WV Physician Magazine Volume 4, Issue 3

VO LU M E 4 • I S S U E 3 • 2 013

The Magazine for Health Care Professionals

Larry Rhodes

America’s Top Rural Doc

The Hands of Experience® in Minimally Invasive Surgery

Two da Vinci Si HD robotic assisted surgery systems

The only O-Arm imaging device in the Tri-State. The O-Arm is used by our neurosurgeons for real-time imaging during surgery. It improves safety for patients and reduces the amount of time spent in surgery.

“When I use the da Vinci system to perform minimally invasive surgery on my hysterectomy patients, they have less pain and recover more quickly. St. Mary’s is leading the way with a commitment to providing the latest technology for us in the operating room.”

Amber Kuhl, MD

“We have the most experienced surgeons in the Tri-State and they have access to the most advanced technology at St. Mary’s. That’s why patients choose St. Mary’s for their surgery needs.”

Tammy Nimmo, RN Director of Surgical Services

(304) 526-1087 • www.st-marys.org

Category Contents

COVER STORY

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Larry Rhodes

America’s Top Rural Doc

Features

Hospital News

6 Surgeon’s Specialized Training and Mother’s Instinct Saves Baby

CAMC hand surgeon offers relief for problems of the hands,

10 Cabell Huntington Hospital

wrists and arms

8 M organtown Ophthalmologist Recieves Prestigious AMA Award for International Influence

14 Charleston Area Medical Center 14 Davis Health System 16 Marshall University Medical School 20 Mon General Hospital 21 Ohio Valley Medical Center 22 Princeton Community Hospital 23 St. Joseph’s Hospital 23 St. Mary’s Medical Center

6 Although every precaution is taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials. WV Physician Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts expressed by its authors. ©2013, Austin Development Company, LLC dba WV Physician. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

27 Thomas Health Systems 28 University Healthcare 29 WVU Charleston 30 WVU Healthcare & Health Sciences Send press releases and all other related information to: WV Physician Magazine Post Office Box 11311 Charleston, WV 25339 Contact us at 866-844-7376, or submit via email to: info@wvphysician.net Visit us on the web at: www.WVPhysician.net Volume 4 - Issue 3 • 2013

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Cover Story Category

Larry Rhodes

America’s Top Rural Doc

By Danielle Conaway

R

ural West Virginia and the people who live among its rolling hills hold a special place in the heart of Larry Rhodes, M.D..

“Two of the countless gifts in my life are being born a West Virginian and a long association with the WVU Department of Pediatrics and its wonderful history,” Dr. Rhodes said.

A graduate of the WVU School of Medicine, Rhodes trained in pediatric heart care in Boston and joined the faculty at WVU for several years prior to accepting a faculty position at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. There, he gained national and international acclaim as a foremost expert in pediatric electrophysiology. To the surprise of his colleagues across the country, Rhodes left Philadelphia in 2006 to lead WVU’s children’s heart program.

Rhodes is now chair of pediatrics and physician-in-chief of WVU Children’s Hospital at Ruby Memorial Hospital.

“I am truly honored to be offered the privilege of serving as the chairman of pediatrics. I will do my very best to preserve the heritage of the department in taking care of the children of West Virginia and training the next generation of pediatricians,” he said.

Parents and families turn to WVU Children’s Hospital for hope and healing more than 7,000 times each year. Located on the 6th floor of Ruby Memorial Hospital, WVU Children’s Hospital serves patients throughout West Virginia, southern Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and western Maryland. Under Rhodes’ leadership, WVU Children’s Hospital is dedicated to the care of West Virginia’s children with more than 90 pediatric specialists and the only pediatric cardiac surgery program in the state.

Rhodes is also an asset to many rural providers throughout the state. Jill Cochran, a family nurse practitioner in Greenbrier County, calls on Rhodes frequently. “Having someone of Dr. Rhodes’ caliber with whom rural providers can consult is a wonderful resource in assuring excellent care of children in rural areas of the state,” she said.

This year, Rhodes was named the National Rural Health Association’s Rural Health Practitioner of the Year. April Vestal, associate director of the Institute for Community and Rural Health, nominated him for the award. In her nomination,

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she talks about how his “calm voice, graying beard and well-worn cowboy boots are familiar to hundreds of parents in rural West Virginia who have a child with heart disease or a congenital heart defect.”

“To have one of our leaders be recognized for his dedicated commitment to rural health is a huge honor, both for Dr. Rhodes as well as for us,” said Arthur J. Ross III, M.D., M.B.A., dean of the WVU School of Medicine.

Rhodes extends his expertise across the state through his many rural outreach efforts. Each summer, Rhodes volunteers at a camp he helped found called Camp Mountain Heart, a week-long gathering where his patients and other children with heart problems play and participate in fun activities under close medical supervision. Dr. Rhodes also travels the state holding outreach clinics for children with cardiovascular issues. In 2012, the WVU Institute for Community and Rural Health, which is under his leadership, enabled 400 students to complete 2,700 weeks of rural health training. To date, it has also provided $475,000 in scholarships to WVU dental and medical students in exchange for a commitment to practice in a rural West Virginia community in areas where healthcare professionals are needed the most.

“Because of what the state of West Virginia has given me, I feel an obligation to give it back to the state. This is where I want to be. This is where I need to be, and it’s where I belong,” Rhodes said.

WVU Children’s Hospital: Ruby’s Hospital-Within-a-Hospital Celebrates 25 Years in Current Location

By Angela Jones-Knopf

In a state the size of West Virginia, it’s safe to say that everyone knows someone whose life has been touched by WVU Children’s Hospital. For 25 years, it has called the sixth floor of Ruby Memorial Hospital home, and in that time, thousands of people have found hope and healing within its walls.

The origins of WVU Children’s Hospital date back to the old University Hospital, which had beds for children in different units. Babies were born on the fourth floor. Critically ill infants were admitted to the adult intensive care unit on the third floor, and general pediatrics occupied space on the sixth floor.

William Neal, M.D., pediatric cardiologist at WVU Children’s Hospital, didn’t plan to reVolume 4 - Issue 3 • 2013

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turn to West Virginia after graduating from the WVU School of Medicine in 1966. He just wasn’t sure the opportunity for a budding physician would present itself. But, after completing military service and residency and fellowship training, he found himself missing the mountains and the people of West Virginia. In 1974, the Huntington native came home and joined the WVU faculty.

The decision to return, he said, is one that he has never regretted.

officially opened. In less than three hours, 201 patients were moved from University Hospital to Ruby, including 11-day-old Jordan Oliver Fouch, the first WVU Children’s Hospital patient.

Neal and Polak recall moving day as one filled with excitement. “Ruby was a quantum leap in terms of improvement in facilities,” Neal said.

pital will allow WVU Children’s to expand both the NICU and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. In addition, WVU Children’s Hospital will have a dedicated entrance, lobby and elevator bank, making it easier for patients and visitors to access the sixth floor.

Cheryl Jones, R.N., director of WVU Children’s Hospital, said that no matter how many physical changes it undergoes, the

Eleven years after his return, Dr. Neal became chair of the WVU Department of Pediatrics. At that time, the need for a new hospital was becoming increasingly more evident. Rather than try to fix the multitude of problems faced by the decades-old facility, the decision was made to build a new hospital.

The original plans for what would become Ruby Memorial Hospital did not have all the pediatric units on one floor, Neal said. There was a general pediatrics unit on one floor, obstetrics on another floor and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was to be located with the adult intensive care units. In order for the new facility to be a step forward, everything needed to be on one floor. To that end, he lobbied for the hospital-withina-hospital design, and that’s how it ended up being built.

Mark Polak, M.D., chief of the WVU Section of Neonatology, remembers the first time he saw what is now WVU Children’s Hospital.

After graduating from the WVU School of Medicine and completing his residency training, Dr. Polak went onto fellowship train in neonatal and perinatal medicine at the University of Florida. His first look at WVU Children’s Hospital came when he was interviewing for a job with Neal.

“At that time, the hospital was not quite done, so Dr. Neal took me on a tour of what was basically the skeleton of today’s WVU Children’s Hospital,” Polak said. “He was very proud.”

On July 19, 1988, Ruby Memorial Hospital

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Jordan Oliver Fouch was the first patient moved into WVU Children’s Hospital on July 19, 1988. He was 11-days-old at the time.

In the 25 years since moving into Ruby, many things at WVU Children’s Hospital have changed. Construction projects have increased its footprint over the years, the delivery of healthcare has improved and students in various health professions programs have completed their training. Many of those graduates stayed to care for children from the state and region and many, like Polak and Neal, eventually found their way back home.

mission of WVU Children’s Hospital will always remain the same.

“This is a great place to work. The people and the patients are great,” Polak said. “West Virginians are great people. You can’t beat them anywhere.”

WVU Healthcare’s flagship hospital, Ruby Memorial, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. It opened on July 19, 1988, after a generous donation from Morgantown philanthropist Hazel Ruby McQuain. The anniversary celebration will continue through the fall, marking a quarter century of care for tens of thousands of patients.

Right now, WVU Children’s Hospital is in the midst of growing yet again. Plans to build a 10-story tower onto Ruby Memorial Hos-

“We’ve come a long way in 25 years, and we’ve got a bright future ahead of us,” she said. “The building may not look the way it did 25 years ago or even five years ago. But we remain committed to providing children from all over the state and region with the highest quality care possible.”

Ann Hammack Nurse | Medical Staff Office

Leading The Way The first graduating class of the Saint Francis Hospital School of Nursing in 1917 (left) in front of the first hospital building built in Charleston.

Ann Hammack (above, top photo) graduated from the School of Nursing in 1959 and still serves on the Saint Francis staff.

Wanda Allen Pha

rmacy Tech

Hospital Firsts In 1951, twenty white nurses walked out when the Sisters of Saint Joseph refused to discharge Ruth Anderson (photo in frame) and two other black nurses. Substitute nurses were flown in from other communities to cover for the twenty strikers and the three black nurses continued employment.

Six decades later, Ruth’s niece Wanda Allen serves on the Saint Francis pharmacy staff.

100 Years of Women Impacting Healthcare tney | Sister Barbara McCar Sister Virginia Yeager

Commitment In 1913, Bishop Patrick J. Donahue of the Diocese of Wheeling charged five Sisters with the challenge of overseeing Saint Francis Hospital.

Today, the Sisters of Saint Joseph continue to deliver healthcare to all people, doing so in a sensitive, compassionate, responsive and efficient manner.

stfrancishospital.com

Pediatric

Surgeon’s Specialized Training and mother’s Instinct saves baby

By Julia Noland

First-time mom Melissa Campos knew something was wrong with her newborn baby – even though doctors assured her that it was nothing serious and she was overreacting.

In late July at just 3 weeks old, Campos’ son, Benjamin, started severely projectile vomiting every time he tried to nurse or take a bottle. Until then, he had eaten normally and had been a perfectly healthy baby.

The pylorus is a muscular valve that holds food in the stomach until it is ready to pass to the intestine. Pyloric stenosis is a blockage of the pylorus, which prevents food from passing from the stomach to the intestine.

This causes a baby to vomit, often forcefully, and can lead to dangerous dehydration, weight loss, chemical imbalances and even death if not properly diagnosed and treated.

A physician’s assistant listened to Campos’

“It was the scariest thing I had ever seen,” Campos said. “Every baby spits up, but I was thinking that my child shouldn’t be vomiting like this.”

But the vomiting continued.

Then doctors suspected a formula allergy, so they changed Benjamin’s formula – six times. But nothing changed. In fact, the problem worsened. Not only was Benjamin continuing to vomit severely, he had also stopped urinating and was becoming increasingly weak.

So Campos and her husband called 911 in a desperate attempt for help yet again. Fortunately, the paramedic that took them to the hospital insisted on IV fluids for the baby, and a Google search ultimately pointed Campos in the right direction as to what could be wrong with Benjamin.

“I found something on the Internet called pyloric stenosis, and I told my husband, ‘this is it, this is what he has!’ He had every symptom – it just had to be it,” Campos said.

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“This is our only son, so putting him into surgery was horrifying,” Campos said. “But Dr. Maxwell made us feel at ease about trusting that he was going to do everything he could for our son, and he did.”

With his advanced fellowship training in pediatric surgery, Maxwell performs procedures like the pyloromyotomy using minimally-invasive techniques, whereas some pediatric surgeons perform the same procedure using open surgery.

Multiple visits to pediatricians and the emergency room over the course of a week and a half only resulted in growing concern and confusion.

First Campos and her husband were told Benjamin might have a milk allergy, so she stopped breastfeeding.

On Aug. 6, Maxwell performed a laparoscopic pyloromyotomy on 25-day-old Benjamin, which is a procedure using three tiny incisions, a camera and surgical instruments to open the muscles around the pylorus and allow food to pass from the stomach to the small intestine normally.

25-day-old Benjamin Alderman was hospitalized at Women and Children’s Hospital in early August after developing pyloric stenosis, which was corrected with surgery.

suspicions and tested Benjamin for the condition, which came back positive. Benjamin was immediately transported by neonatal ambulance from Camden Clark Hospital in Parkersburg to CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital where pediatric surgeon, Dr. Damian Maxwell, took over his care.

“At first we thought Benjamin would have to have traditional surgery where they cut his belly, and with him being so small we were very worried,” Campos said.

She and her husband were relieved to learn that Maxwell specializes in laparoscopic surgery, which involves smaller incisions, a

“When Benjamin arrived we did an ultrasound that confirmed he had hypertrophic pyloric stenosis,” Maxwell said. “His pyloric muscle was too thick and a little too long, which Two weeks after surgery, Dr. Maxwell gives Benjamin a clean bill of health. caused a gastric outlet shorter recovery and fewer complications. obstruction, so all the milk and formula he Maxwell completed his general surgery trainwas eating didn’t get past the stomach and ing at CAMC in 2006 and practiced with the caused him to vomit.”

West Virginia University Staff for five years

“If you feel it in your gut, keep going back,” Campos said. “Stomp your feet if you have to. If you get turned away, keep going back.”

For more information about pediatric surgery at CAMC, visit camc.org/pediatricsurgery.

ABOUT PYLORIC STENOSIS

Melissa Campos and Rick Alderman, from Calhoun County, found the most advanced care for their son, Benjamin, at Women and Children’s Hospital.

before completing a fellowship in general pediatric surgery at Montreal Children’s Hospital. Maxwell’s return to CAMC as a pediatric surgeon means more West Virginia children have access to the widest range of treatment options and the most advanced procedures at Women and Children’s Hospital.

“We only have a couple pediatric surgeons in the state, which was part of my motivation to get this training and return to the community to provide this service,” Maxwell said.

“I’ve always had a love for pediatric surgery.

Maybe I’ve just remained a kid at heart all these years!”

Maxwell understands the unique medical

needs of infants and small children, which is critical to diagnosing conditions like pyloric stenosis and treating them effectively.

“Children are not ‘little adults,’” Maxwell said.

“Their physiology is different, how they react to dehydration is different, and when they have problems often their heart rate will fall and they can have respiratory difficulty, which is also slightly different from an adult. They also have a limited amount of reserves, so once they get into trouble you have to act quickly.”

Maxwell immediately recognized the cause of Benjamin’s distress because of his advanced training.

“A lot of babies spit up, so it can be seen as just reflux, gastroenteritis or another type of infection,” Maxwell said. “But constant, real projectile vomiting, which is more forceful than usual spit-up, can be very dangerous.”

Thanks to a little research and a new mom’s instinct, Benjamin got the care he needed and went home the day after his surgery. Today he is a healthy, happy baby who is eating well and has fully recovered.

“He’s doing great,” Campos said. “His scars are smaller than one of his fingernails, and he’s back to being an absolutely perfect baby.”

Melissa Campos cradles her son who fully recovered from surgery and is now eating and gaining weight normally.

Campos’ advice to any parent who thinks something might be wrong with their child: trust your instincts.

Pyloric stenosis affects approximately 3 out of 1,000 babies in the United States.

• It’s about four times more likely to occur in firstborn male infants.

• Most infants who develop symptoms are usually between 3 to 5 weeks. It is one of the more common causes of intestinal obstruction during infancy that requires surgery.

• It is believed that babies who develop pyloric stenosis are not born with it, but that the progressive thickening of the pylorus occurs after birth.

• A surgical procedure called pyloromyotomy, which involves cutting through the thickened muscles of the pylorus, relieves the blockage and allows the baby to have normal feedings with no further surgery.

Symptoms generally begin around 3 weeks of age. They include: • Vomiting. At first it may seem that the baby is simply spitting up frequently, but then it tends to progress to projectile vomiting, in which the breast milk or formula is ejected forcefully from the mouth, in an arc, sometimes over a distance of several feet. Projectile vomiting usually takes place soon after the end of a feeding, although in some cases it may be delayed for hours.

Despite vomiting, the baby is usually hungry again and will want to eat soon. The symptoms can be deceptive because even though a baby may seem uncomfortable, he may not appear to be in great pain or at first look very ill.

• Changes in stools. Babies will have fewer, smaller stools because little or no food is reaching the intestines.

• Failure to gain weight and lethargy.

As the condition worsens, they are at risk for developing fluid and salt abnormalities and becoming dehydrated. Dehydrated infants are less active than usual, and they may develop a sunken “soft spot” on their heads, sunken eyes and their skin may appear wrinkled. Because less urine is made it may be more than 4 to 6 hours between wet diapers.

• After feedings, increased stomach contractions may make noticeable ripples, or waves of peristalsis, which move from left to right over the baby’s belly as the stomach tries to empty itself against the thickened pylorus.

Contact your doctor if your baby experiences any of these symptoms.

Source: www.kidshealth.org Volume 4 - Issue 3 • 2013

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Opthalmology

Morgantown Ophthalmologist Receives Prestigious

AMA Award for International Influence

By Samantha McClintock

Many physicians lead lives of purpose; selflessly placing others before them and deeply caring for the health and happiness of patients. V.K. Raju, MD, FRCS, FACS, a Morgantown, W.Va., Ophthalmologist, guides his life of purpose with a strong vision and an endless drive to see change in the world.

The private practice owner and clinical professor of ophthalmology at West Virginia University’s School of Medicine travels across the world, but not for extravagant gatherings and indulgent vacations. He travels, often at his own expense, to provide free eye care to people in need and to teach modern techniques to ophthalmologists.

The American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation took notice of Dr. Raju’s 34-yearcommitment to service and recently named him a recipient of the Dr. Nathan Davis International Award in Medicine, one of the Foundation’s Excellence in Medicine Awards. The Award, named for the founder of the AMA, recognizes physicians whose influence reaches the international patient population and changes the future of medical care.

“I’m honored to receive this award,” said Dr. Raju. “To be counted among some of the greatest physicians in the country is both humbling and inspiring. At the same time, I’m reminded of the Golda Meir quote, ‘don’t be humble; you’re not really that great.’”

For his community involvement, altruism, leadership and dedication to patient care, the AMA presented Dr. Raju with the Award at the Excellence in Medicine Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C., Feb. 11, 2013.The

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awards were presented in association with Pfizer Inc. as part of the AMA National Advocacy Conference.

cans, wounded refugees in Afghanistan and Iraq, and countless men, women and children in India.

The Award seems a perfect fit for Dr. Raju, whose work has touched people in more than 21 countries as well as Native Ameri-

Dr. Raju, a Rajahmundry, India, native, spent years conducting “eye camps” in his home country, watching as young children opened

their eyes to a colorful, inspirational world.

As the widespread need for eye care became more apparent, Dr. Raju’s vision grew. He created the Eye Foundation of America (EFA) in 1979 to expand his vision for eye care and to partner with similar organizations, maximizing his time, effort and plan.

Today, he and the Foundation focus efforts on preventable blindness due to Vitamin A deficiency. The Foundation built the Srikiran Institute in 1993 and the Goutami Eye Institute in 2005 in Rajahmundry, both of which have become global training centers for educational exchange programs. Combined, the EFA and its Institutes have advanced the visual health of 1.7 million people. They’ve performed 300,000 surgeries, 25,000 of which were on children, and have trained teachers to screen 100,000 school children for symptoms.

When awarding the international honor, the AMA took into consideration Dr. Raju’s extensive commitment to education and mentorship of both patients and physicians beyond the U.S. border. He serves as the director of the International Ocular Surface Society and the Ocular Surface Research and Education Foundation, as well as the medical director and past president of the EFA. Under Dr. Raju’s direction, the EFA provides workshops and fellowships for physicians and medical students throughout the world to educate and find better ways to prevent blindness.

Dr. Raju truly enjoys traveling to developing countries to volunteer his surgical services and teach advances in ophthalmology, but hasn’t forgotten the state he now calls home.

“Our foundation will focus on diabetes in the next five years, particularly in West Virginia,” Dr. Raju said. “We’re partnering with Mon General Hospital to educate people about the effects of diabetes.”

About VK Raju, MD, FRCS, FACS VK Raju, MD, FRCS, FACS, is the Founder and Medical Director of the Eye Foundation of America (EFA), a charitable organization that provides eye care in 21 developing countries to combat avoidable childhood blindness. For more than 30 years, Dr. Raju has led the EFA in providing free and subsidized treatment in remote areas and engaging in health education, practitioner training and research efforts that have advanced the visual health of 1.7 million people. Dr. Raju is also a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at

West Virginia University, and has established lectureships in various universities across the United States to advance medical education, history and ethics in medicine. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and of the American College of Surgeons; the American Academy of Ophthalmology awarded him 4 times for his teaching, research and humanitarian activities. He has presented more than 300 papers, 100+ publications and 12 book chapters.

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Volume 4 - Issue 3 • 2013

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Cabell Huntington Hospital News

Bunny Smith Named Hoops Family Children’s Hospital Executive Director Bunny Smith, RN, BSN, MBA, NE-BC, has been named Executive Director of the Hoops Family Children’s Hospital at Cabell Huntington Hospital. She has Bunny Smith, RN, BSN, worked in nursing at MBA, NE-BC Cabell Huntington Hospital since 1978 and in nursing leadership roles since 1986.

Smith had served as Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Cabell Huntington Hospital since 2005, and she is now focusing her leadership on the Hoops Family Children’s Hospital.

In her new role, Smith provides leadership, direction and administration to oversee operations of the Children’s Hospital to enhance the quality, safety and service provided for pediatric patients and their families, as well as identifying additional services and needs.

She will also oversee the ongoing transition to updated facilities on the fifth floor of Cabell Huntington Hospital.

The Hoops Family Children’s Hospital is a 71-bed children’s hospital within a hospital located at Cabell Huntington Hospital, a 303bed academic medical center in Huntington, West Virginia. Cabell Huntington is affiliated with the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and cares for patients from more than 29 counties throughout West

Virginia, eastern Kentucky and southern Ohio. The Hoops Family Children’s Hospital is a member of the Children’s Hospital Association and includes a 36-bed Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a 25-bed General Pediatrics Unit and a 10-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The facility is currently undergoing a $12 million renovation project to create the entrance and reconstruct the units for general pediatrics and pediatric intensive care. The Hoops Family Children’s Hospital is supported by Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine pediatricians and pediatric sub-specialists in neurosurgery, general surgery, neurology, infectious diseases, endogastroenterology, cardiology, oncology, neonatology and critical care.

Children’s Heart Specialist Joins Hoops Family Children’s Hospital and Marshall Pediatrics

Fellowship-trained pediatric cardiologist Jeffrey K. Harris, MD, now accepting new patients

Jeffrey K. Harris, MD

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Jeffrey K. Harris, MD, a fellowship-trained heart specialist for children, has joined the medical staffs at the Hoops Family Children’s Hospital at Cabell Huntington Hospital and Marshall Pediatrics.

Dr. Harris earned his medical degree at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, and he completed his fellowship training in pediatric cardiology at the Medical University of South Carolina and his residency training in pediatrics at the University of Virginia.

Dr. Harris is now accepting new patients in his offices at Marshall Pediatrics for the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric heart issues, including congenital heart diseases, heart murmur, acquired heart diseases, chest pain, syncope (fainting), abnormal heart rhythm and heart disease in young athletes. To make an appointment with Dr. Harris, please call 304.691.1300.

Cabell Huntington Hospital News

Fellowship-Trained Kidney Specialist Joins Cabell Huntington Hospital and Marshall Health

Neha Garg, MD, now seeing patients at Marshall Health and the Kidney Stone Program at Cabell Huntington Hospital Neha Garg, MD, a fellowship-trained specialist in kidney care and hypertension, has joined the medical staffs at Cabell Huntington Hospital and Marshall Health.

Neha Garg, MD

Dr. Garg completed fellowships in nephrology and hypertension at Cleveland Clinic and she completed her residency training in internal

medicine at Wayne State University in Detroit.

She earned her medical degree at B.J. Medical College in India.

Dr. Garg is now seeing patients to diagnose and treat kidney disease, including problems associated with kidney stones and resistant hypertension. Dr. Garg treats patients in the Kidney Stone Program at Cabell Huntington Hospital located in the J. Robert Pritchard Dialysis Center on the hospital’s campus and in her office at Marshall Internal Medicine.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Garg in the Kidney Stone Program, please call 304.526.4565. For appointments with Dr. Garg at Marshall Internal Medicine please call 304.691.1000.

To learn more about the Kidney Stone Program at Cabell Huntington Hospital, please visit www.cabellhuntington.org/services/kidney-stone-program.

Gastroenterologist Joins Cabell Huntington Hospital Digestive Diseases Center and Marshall Health Uma Sundaram, MD, provides wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures Uma Sundaram, MD, has joined the Cabell Huntington Hospital Digestive Diseases Center and Marshall Internal Medicine to provide a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic services for patients with diseases and disorders of the digestive system.

Dr. Sundaram is a fellowship-trained advanced interventional gastroenterologist and a leading translational investigator in research related to gastroenterology and cancers specific to gastroenterology. Dr. Sundaram joins the experienced medical staff of the Cabell Huntington

Hospital Digestive Diseases Center to offer a comprehensive range of services, including: • ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography): Diagnoses problems with the liver, gallbladder and pancreas.

• Spyglass and IEHL (Direct Visualization Cholangioscopy and Intracorporeal Electrohydraulic Lithotripsy): Evaluates abnormalities within the bile ducts including bile duct tumors and removes gall stones.

• Upper GI Endoscopy: Diagnoses and manages upper gastrointestinal tract disorders.

• HALO (radiofrequency ablation): Removes diseased esophageal tissue including Barrett’s esophagus and low grade esophageal tumors associated with it.

• Colonoscopy: A common procedure used to screen for colon cancer.

• Capsule Enteroscopy: A small, wireless capsule containing a camera that gathers pictures of the small intestine.

• CT Enterography: A quick, painless and accurate test that diagnoses and treats small bowel abnormalities.

• Small intestinal diseases: Care of patients with IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease), ulcerative colitis and Celiac sprue.

Additionally, Dr. Sundaram was recently introduced as the Director of the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center (ECCC).

To request an appointment with Dr. Sundaram, please call 304.399.6600.

Volume 4 - Issue 3 • 2013

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Cabell Huntington Hospital News

Cabell Huntington Hospital Unveils New and Expanded Burn Intensive Care Unit

State’s only specialized unit for burn care grows to 6 beds A new and expanded Cabell Huntington

The Cabell Huntington Hospital Burn

occur as the result of a burn. Physical and

Hospital Burn Intensive Care Unit (BICU)

Intensive Care Unit opened in 1981 with four

occupational therapists, dietitians, respiratory

was unveiled after 11 months of construction

beds and remains the only unit of its kind in

therapists, pastoral counselors and social

with features and space further enhancing the

West Virginia and the Huntington/Tri-State

workers work together with the medical staff

state’s only specialized hospital unit for people

area, treating patients who would otherwise

to help burn patients recover. Staff members

who suffer from severe burns.

need to be transported to similar units in

also provide outreach and education about

Pittsburgh or Cincinnati. The expansion helps

burn prevention and treatment techniques for

The unit relocated from the hospital’s fifth floor

meet the growing needs of the more than 350

community medical facilities and community

to the fourth floor and has grown to include

patients treated for burn injuries each year at

members.

six critical care beds and more than twice

Cabell Huntington Hospital.

as much space. The new $1.8 million BICU

For more information about the Burn

has upgraded equipment and technology

The BICU physicians and staff use a team

Intensive Care Unit at Cabell Huntington

necessary to provide advanced care for adults

approach to help burn victims, while

Hospital, please call 304.526.2390 or visit

and children with delicate burn injuries.

recognizing the complications that often

www.cabellhuntington.org/services/bicu.

Breast Cancer Services at Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center and Cabell Huntington Hospital Announce Additions to Enhance Care for Tri-State With the recent addition of a second 3D

cancer very early and scans can be performed

extended schedule goes into effect October

mammography unit at the Cabell Huntington

quickly. The Selenia® Dimensions® 3D digital

1, to coincide with local and national Breast

Hospital Breast Health Center and extended

mammography system from Hologic is the

Cancer Awareness Month activities that focus

hours for patient appointments at the Edwards

latest screening and diagnostic technology

on encouraging all women to have yearly

Comprehensive Cancer Center Diagnostic

available. Breast cancer screening with 3D

screening mammograms.

Breast Center, breast cancer patients will have

digital mammography offers an exceptional

greater access to care and all women who

diagnostic tool for physicians that supports

“Our goal at the Edwards Comprehensive

come to Cabell Huntington Hospital for a

more confident diagnoses and saves valuable

Cancer Center is to provide more, and better,

screening mammography will have access to

time, reducing the need for callbacks for

cancer care to our region and the addition of

3D technology.

additional imaging and can help patients get

3D technology and extended hours reflect our

results more quickly.

continued desire to provide an advanced level

To allow more women to be screened, Cabell

Also, the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer

MD, Director of the Edwards Comprehensive

Health Center recently added a second 3D

Center Diagnostic Breast Center will offer

Cancer Center at Cabell Huntington Hospital

digital mammography system for routine

evening hours for patient appointments

and Vice Dean for Clinical and Translational

mammograms because it provides benefits

with a breast cancer physician specialist

Sciences at the Marshall University Joan C.

including improved accuracy and detection,

on Mondays and Thursdays until 8 p.m.

Edwards School of Medicine.

clearer images, the ability to detect breast

to accommodate patient schedules. This

WV Physician

Hospital’s

of care to our citizens,” said Uma Sundaram,

Breast

12

Huntington

Cabell Huntington Hospital News Dr. Sundaram said the enhanced care for

and the School of Medicine are acutely aware

Screening mammogram appointments using

patients in technology and accessibility

of the need to provide state-of-the-art care to

3D mammography at the Cabell Huntington

further places the Edwards Comprehensive

our citizens and the recent developments, as

Hospital Breast Health Center are available

Cancer Center and the Joan C. Edwards

outlined by Dr. Sundaram, demonstrate our

during day and evening hours on weekdays

School of Medicine at the forefront of breast

commitment to providing such excellent care

and can be scheduled by calling 304.526.2270.

cancer care for the region.

to the region,” said Joseph I. Shapiro, MD,

For information about the Diagnostic Breast

Dean of Marshall University Joan C. Edwards

Center, please call 304.399.6556.

“The Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center

School of Medicine.

Prostate Cancer Patient at ECCC Receives Huntington/Tri-State Region’s First Dose of New and Promising Drug With hopes of easier treatments for his pros-

treatment takes about a minute to complete,

tate cancer and a longer life, Edwards Com-

making it convenient compared to other op-

prehensive Cancer Center patient Douglas

tions.

side effects in other organs.”

The Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center is the Huntington/Tri-State region’s most

Clapper became the Huntington/Tri-State region’s first recipient of the new cancer drug

“Having Xofigo available to our patients

comprehensive cancer center that includes

Xofigo®.

demonstrates the Edwards Comprehensive

specialists in areas of radiation oncology,

Cancer Center’s ongoing commitment to pro-

surgical oncology, medical oncology and he-

Radiation oncologist Andrew Freeman, MD,

viding the highest quality care available not

matology, orthopedic oncology, pediatric on-

administered the first dose of the intravenous

only in the Tri-State area, but on par with the

cology, surgical breast oncology, clinical trials

(IV) drug to Clapper during an afternoon ap-

leading cancer centers in the country,” said

and cancer research. It is located on the cam-

pointment at the Edwards Comprehensive

Dr. Aamir Hussain, a radiation oncologist at

pus of Cabell Huntington Hospital and the

Cancer Center (ECCC) at Cabell Huntington

the ECCC. “The drug specifically targets the

Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School

Hospital. The treatment is significant because

disease in the bone by mimicking calcium,

of Medicine, Visit www.edwardsccc.org to

Xofigo, also known as radium-223, is a revo-

thereby sparing healthy tissues and reducing

learn more. www.edwardsccc.org

lutionary cancer drug approved in May by the United States Food and Drug Administration and already showing great promise for patients. Dr. Freeman said it is useful specifically for patients with prostate cancer that has moved to their bones and has already proven to be the only therapy available to improve overall survival while also treating the pain caused by metastatic prostate cancer.

“Xofigo gives us a new and exciting option that is not chemotherapy for men with metastatic prostate cancer,” Dr. Freeman said. “It not only improves survival, it also improves quality of life related to their cancer pain and causes few side effects. This new treatment is very novel in that the radiation targets the cancer causing damage to the bone.”

Clapper will receive a total of six treatments with one occurring every four weeks. The

Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center Radiation Oncologist Dr. Andrew Freeman (right) and Tina Shoemaker, chief nuclear medicine technologist at Cabell Huntington Hospital (left) prepare Douglas Clapper of Huntington to receive the Huntington/Tri-State region’s first dose of Xofigo, a promising new drug to treat prostate cancer, during his treatment at the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center (ECCC) at Cabell Huntington Hospital.

Volume 4 - Issue 3 • 2013

13

CAMC News

Damian Maxwell, MD, FACS, has Joined the CAMC Physicians Group Pediatric Surgery Practice at Women and Children’s Hospital.

Dr. Maxwell returned to CAMC after completing his fellowship in general pediatric surgery at Montreal Children’s Hospital. He completed his general surgery training at CAMC in 2006 and joined the West Virginia University staff where he practiced for five years.

As one of few pediatric surgeons in West Virginia, Dr. Maxwell brings the highest level

of surgical care to children, with a special interest in minimally-invasive procedures.

He specializes in both complex and routine procedures including: hernias, congenital anomalies (congenital diaphragmatic hernia, esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula, abdominal wall defects, pulmonary pathology, tumors, intestinal atresia, anorectal malformations), minimally-invasive surgery (thoracoscopic surgery, laparoscopic surgery, lung resections, feeding tubes, chest wall deformity), fetal diagnosis and treatment (antenatal counseling, neonatal surgery),

childhood surgical oncology (neuroblastoma, Wilms’ tumor), head and neck surgery (lymphatic malformations, thyroid disease, branchial anomalies) and colorectal surgery (Hirschsprung’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease).

Dr. Maxwell’s office is located at CAMC Women and Children’s Hospital, 830 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 305, Charleston, WV 25302.

For more information or referrals call (304) 388-1770 or visit camc.org/pediatricsurgery.

Davis Health System News

Davis Memorial Hospital Honored for Community Value “The topic of hospital value is increasingly being discussed. Issues of pricing and community benefit have been well-publicized but little has been offered to measure the broad scope of value,” added James Cleverley, co-author. “In response, the Community Value Index was William Cleverley, Ph.D., a noted expert in created to provide an assessment of a hospital’s according to a new study. healthcare finance, co-authored the report, performance in four areas: financial strength which focuses on the U.S. acute-care hospital and reinvestment, cost of care, pricing, and Cleverley + Associates, a leading health care industry from 2009 to 2011. The Community quality. Fundamentally, the CVI suggests that a hospital provides value to the community financial consulting firm based in Columbus, Value Index is part of that report. when it is financially viable, is apOhio, released the ranking as part propriately reinvesting back into of its “State of the Hospital Industhe facility, maintains a low cost try – 2013 Edition.” Davis Memostructure, has reasonable charges, rial Hospital ranked among the top and provides high quality care to 20 percent of hospitals nationally 2013 Community Value Leadership Award Winner patients.” in the firm’s proprietary CommuDavis Memorial Hospital is a fivestar facility, among the top hospitals in the country, when it comes to providing community value,

nity Value Index.

“Davis Health System focuses on putting patients first, and we’re pleased to have that commitment recognized by Cleverley + Associates,” said Mark Doak, CEO of Davis Health System. “As health care

14

WV Physician

continues to evolve and change, our dedicated professionals know that providing quality care in a cost-efficient way is a must. We pledge to continue providing value to our community for years into the future.”

Community Value Five-Star ® Davis Memorial Hospital

For more information about Davis Memorial Hospital, visit www.davishealthsystem.org. For more information about Cleverley + Associates, visit www.cleverleyassociates.com

CAMC News

Dr. Jon Winkler joins DHS surgical staff After more than a decade with the U.S. Air Force, Dr. Jon Winkler and his family look forward to settling down close to home.

Dr. Winkler, M.D., Ph.D., joins Davis Health System’s surgical staff, with an office in Suite 103 at 911 Gorman Ave. He will be in a practice with Drs. Buchanan Dugan and Christine Edwards.

“My wife, Amanda, and I love being part of a close-knit community, and the Elkins area will be a perfect fit,” said Dr. Winkler, whose mother grew up in Keyser. His parents currently live in Mineral County. “My experience in the Air Force was invaluable and prepared me for a wide variety of situations, but it’s time for a transition to the private sector and Davis Memorial Hospital provides an ideal setting.”

The Winklers have four children, a son who attends Liberty University in Virginia plus a son and two daughters still living at home.

five different countries.

In addition to his medical training, Dr. Winkler plays the piano, keyboard and drums and served as a keyboardist and vocalist at Cinco Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. He also enjoys playing golf and tennis, as well as fishing and scuba diving.

“I’m really looking forward to building lasting

relationships with my patients,” Dr. Winkler said. “I appreciate the impact that we can have on people’s lives, and it’s my goal to ensure the best possible surgical care for all residents of the Potomac Highlands region.”

Dr. Winkler’s office is located in the Physicians Professional Building on the campus of Davis Memorial Hospital. For more information or an appointment, call 304.637.9302.

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Volume 4 - Issue 3 • 2013

15

Marshall University Medical School News

Marshall School of Medicine Researchers to Present Findings at American Heart Association Meeting

Eight abstracts accepted for scientific session on high blood pressure Researchers from Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, in collaboration with international partners in China and Italy and colleagues in the United States, will present their findings at the 2013 American Heart Association’s High Blood Pressure Research Scientific Sessions later this week in New Orleans.

“We are very pleased that all eight of our research abstracts were accepted for presentation at this world-class conference,” said Nader G. Abraham, Ph.D., Dr. H.C., FAHA, vice dean for research at the School of Medicine. “Marshall is truly expanding its medical research footprint and is being recognized at the international level.”

In making the announcement, Abraham said research from Marshall scientists and clinicians includes findings on heart disease, obesity, fatty liver, and hypertension.

“Much of our research here at Marshall is focused on the issues that plague our population in West Virginia and really the entire Appalachian region,” Abraham said. “For instance, the project that the dean, Joseph Shapiro, and I have been working on with researchers from Beijing and the National Institute of Environmental Health Science in North Carolina has found that there are small, special fatty acids that can improve heart attack mediated damage to prevent further damage, which may eventually lead to developments in new therapies and prevention.”

The following is a list of the abstracts that will be presented in New Orleans: • EET Agonist Improves Cardiac Energy Metabolism and Heart Function by Regulating Fatty Acid Oxidation and Oxidative Stress in Infarcted Myocardium, presented by Jian Cio, Chinese PLA General Hospital in Beijing in collaboration with

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WV Physician

Joseph I. Shapiro, M.D. and Nader G. Abraham, Ph.D., Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.

• CYP2J2 Targeting to Endothelial Cells Attenuates Adiposity and Vascular Dysfunction in Mice Fed a High Fat Diet by Reprogramming Adipocyte Phenotype, presented by Dr. Abraham in collaboration with Marshall researchers Komal Sodhi, Ph.D., Anne M. Silvis, Ph.D., and Shapiro. This study was the first to demonstrate that targeting the vascular endothelium (small cells that line the circulatory system) with human gene CYP2J2 in mice fed a high-fat diet actually decreased the fat and vascular dysfunction and improved metabolic parameters.

• Enhanced VEGF and ETS-1 Recruitment

by T Reg-Heme Oxygenase-1 Module Increases Blood Flow in Post-infarction Myocardium in SCID Mice, presented by Marshall cardiologist Ellen Thompson, M.D., along with Marshall researchers Robert Touchon, M.D., Larry Dial, M.D., Abraham and Shapiro. This poster presentation shows the beneficial role of the human gene heme oxygenase-1 in improving heart function and blood flow in immunodeficient mice after heart attack.

• Heme Oxygenase-1-mediated PPARδ Improves Cardiac Fibrosis and Inflammation in SCID Mice Via Induction of T Reg Cells, presented by Marshall researcher Robert Touchon, M.D., in collaboration with MU researchers Thompson, Sodhi, Dial, Abraham and Shapiro. This research is looking at the role of heme oxygenase-1 in improving kidney function in immunodeficient mice.

• Body Mass Index Exacerbates the Hypertension Mediated Increase in Endothelial Cell Sloughing and Suppression of Anti-

oxidant Heme Oxygenase-1, presented

by Marshall physician-researcher Ryan Stone, M.D. with Marshall researchers, David Chaffin, M.D., David Jude, M.D., Zeid Khitan, M.D., Dong Hyun Kim, Ph.D., Imran T. Khawaja, M.D., Abraham and Shapiro. Research is already available that shows being overweight (BMI >25) increases the risk for hypertension – but the mechanism for this development is unclear. This project is studying biomarkers in the bloodstream that contribute to vascular dysfunction.

•T argeting Endothelial Cells with HO-1 Attenuated Vascular and Adipocyte Dysfunction in Mice Fed High Fat Diet, presented

by Marshall School of Medicine research assistant Morghan S. Getty with Marshall collaborators Kim and Abraham looks at the role of heme oxygenase-1 in reducing obesity in mice fed a high-fat diet.

• HMOX1 Ameliorates Fatty Liver and Metabolic Syndrome by Reduction of Hepatic Heme and PGC1δ, presented by Marshall researcher Sodhi along with Marshall collaborators, Wade G. Douglas, M.D., Imran T. Khawaja, M.D., Dial, Shapiro and Abraham. This abstract reviews the beneficial effects of heme oxygenase-1 in reducing non-alcoholic fatty liver, a condition marked by the accumulation of fat in the liver.

• PPAR-δ Binding to Heme Oxygenase 1 Promoter Prevents Angiotensin II Induced Vascular and Adipocyte Dysfunction in a Model of Renovascular Hypertension, presented by Sodhi with fellow Marshall researchers, Zeid Khitan, M.D., Dial, Shapiro and Abraham. This research is studying the beneficial effects of heme oxygenase-1 in reducing obesity and hypertension.

Marshall University Medical School News

Marshall School of Medicine Associate Dean to Serve with National Medical Organization Dr. Darshana Shah, associate dean of faculty affairs and professional development with the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, has been selected as chair of the professional development and program subcommittee of the American Association of Medical Colleges’ Group on Faculty Affairs (GFA) committee.

The appointment follows her election as an at-large representative to the GFA’s Steering Committee earlier this year. The mission of the GFA is to build and sustain faculty vitality in medical schools and teaching hospitals.

“Dr. Shah’s commitment to guiding faculty members in their professional development and career pathways is absolutely terrific and I cannot think of a person more fitting

to serve in this position,” said Dr. Joseph I. Shapiro, dean of the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. “She is one of those individuals who always sees the glass half-full and is determined to find solutions in the complex world of medical education. We certainly are proud of her achievements, both here and on the national level.”

In addition to her role as associate dean, Shah is a professor of pathology and is an active leader within numerous other professional and educational groups. Currently, she serves as president of the Group for Research in Pathology Education, a national organization whose purpose is to promote and facilitate excellence in pathology education.

Shah will serve a three-year term on the committee and says she is eager to begin her new role.

Shah has received several teaching awards and is the faculty advisor to the JCESOM’s chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, an international group dedicated to compassionate medical care.

“Developing programs to assist and nurture faculty is an essential component of any medical school,” Shah said. “I am thrilled to participate as a JCESOM faculty member in designing added-value programs at the national level.”

Shah is the first from Marshall to be elected to an AAMC steering committee.

Shah graduated from the University of Maryland with a master’s degree in microbiology and earned her doctorate in biomedical sciences at West Virginia University before completing postdoctoral research work at the JCESOM.

Marshall School of Medicine Cardiology Fellow Wins Inaugural National Award Christopher Adams, M.D., a cardiology fellow with the department of cardiology, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, recently received the James Willerson Clinical Award Competition for Residents and Fellows from the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences (IACS). The award was established to promote, encourage and recognize young talents in cardiovascular science, medicine and surgery.

The award is named in honor of James T. Willerson, M.D., president and medical director of the Texas Heart Institute in Houston and current president of IACS. Adams was recognized for his research, “Perivascular Fat Relation to Hypertension:

WV-Appalachian Heart Study,” which he has been conducting for several years with faculty members Paulette Wehner, M.D., a professor of cardiology and senior associate dean for graduate medical education, and Nalini Santanam, Ph.D., M.P.H., a professor in the department of pharmacology, physiology and toxicology.

“Dr. Santanam and I are very fortunate to collaborate with Dr. Adams,” Wehner said. “The award is particularly important because Dr. Adams started the Appalachian Heart project as a medical student and has continued the work through his sixth year of post-graduate training.”

Wehner continued, “The work was partially funded through a translational research grant awarded by Marshall Health to promote research within our institution. According to

a recent Gallup Healthcare poll, the residents of the Huntington-Ashland Metropolitan area are twice as likely to suffer from a heart attack as the national average. We are hopeful that our research may help identify why we are having such a higher incidence of heart attacks in our area.”

Adams presented the findings at the Cardiovascular Forum for Promoting Centers of Excellence and Young Investigators meeting in Louisville, Ky. He was one of five international applicants invited to participate.

Adams is a graduate of the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Marshall as well. His future plans include an interventional and structural heart disease fellowship next year at the University of Kentucky.

Volume 4 - Issue 3 • 2013

17

Marshall University Medical School News Category

Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine Resident Elected to National Post Kimberly R. Becher, M.D., a family medicine resident in the Department of Family and Community Health at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, was recently elected to serve as the National Congress of Family Medicine Residents representative to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

Becher was elected to the national post by her peers at the AAFP’S National Conference

of Family Residents and Medical Students.

She will serve as the sole resident member on the AAFP’s board of directors representing more than 3,000 family medicine residents nationwide.

“Dr. Becher is the quintessential family doctor.

She is engaged with her patients, cares about her community and is always looking for ways to improve medicine,” said Dr. John Walden, chair of the Department of Family and Community Health. “I cannot speak highly enough of her dedication to improve the health care outcomes of West Virginians and others in the Appalachian region. She is an outstanding

ambassador for our school and our state.

Becher, who grew up in West Virginia and graduated from the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine in 2011, is in her third and final year of residency and serves as one of the department’s chief residents. Highly interested in health policy and reform advocacy, Becher also serves as one of Marshall’s Paul Ambrose Health Policy Fellows.

Following residency, Becher plans on working in Clay County for Community Care of West Virginia.

MIIR Scientist Awarded $293,000 NIH Grant Dr. Jingwei Xie, a senior scientist at the Marshall Institute for Interdisciplinary Research (MIIR), has been awarded a $293,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to lead a project to develop a technique that may improve surgical repair of rotator cuff injuries.

The project will combine the expertise of two research groups at Marshall University. Xie, who is an expert in bone growth and development, and his team at MIIR will be working with Dr. Franklin D. Shuler, associate professor and vice chair of research in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the university’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.

According to Xie, rotator cuff injuries are among the most common conditions affecting the shoulder and can occur from falls or repetitive motions like throwing a baseball.

Rotator cuff repair is also one of the most common orthopedic surgeries, with approximately 300,000 procedures performed annually in the United States alone.

He explains that rotator cuff surgery done with current methods has a failure rate that ranges

18

WV Physician

from 20-90 percent, due in large part to the manner in which the tendons are reattached to the bone. For this project, his team will combine principles of engineering and biomedicine to construct a new type of biological device that will better mimic an uninjured tendon-to-bone attachment, and ultimately result in improved healing.

“We are pleased to be able to take advantage of this opportunity to combine expertise from two research groups at Marshall,” Xie adds.

“My background in tissue engineering and Dr. Shuler’s extensive experience in clinical treatment of rotator cuff injury will allow us to do work that may very well improve the health and quality of life for individuals afflicted with these injuries. This research could also have a significant impact on the treatment of other, similar injuries of soft tissue-to-bone interfaces.”

The grant is from NIH’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

Dr. John M. Maher, Marshall’s vice president for research and the interim director of MIIR, extended his congratulations to Xie, saying, “This grant is quite an accomplishment for Dr. Xie and MIIR. His research in this area is showing great promise to improve human health and to produce patentable technologies. A

collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to translational research is the foundation of the success of this program and the participation of MIIR, the Center for Diagnostic Nanosystems at the School of Pharmacy, and the School of Medicine was key to securing this funding.”

Xie has more than 10 years research experience in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, biomaterials, nanotechnology and micro-/ nanofabrication, and has developed a number of projects related to biomedical applications, including neural tissue engineering, tendon-tobone insertion site repair and drug delivery.

He joined MIIR in January 2011. He and the other scientists at the institute are developing a focused program of biotechnology research dedicated to producing patentable scientific breakthroughs and creating new businesses based on those discoveries. In keeping with the institute’s goal to be self-sustaining, Xie is funded entirely through external sources. He is the co-inventor on five patents and has coauthored more than 40 peer-reviewed journal articles.

For more information about MIIR, which was created in 2008 through the state’s “Bucks for Brains” West Virginia Research Trust Fund, visit www.marshall.edu/miir.

Marshall University Medical School News

Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine Volunteer Faculty Member Awarded Teaching Honor Mathew Weimer, M.D., a family physician in Milton who completed a family medicine residency at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine (JCESOM), is among a select group of physicians honored by the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation for his commitment to education in the field of family medicine.

Weimer was selected to receive a 2013 Pfizer Teacher Development Award based on his scholastic achievement, leadership qualities and dedication to family medicine. He was nominated by colleagues in the Marshall Department of Family Medicine where he is currently a part-time instructor.

“Medical students benefit in their interaction with Dr. Weimer from the comprehensive care he delivers to his patients in the context of a practice enhancing its patient centeredness and as an attending physician with outstanding patient care skills,” said Dr. Mitch Shaver, residency program director for family medicine. “Dr. Weimer’s dedication to patient care as a resident physician was validated by superlative patient evaluations that reflected the ease at which he develops rapport and the high level of advocacy he displays for patients.”

Weimer earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Ohio (now the University of Toledo College of Medicine) and completed a residency in family medicine at JCESOM in 2008. He serves as a volunteer clinical faculty member with the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.

“I view teaching as an essential responsibility for physicians,” Weimer said. “I also enjoy working with budding health professionals;

they bring a fresh perspective to my practice and raise important questions as I make decisions about care. I hope to expose my students to the many joys and challenges of family medicine, at the core of which is the unique relationship that a physician is privileged to share with patients.”

This is the third consecutive year a Marshall University Family Medicine residency graduate has received the prestigious award.

In 2012, Dr. Jason Hudak was given the award and in 2011, Dr. Scott Davis was recognized.

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Volume 4 - Issue 3 • 2013

19

Mon General News

Unique mammography Unit at Mon General Hospital Creates the HighestQuality Breast Images in the Industry

Superior Digital Breast Images Mean Safer, More Accurate Biopsies

Mon General Hospital is one of only five hos-

raphy images, making it much easier to detect

The Fischer-Giotto stereotactic breast biopsy

pitals in the nation to offer the Fischer-Giotto

abnormalities at the earliest stages. This in-

system was approved by the FDA in 2012. It

digital breast imaging system for both mam-

creases the chances of breast cancer survival,

produces so-called “full-field” high-resolu-

mograms and breast biopsy. The unit pro-

since early detection is critical to successful

tion digital images that assist surgeons in deli-

duces the highest-possible digital mammog-

treatment.

cate biopsy procedures.

“Micro calcifications can be difficult to biopsy unless there is adequate resolution,” explained Joseph Migaiolo, M.D., Chief of Radiology at Mon General Hospital. “Breast images created

We Practice What We Teach West Virginia University Physicians of Charleston provides worldclass medical care to citizens of Southern West Virginia, while conducting ground breaking research and continuing education at one of the nation’s oldest regional medical education campuses.

Our providers are recognized leaders in their chosen specialties.

Our practice plan includes providers that specialize in everything from primary to specialty care and from pediatrics to geriatrics. In addition to practicing medicine, each doctor is on the faculty at the West Virginia University School of Medicine. As mentors in the medical field, dedicated to training a new generation of doctors, our physicians have a passion for knowledge that pushes them to learn more.

with the Fischer-Giotto help radiologists and surgeons visualize those tiny calcifications during biopsy for improved success. Previously used technology was often inferior to this task.”

Stereotactic biopsies are minimally invasive procedures, and thanks to the ultra-clear digital images produced with the Fischer-Giotto system, more patients can be candidates.

“With stereotactic biopsies, a local anesthetic is used, and the patient is awake during the procedure,” said Dr. Migaiolo. “This

As physicians and medical university faculty members, we are at the forefront of medical science. We are committed to delivering the most technologically advanced and compassionate care available.

minimally-invasive technique is most often

Our faculty physicians also conduct important research and use cutting edge medical advancements to improve patient outcomes.

that stereotactic breast biopsy can be used.”

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There are only five other Fischer-Giotto sys-

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desired, but only when it’s appropriate. Fischer-Giotto digital images increase the chances

tems in the US. The next nearest one is in Saratoga, NY. “Mon General Hospital has a long commitment of offering the very latest technology in women’s healthcare, from our Women’s Imaging Center to our gynecologic oncology treatment and surgery at the Zelda Stein Weiss Cancer Center,” said Darryl Duncan, Mon General System President and CEO. “As we mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are proud to be the only hospital in the region to offer this superior breast imaging system to our patients.”

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WV Physician

Ohio Valley Medical Center News

Ohio Valley Medical Center Receives National Outstanding Achievement Award from American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer Award recognizes cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing highest quality care to cancer patients.

Ohio Valley Medical Center (OVMC) was recently presented with the 2012 Outstanding Achievement Award by the American College of Surgeons’ (ACS) Dr. G.N. Reddy Commission on Cancer (CoC). OVMC is one of a select group of only 79 U.S. health care facilities with accredited cancer programs to receive this national honor for surveys performed last year.

OVMC’s program is the only program to receive this award in West Virginia this year.

The award acknowledges cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients.

OVMC’s cancer program was evaluated on 29 program standards categorized within one of four cancer program activity areas: cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical services and quality improvement. The program was further evaluated on eight commendation standards.

To be eligible, all award recipients must have received commendation ratings in seven commendation standards, in addition to receiving a compliance rating for each of the 29 other standards. “This recognition by the American College of Surgeons was four years in the making as we worked diligently to provide a quality program with top physicians and clinicians. We are very proud of this accomplishment,” said Dr. G.N. Reddy, Chairman Cancer Committee, Chief Radiation Oncologist.

quality cancer care at healthcare institutions throughout the U.S. In addition, it is intended to: • Motivate other cancer programs to work toward improving their level of care.

• Facilitate dialogue between award recipients and healthcare professionals at other cancer facilities for the purpose of sharing best practices.

• Encourage honorees to serve as qualitycare resources to other cancer programs.

• Educate cancer patients on available quality-care options.

“Having all board certified physicians in our cancer program sets us apart from other similar programs. Our physicians continually strive for excellence which in turn provides a top quality program for the prevention of disease, treatment and

care of our patients and overall exceptional medicine for our community. We couldn’t be more proud of our team for this award,” said Michael J. Caruso, President & CEO of OVHS&E, parent company of OVMC. Ohio Valley Medical Center, located in Wheeling, West Virginia, and East Ohio Regional Hospital, located in Martins Ferry Ohio, are a 340-bed, combined organization with more than 1,600 employees and provides the area’s only comprehensive behavioral and mental health services and board-certified emergency services on both sides of the Ohio River.

For more information, visit www.ovmc-eorh.com.

The purpose of the award is to raise awareness on the importance of providing Volume 4 - Issue 3 • 2013

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Princeton Community Hospital News

Princeton Community Hospital Introduces New Surgical System Now available at Princeton Community Hospital, the da Vinci Surgical System brings the most advanced robotic and computer technology to today’s surgeons.

and we are thrilled to be the first hospital in the area to provide this advancement in minimally-invasive surgery. The future is now at Princeton Community Hospital, and patients will no longer need to leave the community to experience the benefits of robotic surgery.”

In addition to Dr. Talug, other PCH physicians who are trained and certified on the da Vinci Surgical System are Gene B. Duremdes, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S.; Eric S. Hopkins, M.D., F.A.C.S.; and David A. Mullins, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S.

Specializing in cosmetic, oral and craniomaxillofacial procedures for 16 years.

James M. Henderson, MD, DDS, FACS Bruce B. Horswell, MD, DDS, MS, FACS Michael Jaskolka, MD, DDS David P. Wise, MD, DDS Minimally invasive surgery is now possible in a manner never before experienced. With the surgeon sitting at a console just a few feet from the patient, the da Vinci system translates the surgeon’s hand movements into corresponding micro-movements of the surgical instruments. The system provides unparalleled vision inside the patient’s body with natural depth perception, and magnification for more accurate tissue identification.

According to Dr. Can Talug, Medical Director of the Robotics Program at Princeton Community Hospital, “Robotic assistance allows the surgeon to perform precise and delicate surgery without the need for large incisions on the surface of the body. The patients typically experience less pain and bleeding as well as a shorter recovery time.

Some of the most difficult operations can now be done with the help of the da Vinci robot.

There is no question that the future of surgery involves the use of this robotic technology,

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Board certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

CAMC General Hospital Medical Pavilion 415 Morris St., Suite 309 Charleston, WV 25301

• Facial and cosmetic surgery • Facial and jaw reconstruction • Skin care programs/micropeels • Microdermabrasion • Laser treatment (304) 388-3290 • Hair transplants 1-800-348-6099 • Skin and mouth lesions • Oral cancer treatment CAMC Women and • Sleep apnea and snoring treatment Children’s Hospital • Orthognathic surgery Medical Staff Office Building • Cleft lip/cleft palate 830 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 302 • Misshapen heads Charleston, WV 25302 • Infant jaw lengthening (304) 388-2950 • Vein sclerotherapy 1-800-348-6099 • Dental and zygoma implants • Removal of teeth • Sedation/general anesthesia • Craniofacial trauma surgery camc.org/facialsurgery • TMJ reconstruction 25311-D13

St. Joseph’s News

St. Joseph’s Hospital of Buckhannon Awarded National Accreditation St. Joseph’s Hospital of Buckhannon was awarded The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for accreditation for its excellence in health care, in meeting the national standards for health care quality and safety in hospitals.

This accreditation assures its patients and community that they will continue to receive the highest level of healthcare at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

St. Joseph’s Hospital underwent a rigorous unannounced on-site survey earlier this year, being evaluated by an expert team of surveyors from the Joint Commission. They evaluated St. Joseph’s Hospital and its staff for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management.

“The ongoing organizational commitment made by so many, in order to achieve this nationally recognized benchmark, recognizes

that St. Joseph’s Hospital has achieved a standard of excellence vital to its core strategic initiatives related to quality and safety,” said Sue Johnson-Phillippe, President and CEO of St. Joseph’s Hospital. “Achieving this national standard is a testament to the dedication of the staff here at St. Joseph’s Hospital to provide excellence in healthcare,” “Not only did our Hospital receive national accreditation, our Home Care program also earned the Gold Seal for its dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards.”

“St. Joseph’s Hospital of Buckhannon has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for its patients,” says Mark Pelletier, R.N., M.S., executive director, Hospital Programs, Accreditation and Certification Services, The Joint Commission.

“Accreditation is a voluntary process and I commend St. Joseph’s Hospital for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its

standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves.”

The Joint Commission’s hospital standards address important functions relating to the care of patients and the management of hospitals. The standards are developed in consultation with health care experts, providers, measurement experts and patients.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, not-forprofit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standardssetting and accrediting body in health care.

St. Mary’s Medical Center News

St. Mary’s Medical Center and St. Mary’s Regional Heart Institute Recognized for Quality in Cardiac Care

Medical Center among first in nation to receive new designation for delivering quality and cost-efficient cardiac procedures Highmark West Virginia has recognized St. Mary’s Medical Center as one of the first hospitals in the nation to receive a Blue Distinction Center+SM designation in the area of cardiac care, as part of the Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care® program. Blue Distinction Centers are hospitals shown to deliver quality specialty care based on objective, transparent measures for patient safety and health outcomes that were developed with input from the medical community. This year, the national program

has added a new designation level, Blue Distinction Centers+, to recognize hospitals that deliver both quality and cost-efficient specialty care.

In 2006, the Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program was developed to help patients find quality providers for their specialty care needs while encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the care they deliver. To receive a Blue Distinction Center+ for Cardiac CareSM designation, a

hospital must demonstrate success in meeting both general quality and safety criteria (such as preventing hospital-acquired infections) and cardiac-specific quality measures (related to lower rates of complications and death following cardiac surgery; and non-surgical procedures, such as cardiac stent placement) and, additionally, must show better cost efficiency relative to their peers. Quality is key: only those facilities that first meet Blue Distinction’s nationally established, objective quality measures will be considered for Volume 4 - Issue 3 • 2013

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St. Mary’s Medical Center News designation as a Blue Distinction Center+.

St. Mary’s Medical Center is proud to be recognized by Highmark West Virginia for meeting the rigorous cardiac care selection criteria set by the Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program.

“The Blue Distinction Center+ designation for Cardiac Care validates St. Mary’s position as a leader in cardiac care in the Tri-State,” said Regina Campbell, RN, MSN, director of the St. Mary’s Regional Heart Institute.

“Our team of dedicated physicians and staff work collaboratively to ensure the delivery of quality outcomes for our patients. We are honored to be recognized with this designation.”

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming nearly 600,000 lives each year. Cardiac procedures, including bypass and cardiac stent placement, are among the most common major medical procedures provided by the US health care system, with more than 1 million procedures performed annually. These cardiac related procedures cost the nation more than $28 billion annually.

The Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program seeks to reduce this burden, by empowering patients with the knowledge and tools to find both quality and value for their cardiac care needs.

Research shows that Blue Distinction Centers+ demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients, with lower

rates of complications following certain cardiac procedures and lower rates of healthcare associated infections, compared with their peers. Blue Distinction Centers+ are also 20 percent more cost-efficient for those same procedures.

The Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program identifies hospitals delivering quality care in bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacements, spine surgery, and transplants. These specialty areas comprise approximately 30 percent of inpatient hospital expenditures. For more information about the program and for a complete listing of the designated facilities, please visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.

Venoy Named Educator for Joslin Diabetes Center Education Affiliate at St. Mary’s Heather Venoy, RD, LD, MA, has been named the cardiovascular and diabetes nutrition educator at St. Mary’s Medical Center.

Venoy will provide nutrition education,

counseling and support for participants of the Joslin Diabetes Center education affiliate, cardiac rehabilitation and the preventive health programs, including Drop 10 in 10 and the Spectrum.

Venoy has more than 15 years of experience teaching and developing programs in public

health as a dietitian and program support manager for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources Office of Nutrition Services.

For more information about the Joslin affiliate, call (304) 526-1253.

St. Mary’s Pain Relief Center First in Country to Provide New System for Chronic Pain Treatment St. Mary’s Medical Center’s Pain Relief Center has achieved another milestone by having the first surgeon in the country to implant a patient with a new neurostimulation system.

David L. Caraway, M.D., Ph.D., medical director for St. Mary’s Pain Relief Center and a member of the board of directors for the North American Neuromodulation Society, performed the surgery to implant Medtronic’s RestoreSensor® SureScan® MRI neurostimulation system. This system is the first and only implantable system approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the treatment of chronic back and/or limb pain that is de-

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signed for full-body Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) safety.

RestoreSensor Surescan MRI neurostimulation system.

Ongoing MRI surveillance is key to the treatment of chronic pain, as well as many other major health conditions, but patients implanted with these systems had previously been unable to have MRI scans or would have to have the implant removed for the scan.

Medtronic neurostimulation therapy uses a medical device placed under a patient’s skin to deliver mild electrical impulses to the spinal cord, which block pain signals from reaching the brain. The widely used, insurance-covered procedure can be used to treat patients who have had multiple back surgeries and other chronic pain.

“Now we can provide pain relief through the use of this system without worry of what happens when they need an MRI,” Dr. Caraway said. Dr. Caraway is one of only three surgeons across the country who have implanted the

For more information about the St. Mary’s Pain Relief Center, call (304) 525-7246.

St. Mary’s Medical Center News

St. Mary’s Medical Center goes live on the West Virginia Health Information Network St. Mary’s Medical Center is one of the first hospitals in the state to go live on the West Virginia Health Information Network (WVHIN)’s query-based Health Information Exchange. (HIE).

St. Mary’s joins eight other hospitals across the state that have connected with the WVHIN. WVHIN’s HIE allows participating hospitals

to electronically share patient health information with each other in a secure manner for treatment and public health reporting purposes. Benefits for patients include a reduction in duplicate tests, improved quality of care due to doctors having a patient’s most current medical information and access to critical life-saving information during emergencies (e.g., allergy information, current medications, blood type, etc).

St. Mary’s is connected to the WVHIN’s HIE through its own patient information portal, MyHealth. Launched in April, MyHealth allows patients and providers secure access to medical records electronically.

Patients can register for MyHealth by visiting the St. Mary’s website at www.st-marys.org and clicking on the MyHealth button.

St. Mary’s Welcomes New Advanced Telemedicine Robot St. Mary’s Medical Center has added a new telemedicine robot to its Intensive Care Unit to help physicians deal with emergencies that occur when they are unable to be at the medical center.

St. Mary’s is one of only eight hospitals across the country with the RP-VITA, the first FDAapproved telemedicine robot with AutoDrive technology.

The RP-VITA allows the physician to have access to a patient from anywhere in the country that has wireless Internet through a secure connection. AutoDrive uses infared and sonar technology to gauge its surroundings and

avoid obstacles. The software can also create a map of the unit, which keeps the physician from having to navigate the robot.

“It helps the physicians extend their reach,” said Christy Franklin, director of St. Mary’s Regional Neuroscience Center and Regional Orthopedic Center. “Now they can do routine rounding and can respond to calls in the emergency department even when they can’t be here.”

St. Mary’s Regional Neuroscience Center has already been using robots to treat stroke patients in rural areas that do not have neurology services available.

Todd Jimison, clinical manager of the St. Mary’s MICU, attends to a patient as Carl McComas, MD, neurologist with St. Mary’s Neurology, looks on through the eyes of H.A.T.T.I.E., St. Mary’s newest telemedicine robot.

After a hospital-wide naming contest, the RP-VITA is now being called H.A.T.T.I.E. or Highly Advanced Technology That Improves Efficiency. Angela Roberts, assistant director of Food and Nutrition Services at St. Mary’s, came up with the winning name.

For more information about the technology used at St. Mary’s, visit www.st-marys.org.

The staff and physicians of the St. Mary’s ICU welcome their newest team member, H.A.T.T.I.E., an advanced telemedicine robot.

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St. Mary’s Medical Center News

St. Mary’s Regional Heart Institute achieves Chest Pain Center re-accreditation St. Mary’s Medical Center Regional Heart Institute has received Chest Pain Center re-accreditation with PCI from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC), an international not-for-profit organization that focuses on transforming cardiovascular care by assisting facilities in their effort to create communities of excellence that bring together quality, cost and patient satisfaction.

As the only cross-specialty organization, SCPC provides the support needed for individual hospitals and hospital systems to effectively bridge existing gaps in treatment by providing the tools, education and support necessary to successfully navigate the changing face of healthcare.

To become an Accredited Chest Pain Center, St. Mary’s engaged in rigorous reevaluation

and refinement of its cardiac care processes in order to integrate the healthcare industry’s successful practices and newest paradigms into its cardiac care processes. Protocol-based medicine, developed by leading experts in cardiac care, to reduce the time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis and treatment are part of St. Mary’s overall cardiac care service.

“Being an Accredited Chest Pain Center shows the community that St. Mary’s is dedicated to the treatment of the cardiac patient,” said Regina Campbell, director of the St. Mary’s Regional Heart Institute.

St. Mary’s state-of-the-art heart care encompasses the entire continuum of care for the ACS patient and includes such focal points as dispatch, Emergency Medical

System, emergency department, cath lab, St. Mary’s quality assurance plan, and St. Mary’s community outreach program.

As an Accredited Chest Pain Center, St. Mary’s Regional Heart Institute ensures that patients who arrive at the hospital complaining of chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack receive the treatment necessary during the critical window of time when the integrity of the heart muscle can be preserved. By becoming an Accredited Chest Pain Center, St. Mary’s has enhanced the quality of care for the ACS patient and has demonstrated its commitment to higher standards.

For more information about St. Mary’s Regional Heart Institute, call (304) 526-6029 or (800) 9ST-MARY, ext. 6029.

St. Mary’s Family Care Center Hurricane Welcomes David M. Life, MD David M. Life, MD, has joined the staff of St. Mary’s Family Care Center Hurricane.

of Medical Examiners. He has over 19 years of experience in family, emergency room and urgent care.

Dr. Life received his MD from the West Virginia University School of Medicine. Dr. Life is board certified by the American Board of Family Practice and the National Board

To make an appointment with Dr. Life, call St. Mary’s Family Care Center Hurricane at (304) 397-3002.

Edwards Granted the Stroke Certified Registered Nurse (SCRN) Credential Jenny Edwards, RN SCRN, clinical nurse specialist at St. Mary’s Medical Center, has earned Stroke Certified Registered Nurse (SCRN) certification through the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing (ABNN).

The SCRN credential formally recognizes the

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attainment and demonstration of a unique body of knowledge necessary for the practice of stroke nursing. Through this credential, ABNN recognizes nurses who demonstrate the attainment of this knowledge though successful completion of the certification exam.

“This is a huge accomplishment,” said Christy Franklin, director of St. Mary’s Regional Neuroscience and Orthopedic Centers. “The SCRN is a new certification and Jenny is one

of the first nurses in the nation to accomplish this goal.”

The ABNN is the independent, not-for-profit corporation established to design, implement and evaluate a certification program for professional nurses involved in the specialty practice of neuroscience nursing.

For more information about the Regional Neuroscience Center, call (304) 526-1184.

Thomas Health Systems News

Thomas Health Systems Welcome: Will McCormick, M.D. Specializing in Orthopedic Surgery Dr. McCormick received his medical degree from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada and completed his residency at the University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada.

Dr. McCormick has completed fellowships in Vancouver, Canada and Aukland, New Zealand. He is fellowship trained in arthroscopy

of the shoulder, elbow, hip and knee, as well as arthroplasty and complex trauma of the shoulder and elbow.

Dr. McCormick lives in Charleston with his wife and two children.

Dr. McCormick is now accepting new patients of all ages, including adolescents, with orthopedic-related issues at Thomas Health System’s Orthopedic Healthcare Associates, with locations at 415 Morris Street, Suite 104 in Charleston, and 1399 Hospital Drive in Hurricane. 304-343-4691

Mohammad Rana, M.D. Specializing in Neurology Dr. Rana completed his neurology residency at University of CaliforniaDavis Medical Center.

Dr. Rana practiced neurology in California for 12 years, and has been practicing in Massachusetts for the past 6 years, where he served as Chief of Neurology at Steward Carney Hospital in Dorchester.

In his spare time, Dr. Rana enjoys hiking and kayaking.

Dr. Rana is accepting new patients at Saint Francis Hospital’s Medical Office Building, South, 331 Laidley Street, Suite 602 in downtown Charleston. 304-414-4850

Andrew Schwartz, M.D. Specializing in Gastroenterology THS Physician Partners is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Andrew Schwartz. Dr. Schwartz focuses on the treatment of abdominal pain, inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer screenings, esophageal disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, and celiac disease, in addition to non-surgical, non-invasive hemorrhoidal banding.

Dr. Schwartz graduated magna cum laude from Duke University, and received his medical degree from New York Medical College. He attended Thomas Jefferson University for residency, before completing his fellowship in gastroenterology at Northwestern University. For the past 16 years, Dr. Schwartz practiced as a partner at West Chester G.I. Associates, P.C. in Pennsylvania.

Dr. Schwartz is accepting new patients at 331 Laidley Street, Suite 503 in downtown Charleston. 304-988-4690 Volume 4 - Issue 3 • 2013

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University Healthcare News

Pathologist Joins University Healthcare Tiffany L. Harper, MD, board certified pathologist, has joined University Healthcare Physicians and the medical staffs of Berkeley Medical Center and Jefferson Medical Center.

Dr. Harper is an Assistant Professor in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at West Virginia University. She recently moved to the Eastern Panhandle from the Morgantown

campus, where she worked in the Department of Pathology.

A 1998 graduate of WVU with a degree in chemical engineering, Dr. Harper earned her medical degree at the WVU School of Medicine. She also completed her clinical training in anatomic and clinical pathology at WVU. Dr. Harper is board certified by the American Board of Pathology and the National Board of Medical Examiners. She is a member of the

American Medical Association, American Society for Clinical Pathology, College of American Pathologists and West Virginia Association of Pathologists.

University Healthcare Physicians (UHP) is the faculty practice plan for the WVU School of Medicine Eastern Division. All UHP physicians are WVU School of Medicine faculty members. Currently, there are over 50 physicians practicing in 22 locations in Berkeley and Jefferson County that are a part of University Healthcare Physicians.

Jefferson Medical Center Laboratory Receives Accreditation from College of American Pathologists University Healthcare officials announced that Jefferson Medical Center’s laboratory has been awarded accreditation by the Accreditation Committee of the College of American pathologists (CAP), based on the results of a recent onsite inspection.

The laboratory’s director, Jeffrey A. Stead, MD, was recently advised of this national recognition and congratulated for the excellence of the services being provided. Jefferson Medical Center is now one of more than 7,000

CAP-accredited laboratories worldwide.

The CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, begun in the early 1960s, is recognized by the federal government as being equal to or more stringent than the government’s own inspection program.

During the CAP accreditation process, a team of inspectors examines the laboratory’s records and quality control procedures for the past two years. CAP inspectors also examine

laboratory staff qualifications, as well as the laboratory’s equipment, facilities, safety program and record, in addition to the overall management of the laboratory.

This stringent inspection program is designed to specifically ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients. More information about Jefferson Medical Center can be found at www.wvuniversityhealthcare. com. More information about the CAP can be found at www.cap.org.

University Healthcare Physician Leader Awarded Certification The Certifying Commission in Medical Management (CCMM) recently designated Lauren B. Cianciaruso, DO, vice president of medical affairs at University Healthcare Jefferson Medical Center, a Certified Physician Executive as endorsed by the American College of Physician Executives.

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The CCMM awarded Dr. Cianciaruso the status of Certified Physician Executive for educational achievements, demonstrated stature as a physician, and experience in the field of medical management. The CPE designation indicates that a physician has achieved superior levels of professional excellence and management education, while also demonstrating effective knowledge and leadership skills.

Dr. Cianciaruso joined Jefferson Medical Center in July 2012 as vice president of medical affairs with over 20 years of healthcare experience. She is board certified in family medicine and has been practicing since 2001.

She also serves as an assistant professor with the WVU School of Medicine, and a staff physician with University Healthcare Physicians.

University Healthcare News “We congratulate Dr. Cianciaruso on her recent designation as a Certified Physician Executive,” stated Christina DeRosa, PhD, chief administrative officer at Jefferson Medical Center. “This is clearly an honor and we are proud to have her as a part of our Executive Team and medical staff.”

Dr. Cianciaruso holds a doctor of osteopathic medicine from NOVA Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and

completed her residency in family medicine at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. She has practiced medicine in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

medical staff. She also served as an assistant professor with the WVU School of Medicine and a faculty member for the WVU Rural Family Medicine Residency program.

Prior to joining Jefferson Medical Center, Dr. Cianciaruso served as the chief medical officer at Healthworks of Northern Virginia in Leesburg. Before that, she practiced at Harpers Ferry Family Medicine and was a member of the Jefferson Medical Center

“Dr. Cianciaruso is a wonderful role model of an accomplished front-line physician stepping up to achieve the training and expertise to become a leader in our healthcare system,” stated Konrad C. Nau, MD, Dean of the WVU School of Medicine-Eastern Division.

University Healthcare at Home Designated Cardiovascular Pioneer University Healthcare at Home, a member of WV University Healthcare System, was recently named a “Cardiovascular Pioneer” by the Home Health Quality Improvement (HHQI) National Campaign, which is an initiative of the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The Pioneer designation is awarded to home health agencies that make a commitment to helping patients lower their risks for heart attacks and strokes. “University Healthcare at Home is participating in the quality improvement and reporting initiative because the health and well-being of our patients is our number one priority,” stated Judy Hockman, system director of outpatient clinical services for University Healthcare.

Participating agencies implement patientcentered programs to improve aspirin therapy, blood pressure control, cholesterol management and smoking cessation (known as the ABCS of cardiovascular prevention).

They also agree to report statistics to the HHQI campaign, which tracks progress locally and across the nation through its Cardiovascular Data Registry pilot project.

through improvement of the health care system.”

“We are committed to high quality care for our patients and are pleased to be helping the HHQI National Campaign to prevent heart attacks and strokes,” said Laura Williams, PI coordinator for University Healthcare at Home. “As a Cardiovascular Pioneer, we will also be measuring our progress and helping contribute to better care for patients, better health for our communities, and lower costs

Since 2007, the HHQI National Campaign has been dedicated to improving the quality of care provided to America’s home health patients with evidence-based tools, timely data reports and a wealth of ongoing educational opportunities for home health agencies. For more information about the campaign its Cardiovascular Pioneers, visit www.homehealthquality.org.

University Healthcare at Home is a Medicare certified and Joint Commission accredited home health agency that provides nursing, physical and occupational therapy, home health aide and medical social services to patients in Berkeley and Jefferson counties.

WVU Charleston News

WVU Charleston Is Pleased to Announce the Association of Dr. Beth Bloom Emrick Specializing in Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Dr. Emrick is the only Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician in the state. She sees children with ADHD, Autism

Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Learning Disorders, School Problems, and other developmental delays and behavioral problems.

Dr. Emrick can be reached using the following contact information:

Dr. Emrick will be seeing patients at 830 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 104

Phone for Appointments: 304-388-1552

Email: beemrick@hsc.wvu.edu

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WVU Charleston News

WVU Charleston Is Pleased to Announce the Association of Karinna H. Andrews, D.O. Specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology

For referrals or consults, call the back line at 304.388.1516

Dr. Andrews is welcoming new patients at our clinical location at 830 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 110

Dr. Andrew’s pager number is 304.361.0046 Email: Kandrews4@hsc.wvu.edu For appointments, call 304.388.1515

Dr. Gregory Rosencrance to Leave WVU Charleston for Cleveland Clinic in Florida Gregory Rosencrance, M.D., interim associate vice president and dean of the WVU Charleston Division, has resigned his post to become chair of the department of medicine and center director of the Medicine Institute at Cleveland Clinic in Florida.

“WVU, WVU Charleston and CAMC have been an incredibly important part of my professional and personal life,” Dr. Rosencrance said. “My family and I are grateful for the many professional and personal friendships that we have developed through the years.”

Rosencrance has been on the WVU faculty since 1991. WVU Chancellor for Health Sciences Christopher C. Colenda, M.D., M.P.H., said he’s especially grateful for his leadership in recent months in his interim position.

“Dr. Rosencrance has provided exemplary service to the University and the people of Charleston throughout his professional career,” Dr. Colenda said. “While his patients will miss him, this move reflects very favorably on the caliber of healthcare we have been able to deliver in collaboration with CAMC and our other clinical partners in the Kanawha Valley.”

Colenda said the search for the next permanent leader of the Charleston campus will continue without interruption. WVU has engaged the national search firm Witt/ Kieffer to assist the local search committee in recruiting from a national pool of academic health leaders.

“Our priority is to ensure a smooth transition for all of our educational, research and clinical activities in Charleston during the period between Dr. Rosencrance’s departure and the completion of the search process,” Colenda said.

Rosencrance’s resignation will be effective sometime before the end of the year.

WVU Healthcare & Health Sciences News

Healthy Babies Program Recognized Nationally Since 2000, the Kohl’s Healthy Babies program at West Virginia University Children’s Hospital has been bridging the gap between the hospital and the community by supporting expectant mothers, new mothers and their families. Now, the program is garnering national recognition for its unique and innovative efforts.

During the recent American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) National Magnet Conference in Orlando, WVU Healthcare Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer

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Dottie Oakes, R.N., M.S.N., accepted a 2013 Magnet Honors Award that acknowledges the Kohl’s Healthy Babies program.

“This award recognizes cutting-edge research, practices, services, technologies, programs or other exemplary innovations with demonstrated positive outcomes at credentialed Magnet organizations,” Oakes said. “It gave me and the WVU Healthcare team great pride to accept this award in front of 7,500 of our colleagues.”

The Kohl’s Healthy Babies program at WVU Children’s Hospital provides year-round community education and outreach focused on infant illness and injury prevention. Orchestrated by Christine Haufe, R.N., community health nurse clinician at WVU Children’s Hospital, families are provided education through follow-up phone calls after the birth of a baby, community-sponsored events, group classes, one-on-one education or use of the program website.

“Through this program, parents and families

WVU Healthcare & Health Sciences News receive information on child development, nutrition, injury prevention, shaken baby syndrome, sudden infant death syndrome, car seat safety and immunizations,” Haufe said. “It is great to be recognized for helping families across West Virginia.”

WVU Hospitals is the only Magnet hospital in West Virginia, according to the ANCC. WVU Hospitals received the original award for excellence in nursing services in 2005, was

re-designated in 2009 and is currently undergoing a rigorous re-evaluation.

The Magnet Recognition Program recognizes healthcare organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing philosophy and practice by adhering to national standards for improving patient care, leadership and sensitivity to cultural and ethnic diversity.

sixth floor of Ruby Memorial, WVU Healthcare’s flagship hospital – provides maternal, infant and pediatric care for West Virginia and the surrounding region, giving care to high-risk mothers, premature infants and children with life-threatening conditions through adolescence to adulthood. It is the only Children’s Miracle Network hospital in West Virginia. For information on WVU Children’s Hospital, see www.wvukids.com.

WVU Children’s Hospital – located on the

Dr. Hannah Hazard Named Chief of WVU Surgical Oncology Hannah W. Hazard, M.D., has been appointed chief of the West Virginia University Division of Surgical Oncology

by Don K. Nakayama, M.D., M.B.A., chair of the WVU School of Medicine Department of Surgery. Dr. Hazard has been a member of the department for six years and is board certified in general surgery.

Hazard attended Dickinson College for her undergraduate education and earned her

medical degree at WVU. After a surgical residency at WVU, she completed a fellowship in breast diseases at Northwestern University in Chicago. Hazard returned to WVU as a faculty member in the Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology.

Surgery, when necessary.

Focusing on benign and malignant disease of the breast, Hazard is an integral part of the multidisciplinary team of physicians and healthcare providers at the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center. This approach allows for coordinated surgical planning with the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive

“During her tenure as interim chief of surgical oncology this past year, she successfully helped recruit three additional surgical oncologists,” Dr. Nakayama said. “Dr. Hazard brings enthusiasm, dedication and innovative professionalism to this position.”

In addition to her clinical practice, Hazard serves as a member of the WVU School of Medicine Admissions Committee and as the School’s assistant dean for admissions.

Fairmont Regional Cancer Center Reopens After three months of facility and equipment upgrades, the Fairmont Regional Cancer Center (FRCC), which joined WVU Hospitals in late May, officially reopened on October 1st.

Located on Locust Avenue in Fairmont, the FRCC provides radiation therapy treatments to cancer patients through a linear accelerator, which delivers high-energy X-rays to tumors.

When the center officially joined WVU Hospitals on May 29, hospital officials announced that it would close on July 1 to allow for upgrades. Some areas of the facility remain unchanged, while others underwent renovations.

Upgrades to the FRCC were done in order to accommodate the new Varian Linear Accelerator, as well as to meet standards set forth by The Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies more than 20,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States.

Approximately 75,000 pounds of lead shielding was added to the linear accelerator vault in order to adequately shield the X-ray beam.

Services available at the FRCC include advanced external beam radiation therapy treatment techniques, including Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy for treatment of tumors in the prostate, head and neck, lung

and other appropriate sites.

Breast cancer patients will benefit from the utilization of a technique that provides a more even radiation dose to the breast.

The FRCC also has technology that can minimize cardiac dose in patients treated in the left breast. Another protocol offered to appropriate breast cancer patients allows them to complete their course of treatment in three weeks instead of the standard six weeks.

Patients will also be treated using Image Guided Radiation Therapy, which allows healthcare providers to locate and track the tumor at the time of treatment in order to make technical adjustments when a tumor moves outside of the planned treatment range.

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WVU Healthcare & Health Sciences News The FRCC also has available Rapid Arc®, an advanced technology that delivers a sculpted, tightly-focused beam of radiation directly to a tumor during a single 360-degree rotation of the linear accelerator around the patient.

During treatment, the beam is continually shaped and modulated to conform to the shape of the tumor.

Patients at the Fairmont Regional Cancer Center will also have access to specialized treatments on the WVU Healthcare campus,

including Perfexion Gamma Knife for brain metastases and selected brain tumors, high dose rate brachytherapy for gynecologic tumors and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SBRT is one of the most advanced forms of radiation therapy delivery and can be used to treat small primary lung tumors in medically inoperable patients, as well as localized lung or liver metastasis, with millimeter precision in five or fewer treatments.

Fairmont Regional Cancer Center patients will have access to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group national clinical trials, as well as other clinical trials available through the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center.

Patients treated at the FRCC will be cared for by the WVU Healthcare’s radiation oncology team, which includes radiation oncologists, medical physicists, dosimetrists, nurses and therapists. Radiation oncologists will be onsite daily to provide care to patients.

WVU Telepsychiatry Program Expands its Rural Reach WVU Healthcare has expanded its telepsychiatry services to 27 clinics in 12 rural West Virginia counties to help provide more mental health treatment to adult, adolescent and child patients. Addiction-related services also include treatment for pregnant mothers.

Many West Virginians suffering from depression or addiction aren’t getting the care they need because of a lack of providers and treatment facilities, WVU psychiatrist Patrick J. Marshalek, M.D., of the WVU Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, said.

“In Morgantown, we’ve seen patients who commute from as far away as McDowell County due to scarcity of treatment providers,” Dr. Marshalek said. “The state needs expanded addiction services at all levels, including acute inpatient, outpatient and residential. Resources available to those without insurance are lacking even further.”

In 12 West Virginia counties – Barbour, Clay, Jackson, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Randolph, Roane, Tucker, Upshur and Wood – a certified addiction counselor or a behavioral health nurse on-site at a mental health facility works with WVU psychiatrists at Chestnut Ridge Center in Morgantown. With a web camera and a secure privacy-compliant

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computer server, the WVU caregivers provide rural patients with the same quality care they offer in Morgantown without patients having to leave their hometown.

Since the program began in 2009, WVU telepsychiatrists have seen 11,060 patients.

Waiting lists for several of the clinics are already in the hundreds, Marshalek said.

At first, one of Marshalek’s patients said it was a little intimidating talking to him through a computer screen and a web cam. But she grew more comfortable with Marshalek quickly.

“Despite the rapid expansion of services for these 12 counties, there are still many areas that are drastically underserved,” Kari-Beth Law, M.D., WVU telepsychiatry program director, said. “We have received positive feedback from patients and staff at each of the centers that we have partnered with along with regular requests for new or expanded services. West Virginians are in dire need of additional mental health resources.”

“He honestly cares and always wants to help.

If you make a mistake, he gives you a second chance,” she said. “Without this program, I would not be getting the care that I need.”

WVU Healthcare salutes

Larry Rhodes, MD National Rural Health Association

2013 Practitioner of the Year Larry Rhodes’ calm voice, graying beard, and well-worn cowboy boots are familiar to hundreds of parents in rural West Virginia who have a child with heart disease or a congenital heart defect. Primary care practitioners know him as an unfailing expert for consultative advice.

Dr. Rhodes will now be more widely known outside of West Virgina, as he’s been recognized as the nation’s foremost rural practitioner for 2013.

In addition to his clinical service throughout the state, Dr. Rhodes has served as director of the WVU Institute for Community and Rural Health since 2011, overseeing the rural education programs for all health professions students in WVU’s schools of medicine, public health, nursing, pharmacy and dentistry. This service is a crucial part of the University’s mission to supply underserved rural communities with welltrained health professionals.

His work is just one of the reasons that WVU is nationally recognized for its commitment to rural medicine.

The West Virginia University School of Medicine was nationally ranked #3 for rural medicine by U.S. News & World Report.

Please call 800-WVA-Mars for information and consultations.

wvuhealthcare.com

WVU Healthcare is operated by WVU Hospitals and University Health Associates. WVU Hospitals is a member of the WV United Health System.

What does “comprehensive” mean?

It means Beth Ann can receive leading-edge treatment close to home.

The Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center at Cabell Huntington Hospital has the Huntington/Tri-State area’s only pediatric oncology program. That means children with cancer in the area can receive the latest and most effective treatments available anywhere – without having to leave the comfort and safety of home and family. And for 6-year-old cancer patient Beth Ann Brown, that means everything.

Comprehensive, leading-edge cancer care for adults and children – another reason the Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center offers a distinct difference in cancer care.

Mark Mogul, MD Pediatric Oncologist/ Hematologist

For more information or to schedule your appointment, call 304.399.6500.

1400 Hal Greer Boulevard • Huntington, WV www.edwardsccc.org

ONEPLACE. ONETEAM. ONEGOAL.