have bleeding disorders, all while enjoying the fun of a camp experience.
“We have a variety of activities for our campers to experience,” said Anita Graham, Program Coordinator for the camps and a faculty member with the department of pediatrics, section of pediatric hematology/ oncology at West Virginia University. Camp Twin Creeks, in Minnehaha Springs, W.Va. – home to Camp Winaca and Camp Hemovon -- has a lake that offers kayaking, paddle boarding, canoeing, fishing, swimming and diving. The resort also has a climbing wall and a zip line course. In addition to arts and craft, creek walking and nightly camp fires, for many of the children who attend camp, it is their first time to try horseback riding and other adventures. “Our older campers are actually going on a tent camp out which they don’t know about quite yet,” Graham said. “It’s going to be a surprise.”
Photo by Anita Graham
2
WV Physician
Photo by Anita Graham
Every evening the older campers finish out the evening with what’s called a talking stick time. A well-worn piece of tree branch is passed around the group, and gives the bearer the floor to speak freely. “It gives them an opportunity to share any thoughts about the day, anything that’s going on in their lives, how camp has helped some of the things that they’ve experienced over time,” Graham said. “That’s what camp does.” According to Graham, Camp Winaca and Camp Hemovan offer these children something that no other aspect of their life does. Away from home and school, the friends made at camp become like a family. “There’s no division between if they have a cancer diagnosis or a bleeding disorder. They actually support one another,” Graham said. “The older ones actually mentor the younger ones.” Graham gave an example in the story of a teen who had graduated from camp, reaching the maximum age for campers to attend. His last year attending, he had befriended a seven year old who was learning to self-infuse. Both of them had a bleeding disorder. The older camper allowed the younger one to stick him in the arm so that he could learn what that
felt like so he could actually learn to begin to stick himself. “That was a really positive experience,” Graham said. “We see that kind of interaction between the campers all the time.”
after being diagnosed with a life threatening or chronic illness. It allows them the possibility to learn to be more independent, more self-reliant, to experience activities that their parents might be reluctant to allow.
For campers like Sebastian Bravo, they appreciate that they can talk freely about their experiences. “It’s not like at school or my normal life,” Bravo said. “If someone asks me about it, I don’t mind explaining to them but I don’t go out and tell people because they’re like, oh, you had cancer. They’re surprised. Here, we all know that. It’s just something we can talk freely about. I can ask someone. Oh, yeah, yeah, I had this. I was treated for this long.”
“It really does help because in the hospital you’re that scary doctor that always sticks the needle in me and gives me that chemo that makes me sick to the stomach,” said Dr. Chibuzo O’Suoji, a pediatric hematologistoncologist and faculty member at West Virginia University’s Charleston Division. “Here, you’re that fun doctor that is climbing the tree and zip lining and screaming, just as excited as they are.” O’Suoji says that the camp setting makes the children more relaxed and comfortable with their health care team so that by the time we go back to the clinical setting, there’s more trust and more openness. “They’re able to tell us things that they couldn’t tell us before,” O’Suoji said.
Graham explains that there is an understanding among the campers that doesn’t happen anywhere else. They understand what each other is going through. They stay connected well beyond camp through social media. “They make lifelong friends here and that’s part of our mission that it carries over,” Graham said. For many, camp is the first opportunity that they have had to be away from their families
O’Suoji is board certified and fellowship trained in pediatric hematology and oncology and is proud of the comprehensive care team’s availability to families in West Virginia. O’Suoji Volume 6 - Issue 2 • 2015
3
practices at the Children’s Cancer Center at CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital in Charleston, W.Va. whose physician services are provided by WVU Physicians of Charleston, a team that includes boardcertified pediatric hematology/oncology physicians, a pediatric hematology/ oncology nurse practitioner, infusion center nurse, psychologist, chaplain, child life therapist, dietitian, social worker, physical therapist and two pharmacists. As a Children’s Oncology Group institution, the program enrolls patients in national cancer studies. “We have a long-term follow-up program which is expanding to include anyone treated before the age of 21 for a childhood cancer,” O’Suoji said. “This program will encompass both adult and pediatric survivors of childhood cancer.” For O’Suoji and colleague Kacie Legg, a nurse practitioner from the WVU Physicians of Charleston who also attends the camps, the experience has given them a valuable connection to their patients that has a real impact on their relationship with them and their ability to treat them.
Photo by Adam Cunningham
4
WV Physician
“It’s unbelievable how much their personality changes when they are away from the medical surroundings, which they usually associate with a lot of painful procedures and lots of unpleasant things going on,” O’Suoji said. At camp, the children are free to be kids. “You see their personalities come out,” O’Suoji said. “A lot of times we have to tell them, wow, we didn’t know you were this talkative or that you were this fun! They’re like yeah, because in the hospital you’re Dr. O’Suoji. Here I’m having fun, I’m with my friends.” The sense of acceptance and understanding is felt among all. Jillian Minger is from New Cumberland, West Virginia, and has been to Camp Hemovon for seven years. Jillian has Von Willebrand’s, which is a bleeding disorder. “It just means that when you get cut it takes longer to heal sometimes,” Minger said. “At school, since it has disease in the name people think it can spread. I have to tell them it can’t spread.” Jillian says that her favorite part of the camp is getting to have fun with the friends that she has made. It is a sentiment shared by
all who attend, including Sydney Sheets from Ripley, West Virginia who also has Von Willebrand’s disease. “Doing things like zipling is just a rush of energy,” Sheets said. “It’s something you don’t get very much. When you have a bleeding disorder, you’re kind of kept from doing many things.” Sheets said that it is sad when the week is over because nobody wants to leave camp because it’s so great. “You also leave with a sense of acceptance and you have a family here,” she said. “It’s like a second family.” One in 330 children will be diagnosed with cancer by the time they are twenty years old. That’s 263,000 new cases each year, and blood disorders affect millions, cutting across the boundaries of age, race, sex and socioeconomic status. According to O’Suoji, because young patients are treated as a consortium, advances are being made every single day in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric cancer. “While we are not quite there with a cure, the outcome is so much better than it was before,” O’Suoji said. “For the kids that I saw treated a few years back
compared to the kids we are treating now, the toxicities are less. The therapies are less toxic. The outcomes are better. You see an improvement in the quality of life of these kids. When I started doing this, most of the kids couldn’t come to camp because they were either getting chemotherapy all the time or they had to be isolated because of the fact that they were neutropenic and were prone to infections. Their immune system was too weak.” For Dr. O’Souji, the camp touches her on a personal level each year. O’Suoji relates the story of a young camper who returned for her second year at Camp Winaca. Dr. O’Suoji said the young lady told her that the past year at camp was hard for her because she was still undergoing treatment. “When I saw all of the other kids running around and having fun I wanted to join in, but I couldn’t because I felt bad,” she told O’Suoji. “On the other hand, I knew there was hope for me. I knew that when I was done with therapy I would be like these other kids running around and having fun.” O’Souji said that this year, she’s out running around and having fun and joining in with other campers. “Now she’s the one helping another who is struggling, telling them I was exactly like you last year but this year it is so
much better for me and next year is going to be better for you, so just try it,” O’Suoji said. Camp Hemovon participant Dylan Snyder, from Hydman, Pennsylvania, aspires to be a counselor at the camp one day. Dylan and his brother – who have hemophilia – attend the camp yearly and take full advantage of the activities. “I literally just climbed both of these climbing walls,” he said. “Sometimes they even call me a speeding monkey in climbing because I can get up so fast. I get to be with a lot of friends that are like me or that had cancer but they kind of know how it feels. We are like one giant big family.”
Even Camp Twin Creeks director Ian McClemmons has to remind himself that the campers in attendance share health challenges. “These campers come with a great determination, spirit, and a willingness to have fun,” McClemmons said. “It only takes one camper to say thank you for me to be able to start the process for me to do it all over again next year,” Anita Graham said. Plans are already underway for next summer’s Camp Winaca and Camp Hemovon.
“The hardest thing a parent has to hear is your child has cancer,” said Dr. O’Suoji. “You just want to grab that child, put them in a bubble, and don’t let go of them.” O’Suoji says that the beauty of Camp Winaca and Camp Hemovon is that it is the only place these kids get to be kids. She understands the worry that many parents have and the sense of protectiveness when the hospital is one painful procedure for their child after another: blood draws, needle sticks, chemotherapy. “Here it is freedom,” O’Suoji said. “Here you can play. Here you can just have fun.”
For more information about the camps and about the pediatric hematology/oncology programs in Charleston and Morgantown, visit www.camc. org/childrenscancer or www. wvukids.com. Volume 6 - Issue 2 • 2015
5
Innovative 4D ultrasound gives providers and patients a very real experience WVU Physicians of Charleston uses the latest technology to diagnose, document and educate By: Jeff Driggs
Every expectant parent has a moment when the reality of parenthood hits him or her. For Beckley, W.Va. native Samantha Hayner and her husband, that moment was the first time they saw their baby. The Hayners didn’t have to wait until the delivery date. Using the latest 4D ultrasound technology, Dr. Stephen Bush of the WVU Physicians of Charleston Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic and his team were able to give the Hayners a very realistic, three dimensional, and high definition look at their daughter in the womb at four and one-half months. “It’s amazing,” Hayner said. “I actually had a son fifteen years ago, and this technology was not available then. To actually get to see her features, and her little nose was awesome.” Dr. Bush and his team are using the technology in many ways. The technological enhancements the new ultrasound machine provides gives them the ability to see much more than previous models, making discoveries and diagnoses much earlier than before. “I love this new machine,” said ultrasonographer Martha Fulcher. Fulcher noted that early trimester viewing and fetal viability are much clearer, and larger patients have better results using the new equipment. The new unit being used by Dr. Bush and his team is the GE Voluson E10 ultrasound
6 WV Physician
Samantha Hayner of Beckley, W.Va. sees her daughter for the first time with the help of the new ultrasound technology available at WVU Physicians of Charleston. Photo by Adam Cunningham, WVU Charleston Division
machine. “The pictures we obtain are amazing,” Bush said. “Not only are the three and four dimensional views unbelievable, but the resolution for 2D ultrasound to screen for anatomy defects is more accurate.” Bush said that both his medical team and patients are very excited to see the realism and detail of the pictures coming from the machine. “The three dimensional views and visibility of a three month pregnancy are so realistic.” As an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology with West Virginia University Charleston Division School of Medicine,
Dr. Bush also uses the technology to train medical students and residents during their obstetrics and gynecology rotations at Charleston Area Medical Center’s Women and Children’s Hospital in Charleston. “With the visualization of this machine, you can see the anatomy so much more clearly, Bush said. “It’s as if you have a camera inside of the uterus. We can see the baby at six to eight weeks and see it developing. It’s just an amazing piece of technology.” Defects, such as heart abnormalities, can be detected much earlier with the use of this
The technological enhancements that the new ultrasound machine provides gives Dr. Bush and his team the ability to see much more than previous models, making discoveries and diagnoses much earlier than before. Photo courtesy of GE
type of imaging, according to Bush. A scan of the infant’s heart can visualize all four chambers, allowing the ultrasonographer to see the blood flow coming from the heart into the different vessels much earlier than previously possible. Dr. Bush and his team at the WVU Physicians of Charleston use the ultrasound not only for obstetrics, but to diagnose gynecologic issues as well. They are able to visualize uterus, ovaries, and cysts on ovaries much more clearly with the resolution of the machine. While uncommon, Bush said that cleft lip and cleft palate defects could also be detected much earlier using the Volusion E10.
Infertility patients are also benefitting from the technology’s ability to pick up uterine abnormalities and obtain 3D follicle sizes during the examination. “We’re excited to be able to offer this improved technology to our patients,” Bush said. “We’re the first in the Charleston area to have this machine. West Virginia University strives to have the best technology available.” For parents like the Hayners, the experience is an emotional one. “Oh yes, you can see emotionally that they just really connect with seeing their baby,”
Fulcher said. “I see a lot of crying and a lot of smiles.” The Haners say they feel the experience of seeing their child grow and develop is magical and priceless. “It was very amazing. I’m very glad I came,” Hayner said.
Ultrasonographer Martha Fulcher, with the WVU Physicians of Charleston Obstetrics and Gynecology Office. Photo by Adam Cunningham, WVU Charleston Division Volume 6 - Issue 2 • 2015
7
Radiation Oncology
Radiation Oncology joins comprehensive services available at CAMC Cancer Center By: Lindsey Lilly
This October, CAMC Radiation Oncology Services will begin seeing patients in its new location on the first floor of the CAMC Cancer Center at 3415 MacCorkle Ave. SE in Charleston. The move from its former location at CAMC Memorial Hospital unites radiation oncology with the other cancer services provided at the state-of-the-art center, bringing comprehensive outpatient cancer services under one roof. In May, the CAMC Cancer Center opened its doors to the community and introduced a new level of cancer care to our region. As the largest free-standing cancer center in the region, its services already include medical oncology and hematology, infusion and chemotherapy, patient navigation and a specialized breast center. Accredited by the Association of Community Cancer Center (ACCC) and the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, the CAMC Cancer Center sees more patients than any other cancer center in the state. In 2013 alone, more than 20,000 patients were seen by a multidisciplinary team of cancer specialists that includes medical oncologists, oncological surgeons and radiation oncologists. CAMC Radiation Oncology Services Created in late 2014, CAMC Radiation Oncology Services is a joint venture that includes Charleston Area Medical Center, Charleston Radiation Therapy Consultants (CRTC) and Alliance Oncology, a division of Alliance HealthCare Services.
New CT simulator that enhances image quality for high-definition views, which is optimal for treatment planning and monitoring progress throughout treatment.
8
WV Physician
The contract between all three organizations was signed in November. “This relationship enables us to expand our oncology services and further improve the health of the communities we serve,” said Dave Ramsey, president and CEO of CAMC, of the partnership. “Alliance brings innovative radiation therapy technologies and national expertise to our community, helping CAMC to deliver high quality of care, close to home.” “This partnership elevates the level of care available to
Dr. Whaley, Dr. Farinash, Dr. Plants, and Dr. Raja
patients,” said Lewis Whaley, DO, CRTC radiation oncologist. “Certain advancements in cancer radiation therapy have shortened treatment time and reduced some side effects – it’s all part of the latest technology available at the new Cancer Center. Together, we’ll be integrating the patient’s care to make treatment seamless and will ensure that CAMC continues to be a leader in oncology care.” Advanced radiation technology During the planning and construction of the 110,000-square-foot CAMC Cancer Center over the last few years, space was reserved on the first floor for two radiation vaults and office space where CAMC Radiation Oncology Services would eventually be placed. Due to the complicated nature and safety precautions associated with installing the new equipment, the space required additional time and planning. At approximately 15,000-sqaure-feet, the new office space is much larger than the 9,000-square-feet it occupied at CAMC Memorial Hospital. CAMC Radiation Oncology Services treats early-stage, recurring and advanced cancer using several forms of radiation therapy technologies, including the TrueBeam® system, one of the most advanced cancer treatment options available. The system includes two new state-of-the-art linear accelerators called TrueBeam® with RapidArc Radiosurgery and Real Time Patient Tracking, which deliver radiation therapy and radiosurgery treatment to the brain and body. TrueBeam® offers several benefits for patients, particularly in regards to quality-of-life issues that may be dramatically impacted by conventional surgery. Patient benefits include no anesthesia or hospitalization, minimal radiation exposure to healthy tissue, little to no recovery time, and immediate return to daily activities.
Radiation Oncology
TrueBeam® with RapidArc Radiosurgery and Real Time Patient Tracking delivers radiation therapy and radiosurgery treatment to the brain and body
(from left) Lloyd Farinash, MD, medical director; Larry Hudson, CAMC CFO; Prem Raja, MD; Dave Ramsey, CAMC president and CEO; Greg Spurlock, Alliance Oncology president; Brian Plants, MD
In addition to the two new TrueBeam® technology, CAMC Radiation Oncology Services also has a new CT simulator and new high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy equipment. All software, including treatment planning and electronic medical records (EMR), and IT equipment was upgraded as well. In all, over $10 million was invested in new equipment and software for CAMC Radiation Oncology Services. Experienced team of specialists “Alliance Oncology has been an excellent partner by providing the latest, most advanced technology to our region while allowing us to focus on patient care,” said medical director Lloyd Farinash, MD. At CAMC radiation oncology services, the radiation therapy team includes radiation oncologists, medical physicists, nursing and radiation therapists who work with patients and often their surgeons to develop customized treatments plans for each case.
(from left) Greg Spurlock, Alliance Oncology president; Lewis Whaley, DO; Paul Baumgart, Alliance Oncology director of operations, Midwest
The physicians of Charleston Radiation Therapy Consultants are experts in radiation oncology with decades of clinical experience. All five physicians are board certified in radiation oncology by the American Board of Radiology. “Our focus is always on the patient. Over the past few months, with this new partnership and our new location, we’ve experienced a lot of changes that have expanded our treatment capabilities,” said Tamara Fuller, Alliance site manager and JV administrator. “Patients have access to our clinical expertise and advanced radiation technology, all housed in a state-of-theart facility where patients can receive comprehensive care right here in their community.”
(from left) Ali Sayed, MD, medical oncologist; Brian Plants, MD, radiation oncologist; Moussa Sissoko, MD, medical oncologist; James Frame, MD, medical oncologist
Two open house celebrations were held in mid-September to commemorate the grand opening of the new facility. Collectively, about 100 guests, including physicians, medical staff and members of the general public, attended the events to tour the new space, learn about the new technology and meet the CAMC Radiation Oncology Services staff. The new office is located on the first floor of the CAMC Cancer Center and is now open to patients. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (304) 388-1790 or visit camc.org/RadiationOncology. (from left) Suzanne Cole, MD; Prem Raja, MD; Demitris Mihailidis, PhD Volume 6 - Issue 2 • 2015
9
Legal
MPLA IV: The Nursing Homes Strike Back
By: Justin D. Jack, Esq.
Flaherty Sensabaugh Bonasso PLLC Since the original statute was enacted in 1986, West Virginia’s Medical Professional Liability Act (“MPLA”) has undergone three distinct iterations, the most recent of which – in all candor – was in response to a $91.5 Million verdict in a Kanawha County nursing home case. See Manor Care, Inc. v. Douglas, 763 S.E.2d 73 (W. Va. 2014). The punitive damages aspect of the verdict was addressed by the legislature in Senate Bill 421. Our focus will be on the effect of Senate Bill 6 and the key changes for West Virginia health care providers. Perhaps the most sweeping change in MPLA IV is the expansion of “medical professional liability” to encompass “other claims” contemporaneous with the alleged medical negligence. Much ink has been spilt regarding whether earlier versions of the MPLA encompass such claims as unsterile sutures, nursing home staffing, hospital-acquired infections, sexual assault, fraud, spoliation of evidence, and others. MPLA IV – albeit untested – would appear to encompass all such claims. An expanded definition of “health care”
facility do not get the benefit of the MPLA – even though an act of medical negligence must occur and cause harm to a patient as a predicate to recovery. MPLA IV not only adds pharmacies and pharmacists but expands the scope of “health care provider” to include such “related entities” as may own or control a licensed “health care provider.” Evidentiary Matters Under MPLA IV
MPLA III imposed significant predicates to the introduction of expert testimony regarding the standard of care and medical causation. MPLA IV adds the requirement that – to the extent available – an expert’s opinion be grounded on “scientifically valid peer-reviewed studies.” MPLA IV also creates a rebuttable presumption against admissibility for state/federal surveys, discipline against a provider’s license, accreditation reports of health care facilities, or civil/criminal penalties unless the foregoing relate to the specific patient at issue or similar behavior occurring within one year of the subject incident. A presumption of appropriate staffing is also available when a health care facility demonstrates compliance with state minimum staffing standards.
Under MPLA III, the term “health care” was limited to acts which were or should have been performed by a “health care provider”. This led to arguments that routine acts incident to a hospitalization were not covered by the Act. MPLA IV expands the definition to include acts performed or which should have been performed by persons supervised by health care providers and specifically includes “staffing, medical transport, custodial care or basic care, infection control, positioning, hydration, nutrition and similar patient services.” Additionally, MPLA IV’s definition of “health care” includes claims of negligent privileging/credentialing and similar employment claims which plaintiff’s attorneys have historically argued were beyond the scope of the MPLA.
Write-Offs and Contractual Adjustments
A new breed of “health care provider”
MPLA IV is effective for all civil actions filed on or after July 1, 2015. Thus, cases to which it applies are in their infancy at the time of this writing. The Legislature again attempts to bring all medical negligence claims under a single statutory scheme with relatively predictable outcomes and – accordingly – manageable risk.
MPLA III limited “health care provider” to certain professionals/entities “licensed by, or certified in, this state or another state, to provide health care or professional health care services...” “Health care facility” followed a similar pattern, notably including the licensure requirement. Notably absent from both definitions were pharmacies and pharmacists. The result has been lawsuits against licensed health care providers/facilities as well as their non-licensed corporate parents/holding companies. Plaintiff’s attorneys then argue that the corporate grandparents of the licensed
10 WV Physician
As providers know all too well, the amount billed for services is typically subject to a contractual adjustment negotiated with private insurance or imposed by governmental payors. Under prior practice, medical malpractice plaintiffs could present the entire bill as evidence of past medical expenses without regard to the fact that a large portion of the bill would be written off. Although MPLA III contained a mechanism for reducing the verdict before judgment was entered, sound trial practice suggests that presenting larger numbers to the jury has a tendency to inflate the verdict in other categories (i.e. non-economic damages such as pain and suffering).
Justin D. Jack is an attorney with Flaherty Sensabaugh Bonasso PLLC. He focuses his practice on long term care and asbestos products liability defense. www.flahertylegal.com
Cabell Huntington Hospital News
Cabell Huntington Hospital welcomes Family medicine physician Kimberly Becher, M.D.
Kimberly Becher, M.D.
Kimberly Becher, MD, a physician specializing in family medicine, has joined to the Medical and Dental Staff of Cabell Huntington Hospital.
Dr. Becher earned her medical degree from the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University, where she also completed her residency training in family medicine and a Paul Ambrose Health Policy Fellowship.
Family medicine physicians, also known as family doctors, devote their expertise to providing continued, comprehensive healthcare for individuals of all ages.
She is accepting patients in the offices of Marshall Family Medicine, located on the first floor of Marshall Medical Center, on the campus of Cabell Huntington Hospital. For more information or to make an appointment, call 304.691.1100.
Hoops Family Children’s Hospital’s names first Medical Director Eduardo Pino, MD, FAAP Eduardo Pino, MD, FAAP, has been named the Hoops Family Children’s Hospital’s (HFCH) first Medical Director. His new role begins October 1, and he will lead clinical operations at Hoops Family Children’s Hospital, including overseeing the completion of Phase III of construction in 2015 and Eduardo Pino, Phase IV in 2016. Dr. Pino will also work MD, FAAP with pediatric physician specialists and subspecialists; work to increase patient and family satisfaction and access to timely services; and enhance operational and fiscal efficiency. As the first Medical Director of the HFCH, Dr. Pino is committed not only to excellence as a Pediatric Hospital, but to seeing healthcare through the eyes of the children we serve. Dr. Pino has been with Cabell Huntington Hospital, Hoops Family Children’s Hospital and Marshall Pediatrics as a pediatric intensivist since 1997 and most recently served as the medical director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Dr. Pino completed his medical degree at San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in Puerto Rico. He completed his pediatric residency training at Charity Hospital at Louisiana State University and Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University. He then completed a 3-year fellowship in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at Jackson Children’s Hospital at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He is board certified in pediatric critical care.
Hospital Association, formerly the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions’ (NACHRI), the American Medical Association and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He is fluent in both English and Spanish.
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Chibuzo O’Suoji, MD a board certified and fellowship trained pediatric hematologist / oncologist and faculty member at West Virginia University Charleston Division School of Medicine in Charleston, West Virginia The Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at West Virginia University Charleston Division and the Children’s Cancer Center at CAMC Women & Children’s Hospital is a full member of the Children’s Oncology Group with access to COG Treatment Protocols and is an academically oriented program that is committed to providing modern, family centered and highly personalized care to children with cancer and blood disorders. We Treat Children With: Anemia, Childhood Cancer/Leukemia, Bleeding Disorders, Thrombocytopenia, Thrombophilia, Neutropenia, Aplastic Anemia, Myelodysplasia. We welcome calls for consultations and referrals and look forward to working together to create a comprehensive care plan for your patients.
Chibuzo C. O’Suoji, MD
Dr. Pino is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. He is active with the Children’s
WVU Physicians of Charleston • Pediatric Hematology/Oncology 830 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 103 Charleston, WV, 25302
Phone (304) 388-1552 Fax (304) 388-1565
www.wvupc.org
Volume 6 - Issue 2 • 2015
11
CAMC News
Internal Medicine News Research projects recognized
Two residents from the CAMC/WVU Charleston Division campus are being recognized for their hard work and accomplishments on their research projects. Colleen Pettrey, PGYII for her work on her original research
project with Dr. Shelda Martin, titled, “Pulmonary Function Testing in Patients With COPD In the Outpatient Care Center”. Muhammad Rawala, PGYII on his project with Dr. William H. Carter, “Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction
Assessment: Comparison between Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography and Echocardiography”. Both of them presented their posters at the National ACP Meeting held in Boston, Massachusetts.
Experienced Specialists. Trusted Hospitals. Expert Care. As one of the largest multi-specialty groups in West Virginia, CAMC Physicians Group brings together nearly 100 doctors at physician practices, CAMC hospitals and multi-specialty clinics in Charleston, Teays Valley and surrounding counties with one goal: to provide easy access to high quality care. At Charleston Area Medical Center, we are able to provide the most advanced technology you expect along with the personalized care that your patients deserve. Our growing scope of specialties includes: Bariatric Surgery Cardiology Cardiothoracic Surgery Dentistry Fertility General & Vascular Surgery Hospitalists Maxillofacial Surgery Neurology
12
WV Physician
Oncology Ophthalmology Orthopedic Surgery Orthopedic Trauma Pediatric ENT Pediatric Neurology Pediatric Surgery Plastic Surgery Urology
To learn more about our physicians, services and locations, visit camc.org/cpg.
Davis Health System News
Vance Jackson, FACHE, Selected New Davis Health System CEO The Davis Health System (DHS) Board of Directors announces Vance Jackson, FACHE, as President and CEO. Jackson succeeds Vance Jackson Mark Doak who is retiring after 14 years as serving as President and CEO.
“Mr. Jackson’s accomplishments in healthcare leadership are extraordinary,” said DHS Board Chair William “Bill” Hartman. “He brings an uncompromised commitment to quality and service which best serves our patients and communities.” The DHS Board of Directors made the announcement following their regularly scheduled board meeting.
“I’m incredibly honored and humbled to be appointed CEO,” said Jackson. “Davis has a long history of providing outstanding care to its communities and my commitment is to continue on a path that provides patientfriendly, quality healthcare.”
“We selected an outstanding individual with proven executive and leadership skills,” said Andrew Gongola, board member and Chair of the CEO Search Committee. “We’re confident he is the right choice to lead Davis Health System.”
Jackson has served as CEO of Hancock County Health System (HCHS), a rural integrated health system in North Iowa, since 2006. In addition to his role at HCHS, Jackson has served concurrently as interim CEO for a number of network hospitals including a recent assignment at Mitchell County Regional Hospital in 2014. He has worked in healthcare leadership for more than 30 years.
Jackson earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Management and a Master of Science degree in Management and Quantitative Analysis from Wayland Baptist University. He completed a Healthcare Executive Fellowship at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and the AHA Healthcare System Transformational Fellowship. Mr. Jackson is a Distinguished
Fellow of the American College of Medical Quality and is Board Certified and a Fellow of The American College of Healthcare Executives and the American College of Medical Practice Executives. Jackson will begin his role as President and CEO in the near future. Plans are in process to transition from his current position to Davis Health System. Davis Health System’s operations include more than 850 employed physicians and healthcare professionals, affiliated physicians and volunteers. It serves a population of 85,000 in five primary counties and operates Davis Medical Center in Elkins and Broaddus Hospital, a critical access hospital in Philippi, WV. The system also operates urgent care centers, a long term care facility, two retail pharmacies, home health and oxygen services, family practice and specialty physician clinics, a sleep lab, a cancer center, a pain management center, a speech and swallowing center, an outpatient therapy center and others.
Davis Medical Center Achieves AHA’s Top Resuscitation Award Davis Medical Center (DMC) has again earned the highest distinction from the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Get With the Guidelines® program. AHA Mission Lifeline Director Cynthia Keely presented DMC staff with the Gold Resuscitation Quality Achievement Award. “I am here to honor Davis Medical Center, for turning Guidelines into Lifelines,” Keely said. “Receiving this award demonstrates tangible evidence of your hard work and commitment to saving lives.” The Get With the Guidelines® program helps ensure consistent application of the most recent AHA/American Stroke Association Scientific Guidelines for patient treatment. More than 2,300
hospitals nationwide participate in the Get With the Guidelines program. “This clearly demonstrates that we follow evidence-based guidelines to improve patient outcomes,” said Michelle Stanton, RN, BSN, Chief Quality Officer/Risk Manager. “We’re pleased to receive the recognition, and patients can be assured that they receive quality and consistent care with us during their hospital stay.” To receive the award DMC demonstrated at least 85% compliance in each of four Get With the Guidelines-Resuscitation Recognition measures. “Your physicians, healthcare professionals and leadership are focused on quality improvement systems to ensure that every resuscitation patient
Davis Medical Center representatives joined American Heart Association Mission Lifeline Director Cynthia Keely to accept the AHA Get With the Guidelines® Gold Resuscitation Quality Achievement Award. The Gold Award is highest level of distinction earned by hospitals that exceed quality measures in caring for adult cardiac arrest patients. Those pictured include members of the DMC Intensive Care, Cardiopulmonary, and Quality and Risk Management departments as well the AHA training team and Keely. Volume 6 - Issue 2 • 2015
13
Davis Health System News is treated according to the AHA’s guidelines. Congratulations to your team for their hard work and dedication to improve quality of care for your patients.” Keely added. The AHA’s suite of quality programs puts up-to-date guidelines, tools and resources to work in hospitals and outpatient practices. The program includes in-hospital modules for heart failure, stroke, heart attack and resuscitation as well as a program for outpatient physician practices.
“Shortening the time to effective resuscitation and maximizing post-resuscitation care is critical to patient survival,” said Stanton. “Our protocols can reduce disability and death from cardiac and respiratory emergencies.” Stanton also added that the key to reaching the required benchmarks of the program is staff development, training and commitment to providing quality patient care. For more information about the Get With The Guidelines® Award or Davis Medical Center, visit www.davishealthsystem.org.
Marshall University Medical School News
Marshall Psychiatry welcomes new doctors The Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine recently welcomed new clinical faculty in the department of psychiatry & behavioral health. Kalpana Miriyala, M.D., a fellowship-trained psychiatrist, who joins the department as an assistant professor. She earned her medical degree from Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College in Mumbai, India, and completed psychiatry residency programs at Topiwala National Medical College & BYL Nair Charitable Hospital in Mumbai, University of Kansas Medical Center and Henry Ford Health Systems. She also served as a psychiatry fellow at the University of Michigan. Since 2009, Miriyala has worked as a staff psychiatrist at Prestera Center for Mental Health Services Inc. in Huntington.
located in the 20th Street Professional Building, 1115 20th St. For appointments, please call 304-691-1500. Additionally, Karen S. Roper, Ph.D., is joining the department as an instructor. Roper completed the requirements for her doctorate in counseling psychology at Louisiana Tech University in 2012. Marshall Psychiatry offers specialized care services for patients of all ages. For more information about Marshall Psychiatry, visit www.marshallhealth.org/psychiatry.
Miriyala specializes in child and adolescent psychiatry. She is accepting new patients in the offices of Marshall Psychiatry,
Marshall Health welcomes new specialists Haytham Aljoudi, M.D., and Nihar N. Shah, M.D., recently joined the clinical faculty of the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. Haytham Aljoudi, M.D., is a fellowship-trained cardiologist who joins the department of cardiovascular services as an assistant professor. Aljoudi earned his medical degree at the University of Jordan. He completed an internal medicine residency at Seton Hall University and a cardiology fellowship at the Marshall School of Medicine. Following his Haytham Aljoudi residency, Aljoudi worked as a hospitalist at Charleston Area Medical Center and part-time faculty with the West Virginia University School of Medicine Charleston Division.
14
WV Physician
Robert L. Coffield
Ryan A. Brown
Practicing Medicine is Demanding Enough
Have you received an overpayment demand from a health insurance company? Post-payment demands are both aggravating and costly to your practice. Our health care attorneys can help.
SM
FL AHERT Y | SENSABAUGH | BONASSO
PLLC
304-345-0200 flahertylegal.com | Edward C. Martin, Responsible Attorney
Marshall University Medical School News Aljoudi is accepting new patients and referrals at Marshall Cardiology, located at the Erma Ora Byrd Clinical Center, 1249 15th St., Huntington. For appointments, please call 304-691-8500. Nihar N. Shah, M.D., is board-certified in Internal Medicine, and a fellowshiptrained gastroenterologist who earned his
Nihar N. Shah
medical degree from Smt. NHL Municipal Medical College in India. He completed his internal medicine residency followed by a gastroenterology and hepatology fellowship, both at
Seton Hall University. Shah joins the School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine. Shah is accepting new patients and referrals at Marshall Internal Medicine, located at the Erma Ora Byrd Clinical Center, 1249 15th St., Huntington. For appointments, please call 304-691-1000.
New ophthalmologist to join Marshall Health Vishal Verma, M.D., joined the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine as an assistant professor and University Eye Surgeons, a Vishal Verma department of Marshall Health, Sept. 1. Verma, a Nitro, West Virginia, native, has offered comprehensive and surgical eye care in central Ohio since 2011. He has served as an ophthalmologist at Greater Ohio Eye Surgeons, Eye Surgical and Medical Center. Verma most recently worked as a cataract and refractive surgeon at the Columbus Laser and Cataract Center specializing in cataract and LASIK surgeries. “We’re so pleased Dr. Verma has decided to return to our region,� said R. Mark Hatfield, M.D., chair of the ophthalmology department at the School of Medicine. “In addition to his exceptional skills as a cataract surgeon, Dr. Verma’s arrival signals the growth of our department and clinical practice.� Verma earned his medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine. He completed a residency at The Ohio State University. Verma is accepting new patients and referrals at University Eye Surgeons, located in the East Hills Professional Center, 5187 U.S. 60 E., Suite 6, Huntington. For appointments, please call 304-691-8800.
We Practice What We Teach West Virginia University Physicians of Charleston provides worldclass medical care to citizens of Southern West Virginia, while conducting ground breaking research and continuing education at one of the nation’s oldest regional medical education campuses. Our providers are recognized leaders in their chosen specialties. Our practice plan includes providers that specialize in everything from primary to specialty care and from pediatrics to geriatrics. In addition to practicing medicine, each doctor is a member of the faculty at the West Virginia University School of Medicine. As PHQWRUV LQ WKH PHGLFDO ¿HOG GHGLFDWHG WR WUDLQLQJ D QHZ JHQHUDWLRQ of doctors, our physicians have a passion for knowledge that pushes them to learn more. As physicians and medical university faculty members, we are at the forefront of medical science. We are committed to delivering the most technologically advanced and compassionate care available. Our faculty physicians also conduct important research and use cutting edge medical advancements to improve patient outcomes. We aren’t content just to practice medicine -- we’re committed to teaching it, too. Visit our website to see the many specialists and services we offer to meet all of your family’s health care needs. Search for providers: • by name • by specialty • by location
www.wvupc.org Volume 6 - Issue 2 • 2015
15
Marshall University Medical School News
Established primary care practice joins Marshall Health Thacker Family Physicians, a Milton-based practice, has joined Marshall Health, the faculty practice plan of the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. Thacker Family Physicians provides primary care for infants through adults, including sick visits, well baby visits, immunizations, specialist referrals and minor procedures. Its practitioners include the husband-wife team of Teresa Y. Thacker, M.D., and A. Wayne Thacker, M.D., both 1990 graduates from the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. Teresa Y. Thacker, M.D. has practiced family medicine for more than 20 years in the Huntington area. She completed her residency at Roanoke (Virginia) Memorial Hospital. She was named West Virginia Rural Physician of the Year by the School of Medicine in 2002 and West Virginia Rural Preceptor of the Year for 2014. She joins the Teresa Y. Thacker School of Medicine as an assistant professor in the department of family and community health. A. Wayne Thacker, M.D., has worked as a private practice physician for more than 20 years. He has traveled to the Dominican Republic more than a dozen times to provide health care to its underserved population. In addition to his new post as assistant professor in the department of family and
community health at the School of Medicine, he also currently serves as the director of family practice at Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in Huntington. “In addition to the years of private practice experience the Thackers bring to the School of Medicine, they are each dedicated to meeting the health care needs of the A. Wayne Thacker underserved in both our community and abroad,” said School of Medicine Dean Joseph I. Shapiro, M.D. “That’s the type of expertise and mindset we value as we seek to fulfill the school’s mission of rural medicine outreach.” Thacker Family Physicians has been renamed Marshall Family Medicine, but retains its current office location at 1155 Main St. in Milton. The phone number, 304-743-8833, remains the same as well. “Existing patients will see few changes in the level of care they have always received from Thacker Family Physicians,” said Beth L. Hammers, executive director of Marshall Health. “Patients can expect a continued quality of care plus the added benefit of becoming part of the Marshall Health network of physicians.” The practice is currently accepting new patients. To make an appointment, please call 304-743-8833.
Marshall School of Medicine establishes new neurosurgery, neurology departments Alberico, Ferguson named as chairs The Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine has expanded its neuroscience program, allowing for creation of separate departments of neurosurgery and neurology, Joseph I. Shapiro, M.D., dean of the school of medicine, announced today.
Shapiro said. “I am pleased he has accepted this new position. Likewise, Dr. Ferguson has served in many leadership capacities with the School of Medicine and is exceptionally suited to assume the role of interim chair of the department of neurology.”
“The growth of our neuroscience program, both academically and clinically, speaks volumes of the need for more doctors who treat diseases of the nervous system,” Shapiro said. “This step allows us to provide more extensive neuro education to our students and expands our high-quality advanced care for patients.”
Alberico received his medical degree from the Temple University School of Medicine and completed residency training at the Medical College of Virginia. He is experienced in the management of spinal disorders and in developing advances in spine care. Alberico is board-certified in neurosurgery and joined Marshall in 2007.
Shapiro also announced that Anthony M. Alberico, M.D., who has served as neuroscience chairman, will now become the chairman of the newly formed department of neurosurgery. The dean appointed Paul B. Ferguson, M.D., as interim chairman of the department of neurology.
A specialist in diagnosing and treating headaches as well as multiple sclerosis, Ferguson joined the School of Medicine as a faculty member in 2011 after completing residencies in neurology at Marshall and Wake Forest University. He graduated from Marshall’s Medical School in 2007.
“Dr. Alberico is a dynamic, forward thinking leader and under his direction our neuroscience program has flourished extensively,”
To complement growth of the department, the School of Medicine is bringing on additional faculty physicians.
16
WV Physician
Marshall University Medical School News Alastair T. Hoyt, M.D., a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon, joins the department of neurosurgery. Hoyt graduated from medical school at the University of Nebraska, completed a residency in neurosurgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin and a fellowship at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. He has additional Alastair T. Hoyt training in Gamma Knife Radiosurgery. Hoyt is accepting new patients at Marshall Neurosurgery, located at the Marshall University Medical Center. For appointments, please call 304-691-1787. Dominika Lozowska, M.D., a fellowship-trained neurologist, joins the department of neurology. Lozowska earned her medical degree from Jagiellonian University Medical College.
She completed a residency in neurology at Fletcher Allen Health Centre in Burlington, Vermont, followed by two fellowships—a neurophysiology fellowship at the University of South Florida in Tampa and a neuromuscular fellowship at the University of Colorado Denver in Aurora, Colorado. Lozowska is accepting new patients at Dominika Marshall Neurology, located at the Marshall Lozowska University Medical Center. For appointments, please call 304-691-1787. Reconfiguration of the department of neuroscience will accommodate new patient exam rooms and laboratory space. The school also anticipates establishing a new neurology residency program in the coming years.
New pediatric oncologist joins Marshall School of Medicine Paul Finch, M.D., a board-certified and fellowship-trained pediatric oncologist/ hematologist, has joined the department of pediatrics at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center as an assistant professor.
Finch earned his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center/Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Finch has also served as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Pittsburgh since 2013. His current research focuses on the growth and characteristics of ovarian cancer cells.
Prior to joining Marshall, Finch most recently served as a pediatric hematology/oncology fellow at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh—University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).
Finch is accepting new pediatric patients and referrals at the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center, located at 1400 Hal Greer Blvd., Huntington. For appointments, please call 304-3996503.
Paul Finch
WVU Charleston News
Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry News
WVU Charleston Division faculty member accepts national APAGS award The West Virginia Psychological Association has been selected as the recipient of the 2015 APAGS Award for an Outstanding State, Provincial, and Territorial Association of the Year by the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students. After a review and rating process by a number of APAGS committee members and officers to determine the 2015 award recipient, it was decided that the West Virginia Psychological Association demonstrates an exemplary level of commitment to graduate student development. Dr. Scott A. Fields, associate professor of behavioral medicine and psychiatry and president of the West Virginia Psychological Association, accepted the award, along with co-applicant Alyssa Frye and graduates of the WVU Charleston Division psychology internship program. Volume 6 - Issue 2 • 2015
17
WVU Charleston News
Family Medicine News Dr. Joshua Cusick-Lewis uses technology to diagnose skin lesions
Josh Cusick-Lewis
Josh Cusick-Lewis, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the department of family medicine at West Virginia University’s Charleston Division, is using a relatively new piece of technology to help diagnose skin
Pediatrics News Dr. Beth Emrick Congratulations to Dr. Beth Emrick of the West Virginia University Charleston Division department of pediatrics on passing her behavioral Beth Emrick and developmental pediatric board exam. Dr. Emrick is now West Virginia’s first and the only board certified behavioral and developmental pediatrician.
Ob/Gyn News
Dr. Stephen Bush receives 2015 ACOG Mentor Award Stephen Bush, MD, MBA, FACOG, Associate Professor and Chairperson of the West Virginia University Charleston Division department of obstetrics Stephen Bush and gynecology, was honored by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) with the 2015 ACOG Mentor Award for district IV. ACOG confers the award to members of the obstetrics and gynecology community who are recognized as outstanding mentors who have made a difference and had a positive impact on the careers of their peers.
18
WV Physician
lesions in order to determine if patients need biopsies or not. Its small, fits easily in a coat pocket, is noninvasive, and is quick to learn to use. The technology is called a dermatoscope and its use and popularity are growing nationwide, although – according to Dr. CusickLewis -- still not very common among family medicine physicians here in
West Virginia. Cusick-Lewis said that his use of the dermatoscope in the last 18 months has already saved several of his patients from getting needless minor surgical procedures. He added that the device also helped to rapidly diagnose a melanoma in another patient, potentially saving his life.
Payment Solutions
for the
Medical Industry
From Point of Sale to settlement, Sterling specializes in fast and reliable payment processing for the medical industry. n Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AMEX, debit and FSA/HAS n Next-day funding n Highest data security standards n Free real-time online account management n
Reports exportable to Quicken, QuickBooks, Microsoft Money, and Excel
n 24 x 7 x 365 support n Check conversion through GETI
Sterling’s Virtual terminal Ideal payment solution for medical offices featuring: Recurring billing Secure Customer Vault n Secure payments through any computer with no expensive hardware or software n Customizable to meet your business needs n n
ContaCt Mary ritenour at 304-727-3564 maryrit@suddenlink.net
WVU Medicine
Berkeley Medical Center Earns ACR Stereotactic Breast Biopsy Accreditation University Healthcare Berkeley Medical Center has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in stereotactic breast biopsy as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). A breast biopsy is performed to remove cells — either surgically or through a less invasive procedure involving a hollow needle — from an area in the breast suspected to be cancerous. These cells are examined under a microscope to determine a diagnosis. In stereotactic breast biopsy, a special mammography machine helps guide the radiologist’s instruments to the site of an abnormal growth. The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians
and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement. The ACR is a national professional organization serving more than 36,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services. For more information, visit www.acr.org or contact the ACR Breast Imaging Accreditation Hotline at 1.800.227.6440.
WVU Medicine attains highest-ever ranking in UHC Quality Leadership Awards list WVU Medicine–WVU Hospitals reached No. 18, its highest-ever ranking, in the annual University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) Quality Leadership Awards. The rankings are determined by UHC’s Quality and Accountability Study, which measures excellence in delivering high-quality care. The study was designed by UHC to serve as a model to help academic medical centers identify structures and processes associated with high performance in quality and safety across patient populations. UHC reviews data submitted from each institution, including records of patient mortality, patient safety, effectiveness of care, efficiency of care, patient satisfaction, and patient equity. WVU Medicine–WVU Hospitals was categorized with 102 of the largest teaching hospitals in the U.S. It was ranked No. 37 in last year’s study. “Unlike many top performer lists, this one requires participants to submit patient data for evaluation and comparison,” Frank Briggs, vice president and chief quality officer, said. “The UHC rankings do not account for reputation or surveys completed by medical professionals.”
The rankings come during a period of unprecedented growth at WVU Medicine. “This ranking is certainly good news but even better is the opportunity and challenge we have ahead of us – improving the health of the citizens of West Virginia,” Albert Wright, president of WVU Medicine–WVU Hospitals, said. “With our recent growth, we’re answering a call from people throughout the region who need the kind of top-quality care we offer.” Briggs said WVU Medicine’s array of providers – physicians, nurses, and others – are at the root of its success. “Each day, it seems we are breaking another census record as patients continue to select us for their medical care,” Briggs said. “During these busy times, it’s easy to forget to recognize the team ultimately responsible for providing outstanding care and the reason patients seek out our care – each and every one of our care providers. “Our reputation for medical excellence would not be possible without their commitment to our patients.”
Volume 6 - Issue 2 • 2015
19
WVU Medicine
The Joint Commission honors UHC United Hospital Center announced that it has been recognized as a 2014 Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in the United States. UHC was recognized as part of The Joint Commission’s 2015 annual report “America’s Hospitals: Improving Quality and Safety,” for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance for multiple quality measures related to heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, VTE, and immunization. United Hospital Center is one of only 1,043 hospitals out of more than 3,300 eligible hospitals in the United States to achieve the 2014 Top Performer distinction. The Top Performer program recognizes hospitals for improving performance on evidence-based interventions that increase the chances of healthy outcomes for patients with certain conditions. The performance measures included in the recognition program including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, children’s asthma, inpatient psychiatric services, stroke, venous thromboembolism, perinatal care, immunization, tobacco treatment, and substance use. This is the third year UHC has been recognized as a Top Performer. UHC was recognized in 2011, 2013, and 2014 for its performance on accountability measure data.
20
WV Physician
To be a 2014 Top Performer, hospitals had to meet three performance criteria based on 2014 accountability measure data, including: • Achieve cumulative performance of 95 percent or above across all reported accountability measures; • Achieve performance of 95 percent or above on each and every reported accountability measure with at least 30 denominator cases; and • Have at least one core measure set that had a composite rate of 95 percent or above, and within that measure set, achieve a performance rate of 95 percent or above on all applicable individual accountability measures. “Delivering the right treatment in the right way at the right time is a cornerstone of high-quality health care. I commend the efforts of UHC for their excellent performance on the use of evidencebased interventions,” said Mark R. Chassin, MD, FACP, MPP, MPH, president and CEO, The Joint Commission. “We understand what matters most to patients at UHC is the quality and safety of the care they receive. That is why we have made it a top priority to improve positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes,” said Mike Tillman, CEO and president. “UHC is proud to be named a Top Performer as it recognizes the knowledge, teamwork and dedication of our entire hospital staff.” For more information about the Top Performer program, visit www.jointcommission.org/accreditation/top_performers.aspx.
PEDIATRIC NEUROSURGERY The WVU Medicine Children’s neurosurgery team provides state-of-the-art care for neonates, infants, children, and adolescents with problems of the brain, spine, or peripheral nerves. WVU Medicine pediatric neurosurgeons have advanced sub-specialty training, access to the latest technology, and work with an extensive team of other pediatric sub-specialists. We offer all of these elements, along with a strong commitment to a caring, family-centered approach. • Strong commitment to achieving the best possible outcome and excellent cosmetic results with the least possible physical and emotional trauma to the child and family • Use of minimally invasive techniques whenever possible • Continuity of care throughout the child’s growing years • Family participation and support throughout the process • State-of-the-art technology
Medical Access and Referral System (MARS): 800-WVA-MARS
Clinic Appointments: 855-WVU-CARE
Please contact us to inquire about neonates, infants, children, or adolescents with any neurological problem that can be addressed surgically.
WVUkids.com
CANCER DOESN’T HAVE ME. Ovarian Cancer. It’s part of who I am today, but it’s not what I see for myself in the future. I’m looking forward and anticipating the birth of my first grandchild, whose life I am determined to be a part of for a long time. That’s why I turned to a hospital and doctors who’ve taken such ownership in my care and who’ve given me hope that I can beat this disease. My hospital is the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center at Cabell Huntington Hospital – the place where knowledge meets hope.
edwardsccc.org | 304.399.6600 Gerard J.Oakley, MD, Gynecologic Oncologist and daVinci Surgeon Medical Director, Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center