Medicine

Ultrasound-Guided Thyroid Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsies Available

Drs. Jerald Marifke and Gilbert Fareau, Assistant Professors in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Clinical Nutrition, are certified in ultrasound-guided thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsies. They perform this service in one of the procedure suites at the Cancer Center in two clinics per week. Their success rates are excellent. Please consider referring your patients who are in need of thyroid biopsies. At this time, Drs. Fareau and Marifke do require that the patient has undergone a thyroid ultrasound which they will review. The best way to refer patients to the Endocrine Thyroid Biopsy Clinic is to send either Dr. Marifke or Dr. Fareau a staff message with the patient’s name and MR#. They will review the patient’s ultrasound, advice and schedule your patient for biopsy. We continue to welcome all patients who require formal endocrine consultation for single or multiple thyroid nodules.

DOM Happenings - May 2011

PROMOTIONS

• John Fangman, MD to Associate Professor
• Timothy Fenske,MD to Associate Professor
• Martin Muntz, MD to Associate Professor
• Yee Chung Cheng, MD to Associate Professor 
• Stephen Dolan, MD to Associate Professor 
• Thangam Venkatesan, MBBS to Associate Professor

APPOINTMENTS

• Gary Stoner, PhD to Professor
• Ian Gilson, MD to Senior Volunteer Appointment- Clinical Professor

GRANT AWARDS

• Marcelo Pasquini, MD will receive his first R01 Grant for $1.5 million for “Ancillary Studies in Clinical Trials”
• David Zhang, PhD received his first R01 Grant on 2/11 for $1,888,765 “TRP channels in regulation of vascular tone”
• Joan Neuner, MD, MPH proposal for “Adverse Bony Effects of Breast Cancer Therapies” for $720,000 will be funding by the National American Cancer Society.
• Marilyn M. Schapira, MD, MPH proposal for “Developing a Bilingual Measure of Health Numeracy for Use in Cancer Care “ for $1.2 million will be funded by the American Cancer Society.
• Srividya Kidambi, MD received $25,000 from the MCW Research Affairs Committee for “Interplay of gender, insulin resistance and adiposity on endothelial function among African Americans”
• Michael E. Widlansky, MD received the T. Franklin Williams Scholar Award for his work in Geriatric Cardiology for “Effect of Combined Pedometer/Computerized Feedback Intervention on Vascular and Left Ventricle Function in Older Adults” for $130,000

FACULTY AWARDS

• Mike Frank, MD and Kevin Regner, MD were nominated for the 2011 T. Michael Bolger Standing Ovation Award for outstanding contributions to the students of MCW
• Hershel Raff, PhD for the third time, will receive the Harry Beckman Basic Science Teaching Award
• Jose Franco, MD will receive the Ernest O. Henschel Clinical Teaching Award

STUDENT AWARDS
The following M1 students have been awarded national grants to do geriatrics research:

• Amanda Ernst (Mary Cohen, MD mentor)
• Maheen Y. Siddiqi (Edith Burns, MD mentor)

The Joint Commission Launches Advanced Certification in Palliative Care Program

Joint Commission accredited hospitals now have the option of seeking Advanced Certification in Palliative Care. Palliative care is the field of medicine designed to improve the quality of life of patients and their families by relieving the pain, symptoms and stress of a serious or debilitating illness. The new certification program launches September 1, 2011 and the standards will be available July 1, 2011.

Palliative care serves patients of all ages at all stages of serious or advanced illness. Palliative care is appropriate from the time of diagnosis and at the same time as all other appropriate curative treatments. It is not dependent on prognosis. In some patient populations palliative care has been shown to prolong life as well as improve its quality. Illnesses most commonly treated by palliative care include heart, lung, kidney and liver disease, as well as cancer, stroke, diabetes, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

The Advanced Palliative Care Certification requirements emphasize:

• A formal, organized palliative care program led by an interdisciplinary team whose members possess the requisite expertise in palliative care;
• Leadership endorsement and support of the program’s goals for providing care, treatment and services;
• A special focus on patient and family engagement;
• Processes which support the coordination of care and communication among all care settings and providers; and
• The use of evidence-based national guidelines or expert consensus to guide patient care.

The National Quality Forum defines palliative care as patient and family-centered care that optimizes quality of life by anticipating, preventing and treating suffering. Palliative care throughout the continuum of illness involves addressing physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual needs and facilitating patient-centered treatment, autonomy and access to information.

Joint Commission reviewers will evaluate hospital palliative care programs which strive for high quality and supportive care among patients with serious or advanced illnesses. The standards for palliative care certification were developed under the guidance of The Joint Commission Health Care Services Task force, which is composed of experts in palliative care and key stakeholder organizations.

For more information about the Advanced Certification in Palliative Care program: http://www.pwrnewmedia.com/2011/joint_commission/palliative_care/