SUMMER 2012 21
Maio
Nash
Abatemarco
Chernett
Comer
School of Population Health Project Connects Jefferson and Italy A collaborative project between the Jefferson School of Population Health, the Center for Research in Medical Education and Health Care and the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy, a large region located in northern Italy with a population of about 4.6 million, was featured in a number of Italian newspapers and television networks earlier this year. Vittorio Maio, PharmD, MS, MSPH, was a featured speaker at a press conference on the project, called “Read Health.” “Read Health,” a key component of the establishment of patient-centered medical homes in Emilia-Romagna, includes the use of methods developed by the Jefferson team to provide primary care physicians with information to assist in the care of patients with chronic diseases. Information provided to primary care teams and medical homes includes performance on quality indicators for patients with chronic conditions and profiles of patients at risk of hospitalization aimed at identifying opportunities for primary care physicians and the healthcare system to proactively take the initiative in improving patient care delivery.
Nash on Radio Times
Dean David B. Nash, MD, MBA, was a recent guest on Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane, which airs in Philadelphia on WHYY (90.9 FM). The program followed testimony in the U.S. Supreme
Court regarding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, particularly the individual mandate to purchase health insurance. Nash was joined in the discussion by constitutional scholar Theodore Ruger from the University of Pennsylvania and one of the nation’s top political reporters, Dick Polman.
JSPH Faculty Published
Diane J. Abatemarco, PhD, MSW, associate professor and director of doctoral studies, recently published “Using genograms to understand pediatric practices’ readiness for change to prevent abuse and neglect” in the Journal of Child Health Care. Abatemarco and her co-authors hypothesized that the genogram would inform researchers and practice staff participating in a child maltreatment prevention study how members function in a practice. They describe the use of genograms and show how the genogram results are associated with intervention uptake. “This article is about how you can affect real practice change with physicians and staff,” Abatemarco said. “The research presented here changes the way we think of practice change. It provides a snapshot into practices and allows you to see what can easily be adapted or be changed in a medical practice and just takes a bit more effort.” Nancy Chernett, MA, MPH, director of academic and student services, recently published “Using evidence-
based programs to get beyond high cost medical care for an aging population” in Philadelphia Social Innovations Solutions. The article outlines how evidencebased programs (EBPs) to help adults to maintain their health and independence have been deployed by 27 states through both public and private partnerships. These EBPs do not require expensive technology, are acceptable to adults across the age span and have shown to be effective in managing as well as preventing the consequences of chronic conditions.
Comer Receives Fellowship
Dominique Comer, PharmD, health economics and outcomes research fellow, has been awarded a PhRMA Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Health Outcomes. The program provides stipend support for individuals engaged in a research training program that will create or extend their credentials in health outcomes. The program aims to support post-doctoral career development activities for scholars preparing to engage in research that will strengthen representation of health outcomes in schools of pharmacy, medicine, nursing and public health. Comer’s project will use linked pharmacy claims data to focus on primary nonadherence and therapeutic inertia in hypertensive patients. ■