MUSC Catalyst

Vol. 31, No. 27

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA

March 1, 2013

Radiothon raises $269K for children

By Ashley BArker Public Relations

I

t’s been 15 months since Zach Szala was bitten twice by a canebrake rattlesnake while playing at Wannamaker County Park in North Charleston with his family.

Zach, who was 8 years old at the time of the bite, spent three weeks of his 38-day stay at MUSC in the intensive care unit before being sent home in a wheelchair to relearn how to walk and eat, according to his mother, Elizabeth.

Other than some stiffness and flexibility issues, which taekwondo is helping, Zach, a fourth-grader at Howe Hall Arts Infused Magnet Elementary School in Goose Creek, is back to living a normal life.

He recently visited an aquarium that had a canebrake rattlesnake on display, has ventured back out into the woods to play and was heard around Charleston on WEZL 103.5 and Y102.5 radio stations urging people to donate money to the MUSC Children’s Hospital.

Zach, his sister, Abby, and his mother joined more than 20 other families who told their stories about getting care at the MUSC Children’s Hospital during the fifth annual WEZL and Y102.5 Cares for Kids radiothon, Feb. 21-22.

“MUSC was amazingly fantastic,” Elizabeth said. “He got bad fast. The damage to his little system was extensive and those doctors, respiratory therapists and nurses, they were all wonderful.”

A total of $269,714 was raised during the two-day radiothon, according to Amy

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Zach Szala, 9, talks to disc jockey Dusty at the WEZL studios during the Cares for Kids radiothon benefitting the MUSC Children’s Hospital. Zach spent more than a month at MUSC after being bitten by a snake in Wannamaker County Park in November 2011.

Gordon, associate director of special events in the Office of Development and co-director of the Children’s Miracle Network.

The Children’s Hospital Fund enlists community support for three primary purposes: support research, the development of treatment programs and Child Life Services.

For information on donating to the Children’s Hospital, visit http://www. musckids.com.

smoke-free mediCal distriCt City council passed an ordinance creating a smokefree area around MUSC and Roper Hospital.

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Five-year-old twins, Gracie, left, and Annie Loyd, visited the Y102.5 studios Feb. 21 to talk about the Children’s Hospital during the radiothon.

The sisters were born 11.5 weeks premature and spent a long time in the neonatal intensive care unit. Annie was released from the hospital after 31 days, while Gracie spent 77 days at MUSC.

CyberattaCks on the rise

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Spotlight in the Lab

MUSC is reducing computer attacks and creating a safe cyber environment.

5

Meet Lamar

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2 The CATAlysT, March 1, 2013

Spotlight in the lab

What

The General Surgery Regenerative Medicine Lab at MUSC has two main priorities: developing regenerative skeletal muscle and researching hypovolemic shock and resuscitation.

Michael Yost, Ph.D., associate professor and director of research for trauma and critical care in the Department of Surgery, established the lab at MUSC in February 2012. By July 2013, when the lab’s first resident is on board and a new full-time researcher is hired, the regenerative medicine lab will consist of nine employees.

The General Surgery Division Chief, Samir M. Fakhry, M.D., recruited Yost and his team to build a basic science program in support of the division’s work in injury and critical illness. “Creating new knowledge and solutions to the many problems we encounter in the acutely ill and injured patient are fundamental parts of our mission as an academic group seeking to provide the best care possible to our patients. This research has great potential to be translated to every day patient care and improve the lives of our patients in the foreseeable future.”

researCh

Yost explained the lab’s work by using a car-crash victim as an example.

“During the wreck, let’s say the steering wheel hits you in your belly. Often times, that will rupture your spleen or liver, which will give you a fairly significant internal injury,” Yost said. “You’ll be in hypovolemic shock, which means you’ve lost a lot of blood from your vascular system into your belly.”

The medical staff will then likely pump the patient with fluids, open the abdomen and pack off the bleeding organ. If the patient is stabilized, he/she may develop complications days later from the leak of the resuscitation fluid out of the vasculature into body tissues, according to Yost.

“Because we’ve put foreign fluids into you, your

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843-792-4107 Fax: 843-792-6723 Editor: Kim Draughn catalyst@musc.edu Catalyst staff: Cindy Abole, aboleca@musc.edu Ashley Barker, barkera@musc.edu

body mounts an inflammatory response to it, and it either makes you sick or it kills you,” he said.

If the patient is not able to be stabilized, a surgeon will likely perform a laparotomy, which is when the abdomen is opened and the ruptured organ is fixed. But, when the patient is closed, significant scar tissue may develop into a ventral hernia a year or two later.

“About 20 percent of damage-control laparotomies will go on to develop a ventral hernia,” Yost said. “We are trying to develop techniques and strategies to regenerate muscle tissue rather than scar tissue.”

funding

The Regenerative Medicine Lab is currently Drs. Michael Yost, right, and J. Matthew Rhett work in funded by the National Science Foundation the General Surgery Regenerative Medicine Lab. (NSF) and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research because of its at Carilion Medical Center Roanoke, Va., New York impact on craniofacial defect research. In addition, University College of Dentistry, Virginia Tech, Wake important start-up funding for the laboratory was Forest, and the University of South Carolina, among provided by a private donation to Fakhry. others to reach its near-term goals.

“Dog bites, for example, typically occur in the “The ultimate goal is to regenerate skeletal muscle facial region,” Yost said. “It’s difficult for them for people who have lost muscle due to trauma, defect [dog bite victims] to chew their food, smile or look or disease,” Yost said. “Our research also focuses on at themselves in a mirror. We work on ways of resuscitative fluids and strategies that address the regenerating the skeletal muscle so they get their smile needs of the cell during periods of low blood flow.” back and their ability to chew again.”

Through collaborations, the lab has already The team is also taking the lead on the statewide developed a small peptide that modified the NSF R2 grant, according to Yost, and has 11 patents, inflammatory response when trying to regenerate mostly licensed by a company in Germany. skeletal muscle. It was patented and commercialized, “We publish in some of the top journals in our but now the focus is on developing a second one. field,” he said. “All those things make MUSC a leader The researchers eventually hope to understand the on the national and international stage in regenerative regenerative technology enough to be able to translate medicine.” it to different tissues.

“We’d love to take it to the heart, but we’re not ultimate goals there yet. We’re taking one step at a time for now,” The lab at MUSC works closely with collaborators Yost said.

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Outstanding Clinician Award nominations being accepted Nominations for the 2013 MUSC Foundation’s Outstanding Clinician Award are being accepted. The award honors full-time faculty who have made outstanding contributions to patient care at MUSC. Currently active clinicians that commit a significant portion of their time caring for patients in ambulatory or inpatient settings are eligible for this award. Their clinical excellence and service commitment identifies them as role models for residents, students and their faculty colleagues. An additional consideration will be their

abilities to collaborate in an effective interprofessional manner.

The nomination packet should consist of the full curriculum vitae of the nominee with an expanded description of the section of clinical activity; three letters of support, with at least one from a peer; and a statement from the nominator outlining the candidate's qualifications for the award.

The deadline for nominations is April 22. Nominations may be submitted to Mark Sothmann, Ph.D., 179 Ashley Ave., Colcock Hall, MSC 002, MUSC.

The CATAlysT, March 1, 2013 3

Patient Safety Week promotes good communication

By Cindy ABole Public Relations

M

USC’s plans for celebrating 2013 Patient Safety Awareness Week will soon be under way.

This year’s event, which takes place March 3 – 9, is part of the medical center’s campaign to promote health care safety awareness, best practices and staff commitment. Sheila Scarbrough, a manager of the Center for Clinical Effectiveness and Patient Safety, helped coordinate daily activities to promote the event and theme, “Speak up for patient safety.”

“Patient safety is an important part of our every day practice at MUSC. All of us should step back and realize the importance of patient safety in all our practices and efforts,” said Scarbrough.

The celebration kicks off March 4 with a safety fair for night shift workers at 7 a.m. in the Ashley River Tower Keough (ART) mezzanine area. The patient safety week keynote address will occur at 12:30 p.m. by Timothy Keough, Ph.D., at the Drug Discovery Building amphitheater. Keough, who is an associate

professor at The Citadel, teaches negotiation and leadership communications.

He will speak about effective communications.

Pizza will be served to the first 50 attendees.

Also on the schedule are daily games and activities from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. testing employees’ knowledge at the ART and North Tower lobbies and a patient safety fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., March 7 in the MUSC Horseshoe. Education tables and food vendors will be available.

In addition to the activities, the daily email publication Safety Speaking will make its debut with employees during the week. It will feature a daily safety tip by Pat Cawley, M.D., executive medical director and Medical University Hospital Authority (MUHA) executive director designate.

MUHA nurses, therapists, dietary specialists and environment-of-care personnel are reminded that the annual hospital survey on Patient Safety Culture will begin March 10. PIN numbers will be distributed to front line clinical staff for this confidential survey.

For information, contact Scarbrough at 792-2997 or scarbors@musc.edu.

Patient Safety Awareness Week March 4

7 to 8 a.m.: Night shift Safety Fair at Ashley River Tower Mezzanine; 12:30 p.m.: Pizza lunch and Keynote Speaker: Timothy Keough, Ph.D. “Removing Communication Barriers,” at the Drug Discovery Building amphitheater March 5 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Tables with education and fun, Ashley River Tower lobby and North Tower lobby March 6 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Tables with education and fun, Ashley River Tower lobby and Children’s Hospital lobby March 7 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Patient Safety Fair, food and fun, MUSC Horseshoe March 8 7 to 8 a.m.: Night shift Safety Fair, second floor connector between Children’s Hospital and Rutledge Tower parking garage

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Gaining control is key to facing daily challenges

By Ashley BArker Public Relations

J

anis Newton, assistant director of the MUSC Wellness Center, spends her time trying to empower people through exercise. She learned the benefits of staying active – management of health issues and reduction of stress – not from a book or a lecture, but from personal experience.

Exercise was Newton’s survival tool following the death of her brother and her diagnosis of a medical issue that causes daily muscle and joint pain.

When Newton was just 14 years old, her 16-year-old brother died in a car crash. Shocked and confused, she began taking long walks in her childhood neighborhood.

“I felt alone, and I knew I had to figure out death.

I’d walk really fast, and I’d think. Every time I finished a walk, I felt so positive and had a better outlook on life,” she said. “That was an example of how fitness can relieve stress, help you sleep better, increase dopamine and help your brain chemistry. That was my rock.

That’s what helped me get through a hard time.”

Now, nearly 50 years later, she is using exercise to cope with an autoimmune disease that causes her body’s immune system to attack healthy tissue.

“I try to walk the walk myself. I’ve had my own challenges, so I certainly understand. I’ve had to work around the disease process myself,” she said. “I know you can never, ever give up. You have to move every day of your life. That is your only hope.”

Exercise, even in small quantities such as 10 minutes a day, should be a part of every person’s routine, according to Newton. But she believes each person should also redefine and rebalance their routine as frequently as necessary.

“Every age and stage of your life, you have different needs nutritionally, physically, emotionally and mentally. What stresses you is different than what stresses me. Sleep patterns are different,” Newton said.

“You need to redefine yourself and balance out what’s

Janice Newton, center, teaches Tae Bo at the MUSC Wellness Center. important in your life.”

That philosophy is something she thinks Americans need to focus on more.

“America’s weight problem is evidence that we’ve got some bad advice. The American people are used to big portions and processed foods because they’re fast, easy and we’re lazy. It’s taken a huge campaign in our country now to get people to just look at what’s actually in food,” she said. “We, as health professionals, must re-educate everyone and get us all on the right page so we can make good decisions.”

Newton’s objective is to educate the MUSC community, which she has been a part of since 1989, about the proper ways to diet and exercise. She’s involved with Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr.’s Lighten Up Charleston campaign, military-style boot camps at the Wellness Center, group exercise classes like P90X, Tae Bo and TRX, and the Healthy Charleston Challenge, which recently won two national awards – best behavioral modification program and most innovative program in the country.

“I started in the fitness industry 40 years ago. When I started, there was no group exercise class. Nobody had ever done a group exercise class with music,” she said.

“It was in its infancy. I got in on the ground floor of the whole fitness revolution. There were no certifications or governing body. I ended up taking every certification

Grief seminar goes beyond Kubler-Ross model

Pastoral Care Services will sponsor an educational seminar on grief March 7.

The learning objectives include: describe long-held assumptions about the grief experience that are challenged by developments in grief research and theory, engage the grief experience through a narrative perspective that considers disruptions as one of the primary challenges of grief, and present the contemporary constructivist perspective, which understands the reconstruction of meaning following

narrative disruption as the central task of grieving.

The guest speaker will be Melissa Kelley, Ph.D., associate professor of pastoral care and counseling and the faculty director of the Professional Ministry Practicum at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

The seminar, titled “Grief: Beyond Kubler-Ross,” will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Storm Eye Institute Auditorium.

that came along.”

Through those programs, Newton has had the chance to impact thousands of people’s lives.

“I’ve been so fortunate to have so many fabulous opportunities to work with different physical therapists and orthopaedic surgeons who needed someone who understood how to include exercise in the disease process,” she said. “I’ve done a lot with cancer patients, MS [multiple sclerosis] patients, and even children with leukemia. I helped a boy, who had leukemia, make the high school baseball team. He needed to know how to exercise while getting his chemotherapy.”

Newton believes that when it comes to health problems, gaining control again is the key.

“When you find out you have MS or cancer or Parkinson’s disease, you have control taken away from you. It’s not a good feeling,” she said. “If you have somebody that can help you feel that you do have some control and that you can redefine your future health by using good nutrition and exercise, it’s a wonderful feeling.”

When it comes to patients who may not be able to go to a gym, Newton, a mother of three boys, has had to get creative.

“When you’re in pain, you have a huge excuse to sit because you don’t want to move. You have to be moving though. There is some movement that is appropriate.

It may not be much,” she said. “It may just be sitting in a chair and doing some arm exercises, but there is something that you can do each hour with movement that will help you keep your head straight and get the blood flowing in your body.”

One of Newton’s favorite physical activities is hiking.

She uses it as a way to see the world.

“I hiked to Machu Picchu in Peru and thought I was going to die. We were up 18,000 feet and hiking straight up. It was hard,” she said. “I just like to travel, though.

If a plane slows down, I’ll get on it.”

Editor’s note: In honor of National Women’s History Month, The Catalyst will feature women who make a difference at MUSC.

The CATAlysT, March 1, 2013 5

Meet laMar

Lamar Hood College College of Health Professions, Physician Assistant (PA) Program, first year How are you changing what’s possible at MUSC By participating in the Mr. MUSC pageant and helping raise money for the Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic. Contestants of the pageant and the PA class helped raise awareness for the need to provide efficient and effective health care to the underserved and underprivileged patients with chronic diseases in the community.

Greatest moment in your life The day I returned to the U.S. from my deployment to Iraq A must-have in the pantry Peanut butter Last book read “Flags of our Fathers,” by James Bradley What do you do on a rainy day Fight the urge to jump in every puddle I see like a 6 year old Meal you love to cook Beef curry and basmati rice Pets Three hound rescues: Tobie, Lucy and Hazel. I also am fostering Ralphie.

Music in your player right now Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon”

6 The CATAlysT, March 1, 2013

Smoke-free medical district in effect March 1 N

ever say student voices fail to matter. That will be evident as MUSC approaches the first anniversary of the campus being a tobacco-free environment March 1, thanks in large part to the efforts of students.

There are other reasons to celebrate as well.

Charleston City Council passed an ordinance Jan. 8 creating a smoke-free medical district around MUSC and Roper Hospital. The ban takes effect March 1 and prohibits smoking on certain streets and sidewalks within and abutting MUSC and Roper Hospital grounds. Amendments to the tobaccofree MUSC campus policy also prohibit the use of tobacco products by staff on private properties adjacent to the medical district without explicit approval from the property owner.

It has been a long journey getting to this point.

Carol Brown, PharmD, remembers the issue becoming a hot topic within MUSC’s Student Government Association (SGA) in 2009. Students felt smoking should not be permitted on the grounds and were alarmed when smoking huts were placed on campus.

When Brown became SGA president in 2011, she made turning MUSC into a smoke-free campus her top priority.

“It was inspiring seeing what kind of impact students can actually have. The board of trustees was so receptive to us that it surprised me. Of course, I also enjoyed the removal of the smoking hut,” Brown said. “Having a smoke-free campus made me proud to be a student here and now makes me proud to be an employee.”

She’s grateful for the city’s support in the recent creation of the medical district, which further strengthens the campus’ tobacco-free stance.

“I’m ecstatic. The clusters of smokers on the sidewalks have become a serious problem, and I am so happy the city is working with us to clear the air completely.”

Brown, who is a clinical pharmacist at Hollings Cancer Center, encourages MUSC students to pay attention to what they feel strongly about and to find ways

to take action even if at first they don’t get favorable responses.

“Don’t get discouraged. I think that most students don’t have any idea how much their voices matter. As a student, I didn’t realize it until I became SGA president. I would highly encourage all students to become involved in their school’s extracurricular programs and represent their classmates as much as possible.”

MUSC President Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., applauds the efforts of students and all those, including City of Charleston officials, who have made the smoke-free medical district a reality.

Patients who seek medical treatment at MUSC include some people with very fragile health conditions, such as chronic impairments of lung, heart, and immune status, as well as pregnant women and premature infants.

“To expose these vulnerable populations to the hazards of environmental tobacco smoke is inconsistent with our mission as a health care provider. We were so pleased that our elected officials saw that this obligation was the paramount consideration in balancing the interests involved. We were very gratified by the strong support of Charleston City Council. By voting to enact this

“Having a smokefree campus made me proud to be a student here and now makes me proud to be an employee.”

Dr. Carol Brown ordinance, they endorsed our strong appeal to help protect the well-being of the patients who seek care at our facilities.”

Susan Johnson, Ph.D., director of the Office of Health Promotion, has played an influential role in getting the ordinance passed. She said she felt relief at its passage because it provides the best solution to the sidestream smoke issue where patients were having to walk through clouds of smoke to get into various hospital entrances.

“I think the most important difference will be that we will now be able to walk all through our campus and not have to hold our breath walking by a smoker, Johnson said. “We have done so much work to make our campus a healthier,

more attractive place to work and visit, and the cigarette smoke was a glaring contradiction to our otherwise healthpromoting campus.”

Also helpful were revisions to MUSC’s employee policy in January to include the smoke-free zones added by the city ordinance and the addition of wording that prohibits smoking on private property surrounding campus unless explicit permission by the property owner has been granted.

“What this really is addressing is the problem related to some smokers loitering on our neighboring businesses’ property, parking lots, driveways, etc. and even on some private residents’ properties,” Johnson said. “By adding this to our policy, it allows our public safety officers to have jurisdiction to enforce the policy with employees and contract workers.”

To support employees who would like to quit smoking, MUSC is bringing back its Pitch the Pack cessation program that was offered last year during the first six months of becoming a tobaccofree campus. This program provides a free, one-month supply of cessation medication (NRT or prescription) to employees and students. For more information, visit www.musc.edu/ employeewellness.

Johnson asks that employees show their support for the new medical district and policy changes by educating visitors and staff about the smoke-free areas. MUSC’s Department of Public Safety and medical center safety and security will provide enforcement of the ordinance as well as the tobacco-free campus policy for employees, focusing primarily on education and public awareness. Ticketing will be used only as a last resort, she said.

“We will be providing information cards and pocket ashtrays to violators.

It is not our intention to ticket non-compliance but to inform with compassion,” Johnson said. “We also have coupons for a free stick of Nicorette gum that we can give to patients and visitors who may need some help in refraining from smoking while in the

See smoke-free on page 9

The CATAlysT, March 1, 2013 7

Vitamin D dubbed most popular supplement T

here were 3,600 publications with vitamin D in the title or abstract in 2012, bringing the total number of vitamin D publications to 33,800, according to PubMed.gov. As a result, vitamin D was named the most popular vitamin in 2012.

MUSC’s South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute (SCTR) funded two studies, and each was chosen as a top-16 vitamin D PubMed. gov paper for 2012 from 60 candidate papers. MUSC’s studies were conducted in SCTR’s Research Nexus, a state-ofthe-art research infrastructure for clinical investigators on the MUSC campus.

High doses during pregnancy A topic that generated considerable interest this year was the role of vitamin D during pregnancy.

In a pair of papers, researchers from MUSC discussed the findings and implications of their randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy [Hollis et al., 2012; Wagner et al., 2012]. More than 300 women enrolled in the study and were assigned to take supplements containing 400, 2,000, or 4,000 IU/d vitamin D3 or a placebo.

The study found that it took 4,000 IU/d to reach a nearly optimal level of vitamin D. Those taking the higher doses had reduced risk of primary cesarean section delivery and pre-eclampsia.

“It really has been a collective effort, and MUSC and SCTR should see this as an example of collaborative research at its best,” said Carol Wagner, M.D., MUSC

professor of pediatrics and neonatology, on the study’s findings. “We would never have been able to conduct these studies without the support of SCTR’s research infrastructure. We will continue to benefit from such support and collaboration.”

Reduced risk of prostate cancer One of the important and welldocumented effects of vitamin D is the reduced risk of cancer and increased survival rate after cancer diagnosis.

Another cancer paper reported the results of supplementation with 4,000 IU/d vitamin D3 of those with lowgrade biopsy-assayed prostate cancer [Marshall DT et al., 2012]. Forty-four patients successfully completed the one-year study. Twenty-four of the subjects (55 percent) showed a decrease in the amount of cancer. Five subjects (11 percent) showed no change and 15 subjects (34 percent) showed an increase.

The results show that optimal vitamin D supplementation appears to be useful for treating those with cancer.

“We’ve had an encouraging response from the recently published openlabel study, including making the top 16 vitamin D papers of 2012,” said Sebastiano Gattoni-Celli, M.D., MUSC professor of radiation oncology and health research scientist, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center. “We were also able to secure federal funds for a much larger randomized study to confirm the benefits of vitamin D supplementation for subjects with low-risk prostate cancer.”

Nominees sought for faculty service award Nominations for the MUSC Foundation’s Distinguished Faculty Service Award are being accepted.

This award was enacted by the board of trustees to recognize and honor faculty members of MUSC who have provided exceptional service and contributions in teaching, research, health care or public service to the university and the citizens of South Carolina.

Up to three awards may be made and each honoree will receive a $3,000 contribution.

In order to nominate someone, provide written justification to include a typed or printed narrative

of no more than two single-spaced pages directly addressing the contributions made to MUSC and those the institution serves. A copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae or professional resumé should be enclosed. Additional letters of endorsement are encouraged in order to demonstrate the breadth of the nominee’s contributions.

This year’s deadline is April 22. Nominations should be submitted to the attention of Mark S. Sothmann, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs and provost, 179 Ashley Avenue, Colcock Hall, MSC 002, MUSC.

Adult audiology seminar to explain current technologies available

The Division of Audiology, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery is hosting an Adult Audiology Seminar from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., March 8 at MUSC Health East Cooper, 1600 Midtown Ave., Mount Pleasant.

The course is for anyone interested in learning about hearing health, hearing loss and current technologies available for the management of hearing loss in adults.

For more information, call 876-0943.

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Information security a top priority When it comes to cyberattacks using phishing, malicious malware and other online threats, MUSC has been working to make computer security a top priority.

As clinicians, researchers, students and employees become more interconnected through the Internet and users are able to use mobile devices, hackers can use more gateways to launch their attacks and disrupt infrastructure networks.

For an academic medical center like MUSC, breaches in university and hospital networks can potentially threaten the security of sensitive data and personal information that can severely impact daily operations and patient care.

MUSC Chief Information Officer Frank Clark, Ph.D., vice president for information technology, supports minimizing the risk of cyberattacks and protecting personal information of MUSC’s patients, students and employees. He and his team are committed to reducing these threats by strengthening information technology (IT) security procedures, policies and protocols, and closing security gaps. His team works with the institution’s Information Security and IT Compliance Committee (ISICC) and MUSC leadership to find ways to balance costs, intrusion and inconvenience due to risk.

“Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. Each of us must do his part to keep our data safe and create a safe cyber environment. When we all take simple steps to be safer online, it makes using the Internet a more secure experience for everyone,” said Clark.

Last August, hackers broke into the S.C. Department of Revenue and stole financial data belonging to 6.4 million consumers and businesses. This breach served as an eye-opener for IT staff within organizations and other state agencies for real threats to managing and storing sensitive information. It also is as a reminder that threats can occur at any level.

To expand on the institution’s security strategies and promote awareness, MUSC adopted a proactive approach to managing exposures and handling vulnerabilities. MUSC also supports the Department of Homeland Security’s “Stop. Think. Connect.” program.

The campaign will help the community understand cyberthreats and empower employees, faculty and students to follow more online safety practices.

MUSC’s security policies are approved by executive leadership and issued by the Office of the President.

Hospital staff follow security and confidentiality guidelines that protect patient’s health information as guided by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule and security rule. The Compliance Office is responsible for training clinical staff about HIPAA rules and standards related to phishing, privacy audits, and use of detection software, social media and other communication resources.

The Joint Commission also has requirements regarding privacy, and, while they are less prescriptive

What you can do

Employees and students can follow steps to keep themselves, their personal assets and private information safe online. Here are some tips that all Internet users can do to practice cyber security: q Set strong passwords, change them regularly and don’t share them with anyone. q Keep your operating system, browser and other critical software optimized by installing updates. q Use privacy settings and limit the amount of personal information you post online. q Be cautious about offers online. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Threats to information security q Phishing: An attempt by an attacker to steal sensitive information such as a user name, passwords, credit card numbers, etc. by masquerading as a trustworthy person. Most phishing attacks occur via email. q Malware: Malicious software such as viruses, worms or “bots” designed to disrupt operations or steal sensitive information. q Data breeches: Occur when sensitive data is exposed to unauthorized access. Breaches can occur due to phishing, malware, hacking, physical loss or theft of computers or portable storage devices, inappropriate posting of data on websites, misdirected emails, etc. than HIPAA, they also strive to protect patient privacy.

As academic centers like MUSC strive to maintain a collaborative work environment of openness and academic freedom, problems in protecting sensitive data like health records, personal information and financial data become a priority. According to Clark, such situations attract hackers and intruders who want to penetrate MUSC’s data security defenses. Increases in computer hacking, digital information stealing or public postings of sensitive data are especially challenging for medical centers and universities. The struggle to balance costs, technology needs and manpower to combat these emerging threats is also a concern.

According to OCIO’s Richard Gadsden, MUSC’s information security officer cybercrime is big business and the sophistication of cyber criminals continues to grow. “These people are adept at tricking others into doing things that allow them to steal information. It’s incumbent that we protect our data.”

The OCIO works closely with the ISICC and other governance groups to provide technical assistance, risk assessment, technology-tool identification and protective equipment that safeguards MUSC’s sensitive data.

“People will need to adjust. These are important controls that we must have in place,” said Gadsden.

The CATAlysT, March 1, 2013 9

smoke-free Continued from Page Six smoke-free zone.”

For more information, contact Johnson at 792-1245 or johnsusa@musc. edu or visit http://academicdepartments. musc.edu/tobaccofree/index.htm, which has a map of the smoke-free areas and a copy of MUSC’s revised policy.

“I think the new ordinance sends a message that the City of Charleston

is committed to protecting the public health and well-being of our citizens, and in this case our most vulnerable citizens,” Johnson said. “I think it positions Charleston as well as Roper and MUSC as leaders in championing for health, for being progressive and creative in problem solving, and it makes Charleston an even more appealing place to live and work.”

10 The CATAlysT, March 1, 2013

‘Good Eats’ to kick off National Nutrition Month T

his year’s National Nutrition Month theme, "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day," encourages personalized healthy eating styles and recognizes that food preferences, lifestyle, cultural and ethnic traditions, and health concerns all impact individual food choices.

Join MUSC health and nutrition experts at the Urban Farm on March 1 to celebrate the kick-off of this month-long focus on healthy eating. Discussions, demonstrations and interactive activities that encourage and celebrate personalized healthy eating styles are scheduled throughout the day with a live cooking demonstration by executive chef Brett Cunningham at noon.

Schedule of events q 11:30 a.m. to noon – “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day” with Mary Basel, clinical nutrition manager q Noon to 12:30 p.m. – Cooking demo: “Preparing it Your Way” with executive chef Brett Cunningham q 12:30 to 1 p.m. – Bees: positive for your garden with Jake Schubert, MUSC student and farm team representative q 1 to 1:30 p.m. – Beneficial Borage: more than an herb-plus-seed giveaway with Mary Helpern, Urban Farm

Family Fund accepting grant applications The MUSC Family Fund, sponsored by the Yearly Employee Support Campaign, is accepting grant applications.

The application should include name, department phone, name of project and amount of funding requested. The grant application also should include a brief summary explaining the project or program and how the funding will benefit MUSC’s mission, not to exceed one paragraph.

For information, email mcluen@musc.edu or visit www.musc.edu/ catalyst/archive/2013/ co2-8familyfund.html.

Applications are due no later than March 29.

q 1:30 to 2 p.m. – Urban chickens and the incredible egg with Chris Clark, MUSC student and farm team representative, and Sara Hendrix, RD q 2 to 3 p.m. – Children’s Event: Snack and garden-togo activity with dietetic intern Meghan Marr q 2:30 to 3 p.m. – Deceptively Delicious: Maximize the nutrition content in foods with registered dietitian Debbie Petitpain.

Grab and go box lunches by Sodexo will be available for sale at the Urban Farm. The boxes will be $5 and include a bottled water. They’ll be available from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Look for the intern in the vegetable costume around the Horseshoe for a $1 off coupon.

Employee Wellness events q Zumba at Harborview Office Tower: Join licensed Zumba instructor Felecia Curry for a weekly Wednesday night class held from 5 to 6 p.m., Room 302, Harborview Office Tower. Zumba is a dance-based aerobic exercise class suitable for any fitness level.

Space is limited. Email curryf@musc.edu for more information or to register. q Worksite screening: A screening, valued at about $350, is available March 13 in Room 628H, Clinical Sciences Building. The screening is available to employees with the State Health Plan for $15 (covered

spouses can also participate for $15). Employees and spouses without this insurance can participate for $42. The screening includes: height, weight, blood pressure and a blood draw for a blood chemistry profile, hemogram, and a lipid profile. To register, visit www. musc.edu/employeewellness and click “Worksite Screening.” q Farmers market: Fresh fruits and vegetables are available from local farmers from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday in the Horseshoe.

MUSC Urban Farm q Work and Learn with child-friendly activities: On the first and third Saturdays in March, from 9 to 11 a.m., work and learns will be held for children.

Remember to bring a plastic bag and take home some fresh produce or help gather for donations on certain days. Wear closed-toe shoes. No experience or prior knowledge is necessary. The event is open to everyone. q Early-bird maintenance: Get your day started with a little maintenance for the Urban Farm from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., March 6.

Contact Susan Johnson, Ph.D., at johnsusa@musc. edu for information on the Office of Health Promotion and Suzan Benenson Whelan at whela@musc.edu for information on Employee Wellness.

The CATAlysT, March 1, 2013 11 Shoes needed for Project Sole

Furniture

Misc. Services

Antiques-Moving Sale Butcher Block. Approx. Block is 12� thick. $600; 4-Drawer maple bureau $350; 2-Drawer old red-painted desk. $300.

843-614-2001.

Basic Lawn Care Reasonable Rates Greg 843 303-2615

TO ADVERTISE IN THE CATALYST CALL 849-1778

Montessori School of Johns Island is hosting a shoe drive for Project Sole.

Project Sole is a nonprofit organization using shoes to improve the community.

Shoes collected include used, name brand athletic-type sneakers of any size.

Name brand shoes are generally better built and more durable, thus allowing more wear for a second owner. Shoes are being collected until April 4. Contact Sarah Cantrell at 876-5212 or email cantre@musc. edu for shoe pickup.

For information on Project Sole, visit www.projectsole.org.

12 The CATAlysT, March 1, 2013