Impact july 2017

UTMB NEWSLETTER • JULY 2017

Finding a nursing niche in Correctional Managed Care Best Care in Action: Curing ER wait times Nursing and medical staff bring graduation to student in UTMB Children’s Hospital Spotlight on Donna Sollenberger, Health System CEO

Rebecca Clayton, a nurse in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU), was one of six finalists nationally to be recognized by American Nurse Today, the official journal of the American Nurses Association, during its “Spirit of Caring” contest. Clayton was nominated by a patient’s daughter for the compassionate care she gave to the patient, who was recovering from liver transplant surgery. After the patient had spent five months on the unit, Clayton coordinated a team of fellow nurses, patient care technicians and therapists to allow him to spend a few hours in the sunshine to lift his spirits. The nomination letter said, “It was soup for the soul for him to have that experience after so many months of not being outside. There was so much trust that we had when Rebecca was there. We were able to rest well because we knew she would make sure he was being cared for…”

Nina Razo, an OR nurse at UTMB’s Angleton Danbury Campus, was voted as the #1 Nurse in The Brazosport Facts 2017 Reader’s Choice Awards. The newspaper published the announcement in the May 26 edition. Razo, who has been a registered nurse for eight years, graduated from UTMB School of Nursing’s RN to BSN program in May. Billy Russell, a nurse manager at ADC, said Razo has a “a passion to make things better, a commitment to values, a focus on innovation, the knowledge necessary to identify health care needs, and the skills to achieve goals and positive patient outcomes.”

Two UTMB physicians have been named 2017 William Osler Scholars in the John P. McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine. Dr. Lemuel Aigbivbalu, Department of Pediatrics, and UTMB alumnus Dr. Premal Patel, Department of Internal Medicine, were chosen for exemplifying the principles of highly competent, humane, compassionate, patient-centered care and teaching embodied by Sir William Osler.

Social Worker Lisa Moore and Josette George, a nurse case manager, recently received President David Callender’s Way to Go Award for advocating for an 83-year-old patient and making sure he was able to attend a family wedding. Working together, the two facilitated authorization from a discharge facility and insurance company for the patient, who was the patriarch of his family. Supervisor Rebecca Castro said, “It was important for the patient to attend the wedding, but not to lose his bed at the accepting facility.

With great teamwork, Lisa and Josette made it possible for this patient to attend.

We don’t just provide excellent health care—we also provide personalized care!”

UTMB employees Lanette Lashway, a trauma registrar, and Dr. Bing Liao, an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology, were presented with the National Association of Chiefs of Police Life Saving Award for their quick actions to assist an Island Transit passenger in distress. The two were onboard the bus from League City to the Galveston Campus when another passenger said she couldn’t breathe and quickly became unresponsive, collapsing in her seat.

Liao checked her vital signs and began CPR immediately. Lashway assisted by performing chest compressions, while Liao gave mouth-to-mouth. They performed CPR for several rounds until the Galveston EMS arrived on the scene.

Nominated for the award by UTMB Police Chief Thomas Engells, Lashway and Liao were recently honored with a certificate and medal for their extraordinary actions.

An overnight team from the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) was presented with a President’s Way to Go Award for ensuring all patients receive Best Care, no matter how busy they are. On a recent night, the team received an influx of critically ill patients in a short amount of time. Several nurses had to go to other units to help care for patients who required interventions, including the massive transfusion protocol (MTP) and rapid infuser. Dr. Callender was joined by Donna Sollenberger and David Marshall to present the award to Ashley Hinojosa, Olinka Zamora, Adam Barber, Audriana Sais, Brandon Martin, Janice Simpson, Mark White (Blocker Burn Unit), and Morgan Woodard. Rachel Murphy, clinical operations administrator, said “This was teamwork at its best… When one team member received a patient, the whole team received the patient. Everyone pitched in.”

Kathryn Cunningham, PhD, director of UTMB’s Center for Addiction Research and vice chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, was invited by the director of the National Institutes of Health to join a panel of experts to help identify scientific strategies for combatting the national opioid crisis. Specifically, Cunningham attended the meeting “Medications Development for Opioid Use Disorders and for Overdose Prevention/ Reversal,” which was intended to stimulate innovative directions in preventing and treating opioid use disorders and overdoses. The meeting was June 5 on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland.

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From the President The July 6 Town Hall meeting provided an opportunity to discuss several subjects, including the close of the 85th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature and its impacts on UTMB. UTMB’s state funding for the next two years was cut by $15.5 million over what we received last session (about 2.7 percent). Given the state’s significant budget challenges, we did as well as could be expected, thanks to our legislative affairs team’s tireless work on UTMB’s behalf. We have a solid plan for managing the cuts, and I appreciate everyone’s ongoing efforts to be as efficient as possible in fulfilling our mission.

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Best Care in Action: Curing ER wait times

During the meeting, we also provided an update on the growing success of our Best Care initiative; reviewed several construction projects in Galveston and on the mainland; gave a year-end financial projection showing that our continued hard work to manage expenses and increase revenue is seeing good results; and surprised three employees with President’s Way to Go awards (WTGA) for going above and beyond their everyday job duties. If you weren’t able to attend the Town Hall meeting, you can watch the full video and a brief recap at www.utmb.edu/townhall.

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Speaking of WTGA, this issue features “A Day in the Life” of Vincent Ong, a UTMB Correctional Managed Care nurse manager at the Ramsey Cluster in Rosharon. I was honored to give Mr. Ong a WTGA last year, when he demonstrated exceptional leadership evacuating employees and offenders following historic flooding of the Brazos River. Mr. Ong’s calm demeanor and willingness to step up during a time of emergency sets an example for us all.

High school graduation ceremony held for patient Page 5

Other stories in this issue highlighting our people are: • A profile of Donna Sollenberger, executive vice president and chief executive officer, UTMB Health System and the newly installed chair of the America’s Essential Hospitals board of directors • A Best Care in Action spotlight featuring the Emergency Department’s efforts to improve patient throughput and shorten length of stay • A research study that discovered a way to increase the effectiveness of a widely used cancer drug while decreasing the risk of heart-damaging side effects • Our School of Medicine commencement, where more than 200 degrees were conferred • A graduating SOM student who received the highest medical student honor, the Gold-Headed Cane Award • Tips on how to have a healthy summer by Blair Brown, registered dietitian nutritionist with UTMB’s Texas Transplant Center • Numerous accomplishments and kudos in the Working Wonders column and throughout the newsletter

Day in the Life: CMC nurse manager Page 8

Spotlight on Donna Sollenberger, Health System CEO

I hope you enjoy this issue, and please contact the Impact team if you have ideas for future stories.

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Dr. David L. Callender UTMB President

Impact is for and about the people who fulfill UTMB’s mission to improve health in Texas and around the world.

We hope you enjoy reading this issue. Let us know what you think!

ON THE COVER: Vincent Ong is nurse manager of the Ramsey Cluster, which consists of three Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison units in Rosharon, Texas. He oversees a nursing staff of about 50 UTMB-CMC employees who provide care to more than 4,300 offenders.

P R INT E D B Y U T MB G R A P H IC D ES IG N & P RIN TIN G S ERVICES

Vice President Marketing & Communications Steve Campbell

CONTACT US Email: impact.newsletter@utmb.edu Phone: (409) 772-2618

Associate Vice President Marketing & Communications Mary Havard

Campus mail route: 0144 U.S. Postal address: UTMB Marketing & Communications

301 University Boulevard

Galveston, TX 77555-0144

Editors KirstiAnn Clifford Stephen Hadley Art Director Mark Navarro

B EST CA R E I N AC T I O N

BY KIRSTIANN CLIFFORD

Crowding in the emergency room and long wait times seem to be the “norm” at hospitals across the country.

The department, which is on target to see about 45,000 patients this year, recently adjusted staffing based on the busiest days and times of the week, and holds But Christine Wade and her colquick meetings each day between leagues in UTMB’s Emergency nurses and physicians to “run the Department on the Galveston boards,” or review the status of Campus are working hard to each patient and delegate tasks. change that perception, from the Another initiative that has helped moment a patient walks through cut down length of stay involved the door to the moment they are working closely with the Departdischarged. ment of Pharmacy. By stocking a “How long it takes to get people medication-dispensing machine Christine Wade (right) and Pam Cruz (4th from left) with members through the ED is probably one of in the ED with commonly needed of the Emergency Department care team. the biggest dissatisfiers or satisdrugs, patients no longer have to fiers for patients and staff,” said Wade, director of Patient Care Services and wait for the central pharmacy to process each order and deliver medication assistant chief nursing officer for Emergency Services. “People come to the ED to the unit. thinking they will have to wait a really long time, but that doesn’t happen in our ED. We now average five minutes from the time you arrive to the time you are Wade and Cruz hope the ED team can keep up the momentum, and reach No. 1 for length of stay among EDs in the near future. When that happens, they will in a patient treatment area, which is an incredibly short number.” bring in a cotton candy machine to celebrate “how sweet it is.”

In fact, UTMB’s ED recently ranked No. 2 out of 44 reporting members for Emergency Department Length of Stay, according to the Vizient Vitals in Per- “Our staff is motivated by two things: food and competition,” laughed Wade.

“But seriously, it’s so important to celebrate every little success and milestone formance Q4 2016 results. reached. I’m so proud of the staff and their commitment to taking care of Whether being discharged home or admitted to a hospital unit, wait times patients as effectively and efficiently as possible.” n and length of stay in the ED have decreased—while patient satisfaction has increased. For example, ED patients who are admitted to the hospital now spend Galveston Campus recertified as Level 1 Trauma Center an average 5.2 hours in the ED (from the moment they arrive to when they leave The Galveston Campus has been recertified as a Level I Trauma Center to the appropriate hospital unit). That’s improved from 8.5 hours back in January.

In addition to her staff’s competitive nature, Wade credits several initiatives over the last few years for the improvements in patient throughput, including building partnerships with several inpatient areas to ensure patients get to their correct destination more quickly.

“Patient throughput in the ED is not just an ED problem, it is a hospital-wide problem because once the hospital starts backing up somewhere, it just spills down and you see it in the ED,” said Wade. “A lot of the work we’ve done has been collaborative with the whole hospital. We’ve really developed relationships with inpatient nursing, radiology, transport—it’s been a huge group effort to educate and communicate, and we are finally seeing the fruits of our success.”

Pam Cruz, ED nurse manager, added, “This is all about what’s best for our patients. Patients don’t want to wait—the ER is not the place for you if it’s been decided that you need to be admitted. If you are an ICU patient, the best place for you is the ICU. If you are a dialysis or transplant patient, the best place for you is on the transplant floor, not sitting in the ED. Plus, we need to make room because there are probably four other people waiting for your spot.”

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by the Verification Review Committee of the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons.

This achievement recognizes UTMB’s dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients. UTMB is one of only 19 Level I trauma centers in the state and one of four in the Houston-Galveston region. UTMB is also the only Level I trauma center in a nine-county East Texas service region.

“UTMB has a long history of taking care of patients after catastrophic disasters,” said Dr. William Mileski, chief of trauma services and co-director of the Emergency Department at UTMB’s Galveston Campus. “The reason we are still here and able to provide this high level of care is due to the hard work and dedication of the men and women who come in day and night ready for any emergency.”

UTMB was first designated as a Level I trauma center in 1999 and was considered one of the best in the nation. Hurricane Ike in 2008 caused UTMB to lose the designation, but the university officially regained its top level trauma center status in 2011 and has been continually recertified since then. UTMB’s Angleton Danbury Campus is certified as a Level IV Trauma Center.

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PAT IENT CARE

Let the celebration commence!

UTMB Children’s Hospital staff plan surprise high school graduation ceremony for patient

BY KIRSTIANN CLIFFORD

When young patients stay at UTMB Children’s Hospital, important milestones such as birthdays, last days of chemotherapy and even high school graduations don’t go uncelebrated.

So when Taylor Deluna, a senior at Ball High School in Galveston, became a UTMB Children’s Hospital patient for several days—including the day of her high school graduation— nursing and medical staff took notice.

you won’t be able to walk with your friends, but we want to make you feel extra special,’” said Perez. “She almost started to cry, and I almost did, too! But she got dressed, turned the corner, and we played ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ as she walked down the hall, which was lined with a large cheering section of doctors, nurses, residents and staff.

At the end of the hallway, her family was waiting with the big banner and diploma. It was awesome—everyone really pitched in and made it all come together.”

“The hospital can be an intimidating place for anyone, espeDeluna said the celebration lifted cially for children and teenagers, her spirits when she needed it so we want to make sure they most. feel special while they are here,” said Lizette Perez, a certified “I felt 10 times better. It was a Taylor Deluna holds her diploma after being surprised by child life specialist at UTMB. complete surprise to me—apparUTMB Children’s Hospital staff.

“When we found out Taylor was ently everyone was in on it except going to miss her high school graduation, we knew we needed to me,” laughed Deluna, who plans on attending Galveston Comorganize a celebration. It’s such an important day in any young munity College before applying to a university and pursuing a person’s life and Taylor was no exception.” journalism degree.

Perez and several colleagues, including Kathleen Lund, Eza Her grandmother, Debbie Gast, teared up just talking about Calzada, Jourdan Pea, Liz Kiamar, Sandra Andrews, Laurie the celebration.

Clendenen and Pediatric Nurse Manager Shana Steege, got “The look on Taylor’s face when she came walking down the hall— permission from Deluna’s family to put their heads together she was just glowing and smiling ear to ear—it was amazing,” to plan a surprise graduation.

Gast said. “The people who work here are so full of compassion No detail was overlooked: A banner was made and signed by and they really do care; I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere. all the nurses, doctors and staff. Organizers bought gifts and They are our extended family now.” cards and made a diploma. They ordered pizza. Sandra Low The celebration is something Deluna and her family won’t forget with the UTMB Campus Store even steamed-pressed a cap anytime soon, and neither will Perez and her colleagues, who and gown and donated a 2017 tassel for Deluna to wear on her were happy to make her graduation day special—no matter graduation walk down the hall. where it took place.

When it was time to reveal the surprise, Perez led Taylor to the other “I’m so glad Taylor felt special and honored because she deserves end of the hospital unit, where her cap and gown were waiting. to be recognized for all her hard work,” said Perez. “She is a “I told her, ‘We would like you to put this on because we know talented young lady and I know she will do great things.” n

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RESEARCH

New cancer drug makes commonly prescribed chemo drug more effective when given together B Y D O N N A R A M I R EZ

RESEARCHERS HAVE FOUND A WAY

to increase the effectiveness of a widely used cancer drug while decreasing the risk of heart-damaging side effects, according to a new study by researchers from UTMB and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. The findings are currently available in Scientific Reports, an online, openaccess journal from the publishers of Nature.

UTMB professor Satish Srivastava, PhD, found combining a newly developed drug with a drug used to fight numerous kinds of cancers makes it better suited as a colon cancer treatment. The widely used drug, doxorubicin, is effective in fighting cancer but can be toxic to the heart when higher doses are needed.

RES EARC H B R I E F S Compiled from press releases written by Donna Ramirez, Kurt Koopman and Christopher Smith Gonzalez. Find out more at www.utmb.edu/newsroom.

Researchers at UTMB may hold the answer to preventing premature cell death. According to Dr. Ken Fujise, head of UTMB’s cardiology division, the key finding of new research is that the protein fortilin plays a role in the death of cells that could help fight cancer or help preserve an organ that will be used in a transplant. The research found that just like a person, a stressed cell will do what it can to deal with the stress. First, the cell mounts responses to repair stress-induced damages. When the damage is beyond repair, the cell commits suicide through a process called apoptosis. However, when apoptosis occurs prematurely, the cell loses the opportunity to repair itself, leading to excessive organ damage. The study, recently published in Nature Communications, reports for

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the first time that fortilin protects stressed cells against premature apoptosis, providing the cells ample time to repair themselves. “By increasing fortilin in normal cells, we could strengthen an organ’s resistance against stress,” said Fujise. “For example, we could better preserve an organ being harvested for transplant against stress from the lack of oxygen and nutrition.” There could also be advantages to decreasing fortilin in cancerous cells, leaving cancer cells more susceptible to the stress of chemo and radiation therapies. Other authors include UTMB’s Decha Pinkaew, Abhijnan Chattopadhyay, Heather L. Stevenson, Yanjie Chen, Patuma Sinthujaroen, Zhihe Liu, Preedakorn Chunhacha and Matthew D. King, and Owen McDougal from Boise State University in Idaho.

Pei-Yong Shi, PhD, a professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UTMB, along with a team of researchers from the U.S. and China, have found the Zika virus may have undergone a genetic mutation that enabled it to become the serious public health concern we are battling today. In a paper published in Nature, the

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RESEARCH

The research, Srivastava said, shows that using aldose reductase, an enzyme, with doxorubicin reduces the toxins that can damage the heart.

The researchers have shown earlier that exposure to cancer-causing agents such as pollutants triggers oxidative stress, which is a driving source of cancer tissue growth.

The oxidative signals are also involved in growing the new blood vessels needed by the cancer tissues. An effort to decrease the oxidative signals is one of the reasons for the popularity of antioxidant-containing foods, beverages, skin care products and vitamins.

“We’ve shown that oxidative signals can be blocked by aldose reductase, or AR, inhibitors,” said lead author Srivastava, who is a UTMB professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. “If we could prevent development of the new blood vessels in the cancer tissue driven by these signals, tumor growth and metastasis can be slowed down or prevented.”

The researchers have been using an AR inhibitor called fidarestat to learn how well it prevents growth and metastasis of cancer. The drug has completed Phase II clinical trials in the U.S. and Phase III in Japan for preventing diabetic neuropathy and was found to have no major side effects.

researchers explain that Zika virus isolates from the recent outbreak in the Americas were much more infectious in mosquitoes than Zika virus isolates collected in Cambodia in 2010. The increase in the virus’s infectivity in mosquitoes was likely due to a genetic mutation found in a particular non-structural protein. The current study used well-adapted laboratory mosquito strains. Shi says the next step is to examine whether field mosquitoes could produce the same results. The researchers who participated in this work included scientists from UTMB and Tsinghua University in China, and other participants from the Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, the Southern University of Science and Technology, and the New York Medical College.

A range of technologies and devices, such as artificial limbs, hearing aids and wheelchairs, can make it easier for people with disabilities to work. However, lack of access to appropriate assistive devices make this harder and need to be taken into consideration, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Kenneth Ottenbacher, PhD, professor and director of UTMB’s Division of Rehabilitation Sciences in the School of Health Professions, served on a committee that studied how many and which people have access to and actually use assistive devices. In addition, the panel studied how much

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Doxorubicin is commonly prescribed to fight several types of cancers, including those of the breast and lung. It is also very cost effective, compared to other cancer drugs.

However, colon cancers become resistant to this drug so a higher dosage must be used for it to be effective. The higher dosages can be toxic to the heart.

“In the study, using human colon cancer cell lines, we showed that the growth of cancer cells can be largely prevented using a combination of both drugs in a petri dish as well as in mouse models,” said Srivastava. “Since doxorubicin is one of the cheapest drugs that is effective against many types of cancer but rarely used in colon cancer, the combination therapy could be highly effective in combating colon cancer while drastically lowering risk of cardiotoxic side effects.”

Srivastava said that since the FDA-approved fidarestat is available through a company in Japan, his eventual goal is to use a combination of fidarestat and doxorubicin to combat various forms of cancer, including colon cancer, with the hope that combination therapy will require less doxorubicin, and reduce the potential for toxicity.

Other authors include UTMB’s Himangshu Sonowal, Pabitra Pal, Jian-Jun Wen and Kota Ramana as well as Sanjay Awasthi from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health. n

the devices contributed to a person being successful at work. According to 2010 Census Bureau data, of the 56.7 million Americans who had some type of disability, only 41 percent of working-age individuals reported being employed, compared with 79.1 percent for working-age people without a disability. The report found many socio-economic factors have a big impact on access to assistive products and technologies and to health care providers who can properly outfit and train people in their use. In addition, which assistive products are available to people often depends more on their insurance policy than which device is their best option. n

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BY KIRSTIANN CLIFFORD

After moving to Texas from the Philippines nearly six years ago, Vincent Ong has found his niche.

As nurse manager of the Ramsey Cluster, which consists of three Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison units—Ramsey, Stringfellow and Terrell—Ong oversees a nursing staff of about 50 UTMB-CMC employees who provide care to more than 4,300 offenders. It’s a big responsibility—and he loves it.

“I brought my family to the U.S. in search of better opportunities,” he says. “Working in the correctional managed care environment isn’t for everyone, but it is for me—I’ve been able to use all of my nursing training and management skills.”

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LOCATED IN ROSHARON, a small town less than an hour south of Houston, you know you’ve arrived at the Ramsey Cluster when you reach a water tower at the end of a long two-lane road surrounded by farmland. The three units are less than a mile apart and Ong visits each facility every day.

I meet up with him on a hot and humid mid-June morning outside the security tower at the Ramsey Unit, which started housing inmates more than 100 years ago. He offers a warm welcome and immediately eases any nerves about entering a correctional facility.

“How are you this morning?” he says with a smile to the security guard at the tower as he puts his ID card into a bucket. The guard raises the bucket using a rope and pulley system to look at Ong’s ID and then lowers it. The two banter about the arrival of summer weather before the gate opens and we walk toward the front entrance.

Although the cluster doesn’t house offenders with the highest custody levels, security is top priority. In addition to showing his ID several times, Ong also records his “in” and “out” times and must wait for guards to open doors into the main hallways and medical area.

Ong greets the three physicians, nurses and administrative staff when he enters the medical unit. The morning is off to a busy start. Several offenders wait for appointments in a holding area and a security officer stands close by. I’m introduced to Stephen Hartman, a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) who gets to work every morning at 3 a.m. to start insulin injections for several hundred patients.

“Mr. Hartman comes in so early because diabetic offenders need insulin administered before they eat breakfast—and in prison, breakfast starts at 4 a.m.,” says Ong. “It takes two to three hours to finish all the shots and some patients line up for injections three times a day— before breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

Ong first started working at the Ramsey Unit as a charge nurse about two and a half years ago. With a strong background in nursing and management experience, he quickly rose to nurse manager. Ong steps in to provide clinical care when needed but devotes a much larger portion of his time to administrative responsibilities such as staffing and scheduling. He coordinates the nursing staff for Ramsey and Stringfellow clinics, which offer outpatient services and are open 15 hours a day, as well as the Terrell clinic, which is open 24 hours a day and includes 14 assisted-living beds. Among the three units, more than 250 patients are seen each day.

“The difference between working at Ong knows his duties don’t end at 5 p.m.— CMC and in the free world is really he often gets calls after hours if a nurse the security part,” he says. “Here, you calls in sick or has a patient or security issue. have to be very security conscious—you can’t get complacent.

Several weeks ago, we had an incident where a pair of scissors “When I stepped into this role, I knew it was a 24/7 commitment,” went missing in the clinic, so we literally locked down the he says. “As manager, I am fully accountable to the unit, my staff, entire medical unit until we found it. Fortunately, the scissors patients and other managers. My staff works 12-hour shifts in a had just fallen between a table and the wall, but we always stressful environment. If, in my position, I can address any issues they are having to make the workplace better, I’ll gladly do it.” have to be careful.”

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Before heading to the next unit, Ong sits down to go over employee timesheets and conducts a few annual employee performance evaluations. As he meets with staff oneon-one, it’s obvious that he’s genuinely liked. He received the CMC Nurse Manager of the Year award in March, and all employees, whether they are with TDCJ, UTMB or a contracting agency, have good things to say about him.

“In a correctional setting, nurses deal with a wide range of health care needs, including chronic conditions, injuries and infectious diseases,” explains Ong. “While we can handle a lot of different outpatient situations, sometimes an inpatient setting is more appropriate and the Angleton Campus is close by when a patient needs a higher level of medical attention.”

“I’ve only been a nurse for a year and a half, but Vincent has taken me under his wing and is always right there to help if needed,” said Timothy Hampton, LVN. “I’m learning a lot—he’s a great coach.”

Ong admits he’s attention-shy and points to his motivated, committed team who make it all possible— even during natural disasters. Last year, the cluster had to evacuate thousands of offenders for several weeks following historic flooding of the Brazos River. As an onsite leader, Ong and many UTMBCMC employees helped coordinate the transfer of patients and medications to relief facilities.

“We had a list of which offenders would be on each bus and had to look up their medications, pack them up and send them on the correct busses, so they had at least a seven-day supply,” says Ong. “The notice to evacuate happened so fast, but everyone came together and made it as seamless as possible. It was a team effort.”

Once the patient is transferred to EMS and the clinic quiets down, Ong spends the rest of his afternoon hopping between the Stringfellow and Terrell units to round with his staff and complete more one-on-one employee evaluations.

Ong with UTMB-CMC staff from Terrell (top), Stringfellow (middle) and Ramsey.

“It’s just that time of year— employee evaluations are due and I like to go over goals with each staff member,” he says. “It’s so important to keep staff motivated. I always try to focus on what people are doing right. Recently, I’ve been an avid fan of the ‘Going the Extra Mile,’ or GEM awards. Just last night, I gave four employees GEM cards because they came in on short notice and made sure we had adequate staffing.”

I part ways with Ong after accompanying him to the Terrell Unit, where he greets his staff at the nurses station. He’s found his niche, and hopes to encourage others to do the same.

Thankfully, disasters of that level don’t happen often. Ong notes that the Ramsey clinic is running smoothly and checks in with his colleagues before taking the short drive to the Stringfellow Unit. After getting through security and entering the medical area, he learns that an ambulance has been called to transport an offender to the emergency room at UTMB’s Angleton Danbury Campus.

“My favorite thing is being able to inspire people to be more and do more,” he says. “The staff here is very receptive and is always looking for ways to do things better. We provide great nursing care for everyone, it’s that plain and simple.” n Ong stands by as Timothy Hampton, LVN, gets an offender’s vitals.

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LEA D E R S POT L I GH T

Spotlight on Donna Sollenberger, executive vice president and chief executive officer, UTMB Health System Donna Sollenberger has served as executive vice president and chief executive officer of UTMB’s Health System since 2009. As CEO, she is responsible for providing strategic, operational and financial oversight for the health system, which includes a network of five hospitals, 70 clinics and a Correctional Managed Care program that provides health care to three-fourths of the state’s incarcerated.

Sollenberger has overseen an unprecedented expansion of UTMB health services, including the opening of the Jennie Sealy Hospital, League City Campus and its hospital, many new clinics throughout the region, and moving the Angleton Danbury Campus into the UTMB Health enterprise.

Under her leadership, UTMB has received numerous awards for increasing positive patient outcomes and achieved Magnet status for nursing excellence from the American Nurse Credentialing Center.

Sollenberger was recognized as one of the top 25 women in health care by Modern Healthcare magazine in 2007.

On July 1, Sollenberger was officially appointed board chair of America’s Essential Hospitals, which is the leading association and champion for hospitals and health systems dedicated to high quality for all, including the most vulnerable.

Sollenberger (middle) stands at the entrance to Jennie Sealy Hospital with Justin Sanchez and Cindy Jones, customer service representatives with Hospital Transportation Services.

Impact: First off, congratulations on your appointment as chair of America’s Essential Hospitals—that is a very big deal! What issues is the organization focusing on right now, and what do you hope to accomplish over the next year?

Donna Sollenberger: There are many critical federal legislative issues facing essential hospitals. As an advocacy organization, America’s Essential Hospitals organizes our collective response to those issues.

Three issues stand out among the many for which we advocate. The organization is very involved in responding to the proposed American Health Care Act, which would replace or modify the Affordable Care Act. It is critical that essential hospitals have a voice in shaping related policies, such as who will be covered under the act and how health care providers, especially hospitals and physicians, will be reimbursed for care of Medicaid patients. We want to ensure that more Americans have access to health insurance and care.

We are also active in advocating for the continuation of the 340(b) drug pricing program, which provides pharmaceutical drugs at a discount to hospitals that meet certain program requirements.

Finally, we are involved in advocating for how the Medicaid program will be structured in the future, including alternative payment systems that may evolve from programs such as the Texas 1115 Medicaid Transformation Waiver program.

[Editor’s note: UTMB anchors Region 2 of the Texas Medical Waiver program.]

Impact: This new role at the national level is in addition to your responsibilities at UTMB. As CEO of UTMB’s Health System, what do you find most challenging? Most rewarding?

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We had the opportunity to sit down with Sollenberger to talk about her new role leading the board of the national organization, her experiences at UTMB, and a few lessons she’s learned along the way.

DS: The greatest challenge is ensuring that we consistently and continuously provide access to high-quality, high-value health care to every patient, every time. If we efficiently and effectively deliver the safest, most patient-centered care, we not only see exceptional patient outcomes, but also lower costs. As a result, our finances most often improve.

When it comes to what I find most rewarding, I would have to say it is walking through the hospital and seeing our patients, visitors, staff and physicians.

Doing this reminds me why we are all here and why we work so hard. When I am immersed in any aspect of the patient care environment, whether in terms of direct patient care delivery or work done behind the scenes, it helps me re-center and get into a mindset that allows me to overcome any challenges I’m facing that day.

Impact: Speaking of delivering high-quality health care to every patient, every time, the Best Care initiative has been UTMB’s No. 1 priority for nearly a year. What do you think about the progress made so far, and is Best Care here to stay?

DS: I think the progress that UTMB has made in the Best Care initiative is nothing short of remarkable. I remember my thoughts when I first heard about everything it would take to accomplish this goal within 15 months. I knew becoming a top 20 academic medical center in the Vizient Quality and Accountability Study was possible, but given such a short timeframe, I was a little concerned about the amount of work we had to accomplish to get there.

When we reached 19th place at the end of only nine months, I was very happy, but not surprised. I believe in the resiliency, team spirit and “can do” attitude of everyone at UTMB—it is the reason we are so successful any time

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we set our minds to achieve a goal. Now we need to focus on maintaining and improving our position in the survey.

Impact: Now let’s go back a few years before you started working at UTMB. What was your first job ever?

Like so many of our achievements, Best Care is not a one-time initiative.

In the future, the health care industry will increasingly base payments to providers on their performance. Best Care and high value must be a way of life. Besides, don’t our patients deserve that?

DS: Other than the usual babysitting before the age of 16, which I did, I was a clerk in a grocery store. I worked at an IGA (Independent Grocers Association) in Springfield, Illinois.

Impact: You talk about Best Care and other strategic goals often in your weekly blog, the “Health System Friday Flash Report,” which has a large employee following. Have you always loved to write?

DS: I have always loved to write and to tell stories. In college, I realized how much I loved writing and reading complex literature. In fact, I loved it so much that I decided to change my major from pharmacy to literature. As a result, I became an English teacher who also had a ton of college credits in math and chemistry. In fact, when a chemistry teacher unexpectedly left the high school where I worked, the principal asked me if I would feel comfortable teaching that class in the fall, as well. I felt as if I had to say yes. Fortunately, they found a replacement just in time before the next semester started, so I did not have to do that!

Impact: Sounds like you could have taken your career in a variety of directions. Looking back over the years, what lessons have you learned that you are willing to share with readers?

DS: The first lesson came from my mother. She always believed in treating others with the care and respect they deserve. I have tried to live that advice my entire life. Everyone who works at UTMB is important. Titles really do not matter. What matters is that everyone who works here does their job well, and that they are treated with the respect and kindness they deserve.

I learned the second lesson from a patient. One day during the time I worked at MD Anderson, I was packing up my “homework” in my office. In my mind, it had been a pretty bad day, and I was in a pretty bad mood. I took the stairs down to the main lobby, and as I pushed open the door, I noticed a young family seated in the lobby, smiling and laughing. I could see the mother was a cancer patient. She wore a scarf on her head and was surrounded by the tubes connected to her IV pole. Anytime I start to feel I am having a bad day, I think about her and the many other brave and courageous patients and families I have met, and I put my issues into perspective.

The last lesson I learned was from my boss during my first hospital administrator job. He taught me the importance of getting to know the people that work with you. He told me that it is easy to lead when times are good, but when the going gets tough, you need to know people and they need to know you so that there is trust. They must trust you in order to follow you during uncertain and tumultuous times. That is a lesson that serves me well every day.

Impact: As someone who once majored in literature and loves a good book, what books are you currently reading?

DS: I am currently reading “Killing Kennedy” by Bill O’Reilly. My son gave me that book for my birthday. I love to read good fiction and historical fiction.

My favorite “mindless” reading author is Michael Connelly. My favorite historical fiction is by author Irving Stone.

Impact: What are three words that describe you?

DS: Determined, open-minded and impatient.

Impact: What do you like to do when you’re not at work?

DS: Spending quality time with my family is very important to me.

Impact: What is something you’ve wanted to learn but haven’t had the chance to yet?

DS: Electronic scrapbooking. Dr. Rex McCallum’s wife is an expert on this—I need to take some lessons from her!

Impact: What else would you like the UTMB community to know about you? What are you excited about now?

DS: I thrive on change. Said another way, I get bored easily doing the same thing over and over. I need new ideas, new ways of doing things and new projects in my life to stay energized.

I am looking forward to this summer because while we just went to Madison, Wisconsin to visit our son, Blake, and his wife and two children, we are going to San Diego to visit our other son, Brad, and his wife and daughter. My husband, Kent, and I are also going with our daughter, her husband and our grandson on an Alaskan cruise—this was the trip we had to postpone two years ago when I fell and broke my leg. I am excited to see another beautiful part of the U.S. n

Impact: You’ve successfully helped lead UTMB during some tough times and good times—helping to rebuild UTMB after the devastating effects of Hurricane Ike and overseeing an unprecedented expansion of UTMB health services. What do you consider your greatest success so far at UTMB? DS: There have been so many successes at UTMB since Hurricane Ike. Certainly, the miraculous way in which people rallied together to rebuild was amazing. While I am very proud of so many achievements UTMB has made since Ike, I think the day that stands out in my mind was the day that the University of Texas Board of Regents approved our plan to build the Jennie Sealy Hospital. At that moment, I knew we were back and our future was bright.

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Sollenberger and her husband Kent enjoy spending quality time with their growing family. The couple has three children and four grandchildren.

13

E D UC AT I O N

Congrats, Doc UTMB School of Medicine graduates more than 200

BY KURT KOOPMANN

REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE 225 graduates of UTMB’s School of Medicine end up working in a modern facility or one with just basic equipment, this year’s commencement speaker had some good advice.

do come true. Remember that where there is a will there is a way and you will reap what you sow,” he said.

Dr. Anita Mercado, associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine, carried the ceremonial mace during the commencement ceremonies. The mace-bearing tradition dates back to medieval times, when a mace-bearer would walk ahead to ensure safe passage of the leader of a cathedral, kingdom or university.

Dr. Juan Ramon Ortega-Barnett, a UTMB neurosurgeon and assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, addressed the 2017 class at this year’s commencement on June 3 at the Moody Gardens Convention Center in Galveston.

After completing his medical training, The ceremony also included the announceOrtega-Barnett lived for a year on a resment of several awards, including the ervation in the remote northern mountains introduction of this year’s Ashbel Smith of Chihuahua, Mexico, as the doctor for Distinguished Alumni Award winners: Dr. Ortega-Barnett shares some advice the Tarahumara people. Living with only Drs. Milton L. Routt, Jr.; R. Bruce Shack; with graduates. necessities and no communication with Ned Snyder III; Robert H. Squires, Jr.; and the outside world, he learned to practice medicine with very James R. Winn. The award is the highest alumni honor bestowed simple supplies. by the university’s School of Medicine Alumni Association and recognizes outstanding service to the medical profession “I would definitely recommend every graduate or student, if given the opportunity, to go and experience working as a doctor and to humanity. in an underserved area,” said Ortega-Barnett. “From my time with the Tarahumara, who are lovely people, I learned how to appreciate things that we take for granted, such as hot running water, a place to bathe, wash clothes, but above all I learned to appreciate things that really matter in life, like family and friends.”

The award honors the memory of Dr. Ashbel Smith, who arrived in Texas in 1837 and was instrumental in forming the Texas Medical Association. He was also a driving force behind the formation of UTMB in 1891. n

In his speech, Ortega-Barnett told graduates that persistence and hard work are worth it to be able to do what you love. After earning his medical degree and completing a neurosurgery residency in Mexico, he came to the U.S. Unfortunately, residency and specialty training conducted abroad are not recognized in this country, so Ortega-Barnett completed two additional residencies and a fellowship before becoming double boarded in neurosurgery. In all, he spent more than two decades training.

“Dream big, discover your passion, set your mind on a goal and work hard at it. Dreams The graduating class recites the Physician’s Oath, acknowledging their new responsibilities and affirming their pledge to moral and clinical excellence.

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EDU CATI ON

Baymon receives highest medical student honor:

The Gold-Headed Cane Award

BY KIRSTIANN CLIFFORD

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE GRADUATE DA’MARCUS BAYMON received

2017 Gold-Headed Cane Award Winner

this year’s prestigious Gold-Headed Cane Award—the highest honor bestowed upon a graduating medical student.

Da’Marcus Baymon

The award recognizes extraordinary dedication to the health and welfare of patients, and nominees are selected by their peers in the graduating class.

Being nominated for this award is an honor in itself, and honorable mention is given to the finalists.

“My time as volunteer coordinator for organiza-

The Gold-Headed Cane Award was established at UTMB in 1960 by the late Dr. Charles T. Stone, a UTMB alumnus and longtime chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. A gold ring engraved with the newest recipient’s name is added to the staff of the cane to commemorate the occasion. The cane is on permanent display in the Moody Medical Library.

The UTMB tradition honors the 18th century practice of presenting a gold-headed cane to the preeminent physician in English society. One such cane was continuously carried from 1689 to 1825 by five distinguished British physicians and now resides in the Royal College of Physicians in London.

tions on campus sparked the passion to want to continue giving back to the community … as a clinical physician. Helping others, domestic or foreign, has always been a core value that I hold dearly. Emergency medicine provides me with the opportunity to exercise that core value and treat every sector of the human race without regard to their affluence, nationality or education level with the dignity that every single breathing human being deserves.”

2017 Gold-Headed Cane Award Finalists Morgan Fisler Cesar Perez “In medical school, I have learned that the practice of medicine “Since 2014, I have dedicated a significant amount of time volunintricately weaves together science and art, knowledge and teering at the local student-run clinic, St. Vincent’s, a free medical ability. The science is complex and ever-evolving, demanding care facility that is run by medical students to serve uninsured a commitment to lifelong learning. The art, less easy to define, and indigent Galveston County residents… It fills me with a sense is where the unique situation of each individual patient must of purpose. I have learned a great deal from the patients I see be considered and reflected in decision-making. I have made and the challenges faced when working with uninsured patients. I had to navigate strides toward medical excellence during my medical career through a compas- patient assistance program websites to get medication for free or discounted prices and I contacted community programs and agencies to set up patients with counselsionate attempt to act with both components in mind, and I will continue to refine this skill, to love the art of medicine and humanity, during my time as a physician.” ing, colonoscopies and simple vaccinations. I gained experience teaching first- and second-year medical students while leading the patient care team.”

Atul Gupta James Truong “By being there for [Mrs. S] in times of need, a role that Family Medicine doctors can fulfill best, I have grown not only as a “During each of the clerkships that I participated in my third and health care provider, but also as a person. Too often, patients fourth year, I lived and breathed clinical medicine… I found that get lost in a sea of recommendations and medications (somemy rotation in Family Medicine was the most enjoyable. Only in times conflicting) prescribed by a multitude of sub-specialists, this specialty can one treat the father’s hypertension, recommend with no one to bring it all together. As a family physician, I will a screening mammogram for the mother and soothe a raging provide holistic lifelong care to my patients, integrating not only their medical episode of otitis media in their child within the same hour. My love treatments, but also their psychosocial environment and economic factors. I for continuity of care, holistic medicine and community leadership will be nourished by truly learned from Mrs. S, and through a career in Family Medicine, I hope to pursuing a career in Family Medicine. As a family medicine physician, I will continue be there for many more patients, and forge lasting relationships with them that to demonstrate compassion for patients, interest in clinical research and passion continue to enrich both their lives and mine.” for learning and teaching the art of medicine while practicing in the state of Texas.”

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15

Top tips for a healthy summer

By Blair H. Brown, registered dietitian nutritionist, UTMB Health Texas Transplant Center Summer is officially here! For many, the summer months mean vacations, swimming pools and outdoor barbecues. Below are some helpful tips to keep your health in mind while having fun in the sun.

1. Stay hydrated. Water is key! The general rule is to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. Not a water drinker? Try flavoring water with lemon, cucumber, mint or your favorite flavor pairings. Avoid sugary drinks such as concentrated fruit juices and sodas.

2. Wash your hands often. Avoid catching the dreaded summer cold.

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to eliminate the spread of germs. Pack disinfectant wipes or hand sanitizer for easy on-the-go hygiene.

3. Step it up. While on vacation, plan a hike or bike ride. Park further out from the pool entrance. Run through the sprinkler with the kids.

Wash your own car. These activities keep you moving and keep your heart rate up. However, exercise with caution in extreme heat. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the signs of heat stroke to keep you and your family safe.

4. Pack your own cooler. Instead of being tempted by fast food or unhealthy grab-and-go snacks, pack your own cooler with finger foods that travel well such as berries, popcorn, cheese sticks or veggies and hummus.

5. Eat outdoors safely. Melted ice is a sign that your food is no longer safe. Keep your cold foods at 40 degrees or cooler. Don’t let foods sit out for longer than two hours to reduce your risk of foodborne illness, and wash your hands before and after handling meat or other raw products.

6. Monitor alcohol intake. High in empty calories and low nutritional value, alcoholic beverages can lead to dehydration and overeating. If you do plan on enjoying an adult beverage or two, make sure you drink responsibly and have a designated driver. Consider drinking a glass of water in between each alcoholic beverage to help space out intake.

7. Visit a local farmer’s market.

Many communities now hold regularly scheduled farmer’s markets where local vendors sell their homegrown fruits, vegetables, jams and crafts.

These events are an excellent way to pick up some healthy summer bounty, support your local small businesses and provide learning experiences for children and teens in your family.

8. Fire up the grill. Instead of heading to the fryer, light up the backyard grill for a lower calorie meal preparation technique. Think outside the box—you can grill just about anything! Fish, pineapple, potatoes, peaches and squash are just a few tasty and nutritious ideas. n

PARTING SHOT

Say cheese!

Employees from the President’s Office (above) and TDCJ Hospital Galveston Units 6B and 6C were happy to strike a pose for “National Selfie Day” on June 21. UTMB’s Marketing and Communications office received more than 50 selfie photos from departments, clinics and campuses across the organization. To view the complete photo album, visit UTMB’s Flickr page at www. flickr.com/photos/utmb/ albums/.