Friday, Jan. 30• Faculty Appreciation Day luncheon,

noon, School of Nursing Atrium.

• Neurology Grand Rounds,“Cerebral Venous Thrombosis,”Rima Dafer, MD, 8:30-9:30 a.m.,1563a hospital.

Tuesday, Feb. 3• “Tailored Health Communication:

Evidence for Effectiveness andApplications in Health BehaviorChange,” Matthew Kreuter, PhD,noon, B018, School of Nursing.

• Student Wellness Program, “Low-Carb Diets,” noon, RiekeAuditorium.

Thursday, Feb. 5• Internal Medicine conference,

“Polycystic Kidney Disease:From the Bedside to the Benchand Back with a Treatment inHand,” Jared Grantham, MD,noon, Sudler Auditorium.

For a more complete listing ofcampus events, go tohttp://www2.kumc.edu/calendar/.

Coming UpClassifieds, etc.

Automotive:2002 Chrysler Sebring LX Plus, black,gray interior, like new, many extras,great gas mileage, excellent condition,retail price $20,980 plus tax, asking$9,999. 913-642-0254.

1999 Saturn SC1, red, 3-door, powerwindows/locks/moonroof, cruise con-trol, single CD player, 37K, 25/37 mpg,$6,000. 913-236-8614.

1995 Chevy Astro van, white, TV, VCR,excellent condition, 109K, $6,000 OBO.785-843-4510.

1987 Mazda 323, runs great, 5-speed,FWD, quick, handles great, excellent gasmileage – 33 mpg, new tires/struts/exhaust,$900 OBO. 913-961-3248.

1987 Caprice Brougham, ice blue,everything works, recent tune-up, goodtires, body in good condition, $1,300.913-449-3206 or 913-244-4432.

1985 Mercedes Benz 190E, maroon,runs well, new tires, recent work done,$1,000. 913-244-4432 or 913-449-3206.

For Sale:Twin bed and mattress suitable for achild, good condition, oak headboardand footboard with carving, $120 OBO.913-381-2250.

JVC home theatre system, A/V receiver,DVD/VCR/CD, 5 speakers, subwoofer,new, $450; Weider home gym, rack,bench, barbell, weights, rarely used,$250; American Chopper ride-on toy,new, $225. 913-831-7487 after 5 p.m.

Amana side-by-side refrigerator, white,ice/water dispenser, width 36", depth29", height 67", less than 5 years old;Maytag Quiet Series 300 dishwasher,white, 4 cycles, less than 1 year old; GE Spectra range, freestanding, electric,ceramic-glass cooktop, less than 1 yearold. 913-980-3721.

Irene M. Cumming Donald Hagen, MDPresident and CEO Executive Vice ChancellorThe University of University of KansasKansas Hospital Medical Center

Barbara Jaekel, EditorVal Renault, Senior Writer

Kevin White, Senior Graphic DesignerJan Lewis, Editorial Manager

Mary King, Communications Services Director

In The Center is a weekly employee publication published by The University of Kansas Hospital’sCommunications Services Department. Send story ideasto Barbara Jaekel, Bldg. 48, Room 1070, or e-mailbjaekel or call 8-1074.

Ad Policy - Send or bring your ad, 30 words or less, toBldg. 48, Room 1070, fax to 8-1063, or e-mail bjaekelby noon Thursday of the week before it is to run. Adsrun free of charge for employees, students and volun-teers. All ads must include the advertiser’s name andwork extension (or student box number) for verifica-tion. Only home phone numbers–no pager numbersor work extensions–will be published. Please includearea code. No ads for commercial services or pets forsale will be accepted. Ads will not be taken by tele-phone. Ads may be held a week if space is limited.

3901 RAINBOW BOULEVARD • KANSAS CITY, KS 66160 • (913) 588-5000 • WWW.KUMC.EDU

Wanted: Change BanditsChildren's Miracle Network and Mix 93.3 are recruiting “Change

Bandits” to collect change from co-workers, friends and family over the

next few weeks. “Change Bandits” help raise money for Rocket and

Teresa’s Sixth Annual Mix For Kids Radiothon, March 3-5. A live broad-

cast will take place March 4 in the cafeteria.

Children’s Miracle Network will send you a kit with a T-shirt, change

bag, “wanted poster,” stickers and a list of prizes. You could win a trip for

four to Universal Studios in Florida and shopping sprees, courtesy of the

“Change Bandit” sponsor, Costco Wholesale.

Collect as much change as possible and turn in your loot at the Bandit

Bash with Rocket and Teresa at Argosy Casino on Friday, Feb. 27, from

4-7 pm. Prizes, food and drinks will be available, as well as a chance to

meet the morning DJs.

Last year, Children’s Miracle Network raised more than $400,000 for

KUMC’s Department of Pediatrics. Contact Stephanie Nolte at 8-9107 or

snolte@kumc.edu for more information or to volunteer.

Your heart tells you when you’re

in love, hurt or afraid – but it

may not let you know you have

heart disease. The American Heart

Association wants women to pay

more attention to their hearts.

The national Go Red for

Women campaign Friday, Feb. 6,

encourages women to take charge

of their health to live longer,

stronger lives. The University of

Kansas Hospital is participating in

this first-ever event.

Everyone on the KUMC campus

is encouraged to make a donation and

wear red in support of all women who

have been touched by cardiovascular

disease. For more information, hospi-

tal employees should see their

department directors, and univer-

sity and KUPI employees should

stop by Alumni and Community

Relations, 1028 Murphy.

For a $5 donation, you will

receive a red pin to wear and a

brochure about heart health. For

a $10 donation, you will receive

the pin, the brochure and a

coupon for a blood pressure test

and cholesterol screening (com-

plete lipid profile). You must

make an appointment before the

Feb. 6 health screening.

The screenings will be offered

6-11 a.m. and 5:30-7 p.m. in the

Clinical Labs’ Boley Conference

Room, 1603 hospital. A 10-12 hour

fast is required prior to the screen-

ings. Test results and follow-up

materials will be mailed to your

home. You must present your

coupon at the time of the screening.

Each donor also will receive a

coupon for a free 20-ounce drink

from the cafeteria. The coupon is

good through Feb. 29. In addition,

on Feb. 6 the cafeteria will provide

heart healthy menu selections, and

Mid-America Cardiology staff will

be outside the cafeteria to distribute

heart health information and sell

Go Red pins.

All proceeds from the Go Red

campaign will benefit KUMC’s

Heart Walk fundraising efforts.

Kansas City’s American Heart Walk

will be held Saturday, June 12.

Heart disease is women’s

number one threat, killing nearly

500,000 women each year. That’s

more than the next seven causes of

death combined, including all forms

of cancer.

“Fortunately, you can do a lot to

prevent heart disease,” said Amy

Metcalf, relational marketing manager

for the hospital. “Go Red for Women

helps by informing women of the

warning signs of heart attack and

stroke and encouraging them to take

positive action to reduce their risks.”

Page 2 Asher Honor

Page 3 Cumming ElectionHoglund MRIsSatisfaction Surveys

Page 4 Front & Center

Page 5 KCALSI Grants

Page 6 Patient Resource CenterNurse Anesthetists

Page 7 What’s News

Page 8 Classifieds, etc.

The University of Kansas Medical Center

29 JANUARY 2004 • VOLUME 6 • NUMBER 5

Inside

KUMC Campus Goes Red forWomen’s Heart Health Feb. 6

2

In recognition of his outstanding

accomplishments as an educator, clini-

cian and researcher, Marc Asher, MD,

received the rank of University

Distinguished Professor in July 2003.

He was honored Jan. 21 with a pro-

gram and symposium and formally

presented the award. The presentation

was made by Donald Hagen, MD,

KUMC executive vice chancellor, and

Barbara Atkinson, MD, executive

dean of the School of Medicine and

vice chancellor of Clinical Affairs.

The honor is the highest aca-

demic rank granted to active faculty

by KU.

Asher, a professor of Orthopedic

Surgery, has taught students, resi-

dents and fellows, practiced medicine

and conducted research at KUMC

since 1972. He is a 1962 graduate of

the University of Kansas School of

Medicine and received his postgradu-

ate education at the University of

Oregon, Portland, Baltimore City

Hospital, and the Harvard Combined

Orthopedic Residency.

Laurence Cheung, MD, professor

of Surgery, and E. Bruce Toby, MD,

chair of the Department of Orthopedic

Surgery, nominated Asher for the

award. In their remarks, they

described Asher’s total devotion to the

university and his selfless service to

the state of Kansas.

Atkinson outlined Asher’s distin-

guished career as an academic

physician specializing in general

orthopedics, pediatric orthopedics and

spinal deformity. In 1989, after five

years of intense research and devel-

opment, Asher and his colleagues

introduced the Isola Spinal Implant

System to treat severe neuropathic

scoliosis. Today, it is one of the most

commonly used spine deformity

treatment systems in the world.

“From 1991 to 1998, more than

200 domestic and 300 international

surgeons came to the University of

Kansas Medical Center to learn

more about Dr. Asher’s treatment of

scoliosis and related spine deformi-

ties,” Atkinson noted.

Asher is active in several profes-

sional organizations and served as

president of the Scoliosis Research

Society and treasurer of the Pediatric

Orthopedic Society of North America.

In addition, he has authored more than

700 peer-reviewed scientific papers

and many book chapters.

“Dr. Marc Asher never wanted to

do anything but academic medicine,”

Atkinson said. “He has distinguished

himself as a researcher, a practitioner

and an educator. In so doing, he has

distinguished this university and the

state of Kansas. His life serves as a

role model for us all.”

The symposium included presen-

tations by Behrooz Akbarnia, MD,

clinical professor of Orthopedic

Surgery at the University of

California-San Diego, and Oheneba

Boachie-Adjei, MD, associate clini-

cal professor of Orthopedic Surgery,

Weill Medical College of Cornell

University, and associate attending

orthopedic surgeon, Hospital for

Special Surgery, New York.

The program concluded with a

reception in Francisco Lounge.

Asher Honored as University DistinguishedProfessor

From left to right, Donald Hagen, MD, KUMC executive vice chancellor, andBarbara Atkinson, MD, executive dean of the School of Medicine and vicechancellor of Clinical Affairs, presented Marc Asher, MD, with the UniversityDistinguished Professor award.

3

Irene Cumming, president

and chief executive officer of

The University of Kansas Hospital,

has been elected chair of the board

of directors of the University

HealthSystem Consortium (UHC).

“I am honored to hold this lead-

ership position for UHC,”

Cumming said. “UHC has been

very helpful to The University of

Kansas Hospital as we have worked

together to improve service, cost

and quality. I expect that the organi-

zation will continue to develop

systems and solutions to assist our

hospital and other academic med-

ical centers to meet our challenges.”

Founded in 1984, UHC is an

alliance of the clinical enterprises of

91 academic health centers. While

focusing on the clinical mission,

UHC is mindful of and supports the

research and education missions.

As an idea-generating and infor-

mation-disseminating organization,

UHC helps members pool resources,

create economies of scale, improve

clinical and operating efficiencies,

and influence the direction and

delivery of health care.

Cumming Elected Chair of UHC Board of Directors

A new partnership between the

hospital and university is increasing

the availability of MRI (magnetic

resonance imaging) services on the

KUMC campus, while reducing the

time outpatients currently wait to

receive the procedure.

The Hoglund Brain Imaging

Center, which is primarily a univer-

sity research facility, began offering

a full schedule of head and brain

MRIs on Jan. 27. A reduced testing

schedule started earlier in the month.

The hospital’s Radiology

Department handles all scheduling,

patient registration and billing of

MRIs at Hoglund. The procedures

are performed by a certified MRI

technologist and read by members

of Radiology’s medical staff.

Because of Radiology’s recent

conversion to the Picture Archiving

and Communications Systems

(PACS), referring physicians have

immediate Web-based access to their

patients’ MRIs that are performed at

Hoglund. This results in more timely

diagnoses and initiation of treatment.

“Our partnership with the

Hoglund Brain Imaging Center will

allow us to schedule an additional

20-30 MRIs in Radiology each

week and improve patient service

and satisfaction,” emphasized

Patricia Sanders-Hall, vice president

of Ancillary Care for The University

of Kansas Hospital.

Patients who come to Hoglund

for MRIs may conveniently park

just outside the center’s entrance.

Hoglund Center Provides Patient MRIs

Irene Cumming

Hospital Will Measure Employee Satisfaction During February, The University of Kansas Hospital will conduct its

fourth employee satisfaction survey. This year, employees will be able to

complete the survey on paper or electronically, an option that should

make it easier and more convenient for many to provide their feedback.

Employee satisfaction and retention are among the hospital’s

major goals. Feedback from the three previous surveys has brought

about many positive changes, including the new employee service

award program, new hospital retirement plans and the reimbursement

of fees employees pay for parking in yellow parking lots on the

KUMC campus.

Look for more information about the survey in an upcoming issue

of In The Center and on fliers around the hospital.

On Jan. 16, the first lecture in the

2004 Leadership Series, sponsored

by the Department of Health Policy

and Management, featured KU

Chancellor Robert Hemenway, PhD

(below right), and KUMC Executive

Vice Chancellor Donald Hagen, MD

(below left). Both speakers related

personal stories of how they devel-

oped their leadership philosophies.

Hemenway spoke of the importance

of hiring the very best people and giv-

ing them responsibility, accountability

and authority. Hagen told stories of his

Navy medical service in Vietnam and

at sea and stressed the importance of

“trusting your team because you are

all mutually dependent.” He also

emphasized the importance of creat-

ing a service attitude and environment

and developing partnerships.

Grand PrizeWinnerMeredith Howell (right), Physical

Therapy student, was the grand

prize winner of a new bicycle

for her participation in the

Student Wellness Passport

Program. She was chosen from

students who attended at least

four wellness presentations and

one information table during

the semester. For more informa-

tion about the program, visit

kumc.edu/studentcenter/

srwdpassport.html.

4

On Leadership

KCK ChamberMeetingKUMC hosted the Kansas City,

Kansas Chamber of Commerce’s

Eggs and Issues Luncheon Jan. 23 in

Francisco Lounge. The meeting fea-

tured a Kansas legislative panel that

included Rep. Bill Reardon (below

left), Rep. Bonnie Sharp (at podium)

and Sen. David Haley (not pictured).

5

The Kansas City Area Life

Sciences Institute (KCALSI) has

announced that eight 2002 Research

Development Grants awarded to

researchers from four of its key

stakeholder institutions have resulted

in $2.4 million of new research fund-

ing. This represents a 12-to-one

return on investment.

Grants totaling just less than

$200,000 were awarded to research

teams at the University of Kansas

Medical Center, the University of

Kansas-Lawrence, Children’s Mercy

Hospital and the University of

Missouri-Kansas City. Collaborating

institutions include the Stowers

Institute for Medical Research,

Midwest Research Institute and the

University of Health Sciences.

Margaret Greene Petroff, PhD,

KUMC research assistant professor,

Department of Anatomy and Cell

Biology, received the largest external

award for her study of the interac-

tions between fetal placenta and the

maternal immune system. KCALSI

awarded her $24,706 to complete her

proposal. As a result, she received

more than $1.4 million from the

National Institute of Child Health

and Human Development (NICHD).

“The Kansas City Area Life

Sciences Institute enabled me to

complete a very important research

study, which made our team more

competitive when we submitted our

proposal to the NICHD,” said

Petroff. “We are now in position to

make significant discoveries that

will improve the

health of both

mothers and their

unborn children.”

Brian Petroff,

DVM, PhD,

KUMC research

assistant profes-

sor, Department

of Molecular and

Integrative

Physiology, has

been notified of a

$700,000

National Institute

of Environmental

Sciences

(NIEHS) grant.

The grant is

pending

Congressional passage of an

Omnibus Appropriations Bill.

He is researching how environ-

mental pollutants accelerate women’s

loss of fertility and reproductive

function as they age. His research

has important implications for

women’s health, particularly as

women increasingly delay attempting

pregnancy into their 30s and beyond.

“The KCALSI research develop-

ment grant allowed me to complete

preliminary data that clinched the

NIEHS award,” he said. “It made the

application much more convincing

than it would have been otherwise.”

“I am excited to announce this

handsome return on our investment,”

said William P. Duncan, PhD, presi-

dent, Kansas City Area Life Sciences

Institute. “Our goal was to help to

solidify a number of external propos-

als for funding, and we couldn’t be

more encouraged by this success.”

Other KCALSI proposals for

$620,000 in research funding are

currently under review by the

National Institutes of Health.

A panel of 20 scientific review-

ers formed the KCALSI Research

Development Grant Review

Committee. KCALSI is a non-profit

organization leading Kansas City’s

transformation into a center for

excellence in life sciences research

and development. For more infor-

mation, visit www.kclifesciences.org.

KCALSI Research Development GrantsResult in $2.4M Return on Investment

Margaret Greene Petroff, PhD

6

Where can Cancer Center

patients and families go for informa-

tion about all types of cancers,

treatment options, clinical trials, sup-

port and support groups, survivorship,

complementary therapies, nutrition

and prevention? The Patient

Education Resource Center in the

newly remodeled Cancer Center.

Madelyn Rudd, RN, the Cancer

Center’s education coordinator,

spends part of her day in the center

assisting patients and their families

who want to learn more. She helps

them access helpful booklets, maga-

zines and many on-line resources,

including the National Cancer

Institute, the American Cancer Society

and national and local support groups.

Three computer workstations are

provided for patients and their fami-

lies. The center is in the process of

building a library of reference mate-

rials and acquiring Web licenses for

resources such as the American

Society of Clinical Oncologists,

which will support the continuing

education of both patients and staff.

“We want patients to be

informed, and the center is a great

resource to learn more,” Rudd said.

“But the information on the Internet

or in brochures is general informa-

tion. It’s important for patients to

remember that statistics are what

happened to a large group of peo-

ple, but they don’t necessarily

predict what will happen to you.”

For that reason, Rudd advises

patients to rely on their physicians

for specific information related to

their conditions and treatment

options. Nurses also can be helpful

in clarifying what physicians say

and putting things in perspective. A

second opinion also may be a good

idea, especially if patients are

uncomfortable with the treatment

and information they receive.

Rudd also believes cancer

patients should form a good support

system that may include friends,

relatives and other patients.

In addition, Rudd supports staff

education efforts, providing clinical

staff members with information

they need to care for patients.

The Patient Education Resource

Center was made possible by pro-

ceeds from the 2002 Treads &

Threads gala at Kansas Speedway.

Madelyn Rudd, RN, assists cancerpatients in the Patient EducationResource Center.

Certified Registered Nurse

Anesthetists (CRNAs) are celebrat-

ing the history and achievements of

their profession during National

Nurse Anesthetists week Jan. 25-31.

The Department of Nurse

Anesthesia Education in the School of

Allied Health provided information

about nurse anesthesia outside the

cafeteria Jan. 28.

“The event was a way for nurses

to learn more about what we do and

how we care for our patients,

whether we’re working in a team or

as individual practitioners,” said

Christita Weber, CRNA and assistant

director of the department. “Nurse

anesthesia really takes nursing to its

maximum potential.”

CRNAs practice in every set-

ting where anesthesia is delivered,

from traditional hospital surgical

suites, obstetrical delivery rooms

and hospitals to ambulatory surgical

centers and in the offices of den-

tists, podiatrists, plastic surgeons

and ophthalmologists.

Nurse anesthesia, developed in

the 1880s, became the first clinical

nursing specialty. Today, there are

about 30,000 nurse anesthetists in

the United States.

National Nurse Anesthetists Week

Patient Education Resource CenterProvides Cancer Information

7

Black History MonthEvents planned in celebration

of Black History Month in February

include several sponsored by the

KUMC Diversity Initiative.

• Friday, Feb. 6: “Klan-Destine

Relationships,” Daryl Davis,

noon, Battenfeld Auditorium.

The author and lecturer talks

about his surprise meetings with

Ku Klux Klan members and his

efforts to help others overcome

their fears and prejudices.

Reception and book signing

immediately following lecture.

Co-sponsored by the Students

Educating and Advocating for

Diversity and Student National

Medical Association.

• Monday, Feb. 9-Sunday,

Feb. 29: “Martin Luther King Jr.

and the Civil Rights Movement,”

Clendening Library. With photos

from the Montgomery, Ala., bus

boycott to the march on

Washington, D.C., this exhibit

chronicles King’s career from his

emergence as a national figure in

1955 until his assassination in

1968. Co-sponsored by the

Department of History and

Philosophy of Medicine.

• Thursday, Feb. 12: “History of

Race and Medicine in America,”

Evelynn Hammonds, PhD, recep-

tion 4:30 p.m. and lecture 5 p.m.,

Clendening Auditorium. The pro-

fessor of History of Science and

of African and African-American

Studies at Harvard University

will speak on the history of race

and medicine in America. Co-

sponsored by the Department of

History and Philosophy of

Medicine.

• Thursday and Friday,

Feb. 12-13: Cultural Creatives

Discussion, “Tutu and Franklin:

A Journey Toward Peace,”

noon, 1014 Orr-Major.

• Thursday, Feb. 26: “Affecting

Healthcare Change in the

Kansas City Area,” Kansas City

Mayor Pro Tem Alvin Brooks,

noon, G013 School of Nursing.

Brooks will discuss the needs

of the black community and the

role of health care professionals

in the Greater Kansas City area.

Co-sponsored by the Student

National Medical Association.

Alumni AwardsDeadline

Friday, Feb. 13, is the deadline for

submitting nominations for the KU

Medical Center Alumni Associations’

2004 alumni awards. The awards

include Distinguished and Honorary

Alumni Awards as well as a new

honor this year, the Early Career

Achievement Award. These are the

highest honors the KUMC Alumni

Associations bestow upon graduates

of the KU Schools of Allied Health,

Medicine and Nursing and those who

have made outstanding contributions

to the health care professions.

You may nominate a colleague,

classmate or other health care profes-

sional for one or more of these presti-

gious honors. The nomination form,

details about the selection criteria for

each award and a complete listing of

past recipients are available online at

www.kumc.edu/alumni/awards.

The awards will be presented

by the KU Allied Health Alumni

Association, KU Medical Alumni

Association and the KU Nurses

Alumni Association during KUMC

Alumni Reunion, Sept. 17-18.

For questions, contact the KUMC

Alumni Associations at 8-1255 or

e-mail enaujokaitis@kumc.edu.

Sign Language ClassesSign language classes will

again be available at KUMC. Two

levels of beginning instruction will

be offered in 10-week sessions.

Instruction will include basic sign

vocabulary, basic health/medical

terms, information about deaf cul-

ture, how to work with a deaf client

and how to utilize interpreters.

The classes are taught by

Brenda Hoff, adjunct faculty at

Maple Woods Community College

and a freelance interpreter.

• Beginning ASL I: Wednesdays,

Feb. 11-April 21, noon-1 p.m.

• Beginning ASL II: Mondays,

Feb. 9-April 19, noon-1 p.m.

Classes are held in 1020 Olathe

Pavilion. Fees for the classes are

$60 for each 10-week session. The

course book, “A Basic Course in

American Sign Language,” is avail-

able at the KU Med bookstore for

$30. For more information and to

register, call 8-1227.