October 8 - In this Issue - The University of Kansas Hospital

ADVANCES
Call Center
Program Spotlight
2
OCTOBER 8, 2015
NEWS FROM THE REGION’S PREMIER ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTER
New TV commercials highlight complex care
A new advertising campaign
rolling out this month showcases
some of The University of Kansas
Hospital’s most remarkable medical advances.
The campaign, again starring
Academy Award-nominated
actress Joan Allen, includes nine
television commercials. Several of
those focus on broad themes, such
as the hospital’s high rankings
by U.S. News & World Report,
its expanding sports medicine
program and The University of
Kansas Cancer Center’s National
Cancer Institute designation.
Other new TV commercials
zero in on the unique role of the
hospital as an academic medical
center: Physicians’ use of radioactive “seeds” and 3D printers to
treat brain tumors, deep-brain
stimulation devices for Parkinson’s
disease patients and new surgical
techniques for lung cancer.
“For this year’s campaign, we
really wanted to call attention
to a few of the groundbreaking
procedures and treatments our
One of the new TV commercials, filmed at our hospital, stars a group of physicians,
nurses and other caregivers. The commercials again feature Joan Allen. A Parkinson’s
disease patient benefits from a deep-brain stimulation device.
physicians are pioneering,” said
Marketing Director Amy Metcalf.
“They perfectly illustrate what sets
us apart: As the region’s leading
academic medical center, we specialize in the most complex care.”
One of those new commercials
is about immunotherapy, which
uses the body’s immune system to
fight cancer, including leukemia
and lymphoma. Specific cells are
removed from the body and genetically modified, or reprogrammed.
When they are reintroduced into
the patient, those cells have the
ability to hunt and destroy the
dangerous cancer cells.
As the commercial points out,
our cancer center is the first in
the world to offer the multicenter
By the Numbers: Call Center
The University of Kansas Hospital’s
Physician Referral and Consultation
Center (Call Center) has expanded
significantly in recent years to
handle the increasing number of
transactions (phone calls, faxes and
other requests) from consumers and
physicians around the country.
See story on page 2.
191,285
Total transactions, Fiscal Year 2015
Transactions by segment
(FY 2015)
To suggest a By the Numbers, email Advances@kumc.edu.
Physician transactions
FY 2012
FY 2013
FY 2014
FY 2015
Physician
58,890
Consumer
132,395
immunotherapy clinical trial
targeting large B-cell lymphoma
in adults.
People inquired from around
the world, including Australia.
The first participant’s cells have
been modified at a Novartis
laboratory and are being infused
back into his body this week.
It is one of several planned immunotherapy trials at our cancer
center. The first targets lymphoma,
the next multiple myeloma.
45,638
45,952
53,192
58,890
Consumer transactions
FY 2012
FY 2013
FY 2014
FY 2015
120,823
105,555
118,821
132,395
Consumer transactions
(FY 2015)
Other 1,510
Unlinked 3,538
Classes 8,202
—Services 8,472
—MyChart 10,378
Physician referrals
100,295
Events
Diabetes prevention –
Diabetes is prevalent in our community, especially among those
who have endured cancer and
other chronic diseases. Learn
how to make small changes
in your lifestyle and reap great
rewards toward healthy living.
The presentation, which also
will cover community-based
programs, is 5:30-7 p.m. Monday,
Oct. 12, at Medical Plaza North
in North Kansas City. Call
913-574-0900 to register.
Free your space – Clutter
can handcuff you to the past. It
comes in many forms: physical stuff, people, objects, bad
memories, fears, doubts, regrets
and toxins in the body. Learn
how to clean house, literally and
figuratively, and be free. The session is 2-3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13,
at Turning Point: The Center for
Hope and Healing in Leawood.
Call 913-574-0900 to register.
BRA Day – Get your pink on
with The University of Kansas
Cancer Center and Legends
Outlets. The event is part of
Breast Reconstruction Awareness
(BRA) Day Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Festivities, which are 5-7 p.m.
in the Legends Civic Courtyard
Fountain, feature a range of fun
family and educational activities
such as face-painting, breastscreening information, KC Wolf
appearance, Kansas Speedway
pace car and more.
Boots and breast cancer –
Nigro’s Western Store will host
“Giddy Up for Boots and Breast
Cancer” 5-9 p.m. Thursday,
Oct. 22, at the Merriam Lane
store. Billed as “a girls’ night out
full of shopping and fun,” the
evening includes drinks and
appetizers (with a $10 donation).
Proceeds support The University
of Kansas Cancer Center. Breast
cancer physicians will be on
hand to meet guests. Call
913-262-7500 for information.
More events are at kumed.com/
event-detail.
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
Center helps direct patients, physicians
Imagine being a patient in rural
Kansas and wanting the best care in
the world. You or your hometown
physician decides The University of
Kansas Hospital is what you need.
But the hospital is huge, with
more than 105 different clinics.
How do you or your physician
know which one to call, which
physician to see – how to even
get started?
The answer: Call the hospital’s Physician Referral and
Consultation Center, also known
as the Call Center. Established in
1998, the center is the one-stopshop to get information about
the hospital, outpatient clinics
and other services.
“Because our staff provide great
customer service, patients know
they’ll have a pleasant experience
getting the assistance they need,”
said Lisa Patrick, Call Center
manager. “It’s one of the biggest
compliments we receive.”
Like other areas of the hospital,
the call center has grown tremendously. It now encompasses 25
employees, triple the size since
2001. Last year they fielded more
than 190,000 phone calls and faxes
from consumers and physicians.
(See By the Numbers on page 1.)
EXPOSURE
Rehab
inspiration
Andy Marso, who spent months
at The University of Kansas Hospital
in 2004 recovering from severe
bacterial meningitis, on Sept. 22
was named this year’s Rehab Hall
of Fame recipient. Although he
lost part of his hands and feet to
the disease, Marso went on to
become a successful journalist and
write a book about the challenges. The award also celebrates
caregivers who helped patients on
their journey. Watch the video at
medicalnewsnetwork.org.
Sue Patel and other call center
staff provide a wide range of
services for consumers and
community physicians.
The center is divided into two
areas:
• The Health Resource Center
is patient-focused. Staff help
patients find the appropriate
primary care physician or specialist, and they assist with clinic and
procedure referrals. They also
facilitate appointments for the
hospital’s corporate partners, provide concierge service for surgery
patients and provide registration
services for internal and external
events and wellness classes.
• The Physician Consultation
Center is physician-focused.
This area focuses on calls and
fax referrals from internal and
community clinicians who
are referring patients into the
outpatient clinics and services.
They facilitate appointments
and coordinate physician-tophysician consultations.
With each call, the call center
collects and documents patient
demographics, services provided
to the patient, the physician or
clinic the patient was referred to,
and where the call was transferred
to. All patient and physician calls
and faxes are tracked in the call
center software database.
“Continuing to provide a
high level of customer service
to our patient and community
referring physicians supports our
marketing and growth goals for
our department and the hospital,”
said Melinda Keltner, assistant
director in Marketing Teleservices.
A recap of recent articles, TV segments and other media coverage of
the region’s leading academic medical center
Cancer treatments prolong life – Lawrence Journal-World, Sept. 29.
Metastatic breast cancer was once a devastating diagnosis, but evolving
treatments are prolonging patients’ lives. Many live three to five years
longer due to better drugs. “Typically, the treatment is balanced against
what effect it is having on quality of life,” said Sharma Priyanka, MD,
oncologist at The University of Kansas Cancer Center. “The goal is to treat
a person, which means the person’s symptoms and the disease with it.”
Crushing cost of medicine – Kansas City Star, Sept. 28. High drug
prices weigh heavily on patient health and finances. Overall costs rose
nearly 14 percent from 2014 to 2015, double the rate of the previous
five years. “For a doctor, if the copay is 10 percent, that might be affordable. But for an average family of four, something’s got to give,” said
Medical Oncology’s Joseph McGuirk, DO, at The University of Kansas
Hospital. “It’s groceries or Revlimid.” Nationwide, specialty medications
represent 1 percent of prescriptions pharmacists fill but account for
32 percent of all drug spending. By 2018 they’ll represent 50 percent.
Cryotherapy salon ready to chill – KSHB-41, Sept. 23. The first
cryotherapy salon is open for business. The frigid temperatures of the
therapy are said to reduce inflammation. The therapy isn’t new – similar
cryoablative therapy is used to kill tumors. However, whole body
cryotherapy has not been FDA approved, warns Radiology’s Steven
Lemons, MD, at The University of Kansas Hospital. “Like any pharmaceutical agent or medical device in the United States, there’s a rigorous
process of investigating whether or not it’s safe, whether or not it’s effective before we unleash it on the public.”
West Nile virus on the rise – KCTV-5 News, Sept. 21. West Nile virus has
struck 24 people in Kansas and Missouri. “It can be a very bad disease,” said
Lee Norman, MD, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Hospital.
“It can be anything from a minor subclinical case all the way through death.”
A rainy summer increased the number of mosquitoes and spiders in our
area, leading to more bites. Physicians urge parents to ensure their kids
are wearing mosquito repellant outside. Physicians also suggest people
exercise caution around wood piles and in dark rooms to avoid spider bites.
Furry friend
Layla and Meeko, two pooches from Loving Paws Animal Therapy Program
(lovingpawstherapy.org), on Sept. 28 provided stress relief for University
of Kansas
Medical Center
students. The
dogs and their
handlers visit
the medical
center once or
twice a semester. Research
demonstrates
such animalassisted activity
provides physiological and
psychological
benefits.
News Briefs
In the News
Roasting up fresh coffee at the hospital
The Roasterie, Kansas City’s specialty coffee-roasting company, on Sept. 28 opened three locations at The University of
Kansas Hospital: The Roasterie Café in the heart center lobby,
Elements 4 Life in the cafeteria and the Parkway Café at the
Westwood Campus.
At The Roasterie Café opening, owner and founder Danny O’Neill
(from left) enjoyed a cup with our hospital’s Tammy Peterman, RN,
executive vice president; and Bob Page, president and CEO.
There are strong ties between the two organizations. The
Roasterie’s first order, in 1993, was at our hospital. The Roasterie
founder and owner Danny O’Neill also was a patient at the
hospital twice.
His company will donate 3 percent of sales to the hospital
for continuing staff education. “At The Roasterie, the only thing
as strong as our taste for great coffee is our passion for giving
back to the communities we love,” said O’Neill.
“This transition is one more way we can support one of our local organizations and experience the specialty air-roasted coffee
The Roasterie is known for in the nation,” said Shawn Long, the
hospital’s vice president of Corporate and Community Outreach.
Five hospital employees will be chosen to visit The Roasterie
and create “The University of Kansas Hospital blend.”
Cancer modeling ranked near the top
A team of faculty and students at the University of Kansas
Medical Center’s Biostatistics department was among the top
finishers in a worldwide competition. The challenge: Develop
models that predict survival, disease progression and toxicity
of chemotherapy treatments in prostate cancer patients.
The eight-person team finished in the top five out of 60
competitors. The top team was from Finland.
The five-month competition, called the Prostate Cancer
Dream Challenge, was based on raw data from four clinical
trials with more than 2,000 patients who had received the
cancer drug called docetaxel.
“We were excited about the opportunity to help establish
an effective new treatment protocol for this particular group
of patients and help researchers better understand how the
disease progresses,” said Devin Koestler, PhD, assistant professor of biostatistics. Read more at kumc.edu.
MyChart: There’s an app for that
Patients at The University of Kansas Hospital now can use
their smartphones to access MyChart, the hospital’s online
medical records. MyChart allows patients to see their medical records, communicate with care teams and check future
appointment times – now from their phones.
First, sign up for MyChart at mychart.kumed.com. Then download the MyChart app from your phone’s app store and follow the
prompts to our hospital’s MyChart.
School of Nursing’s new dean – Sally Maliski, PhD, RN, has been
named dean of the University of Kansas School of Nursing, effective Jan. 1.
She previously was associate dean for academic and
student affairs at the UCLA School of Nursing and an assistant researcher for the ULCA Department of Urology.
“We are extremely pleased to hire an academic
leader of Dr. Maliski’s caliber,” said Douglas Girod, MD,
executive vice chancellor for the University of Kansas
Medical Center. “She brings exceptional leadership and
the skill to collaborate with others of various disciplines, departments and backgrounds.”
The medical center’s emphasis on educating nurses,
Maliski
physicians and other healthcare professionals as a
collaborative team helped attract her.
“Interdisciplinary education is a passion of mine, so I was thrilled to see how
committed the School of Nursing is to interprofessional learning,” she said.
“I also appreciate the strong collaboration I observed between education
and practice at the school, and the aura of collegiality and respect both within
the KU School of Nursing and between all the schools at KU Medical Center.”
She succeeds Karen Miller, PhD, RN, who served as dean from 1996
until her retirement in June 2015.
The school, one of three at the medical center, prepares hundreds of
students each year for careers as clinical nurses, advanced practice nurses,
educators, leaders, administrators, scholars and researchers.
Researcher wins Chancellor’s Club award – A University of Kansas
Medical Center researcher who discovered compounds that give hope
to patients with sickle cell disease and other genetic
blood disorders has been named 2015 recipient of the
KU Chancellors Club Research Award.
Kenneth Peterson, PhD, a faculty member at the
medical center since 1998, is known not only for his
research but also for his excellence in training graduate
and post-graduate students.
“Working in the lab and discovering something
nobody ever knew before is hugely satisfying,” he said.
“Teaching others how to do experiments and seeing
Peterson
the look on their faces when they discover something
new is simply exhilarating.”
His nominators praised Peterson for his research that uncovered key
mechanisms by which DNA elements affect genes and for his identification
of protein factors required in the process. Peterson devised a way to dissect
the genetic mechanisms regulating the globin genes.
“This technical innovation was a seminal breakthrough that led to a
quantum leap in understanding globin gene regulation and cemented Dr.
Peterson’s position among the leaders in his field,” the nominators wrote.
Peterson also is a leader and actively involved in a number of organizations related to expansion of research activities at the medical center.
ADVANCES
is a biweekly publication produced by:
The University of Kansas Hospital
Corporate Communications
2330 Shawnee Mission Pkwy., Suite 303
Westwood, KS 66205
Send story ideas to Advances@kumc.edu.
@kuhospital
@kucancercenter
@kumedcenter
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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New Physicians
Our People
Alykhan Nagji, MD
Thoracic surgery
Anne O’Dea, MD
Oncology
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Internal Medicine
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Neurology
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Anesthesiology
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Trauma/Critical Care
Surgery
Get your
pink on!
A diagnosis of breast cancer was
the last thing Jill Heckman thought
about with her first mammogram. The
softball standout was shocked when she was
diagnosed with two types of breast cancer.
After a year of treatment at The University of
Kansas Cancer Center, Jill is cancer free and
healthy. “The mammogram saved my life,”
she said.
Schedule your mammogram today.
Call 913-588-1227 or visit
kumed.com/getchecked.
#getyourpinkon