2010–2011 A p u b l i c at i o n f o r a lu m n i a n d f r i e n d s o f o u r co l l eg e
AHS MAGAZINE
reasons to root for electronic health records PLUS: DEAN TATE MOVES ON
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AHS REMembers gary kielhofner
A MESSAGE FROM OUR DEAN
A letter to the friends of AHS Many of you know that this is my 10th and final year as dean of this wonderful college. I have a strong belief that academic deans should leave after two five-year terms—it’s good for the dean and good for the college. We’ve had a great run with notable successes and innovations despite a less-thanoptimal fiscal environment. When I came, my vision was for the college to be a lively intellectual community composed of faculty, staff and students learning together for the ultimate betterment of our society. AHS is indeed that. At commencement I talked about transformations and those Moments in Time when something happens and our lives change directions in unexpected ways. For me, my journey to Chicago started with my interview in 1998. I had no intention of moving from Texas to Chicago; I came for the interview experience. During the visit I met a terrific group of students. One grilled me about whether, as dean, I would truly care about their education. I thought for a moment before saying yes, and it was in that Moment in Time that I knew I had to come to UIC. So I did.
AHS Magazine 2010–2011 Writer and Editor
Elizabeth Harmon Miller Director of Marketing and Communications Design
Stacy Sweat Designs Contributing PhotographERS
Anne Petersen Rebecca Betts ©2011 University of Illinois at Chicago. All rights reserved. Published by the Office of the Dean (MC 518), UIC College of Applied Health Sciences, 808 South Wood Street, 169 CMET, Chicago, Illinois 60612-7305. Telephone
(312) 996-6695
Fax
(312) 413-0086
E-mail ahsalum@uic.edu Web site www.ahs.uic.edu Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily
Years later I was teaching on the east side of campus. Being a bit early, I sat outside the student center and chatted with someone I didn’t know. He asked me what I did. And, without skipping a beat, I said, “I am a professor.” In that Moment in Time, I knew I would return to the faculty working with students at no other place than AHS. And so I am. I will stay with this college because I’m proud of what AHS has become during my tenure, but I know well that I didn’t do it alone. I feel immeasurable gratitude to all of you who have supported the college in ways large and small. And I hope you, like me, will stay with AHS—keeping your connection alive through our magazine, website, Facebook page (see the back cover), fundraising efforts and events. I send my best wishes to you, your families and loved ones … until we meet again.
reflect the opinions of the editor, the college or the university.
You will notice abbreviations throughout this issue. They correlate to academic units in the College of Applied Health Sciences. BHIS
Department of Biomedical and
Health Information Sciences
BVIS
Program in Biomedical
Visualization DHD
Department of Disability and
Human Development
HI
Program in Health Informatics
HIM
Program in Health Information
Management KINES
Major in kinesiology
KN
Department of Kinesiology
and Nutrition
NUT
Major in nutrition
OT
Department of Occupational
Therapy
Charlotte (Toby) Tate, PhD Dean, UIC College of Applied Health Sciences
PT
Department of Physical Therapy
2010-2011 ta b l e o f co n t e n t s
AHS MAGAZINE FEATURE S
Remembering Gary Kielhofner Personal recollections reveal the OT icon lives on in our hearts
8 reasons to root for electronic health records You hear them talked about. But what do they mean for you?
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What I know now: Toby Tate As the dean moves on, she reflects on what she’s taking with her
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DEPARTM ENTS NOTEBOO K Get your AHS discount for the Chicago Half Marathon & 5K on Sept. 11. . . . . . . . . 3 Kinesiology Club takes on RIC’s wheelchair basketball team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Alumna gives her all for kids with disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
PEOPLE Social class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Octogenarian OT alumnae still travel hundreds of miles to stay connected
HONOR ROLL OF DONORS The college warmly thanks its contributors of last year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
L A ST SHOT Numerical and photographic snapshots of the AHS Class of 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . 24
NOTEBOOK
AHS NEWS AND NOTES
PT
Bright and early Young professor noticed for promising career
Prof. Shane Phillips is a candidate for an elite White House honor.
Shane Phillips, PhD, assistant professor of physical therapy, has been nominated by NIH’s Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood for the prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). The award “is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers,” according to the White House website. NIH must consider researchers across its 27 institutes and centers to put forward as nominees, making the nod to Phillips all the more impressive. “Just the nomination is such an honor,” says Christina Hui-Chan, PhD, head of the Department of Physical
Therapy. “Only two U of I scholars [one from Chicago, one from Urbana-Champaign] have ever received PECASE grants through NIH.” Phillips, 34, focuses his research on fighting obesity. Specifically, he has undertaken extensive research to examine exercise and dietary interventions for optimal cardiovascular health. The PECASE program was commissioned by President Bill Clinton in 1996 to recognize and support exceptional achievements of young researchers in science and technology. Learn more at www.grants.nih.gov/ grants/policy/pecase.htm.
OT.PT
High jump For the 2011-12 academic year …
+57% The Department of Physical Therapy... received 804 applications— 57% more than for 2010-11!
The Department of +50% Occupational Therapy... received 357 applications—50% more than for 2010-11!
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Alumna to admire For second straight year, member of the AHS community wins top university award
Run for less with AHS
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Rhoda Priest Erhardt, OT ’54, will receive an Alumni Achievement Award, the university’s highest honor bestowed upon alumni who have achieved great success and national or international distinction in their professional lives. The award is presented by the University of Illinois Alumni Association at the annual “Alumni Five” banquet in October. Erhardt spent decades working with children with disabilities before she launched her own pediatric occupational therapy consulting business and a popular series of videos, books and manuals. In 1989, she established Erhardt Developmental Products, whose instructional materials and online courses are used by hundreds of universities and health clinics today. Last year, Gloria Curtin was honored with the UIC City Partner Award. Curtin is vice president at El Valor, a community-based agency serving adults with disabilities. It has provided dozens of internship opportunities for students in nearly every AHS program. Learn more at www.uiaa.org/uic/programs/ alumni_five.
hinking about participating in the 2011 Chicago Half Marathon & 5K race on Sunday, Sept. 11? Then here’s a deal for you! The race’s organizer, US Road Sports, is offering a discount to any alumnus, student, friend, or faculty or staff member from AHS: $10 off the $80 registration fee for the half marathon, or $5 off the $30 registration fee for the 5K. And when you finish the course, look for the University of Illinois tent(s) at the finish line to celebrate with fellow alumni and friends. The race sells out every year, so don’t delay! Register now at www.chicagohalfmarathon.com. Use discount code UICAHS2011 for the half marathon; UICAHS20115K for the 5K.
HI
Instructor makes the grade Adjunct faculty member Lesley King was honored in February 2011 with the 2010 Founders Leadership Award from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). King, who works full time as director of revenue cycle systems for Mayo Clinic, has been an instructor in the Master’s of Health Informatics online program since January Lesley King is one 2010. of many highKing’s award is one of the highest level professionals honors conferred by HIMSS, a national recruited as adjunct organization recognized by healthcare technology professionals as the leader in instructors in the HI program. promoting optimal use of IT to improve healthcare. Since receiving the award, she was further recognized with an appointment to chair HIMSS’ Public Policy Committee. Learn more about Lesley King and her award at www.himss. org/ASP/servicesAward_leadership.asp. 2 0 1 0 - 20 1 1
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DHD
DHD
Seen enough? Be sure to visit www.ncpad.org after Aug. 1 to view winning videos from a recent contest sponsored by the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability, based in AHS. The competition, entitled “How do you get enough?” has a twofold purpose: to show that people with disabilities can and do live healthy, active lifestyles, and to share ideas about how more people with disabilities can enjoy physical activity.
Learn more and view the videos (after Aug. 1) at www.ncpad.org.
DHD
AHS at IOM
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amar Heller, PhD, head of the Department of Disability and Human Development, was appointed this year to the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury. The committee’s charge is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this kind of therapy in the treatment of individuals with TBI. The Institute of Medicine, one of the highly esteemed National Academies, 4
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is an independent, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that provides objective and authoritative information to decision makers and the public. Appointment to an IOM committee is one of the most respected honors available to scholars.
Prof. Tamar Heller is recognized yet again for her outstanding leadership in disability policymaking.
BVIS
Alumna develops new “soft wear” In April, the Program in Biomedical Visualization sponsored a T-shirt design competition among its community of artists. The goal? To produce a tee that promotes the program and lets all people affiliated with it wear their pride on their sleeves. The winning design by Kristine John-
son, BVIS ’98, was selected from three finalists. All alumni, students and faculty of the BVIS program were invited to enter a design and to vote. To order the BVIS T-shirt, send an e-mail to uicbvis@gmail.com. (Price is $20.)
Speaking of our BVIS program, professor John Daugherty was named program director in January 2011. His predecessor, Scott Barrows, left UIC to join a patient-education company in Reno, Nev. AHS congratulates both men on their new ventures!
PT
Walking aides For third year, AHS PTs will staff three-day walk to fight cancer Representatives from our Department of Physical Therapy are happily serving once again as the PT partner for the Susan G. Komen Chicago 3-Day for the Cure, happening Aug. 5-7. As part of the Sports Medicine Crew, they’ll provide physical therapy evaluation and treatment support to walkers. The Breast Cancer 3-Day is among the most recognizable fundraising events in the nation. Participants raise thousands of dollars in pledged support to benefit breast cancer research, treatment, education and prevention. Then they aim to walk 60 miles in just three days. “The event is a life-changing journey, from the sea of pink tents at camp to the emotional remembrance tent raised in honor of those who have lost their fight with breast cancer, to the final celebration as we cheer the walkers crossing the finish line,” says Heather Feldner, clinical instructor of PT and co-captain of the event’s Sports Medicine Crew. “It is truly the experience of a lifetime and an amazing way to use both our professional and personal talents.”
A few of the 30 PT students and alumni and six faculty and staff members who participated in the 2009 3-Day for the Cure, the first year of our PT department’s involvement Alumni support is welcome! If you’re a PT interested in volunteering for the event’s Sports Medicine Crew, contact Heather Feldner at (312) 996-6142 or hfeldner@uic.edu. 20 1 0 - 20 1 1
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AHS
Gotta run
Participants were asked to donate canned goods, but otherwise, the event was free.
The AHS Student Council’s annual Fun
The 2011 T-shirt design: Some will recognize the clever adaptation of rap group RUNDMC’s famous logo.
Run, Walk and Roll-a-thon happened on April 14. In its fifth year, the event stayed true to its original intention: offer a fun, free event to the entire UIC community, with a goal of helping fellow students relax before finals week. Unseasonably cold, drizzly weather diminished the turnout a bit, but it couldn’t dampen the spirits of all who participated.
KN
Undergrads aglow One department makes time for its students to shine
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n April 14, the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition hosted a research symposium and award ceremony for undergraduates. The planned-to-be-annual event began with a “research fair” in which students who participated in studies with faculty were able to practice their research presentation skills with a real audience. For example, kinesiology seniors Emily Muszcynski and Adam Rudd and sophomore Vered Arbel presented their project on whether clay modeling improves students’ learning of anatomy. Five days later they won first place in the Humanities/Social Sciences/Business Practices undergraduate category of the campuswide UIC Student Research Forum. After the fair, the department recognized student achievements ranging from the conventional (highest GPA) to the unusual (most dedicated throughout academic career, highest grades in the most difficult classes). “The formal college commencement is too large to 6
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Emily Muszcynski (KINES ’11) and Adam Rudd (KINES ’11) pose with their award-winning research presentation. recognize every worthy accomplishment,” said Eileen Doran, AHS director of student affairs, who attended the event. “This was a fun way to celebrate students among the friends, peers and professors they’ve known for years.”
Officers of the AHS Student Council (L-R): Jose Montenegro, Jessica Toth, faculty advisor Demetra John, Sara Thorpe and Kevin Conley (not pictured: Staci Molinar)
What a deal! Each participant got a T-shirt, Gatorade and an energy bar.
KN
Good sports Students, wheelchair athletes compete for charity The Kinesiology Club hosted a March 30 basketball competition, pitting themselves against the RIC Hornets, the competitive men’s wheelchair basketball team from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. The game—conceived by Shanice Hudson, KINES ’11, as part of her internship at RIC—doubled as a fundraiser, complete with bake sale and raffle. And though the kinesiology students took a good-natured drubbing from the Hornets (in the fourth quarter, the teams agreed to stop keeping an accurate score), everyone had so much fun that the club plans to make it an annual event.
The Kinesiology Club was founded by and for students in 2010. It already has more than 100 members.
Shanice Hudson (holding ball) and fellow students were really schooled by the RIC men’s wheelchair basketball team.
“I think the students valued the RIC team’s triumphant spirit, their will and their determination to not let their disability define their lives,” says Hudson. In the end, students and attendees raised more than $500, which helped the Hornets take part in the 2011 National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament in Denver. 20 1 0 - 20 1 1
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PT
Thumbuddy really is Special An organization based in Downers Grove, Ill., is making sure that children with special needs get the adaptive equipment they need. And at the helm is Mary Ellen (LeClair) Connelly, PT ’85. Connelly is cofounder and president of Thumbuddy Special. For 17 years the nonprofit has been supplying wheelchairs, walkers, ramps, communication devices and other equipment—as well as scholarships for specialrecreation summer camps—to kids who need it most. Recipients are often from families with low incomes who cannot get equipment through insurance or public aid. Because it’s led entirely
by volunteers, the organization passes along 95 percent of the donations it receives (fundraising is its only source of revenue) directly to families in need. Anyone who doubts the difference Thumbuddy Special is making in children’s lives need only visit its website or read its newsletters. Both are replete with heartfelt words of deep gratitude from the families of recipients. Connelly, who also works full time as a school physical therapist, explains what drives her involvement: “I believe that all children have the right to live to their full potential in home and school environments, and they have the right to just have fun!
Mary Ellen Connelly, PT ’85, at Thumbuddy Special’s 2010 Halloween Happy Hour. Her “buddies” Sophia (left) and Emily each received a new adapted bike. “I am blessed to be in this position,” she adds. “Really, there are no words to describe it—seeing a child ride a bike for the first time. The parents are crying and so are we. And the child is just having a blast.”
Mary Ellen Connelly is eager to hear from readers who have an interest in Thumbuddy Special’s mission. Contact her at jmeconnelly6@ comcast.net or visit thumbuddyspecial.org.
AHS
Alumni in a Worlds of their own Dean Toby Tate (back row, second from left) posed with just some of the happy alumni and friends in attendance.
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n April 8, Dean Toby Tate and the AHS Alumni Board treated more than 70 alumni and friends to a special Friday evening viewing of the “Body Worlds & The Cycle of Life” exhibit at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. “The Cycle of Life” is one in a series of exhibits that display real and complete specimens of the human body preserved via “plastination,” a method invented by “Body Worlds” creator Gunther von Hagens. AHS hosted an alumni
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event to see von Hagens’ first exhibit in 2005. The exhibit provides almost unimaginable views of real human physiology. “It emphasized how wonderfully accommodating yet highly vulnerable the human body can be,” said Nina Franklin, who graduated in 2006 with a master’s degree in movement sciences and who is now enrolled in AHS’ doctoral program in kinesiology, nutrition and rehabilitation. For more about AHS alumni activities and how to get involved, visit www.ahs.uic.edu/alum.
Remembering Gary Kielhofner
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1949-2010
he AHS community of faculty, students, staff and alumni was shocked and saddened by the death of occupational therapy professor Gary Kielhofner, PhD, on Sept. 2, 2010. He joined the college in 1986. As holder of the college’s only endowed professorship, the Wade-Meyer Chair, and as former head of OT for 20 years, Kielhofner was recognized and admired far beyond his department. Indeed, Kielhofner was admired around the world. His development of the groundbreaking “Model of Human Occupation” changed the face of occupational therapy practice internationally by offering a new understanding of how human occupation is motivated and performed. During his lifetime, Kielhofner gave hundreds of invited lectures and published 19 books and more than 150 scientific papers. His death prompted countless heartfelt tributes from individuals and organizations worldwide. Here in AHS, Kielhofner led our occupational therapy program to its current rank (by U.S. News & World Report) of No. 4 among all U.S. OT programs and No. 1 among those at public universities. He also was instrumental in creating our nationally renowned doctoral program in disability studies and the OT doctoral program. And it is here in AHS that Gary Kielhofner is missed most. On these pages, his colleagues, friends and students remember the man who touched their lives and, in many cases, shaped their futures.
Gary always had a smile and a friendly hello to a colleague whether he knew you well or you were just an acquaintance. He respected people and appreciated them for who they were and what they had contributed to the profession. I truly believe he had a love for the profession and appreciated those who shared his feelings. Coralie “Corky” (Hirsch) Glantz OT ’61, Professional colleague of Kielhofner
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In the week of Gary’s death, I told my friend [former UIC faculty member] Jaime Muñoz that Gary was like a flare, living his life big and bold, and then dying out suddenly. He thought that Gary was more like a comet, because comets shoot across the sky but leave a trail behind. We are the trail, carrying on his work and his vision. Gail Fisher Clinical Assoc. Prof. of OT
Gary always made time for each of his students. I remember handing him a draft of my thesis and I had it back the next day with very thorough feedback. He was never too busy for a question. He knew how to find each person’s strength and gift and encouraged each to achieve greatness. He touched many lives with his work and his leadership. I will always remember my time in grad school fondly. Most of all, I am so honored to have had the opportunity to grow and learn from such an amazing individual. Renee (Moore) Corner
Kielhofner in 2006 with then-head of PT Suzann CampbellDeLapp. He was easy to pick out at commencements, wearing the top hat he received with his honorary doctorate from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden.
OT BS ’91, MS ’95
The door to Gary’s office was always open. I’d often check in with Gary to say a quick “hello” and end up having (what was for me) the most interesting conversation of the day. His generosity with his time, intellect and love for life are deeply missed. I will be forever grateful for Gary’s mentorship, which made it possible for me to fully embrace the opportunities offered by an academic career. Elizabeth Peterson, PhD Clinical Assoc. Prof. of OT
The last time I went to visit Gary, I told him I couldn’t continue as dean. I told him that his illness had taught me that there were other things I wanted to do with my life. When I was leaving, he said, “I love you, Toby.” I said, “I love you too, Gary. Good-bye.” And that sums up Gary Kielhofner in my mind.
Gary and I worked together for 12 years, and I had gotten to appreciate his knowledge, his critical thinking skills and his intuition, but in that moment I saw his most important quality: that everything he did was done with love. Toby Tate, PhD Dean, College of Applied Health Sciences
One of my favorite memories of Gary was from an evening meeting during my first semester of graduate school. [After our class confessed to him we were feeling stressed, he said] “You guys need to get together and all go out to a bar.” He said that the camaraderie and intellectual discussion that would come from sitting with peers in a relaxed environment was just as important as having our noses buried in books every night. This one comment from him changed my approach to education and being a lifelong learner. But I think Gary was just being Gary—giving some humble advice to de-stress a frazzled firstyear class. Joy Petry OT ’10
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Gary loved a good story, both in the telling and listening. He liked to laugh, so he liked jokes. He was a selfless mentor and a gracious colleague. He willingly assisted when asked, whether it was to review an article, discuss an idea or offer guidance through a professional issue. He never forced his view on me; rather he would state his views strongly and then expect me to make an informed decision/opinion based upon facts. I feel honored to have known and worked with Gary as well as to have an understanding of the person behind the professional persona. Patricia Bowyer, EdD Postdoctoral fellow for Kielhofner, 2004-2007
Though we only had Gary teach one of our classes, his fingerprints can be found all over our program. He has helped shape not only our program, but the occupational therapy field as a whole. His teachings about client-centered and meaningful practice will help equip us on our journeys to becoming the best OTs that we are capable of being. Meghan Ginter OT ’11
When I think of Gary, I can’t help but remember his passion for the field of occupational therapy. His passion for helping individuals reach their fullest potential; his passion for passing on his knowledge proudly to the next generation of occupational therapists; and his passion for furthering the field were evident in everything that he said and did. He was a very charismatic professor. His enthusiasm for the field was contagious, and I feel honored to have been one of his students. Kelli Polo OT ’05
[After I joined UIC] Gary became a trusted colleague, a friend, a thoughtful mentor and guiding force. I didn’t realize at the time what Gary’s plan was, as he gradually exposed me to the ins and outs of administration. When he asked me to step in as head, my first reaction was shock and surprise. However, he helped
So great was his prominence in the field that Kielhofner was asked for autographs at the first UIC MOHO Institute, hosted on campus in January 2010 and attended by people from three continents.
me realize that he wasn’t looking for someone to “fill in his shoes.” Rather he was looking for someone new to inherit the position he had wisely crafted for many years. Sitting now [as department head] in his former office, I often think of him as the visionary, the passionate communicator, the constant creator and seeker of knowledge, and a person who knew best how to help others find their way through life. I would never be where I am now if it weren’t for Gary. Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar, PhD Head, Department of Occupational Therapy
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Kielhofner posed with his students at the celebration of his 20th anniversary at AHS. Gary managed to turn his passion into a profession—a rare feat and something to aspire to. He was always open to questions and discussion, and I knew anytime I took a trip to his office, not only would I get my question answered, but I’d be entertained by an anecdote, thoughtful story or lively discussion. He took great pride in his craftsmanship and would often pull out the magazine article which featured the log cabin he helped build. Dr. Kielhofner was truly a rare individual and will be missed by the profession. Kathleen Kramer
revealed a down-to-earth man whose strongest desire was to share of his expertise in order to prepare the next generation of occupational therapists. I consider myself lucky to have been one of his last students, and I intend to follow through with his charge to us to carry over his lessons into practice, to become the best occupational therapist that I can be. Rachelle Berlove OT ’11
OT ’07
Gary Gary worked very hard but never forgot to enjoy life. During our Monday faculty meetings, it was common for him to share stories about his weekend activities on his farm. His infectious smile and the twinkle in his eye as he shared his stories were a testament to the power of occupation and the satisfaction of a job well done, and the pleasures of building, creating and fixing things. His efforts to balance work and play remind me to take a step back and enjoy all that life has to offer. Marcia Finlayson, PhD Professor of OT
Gary’s love for and belief in the inherent goodness and value of humankind was apparent in his contributions to OT literature and theory, but even more so for those of us who were fortunate enough to have known him personally. Gary displayed a true caring for everyone, and he treated all with equal respect. The stories he shared to illustrate a point
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Eyes so full of Zeal Simultaneously Tranquil yet Exacting Examining your Attempts at Self-Improvement Past all that should Logically Hinder Your Success Understanding Summing up the Unknown Reaching Beyond All Conceptualization and Abstraction Problem Solving is Germaine to the Solution Thoughts become Actions, Problems Cease to Exist Gary Left our Lives in a New Year And Taught us to Rebuild in A New Way Matthew Lynch OT ’11
A note to those who submitted remembrances: Due to space constraints, some submissions were condensed with the utmost care to preserve original sentiments.
COVER STORY
reasons to root for electronic health records The federal stimulus plan designated billions of dollars to accelerate adoption of electronic health records. Larry Pawola, head of AHS’ program in health informatics, explains why you should support this goal regardless of your politics.
A note about terms With the field in its relative infancy, the terminology of healthcare information technology is still evolving. For purposes of this article, the term “electronic health records” or “EHRs” is used to signify healthcare technology systems of all kinds working together to document a patient’s treatments and status—from software that keeps the healthcare history of an individual to extensive software packages that complement and expand record-keeping applications.
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he topic of electronic health records, or EHRs, is popping up in the news media with increasing frequency. That’s due in large part to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed in 2009. The act provides for roughly $20 billion to be invested in healthcare technology—not surprising given the bipartisan agreement that digitizing Americans’ health records will reduce medical errors, improve care and reduce the cost of healthcare across the board. Sounds great, but what does it really mean to individuals? Why should you, dear reader, care whether your doctor gets on board with electronic health records? AHS Magazine sat down with Larry Pawola, PharmD, professor and head of AHS’ program in health informatics, who outlined eight benefits to electronic health records and gave some concrete examples of how they will change your life for the better. 2 0 1 0 - 20 1 1
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Patient safety is enhanced There is a true story, famous among health informaticists, about a veteran physician at a major medical center in Los Angeles. For 20 years, the doctor had been prescribing 10 times the accurate dosage of a certain drug. Luckily for patients, the nurses in his unit knew of his continual error, simply corrected it, and continued with their work. What if a new nurse were on duty when you were that doctor’s patient? EHRs can recognize these kinds of errors when the doctor types in the dosage. “EHRs can also recognize details in your medical history that might make a certain drug or treatment inadvisable for you,” says Pawola. He cites the example of beta blockers, which are prescribed for a host of conditions, including high blood pressure,
but are contraindicated for people with asthma or obstructive lung disease. “But you don’t have to know that,” Pawola says, “if your physician uses a technology system that alerts him to the asthma in your history when he inputs your prescription for beta blockers.” Or, imagine you had a hip replaced several years ago. Today, your primary care physician orders an MRI to diagnose your complaints of abdominal pain. Is the MRI safe for you? Is there metal in the hip joint? Do you remember? Your orthopedist knows the answer, but does the MRI technician? A portable electronic health record of your entire medical history can answer the question with a few clicks of a mouse.
Productivity increases
Preventive care gets easier “Your primary care clinician will ask, ‘When was your last tetanus shot?’” says Pawola. “You only get one every 10 years, so can you recall from memory when your last one was?” An EHR would obviously contain the answer, but it can also send an alert to your clinician when you’re due for a booster. Similarly, EHRs can remind your doctors to notify you when you’re due for routine health screenings, based on your age, gender and medical history. For instance, most women are recommended to have a mammogram every two years beginning at age 40. But if the EHR recognizes a family history of breast cancer or a personal history of hyperplasia in your data, it might recommend an amended schedule for you, perhaps starting younger or being tested more frequently. 14
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One of the most impressive functions of EHRs is their ability to “advise” clinicians. “No one clinician has time to keep up with all the new medical research coming out,” says Pawola. “Now in many EHRs there’s software that aggregates and summarizes the research published in dozens, maybe hundreds, of sources. It even provides [language] translations.” The result is that a clinician can input a disease or condition and receive an outline of any relevant new knowledge available. And just as one clinician can’t stay on top of all current research, she also can’t immediately recognize every possible disease or condition. Some software allows her to input a list of symptoms and get suggestions of possible causes and other considerations. “By itself, the software can’t diagnose,” says Pawola, “but it can accelerate a diagnosis by prompting thinking and giving leads for the clinician to pursue.” EHRs can also talk to each other. “In many cases, you and your primary physician can get lab results, consultation summaries, test summaries, etc., in just minutes,” says Pawola. “That might take days or weeks in a manual environment.”
Providers get paid
“Hassle factors” decrease Americans are getting used to doing business on the Internet. We shop, bank, book travel and apply for jobs online. Yet we can rarely schedule a healthcare appointment via the Internet. EHRs can include the capacity for online scheduling, complete with appointment reminders sent automatically via text or e-mail. Just a few other hassles that could be minimized: Your prescription can be sent directly to the pharmacy; no illegible penmanship to cause serious trouble, and no little slip of paper to lose before you get to the pharmacist. Your patient chart will not be misplaced or accidentally slipped into another patient’s file. And when you see a specialist, maybe you won’t have to fill out several pages of demographic and medical-history forms with information your primary physician already has on file. Another example: “Most colleges and even graduate schools require students to provide proof of childhood immunizations before enrolling,” says Pawola. “By age 18, how many people know if, much less when, they got the chicken pox vaccine?” EHRs to the rescue once again.
EHRs help ensure clinicians code their services accurately and honestly, reducing the number of erroneous codes, missing codes and “upcodes” (dishonest charges for services that cost more than the ones actually performed). These errors are often caught by insurance companies, resulting in costly investigations and disputes. “When insurance companies can process payment transactions without dispute, they save money, and these savings should be passed along to customers as lower premiums,” says Pawola.
“All these reasons point to one overarching benefit of EHRs: the quality of care delivered to you, the patient, should improve. EHRs could contain your entire medical history in one place that is accessible from virtually anywhere. With a picture of your total health, every clinician you see has all available healthcare knowledge to give you the best treatment possible.” Larry Pawola
Predictive modeling expands “There’s an aspect of artificial intelligence to electronic health records,” says Pawola. For instance, several applications exist that can track a patient’s condition based on 20 or more vital indicators. With these data, nurses—who care for multiple patients and change shifts several times during each 24-hour period—can assess a patient’s wellness using not only current vital signs, but also the upward or downward trends of other critical data measurements not usually considered. “The software cross-references a current patient’s data with data from hundreds of thousands of other patients in the database to predict whether this patient will have an episode,” says Pawola. “That gives the clinician a chance to intervene earlier and possibly prevent a turn for the worse.” 2 0 1 0 - 20 1 1
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Toby Tate
What I know now
Dean Tate reflects on 12 years at UIC as she winds down her administrative career and heads back to the faculty Dean Charlotte A. Tate retires this summer after serving 10 years as dean of the College of Applied Health Sciences and two years as interim provost for UIC. But the woman most people on campus know best as Toby won’t go far; instead she’s embracing her role as professor, with posts in both the Department of Disability and Human Development and the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition. Here, she contemplates her years since coming from Texas to become a UIC administrator, and she recounts in her own words some of what she’s learned about people, places, issues and most importantly, herself. > Representing a diverse college like this is easy because it’s not all the same thing. The variety of programs—and of the types of people working and studying here—makes it more interesting to think about and talk about than when I was in a pharmacy school or a medical school. > What does disability mean? Here’s one example: A friend of mine—a big, strapping guy—came to visit a few years ago. We were about to come in the front entrance of my office building, and he asked if there was another way in. He said he couldn’t walk up the stairs. Turns out his spinal column had collapsed from bone disease, and he had titanium rods in his back. One result was that he couldn’t climb stairs. In that moment, he was disabled, but once he had another way to get in, he wasn’t disabled anymore. The environment defined his disability. > Disability is a social construct. It’s a label, sometimes an opinion. That’s what’s struck me the most in my years here. The word “disabled” shouldn’t be a judgment. > People without disabilities can learn a lot from people with disabilities about how to live well. > When you’re in leadership, people have a hard time viewing you as anything other than the title you have, and that makes it lonely at times. > Team-building is something you either can do or you can’t do. I don’t think you can learn it. Formulas don’t work. It has to come from the heart. > If people who are working together don’t have a common purpose and goal, they’re not going to coalesce as a group. I can’t force [the coalescence], but I can provide the goal and an environment for teamwork by not trying to cram my own thoughts and ideas down people’s throats. > When you’re communicating, you have to be present in the communication. I can answer your questions without caring, without being connected to you, but good communication requires connection. Still, connection doesn’t guarantee understanding. > I can’t control how other people understand me. Though I strive to be clear, I can’t control how you’ll hear me. It’s one of the hardest things to learn in life. > Anyone who’s had personal experience with both physical and occupational therapists—as I had this year to rehab a broken wrist—will understand the differences between them and why the world truly needs both. > The electronic medical record is a wonderful tool, and it’s revolutionizing healthcare, but you can’t just throw it at clinicians. You can’t introduce that level of change to an organization without addressing the natural human responses to change. We teach HIM and HI professionals to consider the people as well as the technology. Continued on page 18
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Toby Tate
What I know now
Continued from page 16
> The Illinois state budget for UIC is historically driven, and not based upon the realities of public, urban universities in the 21st century. It results in a campus that is drastically underfunded for the mission that it somehow accomplishes anyway. > UIC freshmen are incredibly refreshing, enlivening and full of potential. I’ve loved teaching them. > Biomedical visualization helped me realize a dream I had 40 years ago: to actually see what goes on inside the cell. Jane Hurd [BVIS ’68, who presented at AHS in 2010] made me teary-eyed because her work showed visually what I had studied for years in a lab and could only describe mathematically. > My vision for this college when I arrived was to create a lively, intellectual environment. I think we are that now. I’m proud of that. > When I was younger I was all about work, career development, climbing the ladder. I know now that work and life aren’t separate; work is part of life. But I also see, much more than I used to, that family and friends are just as important as work, if not more so. > Coming to Chicago from the South broadened my notion of diversity. But I also think diversity is a misused term—so narrowly focused on race, ethnicity, gender, etc., that it misses out on the rich complexity of variations among people. > Chicago is a city made up of homogenous communities that are woven together in probably the most interesting mosaic of people I’ve ever experienced in my life. It’s lovely. But winters here are tiresome. > What I personally know now about cancer, [long pause] I wish I didn’t know. (Dean Tate battled thyroid cancer in 2000. In the past year, she’s lost four dear friends to cancer.) > Though I write about it and speak about it, aging well is hard to do. I think I’m aging gracefully but not optimally. > Aging well is in the mind of the individual. You could look at someone who has a chronic disease and say, “Oh, he’s not aging well,” but that person may be very happy with his life. That’s a big part of aging well. > My days have been constructed for me for almost two decades. When I leave [the deanship], my time will be almost entirely defined by me. That’s the thing I’m most nervous about and also the thing I’m most looking forward to. > I don’t think I’m going to live long enough to know everything I’d like to know, or to experience everything I’d like to experience. So I’m trying to prioritize the most compelling things I’d like to do and know. For one thing, I want to go to the Swiss Alps.
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Dean Tate at the celebration of her 10th anniversary at UIC
8 reasons Continued from page 15
Patient records are secure The most pervasive concern about electronic health records is confidentiality, and yet as Pawola points out, “manual records have always been very insecure, very easy to share accidentally or deliberately. When you see a wall of files at your doctor’s office, is that secure?” EHRs have the advantage of being lockable so that each part is accessible only to people with “need to know” status. They are also stored remotely, a feature that countless New Orleans residents would have liked after Hurricane Katrina, which wiped out the paper-based medical histories of an immeasurable number of people. On the flip side was the scenario for residents of Joplin, Mo., following the tornado disaster in May. “St. John’s Regional Medical Center was destroyed, but patient records were accessible through a remote data center as soon as a mobile care-delivery location was established,” says Pawola. “Paper records would have been obliterated by the storm. “The questions of privacy protection and security are always going to be real,” admits Pawola. “Hacks do happen, and are always big news when they do, but they’re very rare. On a day-to-day basis, I believe a digital file is enormously more secure than a paper file. And the industry is working constantly to create better security and more efficient data-recovery in the event of hacking or disasters.”
Using EHRs is a social service The data in EHRs, stripped of the information about who it belongs to, will create an enormous pool of valuable, real-world health and medical data for research purposes. “The data are fully de-identified,” Pawola emphasizes. “They’re just raw bits of data without any names attached, but the questions they’ll allow us to ask and answer—in addition to the research they can support—will be of enormous help to all of us.”
O EHR, Where Art Thou? EHRs sound great, so why isn’t every clinician already using them? The truth about implementing an EHR is that it’s a massively complex undertaking requiring much time and deep resources. The industry has been unable to set and accomplish shared goals because it’s still hotly debating some fundamental questions: What data should be collected? How much data should healthcare providers share? Who is going to pay for the software, hardware and networks? Who will support them? What technology platforms should be used? How far should data be shared: locally, regionally, nationally? While those issues remain unsettled, two trends are developing now. The first is that major healthcare systems are adopting EHRs for Larry Pawola, PharmD, patients who receive care at any of head of AHS’ program in their facilities. Take Advocate Health health informatics Care in Chicago, which is working to link its 10 hospitals, dozens of outpatient facilities, and the offices of hundreds of physicians and specialists in its network. Eventually, the system will allow a patient’s medical data to be pulled up by any authorized provider in the Advocate system. “Say your doctor at Condell hospital in Libertyville sends you to a specialist in Des Plaines who admits you to Lutheran General hospital in Park Ridge. They’ll all be informed—and keep each other informed—by one, seemingly unified system using a variety of integrated technologies,” says Larry Pawola, PharmD, head of AHS’ program in health informatics. A second, separate trend is toward heath information exchanges, or HIEs. An HIE is the electronic sharing of health information across a health system, a community, a state or an entire region to promote the delivery of quality healthcare for its participants or citizens. “HIEs are ideal,” says Pawola, “but so far they’re more workable in small markets where healthcare providers aren’t hypercompetitive.” He cites the Veterans Health Administration, MedVirginia and the Delaware Health Information Network as early adopters of a working HIE. That competitiveness among health systems, so pronounced in large markets, is a top reason that the fundamental questions above are so difficult to answer. Another obstacle to implementing EHRs is cost. While the $20 billion designated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is an unprecedented investment, implementing an EHR at just one large healthcare system can cost several billion dollars. “Still,” says Pawola, “it’s extremely encouraging that the government is beginning to support and offer incentives to move the healthcare industry toward increased technology use that could benefit all of us.”
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PEOPLE
Social class Alumnae stay connected despite decades and distance
T
1951
The seven classmates who finished the OT program in December 1950: Lois (Frase) Browning, Marcia Dreymiller (deceased), Helen Fecenko (deceased), Jane (Rich) Norris, Carol (Dillon) Tengdin, Alice Kennedy, Corinne (Simon) Kulick
“I’m forever indebted to my years studying occupational therapy, for that became the springboard for all my personal and professional growth. My desire to learn new things, take educational classes, and get involved has not waned.” - Corinne (Simon) Kulick, OT ’51 To read all about Corinne’s personal and professional growth, visit www.ahs.uic.edu/OT51.
Nine of the graduates on June 15, 1951: Dreymiller, Browning, Norris (hidden), Leila (Hodes) Newar, Kulick, Jane (Merrill) Fritson, Cynthia (Clark) Smith, OT program founder and head Beatrice Wade, Kennedy, Susie (Yoshikawa) Aoyama
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hink back to your high school or college class. Do you remember your classmates very well? Are you still in touch? Do you make a point to see one another? (Note: In this case “you” means many of you, not just two or three.) If you were able to answer yes to all the questions above, here’s one more: Have 60 years passed since your graduation? That’s the story of the occupational therapy Class of 1951. In 2001, alumnae Lois (Frase) Browning and Carol (Dillon) Tengdin had the idea that their classmates should get together for a 50th reunion. They would include graduates from December 1950 and June 1951. (At that time, the program had two graduations each year, but students who finished in December functioned much like one class with those who were to graduate the following June.) A total of 10 of the 12 alumnae were still living, and Tengdin was able to reach them all. In April 2001, eight of the classmates met in Kerrville, Texas, where Browning makes her home. She served as “host” for the reunion, and they all had such a wonderful time that they promised to gather at least every other year, traveling to each other’s hometowns as they rotated hosting duties. Since Kerrville, the group has met in Branson, Mo.; Tucson, Ariz.; State College, Pa.; and Glenview, Ill. They also took a Canadian train tour together in 2008. Most recently they met in October 2010 in San Diego, where Browning’s daughter lives; she offered to help host. The cast of each reunion varies slightly. Sometimes, some husbands attend. Not all the classmates can make it to every reunion. But “we are strong in our desire to get together,” says Corinne (Simon) Kulick, “and the most fun we have is reminiscing about the good old times.” The women are now in their early 80s and intend to continue the reunions until they no longer can. For 2012, they’re contemplating a return to Chicago, including a visit to campus, where members of the OT department will be happy to greet them and show them around their old neighborhood. “That’d be such a hoot,” says Kulick.
2001
The first reunion in Kerrville, Texas: Aoyama, Newar, Browning, Fritson, Tengdin, Norris, Kulick, Smith
“I wanted to have a career in the medical field but my father was not happy with my choice to become a nurse because, in 1946, nurses were carrying bedpans. My friend gave me a brochure on OT. I had never heard anything about OT, but that pamphlet changed my life!” - Leila (Hodes) Newar, OT ’51 To read more about where Leila’s life would go from there, visit www.ahs.uic.edu/ OT51. Spoiler alert: She’s still working full time!
2005
In Tucson, Ariz.: Newar, Browning, Fritson, Tengdin, Norris, Helen (Baranyi) Montgomery, Kulick, Smith
“I was at a small Quaker school in Indiana when Seventeen magazine had an article about OT programs. My mother went to meet Bea Wade and thought that it would be a good field for me.” - Jane (Rich) Norris, OT ’51
2010
In San Diego: Newar, Browning, Tengdin, Norris, Kulick, Smith
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The UIC College of Applied Health Sciences is made better every day by the generosity of alumni, friends, corporations and foundations who support our programs through private donations, in-kind donations and corporate matching gifts. We are honored to acknowledge the donors who contributed to the college during the 2010 fiscal year, ending June 30. Their concern for the future—and present—of AHS helped us improve the student experience by upgrading classroom technology, sending students to professional conferences, and providing enhanced learning and living spaces. It also created seed funding for additional scholarships. To each donor, our deepest thanks. CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION DONORS
Chicago Area Health Information
Lewis D. Goldstein
Demetra John
Christina Hui-Chan
Holly P. Johnson
Illinois Health Information
Mary T. Keehn
Kathleen I. Jung
$500,000 and above
Keith A. Kirby
Michael J. Kerr
Ethel Louise Armstrong Foundation
Randy Rose Physical Therapy
Barbara Loomis
Christopher B. and Elizabeth J. Keys
Todd Buck Illustration Inc.
Helen P. Massey
Jacqueline D. King
$100,000 - $499,999
University of Illinois Alumni
Lorraine W. Olsen
David W. and Janice M. Kinsinger
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Association
Renee A. Pleshar
Susan L. Kotval
Joy A. Ransdell
Susan E. Kuhn
$50,000 - $99,999
$1 - $99
Frances Rizzo
Jeanne W. and Fred M. LaBree
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for
Abbott Fund
David A. Scalzitti
Pamella L. Leiter
Blackman & Associates Inc.
Jacqueline A. Schaffer
Barbara E. Levy
Boeing PAC Match Program
Julie L. Schwertfeger
Carol Petrie Liberty
Kellogg’s
Ruth Ann Watkins
Kenneth C. and Susan M. Lindahl
The Northern Trust Company
Basia Podbielski Yakaitis
Sherry L. Lissitz
Parkinson’s Research
The National Pancreas Foundation
$25,000 - $49,999
Management Association
David T. and Kristin I. Livingston
Tyco Electronics
American Heart Association
$100 - $249
Barbara J. Loar
Jane A. Baker
Paula M. Lundell
Daniel J. and Mary Lou Bareither
Jane C. Malone
$5,000 - $14,999
Gerard A. (deceased) and
Carol A. Marasovich
Randolph P. Frieser
Barbara J. Becker
Dorothy J. and Harold T. Markowitz
Roberta S. Bennett
Earl L. Massel and
International Life Sciences Institute
$2,500 - $4,999
Carol Z. Blindauer
Shimizu Foundation
Joan O. Hinken
Valdis I. Bole
Ingrid H. Masterton
Joanne J. Bradna
Irma C. Mattner Laura Doyle McCormick
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Special Olympics International
$15,000 - $24,999 Consortium of MS Centers
INDIVIDUAL DONORS
Marilou O. Leyson-Massel
$5,000 - $14,999
$1,000 - $2,499
Lois Browning
Accelerated Health Systems LLC
D.O. Bergeron
Agnieszka Scislowicz Bryjak
Alice Boeshart Meister
Access Living of Metropolitan
Jeffrey J. and Nina I. Bzdelik
Todd A. Buck
Barbara J. Mengarelli
Chicago
James B. DeLapp and
Michael E. and Donna M. Calwas
Yvonne Mlynarczyk
Arthritis Foundation
Ethel B. and Haddon C. Carryer
E.B. Molitor
El Valor Corporation
Rita M. Grabowski Fink
Kathleen A. Ceisel
David L. Moss
Ellen S. Leemputte
Mary Susan Chen
Karen Leigh Mundie
Sandye Lerner
Joanne M. Corpus
Steven B. Nasatir
Jean P. Ownby
Karen P. Davis
Laura Neiberg
Lawrence M. Pawola
Mary Jo DeBates
Sharon M. Novelle
John P. Wenzl
George and Bohdanna S. Domino
Eileen M. Olsen
Theresa A. and Terry E. Englehaupt
Eileen A. O’Toole
$500 - $999
Beverley J. Gaines
Jane G. Paniello
Evelyn J. Alston
Alan S. and Jodi L. Gamis
Robert F. Parshall
Margret K. Amatayakul
Christina M. Ginter
Jennifer L. Pennington
Mary Rizzolo Mann
Michael D. Goodling
Ann M. Ploszaj
Susan N. Postal
Linda Kolleng Grabowski
Paul M. Quinn
Velma L. Russ Reichenbach
Monica D. Griffin
Randy J. Rose
Charlotte Tate
Eric S. Hammond
Susan M. Ruff
Martin E. Hanson
Lou Ann Schraffenberger
Steven L. and Sandy G. Hartford
Marilyn P. Scitar
Tamar Heller
Arthur C. and Nikki Slowinski
Karen A. Henrickson
Joy-Ann Spring
Daniel B. Hier
Dianne M. Tennant-Rucker
Robert V. Hill
Arleen Dangoy Thomas
Susan P. Holmes
Margaret A. Viggiano
Debra K. Hultine-Zenor
Karen A. Vollbracht
$2,500 - $4,999 Morgan Keegan & Company Inc.
$1,000 - $2,499 Comprehensive Therapeutics Ltd. Ida Miriam Stern Memorial Fund Inc. Third District Illinois Federation of
Women’s Clubs
$500 - $999 HDI Technologies KPMG Foundation
$250 - $499 Retirement Research Foundation
$100 - $249 Browning Family Trust
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Management Association
AHS MAGAZ INE
Suzann Campbell-DeLapp
$250 - $499 Fabricio E. Balcazar and Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar Anaya Balter Samuel P. and Phyllis E. Bowen Sharon L. Gaskin
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Richard D. and Mary G. Wartick
Nancy H. Gabianelli
Sharon A. Kucik
Bharathi Reddivari
Karrie L. and Brandon M. Wright
Velma L. Gadbury
Joyce B. Lane
William A. and Julie H. Rettberg
Denise A. Wurl
Edward J. Galarza
Marsha B. Lawrence
Cathleen C. Riemenschneider
Gina S. Garcia
Lauren M. Leno
William G. Roach
$1 - $99
Kathlyn J. Gear
Kathleen A. Lewis
Mary M. Rodino
Dawn D. Abraham
Catherine Gesior
Maria Londos
Vickie L. Roeser
Gilbert W. and Harriet S. Adelstein
Heidi K. Giard
Kathryn F. Loomis
Barbara T. Roznai
Elizabeth Z. Allan
Maureen Giardina
Marabeth Loomis
Linda S. Rusenovich
Carolyn Arnold
Mary J. Gilson-Swiger
Diane Lorenzini
Adam B. Ryals
Christine T. Banaszak
Kathleen A. Golos
Sheila A. MacGregor
Alice J. Salzman
Kris A. Barnekow
George Goltsos
Edith M. Maeda and Myles Glassgow
Nancy L. Samuelson
Sheryl A. Bedno
Deborah P. Greenberg
Barbara L. Marello
Jean D. Scherer
Anju Behal
Daniel D. Griebel
Christine D. Marszalek
Dawn A. Scheuerman
Mark E. and Elizabeth K. Bergunder
Thomas M. and Lisa C. Griffin
Marjorie M. Matthews
James H. Schmidt
Linda M. Beribak
Vanessa A. Griggley
R. Jay McElroy
Denise J. Schwartz
Susan M. Bettenhausen
Ruth G. Grossman
Margaret Ann McNamara
Marie I. Shaw
Christine H. Beuthin
June C. Gustafson
Laura L. Meagher
Toby J. Sheasby
Katherine Hardey Bey
Virginia S. Hall
Sandra L. Menze
Melanie Shuran
Lawrence J. Bienias
Kathleen A. Hallett
Paul L. and Juanita M. Meunier
Sandra E. Simon
Martha T. Birkett
Carolyn J. Hamann
Rita Brosious Miller
Teresa M. Simon
Jeffery H. Blackman
Linda S. Hamm
Judith M. Mills
Nancy E. Zabelin Smolar
Antigone D. Blackwell
Roberta L. Hansen
Alan S. Mina
Kimberly L. Smuk
Patricia H. Blatzer
Robert Z. Hazard
Margaret M. Molek-Otto
Alicia M. Solomon-Delacruz
Barbara J. Blond
Cheryl J. Monroe
Stuart T. Sommer
Jill Schiff Boissonnault
Barbara J. Heier
Gail T. Montalto
Nancy J. Sons
Mae R. Brandon
Rona L. Henne
Helen B. Montgomery
Romil K. Sood
and Jill M. Joyce-Hazard
LouAnn M. Sopata
Deborah A. Broeker Arlette F. Brown Estherbeth Buchbinder
and Jeffrey Lee Schvimer
Jacqueline C. Budwitis Jennifer C. Burns Cynthia Carr
A World of Gratitude …
Barbara J. Sopp
Dorothy Omori Bergeron, OT ’53, joined the Centuria Circle of the President’s Council of Donors in December 2010, when her total gifts to UIC topped $100,000. Words are inadequate to express our deep thanks.
Anita C. Stehmeier
Amanda A. Sosnowski Cynthia K. Sternisha Randall J. Stolk Mary E. Stoykov Sharon B. Sugerman
Deborah L. Cekander
Dana R. Tameling
Monica N. Chestnut Randi J. Cogswell
Sheila A. Herman
Maryrose T. Murphy
Virginia C. and Ray C. Tholen
Sara M. Condon
Martin J. Herzog
James A. Nast
Germaine L. Timlin
Sheila M. Conners
Martha A. Hoover
Raydeen E. Naughton
Arthur J. Trybek
Noel F. Conroy
Mary Catherine Horne
Lynn J. Nord
Myrna G. Ulanday
Daniel M. Corcos
Betty J. Hoskins
Denise A. and Dion Novak
Constance Unzicker
Laura J. Coury
Emily J. Houghton
Laura V. O’Brien
Jose Villagomez
Patricia G. Cramer
Karen A. Howard
Susan M. O’Brien
Yolanda Vorndran
Patricia S. Crumrine
Jennifer A. Hutson
Teresa A. Olsen
Terry B. Wall
Randy Dagostino
Janet T. Hutton
Kathleen A. and Charles E. Olson
Althea V. Walton
Elisa Davalos-Sullivan
Susan M. Janke
Luanne H. Olson
Margaret J. Watson
Anissa L. Davis
Lisa C. Jenz-Siblik
Sandra J. Ortega
June D. Wencel-Drake
Scott M. and Mary J. Davis
Catherine A. Johnson
Joseph Ortigara
Cheryle J. Wilcox
Vernon Paul Davis
Ali K. Jones-Carter
Roberta G. Owen
Joan M. Willems
Patricia L. Dibenedetto
Maryann S. Jozwiak
Theresa M. Pacione
Renae J. Williams
James L. Dolan
Donna E. Judd
Maria Padron-Dielle
Mary T. Wilson
Eileen M. Doran
Andrea Kachman
Clive Pai
Susan R. Witz
Cynthia M. Doyon
Frances A. Kachman
Lillian Hoyle Parent
Karen Wolfeiler-Fleischer
Cheryl A. Dujmovich
Anastasia Kafkes
Nancy P. Pelish
William C. Wombles
Shirley E. Esenther
Stephen R. Kannaka
Elizabeth W. Peterson
Roland E. Wozniak
Laurie Grazian Feest
Toby and Debra L. Karnehm
Ann M. Pifko
Nancy J. Yeagle
Greg S. and Marcia Finlayson
Curt Keim
Jeanne H. Plunkett
Rosa M. Yepez
Gail S. Fisher
Patricia A. Kelly
Susan K. Porter
June Gatch Zaragoza
William E. Flynn
Anne Frances Kiraly
Eileen M. Potter
Jordana Zavos
Ruth E. Forni
Marelet and Michael L. Kirda
Laura Powell
Lois M. Zentner
Brand I. Fortner
H.R. and Helen J. Klockner
Virginia M. Poynton
Wei Zhou
Carol L. Freeman
Keith I. and Audrey L. Klopp
Katharine L. Preissner
Irwin M. and Karen J. Frost
Pamela J. Kloska
Maryann M. Radowski
Julie C. Kong
Helen L. Ramsammy
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LAST SHOT Class dismissed A total of 363 degree-earners graduated in 2011*—and 66 certificate-earners also finished their programs this year. Though a few will stay with us to pursue advanced degrees, most have left AHS, headed to the Next Big Thing in each of their lives. We wish them all the best. We know we’ve given them the tools to succeed, and we hope they’ll remember us as they grow.
The good doctors 1 PhD in kinesiology, nutrition and rehabilitation sciences
Masterful grads
40
1 master in rehabilitation sciences
133
37 masters in health informatics
6 masters in disability and human development
2 PhDs in kinesiology/ movement sciences
12 masters in nutrition
3 PhDs in disability studies
14 masters in kinesiology
4 doctors of occupational therapy
30 doctors of physical therapy
28 masters in biomedical visualization
Students of the first degree
193
16 bachelors in nutrition
35 masters in occupational therapy
Certified experts 2 management and leadership certificates
66
49 postbaccalaureate health informatics certificates
6 post-master’s health informatics certificates 21 bachelors in health information management
9 assistive technology certificates
156 bachelors in kinesiology
*Includes students whose degrees were conferred in May 2011, August 2010 and December 2010
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AHS congratulates the Class of 2011! Snapshots from Commencement
May 5, 2011, at the UIC Forum
Among the graduates are … 1 Fulbright Fellow: Kevin Conley, BS, Kinesiology One of 80 U.S. students selected to spend a year teaching English in Korea; afterward he’ll return to attend med school at UIC.
1 inductee into the U of I Alumni Association’s Activities Honorary Society: Tadas Stonkus, BS, Kinesiology One of 15 students UIC-wide selected for actively participating in three or more student organizations, and serving as a leader in at least one; he’s currently finishing prerequisites for med school and preparing to take the MCAT.
4 recipients of the U of I Alumni Association’s Student Leadership Award Award recognizes profound impact on one or more UIC student organizations, volunteer services or campus departments.
12 fellows of the Urban Allied Health Academy UAHA fellowship requires dozens of hours of events and volunteer service to prepare for working with underserved populations.
15 recipients of the Chancellor’s Student Service Award Award recognizes significant time, effort and creativity contributed to campus and community-service projects.
31 undergrads who earned University Honors 16 cum laude 10 magna cum laude 5 summa cum laude
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