advances - University of Kansas Medical Center

ADVANCES
Prostate Cancer
Spotlight
2
SEPTEMBER 12, 2013
NEWS FROM THE REGION’S PREMIER ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTER
Breast cancer program
expands patient options
Breast Surgery Center
opens at Indian Creek
Campus.
The most comprehensive breast
cancer program in the region is
expanding its breast cancer surgery
program to Overland Park.
Amie Jew, MD, and Christa
Balanoff, MD, have moved their
long-established breast surgery practice to The University of Kansas
Hospital – Indian Creek Campus.
Jamie Wagner, DO, who
comes to The University of
Kansas Cancer Center from
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
in Houston, will practice at
Indian Creek in addition to her
practice at the Bloch Cancer
Care Pavilion at the Westwood
Campus and at the hospital’s
main campus.
“The University of Kansas
Cancer Center is an exciting place
to practice breast surgical oncology,”
Jew said. “It shares our philosophy
of a patient-focused practice and
provides many options for patients.
It is a great fit for our practice.”
“This is a thrilling opportunity
to be a part of the most outstanding breast surgery program in
the region,” Wagner added. “It is
one of the leading comprehensive
breast programs in the country.”
The program includes breast
surgical oncology, radiation oncology, medical oncology, plastic
reconstructive surgery, prevention and survivorship. The cancer
center’s National Cancer Institute
designation last year also brings
novel techniques and innovative
trials to patients.
Carol Connor, MD, the section
chief for breast surgery, also praised
the expansion to Indian Creek.
“The University of Kansas
Cancer Center’s Breast Surgery
The Breast Surgery Center opened Sept. 9 at The University of Kansas Hospital –
Indian Creek Campus in Overland Park. The center features surgeons (from left) Jamie
Wagner, DO; Christa Balanoff, MD; and Amie Jew, MD.
program provides state-of-the-art
breast surgical care that is an integral part of the multidisciplinary
NCI-designated cancer center,”
she said.
“The Breast Surgery Center at
Indian Creek will provide the expertise of experienced breast surgeons
who have dedicated their medical
practice to the care of patients with
breast disease,” she added.
All three new surgeons have
the title assistant professor in the
University of Kansas School of
Medicine.
By the Numbers: Early phase clinical trials
Since it opened in January 2012,
the KU Clinical Research Center in
Fairway has helped The University
of Kansas Cancer Center greatly
expand its availability of early phase
clinical trials, in which potential new
drugs are first tested in patients.
30
Total early phase
clinical trials slated
to be open by the
end of this year,
compared with 12
under way now
Average
annual
enrollment
The new Breast Surgery Center
is part of a range of expansions
and new services at the Indian
Creek Campus. (See insert.)
To suggest a By the Numbers, email [email protected].
Clinical trial portfolio (current and pending)
66
Melanoma (skin) – 3% —————
Lung – 7% —————
New Patients
Hematologic (blood) – 23%
29
10% – Breast
7% – GI (gastrointestinal)
Head/neck – 10%
New Patients
2007-2011
20% – Advanced solid tumor
2012-2013
Gynecologic – 7% ————
13% – GU (genitourinary)
Events
Chiefs Red Friday – To celebrate the team’s regular season
home opener, Chiefs special
guests and The University of
Kansas Hospital executives will
sell 2013 Red Friday magazines on
Friday, Sept. 13. Suggested donation is $2, with proceeds supporting Ronald McDonald House
Charities of Kansas City. Look for
the festivities 6:30-8:30 a.m. on the
main campus (at the hospital’s
main entrance, the Olathe Pavilion
and 39th Street crosswalks) and
on the Westwood Campus.
A Chance for Children Patrons
Party – The second annual
event is 6:30-8 p.m. Sept. 19 at
Village of Loch Loyd. The
evening of socializing and fun
includes a silent auction for
jewelry, golf at Loch Loyd, Keith
Urban tickets and more. Tickets
are $50 per person. Proceeds
benefit KU Kids Healing Place,
a University of Kansas Medical
Center program providing emotional, spiritual and psychological
support for children, and families
of children, with long-term or
life-limiting illnesses. Information:
achanceforchildren.com or email
[email protected].
Tour de BBQ – The fifth annual bicycle ride is Oct. 5, starting
and ending at the Power & Light
District downtown. Register
at tourdebbq.com using code
KUTDBBQ13 to receive $25 off
entry. In addition to supporting
The University of Kansas Cancer
Center, participants sample
great BBQ along the way.
Proceeds support hiring a nurse
navigator for a new collaborative transitions clinic for adult
survivors of childhood cancer.
JayDoc Classic Golf
Tournament – The second
annual event, Oct. 5 at Painted
Hills Golf Club, features a unique
games package, silent auction,
BBQ lunch and $1 million holein-one opportunity. Cost is $100
per player or $350 per foursome.
The tournament benefits the
JayDoc Free Clinic, which is operated by medical students who
provide non-emergency urgent
and preventive care to the area’s
uninsured and underinsured.
Information and registration:
jaydocfreeclinic.org and click
Events.
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
In prostate treatment, compassion is key
With the exception of skin
cancer, prostate cancer is the
most common cancer diagnosed
among U.S. men. It is the second
leading cause of cancer deaths
after lung cancer.
Those are statistics Brantley
Thrasher, MD, knows all too well.
As Urology chair at The University
of Kansas Hospital, he leads a team
of surgeons and staff with expertise in virtually every surgical and
radiation treatment option available for prostate cancer, as well as
noncancerous prostate conditions.
“We are by far the busiest
minimally invasive program anywhere in the area,” said Thrasher.
“We offer a depth and breadth of
services not available anywhere
else in Kansas, from screenings to
every type of advanced treatment
to trial opportunities. If treatment is needed, including highrisk cases, we can treat them.”
He is clearly proud of the
program, which is staffed by
fellowship-trained specialists
from prestigious programs from
across the nation. What makes
him even more pleased, however,
is the compassion the entire staff
brings to patient care.
“You can’t teach that,” he said.
EXPOSURE
Walking
for stroke
survivors
Nearly 100 employees from The
University of Kansas Hospital, along
with friends and families, registered
for The Stroke Walk. Dressed in
their red HERO shirts (“Hospital
Employees Reaching Out”), the
team was one of the largest supporters of the 11th annual walk,
held Sept. 7 near the Country
Club Plaza. The walk benefits the
American Stroke Foundation.
Above left, the Urology department features five prostate oncologists – the most in
the region, by far – including Jeffrey Holzbeierlein, MD (center), and Eugene Lee,
MD. Rhonda Pardew, RN, is nurse coordinator for the prostrate program. Above
right, department Chair Brantley Thrasher, MD, and other surgeons frequently use
robotics during minimally invasive prostate and urologic procedures.
The ability to connect with patients on a personal level is something he looks for in residents,
faculty and staff.
“You can be the most brilliant
surgeon in the world. You can
have hands that are blessed,” he
said. “But patients need more.
You have to be able to look them
in the eye, shake their hand and
spend time talking with them.
We treat patients like family.”
As part of September’s Prostate
Cancer Awareness Month, take a
minute to consider the risk factors, which include:
• Age – most tumors are found
in men over age 65.
• High PSA (prostate-specific
antigen) levels.
• Family history, particularly
among a brother, father or
paternal uncle.
On the fourth Friday of each
month, the hospital offers
a clinic at its Westwood
Campus for men with highrisk factors. The clinic focuses
on helping the men decrease
their risk of developing
cancer through pharmaceutical options as well as dietary
and lifestyle modification.
Information: 913-588-7564.
A recap of recent articles, TV segments and other media coverage of
the region’s leading academic medical center.
The shocking consequence of sarin gas – KSHB-TV (Wichita), Sept. 4.
Sarin gas – what many world leaders believe Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad used on his people – can be absorbed through the skin, eyes or
into the lungs, according to Stephen Thornton, MD, medical director of the Poison Control Center at The University of Kansas Hospital.
Thornton, the only toxicologist in Kansas, described sarin gas as a clear,
tasteless and odorless agent that attacks the nerves and leaves its victims paralyzed and dying from asphyxia.
Helping railroad workers hear again – KCTV 5 News, Aug. 28.
There’s new hope for railroad workers, many who suffer noiseinduced hearing loss. At the University of Kansas Medical Center,
Otolaryngology’s Hinrich Staecker, MD, PhD, is working with local and
national railroad unions in a partnership that could include educational
efforts on hearing and tinnitus, specialty clinics and access to clinical
trials on novel cochlear implants and medications to treat tinnitus. Business center supports entrepreneurial spirit – The Lawrence
Journal-World, Aug. 25. The Bioscience and Technology Business Center
at the University of Kansas Medical Center continues to fuel startup
medical businesses. The latest – Likarda LLC, formed in mid-2012 – is
the 24th active startup company to coordinate with medical center
work. “Commercialization of university research always has been part
of what we’ve done, but there has been such a renewed focus on it in
the last couple of years,” said Joe Monaco, associate director of strategic
communications.
Excessive coffee drinkers beware – The University Daily Kansan,
Sept. 5. A new study about caffeine suggests people who drink more
than four cups of coffee a day have an increased risk of death, especially
when paired with diabetes, hypertension and heavy alcohol consumption. However, Jill Hamilton-Reeves, PhD, RD, assistant professor in
Dietetics and Nutrition in the University of Kansas School of Health
Professions, said students should be more concerned with the shortterm effects of heavy caffeine use, such as increased anxiety, insomnia
and problems controlling blood pressure or blood sugar.
A new tradition
Incoming students at the University of Kansas Medical Center have a new way
to receive their “We are KU” T-shirts: trade in shirts from their previous colleges.
Student Services’ David Yeoman (left) and others collected hundreds of shirts,
many of which are on display on the main campus. Yeoman, along with new
nursing students, posed with a few of the shirts, which will be given to charity.
News Briefs
In the News
New tools for patient scheduling, billing
The University of Kansas Hospital and some of its affiliates
on Sept. 1 began using new electronic tools to better manage
patient registration, scheduling and billing. The tools, part of
the hospital’s larger electronic medical records system known
as O2, offer several benefits:
• Centralized patient registration information. Patient
information collected during registration is now stored in one
system, making it easier for the patient’s authorized care team
to access it, regardless of which location the patient is visiting.
• Faster claims processing. The new tools help patient
financial services representatives process a patient’s financial
accounts and verify insurance coverage more efficiently. Fees
for services and hospital charges also are collected electronically. As a result, claims are generated more quickly.
• More comprehensive appointment itineraries. Scheduling
patients with multiple appointments in multiple locations is
easier. Schedulers now can see all of a patient’s appointments
in one place.
“As with anything we do, we always put the patient first,”
said Colette Lasack, Financial Operations vice president.
“Streamlining these processes allows us to continue focusing
on providing the very best care possible and further reflects
our commitment to those who entrust us with their care.”
Pharmacy extends weekend hours
The University of Kansas Hospital’s Outpatient Pharmacy at
the main campus is extending its weekend hours to better accommodate needs of patients and discharge teams.
The new hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday.
The pharmacy’s other hours remain the same: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. holidays.
Hours at the hospital’s outpatient pharmacies at the Westwood
Campus and at The University of Kansas Cancer Center locations
in Overland Park and Lee’s Summit remain unchanged.
Dream comes true for cancer patient
Representatives from
Dream Foundation visited The
University of Kansas Cancer
Center’s Westwood Campus
on Sept. 4, where they presented a dream package to
patient Michelle Roberds.
The package includes
round-trip flights for Roberds
and her three children to
Orlando, where they’ll
enjoy Walt Disney World
Michelle Roberds, who has adand other parks.
vanced stage breast cancer, received
The emotional presena Dream Foundation trip and gifts
from the Jayhawk coach.
tation included cancer
center staff, many of the
patient’s family and the Jayhawk mascot. Roberds, a lifelong
University of Kansas basketball fan, also received a letter and
Jayhawk shirts from basketball coach Bill Self.
Dream Foundation is the first and largest national wishgranting organization for adults and their families suffering
life-threatening illness.
Nursing prize for heart research
– Ubolrat Piamjariyakul, PhD, RN,
associate professor of nursing at the
University of Kansas School of Nursing,
has been selected
by the Council on
Cardiovascular
Nursing to
receive the 2013
Arteriosclerosis/
Heart Failure
Translational
Piamjariyakul
Research Prize.
The award recognizes outstanding
research by nurse investigators in the
area of arteriosclerosis or heart failure.
Among her work, Piamjariyakul
has conducted focus-group
research to identify factors and
mechanisms that patients, their
clinicians and families can use for
self-management of heart failure.
Women of Distinction – The
2013-14 University of Kansas Women
of Distinction calendar honors 24
female students,
staff and faculty
and alumnae for
outstanding
achievements.
Representing
the University of
Kansas Medical
Geiger
Center: Paige
Geiger, PhD, associate professor of
molecular and integrative physiology.
Geiger served as president of
Women in Medicine and Science
(WIMS) for the 2012-13 year. She
continues as a regular member of
the National Institutes of Health
Integrative Physiology of Obesity and
Diabetes Study Section through 2017.
Exceptional employee spotlight – As mail services clerk at the
University of Kansas Medical Center,
Elvin Graves Sr. doesn’t just deliver
ADVANCES
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Corporate Communications
2330 Shawnee Mission Pkwy., Suite 100
Westwood, KS 66205
Send story ideas to [email protected].
@kuhospital
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mail. He delivers mail with a smile
and a service-oriented attitude. “I receive emails and compliments
on a regular basis about how wonderful Elvin’s service is,” said Carmen
Johnson, mail service manager. “He
is competent, professional and enormously helpful all
the time.” A medical center employee for
almost 10 years,
Graves is the kind
of person who
enjoys making
Graves
others smile, too.
“I get to see familiar faces every day
and meet new people on a regular
basis,” he said. “I work in a nice atmosphere with so many different and
equally great people.” School of Medicine awards –
Eight individuals received awards at
the University of Kansas School of
Medicine Annual Faculty Retreat.
• Ruth Bohan Teaching Professorship
– Tomas Griebling, MD, MPH,
professor of urology; and Michael
Werle, PhD, associate professor of
anatomy and cell biology
• Lifetime Achievement Award for
Mentoring (“The Jawyhawk”) –
Sheldon Preskon, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral
sciences
• Excellence in Mentoring Award –
Randolph Nudo, PhD, professor of molecular and integrative
physiology
• Achievement in Mentoring PostDoctoral Fellows Award – Nancy
Berman, PhD, professor of
anatomy and cell biology
• Achievement in Mentoring
Residents Award – John Calkins,
MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology; and Richard Dubinksy,
MD, MPH, professor of neurology
• Glendon G. Cox ING Leadership
Award – Steven Stites, MD, chair
of Internal Medicine
New Physicians
Our People
Christa Balanoff, MD
Breast Surgery
Jennifer Fink, MD
Internal Medicine
Deetra Ford, MD
Neurology
Amie Jew, MD
Breast Surgery
Patrick Landazuri, MD
Neurology
Paul Schroeppel, MD
Orthopedics
We treat you like a pro
Center for Sports Medicine Clinic opening in mid-September at Arrowhead
At our newest Center for Sports Medicine Clinic at
The University of Kansas Hospital Training Complex,
you will receive the same high-quality care and
services as the pros:
• Sports medicine and orthopedic specialists
• Concussion experts
• On-site imaging
Opens mid-September next to Arrowhead Stadium
Call 913-588-1227 or visit the Center for Sports Medicine at kumed.com/chiefs.
Bob Page, President and CEO
The University of Kansas Hospital
Doug Girod, MD, Executive Vice Chancellor
University of Kansas Medical Center
Kirk Benson, MD, President
The University of Kansas Physicians
Staff:
Mike Glynn, Editor
Kirk Buster, Graphic Designer
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