8 minute read
Staff Notes
Welcome to New Staff
JANICE HARPER, AS
RESIDENCY PROGRAM COORDINATOR Janice Harper is our new Urology Residency Program Coordinator with more than 25 years of experience working with various residency training programs across three major hospitals. She graduated from Peirce Junior College in Philadelphia with a degree in paralegal and business administration. Janice enjoys helping people achieve their goals and doing research to find solutions to assist people in completing difficult tasks. In her free time, she enjoys baking, watching classic movies, and spending time with family.
Our new urology residency program coordinator, Janice Harper, with Barbara Devine in our medical school office.
OLEKSANDR (ALEX) KOLESNIKOV
CLINICAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR Alex Kolesnikov has joined the Department of Urology as a Clinical Research Coordinator. Alex is going to primarily work on non-oncology trials in the department. He will also assist Olivia Dalhgren and the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center team as needed for oncology trials, as well as all other research needs in the department.
Alex graduated in 2021 from DeSales University with a degree in Biology and Neuroscience. Prior to joining the Department of Urology, Alex was a Medical Scribe for the Department of Otolaryngology and Emergency Medicine at Jefferson (Center City and Cherry Hill, NJ). He is a native born Ukrainian and moved to the United States when he was only a year old. Alex is very excited to begin his career in clinical research with the Department of Urology and looks forward to working with everyone in the department.
JINAH YOO
NURSE PRACTITIONER Jinah Yoo, MSN, CRNP, CWOCN, is a Nurse Practitioner and Certified Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse who recently joined the Department of Urology at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia, PA. She completed her Master of Science in Nursing program at La Salle University. Jinah has been with Jefferson Health since 2016, in the wound care department at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. She has been a registered nurse since 2009. Before becoming a registered nurse, she was a social worker in Philadelphia, working with immigrant and refugee communities from Southeast Asia.
Jinah has worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings, specializing in the care of acute and chronic wounds, ostomy management, and continence care. She is excited to be a part of the Department of Urology at Jefferson Health. As Jinah says, “Urologic care encompasses so much of what I enjoy as a clinician. It is a wonderful combination of surgery and medicine, and includes many adjunct pathophysiological issues such as oncology and gynecology.”
Jinah resides in Philadelphia, with her husband, Steve, two toddlers Alek and Margot, and two rescue dogs Booboo Bear and Bb. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the city and its surroundings with her family, trying out new restaurants, and accidentally binge watching Netflix. She is working on a book for adults dealing with ostomy appliances and envisions as being a coloring book style for adults.
Staff Congratulations
The entire department of Urology extends congratulations to Jonathan Scroggins, PSR, who works in our Cherry Hill, NJ, Urology office, on receiving the "We Rise by Lifting Others" award. The award given by the Jefferson Medical Group, is a recognition of JMG employees who live by the Jefferson's Value, "We Improve Lives". Candidates are nominated by other JMG staff and winners are selected by JMG Senior Leadership.
According to Linda Teschko, former Jefferson Urology Practice Manager in Cherry Hill, Jonathan was nominated for this award “as there is no other person more deserving of this recognition than he is. Jonathan joined our team right at the moment we were transitioning and preparing for the Urology move. He immediately took initiative to do more and seek opportunities to make things work at optimal standards. His dedication to his team is above and beyond his own needs. As all of our providers could agree, Jonathan does everything he can to make their day as good as it can be. He has an unselfish desire to lift the entire Cherry Hill team to brighter days. Many of our patients and their families look forward to seeing Jonathan when they come in and they immediately notice when he is not at the desk.
“Jonathan's patience, professionalism and dedication to his team and the work that he does is something that should be celebrated and admired. As a manager of many years and many staff members, he is that rare gem that you do not often find, and I am extremely fortunate to have the privilege of having him on our team.”
Jonathan Scroggins with our Cherry Hill Urology team.
UPDATE: Fatuma Doka’s Tender Grassroots and The Health Center
Tender Grassroots (TGR) was founded by Fatuma Doka, MSN, CRNP, a Nurse Practitioner in the Department of Urology since 2004. She started the nonprofit Tender Grassroots in December 2019, in her home country of Uganda to provide under-served communities across Uganda with resources, knowledge and skills that will empower them to end the cycle of poverty. Our 2020 “Year in Review” featured Doka and her Tender Grass roots initiative (https://issuu.com/ jeffersonurology/docs/jeffurology-yir2020final). Her non-profit organization expanded operations to include a health center during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda. The choice to open the health center was driven primarily by the gap in access to primary care caused by the existing local health facility being converted into a COVID-19 care center. The pandemic highlighted challenges faced by Ugandans, especially those in low-income communities. A survey conducted by the Tender Grassroots clinical staff clinic staff revealed four major factors that prevent regular access to healthcare services: i) scarce medical staff, ii) high cost of care, iii) perception that consulting the health workers is a last resort, iv) lack of knowledge regarding health issues.
The TGR health center is open seven days a week from 7am to 10pm and is operated by 7 certified medical practitioners (2 medical directors, 1 doctor, 1 physician assistant, 2 nurses, and 1 lab technician) and 3 operational support team members. In addition to the paid medical staff, there are health center volunteers. They provide preventive, curative, and emergency medical services to the 30,000 people within the Kabale municipality in
Infant vaccination program. A great turnout at the August health fair
Uganda. A midwife will be starting in early 2023 to lead family planning and prenatal services.
PRIMARY HEALTHCARE SERVICES The health center significantly improves access to healthcare as the only affordable and comprehensive primary care center in the region. The TGR health team responds to population needs and disease burdens, and focus on prenatal care, health prevention and management for chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. To date, the program serves an average of 300 patients monthly.
HEALTH FAIRS TGR health center provides health services to the public during semi-annual, 3- day health fairs. Two health fairs were conducted in March and August 2022, with the patients coming from a 15 mile radius of the health center. On average each of the health fairs served over 1,000 people (30% are children, 25% are adults, and 45% are elderly). The patrons receive general screenings for chronic and nonchronic diseases, health education, and needed immunizations.
Running the health fairs has underscored a clear need and desire for health services. The information gathered also reveals that HIV, hypertension and diabetes are major issues within the community. Thus the health center provides follow up appointments to those screened and identified with chronic conditions to start patients on disease management.
The health fairs are supported by volunteers from local medical and nursing schools, the local government, the community, and the Ugandan Ministry of Health. IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM In October 2022, the health center embarked on a weekly immunization program. An immunization clinic is held every Wednesday where COVID-19, Hep B, and childhood vaccinations are provided. As the program is still new, we receive an average of 40 patients. Doka has directed the local team to evaluate all children enrolled in the local schools to update their vaccinations; so far, the survey shows that less than 20% have received vaccinations.
FAMILY PLANNINGS To decrease infant mortality, equipping the parents is paramount. The Health Center is offering family planning services, with the program expanding in 2023. The high child mortality in the community is partially due to the lack of prenatal care services for pregnant women.
CHALLENGES The need for quality and accessible healthcare in this local Uganda municipality is evident. As the TGR team works to improve the community health, the following challenges are noted: i) inadequate funds to sustain and expand the health center. This included purchasing medication and staff salaries, ii) lack of diagnostic equipment (lab, radiology) and iii) difficulty in accessing affordable medication from reputable pharmacies as most patients will opt for cheaper medication which has been grappled by counterfeiting.
THANK YOU All the work we have done is made possible by the unwavering support of our Board members, advisors, volunteers. According to Doka ”I would like to extend a special thank you to the Gomella family and members of Jefferson’s Department of Urology as they have been some of the greatest supporters through providing donations, encouragement, and advice. To all the doctors, nurse practitioners, and nurses at Jefferson who have helped us along, every donation, every word of encouragement, every idea is what has propelled us and continues to motivate us to do more. Working with TGR also offers an educational opportunity to medical and nursing students and residents interested in going abroad for international experiences or missionary work. Working with the health center and the community is also ideal for conducting health research.”
For more information or to donate to the Tender Grassroots programs, contact Doka directly (fatuma.doka@jefferson.edu) or visit these sites:
www.tendergrassroots.org/ www.facebook.com/Tender-Grassroots-115889469962670/ twitter.com/Tender_GR www.linkedin.com/company/tender-grassroots www.instagram.com/tendergrassroots/
