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GWUMC News
Dr. Gary Simon Presents the Facts and Fictions of HIN1 at a GW Frontiers in Medicine Lectureposted: November 5, 2009, 4:18 PM updated: November 6, 2009, 9:48 AM
The H1N1 virus, commonly known as the swine flu, is a topic permeating recent headlines and conversations. While good intention—promoting community health—fuels this commotion, the whirlwind of information is often misconstrued and burdening.Setting straight the swine flu score, Gary Simon, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at The George Washington University Medical Center, presented "An H1N1 Influenza Update: What We Know and What We Don’t," as a part of the GW Frontiers in Medicine Lecture Series. “Influenza is a media frenzy, and that is part of the problem” Dr. Simon began. “We have a media frenzy nearly every year and, while influenza is certainly a serious illness, it’s not the bubonic plague,” he assured.
Dr. Simon outlined the origins and various strains of influenza, explaining that, compared to the seasonal flu, pandemic influenza represents a major shift in the virus subtype, affects a younger population, has a higher transmissibility, and may vary in different geographic regions.
Dr. Simon also described the typical symptoms associated with influenza, including rapid onset and high fever. He noted that the most viral shedding occurs from 24 before to 48 hours after onset of symptoms, making an infected person most contagious during that time. “So,” he joked, “If you are going to be sick tomorrow, go home today.”
While certain groups—including pregnant women and health care personnel—should be prioritized for H1N1 vaccinations, Dr. Simon advocated that everyone be vaccinated, despite rumors challenging the safety of the vaccine. “I am not worried about the quality of the vaccine, but I am worried that they aren’t making it fast enough,” he said. In other words, there are much greater risks associated with not getting the vaccine than from getting it.
Further, Dr. Simon—who has gotten the vaccine himself—clarified that it is impossible to get the flu from the inactivated flu vaccine, or the flu shot. In sum, he said, “Everyone should get vaccinated (if possible), very few people need antiviral medication, if you get influenza, stay home, and, if you get better and then get sick again, come into the hospital right away.”
Dr. Simon’s lecture was the second in a new series called “GW Frontiers in Medicine.” The series, hosted by the GW Medical Center, features renowned medical experts who help guide our understanding of the future of health care and medicine. The series is an opportunity for faculty, staff, students, and friends of the University to hear from and discuss the key issues with some of the brightest minds in medicine today. Mark your calendar for the next lecture on Wednesday, February 10, 2010, when a panel of GW experts will discuss advances in women’s health. Medical Center Communications and Marketing Department Wins Prestigious Industry Awardsposted: November 5, 2009, 3:15 PM
The Medical Center Communications and Marketing Department (MCCM) at The George Washington University Medical Center was recently awarded five 2009 MarCom Awards by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, including a Platinum Award, the Association’s highest honor. The largest competition of its kind, MarCom Awards recognizes outstanding creative achievement in the concept, writing, and design of marketing and communication programs and print, visual, and audio materials. Judges are industry professionals who look for entries that exceed a high standard of excellence and serve as a benchmark for the industry. In 2009, MarCom Awards received almost 5,000 entries in over 200 categories.
MCCM was presented a Platinum award, given to the competition’s most outstanding entries in terms of quality, creativity, and resourcefulness, for the 2009 School of Medicine and Health Sciences’ Doctor of Medicine Admissions Handbook in the category of Brochure/Handbook Publications. The Handbook also received a Gold award for Creativity in Photography in a Brochure. The Summer 2009 issue of GW Medicine and Health magazine garnered three Gold awards, including Magazine Writing, Publications by an Educational Institution, and Feature Article Writing for the story “24 Hours with the GW Medical Center.” MCCM also earned two honorable mentions: Creativity in Photography in a Magazine for the Summer 2009 issue of GW Medicine and Health, and Educational Brochure Publications for the GW Cancer Institute’s “What you Need to Know about Cancer” campaign.
Other educational and health care institutions who garnered Platinum awards include Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baylor University Medical Center, Drexel, Wharton School, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kaiser Permanente, Washington Hospital Center, and United Healthcare. A complete list of winners and more information about the MarCom Awards can be found at www.marcomawards.com.
GWCI to Lead NCI’s Mid-Atlantic Geographic Management of Cancer Health Disparities Programposted: November 5, 2009, 2:47 PM
In recognition of its extensive work in eliminating cancer disparities in minority and vulnerable populations, the GW Cancer Institute (GWCI) was recently selected to serve as the coordinating body for the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Mid-Atlantic Region (Region 1) Geographical Management of Cancer Disparities Program (GMaP). This strategic initiative, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), will drive forward Region 1’s planning of collaborative projects, including future large-scale, multi- and trans-disciplinary “Center-level” GMaP grant applications in 2011.
The goal of this program, led by GWCI Executive Director Steven Patierno, Ph.D., is to create a state-of-the art regional network dedicated to cancer health disparities (CHD) research, training, and community interventions. Through GMaP, Region 1 participants will be better equipped to address the disparities in cancer risk, screening, treatments and outcomes for ethnic and racial minorities.
Eventually, GMaP will build a region-based “hub” for the support and efficient management of integrated regional research and training programs. This central entity will conduct joint regional workshops to facilitate communication and dissemination, implement region-wide community interventions, and develop planning and decision-making processes for sustainability of CHD efforts.
GMaP Region 1 includes the GW Cancer Institute, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Howard Cancer Center, the Preventorium at Washington Hospital Center, John Hopkins Cancer Center, University Maryland Greenbaum Cancer Center, University of the District of Columbia, Hampton University and Bowie State University. GMaP Region 1 partners engaged with NCI’s Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities through Minority Institutions/Cancer Center Partnership (MI/CCP), Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE), the Community Networks Program (CNP), and the Patient Navigation Research Program (PNRP), and Biospecimen banking (BMAP).
Gary Simon, M.D., Director, Division of Infectious Disease, Featured on WTOP Radio Discussing H1N1posted: November 5, 2009, 2:30 PM
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Stanley Greenspan, M.D., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Featured in USA Today Discussing Stress in Childrenposted: November 5, 2009, 2:21 PM
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Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., GW Distinguished Research Professor, Featured in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Discussing H1N1posted: November 5, 2009, 2:13 PM
Doug Evans, Ph.D., Professor in the School of Public Health and Health Services and Director of Public Health Communication & Marketing Program Featured on ABCNews.com Discussing Internet Medicineposted: November 5, 2009, 2:12 PM
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Sara Rosenbaum, J.D., Hirsh Professor of Health Law and Policy and Chair, Department of Health Policy, Featured on ModernHealthcare.com Regarding FAIR Healthposted: November 5, 2009, 2:08 PM
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PRESS RELEASE: Professor Sara Rosenbaum Named Among Founding Directors of FAIR Health - Goal of Transparency and Fairness in Health Insurance and Physician Payment Pricingposted: November 3, 2009, 10:10 AM
WASHINGTON - Sara Rosenbaum, J.D., Hirsh Professor of Health Law and Policy and chair of the Department of Health Policy at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, was named as one of three Founding Directors of FAIR Health, Inc. by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. The not-for-profit corporation, established by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo as part of a legal settlement with the health insurance industry, has a stated mission of bringing “transparency, accountability, and fairness” to the setting of prices for physician services by health insurers. FAIR Health is financed by a nearly $100 million financial settlement as part of a wide-ranging investigation by Cuomo’s office into how the health insurance industry reimburses consumers for out-of-network health care charges. The corporation will oversee the development of a consumer website and a research database through a special arrangement with the Syracuse University, Cornell University, the University of Rochester, SUNY Upstate Medical University and the University at Buffalo. The initiative will permit consumers, for the first time, to compare health care costs before choosing a provider. It will also result in a comprehensive physician fee data base that will be made available to universities nationwide for research and scholarship.
“"When it comes to thoughtful analysis, creative insight, innovative ideas, and unquestioned integrity we all turn to Professor Rosenbaum. She has proven time and again she is not simply a gifted advocate, she is also a scientist of the highest caliber. This latest invitation to help a government frame and guide issues of access, disparity, and the goal of improving the quality of life and health demonstrates her national reputation for being both fair and just. It is our honor to have Professor Rosenbaum as a colleague, and as a leader in our school and university," said Josef Reum, Ph.D., interim dean, The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Sciences.
"We believe that professor Rosenbaum will bring particular expertise to FAIR Health's goal of advancing research and scholarship on matters of physician compensation and health system reform,” said Stephen Warnke, interim chair, FAIR Health, Inc.
Professor Rosenbaum, who received her J.D. from Boston University Law School, has devoted her career to health care law and policy affecting low-income, minority and medically underserved populations. Named one of the nation's 500 most influential health policy makers, Professor Rosenbaum is the recipient of numerous honors and awards and has been recognized by the Department of Health and Human Services for distinguished national service on behalf of Medicaid beneficiaries. A member of the University’s faculty since 1992, Rosenbaum is the Founding Chair of the School’s nationally acclaimed Department of Health Policy. Professor Rosenbaum also holds appointments in the University’s Schools of Medicine and Health Sciences and Law. PRESS RELEASE: GW Professor Receives 2009 ASPH/Pfizer Early Career in Public Health Teaching Awardposted: November 3, 2009, 9:21 AM
WASHINGTON – Karen McDonnell, Ph.D., associate professor of Prevention and Community Health in GW’s School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS), was awarded the 2009 ASPH/Pfizer Early Career in Public Health Teaching Award. The award recognizes graduate public health faculty members from full ASPH-member, CEPH-accredited schools of public health who are notable for their teaching, practice and research excellence and will be presented at the ASPH Annual Meeting on Saturday, Oct. 7. “I am deeply honored to receive an award that recognizes the work I have done early in my career,” said Dr. McDonnell. “I have been fortunate to be surrounded by great mentors, faculty and students who have helped shape my career and given me the opportunity to have a positive impact on the people and community around me.”
At SPHHS, Dr. McDonnell teaches M.P.H. and Dr.P.H. students in program evaluation, health behavior and maternal and child health. She received her doctorate from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and has published more than 30 peer-reviewed articles and two review chapters on evaluation and case studies of national programs designed to enhance the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, including low-income and immigrant populations.
Dr. McDonnell serves as a continuing chair of SPHHS’s Curriculum Committee and The George Washington University’s Committee on the Status of Women in addition to serving on the leadership of the Association of Teachers of Maternal and Child Health and the ASPH MCH Council.
Dr. McDonnell has served as principal investigator, co-principal investigator or director of local and national evaluation research teams involving multi-site projects. She has collaborated with her students, colleagues and community groups on a number of disparity-related projects and has recently been awarded a project from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate etiological frameworks and community capacity relating to gender-based violence among immigrant Latinos and is a co-investigator on an RWJF funded Pioneering project to develop and assess new techniques in exer-gaming to increase physical activity among youth. Faculty Member Receives Fulbright Senior Specialist Award to Develop Mid-Level Health Professional Training Program in Rwandaposted: October 29, 2009, 5:03 PM
At The George Washington University Medical Center, doctors are just one player in a team of medical professionals that include physician assistants, nurses, physical therapists, public health professionals, and many others. But in Rwanda, non-physicians are nonexistent, and the country’s doctors—plagued with harrowing rates of maternal mortality and severe workforce issues—need help, and need it fast. To address this urgent issue, Lisa Alexander, P.A., M.P.H., Ed.D., assistant dean for community-based partnerships at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, was named a Fulbright Senior Specialist. Through her award, Dr. Alexander will assist in the development of Rwanda’s first non-physician clinician training program at the Kegali Health Institute (KHI) by providing technical assistance and consultation services to the Rwandan Ministry of Health and KHI.
“The country is already training physicians, but it takes a long time to get a physician trained,” said Dr. Alexander. “Fortunately, not every patient’s needs require a physician’s attention.” By training what will be the Rwandan equivalent to physician assistants, the country will cultivate health care professionals who are qualified to assess patients, make diagnoses, prescribe appropriate treatments, and undertake minor surgical procedures. And, most importantly, these professionals can be trained in less than half the time it would take to train a doctor.
The Maternal Mortality Conference in May, which was co-hosted by the GW Africa Center, brought new light and a sense of immediacy to the longstanding need for more health care workers in Rwanda. “At the conference, the Rwandan Ministry was pushed to say, ‘we need to address maternal mortality, we need to address workforce issues, let’s do it’,” said Dr. Alexander, who has worked with Rwanda through the Africa Center for the past three years and has a supportive relationship with the U.S. Embassy in Rwanda. “There is a great willingness on the part of the government and the physicians to really champion this program. It’s critical that you get the support from all of these stakeholders in order to welcome and adopt this new type of health professional,” she said.
Dr. Alexander will develop her program over the course of a year—split into three 14-day trips—and will meet with members of the Ministry of Health, collaborate with faculty members at the rural training site, and plan the curriculum, which will adopt a rural health training focus. Eventually, a new generation of professionals will take hold in one of the few countries in which mid-level health care staff have not been trained—until now. “It will be exciting to see the physicians embrace this new cadre of health professionals and to really get excited about having the help that they so desperately need,” said Dr. Alexander.
Dr. Alexander is one of over 400 U.S. faculty and professionals who will travel abroad this year through the Fulbright Senior Specialists Program. This program, created in 2000 to complement the traditional Fulbright Scholar Program, provides short-term academic opportunities (two to six weeks) to prominent U.S. faculty and professionals to support curricular and faculty development and institutional planning at post secondary academic institutions around the world.
Medical Center Computer Support Staff Nominated for GW Service Excellence Awardposted: October 29, 2009, 4:41 PM
The GW Medical Center computer support staff was nominated for a 2009 GW Service Excellence Award. Medical Center computer support staff member Robert Foreman was also nominated for an Excellence Award in the Faculty/Choice category. Foreman and the computer support staff will be recognized publicly for their achievements at the Nominee Breakfast Reception and Awards Ceremony in the Marvin Center Continental Ballroom on Thursday, November 5.
A multi-tiered judging process will take place in order to determine this year’s awardees, to be announced at the Awards Ceremony. Dutch Ambassador Discusses Strategies to Combat Terrorism as Part of HSPI’s Ambassador Roundtable Seriesposted: October 29, 2009, 4:24 PM
The attacks of September 11 shocked nations throughout the world into adopting active approaches to combat the newly awakened fear of terrorism. Though these methods differ between countries, the common desire to protect citizens is unifying. During an Ambassadors Roundtable Series event on Oct. 23, Ambassador Renee Jones-Bos shared the Dutch approach to combating terrorism—described as “comprehensive in conjunction with an emphasis on prevention.” The discussion, part of a series hosted by GW’s Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI) and moderated by HSPI Director Frank Cilluffo, brought together homeland security policy experts, representatives from countries worldwide, congressional staffers, and even a former member of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group to consider and evaluate how the Dutch fight this worldwide adversary.
After suffering the sting of terrorism firsthand in 2002 when two Dutch Muslims were killed in Kashmir, the Dutch recognized that their biggest threats are “home-grown terrorists,” or Dutch citizens who are recruited and trained to terrorize against their own country. Keeping this in mind, the Dutch attempt to prevent young people—particularly within the Muslim population—from feeling polarized and adopting radicalized views.
“We stimulate communities to create better understanding and better relationships. We advocate policy for all communities in our society that promotes equal opportunities in regards to housing, education, and work,” the Ambassador explained. “If, in individual cases, these preventative measures don’t work, we try to identify processes of radicalization as early as possible and counter them with strategic interventions. And, if necessary, the Dutch government is willing and able to use all legal means of repression to swiftly stop the spread of these movements.”
Ambassador Jones-Bos also discussed the influence—both positive and negative—of the Internet in regards to terrorism. While the Internet can cultivate radicalized views, it can also be used to present counter-information. “We are encouraged by the young Muslims we see on the Internet, fervently attacking jihadists by stressing why the jihadist interpretation of Islam is wrong,” she said.
By cultivating an accepting and supportive society, the Dutch are setting an example of tolerance that is not synonymous with indifference. “We cannot just sit back and let people be,” she said. “It is imperative to find a balance between respect for other cultures and respect for human rights.”
While the specific route to countering terrorism in the Netherlands may be less applicable in the United States, all nations should take note of their general emphasis on humanitarianism and cultural competency. “This is really all about our core values—values such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, open-mindedness, and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Ambassador Jones-Bos. “I think it is these values that the United States and the Netherlands share, and have shared for the past 400 years.”
About the Ambassadors Roundtable Series
The Ambassadors Roundtable Series is designed to provide Ambassadors to the United States and their key diplomatic staff with a forum to discuss current and future counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts on a regional or country-specific basis. In an effort to draw upon various insights and experiences, the Ambassadors Roundtable Series builds upon and institutionalizes efforts over the past two years to engage in a dialogue with members of the international community, policy makers, and practitioners. National Summit Brings Energy and Awareness to Neglected Infections of Povertyposted: October 29, 2009, 4:17 PM
For the past several months, swine flu has dominated the media, the medical profession, and the minds of Americans. While the public is up in arms about this attention-hoarding disease, a group of equally severe diseases remains unseen and unheard. These diseases, called Neglected Infections of Poverty, were given a well-deserved moment in the spotlight at the National Summit on Neglected Infections of Poverty in the United States, held on Oct. 27 at the Rayburn House Office building on Capital Hill.
Facilitated by Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., Walter G. Ross Professor and chair, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, the summit provided a forum through which leaders in the field could raise awareness, share information, and encourage activism in regards to these diseases. Dubbed as “the swine flu of the poor” due to the disproportionate effects on impoverished and minority populations in the United States, these diseases are a disheartening manifestation of our country’s negligent policy on poverty.
“We often saythat you can tell a lot about a country by how they treat their most disadvantaged. I think we have a wonderful opportunity here today to discuss what we as Americans should be doing about this disadvantaged population and the associated health issues,” said Susan Eisenhower, president of the Eisenhower Group, Inc.
The program’s participants, who included representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Public Health Association, the Adler School of Professional Psychology, GW students and professors, researchers from around the country, and even two Congressmen, identified the major Neglected Infections of Poverty as toxocariasis, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, congenital cytomegalovirus, cysticercosis, and Chagas disease.
While these diseases are endemic (affecting nearly 1 billion of the world’s people—most of whom are women and children) and severe (causing debilitating, painful, and chronic harm), they lack the visibility of other diseases. “Neglected Infections of Poverty are chronic and disabling—but, unlike HIV/AIDS or Malaria, they are not fatal,” explained Dr. Hotez, recognizing the challenge of generating concern around such illnesses.
What’s more, the lack of research on these diseases stumps advocates with a catch-22. Without the research demonstrating the effects and the prevalence of the diseases, the government has no basis on which to justify funding. Without funding, however, the research cannot be conducted. “Right now, we don’t need a solution to these problems; what we need is political will,” said Eileen Stillwaggon, Ph.D., professor of Economics and Harold G. Evans-Eisenhower Professor at Gettysburg College.
Demonstrating the existence of at least some political will, Congressmen Henry “Hank” Johnson of Georgia and Gene Green of Texas vocalized their commitment to progress in this area. “In efforts to reform American health care, it is crucial that we provide resources to assess the prevalence of these diseases which are inadequately researched and understood,” stated Congressman Johnson, who outlined a proposed amendment that would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide continuous reports on the progress of these parasitic diseases.
“In the health care field, we still need a lot of help to play catch-up on these issues,” added Congressman Green. “Hopefully, you will be successful in getting members of congress to talk about these illnesses in order to fund research and raise public awareness.”
After being thoroughly briefed on the gravity of these diseases, summit participants were eager to take action. They identified the need to underscore the link between a low IQ and infection in order to engage schools and parents. They also promoted equipping medical professionals with the knowledge to identify these under-recognized diseases. Further, they suggested emphasizing the self-perpetuating cycle of these diseases and poverty, which further inhibits societal productivity. “Not only do these diseases occur in places of poverty, but they are actually a cause of poverty,” said Dr. Hotez.
Additionally, measures such as vaccine development, putting de-worming medications in animal food, administering cheap, effective medicine to combat parasites, and expanding research initiatives were suggested. Finally, the participants organized themselves into working groups, solidifying this conference as only the first step in a continuing crusade against these diseases, which, with continued dedication, will no longer be neglected.
“These are not rare or orphan diseases—these are common diseases. They are just neglected. The people who get these diseases still really have no voice, and so it’s hard for them to speak out on these conditions,” said Dr. Hotez. “And today,” added Congressman Johnson, “we must be the voice of those Americans who are unnecessarily suffering from these diseases.” The Wall Street Journal Referenced the Department of Health Policy Report "Using Primary Care to Bend the Curve: Estimating the Impact of a Health Center Expansion on Health Care Costs," in an Article on Federally Funded Health Centersposted: October 29, 2009, 2:42 PM
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The New York Times Reviewed "Technological Medicine," a Collection of Essays on Medical Technology by Stanley Joel Reiser, M.D., M.P.A., Ph.D., Clinical Professor in the Department of Health Policyposted: October 29, 2009, 2:32 PM
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ANNOUNCEMENT: Dr. Glenn Geelhoed Receives 2009 Surgical Volunteerism Award of the American College of Surgeons and the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiativeposted: October 29, 2009, 1:27 PM
Glenn Geelhoed, M.D., Ph.D., Ed.D., M.P.H., professor of International Medicine and of Surgery, received the 2009 Surgical Volunteerism Award of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative (PMHI), becoming the 14th recipient of this award, inaugurated in 2003. Dr. Geelhoed received a Surgical Volunteerism Award for a life-long career rooted in international surgical outreach activities bringing desperately needed health care to the world’s medically underserved. Dr. Geelhoed, along with six other ACS honorees, received the award during the ACS 95th annual Clinical Congress in Chicago, Ill. “Dr. Geelhoed's generosity of spirit and embrace of humanity, as evidenced through decades of service to those in need around the world, exemplifies the highest calling of the surgical profession,” said Kathleen Casey, M.D., F.A.C.S., director, Operation Giving Back. “We are grateful for the opportunity to share his story and his example by recognizing him with the 2009 ACS/Pfizer, Inc. Surgical Volunteerism Award.”
The surgical volunteerism awardees are determined by the ACS Governors Committee on Socioeconomic Issues, and the awards are administered through the ACS Operation Giving Back program.
For more than 30 years, Dr. Geelhoed and led medical missions providing uncompensated care to indigenous populations in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the South Pacific, and Central and South America. Along the way he has passed those values of dedication and volunteerism to the hundreds of residents, medical students, and undergraduate students he has tapped for these mission.
The Surgical Volunteerism Award are given “in recognition of those surgeons committed to giving something of themselves back to society by making significant contributions to surgical care through organized volunteer activities.”
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 75,000 members, and it is the largest organization of surgeons in the world (http://www.facs.org). PRESS RELEASE: GW Medical Student Receives American College of Rheumatology Research Education Foundation/Abbott Medical/Graduate Student Achievement Awardposted: October 29, 2009, 1:05 PM
WASHINGTON – Kristina Demas, a second-year medical student at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences received the 2009 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Research Education Foundation (REF)/Abbott Medical/Graduate Student Achievement Award, earning a $750 scholarship and travel expenses to present her research at the Annual American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Conference in Philadelphia, PA, Oct. 16-19. “Thanks to the generous support of the ACR and REF, I was able to hear from leading experts in rheumatology and to present timely research that I performed in collaboration with Dr. Karen Costenbader and Harvard Medical School that aims to enhance the quality of care and lives of lupus patients,” said Ms. Demas. “I firmly believe that creating a standard of care using a set of newly-developed Quality Indicators is a key step in eliminating persistent disparities in the treatment of lupus.”
At the ACR conference, Demas presented her research, titled "Assessing Care in SLE using Quality Indicators for Osteoporosis and Cardiovascular Disease" during an abstract poster session on Quality Measures and Innovations in Practice Management and Delivery of Care.
Demas’ interests lie in women’s health-related research and lupus and other autoimmune diseases. After graduating from Harvard College in 2008, she began performing clinical research in lupus at Harvard Medical School/ Brigham and Women's Department of Rheumatology under the supervision of Dr. Karen Costenbader, M.D., M.P.H..
Demas co-authored a review of the literature on “Disparities in Lupus Care and Outcomes,” which was recently published in Current Opinion in Rheumatology in March 2009. Her research was funded by the Lupus Foundation Summer Student Fellowship Award in 2008 and the GW Gill Fellowship in 2009.
Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., GW Distinguished Research Professor, Featured on NPR.com Discussing H1N1posted: October 29, 2009, 12:28 PM
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ANNOUNCEMENT: GW and CNMC Award Funding for Developing and Testing Innovative Technologies and Methodologies Through the Novel Clinical and Translational Methodologies Programposted: October 29, 2009, 11:30 AM
Children’s National Medical Center and The George Washington University, through the Novel Clinical and Translational Methodologies (NCTM) program at the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at Children’s National (CTSI-CN), have awarded four projects totaling $120,000 to researchers to develop and test innovative technologies and methodologies. These projects are meant to accelerate translational science and the conversion of scientific discoveries from laboratories into practical medical advances for our patients and communities. The NCTM Request for Application sought proposals from basic, translational, clinical, social/behavioral, and community/health policy scientists. One of the goals of the NCTM program is to advance collaborations in clinical and translational research by interdisciplinary teams of investigators. We are pleased to announce the awardees who were selecting from a pool of 20 meritorious applications.
Principal Investigator(s): Stanley Frick, PhD (CNMC)
Project: From In-Vivo Images to Histology, the "Miter Box"
Principal Investigator(s): George Howe, PhD (GW)
Sidney Fu, MD, PhD (GW)
Project: Microtrial Methods for Translating Gene-Environment Dynamics into
Preventive Interventions: Application to Stress-Triggered Depression in
Adults Facing Job Loss
Principal Investigator(s): Valerie Hu, PhD (GW)
Akos Vertes, PhD (GW)
Project: Quantification of DNA Methylation in Autism using MALDI-TOF Mass
Spectrometry
Principal Investigator(s): Steve Zeichner, MD, PhD (CNMC)
Claire Fraser-Liggett, PhD (University of Maryland)
Project: Development of Intestinal Selection of Immunogenic Antigens (ISIA)
Technology
Edward Connor, MD, is the director of the Novel Clinical and Translational Methodologies Clinical and Translational Science Institute at Children’s National; Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, is the co-Director of the Novel Clinical and Translational Methodologies, Clinical and Translational Science Institute at Children’s National; and Stephen Teach, MD, MPH, oversees the Pilot Studies Program for the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at Children’s National. Geeta Nayyar, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, Featured in The Washington Post Discussing How Hospital Workers Fight Germsposted: October 29, 2009, 10:28 AM
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Fitzhugh Mullan, M.D., Professor of Health Policy, Featured in The Associated Press Discussing Health Care Reformposted: October 29, 2009, 10:25 AM
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Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., GW Distinguished Research Professor, Featured in The New York Times Discussing Neglected Tropical Diseasesposted: October 29, 2009, 10:21 AM
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Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., GW Distinguished Research Professor, Featured in The Associated Press Discussing H1N1posted: October 29, 2009, 10:17 AM
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Maureen Ellen Lyon, M.A., Ph.D., Assistant Research Professor of Pediatrics, Featured in WashingtonPost.com Blog The Answer Sheet Discussing Sex Educationposted: October 29, 2009, 10:15 AM
RAPID RESPONSE: GW Researchers Examine the Debate Surrounding Mandatory Flu Vaccines for Health Care Workersposted: October 28, 2009, 12:51 PM
WASHINGTON – Requiring health care workers to be vaccinated against influenza is one strategy for reducing its spread in health care settings. Researchers at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services have released a report that reviews the arguments for and against such mandates, given the risks of influenza in health care settings, the availability of safe and effective vaccines to reduce that risk, and the inadequate health care worker compliance with immunization recommendations (fewer than 50% comply). In August, New York became the first state to require all health care workers to have seasonal flu and H1N1 flu vaccines as a condition of employment. While most people agree more workers should be vaccinated, a compulsory regulation highlights a pair of competing interests — protecting patient health, and safeguarding the rights of individuals to make their own medical choices. Many health care workers opposed the New York measure and three separate lawsuits were filed to challenge it. New York suspended its mandate in mid-October, citing shortages of both vaccines, but the issue is likely to surface again as public health officials seek to curb the spread of the disease.
Click here to see the GW/SPHHS report -- “Should Influenza Vaccines Be Mandatory for Health Care Workers?” It can also be downloaded at: http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/about/rapidresponse/index.cfm
For more information influenza vaccine mandates, contact:
Alexandra Stewart, JD
Assistant Research Professor, Department of Health Policy School of Public Health and Health Services The George Washington University 2021 K Street, N.W., Suite 800 Washington, DC 20006 (202) 994-4141 Email: stewarta@gwu.edu About the Rapid Health Policy Response Project
The Rapid Health Policy Response Project of the School of Public Health and Health Services at The George Washington University presents data and other background information on breaking public health stories. The goal is to educate the public, policymakers, legislators, health care providers, the media and others in order to promote informed decision making.
About The George Washington University Medical Center
The George Washington University Medical Center is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary academic health center that has consistently provided high-quality medical care in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, since 1824. The Medical Center comprises the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the 11th oldest medical school in the country; the School of Public Health and Health Services, the only such school in the nation’s capital; GW Hospital, jointly owned and operated by a partnership between The George Washington University and a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc.; and the GW Medical Faculty Associates, an independent faculty practice plan. For more information on GWUMC, visit www.gwumc.edu. PRESS RELEASE: Health Care Fraud Challenges Both Public and Private Sectorsposted: October 27, 2009, 9:40 AM updated: October 29, 2009, 11:14 AM
WASHINGTON - A new analysis published by The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Department of Health Policy, in collaboration with the National Academy for State Health Policy, finds that health care fraud poses a major challenge in both the private and public insurance sectors and recommends policies aimed at assuring uniform and transparent measurement and reporting of fraud across all forms of coverage. "A critical problem under current policy is the absence of ongoing and reliable fraud estimates similar to those available in the case of public health insurers," said lead author Sara Rosenbaum, Harold and Jane Hirsh Professor of Health Law and Policy and Chair of the Department. "As a result, it is difficult to fashion consistent policies to address fraud, a critical component of health reform."
The report also finds that fraud information related to public programs is frequently confused with payment error data. "While payment errors represent a major area for program improvement," Rosenbaum notes, "it is essential to separate such errors from actual instances of fraud, since the two problems call for distinct corrective strategies."
This report is issued as Congress considers steps to strengthen the tools and resources available to law enforcement to investigate and prosecute fraud, and as states focus increased attention on this problem.
In reviewing extensive data on health care fraud, the analysis points to evidence that fraud can emanate from the insurance industry itself. This finding is underscored by recent court decisions as well as by New York State's recent prosecution of multiple insurers for fraud in connection with provider claims payments as part of their administration of private insurance products and employee health benefit plans.
This report was funded with a Grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “Health Care Fraud” is available at http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/departments/healthpolicy/dhp_publications/pub_uploads/dhpPublication_924894E4-5056-9D20-3DA16EE2DF2E2336.pdf
A separate brief, “Health Insurance Fraud: An Overview” is available
at
http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/departments/healthpolicy/dhp_publications/pub_uploads/dhpPublication_EFDAD1BC-5056-9D20-3D3D36632A4F2163.pdf
Contacts
Maria Ibañez, NASHP
202.507.7584
Anne Banner, GW
202.994.2261
About The George Washington University Medical Center
The George Washington University Medical Center is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary academic health center that has consistently provided high-quality medical care in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, since 1824. The Medical Center comprises the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the 11th oldest medical school in the country; the School of Public Health and Health Services, the only such school in the nation’s capital; GW Hospital, jointly owned and operated by a partnership between The George Washington University and a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc.; and the GW Medical Faculty Associates, an independent faculty practice plan. For more information on GWUMC, visit www.gwumc.edu ( http://www.gwumc.edu/ ).
About the National Academy for State Health Policy
The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) is an independent academy of state health policy makers working together to identify emerging issues, develop policy solutions, and improve state health policy and practice. As a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to helping states achieve excellence in health policy and practice, NASHP provides a forum on critical health issues across branches and agencies of state government. For more information about NASHP, please visit www.nashp.org ( http://www.nashp.org/ )
PRESS RELEASE: New Analyses of Senate HELP and Finance Committee Health Reform Proposals Addresses Significant Legal Changesposted: October 23, 2009, 12:50 PM
WASHINGTON – New analyses of the Senate HELP and Finance Committees’ Health Reform proposals examine significant legal changes to the financing and delivery of health care included in these measures. The analyses are part of an ongoing project of The George Washington University Hirsh Health Law and Policy Program, within the School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS), to advance public understanding of the legal dimensions of national health reform.
Building on the comparative analyses of previous health reform proposals, the analysis of the Senate HELP Committee’s Affordable Health Choices Act (S. 1679) focuses on legal changes to the structure of the individual and group insurance markets and related coverage provisions. For the Chairman’s Mark of the America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009 (S. 1796), the analysis includes a comprehensive examination of the key legal changes that impact not only coverage, but the ways in which health care is organized and delivered.
“This analysis reflects the enormous progress toward health reform that has been made over the past weeks. With the merger of these two bills, the House and Senate are poised to launch a historic national policy debate,” said Sara Rosenbaum, Hirsh Professor of Health Law and Policy and Chair of the Department of Health Policy. Professor Jane Hyatt Thorpe, who directs the comparative analysis project for the Hirsh Program, added, “These analyses examine the critical legal issues that will largely define the debate, and are designed to help policy makers, health professionals, and consumers understand their scope and meaning.”
The comparative analyses use a special health reform legal taxonomy developed by GW Hirsh Program faculty and staff. The taxonomy is an analytic tool that provides a uniform and consistent mechanism for understanding in detail the key elements of health reform, including access, coverage, affordability, quality, health, financing, and the organization of health care markets, across the various proposals. The taxonomy is used to generate an analytic and comparative analysis of the various proposals that can be viewed independently or comparatively (side by side) in a user-friendly format to provide a consistent and comparative understanding of each legislative proposal.
In addition to the Senate HELP Committee’s Affordable Health Choices Act and the Senate Finance Chairman’s Mark of the America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009, the taxonomy has been used to analyze the House Tri-Committee Bill, The America’s Affordable Health Choices Act (H.R. 3200); the Healthy Americans Act (S. 391); the Patient’s Choice Act (S. 1099); and the American Health Security Act of 2009 (S. 703). Future additions will include legislative proposals as they emerge from the Senate and Congress. The comparative analysis and interactive tool is available on the Department of Health Policy’s Web site at www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/departments/healthpolicy/healthreform/.
About Hirsh Health Law and Policy Program
The Hirsh Health Law and Policy Program, one of the largest law and health policy educational endeavors in the nation, was established in 1997 and endowed by Dr. and Mrs. Harold and Jane Hirsh. Located in The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services Department of Health Policy, the program offers unique educational opportunities designed to provide a solid grounding in health law and policy to candidates for law degrees, practicing lawyers who seek to specialize in health law and policy, and health policy students. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the program advances understanding of how the law influences all phases of health care, health policy and public health, and how the changing health care system affects traditional areas of the law. The program also prepares participants for a broad range of health law-related careers.
For more information on the Hirsh Program, visit www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/departments/healthpolicy/Academics/hirshHealthLaw/index.cfm. For more information on the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Department of Health Policy, visit www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/departments/healthpolicy.
About The George Washington University Medical Center
The George Washington University Medical Center is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary academic health center that has consistently provided high-quality medical care in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area since 1824. The Medical Center comprises the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the 11th oldest medical school in the country; the School of Public Health and Health Services, the only such school in the nation’s capital; GW Hospital, jointly owned and operated by a partnership between The George Washington University and a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc.; and the GW Medical Faculty Associates, an independent faculty practice plan. For more information on GWUMC, visit www.gwumc.edu. Important Notice Regarding Space Heater Useposted: October 22, 2009, 4:24 PM
All GWUMC Faculty, Staff, and Researchers:
Last evening a portable space heater was left unattended. The heater tipped over and caught fire in an office in Ross Hall. Fortunately, damage was contained to the immediate office area. In light of this incident, we are reinforcing the following procedures regarding portable space heaters:
1) All heaters must be TURNED OFF when leaving the area/office
2) All heaters must be UNPLUGGED when leaving for the day
Additionally, we are requesting that all faculty, staff, and researchers that currently use space heaters email safety@gwumc.edu to provide your name and room number where the heater is used so it can be evaluated by my office for safety concerns.
Your cooperation is appreciated.
Jeff
Jeffrey M. Good
Director, Medical Center Safety, BioSecurity, & Emergency Management
The George Washington University Medical Center
Washington, DC 20037
safety@gwumc.edu
(202) 994-3282
First Annual Survivorship Symposium Proposes Solutions for the Unmet Needs of Cancer Survivorsposted: October 22, 2009, 4:14 PM
With improved cancer treatments, earlier detection, and a growing population, the United States has become home to an unprecedented number of cancer survivors. This news—though good—is muddied by the fact that this growing cohort comes with a list of growing needs. Fortunately, at the First Annual Survivorship Symposium, held on October 15, this group’s needs were the topic of discussion. The symposium, themed “Cancer Survivorship Research and Health Disparities,” was hosted by the GW Cancer Institute (GWCI) Center for the Advancement of Cancer Survivorship, Navigation, and Policy (caSNP) and the EagleBank Foundation. Bringing together survivors, researchers, clinicians, caregivers, and community health workers, the symposium sought to improve outcomes of cancer survivorship, which is the period of time following a cancer diagnosis.
“Some of the same barriers that interfere with a person’s ability to access screenings and quality care also interfere with their ability to access survivorship care,” said Steve Patierno, Ph.D., executive director, GWCI. “Through this symposium, I hope that we can integrate the work that we do in the community with the growing and exciting world of cancer survivorship and eventually eliminate cancer disparities.”
After an inspiring welcome from cancer survivor Laurel Wassner, who is a GW alumna and professional triathlete, Julia Rowland, Ph.D., director of the National Cancer Institute’s Office of Cancer Survivorship set the stage for the day’s discussions by outlining the current state of survivorship research and health disparities. “The field of cancer survivorship is not a new field; not even a baby field. It is a field right in the middle of its adolescence,” she said. “But, as with any good adolescence, we must look back and ask, ‘where did we come from, where do we need to go, how are we going to define ourselves differently—and particularly, how do we measure our success?”
Both Rowland and Craig Earle, M.D., director of the Health Services Research Program for cancer care Ontario and the Ontario institute for Cancer Research, reminded the audience that “being cancer free does not mean being free of cancer” and drew upon current research revealing that this population’s current needs—as varied as they are—are not being met. “We must recognize cancer survivorship as a distinct phase of cancer care, complete with its own unique set of cross-cutting issues,” said Dr. Earle, who suggested that cancer can be used as a “teachable moment,” or a time when people are more receptive to making healthy changes to their lifestyles.
Other speakers included Kimlin Ashing-Giwa, Ph.D., director of the City of Hope Center of Community Alliance for Research and Education and Lisa Campbell, Ph.D., associate director of the Center for Health Disparities Research at East Carolina University. Dr. Ashing-Giwa highlighted some of her own research showing that socio-ecological and cultural factors may be heavily proximal to health related quality of life, particularly among ethnic minority populations. Dr. Campbell proved this case by focusing on the disparate treatment and outcomes of African American prostate cancer survivors.
The day’s presentations culminated with a Town Hall moderated by Lydia Buki, Ph.D., associate professor of kinesiology and community health at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that asked, “How can researchers and clinicians promote optimal wellness for all cancer survivors and reduce disparities in health outcomes?” Despite their diverse backgrounds, all participants agreed that cancer survivors would benefit greatly from improved communication and collaboration between doctors and patients, between doctors themselves, and between clinicians and community workers.
Serving as a model for survivorship care, a panel of Lance Armstrong Foundation Survivorship Centers of Excellence offered their successes, mistakes, and suggestions to other cancer centers. The panelists, who included moderator Caroline Huffman, director of navigation services of the LIVESTRONG Survivorship Center of Excellence Network; K. Scott Baker, M.D., M.S. and Karen L. Syrjala, Ph.D. of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; and Linda Jacobs, Ph.D., C.R.N.P., A.O.C.N., B.C., of the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, emphasized the need to involve primary care and mid-level practitioners, to individualize care plans, and—most importantly—to educate, empower, and listen to the survivors themselves. “We learned early on that we have to focus on what the survivors want, rather than what we think we can offer them,” said Dr. Jacobs.
Voicing with poignant strength the wants of survivors was speaker Reverend Renee Cole, a cancer “conqueror,” activist, and advocate. “Cancer is not a trip, it’s a journey that affects your finances, your emotions, your career, your life, and everyone that you love,” she said. “We have come a long way [in the field of cancer survivorship,] but there’s even more that we can do to not only give us quality of life, but also quantity of life.”
Bipartisan Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission’s Interim Report Says U.S. is Failing to Address Urgent Biothreatposted: October 22, 2009, 2:36 PM
Despite the lagging beliefs of many Americans, nuclear weapons are taking a back seat in the world of warcraft. Now taking the front seat, however, is the more realistic and frightening threat of biological weaponry. This looming and purportedly inevitable reality was laid forth during the Weapons of Mass Destruction Symposium on October 21st, hosted by The Homeland Security Policy Institute and GW’s Elliot School of International Affairs, and featuring the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism.
“The threat of bioterrorism is not only possible, it is probable” said Commission Vice Chairman and former Senator Jim Talent. “When you think about the objectives of the people trying to launch these attacks, and the means that they have shown they are willing to use, it is perfectly logical that they would be seeking weapons of mass destruction.”
In the report issued yesterday, the commission concluded that the United States is failing to address its most urgent threat—biological proliferation and terrorism. While they supported the Obama Administration’s high-level of attention given to the nuclear threat, the commission cited a range of missteps on biosecurity, including the absence of a senior-level advocate for biosecurity, attempted funding “raids” on two critical biopreparedness programs, and a lack of appropriate disease surveillance.
“The fact is, it is only getting easier and cheaper to develop and use biological weapons—and our best response is to mitigate the effects through faster, safer vaccines and therapeutics,” said Talent. “It’s essential that the U.S. government move more aggressively on this front.”
The commissioners emphasized the need to develop a common understanding of the biothreat, enhance executive responsibility on the matter, provide funding for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and Project BioShield at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and improve domestic and international disease surveillance.
“We cannot use the same ‘lockdown’ strategy that we use in the case of nuclear attacks,” said Commission Chairman and former Senator Bob Graham, noting the wide availability of biomaterials that would make such a strategy ineffective. “Instead, we need to attack the word ‘mass’ and make response become the deterrent.”
“The clock is ticking,” warned Graham. “The United States has taken action, but we have not kept pace with those who would do us, or the world community, harm. The terrorists are flexible and increasingly capable. The executive branch, the legislative branch, and even the American people must do more.”
About the Commission
Congress established the bipartisan WMD Commission to address the grave threat that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction poses to the United States.
The Commission is a legacy of the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001, and the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the 9/11 Commission). Those reports looked at the past, explaining US government failings to anticipate the events of 9/11. This Commission looks to the future.
The Commission’s December 2008 report, World at Risk, determined that unless the world community acts decisively and with great urgency, it is more likely than not that a weapon of mass destruction will be used in a terrorist attack somewhere in the world by the end of 2013—and that terrorists are more likely to obtain and use a biological weapon than a nuclear weapon. It identified 13 recommendations consisting of 49 actions that Congress and the Administration should take to change the trajectory of risk.
About the Homeland Security Policy Institute
The George Washington University Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI) is a nonpartisan “think and do” tank whose mission is to build bridges between theory and practice to advance homeland security through an interdisciplinary approach. Visit us at: http://www.gwumc.edu/hspi/
GW Medical Center, Medical Faculty Associates and the GW Hospital Provide Free Health Screening and Health Information at the Foggy Bottom/West End Block Partyposted: October 22, 2009, 12:49 PM
Doctors, medical students and staff of The GW Hospital, The GW Medical Faculty Associates, The GW Medical Center, The Cheney Cardiovascular Institute and The GW Cancer Institute took time out of their busy schedules on a cold afternoon to give free health screenings and health information at the seventh annual Foggy Bottom/West End Block Party on Sunday, October 18.
Members of the neighborhood community surrounding GW, as well as students, faculty and staff lined up at the heath tent outside of Ross Hall for free screenings and information including vision testing; grip and posture testing; nutritional assessments; blood pressure screening and stroke risk assessments; cancer information, including breast, colon and prostate; oral cancer screening; and automated external defibrillator demonstrations.
This was the first year that the Medical Center, the MFA and the Hospital participated in the Foggy Bottom/ West End Block Party as collaboration. Over 150 people, including GW President Steven Knapp, were screened during the three hour event, and many more chatted with experts and collected health information. The health tent was hailed a success and a great addition to the yearly event.
Sara Rosenbaum, J.D., Hirsh Professor of Health Law and Policy and Chair, Department of Health Policy, Featured in The Plain Dealer Discussing Health Care Reformposted: October 22, 2009, 12:08 PM
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Jehan El-Bayoumi, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Featured on Forbes.com Discussing Women's Top Health Concerns by the Decadeposted: October 21, 2009, 11:59 AM
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Leighton Ku, Ph.D., M.P.H., Professor in the Department of Health Policy, Featured on WashingtonIndependent.com Discussing Health Care Reformposted: October 21, 2009, 11:39 AM
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Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., GW Distinguished Research Professor, Featured on FOX5 Discussing Flu Vaccine Safetyposted: October 21, 2009, 11:28 AM
PRESS RELEASE: GW Medical Students Receive Bread for the City’s Good Hope Award for H.E.A.L.ing Clinicposted: October 21, 2009, 10:58 AM
WASHINGTON – Five GW medical students received a Good Hope Award at the 4th Annual Bread for the City Good Hope Awards breakfast on October 1, 2009. Rani Nandiwada, Deb Bear, Jay Chelluri, Irina Fox, and Patrick Lowerre, along with Lisa Alexander, Ed.D., M.P.H., P.A., assistant dean for Community-Based Partnerships in GW’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences, were honored for their work in founding and running the H.E.A.L.ing (Health Education and Learning) Clinic at Bread for the City.
“Although the original founders of the clinic are graduating this year, they have made certain that the clinic they began can continue long after they have moved on,” said Dr. Randi Abramson, director of Bread for the City. “It is with tremendous gratitude that we awarded Rani Nandiwada, Deb Bear, Jay Chelluri, Irina Fox, Patrick Lowerre, and Lisa Alexander a Good Hope Award for their Beyond Bread Community Reformation.”
The five students receiving the award were first-year medical students who came to GW with a vision to practice medicine as part of their community. With the help of Lisa Alexander, they started the student-run medical clinic in October of 2007. Since the H.E.A.L.ing clinic launched two years ago, a steady flow of enthusiastic GW medical, PA and public health students have volunteered each week seeing patients, working in the lab and providing health education. The Clinic has over 150 students and 16 volunteer physicians and PAs involved today.
“It is a joy to see the students teach each other, to see the fourth-year students take on leadership roles, and to see the newer students jump right in and share ownership of the clinic,” said Dr. Alexander. “Given that our community is in a major healthcare crisis in large part because there aren't enough clinicians practicing community healthcare, we are proud to say that Bread for the City is a training ground for the next generation of providers.”
PRESS RELEASE: New Brief Explores the Evolution of Medicaid Lawsuits to Stop Scheduled Reductions in Medi-Cal Provider Payment Rates and Their Implications for Health Care Access, Quality, and Efficiencyposted: October 21, 2009, 10:42 AM
WASHINGTON (Oct. 19, 2009) - In a one year period, beginning in April of 2008, five lawsuits were filed against the state of California, to stop scheduled reductions in provider payments in the state's Medicaid program, Medi-Cal. A cross-cutting theme of these lawsuits is the theory that Medi-Cal rate cuts violate the "equal access" statute, a federal law which requires payment to Medicaid providers to be "sufficient to enlist enough providers so that care and services are available under the plan at least to the extent that such care and services are available to the general population in the geographic area." The theory is that low or reduced Medicaid provider payment rates may act as a disincentive to provider participation in Medicaid programs, hence compromising beneficiary access to health care. The Medi-Cal cases spotlight an important Medicaid policy dilemma -- low or reduced provider compensation rates intended to save money may actually serve to drive up healthcare costs by deterring provider participation and eroding beneficiary access to quality health care, ultimately forcing patients to seek care in more expensive settings, such as emergency rooms. In "Medicaid Payment Rate Lawsuits: Evolving Court Views Mean Uncertain Future for Medi-Cal" Sara Rosenbaum, Hirsh Professor of Health Law and Policy and chair of The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Service's Department of Health Policy, explores these cases and their implications for the future of Medi-Cal, as well as for health care access, quality, and efficiency for beneficiaries of public health insurance nationwide. The paper, prepared for the California HealthCare Foundation, is available at http://www.chcf.org/topics/medi-cal/index.cfm?itemID=134108
About the California HealthCare Foundation
The California HealthCare Foundation is an independent philanthropy committed to improving the way health care is delivered and financed in California. By promoting innovations in care and broader access to information, their goal is to ensure that all Californians can get the care they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford. For more information on CHCF, visit us online at www.chcf.org.
About The George Washington University Medical Center
The George Washington University Medical Center is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary academic health center that has consistently provided high-quality medical care in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, since 1824. The Medical Center comprises the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the 11th oldest medical school in the country; the School of Public Health and Health Services, the only such school in the nation’s capital; GW Hospital, jointly owned and operated by a partnership between The George Washington University and a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc.; and the GW Medical Faculty Associates, an independent faculty practice plan. For more information on GWUMC, visit www.gwumc.edu.
UPCOMING EVENT: Oct. 27 - National Summit on Neglected Infections of Poverty (NIoPs) in the United Statesposted: October 21, 2009, 10:22 AM
WASHINGTON– In the United States, there remains a largely hidden burden of diseases caused by debilitating parasitic, bacterial, and congenital infections known as the Neglected Infections of Poverty (NIoPs), which disproportionately affect impoverished and minority populations. They are concentrated in the most impoverished areas and populations of the United States, including inner cities of the North and East and rural areas of the South and West. This one-day Summit to he held in Washington, D.C. on October 27, 2009 will highlight the major neglected infections of poverty in the United States with emphasis on their prevalence and disease burden, transmission, and their disparate impact on poor populations in the U.S. The conference is designed to lead to strategies for action to address NIoPs.
The planning committee includes the American Public Health Association; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Eisenhower Institute, Gettysburg College; Institute on Social Exclusion, Adler School of Psychology; and The George Washington University/ Sabin Vaccine Institute.
What: National Summit on Neglected Infections of Poverty (NIoPs) in the United States
When: October 27, 2009
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Where: Capitol Hill,Washington D.C.
Rayburn Building, Room 2168
Sponsors: American Public Health Association; Companion Animal Parasite Council; Eisenhower Institute, Gettysburg College; Institute on Social Exclusion, Adler School of Psychology; and Sabin Vaccine Institute/George Washington University
For more information go to http://inside.gwumc.edu/niops/index.cfm orcall Lydia DiGrazia at (202) 994-3532.
About The George Washington University Medical Center
The George Washington University Medical Center is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary academic health center that has consistently provided high-quality medical care in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, since 1824. The Medical Center comprises the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the 11th oldest medical school in the country; the School of Public Health and Health Services, the only such school in the nation’s capital; GW Hospital, jointly owned and operated by a partnership between The George Washington University and a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc.; and the GW Medical Faculty Associates, an independent faculty practice plan. For more information on GWUMC, visit www.gwumc.edu
ANNOUNCEMENT: GW Health Services and Management Leadership Students Win First Place in Annual Case Competitionposted: October 20, 2009, 3:45 PM updated: October 21, 2009, 9:57 AM
WASHINGTON - Competing in the finals against teams from University of Michigan, University of North Carolina, and Rush University in Chicago, GW’s team of three second-year Masters in Health Service Administration students, Angela Raphael, Laura Munroe and Tony Huynh, took first place in the 14th Annual The National Association of Health Services Executives Case Competition. “My colleagues and I, in the HSML Department, are proud of our team and thrilled at our victory. Our team members, Angela, Laura and Tony had the talent, diligence and drive to take the first place. This team was able to surpass last year’s fantastic GW team, who took second place in the competition. This was our third entry over the past six years and it was proven true that the third time is a charm,” said Robert Burke, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Health Services Management and Leadership, and director of the Wertlieb Educational Institute for Long-Term Care Management.
The teams in the competition consisted of up to three health administration graduate students who took on the role of consultants. Team members were charged with analyzing the facts presented in the case and gathering publically available data to help support their recommendations. Each team devised a mechanism that provided the highest quality care at the lowest cost to the members of a large commercial insurance plan in the Orlando, Florida area. The teams examined the process of care delivery, cost of their plan, crafted a marketing plan, and explained how their recommendations would be evaluated. Each team made a twenty-minute oral presentation of their analysis and recommendations, then a panel of leaders in the health care field, corporate sponsors and academia determined which teams move forward to the next round of competition.
The Everett V. Fox Student Case Competition is designed to give first and second-year graduate students an educational experience to enhance their problem analysis and presentation skills. Students are charged with applying their creativity, knowledge, and experience to analyze the real and diverse issues facing a health care organization. Previous case studies featured health care organizations such as Grady Health System, Kaiser Permanente, The Mayo Clinic, Trinity Health, Catholic Health Initiatives, and HCA.
About NAHSE
The National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) is a non-profit association of Black health care executives founded in 1968 for the purpose of promoting the advancement and development of Black health care leaders, and elevating the quality of health care services rendered to minority and underserved communities. Since its inception, NAHSE has sponsored and participated in local and national programs and projects designed to improve quality, access and availability to health services and to expand educational opportunities in the field of Health Services Administration.
NAHSE's purpose is to ensure greater participation of minority groups in the health field. Its basic objective is to develop and maintain a strong viable national body to more effectively have input in the national health care delivery system. It has provided a vehicle for Blacks to effectively participate in the design, direction and delivery of quality health care to all people.
About the HSML Program
Part of the School of Public Health and Health Services, the Department of Health Services Management and Leadership offers training in health services administration to help meet the growing need for skilled executives to manage health-related organizations and programs. An MHSA degree from the Department of Health Services Management incorporates business and medical informatics training, knowledge of health care systems, law and policy, critical values in decision making, and much more.
The Department's special strengths include an emphasis on experiential learning and community service, distinguished faculty, research collaborations and relationships with policymaking and health care organizations in Washington, DC. Active alumni and student associations foster mentoring, networking and other professional development opportunities.
About The George Washington University’s School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS)
SPHHS was established in July 1997, bringing together three longstanding university programs in the Schools of Medicine, Business, and Education. Today, more than 900 students from nearly every state and more than 35 nations pursue undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral-level degrees in public health. www.gwumc.edu/sphhs
About The George Washington University Medical Center
The George Washington University Medical Center is an internationally recognized interdisciplinary academic health center that has consistently provided high-quality medical care in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, since 1824. The Medical Center comprises the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the 11th oldest medical school in the country; the School of Public Health and Health Services, the only such school in the nation’s capital; GW Hospital, jointly owned and operated by a partnership between The George Washington University and a subsidiary of Universal Health Services, Inc.; and the GW Medical Faculty Associates, an independent faculty practice plan. For more information on GWUMC, visit www.gwumc.edu. Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., GW Distinguished Research Professor, Featured on FOX5 Discussing H1N1 Vaccineposted: October 19, 2009, 5:28 PM
Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., GW Distinguished Research Professor, Featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer Discussing Franklin Institute Awardsposted: October 19, 2009, 5:14 PM
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GW Medical Center Faculty and Staff “Linked in Pink” to Support Breast Cancer Awarenessposted: October 15, 2009, 4:12 PM
Wearing jeans to work and supporting a good cause? Sounds like a win-win situation. And for the 200-plus GW Medical Center faculty and staff who participated in “denim day” on October 9th, it was. But the real winners last Friday were the 13 individuals who will now receive mammograms thanks to the money raised in anticipation of this causal—not casual—Friday. “Denim day is just one of the many opportunities for the Medical Center to demonstrate its commitment and support of women who have been diagnosed with this curable disease,” said provost and vice president for health affairs John Williams, M.D., Ed.D., M.P.H.
Through just a five dollar donation, GW Medical Center faculty and staff were able to choose a festive pink pin to accessorize their blue jeans and pink shirts worn on the day themed “linked in pink.” Because early detection is the best defense against breast cancer, the $1,050 raised from this event will benefit the GW Breast Care Center and will provide mammograms for those who otherwise would not be able to afford one.
“Denim day makes visible the strong support to fight breast cancer that already exists here at the Medical Center,” said Glenda Hall, office manager of Laboratory Safety and Compliance and coordinator of denim day. “This year was a particularly impressive showing and just goes to show how a little can go a long way. With continued collaboration and dedication here and across the country, we will conquer this beast,” she said.
A variety of pink ribbon lapel pins are still available from Glenda Hall. Please contact her at 994-3282 or rsogjh@gwumc.edu for more information.
Julia Hidalgo, Sc.D., M.S.W., M.P.H., Research Professor in the Department of Health Policy, and Researchers from Thomson Reuters, the Veterans Administration, and the Massachusetts General Hospital Published "A Four-System Comparison of Patients with Chronic Illness"posted: October 15, 2009, 3:49 PM
Department of Health Policy research professor Julia Hidalgo, Sc.D., M.S.W., M.P.H., and researchers from Thomson Reuters, the Veterans Administration, and the Massachusetts General Hospital published "A four-system comparison of patients with chronic illness: the Military Health System, Veterans Health Administration, Medicaid, and commercial plans in Military Medicine 174(9). Christine Ferguson, J.D., Research Professor in the Department of Health Policy ,and Anna Muldoon, M.P.H. Candidate and Research Assistant, Published "Not All are Created Equal: Differences in Obesity Attitudes Between Men and Women" in the Sept./Oct. 2009 Issue of the Journal Women’s Health Issuesposted: October 15, 2009, 3:43 PM
Christine Ferguson, J.D., research professor, and Anna Muldoon, M.P.H. candidate and research assistant, published "Not All are Created Equal: Differences in Obesity Attitudes Between Men and Women" in the Sept./Oct. 2009 issue of the journal Women’s Health Issues. The invited commentary, written on behalf of the STOP Obesity Alliance, explores sources and effects of stigma in several environments including the workplace and physicians offices, and attitudinal differences between men and women when it comes to obesity interventions and perceptions. The commentary is available at http://www.whijournal.com/article/S1049-3867(09)00069-3/fulltext. Sara Rosenbaum, JD, Hirsh Professor of Health Law and Policy and Chair, Department of Health Policy, Has Study Published by California HealthCare Foundationposted: October 15, 2009, 3:38 PM
Professor Rosenbaum's study "Medicaid Payment Rate Lawsuits: Evolving Court Views Mean Uncertain Future for Medi-Cal," looks at the lengthy history of medical provider rate litigation. In a one year period beginning in April of 2008, five lawsuits were filed against the state of California to stop scheduled reductions in provider payments in the state’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal. A cross-cutting theme of these lawsuits is the theory that Medi-Cal rate cuts violate the "equal access" statute, a federal law which requires payment to Medicaid providers to be "sufficient to enlist enough providers so that care and services are available under the plan at least to the extent that such care and services are available to the general population in the geographic area." The theory is that low or reduced Medicaid provider payment rates may act as a disincentive to provider participation in Medicaid programs, hence compromising beneficiary access to health care. Lacking clear federal guidance on such matters, plaintiffs have turned to the courts in attempts to challenge rate-setting methodologies and low reimbursement rates. The analysis is available at is available at http://www.chcf.org/topics/medi-cal/index.cfm?itemID=134108.
Sara Rosenbaum, JD, Hirsh Professor of Health Law and Policy and Chair, Department of Health Policy, Has Study Published in the New England Journal of Medicineposted: October 15, 2009, 3:33 PM
Professor Rosenbaum published "Medicaid and National Health Care Reform" in the October 14 issue of New England Journal of Medicine Perspective section. The article looks at the pivotal role Medicaid plays in national healthcare reform as Congress, with White House support, is poised to eliminate coverage restrictions for poor, non-elderly adults by eliminating Medicaid’s categorical restrictions on this population. The free full text of the article is available at http://healthcarereform.nejm.org/?p=2072&query=home Pauline Chen, M.D., New York Times Bestselling Author Delivers Annual Stuart M. Fidler, M.D. Memorial Lectureposted: October 15, 2009, 12:33 PM
Family, friends, and colleagues, along with Medical Center faculty and students gathered to honor the memory of Dr. Stuart Fidler at the 4th annual Stuart M. Fidler, M.D. Memorial Lecture, held in Ross Hall on Oct. 8. Established in 2005 by Dr. Fidler’s family and friends, the lecture focuses on the human side of medicine. This year’s guest speaker was Pauline Chen, M.D., surgeon and author of New York Times bestseller Final Exam: A Surgeon’s Reflections on Mortality. Dr. Chen is also a columnist for The New York Times.
Jim Scott, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, welcomed everyone to the lecture and said that Dr. Fidler was “a remarkable physician and a remarkable gentleman.” He explained that the combination of those traits made him a role model for all doctors.
Dr. Fidler’s son Peter and his colleague and friend Robert Wilkinson, M.D., gave the opening remarks and spoke of Dr. Fidler’s career in medicine and his love for his patients. “He knew that the secret to caring for patients is caring for patients,” said Dr. Wilkinson. “This lecture is meant to introduce students to his ideals – the science and the art of medicine.”
Matthew Mintz, M.D., associate professor of Medicine and director of GW’s Primary Care Clerkship introduced Dr. Chen and mentioned that he is an avid reader of her New York Times column.
Dr. Chen began her lecture titled, “Our Best Selves: One Surgeon’s View on the Practice of Medicine,” by telling the audience that she has recently met up with a friend who was a patient in Dr. Fidler’s practice. When she told her friend that she had the honor of giving the Fidler Lecture, her friend remarked, “Dr. Fidler was your kind of hero.”
Dr. Chen went on to ask the question, “Is it possible to provide compassionate care in a health care system that fears death?” She told personal stories from her experiences as a surgeon and referenced a recent health care study that shows end of life care discussions help patients with the grieving process. She stated that this study shows the need doctors to practice the art of medicine saying, “The threads of science and art have become unraveled, and as a profession we have chosen to hold tightly to only one – science.”
In conclusion she repeated her question “Is it possible to provide compassionate care in a health care system that fears death?” She told the audience that she believes it is possible, saying, “We must bring together science and art, create a space for critical reflection and thought, and remember what really matters – being our best selves.”
Dr. Fidler actively practiced Internal Medicine and Endocrinology in downtown Washington, D.C. for 30 years, while contributing in a significant way to the teaching efforts of the Department of Medicine and GW. His family described him as “an old-fashioned doctor,” who never cut corners and spent as much time with his patients as they needed. He had more than 3,000 patients, many of whom stayed with him for 30 years. Alexander Loukas, Ph.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine, Featured in Science Daily Discussing Parasite Growth Hormone Researchposted: October 15, 2009, 11:50 AM
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Frank Cilluffo, Director, Homeland Security Policy Institute, Featured on KRNV.com (News4) Discussing Use of Street Cameras to Fight Terrorism in New Yorkposted: October 15, 2009, 11:47 AM
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Breast Care Center’s Annual Survivor Luncheon Celebrates Life, Inspires Hopeposted: October 15, 2009, 10:38 AM
The clinking of glasses resounded through the pink-embellished Marvin Center ballroom on October 8th, as more than 200 breast cancer survivors celebrated life, friendship, and hope. The traditional champagne toast, led by Cokie Roberts, Emmy Award-winning journalist and bestselling author, set the spirited mood for the Breast Care Center’s Annual Luncheon, which included speakers, slideshows, and of course, a delectable meal complete with pink-ribbon topped cupcakes. “Here’s to all of you, here’s to the GW program, here’s to the incredible work that GW does in terms of outreach…and here’s to carrying on into the future,” toasted Roberts, who is a breast cancer survivor herself. This year’s event, which was more highly attended than ever before, honored the lives and the courage of the attendees, who ranged from the recently diagnosed to those who have been cancer-free for decades. All of them, however, were grateful for compassion and the innovation of the GW Breast Care Center.
As one of the doctors who had touched the lives many of those present, Christine Teal, MD, director of the Breast Care Center, doled out hugs and smiles liberally to her patients and friends. When introducing the luncheon speaker, Laurie H. Turney, Dr. Teal said, “Laurie is truly a sister and a soul mate to me. She’s a true inspiration to me and she is the reason I’m here. I hope that she can inspire you the way that she’s inspired me.”
Turney’s story—which began with her father’s breast cancer diagnosis when she was 17—was one of strength. “Because of cancer, I lost my hair, but I gained an amazing strength,” she explained. “Cancer has made me face challenges that I never would have; that I never would have thought I could have,” she said in reference to the lawsuit she filed—and won—against her employer who terminated her job due to her cancer treatments.
Turney’s story was also one of learning and love. “As strange as it sounds, cancer has given me many gifts. I have really learned to love myself,” she said, after describing her empowering hair-shaving parties and her sharpened ability to listen to her body. “I also have been blessed with amazing friends. Learning who your friends are is another gift cancer gives you,” she said.
Finally, as promised by Dr. Teal, Turney’s story was one of inspiration. “We are unique and special women. We are a powerful symbol of hope and of strength. And we are sisters in this journey in search of the cure. We are survivors and we have to send a message to our sisters who still have a fight ahead of them—do what it takes, do whatever it takes, know that you did, and live your life.”
The luncheon concluded with Roberts campaigning for “four essential pieces of legislation to make sure that we can continue on this road of having fewer people die from this disease, and fewer people living with this disease.” She discussed the unacceptable disparities in cancer detection and treatment, but also applauded the crowd for how far they have come. “All of you have made it through and you are an inspiration to the rest of the community. But, we have to keep working very hard to make this go away.”
Global Health Mini-University Unites Nearly 1,000 Global Health Advocatesposted: October 15, 2009, 10:29 AM
The Marvin Center became a university-within-a-university on October 9th when it housed the Global Health Mini-University, sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Global Health in collaboration with the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS). The event, however, proved to be anything but mini. With nearly 1,000 participants—or “students”— in attendance, the truly grand event highlighted evidence-based best practices and state-of-the-art information from a variety of technical areas across the Global Health field.
The participants, who included GW students, members of the U.S. military, global health professionals, and the general public, could each elect five seminars from a loaded schedule that offered over 50 courses on topics ranging from family planning to HIV treatment to civil-military cooperation to food security.
“It is wonderful to see so many people from a wide variety of backgrounds work together and learn from each other," said Chelsea Smart, event coordinator, USAID Bureau for Global Health. “Each year, the mini-university expands and improves, and this year proved to be our best one yet. I am thrilled with the discussions that were fostered, the connections that were made, and the apparent commitment of our participants to fight health issues all over the world.”
Presenting a seminar entitled, “Big Footprints: Disaster or Development in Rebuilding Afghanistan,” Anne Peterson, MD, MPH, research professor of Global Health at GW, challenged her students to propose solutions aimed at resting the plight of women and children in Afghanistan, while also enhancing the relationship between the U.S. and Afghanistan. Further, Dr. Peterson encouraged leaders to “do few things, but do them well.” She noted that a big footprint has big potential, meaning that global health professionals could use the footprint’s potential to transform a country’s health for the better, while at the same time, they must be careful not to create large expectations resulting in dissatisfaction.
Another speaker accustomed to her role as professor was Sangeeta Mookherji, PhD, assistant professor of Global Health at GW, who presented “TB 101: Breathing Fresh Air into an Old Topic.” Dr. Mookherji underscored the continued need to address the global health burden that is Tuberculosis. “There were 9 million new cases of TB in 2006, 95% of which were in the developing world,” she said, noting that 2 million of those cases died from the disease. “TB is really a problem. Not only does it take lives, but entire families and households suffer economic consequences from TB,” she said.
One highlighted speaker of the day was Gloria Steele, assistant administrator for the Bureau for Global Health, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), who presented a brown-bag seminar entitled, “The Promise of the President’s Global Health Initiative.” Steele outlined President Obama’s 6-year, $63 million initiative, which includes a reaffirmed commitment to addressing issues related to HIV/AIDS, a focus on maternal and child health and family planning, and an effort to eliminate selected neglected tropical diseases.
The mini-university culminated with a “Knowledge Extravaganza Session,” which intended to summarize the main points of the day in a light-hearted and interactive manner. During this session, each presenter stated his or her “pearls,” or take-away points, to the audience. In hopes of winning one of the prizes for the best pearl, the presenters used rhymes, skits, and dances to make certain that their points were heard.
Jim Sherry, director of the George Washington Center for Global Health and past director of biomedical research and technology development with USAID, concluded the event with words to inspire action. “We don’t want to miss this opportunity,” he said, alluding to the new presidential administration. “Ours is not the focus of the cynic, it is the focus of the opportunity. By our disposition and training, we are not always the ‘yes we can’ gang. But nor are we the ‘no we can’t’ gang. We are the ‘yes we will, yes we have, and yes we’ll do it again’ gang.”
Celeste Monforton, Dr.P.H., M.P.H., Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Featured in The Washington Post Discussing Worker Safetyposted: October 15, 2009, 9:51 AM
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Lone Simonsen, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor of Global Health, Featured in The Atlantic Discussing Flu Vaccine Researchposted: October 15, 2009, 9:45 AM
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Brian Biles, M.D., M.P.H., Professor in the Department of Health Policy, Featured in The New York Times Discussing Medigap Policiesposted: October 15, 2009, 9:41 AM
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PRESS RELEASE: GW Health Services Management and Leadership Alumni Association to Host 19th Annual Gibbs Oration and 3rd Annual Coile Lectureposted: October 12, 2009, 4:32 PM updated: October 13, 2009, 10:29 AM
WASHINGTON – The George Washington University Health Services Management and Leadership Alumni Association will host the 19th Annual Gibbs Oration and 3rd Annual Coile Lecture on Friday, Nov. 20 at The George Washington University’s Marvin Center. This year’s speakers are founding chairman of Witt/Kieffer, Jordan Hadelman as the Gibbs Orator and Studer Group Executive Coach Jackie Gaines as Coile Lecturer. The event brings together alumni, students, academics, professionals and leaders in the health care field for an afternoon of presentations and networking. "The Gibbs Oration is an exciting annual gathering of alumni, students, faculty and friends of our program,” said Robert Burke, PhD, Gordon A. Friesen Professor of Health Care Administration and chair of GW’s Department of Health Services Management and Leadership. “This long-established tradition is the cornerstone of our fall programming. It is a value to and a delight for all those who attend."
Jordan Hadelman will give the Gibbs Oration titled "New and Emerging CEO Trends," which will cover the shortage of leadership and death of talent, and strategies to fight these forces. He includes among his clients some of the nation’s most respected leaders in health care. His pivotal role in executive searches includes advising CEOs, governing boards, search committees and executive and medical leaders on strategy, organizational assessment, leadership transition and succession planning. His insight into the leadership demands of healthcare organizations stems from over two decades of experience as an executive search consultant.
Hadelman formerly served as a hospital executive and is currently a board member at a metropolitan Chicago academic medical center. Hadelman received the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award from The George Washington University in 2006 for his demonstrated accomplishments in health care.
Jackie Gaines will give the Coile Lecture titled "Leadership Evolution Required," which will cover the battle of health care reform, and the talents needed for leaders who fight the current environment and succeed in bringing high quality care to patients. She has been a progressive champion for high quality health care for over 25 years. She has worked as a nurse practitioner and president and CEO of Health Care for the Homeless, Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland, serving over 50,000 vulnerable patients each year, and developing the organization into a national model for health care delivery. Her expertise in this field allowed her to consult all over the United States for the U.S. Public Health Service.
In 1999, Gaines was appointed vice president of Community Health Systems Integration for Bon Secours Baltimore Health System. She currently serves as president and CEO of Mercy Health Partners for Northeast Pennsylvania. She recently authored and published her first book, “Believing You Can Fly” in which she offers insight to her career journey hoping to inspire others to pursue their dreams against all odds.
The Gibbs Oration is presented in honor of GW Professor Frederick H. Gibbs, who was first appointed to chair the George Washington University Health Administration program in 1958. Professor Gibbs had a distinguished career as a soldier, teacher, researcher, administrator, and consultant and was a member of numerous health professional organizations. He authored a wide variety of professional papers and articles and is remembered as one of the great pioneers in developing graduate education in health services administration in the United States.
Past speakers of the Gibbs Oration have included Dr. Len Berry, Thomas A. Scully, Dick Davidson, Quint Studer, Dennis O’Leary and John D. Zeglis. Since its modest beginnings, the Gibbs Oration has become a time honored tradition by all who experience it. Bringing together health care professionals from all walks of life, at all stages of their careers to better understand the healthcare climate as well as create relationships throughout the country and world.
Registration is required for this event, which will be held in GW’s Marvin Center from 12:30-4:30 p.m. with a reception immediately following. Further details are available at http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/alumni/hsmlaa/gibbs.cfm.
Please contact Alexandra Piriz, graduate administrative assistant at af_piriz@gwmail.gwu.edu or Linda Miles, administrative manager, at hsmlim@gwumc.edu for sponsorship opportunities or more information.
GW Faculty Members Continue to Expand Clinical Research Capacity in South Africa through Fogarty Grantposted: October 8, 2009, 5:03 PM updated: October 13, 2009, 8:41 AM
Knowledge is power, and Sylvia Silver, D.A., associate dean for health sciences is proving just how powerful it can be. Through a NIH/Fogarty International Center Grant—awarded to the joint application between GW, The Aeras Global Tuberculosis Vaccine Foundation, and the University of Cape Town (UCT)—Dr. Silver and her colleagues are directing a program that empowers people to take on leadership roles in the field of clinical research.
The three-week long Summer Institute, held each February at UCT, is based on a model for professional development created by Dr. Silver herself. This model—which is now used in various countries including Cambodia, India, and Uganda—was inspired six years ago during Dr. Silver’s sabbatical to the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation/ University of Cape Town clinical trail site, where the development of a new tuberculosis vaccine was underway. By outlining how to develop individuals in clinical research organization and management, this model appreciates clinical research as a team effort.
“It was my goal,” Dr. Silver said, “to have everyone—from the drivers who transport specimens to the staff who clean the clinic wards to the scientists who had never been involved in clinical research—understand the research design and their role in the success of the project. By doing so, they develop a greater sense of responsibility and involvement.”
During the Summer Institute, Dr. Silver, Jean Johnson, PhD, FAAN, senior associate dean, School of Health Sciences; Joe Bocchino, MBA, EdD, chair of the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership; Zhaohai Li, PhD, professor of statistics; UCT faculty, and Aeras staff enhance the understanding of clinical research in regards to tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV amongst people of all different backgrounds.
“No matter where someone is coming into our program, they are bringing something with them,” says Dr. Silver. “Whether they have a seventh grade education or a PhD, everyone’s experiences are valuable and can be translated into the field.”
The first week of the program, dedicated to those with the least experience, explores basic topics in clinical infectious disease, epidemiology, clinical research organization and management, research ethics, and biostatistics. The second two weeks are geared to more experienced clinical researchers, or those who are PhDs and MDs with no experience. By answering announcements for clinical research related to HIV, TB, and malaria, and presenting their “applications” to the participants and faculty in a mock NIH-review, this group learns first-hand about clinical organization and management and grants preparation and management. Finally, participants in the two-week program are given the option to participate in a mentorship alongside professionals at the UCT clinical trails site.
At the close of their programs, both groups are awarded certificates of completion that represent their knowledge and appreciation for clinical research. Though outcomes from the grant are currently under evaluation, the program leaders hope that the certification will allow the graduates to hold positions with levels of higher responsibility in the field of clinical research.
Aside from the Summer Institute, the grant also partially funds an online masters program in clinical research administration through health sciences at GW. To date, this program has allowed one student to earn a masters degree, and another to earn a graduate certificate; two individuals have just started the program. Hopefully, this program will continue to grow and can be facilitated by UCT, rather than GW. “The goal of the Fogarty grant is to build and expand capacity,” explains Dr. Silver. “And by shifting ownership over to UCT, we would be doing just that.”
This program has proven to be a tremendous experience not only for the trainees, but also for the facilitators. “We are learning about clinical research practices in other countries,” said Dr. Silver. “But even more than that, we are meeting individuals from other cultures and learning about them and from them. Before this experience, I didn’t know that I would become so involved with the people in one of the countries of Africa. It has really been a wonderful growth experience for me and for everyone involved.”
Eliot Sorel, M.D., D.L.F.A.P.A., Clinical Professor of Global Health and of Health Services Management and Leadership and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Honored as Doctor Honoris Causa by Carol Davila Medical University of Bucharest at Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, Romania, Oct. 6posted: October 8, 2009, 4:58 PM updated: October 14, 2009, 12:44 PM
Eliot Sorel, M.D., D.L.F.A.P.A., clinical professor of Global Health and of Health Services Management and Leadership and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences was honored as Doctor Honoris Causa by the Carol Davila Medical University of Bucharest at the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, Romania, Oct. 6.
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GW Kicks Off New Lecture Series Titled, Frontiers in Medicine - Dr. Pauline Chen, New York Time Bestselling Author, Lectures About Profiles in Courage: Doctors and Patients in Turbulent Timesposted: October 8, 2009, 4:53 PM
Dr. Pauline Chen kicked-off The George Washington University Medical Center’s inaugural lecture series Frontiers in Medicine last night at GW's Jack Morton Auditorium. The new series features renowned medical experts who will help guide our understanding of the future of health care and medicine.
The New York Times bestselling author of the book titled Final Exam: A Surgeon’s Reflections on Mortality, presented her lecture titled “Profiles in Courage: Doctors and Patients in Turbulent Times,” about her efforts to refocus medical professionals, away from the turbulant times of today and back onto their greatest responsibility — saving lives. Dr. Chen discussed the impact revenue losses at hospitals and medical institutions has on doctors and patients. Many of these facilities, she told the audience, have to shift their focus from saving lives to saving money. She explained that these times have created much fodder for reflection and she wondered if those practicing medicine should really be swept up by the never-ending discussion of how to cut costs while still trying to practice medicine.
In her opening, Dr. Chen told a heart wrenching story about a two-year-old on whom she performed a liver transplant. She described what many of us would call a heroic feat of transplanting a liver into the miniature body and struggling to find a donor match. For Dr. Chen, however, what doctors do is not heroic, it’s the job that they do everyday. Its not about efficiency , she said, it’s about anti-heroic ideals that are easy to forget.
Dr. Chen talked about a book she recently read by Dr. Arthur Kleinman titled What Really Matters: Living a Moral Life Amidst Uncertainty and Danger. The book focuses on regular people and what matters most to them and how the world around them challenges what is so dear to them. Dr. Chen equated the theme of this book to the everyday life of doctors and noted that the anti-heroic ideals are the ideals of medicine. She said, that “now, more than ever, those who practice medicine need to be ‘anti-heros’.”
Dr. Chen closed by describing what she learned from an attending doctor in the ICU who failed to follow hosptial protocol of leaving the room when his patient was dying. The doctor, instead, stayed with his patient's wife and comforted her while her husband passed away. Dr. Chen said that until that moment, she had always left the dying patient with their family members, and waited at the nurses station for the tell tale signs that the patient has died. The attending surgeon, however, demonstrated how as a doctor, showing compassion and warmth to families is the most effective care a physician can offer. It helped her realize that being doctor really is not just protocols and proceedures, instead the compassion shown by doctors to their patients is vital and meaningful for both the patient and the doctor.
The lecture series, GW Frontiers in Medicine offers faculty, staff, students, and friends of the University to hear from and discuss the key issues with some of the brightest minds in medicine today.The series will serve as an opportunity to hear from and discuss key issues with some of the brightest minds in medicine today. The next installment in the series will feature a lecture by Gary Simon, MD, Ph.D., director, GW Division of Infectious Diseases, titled “An H1N1 Influenza Update: What We Know and What We Don’t,” Nov. 4. For more information about the lecture series, please contact Theresa Kerrigan at 202.994.4695 or at mcdtak@gwumc.edu.
Lone Simonsen, PhD, Adjunct Professor of Global Health, Interviewed by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) Regarding H1N1 Vaccineposted: October 8, 2009, 4:06 PM
Lone Simonsen, PhD, Adjunct Professor of Global Health, was interviewed by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) regarding the H1N1 vaccine. Coverage from this interview will run in Japan. ANNOUNCEMENT: Seventh Annual Foggy Bottom/West End Block Party Oct. 18, 2009posted: October 8, 2009, 3:54 PM
SEVENTH ANNUAL FOGGY BOTTOM/WEST END NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY - OCT. 18, 2009 WHAT: Foggy Bottom/West End residents and business community members are invited to the seventh annual Neighborhood Block Party. Bring family and friends to enjoy live music, food from area restaurants and information booths representing local businesses, institutions and organizations. This year’s celebration will include a health tent that will provide free health information/screenings courtesy of the GW Hospital, the GW Medical Faculty Associates, the GW Medical Center, the Cheney Cardiovascular Institute, the GW Cancer Institute and many others. Screening tests and information include: sun damage screening; stroke screening; lung function testing; vision testing; nutritional assessments; cancer information including breast, colon and prostate cancer information and oral cancer screening; and blood pressure screening and automated external defibrillator demonstrations.
WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009; 1 – 4 p.m.
WHERE: Eye Street Mall, NW
Eye Street between 23rd and 24thstreets, NW, Washington D.C.
Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro Station (Blue and Orange lines)
ENTERTAINMENT & VENDORS: More than 100 Foggy Bottom/West End businesses and civic organizations will participate, including:
BACKGROUND:
The Block Party is organized by FRIENDS, a community group started at the request of local residents to promote positive dialogue between GW and its neighbors. FRIENDS facilitates mutual understanding through open public meetings held the first Tuesday of each month. The group is dedicated to building stronger, positive relationships through communication, cooperation and collaboration.
Faculty and Staff With Influenza-Like Illness: How to Access University Resources From Homeposted: October 8, 2009, 1:52 PM
If you have influenza-like illness and need to work from home, please use the link below to access the Medical Center's Handbook for Accessing University Resources From Home. Sara Rosenbaum, JD, Hirsh Professor of Health Law and Policy and Chair, Department of Health Policy, Featured in The San Francisco Chronicle Discussing San Francisco's Universal Health Care Planposted: October 7, 2009, 4:12 PM
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PRESS RELEASE: Legislation to Expand Medicaid Will Generate Revenue for Cash-Strapped States - Every Dollar Invested in Medicaid Helps Generate Two to Six Dollars in New Business Activitiesposted: October 7, 2009, 3:25 PM
WASHINGTON and NEW YORK – A new study by researchers at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Estimating the Economic Gains for States as a Result of Medicaid Coverage Expansions for Adults, finds that the Medicaid expansions under consideration in Congress not only will improve the health and well-being of previously uninsured individuals and families but also will generate significant economic returns in new business activities, jobs, salaries, and wages. The report concludes that the rate of return is between two and six dollars for every dollar invested. “Despite the financial challenge, Medicaid remains an effective and efficient model for covering the nation’s most vulnerable uninsured populations,” said Peter Shin, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate research professor in the Department of Health Policy and a lead study author. “Expanding Medicaid results not only in more accessible care but strengthened state and local economies.”
The national health reform proposals in the House and Senate uniformly include Medicaid expansions for poor nonelderly adults who traditionally have been excluded from the program. This investment could be expected to result in major economic gains, particularly in medically underserved communities at risk for deep poverty, elevated unemployment, and a greater burden of illness. The report finds that Medicaid eligibility expansions could be expected to:
-Insure an additional ten million non-elderly Americans by 2014 with the greatest proportional gains among the uninsured in southern, southwestern, and plains states as a result of these states’ higher overall poverty rates and higher rates of uninsured low-income adults; -Lower health care costs by improving access to health care for the treatment and management of chronic health conditions; and -Improve workforce productivity among lower income workers, who disproportionately would benefit from the expansions. More notably, the report estimates that a $10 million state investment in Medicaid would generate, on a nationwide average, $29.1 million in business activity, 247 jobs, and $10.3 million in salary and wages.
“Medicaid represents essential revenue for community health centers, but what this study shows is how important Medicaid is to the economic health of medically underserved communities at large,” said Julio Bellber, president and CEO of the RCHN Community Health Foundation. “A Medicaid expansion is a major prescription for economic growth.”
The House and Senate measures would expand Medicaid both by eliminating the categorical restrictions applicable to adults since the law’s 1965 enactment and by establishing a national income floor pegged to the federal poverty level rather than state-defined levels, which historically have been very low. The measures vary in the extent to which they assume state contributions to the cost of the expansion in both the short-term and long-term. Given the economic payoff to states and localities, the report recommends the maximum possible federal investment in order to eliminate expansion barriers.
Estimating the Economic Gains for States as a Result of Medicaid Coverage Expansions for Adults is available at http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/departments/healthpolicy/dhp_publications/pub_uploads/dhpPublication_2F941D82-5056-9D20-3DD55A0250BDAB46.pdf PRESS RELEASE: George Washington University Faculty Member Receives Fulbright Specialists Awardposted: October 7, 2009, 3:22 PM
WASHINGTON - Kimberly D. Acquaviva, Ph.D., M.S.W., assistant professor in the Department of Nursing Education and director of The National Collaborative on Aging at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, has been selected for a Fulbright Specialists project in Thailand at Khon Kaen University, according to the United States Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Building upon her work with The National Collaborative on Aging at GW, Dr. Acquaviva will work with the Khon Kaen University Faculty of Nursing to establish an interdisciplinary Institute on Aging, develop the faculty’s skills in writing aging-related grant proposals involving interdisciplinary partnerships with U.S. universities, and enhance students' capabilities for interdisciplinary collaboration in the area of health/nursing/medicine.
Dr. Acquaviva is one of over 400 U.S. faculty and professionals who will travel abroad this year through the Fulbright Specialists Program. The Fulbright Specialists Program, created in 2000 to complement the traditional Fulbright Scholar Program, provides short-term academic opportunities to prominent U.S. faculty and professionals to support curricular and faculty development and institutional planning at post secondary academic institutions around the world.
Ellen M. Dawson, Ph.D., A.N.P., chair of the George Washington University Department of Nursing Education, notes that “Dr. Acquaviva’s receipt of this Fulbright Specialist award is a tremendous honor, both to her as an individual and to the Department of Nursing Education. We are proud to see Dr. Acquaviva’s work as an innovator in interdisciplinary nursing education and aging receiving the international recognition it so richly deserves.” Jean E. Johnson, Ph.D., F.A.A.N., senior associate dean for Health Sciences Programs, adds, “Dr. Acquaviva’s skills in facilitating collaborative research and innovation are sure to be of significant benefit to Khon Kaen University as well as to GW’s growing international initiatives in nursing education.”
The Fulbright Program, America’s flagship international educational exchange activity, is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Over its 60 years of existence, thousands of U.S. faculty and professionals have taught, studied or conducted research abroad, and thousands of their counterparts from other countries have engaged in similar activities in the United States. Over 285,000 emerging leaders in their professional fields have received Fulbright awards, including individuals who later became heads of government, Nobel Prize winners, and leaders in education, business, journalism, the arts and other fields.
Recipients of Fulbright Scholar awards are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement. Among thousands of prominent Fulbright Scholar alumni are Milton Friedman, Nobel Prize-winning economist; Alan Leshner, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); Rita Dove, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet; and Craig Barrett, Chairman of the Board of Intel Corporation. Distinguished Fulbright Specialist participants include Mahmoud Ayoub, Professor of Religion at Temple University, Heidi Hartmann, President and CEO, Institute for Women's Policy Research, Percy R. Luney, Jr. Dean and Professor, College of Law, Florida A&M University and Emily Vargas-Barone, Founder and Executive Director of the RISE Institute. Dr. Jerome Paulson, Associate Research Professor of Environmental Occupational Health, Featured in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Discussing Regulation of Chemicalsposted: October 7, 2009, 11:06 AM
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Dr. Bernard Wood, Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Featured on NPR's "On Point" Discussing Human Evolutionposted: October 7, 2009, 11:01 AM
Click here to read this article or copy and paste the following URL into your Web browser: http://www.onpointradio.org/2009/10/ardi-and-human-evolution Article on the Role of U.S. Military in the Philippines, Written by Frank Cilluffo and Sharon Cardash of GW's Homeland Security Policy Institute, Featured on ForeignPolicy.composted: October 7, 2009, 10:57 AM
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Dr. Robert Shesser, Professor of Emergency Medicine, Featured in The Washington Post Discussing Preventable Deaths and Health Care Costsposted: October 7, 2009, 10:52 AM
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