VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 3
The Magazine for Health Care Professionals
High Def Imaging
At West Virginia University
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Category Contents
COVER STORY
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COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF WVU
High Def Imaging at West Virginia University
High resolution MRI, MRA and perfusion imaging can now be performed in a single setting and without the need for an IV or a contrast agent. Combine that with music, movies and a spacious scanning area and
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Cabell Huntington Hospital team of imaging specialists
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you’ve got a real change for the better” states Dr. Jeffrey Carpenter, Neuroradiologist and Medical Director of MRI.
The Breast Center at CAMC personalized care for women
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 7 Primary Care
New resource center to assist with electronic health records, EHR Incentives
8 Cardiology
Mon General expands cardiac services
10 Hospital News
Cabell Huntington Hospital’s team of imaging specialists
12 Breats Cancer Center at CAMC Offering personalized care for women
14 News 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. ©2010, 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 1 - Issue 3
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Cover Category Story
High Def Imaging at West Virgina University A commitment to provide cutting - edge advanced imaging services continues to be the goal for the Center for Advanced Imaging at West Virginia University. The Center for Advanced Imaging (CAI) currently includes:
The Center for Advanced Imaging is fully accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR). All imaging studies are read and interpreted by board certified radiologists that hold additional certifications in their respected specialized areas. The MRI and PET/CT technologists are also highly qualified and hold their board certifications in their specialties as well.
PET/CT The West Virginia University PET/CT center announced an expansion of clinical services in 2009. The addition of a second PET/CT scanner prompted plans for improvements in patient care and clinical capabilities. As a result, there are new developments in all three facets of PET imaging at WVU; Cardiology, Neurology, and Oncology. Since 2009, the capacity for PET cardiac studies has more than doubled at WVU.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WVU
• On-site cyclotron and radiochemical laboratory • 16-slice Biograph PET/CT • Gemini 16 Time of flight PET/CT • Three 1.5 Tesla MRI scanners
• A Phillips High Field (1.0 T) OPEN MRI scanner • A 3.0 Tesla Siemens Verio MRI scanner
Kevin Sawyer, MD observes as PET technologists Marka Blair and Jennifer Barnes position a patient for a PET Myocardial Perfusion study.
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Fig. 1: NH3 Stress Images Pt. BMI > 40
Patients can be referred for both FDG-F18 cardiac viability studies and Myocardial Perfusion PET studies with N13- Ammonia, and even a combination of both studies in one day. For FDG viability studies, a glucose loading protocol is followed using a dose of Trutol® to elevate the glucose level. This allows the myocardium to utilize glucose as its energy source prior to an injection of FDG and the scan to assess for viable myocardium. Perfusion studies are performed with a 1 hour protocol utilizing an on-site cyclotron and the stress agent Lexiscan.
Cardiac PET utilization has increased in 2010. Research supports its superior image quality and accuracy to Nuclear Medicine SPECT imaging, particularly in obese patients. Bateman et al reported the accuracy of imaging in obese patients (BMI > 30) at 67 % for Nuclear SPECT vs. 87% for PET (Journal of Nuclear Medicine 2006). At WVU every patient with a BMI > 40 in need of a myocardial perfusion study is sent immediately for PET for this testing in place of the Nuclear SPECT study. The case study, in Fig. 1 from our facility, illustrates the exceptional quality of PET/CT cardiac imaging in obese patients.
Frontal Lobe
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Frontal Lobe
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Fig. 2: Scenium Analysis
PET/CT studies of the brain are most often performed to access seizure disorders as well as Alzheimer’s and dementia cases. The addition of the Scenium software program at WVU that is offered by Siemens Medical has provided an exceptional tool for radiologists interpreting neurologic PET/CT studies. The program compares the brain activity seen on the PET image to the activity distributed on a normal reference image and a report of statistical analysis is created for each section of the brain. “The use of Scenium brain analysis allows for accurate identification and quantification of cortical FDG uptake, thus improving the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and dementia and monitoring potential therapy,” said Gary Marano, MD, interpreting nuclear radiologist of University Health Associates. A dementia case utilizing Scenium is illustrated in Fig. 2. The developments noted in Cardiac and Neurologic PET/CT are significant. However, Oncologic PET/CT continues to dominate the modality. Throughout 2009 there were many changes in PET and PET/CT reimbursement. The April 2009 Medicare coverage decision supported by the research of the National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR) program was a monumental step in seeking coverage for PET and PET/CT oncologic indications. In the months following the April 2009 decision, cervical cancer became a nationally covered indication through the support of NOPR research. The initial April Volume 1 - Issue 3
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decision included an exception for cervical cancer to receive coverage of initial treatment strategy. Most other non-covered indications remain covered through the continuation of the NOPR program. WVU continues to participate in the program and has collected data on over 1100 cases since the program began in 2006. For more information on the NOPR program or Medicare coverage decisions, see the NOPR website at www.cancerpetregistry.org.
WVU is committed to and is currently developing bone imaging with Sodium Fluoride as part of the services provided to patients and to referring physicians. Sodium Fluoride is now available to WVU through our supplier IBA Molecular. A case example of a Sodium Fluoride bone scan performed at WVU is illustrated in Fig. 3 below, with a comparison to an MDP Nuclear Medicine Bone scan performed on the same patient.
Medicare has also taken an important step in another facet of oncologic PET imaging. On February 26th, 2010 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) published a National Coverage Determination (NCD) that Sodium Fluoride bone imaging be covered under Coverage with Evidence Development (CED). Coverage will be provided by Medicare if a patient is enrolled in, and the NaF-18 PET provider is participating in, a clinical study that meets standards set by CMS. This decision can be seen at http:// www.cms.hhs.gov/mcd/viewdecisionmemo.asp?id=233
The 2009 expansion has opened the door for the critical advancement that WVU PET/CT is seeing in these various facets of medicine. We are now able to look ahead to new tracer development and imaging techniques, including scanning for radiation therapy planning. Most importantly, we are able to accommodate the needs of patients, physicians, and the community. Amidst the growth and ever-changing environment in PET remains the continuous goal of improving outcomes for our patients. MRI As leaders in advanced imaging, WVU has once again brought a state of the art MRI to the state of West Virginia. A Siemens 3T Magnetom Verio was installed in March 2010. The Verio offers improved patient comfort in a cutting edge diagnostic scanner. Radiologists at WVU now offer the most advanced MR Imaging services to a complete range of patients. Small, large, and even many claustrophobic patients are scanned quickly and at high resolution. With a 70 cm bore, a patient weight limit of 550 lbs and superb image quality, this MRI has surpassed all others. Equipped with its own entertainment system, patients can watch DVD’s of their choice or listen to their own music while they are being imaged. “High resolution MRI, MRA and perfusion imaging can now be performed in a single setting and without the need for an IV or a contrast agent. Combine that with music, movies and a spacious scanning area and you’ve got a real change for the better” states Dr. Jeffrey Carpenter, Neuroradiologist and Medical Director of MRI.
Fig. 3: NaF PET Bone
MDP Nuclear Medicine Bone
At 3T, the Verio boasts the strongest magnetic field strength used clinically today. Statewide, WV Physicians now have access to all
Functional MRI: Axial, coronal, and sagittal images show regions of brain activation (bright orange – white) near a left frontal lobe tumor, during a language task. Using this information during pre-operative planning allows for maximum tumor removal while preserving function.
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clinically approved MRI applications, including functional MRI, diffusion tensor imaging and fiber tracking, orthopedic cartilage assessment, and the ability to estimate blood flow to the brain without the need for a contrast agent. Functional MRI: FMRI is an imaging technique that detects changes in cerebral blood flow in response to task activation. By utilizing BOLD (blood oxygenation level dependent) imaging, Radiologists can interpret the color enhanced brain images to assist in pre-surgical planning for patients under going surgery for brain tumor removal. This can aid the neurosurgeon in planning the optimal approach to these
challenging tumors that allows for tumor removal while minimizing post-operative disability. DTI: Diffusion Tensor Imaging with fiber tracking allows imaging of the nerve fibers within the spinal cord and the brain. DTI allows for the determination of directionality as well as themagnitude of water diffusion through these nerve bundles. This capability allows insight into how we are wired and whether a tumor or other processes push the brain around or actually disrupt these pathways. Clinically this is being applied to patients with tumors, stroke and demyelinating processes such as multiple sclerosis. It is used extensively in conjunction with functional MRI for pre-surgical planning. ASL: Arterial Spin Labeling is a new MR technique that enables the measurement of blood flow to the brain without the need for IV contrast. Patients with renal disease can now be routinely imaged with this method. This capability will improve the value of MR in patients experiencing a stroke, battling cancer and may aid in diagnosing dementia.
ASL: Axial MR ASL brain perfusion images demonstrate low vascularity (blood flow) to the left frontal lobe tumor. Combining this data with the previous figures allows for a provisional diagnosis of a low grade glioma.
DTI: Axial and 3D images of fiber tracking data in the same patient as depicted in figure 1. The nerve fiber tracks are predominantly displaced (rather than destroyed) by the tumor.
Musculosketal MSK imaging at 3T offers twice the image quality as a conventional 1.5 MRI. With dedicated extremity coils and the increased signal capabilities WVU offers our referring physicians outstanding MSK imaging. Our New Verio MRI provides superior imaging of the articular cartilage in the knees and hips enabling better detection of articular cartilage injury and or abnormality. Equipped with BLADE imaging techniques, we are able to minimize pulsatile artifacts in knees, hips and wrists. Volume 1 - Issue 3
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Musculosketal
T2 Coronal BLADE image with fat saturation of the wrist shows sharp delineation of intrinsic ligaments and triangular fibro cartilage
Proton Density Sagittal image of the knee with Fat saturation, gives an exquisite display of articular cartilage and meniscal anatomy
Proton Density coronal image of the hip with fat saturation, sharply delineates the labral structures. The arrow shows the superior hip labrium.
Womens Imaging at WVU WVU Healthcare pleased to announce that our Section of Breast Imaging is now under the interim direction of Michael Hogan, M.D. As a comprehensive department we offer the following services: • Digital Mammography • Ultrasound-guided Breast Biopsies • Breast Ultrasound • Stereotactic Breast Biopsies • MRI of the Breast
• MRI-guided Breast Biopsies
of patient schedules. In most cases, patients may be imaged the same day that the exam is ordered. To schedule an appointment, please call 304-293-7521.
Our goal is to expand our breast MRI program and to provide the most complete and advanced breast imaging services to our referring physicians and patients. Patient Referrals: All patients are welcome at the WVU Center for Advanced Imaging. We offer expanded hours of operation to accommodate a variety
If you have any questions or for further information please call Karyn Wallace, PET/ CT Manager at 304-293-3569, Cathy Bierer, MRI Manager at 304-293-1717, Becky Long, Office Manger at 304-293-1881
Specializing in facial surgical procedures for 13 years
David P. Wise, MD, DDS • James M. Henderson, MD, DDS, FACS Bruce B. Horswell, MD, DDS, MS, FACS Board certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons • 33 years of combined experience CAMC General Hospital Medical Pavilion 415 Morris St., Suite 309 Charleston, WV 25301
CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital Medical Staff Office Building 830 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 302 Charleston, WV 25302
(304) 388-3290 1-800-348-6099
(304) 388-2950 1-800-348-6099
n Facial cosmetic surgery
n Skin and mouth lesions
n Infant jaw lengthening
n Facial and jaw reconstruction
n Oral cancer treatment
n Vein sclerotherapy
n Skin care programs/Micropeels
n Sleep apnea and snoring treatment
n Dental and zygoma implants
n Microdermabrasion
n Cleft lip/cleft palate
n Removal of teeth
n Laser treatment
n Misshapen heads
n Sedation/general anesthesia
n Hair transplants
Emergency care and financing available. • For billing information, call (304) 388-1799. Most major credit cards and insurances accepted. camc.org 22000-D10
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©Charleston Area Medical Center Health System, Inc. 2010
Primary Care
Primary Care Providers Have New Resource Center To Assist With Electronic Health Records, EHR Incentives By Roger Chaufournier
Primary care providers in West Virginia have a new resource to assist them with implementation of electronic health record systems and to prepare for federal EHR incentive payments, which become available in 2011. The West Virginia Regional Health Information Technology Extension Center (WVRHITEC) is a new federal program to aid primary care providers in implementing and using certified health information technology and achieving health improvement outcomes through “meaningful use.” Funded by the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the WVRHITEC involves a collaboration of several state organizations focused on improving health care quality and access. The partners are the West Virginia Health Improvement Institute, the West Virginia Medical Institute, and the Community Health Network of West Virginia. The WVRHITEC is one of the regional health information technology extension centers (RECs) that has been created out of the ARRA HITECH Action – Section 3012, and are under the U.S. DHHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). At the present time, the WVRHITEC is being operationalized and staffed to fulfill the HITECH Act objective of making health information technology accessible and assisting providers in using technology in a meaningful way to improve health outcomes. The consistent, nationwide adoption and use of secure EHRs will ultimately enhance the quality and value of health care. By assisting health care providers, these outreach, education, and technical assistance services will help to accelerate these outcomes.
What will the WVRHITEC do? The WVRHITEC will offer education, technical assistance, guidance, and information on best practices to support and accelerate health care centers’ and providers’ efforts to become meaningful users of certified electronic health record (EHR) systems. The center is available to all health care providers, whether or not they have adopted electronic health record systems.
Its objective is to help 1,000 eligible health care providers become “meaningful users” of health IT by 2011 so they can qualify for federal health IT incentive payments. Technical services by the WVRHITEC also will be available on a fee basis to all health care providers in the state. However, certain rural clinics and small practices may be eligible to receive these services at a subsidized basis. Priority for subsidized services will be given to primary care providers in small practices, rural clinics, FQHCs and certain critical access hospitals. The WVRHITEC will focus its most intensive technical assistance on clinicians (physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners) furnishing primary-care services, with a particular emphasis on individual and small group practices (fewer than 10 clinicians with prescriptive privileges). Clinicians in such practices deliver the majority of primary care services, but have the lowest rates of adoption of EHR systems, and the least access to resources to help them implement, use and maintain such systems.
What services will be provided by the WVRHITEC? The WVRHITEC’s staff will use its HIT/ EHR knowledge and experience to work one-on-one with these small practices and offer technical expertise in managing relationships with vendors, share knowledge of software implementation, and provide an understanding of needed work-flow change and quality improvement methods. Among the specific services that will be provided by the WVRHITEC are: • Consultation and assistance with EHR implementation, effective use, upgrading, and ongoing maintenance; • Guidance and training on achieving “meaningful use;” • Information about Medicare/Medicaid incentive payments; • Options for hosted EHR systems (certified); • Development of health data analysis, extraction and report applications; • Integration of health information
technology, including electronic health records, into the initial and ongoing training of health professionals; • Training on privacy (HIPAA), security, data storage, etc. • Support for participation in health information exchanges; • Active dissemination of best practices; and • Access to expert advice and capabilities from federal agencies. As has been mentioned, one of the major objectives of the WVRHITEC is to assist providers to take advantage of future federal EHR financial incentives. Starting in 2011, eligible Medicare and Medicaid providers (physician and hospital providers) who are successful in implementing electronic health records and achieving “meaningful use,” as defined by the U.S. DHHS, may receive reimbursement payments for their electronic health record systems. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will provide these reimbursement incentives starting in 2011 running through 2016. Regional extension centers will also help providers achieve, through appropriate available infrastructures, exchange of health information in compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and patient preferences. The WVRHITEC will be working with the West Virginia Health Information Network on exchange activities. Finally, this initiative will leverage the on-going work to integrate the medical home model activities already underway in West Virginia. These aim to transform our state’s health care delivery system and substantially improve the health of our rural population, which has a high prevalence of chronic disease, lack of access to care and high health care costs. For more information about the West Virginia Regional Health Information Technology Extension Center and federal EHR stimulus payments, please visit www.wvrhitec.org or request information by calling 1-877-775-7535. Roger Chaufournier is Chairman of the West Virginia Health Improvement Institute and the Program Officer for the West Virginia Regional Health Information Technology Extension Center. Volume 1 - Issue 3
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Cardiology
Mon General Expands Cardiac Services Region to Benefit from Full Continuum of Care from Mon General Heart Program Two recent cardiovascular surgeon additions to Mon General’s Cardiac Services Program means Mon General can provide the full continuum of cardiac services. Alexander Nagy, M.D., began seeing patients in July, joining Kee C. Lee, M.D., as the second cardiovascular surgeon at Mon General. Dr. Lee joined Mon General last October as the Cardiac Surgery Director. The addition of Dr. Nagy helps make Mon General’s cardiac services program the fastest growing in the region, and the Mon General cardiology group continues to be the busiest in north central West Virginia. In addition to open heart surgery, Dr. Nagy performs both lung and vascular surgery, including abdominal aortic aneurysm stent grafting. Dr. Lee has been doing open heart surgeries for more than 25 years. He is experienced in complex open heart surgery, including valve repairs, replacements, aorta surgery, coronary bypass, and carotid artery surgery. State Senator Joseph Minard, from Clarksburg, was a recent patient of Dr. Lee’s at Mon General. He said he had his cardiac catheterization in Charleston but was referred here to Dr. Lee at his own request.
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and the grateful patient “I think he’s the greatsays he is feeling back to est,” Senator Minard said. normal again. “With Dr. Lee, I just don’t know how you can get any “We are very fortunate better. You could go to any to have that kind of talclinic in the country and I ent here in West Virginia. don’t think you could do He left quite a reputation any better than Dr. Lee.” in Charleston before he came to Morgantown - and Minard, who has served he is one of the highly reas a state lawmaker for garded surgeons on the 26 years, said that when east coast,” Minard said. a Charleston cardiologist p Kee C. Lee, M.D. “We’re very fortunate to discovered the blockages, have that kind of talent the cardiologist told him right here under our nose. that Dr. Lee had operated You don’t even have to on the cardiologist’s mothleave the state.” er. “I told him, if he’s good enough to operate on The three daughters of your mother, I think that Reedsville, West Virthat would be the guy that ginia native Ann Luckey I want,” Minard said. “He learned that their Mother made the appointment wouldn’t need to leave the for me with Dr. Lee, and state, either, to receive exas soon as he saw me, he cellent cardiac care. Late immediately put me in the last year, they noticed that hospital. When I first went p Alexander Nagy, M.D. their mother’s health ap(last May), I thought I was just going for a consultation. It turned out to peared to be on the decline. be more serious than a consultation, something that had to be done and as quickly as “I hadn’t been feeling well for maybe six weeks, and one of my daughters (also a possible.” nurse), came to visit me who hadn’t seen The Senator said four blockages were discov- me and she noticed that I looked bad - I was ered, Dr. Lee soon did the bypass surgery, weak, and she talked me into to going to Mon
General – because she thought it was a great hospital, with great surgeons,” Ann said. Ann was subsequently diagnosed with anemia, diabetes, congestive heart failure, mitral valve disease and coronary artery disease. One of Ann’s daughters is Kristin Sarine, an R.N., who now resides in suburban Dallas. Kristin says they couldn’t have selected a better place to care for their mother. “We all sat down and talked about the different options, wondering if ‘bigger is better’, but we stayed here. We were very pleased that we stayed here - the doctors do a fabulous job and everyone was wonderful here,” Kristin said. “I just can’t praise it enough. Every staff member has been wonderful.” “I had a five-vessel bypass, and my mitral valve needed repaired and a small hole in my heart needed repaired, so we felt very fortunate to get Dr. Lee as our surgeon,” Ann said. Now Ann is back to playing with her grandchildren, like she used to. “And I breathe so much better,” Ann said. “And, the cardiac rehab here I love.” “The cardiac surgeons at Mon General are now performing complex heart surgery equal to that of a major, metropolitan medical center,” said Mon General’s Chief Operating Officer Darryl Duncan. During the first six months of 2010, more than 50 valve surgeries, including complex valve repairs and aortic root replacements, were performed, and the open heart surgery program is on track to perform more than 300 total heart surgeries this year. Like Senator Minard and Ms. Luckey, patients treated have had excellent outcomes, with high patient satisfaction. Dr. Lee and Dr. Nagy are partnering with Mon General’s six highly regarded cardiologists, who treat approximately 4,100 patients per year. “I think our program, if not THE strongest, is certainly one of the strongest in West Virginia.”
Cardiologist John McKnight, M.D., says Mon General also possesses the state-of-the-art technologies of a larger, metropolitan area. “We do heart catheterizations, angioplasty, we have all of the latest, up-to-date, heart failure equipment in the catheterization lab,” Dr. McKnight said. “We have two cardiovascular surgeons who are highly skilled, and very well seasoned.” “We were looking at putting together a cardiothoracic surgery program that met the
high standards we have previously set in cardiology,” said Mon Health System President/ CEO David Robertson. “We were convinced that Dr. Kee Lee is the top cardiac surgeon practicing in West Virginia, and we were very pleased to be able to recruit him to be the medical director of the Mon General open heart surgery program. It was our goal to develop the top open heart program in the state, and we are extremely proud that we can offer these high quality services to the communities that we serve.”
We Practice What We Teach West Virginia University Physicians of Charleston provides world-class 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 on the faculty at the West Virginia University School of Medicine. As mentors in the medical field, dedicated to training a new generation 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. WVU Physicians of Charleston benefits from a multi-faceted collaboration with Charleston Area Medical Center, West Virginia’s largest hospital system. Patients benefit from a synergy of resources that provide excellence in care. Area physicians’ ability to provide care is enhanced by the educational and consulting services available and new physicians are trained to provide outstanding, comprehensive health care while contributing to the scientific basis of medicine. We aren’t content just to practice medicine -- we’re committed to teaching it, too. Visit our website and see the many specialists and services we offer.
www.wvupc.org
Volume 1 - Issue 3
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Hospital News
Cabell Huntington Hospital’s comprehensive team of imaging specialists uses powerful tools to diagnose and treat diseases and illnesses of all types. By Charles Shumaker
With the expansion of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology in the Cabell Huntington Hospital Radiology Department, physicians now have access to more detailed images that provide them with unmatched accuracy and clarity. The hospital now has two MRI machines that are used to diagnose adult and pediatric patients with a wide range of injuries and illnesses.
Cabell Huntington Hospital’s CT team has more than 100 years of experience and uses multiple safety protocols to maintain safe levels of radiation for pediatric and adult patients. Physicians use CT scans in a wide range of situations to diagnose and treat illnesses, diseases and injuries. Technology at Cabell Huntington Hospital now provides physicians with a clear view of a patient’s anatomy, especially in the areas of brain and spine care and orthopedic cases such as shoulders, knees, wrists, elbows, feet and ankles. “The images we see are better than they have ever been,” said radiologist Jason Akers, MD. “Better images can lead to better treatment options and greater accuracy in making a diagnosis of a condition.” Cabell Huntington Hospital staff currently operates two MRI suites to provide quick access to these state-of-the-art tools. Last year, the hospital added to a 3T MRI that produces images of patients’ anatomy with pictures twice as clear as ever before. “This can provide us with larger and more detailed pictures,” said Dr. Akers. Also, Cabell Huntington Hospital’s MRI technologists are all board-certified by
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the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) and have a combined 94 years of experience. MRI has a wide range of uses at Cabell Huntington Hospital. Neurosurgeons use the technology to map out the best course for brain surgery, and orthopedic surgeons use the clear pictures to better assess joint pain
anatomy with Positron Emission Tomography (PET), a technology that measures changes to growing cancer cells in patients. The Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center has the only in-house PET/CT unit in the Huntington area. The Cabell Huntington Hospital team of CT technologists has more than 100 years of
Board-certified MRI technologists at Cabell Huntington Hospital operate state-of-the-art technology that provides physicians with clear and detailed pictures that can lead to the best possible treatment options and a more accurate diagnosis. or spine disorders. For children, the added clarity of the 3T MRI gives physicians clearer images of the smallest brains and bones.
combined experience and uses multiple safety practices to reduce radiation exposure to pediatric and adult patients.
CT Scan technology at CHH provides quick and accurate views for diagnosis
For more information about radiology services available at Cabell Huntington Hospital, please call (304) 526-2120.
Cabell Huntington Hospital’s Emergency Department staff has long relied on the CT technology that is the first stop in diagnosing trauma-related injuries in patients. It is quick and accurate technology used by physicians to rapidly diagnose a wide range of problems related to illnesses or injuries in any part of the body.
Erma Ora Byrd Clinical Center
form function& flow
Cabell Huntington Hospital’s radiology and interventional Radiology specialists use CT scans in vascular imaging as a quick and painless tool for diagnosing problems with arteries or veins. For vascular imaging, CTs are very effective, but for more complicated cases, Cabell Huntington Hospital uses ultrasound and MRI technology to provide the clearest possible views for diagnosis.
Huntington • 304.697.4990
[etarch.com]
For cancer diagnosis, Cabell Huntington Hospital and the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center use PET/CT technology that combines the CT imaging of a patient’s
[ www.etarch.com ]
And, as part of the Lung Nodule Program at Cabell Huntington Hospital, pulmonologists use CT images to pinpoint lung nodules and determine what the next step should be in treating potential cases of lung cancer.
Volume 1 - Issue 3
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Category
The Breast Center at CAMC Offering personalized care for women By Roberto Kusminsky, MD
The concept of a breast center is an evolutionary approach to the care of breast diseases. A breast center like the one CAMC has had in operation for many years offers patients a mature system of centralized services provided by a multidisciplinary team of expert breast care physicians, nurses, technicians and therapists, using state-of-the art technology. The services are specifically designed to ensure a speedy evaluation and diagnosis of breast problems. The multidisciplinary/consensus-based decisions of care used for each patient with breast cancer produces options of treatment unique to each patient. This rapid personalized care is made possible by a bundle of services now available through the CAMC Breast Center. EVALUATION • In most cases, a physician wishing a patient evaluation should have access to the Breast Center within 24 hours, and frequently the same day in which the need arises.
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• Patients who are self-referred will also receive speedy access to evaluation, simply by calling (304) 388-2861. • Specialized breast nurses offer advice on early detection and prevention programs. • Risk assessment, including genetic risk, can be accomplished at the Breast Center during any visit. Depending on the risk value results, referrals to the appropriate experts can be expedited.
• Imaging studies are performed the day of the evaluation. These studies include digital mammography, ultrasonography and, occasionally, MRI. • Minimally invasive diagnostic procedures can be performed the same day the patient comes in for an exam. These often consist of ultrasound or stereotactic guided core needle biopsies, sparing patients the need for operating room access.
• An expert breast nurse navigator guides patients through the complexities of a highly sophisticated system, providing them with support, symptom management and coordination of care. She ensures clear understanding of the patient’s medical reports and recommendations, and makes available specific help from the variety of resources at hand. IF THE PATIENT IS FOUND TO HAVE BREAST CANCER, her specific circumstances are discussed in a multidisciplinary breast conference with a team of experts including breast radiologists, breast surgeons, oncologists, radiation oncologists, breast pathologists and reconstructive plastic surgeons. The resulting recommendations produce a personalized and unique plan of care with options which will be discussed with the patient (and family, if desired) prior to a decision on definitive treatment.
• Oncologists frequently discuss the possibility of chemoprevention with patients at high risk • Evaluation of patients with breast cancer includes identification of patients who might benefit from tests to determine their recurrence score. • Pathological analysis of prognostic and predictive indicators is routinely done in patients with the histological diagnosis of breast cancer.
• Evaluation, prevention and treatment of post-surgical needs by physical therapists trained to assess specific risk associated with breast surgery, such as lymphedema and shoulder range of motion. • Psycho-social support • Access to enrollment in clinical research studies • Second opinions by experts on breast diseases on any issues affecting patients with newly or previously diagnosed breast cancer, or benign disease. • Educational programs on breast health for groups, and for individual through a website currently in development. Available programs include information on breast cancer prevention and early detection. • Educational materials, which span the spectrum of breast diseases, are available at the Breast Center. A breast library for patients is in the planning stages, as is the availability of a boutique for patients with special needs. These services are provided in the newly remodeled Breast Center, on the second floor of the medical staff office building at CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital. Patients are seen and cared for in the comfort of a private setting, where they can be accompanied by their families and friends. For inquiries or appointments, please call (304) 388-2861 or visit www.camc.org.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES • Radiologists with specific expertise perform MRI guided biopsies when indicated. • Radiation therapy services include stereotactic radiation treatments for specific problems, minimizing in this manner some possible side-effects and cutting effectively the total time otherwise required for conventional treatment modalities. Volume 1 - Issue 3
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News
Younes Bakri Joins WVU Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Inventor of device that saves new mothers’ lives worldwide School in Egypt. He went on to complete his residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Hahnamann University Hospital and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, both in Philadelphia. Prior to joining the staff at WVU, he served as director of gynecologic oncology at the Western Michigan Cancer Center in Kalamazoo.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Younes Bakri, M.D., has joined the West Virginia University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology as director of gynecologic oncology. He will treat women with gynecologic malignancies such as endometrial, ovarian and cervical cancer, and pre-malignant conditions. Dr. Bakri is the inventor of the Bakri S.O.S. Tamponade Balloon, a device that is used around the world for temporary control or reduction of postpartum hemorrhage, the primary cause of death for women after childbirth worldwide. He is a participant in the Global Women’s Health Program, in collaboration with Duke and Harvard universities, in the areas of maternal mortality and malignant placenta tumors.
The author of nearly 60 peer-reviewed journal articles, Dr. Bakri is board certified in gynecologic oncology and obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Bakri earned a United Nations Relief and Work Agency scholarship to study medicine at the University of Alexandria Medical
For more information on the WVU Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, see www.hsc. wvu.edu/som/obgyn.
Thomas Memorial Hospital Vacular Laboratory Receives Reaccreditation South Charleston, WV- Thomas Memorial Hospital has attained recognition for its commitment to providing a high level of patient care and quality testing for the diagnosis of vascular disease. The facility achieved a reaccreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL). Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Stroke, a disorder of the blood supply to the brain, is the third leading cause of death and disability in this country, with 500,000 new strokes occurring annually. Early detection of these life-threatening vascular diseases is possible through the use of noninvasive vascular testing techniques performed within vascular laboratories. Thomas Health System’s vascular sonographer’s include: Amy PowerTechnical Director, Ulla Sholes, Elaine McDaniel, Susan Skill, Ashley LeMaster,
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Autumn Keffer and Dan Giles. The ICAVL is a non-profit organization established with the support of eleven medical societies including physicians,
technologists and sonographers that represent medical specialties including cardiology, neurology, radiology, vascular medicine, vascular surgery, neurosurgery, internal medicine and biology.
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Fellowship-trained Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist Joins CHH and Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine HUNTINGTON, WV – April Kilgore, MD, has joined the Cabell Huntington Hospital Medical and Dental Staff and the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine as an infectious disease specialist for children. Dr. Kilgore is a Huntington native and she completed both her medical degree and pediatric residency at the Marshall University
Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. She completed her fellowship training in infectious disease in children at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Kilgore is the only pediatric infectious disease specialist in the Huntington/Tri-State area. For more information, please call (304) 691-1300.
Fellowship-trained Gastroenterologist Joins CHH and MU Dr. Yaser M. Rayyan joins team at CHH Digestive Diseases Center
an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of North Dakota and Director of Endoscopy at Med Center One Hospital in Bismark, North Dakota.
HUNTINGTON, WV – Cabell Huntington Hospital and the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine recently welcomed Yaser Rayyan, MD, a fellowshiptrained gastroenterologist, to their medical staffs. Dr. Rayyan and the gastroenterology team in the Department of Internal Medicine and the Cabell Huntington Hospital Digestive Diseases Center provide a wide range of specialized care for digestive system diseases and disorders for adults and children.
The Digestive Diseases Center at Cabell Huntington Hospital offers procedures including endoscopic ultrasound, capsule enteroscopy and other gastrointestinal procedures used to help with the evaluation and treatment of patients with heartburn, abdominal pains and diarrhea.
Dr. Rayyan completed a fellowship in Gastroenterology/Hepatology at the New York Medical College. Most recently, he was
For more information, please call (304) 6911000 or visit http://cabellhuntington.org/ services/digestive_diseases/
Annual Cystic Fibrosis Education Day The annual Cystic Fibrosis Education Day is Saturday September 25, 2010. The guest speaker is Isabel Stenzel Byrnes. Isabel and her twin sister Anabel Stenzel have written a book: - The Power of Two: A Twin Triumph over Cystic Fibrosis. The CF Education Day will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the WVU Health Sciences Learning Center. It is free and open to the public. Also on September 25, the Department of Physical Therapy at WVU-Hospitals is holding the Annual September Stride, a 5K Walk/ Run that raises money for the Richard
& Nancy Rosenbaum Fund, benefiting local patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic pulmonary conditions. The race begins at 9:00 a.m. and is a nice way to start out the morning before the CF Education Day program begins at 11:00 a.m. For more information call 304-293-1227. CF is an inherited progressive disease affecting the lungs, digestion, sinuses, and growth. In West Virginia there are two CF Foundation accredited care centers, the main center in Morgantown, and the affiliate center in Charleston. Together the two
centers care for over 200 patients with CF. Traditionally CF has been a pediatric disease; however more and more patients are living to adulthood. Now almost half of patients living with CF in WV are over the age of 18 years. In Morgantown there is now a separate adult CF clinic in addition to the pediatric center. For more info on CF contact Kathryn S. Moffett, MD, FAAP. at 304-293-1201.
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Sixth Fellowship-trained Endocrinologist Joins CHH and MU
Bruce S. Chertow, MD, Diabetes Center in the Erma Ora Byrd Clinical Center expands to provide more specialized care for diabetic patients the endocrinology team that specializes in diabetes care at the Bruce S. Chertow, MD, Diabetes Center in the Erma Ora Byrd Clinical Center located one block from Cabell Huntington Hospital.
HUNTINGTON, WV – The endocrinology team at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and Cabell Huntington Hospital continues to expand to meet the growing needs of patients with diabetes by recently adding a sixth physician specialist.
The Diabetes Center recently expanded to accommodate more patients in a timely fashion and to expand the educational opportunities for patients with diabetes. Now with added technology and six exam rooms, the Bruce S. Chertow, MD, Diabetes Center offers comprehensive services in patient education for nutrition, diabetes medication and lifestyle planning to help with diabetes management.
Mateen M. Hotiana, MD, a fellowship-trained endocrinologist, recently joined the medical staffs at Cabell Huntington Hospital and the Department of Internal Medicine at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. Dr. Hotiana completed his fellowship training in endocrinology at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and earned his medical degree at the Allama Iqbal Medical College, University of the Punjab in Pakistan. Dr. Hotiana joins
For more information about diabetes services, please call (304) 691-1660.
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Shah assumes faculty affairs role at Marshall’s medical school HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Darshana Shah, Ph.D., has accepted expanded responsibilities at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, with the new title of associate dean for faculty affairs and professional development. Dr. Shah, a professor and academic section chief in the Department of Pathology, previously was associate dean for professional development in medical education. She is founder and chair of Marshall’s Academy of Medical Educators, and has instituted a variety of faculty development programs and series. Under her leadership, Marshall in January will host the national meeting of the Group for Research in Pathology Education. Dr. Shah recently completed the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in
Academic Medicine (ELAM) Fellowship, one of 53 senior women faculty across the United States selected for the program’s 2009-2010 class. She has been an invited faculty member at the Harvard Macy Institute for Innovation in Health Care Education since 2005. She also has spent two years on the program faculty for the Early Career Women Faculty Professional Development Seminar sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges and Harvard Medical School. She joined the Marshall faculty in 1995, becoming assistant dean in 2005 and associate dean in 2009. She received her Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from West Virginia University and was a postdoctoral fellow in pathology at Marshall.
Surgeons at Thomas Memorial Hospital Perform the Region’s First Single Incision Laparoscopic Hysterectomy South Charleston, WV- Thomas Memorial Hospital has announced the successful completion of its first surgery using the next generation SILS procedure. The hysterectomy was performed for the treatment of uterine fibroids and was the first to be completed in the local tri-state area. According to Dr. Kim Bush Uy and Dr. Andrea Hill, OB/GYNs who performed the procedure, the patient was home four hours after surgery. One of the major advantages of the SILS procedure is that it utilizes only one access point, through the patient’s umbilicus, or belly button, ultimately resulting in the potential for no visible scar. By comparison, traditional laparoscopic hysterectomies involve 3-5 1/2-inch or smaller incisions that may leave scars and cause pain.
“With the successful completion of this procedure, Thomas Memorial Hospital is now equipped to offer patients the most advanced form of laparoscopic hysterectomy,” said Dr. Hill. “We are thrilled to be at the forefront of a new kind of surgery that continues to transform the minimally invasive arena, resulting in even better experiences for patients.” Currently, more than 600,000 hysterectomies are performed annually in the U.S. with a third of women undergoing hysterectomy by age 60. Traditionally, more than half of all hysterectomies are performed with a much larger abdominal incision that involves a two-three day hospital stay and six-eight weeks recovery. Comparatively, laparoscopic hysterectomies involve small
incisions with an overnight hospital stay and two-four week recovery. Using the SILS technique for hysterectomy, surgeons can make a single two centimeter incision through the belly button minimizing the pain that may be associated with the additional sites of entry. Moreover, most patients go home within hours of their SILS procedure and are back to usual activities in two weeks. “At Thomas Memorial Hospital, patient care is our highest priority. Procedures including the SILS hysterectomy are instrumental in helping us fulfill our goal of offering patients the latest advancement in medicine,” said Bob Gray, Senior Vice President for Thomas Health System.
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Current children’s cholesterol guidelines questioned WVU School of Medicine research widely quoted MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Research published online in “Pediatrics,” the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, suggests that the current national guidelines for checking cholesterol levels in children may not identify all children with high cholesterol. The guidelines specify that family history of early heart disease is the main marker used for cholesterol testing. William Neal, M.D., of the West Virginia University School of Medicine, and his colleagues surveyed more than 20,000 children and found that 36% of the children with high cholesterol would have been missed using these guidelines. The researchers concluded that screening all children for cholesterol, rather than just those with a family history, will identify more children with abnormal cholesterol levels and prevent premature cardiac events. These children were screened as participants of Coronary Artery Risk Detection in
Appalachian Communities (CARDIAC) Project, of which Dr. Neal is the director. “The goal for these children is to follow a healthy diet and get more exercise in order to reduce their risk factors, including cholesterol, for early heart disease. If we had not identified those children, with severely elevated LDL cholesterol, who may need cholesterol lowering medication, they would have remained at risk for early heart disease as an adult,” Neal said. The study has attracted attention worldwide, with reports in the Wall Street Journal and on ABC News, and Internet stories on TIME. org, Reuters, the Los Angeles Times and elsewhere. The CARDIAC Project started in 1998, and was soon established in elementary schools statewide to fight the high rate of heart disease and diabetes in the children of West Virginia. It has also become a key component in fighting childhood obesity. CARDIAC’s primary source of funding is the
W.Va. Department of Health and Human Resources’ Bureau for Public Health. “Forty-seven percent of fifth graders in this state are overweight. Six percent are morbidly obese, and nearly half of these children may become diabetic,” Dr. Neal said. “For the first time in history, our children will have shorter life expectancies than their parents unless we reverse the prevalence of obesity in WV. The CARDIAC Project is making great strides, working to change those statistics.” The study is titled, “Universal Versus Targeted Blood Cholesterol Screening Among Youth: The CARDIAC Project.” and was written by Susan K. Ritchie, R.N., M.P.H. of WVU, Neal, and several colleagues. It is available online now, and will appear in print next month. For More Information contact Kim Fetty, HSC News Service, 304-293-7087 or email at fettyki@wvuh.com
Most Wired Names WVUH to its Most Improved List MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – For the second consecutive year, West Virginia University Hospitals has been named to the Most Wired hospital and health systems list of Most Improved for use of information technology. The Most Wired Survey is conducted annually by “Hospitals and Health Networks,” the journal of the American Hospital Association. Its results are based on level of achievement in four focus areas: business and administrative management, clinical quality and safety, care continuum and infrastructure. Hospitals and health systems participate in the survey on a voluntary basis. Now in its 12th year, the survey rates the 100 Most Wired, 25 Most Wired – Small and Rural,
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25 Most Wireless and 25 Most Improved. Rich King, WVUH vice president and chief information officer, attributes WVUH’s repeat appearance on the Most Improved list to the success and continued expansion of Merlin, the electronic medical records project, across the clinical enterprise.
for us. We have more than 3,000 people signed up now, and we are adding about 50 users a day,” King said. Approximately 1,280 hospitals are represented in the 555 surveys submitted for the 2010 Most Wired Survey. WVUH is the only hospital in West Virginia that appears on the list.
“We continue to build on the accomplishments of Merlin, and as a result, we continue to stand out and be separate from the pack,” he said.
For more information on the Most Wired lists, see www.hhnmostwired.com.
The implementation of MyWVUChart, the online medical records portal for patients of WVU Healthcare, also boosted WVUH’s scores on the survey. “It’s been a major hit
For More Information contact Angela Jones, HSC News Service, at 304-293-7087 or email jonesan@wvuh.com.
For more information on WVUH, see www.wvuh.com.
News
Digital Mammography has Arrived at GMH Grant Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce the arrival of digital mammography – an exciting technological advancement for women’s breast health. “We will be providing the same quality mammography services as before only we will be using our new digital mammo machine,” said Teresa Snyder, Director of Radiology. “There are so many advantages for both patients and physicians,” said Snyder. “Digital
exams take less time. In addition, our digital platform allows for computer-aided detection which can help the radiologist increase cancer detection rates up to 20 percent. Studies have shown a substantially significant increased cancer detection rate in women 50 and under and women with dense breasts.” “Grant Memorial is committed to providing the best screening opportunities for the women of our community. A digital mammogram
can catch many irregularities that standard mammograms might miss. In fact, it has shown to be 28% more effective in detecting cancer for women in certain groups, primarily those 50 and younger and those difficult to image.” For additional information about digital mammography go to www.imaginis.com/ breast-health/digital-mammography or call Grant Memorial Hospital. Appointments can be made by calling 304-257-1026 ext. 2406.
Riedel joins WVU Department of Pediatrics Specializes in digestive diseases in children
pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition at his alma mater.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Brian Riedel, M.D., has been named chief of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition for the West Virginia University Department of Pediatrics.
Prior to joining the staff at WVU Children’s Hospital, he served as interim division director of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at Monroe Carell, Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
Dr. Riedel’s special interests include treating inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, and short bowel syndrome in children. He also has an expertise in treating nutrition disorders in children.
A fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Riedel is board certified in pediatric gastroenterology and pediatrics.
After earning his medical degree at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Dr. Riedel went on to complete his residency in pediatrics and a fellowship in
For more information on the WVU Dept. of Pediatrics, see www.hsc.wvu.edu/som/pediatrics
St. Mary’s Receives Accreditations for Excellent Radiology Service St. Mary’s Medical Center’s has recently received accreditations and re-accreditations for excellent radiology services. St. Mary’s Radiology Department was awarded a three-year accreditation in Computerized Tomography (CT) as the result of a recent survey by the American College of Radiology (ACR). This accreditation will be valid through May 2013. St. Mary’s Radiology has also received threeyear reaccreditation for its ultrasound services in obstetrics, gynecological and general ultrasound. The ultrasound imaging services
were surveyed by the Committee on Ultrasound Accreditation of the Commission on Quality and Safety at ACR. These reaccreditations will be valid until August 6, 2013. The ACR, headquartered in Reston, VA, awarded St. Mary’s accreditation for their achievement of high practice standards. The accreditation came after a peer-review evaluation of St. Mary’s Radiology Department’s practices in completing CT scans. Board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field of Radiology conducted the evaluation. The review board assessed the qualifications of St.
Mary’s radiology staff and the adequacy of facility equipment. The surveyors reported their findings to the ACR’s Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provided St. Mary’s with a comprehensive report. “St. Mary’s is very excited about receiving these credentials,” said Director of Radiology Fred Kirby. “This validates the high standard of care our staff provides on a daily basis for those who need our services,” he said. For more information please visit www.st-marys.org. Volume 1 - Issue 3
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Marshall’s Dr. Robert Nerhood Retiring; Successors to his Leadership Posts Named HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Dr. Robert C. Nerhood will retire July 31 as senior associate dean for clinical affairs and chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.
Dr. Robert C. Nerhood
“Bob Nerhood has provided outstanding service and leadership to the medical school in both roles, and his dedicated and effective leadership has built a strong foundation for those who will succeed him,” said Dr. Charles H. McKown Jr., Marshall’s vice president for health sciences and dean of the medical school. A member of the school’s full-time faculty since 1992, Nerhood has been active in his specialty and in
Dr. Joseph Werthammer
Dr. David Jude
professional affairs generally. His leadership activities have included serving as chair of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology District IV Perinatal Committee, ACOG’s West Virginia Section, the West Virginia Perinatal Task Force, and the Cabell Huntington Hospital Board of Directors. McKown said Dr. Joseph Werthammer will assume the position and responsibilities of senior associate dean for clinical affairs, and Dr. David Jude will become interim chair of the Department of Ob/Gyn. “Dr. Werthammer brings to his new position extensive
administrative experience in integrating clinical practice and successful medical education, and Dr. Jude has shown highly capable and dedicated performance as vice chair of ob/gyn,” he said. A member of the faculty since 1981, Werthammer is director of the pediatrics clerkship and medical director of the neonatal intensive care unit at Cabell Huntington Hospital. Jude, who joined the faculty in 1993, is the Zacharias Professor for Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology, as well as director of the ob/gyn residency program. For more information visit www.musom.marshall.edu/news.
St. Mary’s Medical Center Achieves New Status as Accredited Chest Pain Center St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington, W.Va., has received Chest Pain Center Accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC), an international organization dedicated to eliminating heart disease as the number one cause of death worldwide. Hospitals that have received SCPC accreditation have achieved a higher level of expertise in dealing with patients who arrive with symptoms of a heart attack. They emphasize the importance of standardized diagnostic and treatment programs that provide more efficient and effective evaluation as well as more appropriate and rapid treatment of patients with chest pain and other heart attack symptoms. They also serve as a point of entry into the healthcare system to evaluate and treat other medical problems, and they help to promote a healthier lifestyle in an attempt to reduce the risk factors for heart attack.
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To become an Accredited Chest Pain Center, St. Mary’s engaged in rigorous evaluation by SCPC for its ability to assess, diagnose, and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack. To the tri-state area served by St. Mary’s, this means that processes are in place that meet strict criteria aimed at: • Reducing the time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis and treatment • Treating patients more quickly during the critical window of time when the integrity of the heart muscle can be preserved • Monitoring patients when it is not certain that they are having a heart attack to ensure that they are not sent home too quickly or needlessly admitted to the hospital
more than two hours after the onset of symptoms, but what they don’t realize is that the sooner a heart attack is treated, the less damage to the heart and the better the outcome for the patient.”
“People tend to wait when they think they might be having a heart attack, and that’s a mistake,” said Binnie Howard, director of St. Mary’s Regional Heart Institute. “The average patient arrives in the emergency department
For more information on St. Mary’s Chest Pain Center, Kelli Klaiber, program coordinator, at (304) 399-7434 or visit www.st-marys.org.
St. Mary’s Medical Center’s state-of-theart healthcare encompasses the entire continuum of care for the heart patient and includes such focal points as dispatch, Emergency Medical System, emergency department, cath lab, quality assurance plan, and community outreach program. By becoming an Accredited Chest Pain Center, St. Mary’s has enhanced the quality of care for the cardiac patient and has demonstrated its commitment to higher standards.
News
MyWVUChart debuts at WVU Healthcare clinics Electronic medical records now accessible to patients MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – If the old adage is true that knowledge is power, patients at West Virginia University are now empowered to better manage their own health with online access to their medical records through MyWVUChart. Through their doctors, or just by signing up for MyWVUChart online, patients now have online access to their health summaries, test results, hospital admissions, medications, allergies, immunizations, clinical documentation, current health issues, health trends, clinic calls and growth charts. They can also request appointments and prescription renewals, and send e-mail to their physicians’ offices.
If a physician wants a patient to monitor his/her blood sugar or blood pressure daily, the patient can use MyWVUChart to post the information. The physician then has immediate access to it. When a patient has an appointment with another WVU Healthcare provider, that provider has access to all the patient’s records. This is helpful to the doctor and allows him/her to provide better care to the patient. “WVU Healthcare is proud to be one of the first healthcare facilities in the country to provide this service to our patients. Patients are excited about having access to their health records,” Kevin Halbritter, M.D., vice
president of medical staff affairs and chief medical information officer, said. More than 3,000 licensed users regularly access their electronic health records online. All primary care departments are now using MyWVUChart. The system is secure, and all personal information is encrypted for privacy. It is a means of electronic connectivity for patients who want it, but they are not required to use it. MyWVUChart doesn’t substitute for faceto-face communication with physicians or other healthcare providers. WVU Healthcare practitioners will continue to provide the usual high level of care to their patients. To sign up for MyWVUChart, see www.wvuhealth.com. For More Information contact Kim Fetty, HSC News Service, 304-293-7087 or email at fettyki@wvuh.com
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WVU Healthcare Management Change Approved University hospitals and medical practice to operate together MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The two largest healthcare organizations in Monongalia County – both associated with West Virginia University – will be managed as one under a new agreement reached in August. WVU Healthcare will include West Virginia University Hospitals and University Health Associates. The boards of directors of both organizations have agreed to combine management functions to create more effective systems for providing healthcare to patients and return more resources to support the WVU School of Medicine. WVU Healthcare operations in the Morgantown area will include Ruby Memorial Hospital, the Physician Office Center, the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, WVU Heart Institute, Chestnut Ridge Center, WVU Eye Institute, WVU Urgent Care and WVU Cheat Lake Physicians. The organization will be led by a threeperson Executive Leadership Group, reporting to the chancellor, that includes the dean of the School of Medicine, the chief executive officer of West Virginia University Hospitals, and a newly created position of chief medical officer of WVU Healthcare.
“Having a unified management team is crucial to being a more nimble and responsive organization,” Christopher Colenda, M.D., M.P.H., chancellor for health sciences, said. “We are in a period of fundamental change in how our country organizes healthcare and how we pay for healthcare. It’s crucial for academic institutions to adapt quickly to change, to protect the interests of our patients, students, faculty and staff as we move forward. This organizational change will help us be ready to do that.” Although administrative organizations are generally invisible to patients, they are vital to making sure services are available and accessible when patients need them, Bruce McClymonds, WVU Hospitals’ president and chief executive officer, said. “In academic medicine, the patients benefit from having an entire medical school faculty on site so that whatever their need, we have someone who has the expertise to diagnose and treat that condition,” McClymonds said. “By bringing the medical offices and hospitals under one management team, we hope to eliminate any organizational barriers to effective patient care.” “It’s been a three-year journey,” UHA Board
Chair Michael Hurst, M.D., said. “Much of what ended up in this agreement grew out of the many discussions held among faculty members and leaders during that period.” According to state employment data, WVU Hospitals is Monongalia County’s secondlargest employer, after the University, and UHA is the fifth largest. Together, the two organizations have nearly 5,000 employees. Initially, at the operational levels of the hospitals and clinics, there will be little or no change in day-to-day functions, McClymonds said. Staff of UHA and WVUH will retain their current employer, benefits, salaries and reporting relationships. University Health Associates and WVU Hospitals will maintain their separate governing boards. UHA is governed by a board elected by the medical faculty; WVU Hospitals has a board led by the University President, and is a member of the West Virginia United Health System. For More Information contact Kim Fetty, HSC News Service, 304-293-7087 or email at fettyki@wvuh.com
Susan G. Komen Foundation Grant Funds Free Screening Mammograms at Cabell Huntington Hospital Screening appointments available for West Virginia residents HUNTINGTON, WV – West Virginia women who are uninsured or cannot have screening mammograms for breast cancer covered by their insurance can receive a free screening at Cabell Huntington Hospital’s Breast Health Center. The Susan G. Komen Foundation recently awarded Cabell Huntington Hospital a $35,000 grant to increase the number of
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screening mammograms available for uninsured or underinsured women in West Virginia. “We are very grateful for this funding and what it will do to help us screen more women for breast cancer,” said. Marsha Dillow, RN, MSN, Director of the Cabell Huntington Hospital Breast Health Center & Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Diagnostic
Breast Center. “Thanks to the generosity of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, we will be able to offer potentially life-saving screenings for women who may not have the opportunity to be screened otherwise.” Appointments must be made to receive a screening and women must be West Virginia residents to be eligible. Please call (304) 526-2440 to schedule a screening.
News
WVU Study Shows Too Much, Too Little Sleep Can Lead to Heart Disease Though the study showed a correlation between sleep and heart disease, a cause for the increased risk was not found.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – If you’re sleeping less than five hours or more than nine hours, you could be putting yourself at an increased risk for heart disease, according to a study conducted by researchers at the West Virginia University School of Medicine. The study, conducted by Anoop Shankar, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Community Medicine, examined more than 30,000 adults who participated in the 2005 National Health Interview Survey. Dr. Shankar and his colleagues found both short and long sleep durations to be independently associated with heart disease. The results were adjusted for age, sex, race-ethnicity, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index, physical activity, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression.
in the United States,” Dr. Shankar said. “It was a huge study, and therefore the statistical power was never an issue. This was the first time the relationship between sleep and heart disease had been investigated in such a large study with representations from all major racialethnic groups in the United States.”
Shankar said that those who sleep less than five hours are twice as likely to develop heart disease. On the opposite end of the spectrum, those who sleep nine hours or “We showed that both short and long sleep more a day are one-and-a-half times more durations are related to cardiovascular disease likely to develop heart disease than those separately in all major7/23/10 racial-ethnic WVPhysBakri:GKad 2:08subgroups PM Page 1 who sleep seven hours a day.
“We hope these findings encourage primary care physicians to evaluate the sleep patterns of patients as a risk factor for heart disease and would like to see public health initiatives focused on improving sleep to reduce the burden of heart disease,” Shankar said. The study was published in the August issue of “SLEEP,” the official publication of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society. For more information contact Angela Jones, HSC News Service, 304-293-7087 or email at jonesan@wvuh.com.
Now seeing patients in West Virginia Celebrated gynecologic oncologist and inventor Younes Bakri, MD, changed the treatment of post-partum hemorrhage around the world. Bakri POSTPARTUM BALLOON
Dr Younes Bakri, who recently joined WVU Healthcare, is an internationally recognized leader in the field of gynecologic oncology. He is also well-known as the inventor of the “Bakri Balloon” – a device now used in Labor & Delivery units around the world. These medical balloons, inflated in the uterus, control excessive post partum bleeding, the number one cause of maternal mortality in many countries. Dr Bakri brought his highly regarded skills and creativity to WVU when he joined the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center as Senior Surgeon in Gynecologic Oncology. He welcomes consultations and patient referrals.
Illustration courtesy of
For more information or to refer patients to Dr. Bakri, call 304-293-4500
Visit wvuhealthcare.com to learn more about our world-class providers.
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News
American Heart Association
Recognizes St. Mary’s Medical Center for Excellence in Stroke Care in Latest Edition of U.S. News and World Report St. Mary’s Medical Center has been recognized in the August “America’s Best Hospitals” issue of US News & World Report for its Gold Plus Achievement Award through the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association’s Get With the Guidelines® program. St. Mary’s is one of only 197 hospitals in the U.S. to receive the Gold Plus distinction and the only hospital in West Virginia to receive this recognition. The Gold Plus Award demonstrates St. Mary’s commitment to providing the best possible care to patients suffering from stroke. To earn the award, the medical center maintained 24 months of 75 percent or higher adherence on select quality measures in addition to at least 24 months of 85 percent or higher on all Get with the Guidelines achievement measures. “We are extremely proud that the American Heart Association and American Stroke As-
sociation have given us national recognition for our achievements in stroke care,” said Christy Franklin, director of St. Mary’s Regional Stroke Center. “The Get With The Guidelines program gives our physicians and staff the tools they need to effectively treat stroke patients.” Get With The Guidelines is a hospital-based, quality-improvement program designed to ensure that hospitals consistently care for cardiac and stroke patients following the most up-to-date guidelines and recommendations. “Healthcare providers who use Get With The Guidelines are armed with the latest evidence-based guidelines and immediate
access to clinical decision support, using a set of tools that have been shown to improve delivery of evidence-based care,” said Lee Schwamm, M.D., national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines steering committee, associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and Vice Chairman of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital. “The goal of this initiative is to improve the quality of life and help reduce deaths and disability among patients with stroke.”
WVU HSC Library Hi! I’m Rob Cagna, the new director of the WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center Library, Charleston Division. I’d like to extend a warm welcome to all physicians who would like to stop by and use our library’s products and services. We’re located in the WVU Charleston Building, 3100 MacCorkle Ave SE in Charleston, next to CAMC Memorial Hospital. Our friendly staff can help you find the information you need for your research or clinical work.
We have a large print collection of journals and books as well as computer access to the major health sciences databases. (Please note: remote access to the databases from outside the library is limited to members of the WVU community.) Our normal hours of operation are Mondays through Thursdays from 8:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., Fridays 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., and Saturdays 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. Parking is available in the CAMC parking garage for a small fee.
Contact information: Rob Cagna, Library Director rcagna@hsc.wvu.edu 304-347-1287 Main phone line for the library: 304-347-1285 Web Site: www.hsc.wvu.edu/charleston/library/
We look forward to seeing you!
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WV Physician