andOchsner Now - Ochsner Health System

Summer 2007
T
he Academic Division joins the entire Ochsner Health System in celebrating the 65 years of
Ochsner’s commitment to patient care, education, and research across the Gulf Coast and the
world. To fully appreciate these 65 years, we want to remind you of the notable milestones
achieved by thousands of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who have contributed
over six decades to what Ochsner is today.
Dr. Alton Ochsner and his four partners never imagined 65 years ago how far their idea would go.
Ochsner Health System has evolved into a true New Orleans icon and a symbol of hope. Medical contributions made by Ochsner physicians and other professionals over the six decades have impacted
the world. The Academic Division sincerely salutes all who have contributed to these 65 years of
healthcare and looks forward to the next chapters in Ochsner history. Happy 65th Birthday, Ochsner!
Ochsner Then....
TM
...andOchsner Now
In this Issue!
Special Commemorative
Ochsner History Section
Summer Progress
Inside This Issue
Ochsner’s 65th Anniversary
Summer Progress
Medical Education
House Staff Completing
Residencies/Fellowships
IRB Highlights
Library News
News Notes
Research Night
Awards/Achievements
Conferences/Classes
Student Activities
Nursing Research
Recent Nursing Presentations
Media/Technology
Summer Science Youth
Academy
Alumni/Anesthesiology
Respiratory Therapy Graduation
Radiologic Technology
Commencement
House Staff Commencement
Grant Announcements
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© 2007 Academic Division
All rights reserved.
1514 Jefferson Highway
New Orleans, Louisiana 70121
To contribute to Academic Update or
for more information, contact:
tel: (504) 842-3761
fax: (504) 842-5137
email: medicalediting@ochsner.org
Academic Update Staff:
Ethel Madden, MLIS, AHIP
Director, Center for Knowledge
Management
Lori Monteleone
Senior Medical Editor
Barbara Siede, MS
Art Director
Marion Stafford, MS
Editorial Consultant
Connie Kringas, MA
Senior Medical Editor
Siobhan McKiernan Flahive
Editorial Assistant
Kathleen Hawkins
Special Services Coordinator
The
Measures
of Our Success
As we close the second quarter of 2007, the metrics indicate that we are on target
for a very successful year. On the research front, the number of clinical trials that
are being made available to Ochsner investigators is gradually increasing and there
continues to be consistent growth in research revenue and opportunity. Two of our
scientists, Drs. Yong S. Choi and Om Prakash have received very competitive grant
awards. The National Institutes of Health awarded a grant to Dr. Choi in support
of his project “B Cell Lymphoma Therapy.” Dr. Prakash received a grant from the
Ladies Leukemia League of the Gulf South for his research into B cell chronic
lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL).
The 2006–2007 academic year has come to a close and a significant number of
our residents and allied health graduates have become Ochsner employees. The
Summer Science Youth program has been expanded to two sessions, hosting
students from the New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics High School
and the Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy. The GPOA Foundation,
which supports programs that serve children in Louisiana, provided Ochsner with
a grant to help fund this worthy project.
The Ochsner Library has opened several “branch” locations at our new facilities
and is offering resource services at all locations. In the coming months, the Ochsner
Archives will be coming back to the main campus with a permanent display in the
library.
Quantitative Metrics
Measure
New Clinical Trials % Accrual to Clinical Trials
Clinical Trials Closed with No Accrual
Employee Engagement Year to Date
Target
89
40%
28
4.32
116
90%
0
4.35
Note: Final student conversion to employee rates will be reported in third quarter metrics.
To access the Academic Update online,
go to www.ochsner.org/publications.
Medical Education
Program Director(s): Ochsner physician Program Directors are
responsible for the organization, administration, implementation,
and supervision of all aspects of a specific residency program,
including selection and supervision of faculty members,
recruitment, selection, instruction, supervision, counseling,
evaluation, and advancement of residents. For a current listing of
Ochsner’s Program Directors, please visit the
GME Intranet site at http://ochweb/frame.
cfm?id=1590. Program Director Meetings
are held quarterly with the GMEC and
resident representatives.
Medical Education is an intrinsically rewarding, complex
series of activities for all involved in making sense of a maze
of regulations while providing quality education, guidance, and
support to our residents, fellows, and students. The benefits of
Ochsner’s support network among executives, administrators,
coordinators, program directors, medical staff, residents,
nursing, human resources, information services, clinical
management, and staff are apparent and far-reaching. Ochsner
is a major independent academic medical center where everyone
is invested in the success of first-class training programs.
Currently, Ochsner independently sponsors 17 accredited
residency and fellowship programs with 214 residents appointed
in Anesthesiology, Colon and Rectal Surgery, Cardiology,
Diagnostic Radiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology,
General Surgery (Preliminary and Categorical), Infectious
Diseases, Internal Medicine (Preliminary and Categorical),
Interventional Cardiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Oncology, Orthopedic Surgery, Rheumatology, Thoracic
Surgery, and Vascular Surgery.
Barbara McNamara (Director, Medical
Education) oversees all administrative
and operational activities of allied health,
graduate, and undergraduate medical
education at Ochsner.
The GME Staff perform a variety of administrative functions in
support of the residency and fellowship training programs and
serve as a resource for program directors, program support staff,
and trainees. For a current listing of GME staff, please visit the
GME Intranet site at http://ochweb/academics.cfm?id=680.
Ochsner co-sponsors four joint programs with LSU and Tulane
with 88 residents appointed in Ophthalmology (LSU), Pediatrics
(Tulane), Psychiatry (LSU), and Urology (LSU). Ochsner is the
parent sponsor of the joint Urology Program.
Approximately 70 residents rotate to Ochsner under affiliation
agreements with LSU, Tulane, and East Jefferson in Allergy
and Immunology, Child Psychiatry, Dermatology, Emergency
Medicine, ENT, Family Medicine, Geriatric Psychiatry,
Hematopathology, Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine/
Pediatrics, Nephrology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Obstetrics and
Gynecology, Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthopedics, Pathology,
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Plastic Surgery, and
Pulmonary Critical Care.
The general structure of Graduate Medical Education is
established by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical
Education (ACGME), with key identified roles as follow:
Designated Institutional Official (DIO): The Ochsner DIO is Dr.
William W. Pinsky, Executive Vice-President and Chief Academic
Officer. Dr. Pinsky has the authority and responsibility for the
oversight and administration of the GME programs for the entire
institution.
Front row, L to R: Reonda Victor, Seimone Gilbert, Liz Carter, Anne Fleming.
Middle row, L to R: Rosa Perkins, Beverly Rueb, Donna Guidroz, Nicole Magee,
Kathy Dixon.
Back row, L to R: Deborah Ladmirault, Denise Arseneaux, Barbara McNamara,
Margaret Saux.
Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC): Dr. Hector
Ventura is the GMEC Chair for Ochsner and has the responsibility
for monitoring and advising on all aspects of residency education.
Assisting Dr. Ventura are the GMEC Committee members: Dr.
William W. Pinsky (DIO), Dr. Robert Cunningham (Pediatrics),
Dr. William Davis (Medicine), Dr. John Bolton (Surgery), Dr.
Dean Hickman (Psychiatry), Dr. Chris Winters (Urology), Dr.
Brett Winthrop (President, Fellows’ Association), and Barbara
McNamara (Administration). The GMEC meets monthly.
HOUSE STAFF COMPLETING RESIDENCIES/FELLOWSHIPS
Activities of the Office of Graduate Medical Education
Administration include:
• Liaison activities with the Accreditation Council for Graduate
Medical Education (ACGME)
• ACGME Institutional Compliance
• Maintenance of accurate data files for Direct Graduate
Medical Education (DGME) and Indirect Medical Education
(IME) reimbursement
• Performance of internal reviews of all ACGME-accredited
residency and fellowship programs
• House Staff database
• Core Lecture Series
• Policy development
• Fiscal management
• Resident travel, book allowance, and loan deferment
management
• Visa sponsorship and management
• Resident payroll and benefits management
• Resident licensure and Patient Compensation Fund (PCF)
enrollment
• Resident recruitment, selection and appointment
management
• Maintenance of official academic files and credentialing
• Resident evaluation system management
• Medical Education webpages
• Development and management of master affiliation
agreements and program supplements with universities and
teaching hospitals
• Management of the medical student and allied health
programs
• Resident orientation, graduation, and other special
programs
• Coordination of the education-related committees, including
the Graduate Medical Education Committee, the Program
Directors Group, the GMEC/Fellows’ Association Meeting,
and the Chief Residents Council to provide a forum for the
exchange of ideas between residents and administration
• Serving an ombuds function for residents, supplementing
support from the Employee Assistance Program
• Advocating for issues important to residents/trainees
ANESTHESIOLOGY
INTERNAL MEDICINE Emilie E. Donaldson, MD
Logan S. Emory, MD
Kristie D. Osteen, MD
Eric I. Royster, MD
Melissa B. Russo, MD
Ryan E. Wall, MD
Brett E. Winthrop, MD
Pavan Chava, DO
Amanda M. Davis, MD
Edward A. Espinosa, DO
Faiq Hasan, MD
Fadi Hawawini, DO
Kendra McAnally, DO
Rochelle RobicheauxClementine, MD
Yabiz Sedghi, MD
CARDIOLOGY
Medical
Resident)
(Chief
Michael C. Cunningham, MD Anish P. Shah, DO
George T. Deriso III, MD
(Chief Medical Resident)
Arthur G. Grant III, MD
John T. Vengal, MD
David E. Good, MD
Joseph K. Imsais, MD
INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY Zola M. N’Dandu, MD
Showkat A. Haji, MD
J. Kyle Hewett, MD
COLON & RECTAL SURGERY
David N. Ferraro, Jr., MD
Kerry L. Hammond, MD
DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY
Wilma L. Cotto-Oyola, MD
Shamita B. Shah, MD
GENERAL SURGERY Michael W. Cook, MD
Jason K. Kim, MD
Sean G. Mayfield, MD
Joseph H. Morris, III, MD
Jonathan E. Weiler, MD
Residency
program
managers,
department-based
coordinators, and administrative staff are responsible for
daily support of individual residency/fellowship programs,
including—but not limited to—resident schedules and rotation
coordination, recruitment, conferences, grand rounds,
journal clubs, procedure logs, evaluations, data gathering,
and document preparation for accreditation site visits. For a
current listing of staff serving in these roles, please visit the
GME Intranet site at http://ochweb/academics.cfm?id=680.
GLAUCOMA
OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
ONCOLOGY
Carrie J. Ball, MD
Robin L. Meyer, MD
Julie E. S. Price, MD
Jennifer K. Shumate, MD
ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY
N. Lurie,
Jr, MD
Douglas
Anuj S. Puppala, MD
Steve Shin, MD
RETINA/VITREOUS
THORACIC CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY
Michael J. Bates, MD
UROLOGY
Christopher C. Roth, MD
Anthony J. Woodruff, MD
Viet N. Bui, MD
HEART FAILURE TRANSPLANT VASCULAR SURGERY HEPATOLOGY
Srikrishna Mannava, MD
John L. Gosserand, MD
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Changa Kurukularatne, MD
Sachin B. Patel, MD
Shamsa Ali, MD
Carlos D. Giraldo, MD
Graduate medical education occurs in microsystems of
patient care, administration, and professional relationships.
Good systems and structure make it easy to do things right—
but great people in all areas of the organization, committed
and actively engaged in the success of outstanding medical
education programs, make it impossible not to succeed.
Michele M. Crockett, MD
Todd E. Layman, MD
Bassam S. Ghabache, MD
Peter Wagner, MD
Shazia Faiz, MD
GASTROENTEROLOGY
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING Francine Belleville, MD
Spencer A. Chang, MD
Jeffrey A. Dedelow, MD
Fernando S. Descartes, MD
Paul M. Jackson, MD
William J. Knox, IV, MD
Forrest B. Walker, MD
ENDOCRINOLOGY
IRB Highlights
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
The purpose of the IRB is to protect the safety, rights, and welfare of humans who are subjects of research. There are three
IRB panels, each made up of nine members of various backgrounds who review and provide continuous oversight of all
human research that is conducted at Ochsner facilities or utilizes Ochsner personnel or other resources. Each panel has
the authority to approve, disapprove, or require modifications
to research activities involving human subjects.
The services of the IRB office and its staff, however, go beyond
regulatory obligation and authority. Perhaps the most important
service we offer to investigators and other study staff is guidance.
It is our goal to provide the tools and guidance necessary to assist
staff involved in research to adhere to federal regulations and ICH
(International Conference on Harmonization) guidelines inherent in
good clinical practices (GCP).
In July 2005, the IRB introduced its electronic application
system, ERSA (Electronic Research Study Application). As we
designed ERSA, we spent many months formulating questions
that, when answered appropriately, would provide the platform
for compliance with regulations as well as GCP. We invested
much additional time to build logic into the system: Depending
on how certain key questions are answered, ERSA presents the
user with appropriate application screens to provide needed
additional information. Several clinical research coordinators
were involved in alpha and beta testing of the system, providing
feedback concerning ease of use and comprehension of
application questions.
The IRB staff is a resource for investigators and coordinators
involved in human research, dedicated to providing excellent
customer service. With this in mind, we would like to extend an
offer to come to your department to train residents and new study
staff in the use of ERSA and to answer any regulatory questions
you might have. To arrange group training sessions, please
contact the IRB office at x23535 or email irb@ochsner.org. Of
course, we are always available to help individuals as well, so pick
up the phone and call us.
In response to feedback we received, particularly from our
resident staff, we decided to move ERSA to a secure Internet
server. This transition allows research study staff to access
ERSA from non-Ochsner locations while maintaining system
security.
The IRB staff consists of:
Joseph Breault, MD, ScD, CIP – IRB Chairman. Dr. Breault
has been the IRB Chair for five years. He sees patients two
days per week in Family Practice.
Karen Marie Sorapuru, CIP – IRB Administrator. Ms. Sorapuru
has been the IRB Administrator for three years. She joined
Ochsner from the Manchester VA Medical Center in Manchester,
NH, where she worked as the Research Administrative Officer in
affiliation with Harvard Medical School.
Arlene Becker, RN – IRB Specialist. Ms. Becker joined the
IRB office in 2003, bringing both clinical and quality assurance
expertise to the staff.
Robbie Bowman – IRB Special Services Coordinator. Ms.
Bowman joined the IRB staff in 2005. Having previously
worked as study staff in Nephrology Research, she has been an
important part of our understanding the needs of study staff in
order to provide improved customer service. Ms. Bowman will
celebrate her 10th anniversary with Ochsner this year.
Library News
Medical Library REcovery Project
Library Extreme Makeover
February 28, 2007 marked the end of the Medical Library REcovery
Project. However, while the project ended on paper, this is just the beginning of the many projects that have come out of the biggest challenge the Medical Library & Archives has ever faced. On April 24, 2007,
the Library hosted a special luncheon to honor all the accomplishments
of this project.
Renovations are currently underway to bring back the Medical
Library at Ochsner Baptist Medical Center on the second floor of
the Napoleon Plaza. The library
will have a collection of new reference texts as well as a bound
journal collection. Four computer
workstations will allow employees
access to thousands of online
journals and books as well as
databases such as PubMed, UpToDate, MD Consult, and CINAHL
for nursing.
Project Summary
The Ochsner Library was the first library to reopen in the New Orleans
area after Hurricane Katrina. The librarians felt strongly that, more than
ever, our Ochsner health care professionals and those unaffiliated with
Ochsner needed access to the National Library of Medicine’s electronic
resources. Consequently, in early September of 2005, the Ochsner library staff teamed up with the National Library of Medicine, librarians
at Southeastern Louisiana Area Health Education Center in Hammond,
and the Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center in Houma to establish the
Medical Library REcovery for Southeast Louisiana Project.
Watch for the grand opening this summer!
Librarian Steps in as Guest
Speaker for Health Sciences Class
Thirty-five computers, known as Library E-Stations, were approved to
be placed at Ochsner regional and neighborhood clinics throughout the
area. In addition, the National Library of Medicine approved stations to
be placed at non-affiliated sites in St. Tammany and Terrebonne Parishes.
Nital Sheridan, Library Manager, was invited in March to speak
to the graduate students of the Health Sciences and Information
Centers Class at Louisiana State University’s School of Library
and Information Science. Nital discussed the challenges faced
by a library in a growing institution, and gave anecdotes of the
creative ways in which Ochsner Medical Library & Archives has
provided services and training to Ochsner physicians, residents,
and staff.
The Library E-Stations provided an electronic library for healthcare professionals and patients in areas that had seen an influx of displaced
residents, yet did not have direct access to a medical library.
National Library Week
The Medical Library & Archives celebrated National Library Week
this year with several different activities. This year’s theme was “@
your library.” Activities included tours of the library, an MD Consult
class, an online library scavenger hunt, raffled prizes, and visits
to satellite Ochsner libraries at Ochsner Medical Center Kenner,
Ochsner Medical Center West Bank, and Ochsner St. Anne in
Raceland. Ben-Lin Chen from Basic Science/Molecular Research
won a parking spot in the garage for the month of May (Library
Manager Nital Sheridan graciously donated this prize). Chris
Vincent from ISD won the scavenger hunt raffle.
Project Highlights
• Funding from the National Library of Medicine has helped reopen
libraries at the Ochsner St. Anne General Hospital and Ochsner Medical
Center Baton Rouge.
• Funding has allowed us to deploy E-Stations to Ochsner Medical
Center Kenner and Ochsner Medical Center West Bank, as well as to
provide new print and online reference materials.
• Funding is being used to bring back the Ochsner Baptist Medical
Library for summer 2007.
Librarians Pitch in at Area Schools
More important than the branch libraries that have opened, the Library
E-Stations deployed, or all the training provided within the last year is
the environment of outreach and sharing that the
Medical Library REcovery Project has created.
While the funding project door has closed,
so many other doors have opened that
strengthen the need for medical libraries
and medical librarians.
The Ochsner Medical Library & Archives is currently assisting the
libraries of four adopted schools, each of which is located near
an Ochsner hospital in the New Orleans area. The four adopted
schools are Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy,
Alfred Bonnabel High School, George Cox Elementary, and
Samuel J. Green Charter School.
Outreach Librarian Amanda Riley and Academic Community
Outreach Project Coordinator Kaela Barnett have already visited
each school and are working to assess the needs of each one.
Both Amanda and Kaela will be working with Grants Support
Coordinator Barbara Attebery to locate grants that will help the
school libraries add materials to their collections. In addition,
Information and Technical Services Librarian Judith Gardner is
providing cataloging assistance each week to the library at the
Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy.
L: Ethel Madden, MLIS, AHIP, Director, Center
for Knowledge Management, Ochsner Clinic
Foundation. R: Renee Bougard, Associate
Director of National Network of Libraries of
Medicine, South Central Region.
Harry Potter in the Medical Library!
Stop by the Medical Library and Archives on the first floor of OMC New
New Orleans during the month of July to see a magical window display.
Learn about the library’s resources and services with a wizardly twist!
News Notes
22nd Annual Ochsner Run
Congratulations to Erin
Stanley,
MPH,
who
has
been promoted to Senior Project Coordinator for
the Center for Health Research. Erin’s position prior to her promotion was Research Program Manager.
On Saturday, March 24, 2007, Ochsner
Health System hosted the 22nd Annual
Ochsner Run. The event included a
one-mile fun run and a 5K race, both of
which took place along the Mississippi
River levee. After the race, runners and
their families and friends enjoyed food
from some of New Orleans’ best restaurants and live music from The Topcats at the “Rhythm & Sole” party.
The Department of Surgery held
its First Annual Research Symposium on Friday, June 8, 2007.
Kathryn Q. Bernabe, MD, won
Best Research Presentation for
her paper “Intestinal epithelial
cell proliferation is influenced by
smooth muscle cell production of
Amphiregulin.”
Congratulations!
Anne Nicolay, Director of Research Operations, noted, “It is always lots of fun to participate in the Levee Run. It is a great family event
and there is something for everyone. Working
on the run always gives me an opportunity to
meet new people at Ochsner and it’s a fun way
to support the institution away from my desk.”
Jason K. Kim, MD, was
named Outstanding Chief
Resident Teacher of the
Year.
Ethel Madden, Director, Center for Knowledge
Management, said, “My family always looks
forward to the annual Ochsner Pediatric Fun
Run. It’s a tradition for the Madden family to
run and walk the race. We really enjoy the great
food, the lively entertainment, and the Teddy
Bear Clinic!”
Jackson Ellisor, the videographer behind “Surviving the Storm”
(see p. 14), is the recipient of four Telly Awards for the “Team
Katrina” video. Jackson received awards in the following Film/
Video Non-Broadcast Production categories:
• Silver - Corporate Image
• Silver - Employee Communications
• Bronze - Public Relations
• Bronze - Motivational
Clinical Pharmacy Staff News
The Telly Awards honor the best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video
and film productions. The 27th annual Telly Awards received over
13,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents.
Marianne Billeter, PharmD, BCPS, has been promoted to
Manager of Clinical Pharmacy Services, replacing Debbie
Simonson, who was recently promoted to Director.
Marianne received both her bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy
and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Purdue University.
She then completed a residency in Clinical Pharmacy and a
fellowship in Infectious Diseases at the University of Kentucky
Medical Center. Marianne was formerly the Infectious
Diseases Pharmacist for Ochsner. She can be reached at
(504) 842-3043.
Graduating Residents Celebrate at New Orleans Arena
Graduating residents celebrated in the Super Suite of the New
Orleans Arena at a Hornets vs. Lakers game on March 23, 2007.
The event was sponsored by the Alumni Activities Office.
Academic Division Wins Spelling Bee
The Ochsner Career Center and the Academic Division collaborated to host the Second Annual
Ochsner Spelling Bee on May 30, 2007 to promote Adult Education for Ochsner employees. The
Word Busters team consisted of Anne Nicolay, Karen Marie Sorapuru, and Linda Hand. Ten
teams competed in this event, including Human Resources, Transplant, Administration, Business
Services, and Academics.
Special thanks go out to Ethel Madden, enunciator; Alison Atkinson, event coordinator; Kaela
Barnett, judge and assistant coordinator; Chris “DJ Jazzy Chris” Atkinson, event disc jockey;
Stacy Melvin, official timekeeper; Amanda Riley, judge; Diana Tran, photographer and statistician;
and, of course, the Spelling Bee teams.
All proceeds raised went to the Ochsner Adult Literacy Fund, which was created in 2006. There are
currently seven Ochsner employees enrolled in the program. The Spelling Bee raised over $700,
Second Annual
which was earmarked to purchase GED self-study books, educational games, flash cards, and
Ochsner
Bee
DVDs, and to help pay for examination fees. The winning team members each received a $50 Exxon Wednesday, May 30th from 12pm-2pmSpelling
in the Whitney OD&T Training Room,-Suite. 234.
gift certificate. It was a great way to have fun with colleagues while supporting a good cause.
For more information about the Ochsner Adult Literacy Fund, please contact Alison Atkinson at
aatkinson@ochsner.org or (504) 842-3923. For more information on the event or on the Academic
Community Outreach program, please visit our website at http://academics.ochsner.org/outreach.
aspx.
Support Our Academic Division team
WORDstarring
BUSTERS
Anne Nicolay
Karen Marie Sorapuru
Linda Hand
Ochsner’s Fourth Annual
Research Night
The Fourth Annual Ochsner Research Night was held on May 15 in the Brent
House atrium. Eighty-two posters were presented. For the first time, the
Academic Division welcomed high school student groups who came to view the
posters in the early afternoon, and later hosted an open house for employees
enrolled in the Pathway to Wellness program. This brought the Research
Night experience to a much larger audience than in the past. The popularity
of Research Night has grown so greatly that all available slots for posters were
filled by the submission deadline in March—a first for the program.
Although our post-Katrina guest scientists from the LSU and Tulane medical
schools were not with us this year, Ochsner has always had collegial research
relationships with these institutions, as evidenced by the presentation of posters
by clinicians and scientists with joint appointments at the medical schools
and OCF. This scientific cooperation has become ever more important to the
New Orleans scientific community in the months following Hurricane Katrina.
Research Night provided an excellent opportunity to further cement these ties.
The presentations at this year’s program again included submissions in the
Clinical, Basic, Translational, Health Service, and Case Report categories. As
always, Research Night provided the opportunity for all OCF staff to share in
the scientific accomplishments of their colleagues and to gain an appreciation
of the impact of research on the Ochsner environment. It also helped expose
Ochsner’s friends and community supporters to the research ongoing in the
institution.
The Center for Knowledge
Management,
particularly
the
Medical
Illustrations
department,
was
instrumental in making this event
a great success.
From
the design of an electronic
abstract submission system
to editing of abstracts and
the production of high-quality
posters, they did an excellent
job. Special thanks are due
to Ethel Madden, Connie
Kringas, and Barbara Siede
for jobs very well done.
Awards and Achievements
Dr. Quinlan Named #1 Most
Powerful Physician Executive in
the United States
Edward D. Frohlich, M.D., Alton
Ochsner Distinguished Scientist
Dr. Edward D. Frohlich, Alton Ochsner Distinguished
Scientist, headed an American College of Cardiology
delegation to China from April 4-April 15, 2007 for the purpose
of presenting to the leading Chinese cardiologists the major
new information presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting
of the College in New Orleans. During his visit, Dr. Frohlich
was hosted on visits to the historic Forbidden City, Tiananmen
Square, the Emperor’s Palace, the Great Wall in Beijing, and
the Terra Cotta Warriors in X’ian.
Dr. Patrick J. Quinlan,
Ochsner’s Chief Executive
Officer,
was
named
the #1 Most Powerful
Physician Executive in
the United States in the
May 7 issues of Modern
Physician and Modern
Healthcare
magazines.
This distinction recognizes
Dr. Quinlan’s leadership
during the difficult aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, as well as his central role in bringing
together multiple offices and entities to create Ochsner Health
System. During the three years that this ranking has been
published, Dr. Quinlan’s position has risen steadily; in 2005, Dr.
Quinlan was ranked 43rd, and in 2006, he was ranked 10th.
On May 21, 2007, Dr. Frohlich was honored with the William
Harvey Award of the American Society of Hypertension
for his achievements in clinical and experimental hypertension
research. This award was named for the scientist, William
Harvey (1578-1657), who is considered to be the “father of
cardiovascular medicine” for his elucidation of the continuity
of circulation in his Execitatio Anatomic de Motu Cordis
et Sanguinis in Animalibus, written in 1628. Dr. Harvey
developed the first accurate account of how the heart and
circulatory system operate. Dr. Frohlich also presented
“Mentors, Role Models and Matters of the Heart,” a lecture
that will be published in the Journal of the American Society
of Hypertension.
Dr. Kardinal Receives Lifetime
Achievement Award
The National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project
(NSABP) has awarded its Distinguished Investigator Lifetime
Achievement Award to Dr. Carl J. Kardinal, Director of
Ochsner Cancer Institute. This award recognizes Dr. Kardinal’s
remarkable work as an investigator and his dedication to the
publication and public awareness of clinical research.
Louisiana Hospital Quality Award
Louisiana Health Care Review recently honored Ochsner
Medical Center with its Silver Level 2006 Louisiana Hospital
Quality Award. The award is given to institutions in recognition
of high-quality healthcare for patients who have heart failure,
pneumonia, or acute myocardial infarction, or are in surgical
care.
Caramia Fairchild, Assistant Editor; Dr. Edward D. Frohlich, Alton Ochsner
Distinguished Scientist; Lillian Buffa, Senior Executive Assistant.
Dr. Cook Named Researcher of
the Year
Dr. Pankey
Re-Elected to Board
Co-Director of Molecular Genetics
Julia Cook, PhD, was named 2006
Researcher of the Year at the Spirit of
Leadership Awards held on May 19,
2007.
Dr. George A. Pankey was elected to
serve a second three-year term on
the Board of Directors of the National
Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
Conferences/Classes
“I Have an Idea for a Grant—Now What?”
Cultural Leadership Returns
to Ochsner
Speaker: Dr. M.A. Krousel-Wood
July 23, 2007 12:00 – 1:00 • Brent House Conference Rooms
Teleconferenced to Baton Rouge and North Shore
Have you ever come up with an idea for a grant/research project
and just didn’t know what to do next? Please join us for a class
led by Dr. M.A. Krousel-Wood of the Center for Health Research,
Dee McCloskey of the Philanthropy Department, and Barbara
Attebery of the Grant Support Office. Certificates of Participation
will be provided. Registration is required—lunch will be served.
Please contact Kathleen Hawkins at 842-3244.
On Wednesday, June 27, the Academic Division and the Respect
through Understanding Committee hosted “Our Defining Moment: Ochsner, Hurricane Katrina, and Redevelopment of Our
Community,” an informational breakfast for Cultural Leadership,
in the Brent House Conference Center.
Cultural Leadership, a non-profit youth leadership development
organization from St. Louis, brings together African American and
Jewish students to break down the barriers between the two cultures through community service. Every summer, the group takes
a community service trip to New Orleans and other locations, including Washington D.C., Atlanta, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee. This marked their third visit to Ochsner.
Basic Science in Clinical Medicine Series Lecture
Continuing Medical Education (CME) sponsored recent lectures in the Basic Science in
Clinical Medicine Series. On April 23, 2007,
Guo-Fu Hu, PhD, Assistant Professor of
Pathology in Harvard Medical School’s Department of Pathology, gave a lecture entitled
“Dual Role of Angiogenin in Prostate Cancer.”
In 2006, a Cultural Leadership group visited Ochsner and learned
how team members worked together at all levels to ensure continuity of service and care in a time of crisis. This year’s panel
included a physician as well as representatives from emergency
preparedness, food services, nursing and administration. Students again saw how numerous departments contributed to the
cooperative effort, and learned how Ochsner has progressed
post-Katrina in terms of new technology and planning.
Epidemiology in Medicine Series Lecture
Don Morisky, ScD, MSPH, ScM, Professor at the UCLA School
of Public Health, presented a lecture on “How to Maximize Adherence to Medical Recommendations: Missed Opportunities in
the Health Care Delivery Process” on Friday, May 25, 2007. This
lecture was part of the Epidemiology in Medicine lecture series;
physicians who attended received one hour of CME credit.
CME at Sea
Medical Library & Archives 2007 Hands-on Classes
The very first Ochsner
“CME at Sea” program
was held March 17-24,
2007 aboard the Royal
Caribbean’s Grandeur of
the Seas. The cruise departed from New Orleans
and docked in Cozumel,
Mexico; George Town,
Grand Cayman; and Costa
Maya, Mexico, with three days of lectures held while at sea. Dr.
Joseph Dalovisio served as the activity director for this course,
which had physicians attending from across the nation. The purpose of this course was to update primary care physicians on the
latest advances in the fields of Infectious Diseases, Endocrinology,
Hospital Medicine, Pediatrics, Rheumatology, and Cardiology. In
addition to these lectures, case studies relevant to primary care
physicians were also presented.
We were very pleased with the excellent course content of the program. Some of Ochsner’s best physician lecturers presented great
updates on the latest issues of diagnosis and therapy, covering a
broad range of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics conditions. The
event also provided a great opportunity for collegial interaction
in a very nice setting. We plan to offer a similar course again, and
hope to expand our audience to include nurses and mid-level providers in addition to physicians.
10
The Library is offering the following hands-on classes in the Brent
House Training Room 226. All classes are from 1:30 P.M. – 3:30
P.M. and are available to all Ochsner employees. To register,
please contact the Library at (504) 842-3760 or email infodesk@
ochsner.org.
Monday, August 27 - Resources for Administrators
Monday, September 24 - Resources for Evidence-based
Medicine
Monday, October 22 - Finding Patient Education Materials
Upcoming CME
July 15-20, 2007
29th Annual Internal Medicine Board Review &
Recertification Course
Sheraton Hotel, New Orleans, LA
August 1-5, 2007
Piedmont Society of Colorectal Surgeons
Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, Ponte Vedra, FL
October 25-27, 2007
8th Annual Southern Hospital Medicine Update
Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, LA
Student Activities
Power Ties Students Visit Ochsner
Ochsner Medical Center participated as a host institution for the New
Orleans Junior League Power Ties Program on Friday, April 20, 2007. The
Academic Division welcomed 13 students from Samuel J. Green Charter School, New Orleans. These students spent the morning shadowing
employees in the Blood Bank, Cancer Institute, Philanthropy, Volunteer
Services, and Information Systems.
Power Ties is a career awareness program that links professionals
from various occupations with eighth-grade students. This program was
created by New Orleans Outreach and
operates in partnership with the Junior
League. It consists of
a series of workshops
held at the school site,
in which Junior League
volunteers teach students how to fill out a
job application, write
a resume, and dress
for success.
In addition to the
seminars, a job site
program allows students to spend a day shadowing employees at local businesses. “With
the severe healthcare staff shortages throughout the region, this is an
opportunity for Ochsner to showcase its various career opportunities
and get students thinking early about a possible career in medicine and
healthcare,” says Warner Thomas, President and Chief Operating Officer
of Ochsner Health System.
The Power Ties students were welcomed by Kaela Barnett, Senior
Administrator, Academic Community Outreach. She provided the students with an overview of the day and introduced them to the Power Ties
Academic Division Ambassadors: Siobhán McKiernan Flahive, Kathleen
Hawkins, Connie Kringas, and Lori Monteleone. These ambassadors escorted the students the hosts they were shadowing, who led them on
tours of various Ochsner departments and provided information about the
career opportunities.
We’d like to thank the managers of these departments, as well as
their teams, for the gracious welcome they provided to the Power Ties
students:
• Volunteer Services: Patrice Jenkins, Manager of Volunteer Services
and Guest Services
• Human Resources: Kelly Murphy, Employee Relations and Events
Consultant
• Philanthropy: Blanche “Dee” McCloskey, Director of Planned Gifts
and Special Projects
• Pediatrics: Dr. Daniel Bronfin and Dr. Amanda Jackson
• Information Systems: Cristina Guthrie, AVP Information Systems
• Blood Bank and Cancer Institute: Ava Jo Collins, Assistant Vice
President of Operations; Sue Champagne, Unit Director, Chemotherapy Infusion Center and Hematology Oncology Clinic; Ken Detiveaux,
Director of Blood Bank Donor Services; James Bonnott III, Manager,
Radiation Oncology; Doris Ratcliff, Manager of Blood Bank Services
The Power Ties program culminated with a career fair at an offcampus site. Mock “potential employers” met with students to test their
newly learned interviewing skills. After the interviews, students were treated to a business luncheon.
11
Pharmacy Residents Educate
Elementary Students on
Poison Prevention
President George W. Bush proclaimed March
18-24 National Poison Prevention Week, calling upon all
Americans to participate in poison prevention programs
and to learn how to prevent poisonings, especially among
children. He stressed that “protecting our children is a
solemn and special responsibility,” and that “we must all
continue to work to reduce the number of poison-related
injuries and deaths.”
During Poison Prevention Week, Ochsner Medical
Center’s Pharmacy residents (Fatima Z. Brakta, PharmD,
Shannon Finley, PharmD, Ashley Taylor, PharmD, and
Kathryn Sison, PharmD) conducted several activities to
educate staff and employees during Poison Prevention
Week. Among these activities were information tables
in front of the Southport Cafeteria and two lectures on
“Tips for Preventing Poison” that were held for Pathway to
Wellness. On March 27, the residents visited Alice Birney
Elementary School in Metairie, where they conducted a
number of activities with students from kindergarten to
fifth grade to promote awareness about poison prevention.
It was a day full of learning, games, and laughter. During
the interactive presentations, students were able to grasp
an understanding of the different types of poisons, from
plants to common household items, and how to avoid
them. They were also given brochures to bring to their
parents, providing ideas for making homes safer for their
children. To make it enjoyable, the children were taught
several songs with tips for avoiding poisonings and for
remembering the phone number for the poison hotline
(1-800-222-1222) in case of accidental poison.
This experience was a rewarding one for all of the
residents because it provided them with the opportunity
to work as a unit to educate the community about poison
prevention.
Special thanks to Debbie Anderson, PharmD, for all of
her efforts in helping to organize the activities for National
Poison Prevention Week.
Nursing Research at Ochsner
Ochsner nurses have always held a variety of
research roles, such as data collectors, research
coordinators, and investigators. However, an increased
The Center for Nursing Research began in May of
2006 in order to foster and enhance nursing research
efforts at Ochsner.
emphasis has been placed on research since our nursing program
was awarded Magnet® status (Magnet Recognition Program,
American Nurses Credentialing Center) in 2003. In order to ensure
that nursing research represents rigorous scientific inquiry that
stands up to critical analysis, all
nursing research must be approved
by the Nursing Research Committee
prior to Institutional Review Board
(IRB) submission. In addition,
the committee screens research
protocols to assure that sufficient
resources are available to facilitate
completion of each investigation.
Other committee functions include
fostering the dissemination of
research results and evidencebased projects through presentation
and publication.
The purpose of the Center is to facilitate the goals
of the Nursing Research Committee, mentor staff
nurses in evidence-based practice and research, explore and seek external funding for nursing research,
oversee compliance with regulatory standards, collaborate with Academic Research, establish community/academic partnerships targeting similar research
interests, and facilitate the use of Ochsner as a
research site for external research.
at the nursing research website (http://academics.ochsner.
org/ResearchContent.aspx?id=722). A growing interest in
nursing research initially paved the way for the development of
a department of nursing research.
The Nursing Research Committee comprises 20 members
who represent nursing leadership, staff nurses, the medical
library, and nursing faculty from the Louisiana State University
Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC). In addition, three members
(Janice Piazza, Academic Administration; Wendy Portier,
Corporate Compliance; and Karen Marie Sorapuru, IRB) serve
in an advisory role. The committee is co-chaired by Karen Rice,
DNS(c), APRN, BC (Program Director, The Center for Nursing
Research), and Shelley Thibeau, BSN, RNC (Staff Nurse, NICU).
Information about the committee and meeting dates are available
Karen Rice is the program director of the Center. Karen is
an adult nurse practitioner/clinical nurse specialist who came
to Ochsner in 1991. She is currently enrolled in the nursing
doctoral program at LSUHSC and expects to complete her
dissertation later this year. Karen has previously served on the
editorial review board for the Journal of Vascular Nursing and
is currently a reviewer for Geriatric Nursing and Nursing 2007.
Top (Left to Right) - Dr. Marsha Bennett, Barbara Attebery, Vivian Stillwell, Sharon Cusanza, Mary Ellen Kothmann,
Margaret Redmond, Renee DiGiovanni
Botton - Dale Eppling, Karen Rice, Shelley Thibeau, Dawn Ricouard
Missing from picture - Sylvia Hartmann, Sue Champagne, Morris Gilligan, Tere Crouchet, Ann Lockhart, Jackie Lupo,
Ann Moll, Janice Piazza, Wendy Portier, Karen Marie Sorapuru
12
Recent Presentations at Professional Meetings:
Nursing Week 2007
Ross Pediatrics’ Perinatal Hot Topics Nurse Conference, February 2021, 2007, Rohnert Park, CA
“Survivor Hospital - Lessons from Katrina.” Oral presentation.
Reneé Taylor, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA
Special Class
Offered to Nurses!
“Challenges of Evacuation.” Oral presentation.
Reneé Taylor, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA

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Translational Research: Bridge or Destination, Southern Nursing
Research Society Annual Conference, February 22-24, 2007,
Galveston, TX
“Unraveling the Mystery Behind Evidence-Based Practice for
Staff Nurses: A Bibliometric Analysis—A Pilot Study.” Poster
presentation.
M.J. Fayland, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX,
and Karen Rice, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA
Dr. Connie S. Logan Research Day, co-sponsored by Rho Zeta &
Epsilon Nu chapters of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of
Nursing, April 20, 2007, Baton Rouge, LA
“Impact of the Implementation of a Rapid Response Team on
the Percentage of Resuscitation Events Occurring Outside of
the Critical Care Areas.” Poster presentation.
Don Meyer, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA
“Nurses’ Recognition of Delirium in the Hospitalized Older
Adult.” Oral presentation.
Karen Rice, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA, and
Marsha Bennett, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center,
New Orleans, LA.
“Disaster Preparedness: Concerns and Needs of Nurses in a
New Orleans Hospital.” Oral presentation.
Reneé Taylor, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA
“Neobytes—A Web-based Journal Club for the NICU.” Poster
presentation.
Shelley Thibeau, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA
Mayo Clinic Cardiac and Vascular Nursing Review Course, April 23,
2007, Rochester, MN
“Peripheral Vascular Disease.” Oral presentation.
Karen Rice, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA
Mayo Clinic Fourteenth Annual Heart Disease and Stroke
Conference, April 24, 2007, Rochester, MN
“Heroes in Disaster: The Role of the Non-emergency Nurses.”
Oral presentation.
Karen Rice, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA
13
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1 Hr
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•
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• 12:00 to 1:00 pm
August 7
OMC New Orleans
Monroe Hall
August 22
OMC Baton Rouge
Physician’s Plaza 2, Rm 109
September 6 OMC Westbank
River Room
September 7 OMC Kenner
MOB Auditorium
October 9
OMC St. Anne
4th Floor Solarium
♦ 1:30 to 3:30 pm—Hands on 2 Hour OD&T
September 10 OMC New Orleans
Brent House Room 226
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Ref
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Pro hment
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Media/Technology
New Orleans police officers who needed
medical attention. He ended up being
the only doctor in the Convention
Center surrounded by thousands
of desperate people.
In addition to providing for the
city’s healthcare needs, Ochsner
hospital administrators were also
challenged to issue paychecks
without electricity to over 8,000
employees and to find ways to get its
employees back into the city.
“We sent half our staff out of town
before the storm so they could return and
relieve essential personnel right after the storm. It
took nearly two weeks for our Team B employees to relieve the
initial staff on duty. I hope that the lessons we learned, which
are highlighted in this documentary, will help other hospitals and
healthcare facilities better prepare for a disaster of any kind,”
says Warner Thomas.
Courtney adds, “This program should serve as an example
of why hospitals need to look at everything that could potentially
go wrong during a disaster, plan for all of the possibilities, or get
patients out of harm’s way.”
“Surviving the Storm” shows exclusive
footage of hospital operations during storm
Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) aired never-beforeseen footage of a hospital experiencing the wrath of Hurricane
Katrina in a documentary about Ochsner Medical Center, one
of just three hospitals that remained open in the greater New
Orleans area in August 2005. The documentary, “Surviving
the Storm,” features interviews with Ochsner employees and
patients and uses video by Ochsner Videographer Jackson
Ellisor.
“Surviving the Storm” is narrated by New Orleans
resident and actor John Goodman. The one-hour program
tells the story of how Ochsner Hospital remained open during
Hurricane Katrina and continued to see patients despite the
subsequent flooding and devastation.
A large portion of the documentary includes video that
was shot during the storm by Ochsner Videographer Jackson
Ellisor, who initially recorded the hospital images for archival
and insurance purposes. “LPB discovered Ochsner’s tapes
while developing the LPB story Katrina’s Smallest Victims,”
explains Dorothy Kendrick, LPB Producer of Surviving the
Storm. “We felt the Ochsner footage could help hospitals
worldwide understand the challenges of surviving a disaster.”
Ochsner relinquished the tapes and editorial control to LPB.
“This story shows how Ochsner spent years preparing for
this catastrophic event by soliciting advice from hospitals in
Houston and Pensacola which had previously suffered serious
damage from hurricanes,” explains Beth Courtney, President
and CEO of Louisiana Public Broadcasting.
“Through
interviews, the staff explains the benefits to having stockpiled
supplies like extra generators, toothbrushes, and portable
toilets and how it allowed them to continue treating patients
and provide care for first responders.”
The story unfolds day by day with footage of the hospital
staff rallying and shows how their attitude and spirit kept them
going and caring for patients without knowing whether their
own loved ones had survived the storm. Additional footage
and interviews include:
• footage of Ochsner operating the city’s only pharmacy for
the first three days after Hurricane Katrina, helping patients
with chronic illnesses such as asthma and diabetes.
• footage of lab workers struggling to keep the blood supply
and other lab supplies safe and sterile.
• Dr. Gregory Henderson, an Ochsner pathologist, who
was in the French Quarter as the storm hit and treated
The Academic Division Introduces
the SAS Server
SAS statistical software has been available to Ochsner users since
January 2007. SAS is a leading provider of statistical software, and
its application software is the standard for excellence in statistical
analysis. The SAS software purchased by the Academic Division
includes the SAS/STAT software module.
SAS/STAT is an integral component of the SAS analytic platform
and provides extensive statistical capabilities with tools for both
specialized and enterprise-wide analytical needs. Ready-to-use
procedures cover a wide range of statistical analyses, including
analysis of variance, regression, categorical data analysis, multivariate analysis, survival analysis, psychometric analysis, cluster
analysis, and nonparametric analysis. SAS is committed to
enriching its statistical offerings to keep up with evolving statistical
methodology, and each new release of SAS/STAT software contains
enhancements that reflect that commitment.
The SAS software is housed on a dedicated Windows-based server
and can support simultaneous multiple users. The SAS server
is accessed using Windows Remote Desktop capability, which
is standard in all computers running Windows XP; no additional
software is required to access the SAS application. The SAS server
utilizes the OCF domain security model, so an additional user ID
and password are not necessary.
Potential SAS users should contact Bob Jones (rjones@ochsner.
org) so that the user’s security profile may be updated to provide
SAS server access.
L to R: Warner Thomas, President;
Jackson Ellisor, Video Producer;
Patrick Quinlan, MD, Chief Executive Officer.
14
Summer Science Youth Academy
Academic Division Welcomes Summer Science
Youth Academy Class of 2007
The Academic Division is pleased to welcome the Class of 2007
to our Ochsner Summer Science Youth Academy. These 11
students are in for an exciting learning experience during their
six-week intensive programs. The Summer Science Scholars
have demonstrated an interest in science and healthcare and
have come highly recommended by their high schools. Each
Summer Science Scholar submitted an application and an
essay about how the Summer Science Youth Academy would
help further their academic and career goals, interviewed with
the Summer Science Youth Academy Panel, and attended a
Parents’ Day/Open House to get answers to any questions or
concerns.
The program is designed to provide high school students who
excel in the sciences an opportunity to participate in handson scientific research in a laboratory setting with researchfunded scientists in the areas of Molecular Genetics (Dr. Julia
Cook and Dr. Jawed Alam); Molecular Cardiology (Dr. T. Cooper
Woods); Pediatric Endocrinology (Dr. Robert Gensure and Tulasi
Ponnapakkam); Cellular Immunology (Dr. Yong Choi and Dr. Li Li),
and Infectious Diseases (Dr. George Pankey). Prior to beginning
research in the lab, the students will have a wet lab orientation
facilitated by Dr. Alberto Martinez, who will be teaching them lab
technique fundamentals. During the six-week program, students
will actively participate in every facet of the program, including
assignments, projects, rotations, lectures, and tours.
L to R: Nikki Jenkins, Shantell Vine, Julianne Brown, and Chelsea
Rousseve-Ross.
The Summer Science Youth Academy began in 2005 as a
partnership between Ochsner Clinic Foundation and the New
Orleans Charter Science and Math High School. Previously
known as the Summer Scientists Student Program, it was
the brainchild of Dr. Edward D. Frohlich, Alton Ochsner
Distinguished Scientist, who was very instrumental in the
program’s beginnings.
Ochsner Summer Science Youth Academy begins
with a one-week orientation that introduces
students to the hospital policies and procedures
and the expectations of the summer program;
working in a research lab setting; the functions
of the Center for Health Research and Center
for Knowledge Management; networking
opportunities; and career development courses
that provide essential skills such as public
speaking and effective teamwork. Students
will spend the remaining five weeks working with
scientists, attending science classes, learning how
to conduct research in the medical library, attending
mini lecture series, shadowing departmental rotations, and
completing a final project. Upon successful completion of the
program, students will unveil these projects and their research
subjects at the Culmination Ceremony.
Ochsner Summer Science Youth Academy is a
collaborative effort of the Academic Division
at Ochsner, in partnership with the New
Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics
High School and the Patrick F. Taylor Science
and Technology Academy. 2007 marks the
first year that the Summer Science Youth
Academy will offer a full-day schedule of
hands-on research, classes, rotations, and lab
activities. Please join in welcoming the Class
of 2007 to the Ochsner Summer Science Youth
Academy!
For more information about the Ochsner Summer Science
Youth Academy, please visit our website at http://academics.
ochsner.org/outreach.aspx, or contact Kaela Michele Barnett,
Senior Administrator, Academic Community Outreach at (504)
842-5321 or kbarnett@ochsner.org.
Session 1 of the Academy runs from Monday, June 4 to Friday,
July 13. The Session 1 Summer Science Scholars—Julianne
Brown, Nikki Jenkins, Craneisha Nettles, Justin Noil, Chelsea
Ross, and Shantell Vine—will be led by Academy Team Leader
Rachel Ohlmeyer.
ERRATUM
We regret that the names of two residents, Dr. Debra
LePrad and Dr. Natalya Romaniv, were misspelled in the
Spring issue of the Academic Update.
Session 2 of the Academy runs from Monday, June 18 to Friday,
July 27. The five Session 2 Summer Science Scholars—Tasneem
Chowdhury, Joseph Craft, Cinnamon Mitchell, Krishna Patel,
and Ajantha Ramachandran—will be led by Academy Team
Leader Mary Tocco.
15
Alumni/Anesthesiology
Alumni Celebrate Founders Week
2007 Award Recipients
The Alumni Activities Office celebrated Founders Week with the following events:
On May 11, 2007, Dr. Patrick J. Quinlan at the Lecture Luncheon presented “Healthcare Redesign in New Orleans and Louisiana” to Ochsner staff and residents. There were over 100 people in
attendance, making this the best turnout ever. CME credit was also awarded to physicians who
attended the event in the Brent House Conference Center.
That evening, the Alumni Activities Office hosted a Homecoming Reception and Banquet at
Andrea’s Restaurant in Metairie, LA. The event celebrated the 10-, 25-, and 50-year graduates as well as the graduating class of 2007. Awards were presented to the Outstanding
Alumni, Honorary Alumnus, and the Outstanding Fellow of 2007.
Homecoming Weekend concluded on Saturday, May 12, 2007 with the Annual Alumni Golf
Tournament. Nearly 30 players enjoyed lunch before taking to the greens and enjoying a
round of golf at the Audubon Park Golf Course.
For more information on these or upcoming alumni events, please contact Andrea McNeil,
Director of Alumni Activities, at (504) 842-7129.
Dr. R. Brent Butcher II, MD,
Honorary Alumni 2007.
Dr. Paul DeCamp, MD,
Honorary Alumni 2007.
Changa Kurukularatne MD (ID ‘07)
receives the Outstanding Fellows
Award 2007 from Dr. Ventura, MD
(CARD ‘89).
Thomas E. Weiss, MD,
Outstanding Alumnus Award, 2007
Myrddin (Merv) Rees, MD
Honorary Alumnus Award, 2007
R. Brent Butcher II, MD
Paul DeCamp, MD
Outstanding Fellows Award, 2007
Changa Kurukularatne, MD
Class Agents
Dabney Ewin, MD, 50-year
Myrddin Rees, MD, 25-year
Devinder Bhatia, MD, 10-year
Dr. Merv Rees receives the
Thomas E. Weiss Outstanding
Alumnus Award 2007 from Dr.
Frank A. Riddick Jr, MD, CEO
Emeritus.
Andrea McNeil, Director of Alumni Activities,
Dr. Michael Trotter, MD (TCV ‘95), Chairman,
OAS and President Emeritus, OAA, and Dr.
Devinder Bhatia, MD (TCV ‘95 & GS ‘97),
President OAA.
Anesthesiology News
Residency Program is Awarded Accreditation
Anesthesiology Department Hosts Conference
The Anesthesiology Residency Program was reviewed on
November 29, 2006 and has recently received a renewed
four-year accreditation from the Accreditation Council
for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the national
company that provides oversight of residency and
fellowship programs.
Ochsner Health System sponsored the 33rd Annual Gulf Atlantic
Anesthesia Residents’ Research Conference at the Monteleone
Hotel in New Orleans from April 13-15, 2007. Our Anesthesiology
Department hosted this national event, which had over 85 abstracts
submitted for presentation. At the conclusion of the conference,
participants voted to have the conference in New Orleans again in
2008. Conference Director Dr. David Broussard and Conference
Coordinator Kristin Harney were key in making this event a
success.
New Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology
Fellowship Program at Ochsner
ACGME has also approved the Anesthesiology
Department’s application for a new Adult Cardiothoracic
Anesthesiology Fellowship Program. Donald Harmon,
MD, will be the coordinator of this program, which is one
of only about 20 such programs nationwide to have been
accredited by the ACGME.
After the poster presentations on Saturday, April 14, many
participants attended a party at the Tropical Isle on Bourbon Street.
Entertainment was provided by The 50 Mics—a band made up of
Ochsner’s own anesthesia residents.
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Respiratory Therapy Graduation
The graduation ceremony for the Our Lady of Holy Cross College/
Ochsner Program in Respiratory Care was held on June 22, 2007
in the Brent House Conference Center. The Commencement
speaker, Dr. Leonardo Seoane, Associate Program Director,
Internal Medicine Residency and Staff, Pulmonary, Lung
Transplant and Critical Care Medicine at Ochsner, addressed
the graduates on the topic of professionalism. Dr. Brad Burns,
Medical Director; Mary LaBiche, MEd, Program Director; and
Erin Davis, MEd, RRT, Director of Clinical Education, presented
pins and certificates to the following six graduates: A’Keem
Cadres, Dianna Durr, Angelica George, Jennifer Goloforo,
Renee Lemoine Martinez, and Ebony Smith.
L to R: Brad Burns, MD, Mary LaBiche, Angelica George, Jennifer Goloforo, Renee Lemoine
Martinez, Dianna Durr, A’Keem Cadres, Ebony Smith, and Erin Davis.
All six graduates earned their associate degrees from Our Lady
of Holy Cross College. At the end of the summer semester,
registry-eligible students will receive their baccalaureate
degrees. All students who took the national entrylevel certification exam passed. The pass rate and
grades were above the national average.
The following respiratory care students and staff
received special awards and recognition.
Outstanding Academic Achievement:
Dianna Durr
Dianna completed her respiratory academic
training with a 3.84 GPA.
L to R: Erin Davis, Dianna Durr, Mary LaBiche, and
Brad Burns, MD.
Outstanding Clinical Achievement:
Jennifer Goloforo
Jennifer Goloforo was recognized for outstanding clinical
performance in the respiratory care program, especially during her
critical care training.
Most Improved Performance: Angelica George
Ms. George earned the Most Improved Student Performance for her
academic and clinical performance during the second semester of
the program.
Outstanding Clinical Preceptor: Craig Vinet, CRT
The students voted on the respiratory therapist who was the most
helpful in their clinical training. Craig worked with the students in the
Emergency Department.
L to R: Erin Davis, Angelica George, Mary LaBiche, and Brad Burns, MD.
L to R: Ebony Smith, Renee Lemoine Martinez, Angelica George, Craig
Vinet, A’Keem Cadres, Dianna Durr, and Jennifer Goloforo.
Final reflections given by Barbara McNamara, Director, Medical
Education, closed the ceremony.
A reception immediately
followed.
Leonardo Seoane, MD
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Barbara McNamara
Radiologic Technology Program Commencement
Nine students graduated from the Ochsner-Our Lady of Holy Cross
College Allied Health Program in Radiologic Technology on May 4,
2007. The commencement ceremony was held in the Brent House
Conference Center with a reception immediately following. Dr. Dennis Kay, Radiology Chairman, Ochsner Medical Center, delivered
the commencement address on the importance of lifelong learning
and commitment to the educational process.
Certificates and school pins were presented to the graduating students by their radiography program director, department chair, and
clinical instructional faculty.
Upon completion of the Ochsner Radiologic Technology program,
all graduating students received their degrees from Our Lady of
Holy Cross College. Seven of the nine received their baccalaureate
degrees, and two received their associate degrees in Health Science. Five of the nine graduates are now employed by Ochsner. Of
the remaining four, one has accepted a full-time radiography position at Tulane Medical Center; one student has been accepted
into a radiation therapy program to complete specialized training;
one is pursuing acceptance into a nuclear medicine program; and
one is continuing his education in a physician assistant program.
All of the graduates took the national American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification examination. Unofficially,
all graduates have successfully passed national examination, and
(from verbal feedback) the class average for the 2007 registry examination is 90.4%, exceeding state and national averages and the
program’s benchmark of 80%. Official results should be available
in early 2008.
The following radiology graduates received special awards and recognition.
Outstanding Academic Achievement: Amy Romagosa
Ms. Romagosa completed her baccalaureate degree and professional training curriculum with a perfect 4.00 GPA. She graduated
Summa Cum Laude and also received the distinguished honor of
“Top Academic Student” from Our Lady of Holy
Cross College at the college commencement on
May 5, 2007.
Outstanding Student Technologist:
Carson Somme
Ms. Somme was selected by the radiology staff
physicians, residents, and technologists as the
most outstanding student. Technologists recognized her for demonstrating outstanding clinical performance and demonstrating personal
qualities in accordance with the Ochsner guiding
principles of health care delivery. This year’s recipient consistently demonstrated perseverance
at all levels of her education, was an advocate
for outstanding patient care, and has been recognized by the Ochsner medical staff for her accomplishments.
Janice Piazza, Vice President, Academics closed
the ceremony with a few words of reflection and
encouragement to the graduates of the Class of
2007.
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Amy Romagosa receiving award. L to R: Dr. Dennis
Kay, Amy Romagosa, and Carl Tholen.
House Staff Commencement
Sixty-three Ochsner residents and fellows completed their graduate medical training in 21 specialty and subspecialty
areas and were awarded certificates on June 13, 2007. The commencement ceremony was held in the Brent House
Conference Center with a reception immediately following. Dr. Hector O. Ventura, Chairman, Graduate Medical
Education Committee (GMEC), presented the welcoming address. Dr. William W. Pinsky, Executive Vice President for
System Medical Affairs/Chief Academic Officer, introduced the commencement speaker.
Edward D. Frohlich, MD, Alton Ochsner Distinguished Scientist for
the Ochsner Clinic Foundation, presented a commencement address
entitled “Reflections of Three Decades at Ochsner.” After the address,
the following special awards were presented or acknowledged:
Changa Kurukularatne, MD, Infectious Diseases Fellow, was
acknowledged as the recipient of the 2007 Alumni Outstanding Fellow
of the Year; this award was presented previously at the Ochsner Alumni
Banquet by Graduate Medical Education Chairman Dr. Hector Ventura.
Hector O. Ventura, MD
Surya Artham, MD, Internal Medicine, was the recipient of the Case
Report Award for his paper entitled “Apical Ballooning Syndrome of
Takotsubo Syndrome: A Novel Cardiac Syndrome.” Dr. Artham received
$200 and a certificate, and his name will be engraved on a perpetual
plaque hung at the entrance to Monroe Hall.
Robert E. Noll, Jr., MD, Vascular Surgery, was the recipient of the Dean
H. Echols Award for his paper entitled “Long-term Post-Placement after
Endovascular Aneurysm Repair.” Dr. Noll received $500 and a certificate,
and his name will also be engraved on a perpetual plaque hung at the
entrance to Monroe Hall.
William W. Pinsky, MD
Jason A. Breaux, MD, was the recipient of the Alton Ochsner Resident
Leader of the Year Award. This award was developed to acknowledge
a resident who symbolizes Ochsner’s collective commitment to its
patients. The award was presented to Dr. Breaux by William W. Pinsky,
MD, Executive Vice President/Chief Academic Officer.
The Outstanding Teacher of the Year Awards for 2007 were presented
to Leonardo Seoane, MD, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, and
Jefferson Kaye, MD, Department of Orthopedics, by Brett Winthrop,
MD, President, Fellows’ Association. This award represents the highest
honor given to a staff physician from the house staff as an expression of
appreciation for the time, preparation, and devotion he or she has given
to teaching excellence.
Brett Winthrop, MD, President of the Fellows’ Association, 2005-2007,
was presented with a special award by resident and Fellows’ Association
Secretary Julie Franz, MD, for his dedication and leadership over the
past two years.
Following the presentation of special awards, certificates were presented
to the graduating residents by their respective program directors. Dr.
Pinsky concluded the proceedings with a few words of reflection.
Edward D. Frohlich, MD
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Grant Announcements
Ochsner’s Yong S. Choi, MD, receives NIH grant
The National Institutes of Health has awarded a grant in the amount of 1.3 million dollars over five
years to Ochsner Clinic Foundation in support of the project “B Cell Lymphoma Therapy.” The
principal investigator is Yong S. Choi, MD. Dr. Choi has been honored with numerous awards for
his work exploring the production of antibodies in human lymphoid organs.
Yong S. Choi, MD
Ladies Leukemia League invests in Om Prakash, PhD
At their celebratory luncheon in May, the Ladies Leukemia League of the Gulf South presented
Om Prakash, PhD, with the first installment of a $30,000 grant for his research into B cell
chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). The League is a non-profit organization founded in
1969 by a group of ladies dedicated to finding a cure for leukemia. Funds raised through their
members’ efforts are used to fund promising grant proposals submitted by medical researchers
at institutions in the Gulf South Region (Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi) to a scientific review
panel of six volunteer physicians. The league’s grant will fund an interesting new approach
targeting an intracellular event in B-CLL pathogenesis.
Om Prakash, PhD
GPOA Foundation says “Yes” to Ochsner Summer Science
Youth Academy
The GPOA Foundation has approved a grant of $3,000 to fund the 2007 Summer Science
Youth Academy. The GPOA Foundation, which was created from the sale of the German
Protestant Orphan Asylum’s State Street Children’s Home in 1979, supports programs that
serve children in Louisiana. Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the foundation’s grants have
focused on children’s education. The grant to Ochsner will provide stipends to the college students who act as Academy Leaders for student participants from New Orleans Charter Science and Mathematics
High School and the Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy. Look for these young researchers on
campus this summer!
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