MUSC Catalyst

April 6, 2012

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA

Vol. 30, No. 32

InsIde Patient ServiceS recognized

Mobile revolUtion G

iven the choice among an American, Spanish or British accent on their cellphones, the majority of people pick British. The reason Frank Treiber, Ph.D., knows this bit of trivia is because he leads a group dedicated to taking the latest in mobile health care technology and translating it into evidence-based research projects that capitalize on the strengths of technology to connect health providers and patients.

3

National Healthcare Access Personnel Week observed April 1 - 7.

U.S. newS & world rePort

8

see How It’s BeIng Used

Dr. Frank Treiber shows off the MedMinder, a wireless , computerized medication dispenser.

F

q Innovative meditation app called Tension Tamer, Page 6.

Watch the video at http://tinyurl.com/6vd4fv6.

q SMASH study to combat high blood pressure, Page 6.

Watch the video, http://tinyurl.com/6m6dpp9.

rank Treiber, Ph.D., is used to catching the latest wave, whether it’s in the Atlantic Ocean or in the use of mobile technology that he sees as a game changer in shaping the delivery of health care.

Treiber, formerly vice president for research development at Georgia Health Sciences University, came to MUSC in 2010 as a SmartState endowed chair in technology applications to prevent and manage disease. He leads the Technology Center to Enhance Healthful Lifestyles that is charged with developing and commercializing software and technological products to improve the delivery of

health care.

The field of mobile technology sort of chose him rather than the other way around, he said. His research career previously had focused on 24-hour telemonitoring devices that tracked patients’ vital signs, such as blood pressure and heart rate, in their natural environment.

“As I saw technology developing, we started morphing into smartphones and into the management of diseases and prevention work.

MUSC had the foresight along with USC to develop a center of economic excellence involving See Mobile on page 9

Eleven MUSC programs ranked in the top 100 spots of America’s best graduate schools.

2 Campus News Meet Donna

5 11

Classifieds

t h e c ata ly S t online http://www. musc.edu/ catalyst

2 tHe Catalyst, April 6, 2012

PeoPle

Around CAMpus

events

Robert G. Gellin

SCTR Scientific Retreat

Robert G. Gellin, DMD, professor and Department of Stomatology chair and Division of Periodontics director, was elected secretary to the Consortium for Oral Health Research and Informatics (COHRI) board of directors. COHRI is a dental informatics consortium of U.S. dental schools interested in using a comprehensive clinic management software to manage electronic health information and share data to facilitate clinical research. Gellin’s position will prepare him for the role of chair by 2014.

The South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute will be hosting the Mobile Health Technologies 2012 Spring Scientific Retreat from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 26 in Room 110, Bioengineering Building.

Visit http://sctr.musc.edu or call 7921498.

Jean Nappi Jean Nappi, PharmD, professor, College of Pharmacy, has been named by the American Association of College of Pharmacy to receive the Robert C. Chalmers Distinguished Pharmacy Educator Award. The award is given to one of approximately 5,000 pharmacy faculty members in the U.S. each year.

Editorial of fice MUSC Office of Public Relations 135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C, Charleston, SC 29425.

843-792-4107 Fax: 843-792-6723 Editor: Kim Draughn catalyst@musc.edu Catalyst staff: Cindy Abole, aboleca@musc.edu Dawn Brazell, brazell@musc.edu

Gourmet & Grapes

STICU nurse Ashley Jacobs shares a piece of cake with Dr. Ralph Barker as part of her unit’s celebration of National Doctors’ Day, March 30. The staff prepared a buffet to honor its attending physicians and residents.

Rick Schnellmann Rick Schnellmann, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences in the S.C. College of Pharmacy, was named Distinguished University Professor by the MUSC board of trustees. The title Distinguished University Professor is the highest academic distinction granted by the board of trustees. Only 36 have been named in MUSC’s history.

The Catalyst is published once a week.

Paid adver tisements, which do not represent an endorsement by MUSC or the State of South Carolina, are handled by Island Publications Inc., Moultrie News, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, S.C., 843-849-1778 or 843-958-7490. E-mail: sales@moultrienews.com.

The annual Gourmet & Grapes cuisine and wine event will be held May 4 - 6 at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort. The fundraiser will benefit Hollings Cancer Center. Visit http:// www.gourmetandgrapes.com.

tHe Catalyst, April 6, 2012 3

Patient services strive to make good first impression

By Beverly gaIllard and Pensola Hazel Patient Access Services

MUSC will join hospitals throughout the country in recognition of National Healthcare Access Personnel Week, April 1 - 7.

Dan O'Donnell, new director of Patient Access Service (PAS), said the patient access staff has a great opportunity of setting the tone for a positive patient experience. “During the past several weeks, I’ve had the privilege of observing several instances of Patient Access staff demonstrating ‘service excellence.’ We only have one opportunity to make a good first impression. When it comes to service excellence, there is no finish line.”

In an average day, the department handles requests from physicians, nurses and patients. Physicians call to schedule patients for admission and nurses inform the PAS staff of any patient transfers. The staff is responsible for admitting patients, inpatient and outpatient services, surgery, radiology, sleep studies, labs and emergency services.

Donna Rosado, Emergency Room Access staff member, said it’s rewarding working in the Emergency Department. “To have patients trust in me and to become part of their experience, whether good or bad, from beginning to end, is success in my book. It has widened my knowledge of various personalities,

Latisha Moultrie, a registrar at Ashley River Tower, explains the consent form to a patient using the E-Signature iPad. hardships and emotions that has made me a better person.”

The staff must be knowledgeable of the many components that impact the registration process including governmental regulations and guidelines and

the requirements of the various insurance companies.

During the access process, patients sometimes are feeling apprehensive and need support. Rutledge Tower access services staff member Eileen Brown said one of her favorite parts of her job is the interesting people she meets. “I've laughed, cried and even rejoiced with them in their recovery. If you don't like what you do, you will not be good at what you do. Our main priority is to balance efficiency with large doses of caring and concern.”

Another staff member, Herbert Love, agrees that the job is very rewarding. “I am very proud to work in PAS, we have the first opportunity to make the patients feel pleasant and ensure that they have made the right choice by choosing MUSC. It truly makes my day knowing that I have made my patient feel very comfortable while they are here.”

Ashley River Tower PAS staff member Patricia Washington welcomes and registers patients for gastrointestinal and cardiology services. Her motto is “be the smile that you want to see. Always remember to treat everyone you come in contact with as you would like to be treated; with dignity and respect.”

As we celebrate National Healthcare Access Personnel week, we also recognize the tremendous contribution the staff makes toward the achievement of the vision and mission of MUSC.

4 tHe Catalyst, April 6, 2012

Currents April 3 People–Fostering employee pride and loyalty Employee of the Month Anabel Sanchez, Elena Rivera and Hazel Washington, Release of Information Birth Clerks/ Paternity Team, were recognized for their improvement efforts. Working with the needs of the patients, they were able to achieve a No. 2 state rating by DHEC. (Elise Graham)

HR update Helena Bastian, MUHA HR director, presented the following: q New Employee Commitment Survey – Survey dates: April 16 to April 27; Leader and Ambassador Orientation Program – Sign up via CATTS and training scheduled throughout April 5. q Administrative support orientation – HR has announced that Administrative Support Orientation documents are now available via the intranet: http:// mcintranet.musc.edu/hr/training/ UnitDepartmentOrientationForms. The documents are intended for employees who are new to a role of administrative support for a manager, director or administrator. For information, contact Kim Duncan, 792-1962, or Karen Rankine, 792-7690. q HR is now accepting faxed or scanned copies of W-4 forms in addition to original copies. q 2012 Hospital Week Kickoff Event – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., May 3; Event features a fun department or unit competition.

Top three departments with the highest participation rate at the end of the event will win a pizza party. Participants can check in at the registration table and participate in any of the event games – obstacle course, field noodle hockey, tugof-war, hula hoop race and much more. q MUSC Family Night at the Charleston RiverDogs – 5:05 p.m. game, May 6 (Tickets are $5 each); Ticket sales: April 5 and April 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Children’s Hospital lobby; April 23, 24 and April 30, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., university hospital (near Starbucks); Ashley River Tower location date and

time to be announced.

Finance – Providing the highest value to patients while ensuring financial stability Patty Burn, Hospital Payroll manager, shared a win for the hospital. For the last six months, about 6,570 MUHA employees who are paid bi-weekly achieved 100 percent direct deposit or use of direct pay card. Burn recognized MUHA HR with their orientation efforts, hospital managers and Payroll staff Diana White, Kay Passailaigue and Susan Black for helping to achieve this goal.

Quality – Providing quality patient care in a safe environment Susan Johnson, Ph.D., Employee Wellness Program coordinator, unveiled the new MUSC Moves! Fitness Campaign as an initiative to transform MUSC into a physically active workplace. Organizers will be conducting a campuswide fitness survey, outfit department and hospital area break rooms with equipment to be a mini gym for staff; promote indoor and outdoor walking trails and other fitness events. For information, visit http:// mcintranet.musc.edu/health1st/events. htm. q The MUSC Urban Farm – Spring: pilot growing season; Summer: Pavilion construction; September: official launch event; Fall: full program implementation; also planned: work and learns, farm committees, etc.

Service – Serving the public with compassion, respect and excellence Heather Woolwine, Office of Public Relations Media Relations director, reviewed information and protocol associated

To Medical Center Employees: On Saturday, March 24 at approximately 6 p.m. we unfortunately experienced a fire and smoke on the MUH 8th floor Center in a storage area. The fire was confined to mattresses and sheets. The City of Charleston Fire Marshall is conducting an investigation and to date no findings have been released.

The 8th floor Center was affected by smoke and water, the 9th floor was affected by smoke, 6 Center and 7 (PT and call rooms) were affected by water. Elevator D had significant water damage.

Smith Nancy Tassin, R.N., Musculoskeletal Service Line administrator, served as the communications coordinator. Ms. Tassin reported that the response and teamwork by everyone involved was exceptional. Nursing and support staff followed the fire procedure for quick and safe relocation of 35 patients. The City Fire Department responded rapidly to the alarm and in an outstanding fashion. Internally, the response teams included: Facilities Management, Security, Emergency Management/Clinical Disaster Control, Risk Management, Environmental Services, Public Safety, Central Supply, Biomedical Engineering, Admit/ Transfer Center (Bed Management), Disaster Control (contracted service), Public Relations, Hospital Supervisors and others. The affected floors were cleaned up in relatively short order and patients were returned to their respective rooms by 8 a.m. Sunday morning or sooner.

Elevator D is currently out of service. We have asked our elevator vendor to accelerate repairs by any means practical, but we anticipate it will take up to six weeks to complete. Temporary signage has been placed throughout the hospital to re-route patients and visitors to the most suitable elevators. For years our behavioral standards have been to “help lost guests find their way.” At this time we need to be particularly focused on helping patients and visitors to the elevators most suited for their destinations.

I commend everyone for your dedicated service. While the overall response was exceptional, there are always learning opportunities from events. We will use our findings from an analysis of the event to make continued improvements.

W. Stuart Smith Vice President for Clinical Operations and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center

with MUSC’s patient condition report procedures.

Woolwine reminded managers that the guidelines are in place to protect patients and families related to media inquiries about a patient’s condition. Release of information without written consent is a violation of HIPAA. In the process, a PR representative will locate the patient’s location and call the corresponding unit to verify the patient’s current status of good, fair, serious or critical. No additional information beyond these words is needed or will be requested

by Public Relations. For information, contact Woolwine, 792-7669.

SANE program Deb Browning, R.N., Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) program director, reminded managers that April is National Sexual Assault and Prevention Awareness month. According to research, sexual assault occurs in 1:6 women and 1:33 men. Sexual assault is under reported both in S.C. and nationally.

Browning helped establish MUSC’s SANE team in 2010, which provides 24/7 service to the MUSC ED for survivors of sexual assault.

The team includes Kathy Gill-Hopple, Ph.D., R.N., program coordinator; See Currents on page 10

tHe Catalyst, April 6, 2012 5

Meet donnA

Donna Jean Oden Department Diagnostic Microbiology & Laboratory Services How long at MUSC Almost 9 years How are you changing what’s possible at MUSC I come to work ready to learn new ways in providing excellent care for patients.

Favorite music Gospel Favorite sport Softball Hometown Spring Hope, N.C. Something people don’t know about me I hate sarcasm but I tolerate sarcastic people.

Favorite Easter memory Reciting an Easter poem at church when I was 4 years old. I still remember it.

CM02-724378

Favorite holiday Easter

6 tHe Catalyst, April 6, 2012

Mobile technology rewires health care delivery W

caSe StUdy Brenda Brunner-Jackson, program manager in the College of Nursing, takes Juan Aguayo’s blood pressure.

W

ith his father on dialysis, and his mother recently having a kidney transplant at MUSC, Juan Aguayo knows the risks he faces. The 25-year-old has high blood pressure already.

Aguayo admits he has been frustrated staying on his medications, knowing that will help him avoid ending up with heart and kidney problems. It’s one of the reasons he volunteered for a mobile technology study targeted to help hypertensive patients be more compliant.

It’s a common problem. The World Health Organization reports that only about 50 percent of people typically follow their doctors’ orders when it comes to taking prescription drugs. That rate can be higher with chronic conditions, such as hypertension, known as a silent killer because many patients have no symptoms.

Brenda M. Brunner-Jackson, program manager, wraps a blood pressure cuff around his arm at a checkup at the Franklin C. Fetter Family Health Center on John’s Island. She helps track and counsel patients enrolled in SMASH or Smartphone Medication Adherence Stops Hypertension.

“So have you been taking your medications?” she asks.

She really doesn’t have to since she has readouts from his MedMinder, a computerized, medication dispenser, and his Bluetooth-enabled blood pressure monitor that he uses.

This time, though, Aguayo smiles, happy to discuss it. “It makes it easier to take. I open the right one and the flashing light will stop. It helps a lot,” he said. “Now it’s stuck to me. Now it’s a habit of doing it already.”

Aguayo knows if he doesn’t respond to the light, a beeping will start, and then he’ll get a call from a medical professional “coach” who helps him troubleshoot problems. It’s strong incentive to take the medicine on time. Aguayo said he actually got to the point he was standing over the MedMinder before the light started flashing. With the study ending, Brunner-Jackson set Aguayo up with a timer system on his cellphone so he can continue to get reminders.

Aguayo hopes to spread the news in his community about the dangers of high blood pressure. “If you can get help, get help. It can lead to dialysis and kidney failure. It’s simple to take control of it if you take the steps to train yourself.”

His parents are proud of him.

“They don’t want to see me go down the same road. It’s a wake-up call for me.”

caSe StUdy

hen the call approach was ideal went out to for him. “A book teachers at Jerry wouldn’t have Zucker Middle worked as well, if at School of Science all. That hands’ on about a “tension experience where tamer” study for you can have it is teachers who might much better for me qualify, Jack Sanders than a book.” thought he would Sanders said give it a try. it has been life As an 8th grade changing for him. resource teacher Instead of the 15 and tennis coach, minutes he was Sanders experiences supposed to spend many times where doing the app, he could use some Teacher Jack Sanders learns he loves he found himself to meditate through a study using tension taming by doing it for 20 or mobile health technology. the end of the day.

30 minutes.

To qualify for the “I had done no study, though, a person had to be premeditation before so it was an all new hypertensive. Sanders figured he wouldn’t experience. I was very skeptical at the make it through the screening since he’s beginning because I thought how is a young, slim and good about doing what he telephone going to monitor my blood can to stay in shape. pressure and tell me I’m ‘relaxing.’ This is Volunteering to be screened, he was just nuts. It doesn’t make sense.” shocked to find out that he did qualify for But work it did.

MUSC’s Tension Tamer proof of concept It opened his eyes to the dangers of study. He and two other teachers took part high blood pressure, a condition he didn’t in the study. think applied to him. “That was my Participants were asked to do something attitude. When I started going through Sanders, 27, didn’t know much about – this, I realized I may be young, but it can breathing awareness meditation. Sanders happen at any age. You have to be ready said he liked the technological approach for it.” of the study in that he would be using The best part is that Sanders now is a smartphone with a Tension Tamer into the habit of using the breathing app. The app tracks heart rate through meditation whenever he needs it. He photoplethysmography using the camera especially likes doing it when he gets lens on the phone to get a pulse from a home to disconnect from the day. Now person’s finger while the participant does that he knows how to do the breathing an audio-delivered breathing meditation. meditation, he doesn’t need the app.

Sanders’ favorite part, though, was how Instead, he did his own research and the app transmitted time-stamped heart found an app with soothing ambient rates from the session back to the servers noise. for real-time analysis. He loved the direct “I was able to take what I learned, apply physiological feedback that showed him it and even grow with it. I typically would that something as simple as breathing have a stressful day and go home and stew exercises could have such a dramatic on my stress, which adds more frustration impact on his heart rate and tension to my next day and I don’t sleep well at level. The app also included inspirational, night. coaching texts to encourage participants to “Now I realize I have to take time to be compliant in practicing. disconnect. If I don’t do that disconnect, An auditory kinesthetic learner, the my day never ends.”

The Catalyst, April 6, 2012 7

Expo promotes research visions

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Dr. Kristyn Zajac is doing a study about stress and parenting among teen mothers. It is sponsored by the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She is seeking mothers under the age of 20. Call 792-3354 for more information.

Hollings Cancer Center’s Clinical Trials Office was a newcomer to the expo .

eing the good sport that she is, Kelly Dillon reached her hand into the bin to gently lift up the brain.

Assisting in manning a booth at the SCresearch Expo held April 3 in the MUSC Horseshoe, Dillon wrinkles her nose squeamishly. She explains the brain donation coordinator, Nicholas Gregory, who usually displays the brain, has taken a break.

A bystander stops to admire and exclaims, “Ohh, that’s the real thing, isn’t it?”

Dillon nods, offering brochures about MUSC’s brain bank, the Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. Neuropathology Laboratory, which is dedicated to being the link between clinicians, scientists and pathologists involved in neuroscience research.

That’s what the expo is all about – helping clinicians, researchers and the public make connections, increasing research participation statewide. More than 100 studies were represented at the SCresearch Expo sponsored by the South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute (SCTR).

The studies displayed represented a wide spectrum of research including Alzheimer’s, diabetes, psychiatry and genetics. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness of the many research opportunities on campus and encourage employees and visitors to get involved.

Jenna Gillis, recruitment core leader for the institute, said she was pleased by the response. “I was optimistic leading up to the event, but what I didn’t anticipate was the magnitude of research volunteer response. Study team after study team reported interest in their research that far exceeded recruitment expectations. We have a great contingent of research supporters, and I’m so encouraged that SCresearch Expo helped them find the right study participation opportunities.”

Tara Novit-Thomas, Hollings Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office, said this is the first year that the office has participated.

“It was a wonderful experience. It was a great opportunity for folks to learn about the research studies going on campus wide for themselves or for their family and friends. There’s a lot happening in research here at MUSC and this expo was an effective way to get the word out about how we are ‘Changing What’s Possible,’” she said of MUSC’s brand campaign. “We look forward to participating next year.”

SCresearch.org is an online clinical research studies directory designed by SCTR specifically to help volunteers find studies in which to participate. SCresearch.org currently hosts clinical trials from MUSC and Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, but will be expanding to including other institutions in Health Sciences South Carolina.

Kelly Dillon, program assistant in Neurosciences, educates expo participants about MUSC’s brain bank. For more information, visit http://www.musc.edu/brainbank.

Participants could see the damages of smoking at this booth. The expo offers educational displays on health and chances for employees and the public to get blood pressure screenings.

8 tHe Catalyst, April 6, 2012

U.S. News & World Report has strong MUSC showing

Eleven MUSC programs ranked in top 100 spots for the U.S. News Media Group’s 2013 edition of America's Best Graduate Schools, published online at http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/ best-graduate-schools.

One of the 11 programs named, the MUSC pharmacy graduate program, ranked 26th, marking the school’s continued appearance on the annual ranking list.

“This ranking gives us good recognition for the program and for all the accomplishments of our faculty and students,” said Joseph DiPiro, PharmD, executive dean for MUSC's pharmacy program.

MUSC’s College of Nursing remained a top 50 nursing school, and both the MUSC College of Medicine (COM) and the College of Health Professions (CHP) demonstrated strong program showings and gains during the previous year.

“Once again, several of our programs have received national recognition for their excellence,” said Etta D. Pisano, M.D., vice president for medical affairs and COM dean. “We are honored to be ranked among the top 60 schools for primary care, research and statistics, and are proud to be ranked in the top 10 for our program in drug and alcohol abuse. These rankings reflect the commitment to excellence and high quality of our talented faculty, staff, trainees, and students.”

“This ranking gives us good recognition for the program and for all the accomplishments of our faculty and students.”

Dr. Joseph DiPiro As CHP Dean Lisa Saladin, Ph.D., predicted last year, the health care disciplines represented in her college are assuming an even more significant role in the provision of health care as health care reform is implemented.

She remains committed to maintaining the high quality that people have come to expect from CHP’s programs with the help of associate dean for student affairs Karen Wager, DBA. “We are extremely proud of our outstanding faculty, students and staff,” said Wager. “One hallmark of our academic programs is our focus on interprofessional education. Students learn to work together in interprofessional teams to provide coordinated, costeffective and patient-centered care. These skills are critically important in today's health environment.”

The following are all the MUSC programs and their 2013 rankings: Pharmacy (26th); Nursing (50th); Medicine — Drug and Alcohol Abuse (10th); Medicine — Primary Care (49th); Medicine — Research (57th); Medicine — Statistics (58th); Health Professions — Health Care Management (29th); Health Professions — Nursing Anesthesia (26th); Health Professions — Occupational Therapy (21st); Health Professions — Physical Therapy (51st); and Health Professions — Physician Assistant (25th).

Each year, U.S. News ranks professional-school programs in business, education, engineering, law and medicine. These rankings are based on two types of data: expert opinions about program quality and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students. These data come from surveys of more than 1,200 programs and some 12,400 academics and professionals that were conducted in fall 2010.

The indicators used in these rankings of business, education, engineering, law and medical schools fall into two categories: inputs, or measures of the qualities that students and faculty bring to the educational experience, and outputs, measures of graduates’ achievements linked to their degrees. Different output measures are available for different fields.

a Piece of civil war hiStory

photo by Tim Roylance, Digital Imaging

A member of the City of Charleston Police Department analyzes a Parrott shell that was found in the Horseshoe April 2. Educational Technology Services and Distance Education’s John Richardson found the shell while he was looking for electrical outlets for MUSC’s commencement. Explosive teams from the police department and the Air Force were called to the area. The shell, which was used for the Parrott rifle during the Civil War, was removed by Air Force personnel.

tHe Catalyst, April 6, 2012 9

MoBIle

Continued from Page One

technology applications.”

The options for mobile health care are limitless. This is telemedicine, but it also is about enabling patients to better monitor their health, he said. “We wanted to reach out to a lot of people and what we have found that one thing that a lot of people have irrespective of their socioeconomic status, their ethnic background is a smartphone or cellphone.”

A recent proof of concept study featured the app Tension Tamer. Many chronic diseases are stressactivated or worsened by stress, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and Type II diabetes. Treiber said the beauty of the Tension Tamer is that it takes breathing awareness meditation that is easy to learn and has been shown to be effective in lowering blood pressure and puts it into an app that patients can access easily Treiber anywhere. (See story on page 6).

Researchers figured out how to use the smartphone camera to do pulse readings while a person is doing the meditation app so they can get immediate physiologic feedback. Based on study results with school teachers, they found large reductions in resting and ambulatory blood pressures in prehypertensive adults, he said. Participants also reported a reduction in stress and anxiety and better ability to sleep.

The long-term goal is to have an app available on the Android and Apple cellphone markets.

“It’ll be one of the 16,000 apps that are out there for health care or wellness, but it will be one of the very few that has been empirically validated — that has been shown to be very feasible, usable and acceptable to those who are using it. The most important thing is that they maintain it. They keep doing it. We had high adherence rates to this twice a day, 10-minute sessions for three months, in part, because of the feedback they’re getting.”

Another success story is the pilot study called SMASH, Smartphone Medication Adherence Stops

The Tension Tamer app shown above teaches participants a breathing awareness meditation that is thought to help lower blood pressure.

The phone’s camera is used for pulse readings.

Hypertension, which involved Hispanic adults with uncontrolled high blood pressure. (See story page 6.)

One of the biggest problems that health care providers face is getting patients with chronic diseases to take medications properly. Thirty to 50 percent of patients do not take their medications as prescribed.

“It’s not just people who are elderly or on a large number of medications, either. It turns out this problem affects a wide range of ages and patients.”

With the SMASH study, patients were given an electronic medication tray with individualized compartments for each day’s dosages. The patient receives a series of alerts, including a bright flashing light at first followed by a loud chime and an automated phone call if the medication remains untaken. The patients also received a blood pressure monitor to take their pressures every three days. The readings are sent wirelessly to their smartphone and sent via internet to a secure computer. Their doctors receive summary reports of their patients’ pressures every two weeks and alerts if pressures are ever in a danger zone.

Initial results from the three-month trial are very promising, he said. Patients who received the devices exhibited a 95 to 100 percent adherence to their medication regimen. At the three-month evaluation, they showed a 17.9 mmHG reduction in their systolic

blood pressure across 24 hours compared to a less than 1 mmHG change among the control patients. They went from hypertensive, with a systolic resting pressure of 154 to being normotensive at three months with a reading of 127.5.

Additional patients now are participating. If the findings hold up, the technology center will apply for funding to test the SMASH program in a large sample of uncontrolled hypertensive adults, he said.

What the studies are showing is mobile technology’s ability to help people form and adhere to healthy habits. It also allows health care providers to address the issue of clinical inertia — when there’s too much time lag in doctors getting information they need to monitor a patient’s progress, such as being able to adjust a medication that still needs to be set at the right dosage.

“These mobile health technologies allow a doctor and a patient to be interconnected with each other 24/7. The doctor can monitor very readily with the technology that we have multiple vital signals – heart rate, pulse oximetry, glucose, weight. They can have all that processed and delivered to them.”

Another promising area involves using teleconferencing on mobile devices to connect health providers and patients.These innovations mean the possibility of better health care and more cost-effective monitoring.

“The health care team will be able to take care of them in the home environment without them getting so bad that all of sudden they end up in the ER. In the long run, these kinds of devices will help in the delivery of more efficacious and cost effective health care because we’ll keep people out of the ERs and the hospitals.”

Treiber, who is working on six ongoing projects, said he’s excited about finding ways to bring together the intellectual capital on MUSC’s campus with the innovations of mobile high-tech health care. He has projects with multiple collaborators in transplant surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, nursing and medicine.

“I saw the opportunity to come here and help bring this along as a way to improve the prevention and treatment of diseases that are ravaging the South and the nation.”

10 tHe Catalyst, April 6, 2012

Nominations for clinician, faculty awards being accepted

Nominations for the Outstanding Clinician Award and the Distinguished Faculty Service Award are being accepted by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost.

The Outstanding Clinician Award honors full-time faculty who have made contributions to patient care at MUSC. The Distinguished Faculty Service Award was enacted by the university

CUrrents Continued from Page Four

Nancy Hall, R.N., staff education coordinator, Janet Ward, R.N., community outreach coordinator and eight team nurses. Their mission is to assist victims of sexual violence by providing an immediate, compassionate and comprehensive forensic evaluation and treatment. Since its establishment, the team have treated 98 patients (May to December 2010); 174 patients (2011) and 30 (January to March). So far the team has assisted in two cases that went to

board of trustees to honor MUSC faculty members who have provided exceptional contributions in teaching, research, health care or public service to the university and South Carolinians.

The deadline is April 23 and should be submitted to Mark S. Sothmann, Ph.D., Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, 179 Ashley Avenue, Colcock Hall, MSC 002, MUSC.

court trial with successful prosecutions.

Throughout April, the group will be involved in events including Take Back the Night, April 12; Sex Signals Improv Group and a 5K Awareness Run at the Naval Weapons Station.

Announcement MUHA’s Center for Clinical Effectiveness & Patient Survey will conduct a Culture of Safety survey starting April 12.

eMployee Wellness According to recent research, people who exercise on work days are more productive, happier and suffer less stress than on non-gym days.

In keeping with our mission to improve health and maximize quality of life through education, research and patient care, MUSC Susan Johnson Employee Wellness seeks to implement an employee fitness program with the goal of improving physical fitness among MUSC employees, thereby increasing the health and quality of life of our community.

MUSC Moves is a physical activity campaign designed to provide programs that aim to address the challenges many employees face in being physically active at work.

During the month of April, employees will have many opportunities to engage in physical activity and exercise as well as learn about the benefits of physical fitness: q MUSC Employee Fitness Series — A variety of classes are offered free of charge to encourage employees to try new workouts, including circuit training at 4:15 p.m. on April 18 (Wellness Center) and the fitness fair including ZumbaFest on April 25 in the Horseshoe. q Lunch and Learns — Desk workout: Exercise bands from 12:15 – 12:45 p.m., April 11, 2W Classroom, university hospital q Desk workout — Yoga: 12:15 – 12:45 p.m., April 18, Room 103, Colbert Education Center & Library, Email musc-empwell@musc.edu to register.

Participants will receive a free exercise band. q Bike to Work Day – Ride your bike to work on April 12 to celebrate Earth Day. Stop by the table at Clyburn plaza from 6 – 9 a.m. for water and fruit. Free showers at the Wellness Center (bring your own towel). q Fitness Day — April 25 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Horseshoe. Employees will

Health at work

have an opportunity to try a variety of fitness activities including Zumba. Free classes and tours will be held all day at the Wellness Center.

Employee Wellness events q MUSC’s Pitch the Pack Program: Free smoking cessation program offered to MUSC employees and students.

Classes, counseling and a one-month supply of medications are available to eligible participants. Receive a success kit filled with gifts at enrollment. Enroll at http://ceii.muschealth.com/SCP/ SCPRegistration.aspx. q MUSC Garden Project: Lunchtime Work & Learn — Learn through working with the soil and seeds in the MUSC Urban Farm from noon – 1 p.m., April 11. Email musc-empwell@musc.edu for information and to register. q MUSC Garden Project: Afternoon Work & Learn — Learn through working with soil and seeds while planting in the MUSC Urban Farm from 4:30 – 6 p.m., April 11. Open to all MUSC employees, students and their families, email musc-empwell@musc.edu for more information and to register for this event. q Earth Day: From 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., April 12 in the Horseshoe. Highlights include live music, local food, eco-crafts and plants for your garden, electric vehicles (see the Nissan Leaf), bike helmets, bike registration and safety information and experts on composting, collecting rain water, saving energy, reducing waste and green tips. Door prizes include a home composter. q Mobile Mammograms: The Hollings Cancer Center Mobile Van will be conducting mammograms from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., April 18 behind the Clyburn Research Center off President Street. Call 792-0878 to schedule an appointment. q Farmers market: Fresh fruits and vegetables are available from local farmers from 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. every Friday in the Horseshoe and in the grassy area next to Ashley River Tower behind Charleston Memorial Hospital.

Email johnsusa@musc.edu to become involved in employee wellness at MUSC.

tHe Catalyst, April 6, 2012 11

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