Time to Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide
Now that winter has finally been banished, the Tennessee Department of health is reminding providers to talk to patients about the importance of taking sun precautions while enjoying the great outdoors. TDH suggests using the international “Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide” message:
Slip on a shirt and long pants.
Slop on 30 or higher sun protection factor sunscreen.
Slap on a hat.
Seek shade or shelter.
Slide on sunglasses.
Virtual Reality Simulator Hones Eye Surgery Skills
Virtual reality environments are a common feature used in the aviation industry to train pilots, and now they’re also proving to be a very effective tool in educating the next generation of ophthalmological surgeons at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Vanderbilt is one of a handful of programs in the country using the traditional hands-on teaching mechanism of the wet lab in addition to the newest surgical teaching devices, such as the Eyesi Surgical, a high-fidelity virtual reality simulator for intraocular surgery training.
“This is an impressive piece of equipment that will have a positive impact on our resident’s skills in the operating room,” said Laura Wayman, MD, associate professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, vice chair of Education and director of Resident Education for the Vanderbilt Eye Institute (VEI). “We have already been able to see that their microsurgical skills have much improved. And with 24/7 access, residents are able to utilize the system as much as they need, while getting detailed feedback from the computer about their surgical skills.”
The computerized training readies surgeons for cataract and retinal operations, with the goal of reducing complication rates and operative times to improve patient care, Wayman added. The $250,000 Eyesi was purchased by the Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System and is housed in their eye clinic for VEI residents and fellows, who also rotate at the VA.
Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About!
Awards, Honors, Achievements
Local internist Ryan D. Mire, MD, FACP was presented with the prestigious Walter J. McDonald Award for Early Career Physicians from the American College of Physicians (ACP), at the national organization’s annual meeting last month. Mire is the associate chief of medicine at Saint Thomas Hospital and chair of the medical advisory committee. He is a past-president of Heritage Medical Associates.
The Tennessee Kidney Foundation welcomed more than 530 guests to the inaugural Spring Soirée on March 29 at the Omni Nashville Hotel. The evening raised in excess of $300,000 to support the organization’s mission to improve kidney health.
HighPoint Health System received national recognition with two awards during LifePoint Hospitals’ annual leadership conference. Susan Peach, CEO of the four-hospital system and of flagship facility Sumner Regional Medical Center, was honored as “CEO of the Year.” Carthage-based Riverview Regional Medical Center was recognized with a “High Five” award, which is the company’s highest honor and is only given to five of LifePoint’s 61 hospitals annually.
In other news from LifePoint, Mike Coggin, senior vice president and chief accounting officer, has received the William V. Lapham Award for Extraordinary Integrity. The award was created in 2007 to honor Lapham, a founding board member and former chair of the hospital company’s audit and compliance committee, who succumbed to cancer in 2008. LifePoint Chairman and CEO Bill Carpenter noted Coggin could always be counted on to be “a voice of reason and objectivity on all matters” and praised him for fostering open and honest communication.
Two leaders affiliated with Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center were recently recognized during the 6th Annual Nashville Honors Gala benefitting the T.J. Martell Foundation. Scott Hiebert, PhD, an internationally recognized expert in research on the mechanistic basis of acute leukemia, was celebrated for his contributions to cancer research. Hiebert is associate director of Basic Research at VICC. Also, VICC Board of Overseers member Beth Dortch Franklin was recognized for her work to enhance awareness and support for cancer research and her efforts as an advocate for the educational and outreach needs of cancer patients and families.
Music Health Alliance is the recipient of the prestigious 2014 Healthcare Workforce Innovation Award recognizing an employer who is trailblazing workforce trends and innovation impacting the business of healthcare in Tennessee. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Memphis Mayor AC Wharton presented the award at the 2014 Healthcare Diversity Forum at Vanderbilt University in March.
Raymond James Investment Banking was recently honored with a pair of International M&A Advisor Awards in the publication’s sixth annual list of exceptional international deals for M&A Deal of the Year and for Corporate/Strategic Acquisition of the Year.
Hoar Construction, with offices in Brentwood, has been named one of the Top Ten General Contractors in the nation by Modern Healthcare. Coming in at #9, Hoar’s ranking makes it one of the top national firms providing construction services to healthcare facilities, based on annual revenue.
Wishes Granted
The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center will serve as the lead site for a $500,000 grant focused on building capacity of faith communities, such as churches, mosques, synagogues and other religious organizations, to support employment for members with disabilities. Funded by the Kessler Foundation, the focus of the project, called “Putting Faith to Work,” is to enable faith communities to address employment needs of members with disabilities by connecting them to quality employment opportunities through the natural networks represented by congregational members. Each research site will invite congregations of varying faith traditions to support individuals with physical and/or developmental disabilities in securing and maintaining employment in the community.
Through a $5.5 million donation from San Francisco businessman Bernard Osher, Vanderbilt’s Center for Integrative Health will join the existing group of Osher Centers for Integrative Medicine and will now be known as the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Vanderbilt University. “This generous gift will enable Vanderbilt to play an increasingly significant role in the field of integrative medicine,” said Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, vice chancellor for Health Affairs and dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “The gift also gives Vanderbilt the opportunity to collaborate with the Foundation’s other centers for integrative medicine as we seek to increase knowledge, develop new clinical programs, and train students in this emerging discipline.”
Recent Certifications, Accreditations & Commendations
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently gave five stars to Life Care Center of Hickory Woods, a skilled nursing and rehab center in Antioch. The CMS ratings system, designed to help the public choose quality care, calculates the ratings based on results of health inspections, staffing and quality measures (including pain management, pressure ulcers, weight loss and number of medications used).
Robert Eddy, CPA, Forensic Valuation Consultant, recently received two professional certifications in the business valuation industry. He successfully completed the certification process with the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA) to earn his designation of Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) and with the American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) to earn the Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) designation.
HCA Partners with Entrepreneur Center
HCA Holdings, which has spun of more than a few healthcare companies of its own, has partnered with the Nashville Entrepreneur Center to support startup growth and development within the city’s healthcare sector.
"As our healthcare industry continues to evolve, we continually are seeking ways to improve the delivery of high-quality care and the patient experience,” HCA President and CEO R. Milton Johnson said. “Nashville has a tradition of innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly in healthcare, and we are proud to support the great work by the Nashville Entrepreneur Center.”
The EC also recently announced a partnership with Nashville's CapStar Bank.
Avondale Partners Names Morphett Head of Investment Banking
Avondale Partners, a national investment banking and wealth management firm headquartered in Nashville, has named Jonathan Morphett as the head of investment banking.
Morphett joined Avondale in 2004 as head of healthcare investment banking, where he helped establish the firm as a nationally recognized provider of advisory and capital raising services for public and private companies. Since his arrival, the firm has closed $15 billion of assignments for healthcare firms throughout the country.
Prior to Avondale, Morphett founded Australian corporate finance advisory firm Rosebrook Ventures. He is a former investment banking managing director at Morgan Stanley where he served in various positions for 14 years, primarily in New York and Sydney, Australia. Morphett is a former board member of the Nashville Health Care Council.
Meharry Research Day
In March, more than 150 Meharry Medical College students participated in the 58th annual Student Research Day. Presentations centered on finding healthcare solutions for diseases impacting underserved populations and included findings on a range of topics from the impact salt intake has on heart health to the effectiveness of drugs for treating aggressive melanoma.
Hosted by the School of Graduate Studies and Research, the event featured Goldie S. Byrd, PhD, a 1986 Meharry graduate, as the James A. Pulliam Memorial Lecture keynote speaker. Leah Banks, a 2015 PhD candidate at Meharry, received the grand prize for best overall research for her presentation on olive oil and its protective effect against colon cancer.
Last month, nearly 8,000 Middle Tennesseans turned out for the 2014 March for Babies sponsored by Saint Thomas Health and benefitting the local chapter of the March of Dimes. The event raised more than $600,000.
TriStar Centennial Names Administrative Director of Surgical Services
TriStar Centennial Medical Center recently announced Ricky Yates, CRNFA, CNOR, has been named administrative director of surgical services for TriStar Centennial Women’s Hospital and The Children’s Hospital.
Most recently, Yates served as director of Surgical Services at Williamson Medical Center. He brings more than 19 years of nursing leadership experience in surgical services. Yates completed his associate’s degree in Applied Science Nursing from Tennessee State University and earned his bachelor’s in Health Arts from Saint Francis University.
Broome Joins Saint Thomas Endocrine Surgical Specialists
James T. Broome, MD, who specializes in endocrine surgery, has recently joined Saint Thomas Health. Board certified in general surgery, he will operate the newly created Saint Thomas Endocrine Surgical Specialists. His clinical interests include the surgical management of diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenals and pancreas, as well as neuroendocrine tumors.
Broome earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School. He completed his internship and residency at Vanderbilt University and the Norman W. Thompson Fellowship in endocrine surgery from the University of Michigan Medical School.
ReviveHealth Celebrates Strong First Quarter
The year has started off on a high note for ReviveHealth. In March, the Nashville-headquartered strategic communications firm specializing in healthcare clientele received the honor of Small PR Agency of the Year at PRWeek’s annual industry awards dinner in New York City.
The national recognition comes on the heels of tremendous growth in 2013 with the addition of 11 staff professionals in 2013. That growth has continued in the first quarter of 2014. In late March, Valence Health, a leading provider of clinical integration, population health and value-based care solutions, selected the firm its healthcare communications and public relations strategy partner.
ReviveHealth has also added four more team members and promoted two in the last several weeks. New hires are Ashley Merchant as account supervisor, Chance Strickland as account executive, Lauren Cerra as account executive, and Andrew Worthing as assistant account executive. Lana Taussig was promoted from account supervisor to senior account supervisor, and Bethany Doty from assistant account executive to account executive.
Vanderbilt, Sumner Regional Announce Clinical Partnership
At the end of March, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and LifePoint Hospitals subsidiary Sumner Regional Medical Center announced a clinical affiliation agreement to coordinate programs between the hospitals.
Although the partnership will provide additional medical services to Gallatin-based Sumner Regional, the affiliation does not involve any ownership or management changes. Plans call for development of a teleneurology program and additional pediatric services at Sumner Regional.
"We are delighted to launch this affiliation with Vanderbilt University Medical Center," said Susan Peach, CEO of HighPoint and Sumner Regional. "As we examined ways to bring additional medical services to our communities, our leadership team explored several affiliation options. Vanderbilt, which is one of our nation's premier academic medical centers, emerged as the ideal fit for us."
Healthbox Grows, Solidifies Local Presence
Coming off a successful first foray into healthcare incubation in Nashville, Chicago-based Healthbox is looking for a more permanent presence in the city. The healthcare technology accelerator is searching for an executive director and program manager to maintain a permanent staff in Nashville. The local Healthbox outpost is housed at the Entrepreneur Center.
Founded in 2012 by CEO Nina Nashif, the company also runs accelerator programs in Chicago, Boston, Tampa and London. Plans have been announced to expand the program to Salt Lake City, as well. Last month, the company closed on $7 million from a collaborative group of leading healthcare organizations to form Healthbox Global Partners, LLC, with a goal of operating six accelerators, growing Healthbox Solutions, building foundries to bring the Healthbox accelerator model inside health systems, and establishing collaborative initiatives by partnering with healthcare organizations to develop unique innovation and venture models to address emerging strategic needs.
Precision Pain Care Opens New Nashville Location
In March, Precision Pain Care announced the opening of its new location at 393 Wallace Road, Building A, Suite 403. Graf Hilgenhurst, MD, pain management specialist and anesthesiologist, founded his first interventional spinal pain practice in Smyrna, Tenn. He cited demand from patients and referring physicians as the impetus to open the second location in Nashville.
Hilgenhurst is president of the Tennessee Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, a member of the faculty of the International Spine Intervention Society, the American Society of Anesthesiologists and a faculty member of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.
Senior Helpers Expands to Murfreesboro
Senior Helpers, a leading national provider of in-home care for seniors, has recently expanded to a new location at 745 S. Church Street in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Owned by Debbie Miller, who operates several Senior Helpers offices across the Greater Nashville area, Senior Helpers of Murfreesboro offers an array of services ranging from basic monitoring to around-the-clock home care assistance, both in the family's home, as well as in assisted living communities and skilled care facilities when one-on-one care is needed.
Waller Adds Five Healthcare Attorneys in Three Offices
Waller, which has been ranked among the nation’s 10 largest healthcare law firms since 2005, recently announced five healthcare attorneys have joined the firm in Nashville, Birmingham and the newly opened Memphis office.
Michelle B. Marsh, who practiced with Waller earlier in her career, has re-joined the firm as partner in the Nashville office. She advises hospitals, health systems, and outpatient services providers on a wide range of regulatory issues. Marsh has earned the designations of Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC) and Certified in Healthcare Privacy Compliance (CHPC). Previous experience includes serving as vice president/associate general counsel for LifePoint Hospitals, and most recently as chief compliance officer and regulatory counsel for SpecialtyCare. She earned her undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt and her law degree from William & Mary.
Angela C. Youngberg represents clients from virtually every segment of the healthcare industry, including hospitals, physicians, long-term care providers, surgery centers, and medical device companies. Her practice focuses on healthcare regulatory compliance and operations, She has extensive experience in federal and state fraud and abuse matters and represents clients in third party payer audits and appeals. She is the immediate past chair of the Tennessee Bar Association’s Health Law Section. Youngberg joins Waller from Rainey, Kizer, Reviere & Bell, PLC in Jackson, Tenn. The new partner will be based in Nashville but will continue to serve long-standing clients in West Tennessee. She earned her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Memphis
Additionally, Zachary D. Trotter joined the firm as an associate in Birmingham. Wes Scott and Jacob Weinstein joined Waller in Memphis as associates.
Aegis Sciences Corporation Promotes Thoma to CFO
Nashville-based Aegis Sciences Corporation, a leading forensic toxicology and healthcare sciences laboratories, recently promoted Keri Thoma, CPA, to chief financial officer where she will oversee all strategic financial initiatives.
For the past four years, Thoma served as vice president of finance/controller. Previously, Jeff Fisher served in the dual roles as CFO and chief culture officer, but company leaders said the workload needed to be separated in light of the rapid growth Aegis has experienced. Fisher will remain in his role as chief culture officer.
Thoma joined the company in 2010. She received her undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Iowa and her MBA from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
Gold Skin Care Center Joins National Radiation Mark Removal Program
Nashville-based Gold Skin Care Center has volunteered in the New Beginnings: Radiation Mark Removal Program, a national philanthropic campaign, coordinated by the American Society for Laser Medicine & Surgery, Inc. (ASLMS), offering free radiation mark removal for cancer patients.
“This program allows us to work with cancer patients within our community and to help them remove some of the stigma associated with cancer treatments — the radiation therapy marks — and allow them to be more open and free within their surroundings,” said Michael Gold, MD, medical director of Gold Skin Care Center.
Keehn Named MHC Marketing & Communications Director
Trisha Keehn recently joined the Mental Health Cooperative (MHC) as director of marketing and communications with a responsibility for internal and external communications to promote MHC’s mission of providing mental health services for people living at or below the poverty line.
Keehn brings more than a decade of professional experience to MHC. She has worked as an independent communications consultant and served in several leadership positions for Habitat for Humanity. An Iowa native, Keehn began her career as a broadcast reporter and producer for KTIV in Sioux City. She holds a double bachelor’s degree from Sioux City’s Morningside College in mass communications and corporate communications.
Kraft Enterprise Systems Adds Four, Admits One to Membership
Kraft Enterprise Systems, LLC, and affiliate of Nashville-based KraftCPAs PLLC, recently added four team members — Anthony Hill, Fernando Capablanca, Jeremy Adkins-Hill and Gregory “Lance” Williams — to help the provider of software solutions better serve client needs as the company grows.
Hill, Capablanca and Adkins-Hill are all consultants with extensive experience in Dynamics AX and/or Dynamics GP. Williams, a developer with the KES technology team, assists clients with custom software development and provides support to clients who use NetSuite.
Additionally, Jennifer Batey has become a member in KES. A Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS), she has more than 18 years of experience in the technology and finance industries. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Middle Tennessee State University, Batey gained more than 15 years of experience in various roles including accountant, controller and director of billing. She joined KES as a consultant in 2010
Faith Family Medical Launching Charitable Care Network
Faith Family Medical Clinic is in the process of establishing the Tennessee Charitable Care Network, a nonprofit group to organize and connect charitable healthcare providers across the state caring for the uninsured and underinsured.
“We believe there are approximately 45 charitable care clinics in the state," said Laura Hobson, executive director of Faith Family and chair of the TCCN board. "A lot of other states have associations like this to support, educate and represent all the groups that provide charitable healthcare. We've always worked together and networked together, and now we're making that more formal." She added, “We want to learn from each other and compile data to show what kind of impact we have in the state," she said. "We want to be sure that people are aware of how our clinics, that are mostly donor-supported, are making a difference and caring for people who have no healthcare."
With the state’s failure to expand Medicaid, nonprofit care providers are bracing for an uptick in clients who fall below the poverty line but don’t qualify for subsidies on the health exchanges.
WPC Hires Data Scientist to Meet Growing Demand
Brentwood-based WPC, a full-service healthcare technology, business process consulting organization, recently announced the hiring of data scientist Damian Mingle to meet the strong demand for its expertise in translating clinical, financial and operational data into actionable insights.
Mingle has more than 10 years of experience successfully leading the development and delivery of data-driven solutions internationally. He gained experience with data mining, data modeling and predictive modeling within the mortgage banking, financial services and healthcare industries. He most recently worked in analytics and pricing services for a large integrated healthcare delivery network where he designed what-if models for managed care contracts and developed programmatic solutions to optimize hospital service line pricing.
UNHS Celebrates Renovation of Two Clinics
United Neighborhood Health Services (UNHS) recently celebrated the renovation of two of its Nashville-area clinics, Cayce Family Clinic and Madison Family Clinic.
For the last five months, Madison Family Clinic has undergone extensive renovations totaling approximately $300,000. The renovations were aimed at making a trip to the doctor as comfortable and convenient as possible. Upgrades included improved handicap accessibility for patients, the addition of two patient exam rooms, converted space for use with patient education and as fitness classes, updated restrooms, repair of existing water damage, and an overall refresh with new paint and flooring.
Similar upgrades, totaling approximately $250,000, were made at the Cayce Family Clinic. Handicap accessibility was improved, the registration area was restructured for patient confidentiality, a new patient education and training area was added, restrooms were updated and new paint and flooring was installed.
Corizon Wins Fresno Jail Contract
Brentwood-based correctional facilities healthcare provider Corizon announced in late March that the company has been awarded a $100 million contract to provide medical services to the Fresno County Jail in Fresno, Calif.
The agreement, effective June 23, is for three years, with the potential for two additional one-year extensions, according to a release. The contract is anticipated to save Fresno County more than $1.5 million during the first year and more than $5 million over the course of the agreement.
Corizon is expected to hire many of the approximately 110 employees who had been on the county payroll. “This is a significant win for the taxpayers and patients in Fresno County,” said Corizon CEO Woodrow A. Myers, Jr., MD. “As a physician-led healthcare provider, we are able to provide quality care to the patients and deliver significant savings to the county. Our goal is to improve the care delivered in Fresno County so that our patients re-enter the community in better health than they came.”
Insight Genetics, VICC Partner to Improve Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Nashville-based Insight Genetics, Inc. has announced a collaboration with Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) to enhance how researchers and oncologists classify and treat patients diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The molecular diagnostics company is working with VICC scientists to identify genetic markers that will help select the targeted therapeutics most effective for each individual TNBC patient.
The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 230,000 women will be diagnosed with an invasive form of breast cancer in 2014. Many of these cases can be genetically characterized as Estrogen Receptor (ER)-positive, Progesterone Receptor (PR)-positive or HER2-positive. These characterizations assist clinicians in matching patients with targeted therapeutic options. Breast tumors that do not express genes for any of these three known markers are classified as triple-negative breast cancers. Patients with TNBC currently have limited treatment options and a higher risk of relapse than other forms of the disease.
As part of their research project, Insight Genetics will be collaborating with Jennifer Pietenpol, PhD, director of VICC, and B.F. Byrd Jr., professor of Oncology, as well as the laboratory group at VICC in a continuation of their work to identify novel genetic markers for TNBC. Recent work from the Pietenpol laboratory published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation used an algorithm to examine gene expression data from more than 500 TNBC cases and identified up to six distinct sub-types of triple-negative breast cancers. Insight Genetics and Pietenpol will now focus on identifying novel genetic drivers for these various TNBC sub-types and developing a better understanding of effective treatment options for each. The work is also designed to identify new TNBC biomarkers and develop assays based on these biomarkers.
RegionalCare Joint Venture Purchasing Montana Medical Center
In a joint venture with the Billings Clinic, Brentwood-based RegionalCare Hospital Partners has been chosen by the board of Community Medical Center to purchase the 146-bed hospital in Missoula, Mont.
The medical center, which employs more than 1,100 people and has a medical staff of more than 300, also had an option on the table to sell to the city’s other hospital but decided against it. "Ultimately, we believe that partnering with an independent organization preserves for the community the greatest opportunity for choice and healthcare options in the future," Community Medical Center CEO Steve Carlson wrote in a letter to the hospital's medical staff.
The parties hope to close the deal this fall.
HCA’s Wesley Medical Center Selects Lincor Solutions
Nashville-based Lincor Solutions Inc. recently announced it has been selected to provide patient engagement technology to the newly renovated Women’s Care Unit at HCA’s 760-bed Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kan. Under the partnership, Lincor will implement its PatientLINC and ClinicalLINC technology in the new $36 million unit, which includes 81 patient rooms.
In addition to providing patients with access to communication services, entertainment content and patient education opportunities through a touch-screen monitor at the bedside, the PatientLINC platform allows clinicians to access a patient’s clinical information to share charts, scans and test results with the patient and “prescribe” educational materials that help patients better understand their care prior to discharge. Patients also have access to a menu of entertainment options including television, video-on-demand, games, and audiobooks, as well as Internet, email and voice- and video-call capabilities.
HealthStream Acquires Health Care Compliance Strategies
Nashville-based HealthStream, Inc., a leading provider of workforce development and research and patient experience solutions for the healthcare industry, announced in March that it has acquired Health Care Compliance Strategies, Inc. (HCCS), a Jericho, New York-based company focused on interactive and engaging online compliance training for healthcare organizations.
HealthStream has long been the leading provider of workforce development solutions in healthcare, which has included its OSHA & accreditation compliance training in U.S. hospitals with its 3.7 million subscribers to its platform. With its added capabilities, courseware, and expertise from the acquisition of HCCS, HealthStream now has a comprehensive compliance solution—with a full continuum of services and training programs that addresses the broad range of compliance priorities.
Discovery Sheds New Light on Marijuana’s Anxiety Relief Effects
An international group led by Vanderbilt University researchers has found cannabinoid receptors, through which marijuana exerts its effects, in a key emotional hub in the brain involved in regulating anxiety and the flight-or-fight response.
This is the first time cannabinoid receptors have been identified in the central nucleus of the amygdala in a mouse model, they report in the current issue of the journal Neuron. The discovery may help explain why marijuana users say they take the drug mainly to reduce anxiety, said Sachin Patel, MD, PhD, the paper’s senior author and professor of Psychiatry and of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics.
Led by first author Teniel Ramikie, a graduate student in Patel’s lab, the researchers also showed for the first time how nerve cells in this part of the brain make and release their own natural “endocannabinoids.”
The study “could be highly important for understanding how cannabis exerts its behavioral effects,” Patel said. As the legalization of marijuana spreads across the country, more people — and especially young people whose brains are still developing — are being exposed to the drug.
Previous studies at Vanderbilt and elsewhere, Patel said, have suggested the following:
• The natural endocannabinoid system regulates anxiety and the response to stress by dampening excitatory signals that involve the neurotransmitter glutamate.
• Chronic stress or acute, severe emotional trauma can cause a reduction in both the production of endocannabinoids and the responsiveness of the receptors. Without their “buffering” effect, anxiety goes up.
• While marijuana’s “exogenous” cannabinoids also can reduce anxiety, chronic use of the drug down-regulates the receptors, paradoxically increasing anxiety. This can trigger “a vicious cycle” of increasing marijuana use that in some cases leads to addiction.
In the current study, the researchers used high-affinity antibodies to “label” the cannabinoid receptors so they could be seen using various microscopy techniques, including electron microscopy, which allowed very detailed visualization at individual synapses, or gaps between nerve cells.
“We know where the receptors are, we know their function, we know how these neurons make their own cannabinoids,” Patel said. “Now can we see how that system is affected by … stress and chronic (marijuana) use? It might fundamentally change our understanding of cellular communication in the amygdala.”
BlueCross Links Members with Pharmacists for Improved MTM
Helping members with multiple health conditions effectively manage medications is the goal of a new Medication Therapy Management program (MTM) offered through BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s Medicare Advantage plans at no additional charge. The program links members with local pharmacists who provide a comprehensive program to ensure safe and effective use of medication in accordance with standards set forth by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
BlueCross’ program, delivered through OutcomesMTM, provides one-on-one medication management to high-risk members − those with three or more chronic health conditions requiring multiple medications. Key to the program is an annual comprehensive medication review to detect and resolve any issues with the patient’s prescription and over-the-counter medications. As part of the review, the patient receives private consultation on existing regimen, a medication action plan and a personalized drug list.
The MTM program also provides timely alerts to specially trained pharmacists when the patient starts a medication with high risk of causing side effects. Additionally, patients who have difficulty with taking their medications on time receive special counseling to help them manage their drug treatments.
Adults ages 65 and older make more than 177,000 emergency department visits each year for adverse medication interactions. They are also seven times more likely to be hospitalized after the emergency visit than other age groups, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
UW Medicine, Capital Medical Center Form New Collaboration
UW Medicine and Capital Medical Center (CMC), in Olympia, Wash., have signed an agreement selecting UW Medicine as the healthcare system of choice for complex tertiary and quaternary care for Capital Medical Center patients. This strategic collaboration will provide Capital Medical Center patients prompt access to the highest level of care for advanced services while allowing the organizations to work together to continue improving the quality, safety and cost effectiveness of care in the South Sound.
“This strategic partnership with UW Medicine is an important step for both Capital Medical Center and for the South Sound region,” said Michael Wiechart, president and CEO of Capella Healthcare, of which CMC is a part. “This partnership marries a top academic medical center that has very strong primary care resources with a best-in-class community hospital.”
The agreement went into effect on April 1, 2014.
CRI Launches Services to Help Organizations Track, Measure & Leverage Data
Centerstone Research Institute (CRI), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving behavioral healthcare through research and information technology, recently announced the launch of two new products, OutcomeSolutions and Evaluation Services.
Using the expertise and 70 collective years of experience, CRI’s team of evaluators provides organizations with “low touch” or “high touch” solutions to their program evaluation needs. Both offerings are designed to help organizations track, measure, analyze and report on the impact and effectiveness of their programs and initiatives. Through these services, CRI can help organizations measure critical program outcomes, maximize reimbursement for services and justify new or continued grant funding, while improving overall value and satisfaction for patients.
“Measuring outcomes can benefit an organization in many ways. Data that reflects the outcomes of services can help provide leverage when seeking higher reimbursement rates, critical information for operational decision-making, justification for continued or additional funding as well as provide insight into how to market organizational successes,” said CRI Vice President of Research and Evaluation Kathryn Mathes, PhD.
The Evaluation Services team can provide a “low touch” solution where an FTP (file transfer protocol) website is used to securely upload program data. CRI cleans, maintains, analyzes and interprets the data to create accessible reports that satisfies federal funding agencies as well as provides basic program impact information. CRI’s “high touch” solution walks the entire program evaluation journey with organizations from conceptualization, to evaluation planning and implementation, high-level statistical analysis and comprehensive reporting to include journal publications. CRI’s evaluation approaches include impact evaluation, evaluations for program improvement, participatory and empowerment evaluation and evaluation capacity building. Research and analytics solutions provided by CRI’s Evaluation Services include the following:
Evaluation planning;
Logic Model development;
Focus group coordination and facilitation;
Questionnaire design; and
Online survey implementation
OutcomeSolutions is another new product and was developed with the changing healthcare environment in mind. Quality and outcome measures are becoming more and more commonplace within the behavioral healthcare industry, particularly as the healthcare system shifts from fee-for-service to pay-for-performance. OutcomeSolutions executes a simple outcome measurement strategy that can improve patient care, increase patient satisfaction, help bring value to patients and provide justification for higher reimbursement rates. CRI makes follow-up calls to a statistically valid sample of patients, collects data that answers critical questions, cleans, securely maintains and analyzes patient responses to provide organizations with multi-purpose information that can be immediately used.
“The healthcare industry’s shift towards value-based care has placed a great emphasis on providing the best possible treatment with the lowest possible cost of care,” said Tom Doub, PhD, chief executive officer at CRI. “Our evaluation services help organizations address both sides of this value ratio—which is outcomes over costs—by closely examining what is or isn’t working in their programs and using data to make informed decisions on how to make it better.”
For more information on Evaluation Services and OutcomeSolutions, visit www.centerstoneresearch.org/evaluation/.
