N E W S F R O M T H E R E G I O N ’ S P R E M I E R A C A D E M I C M E D I C A L C E N T E R

ADVANCES SEPTEMBER 10, 2015

Healthcare IT Program Spotlight

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Health Ed Building targets state’s shortage of healthcare workers

The University of Kansas Medical Center’s Health Education Building is still two years away from its first lecture, but state leaders already are pointing to its urgent need.

Construction begins this month on the $75 million building, which will serve as the primary teaching facility for the KU schools of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professions, address-ing critical healthcare worker shortages in Kansas.

Ninety of the state’s 105 coun-ties are medically underserved, and 30 percent of the current physician workforce is expected to retire or otherwise leave their medical practices within the next decade.

“The University of Kansas is home to the state’s only school of medicine, which means we are uniquely positioned to address Kansas’ critical shortage of

healthcare professionals,” said KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little, PhD.

The medical center trains 211 medical students annually at its main campus here and in Wichita and Salina. With the new facility, combined with expansion in Wichita, the School of Medicine expects to increase its class size across all campuses by as many as 50 students.

“This new building will enable us to increase the number of doctors we train, and to train them in the technologically advanced environment required by a modern

healthcare curriculum,” Gray-Little added. “In other words, it positions KU to address the state’s doctor shortage head-on and build healthier Kansas communities.”

With 171,000 square feet, the building will feature approximately 47 classrooms, 32 clinical and simulation labs and numerous community life areas. Its design will provide flexible, state-of-the-art learning space to support interprofessional education and other new models of teaching.

“This facility will change the way we educate and train physi-cians, nurses and other healthcare

workers for Kansas,” said Douglas Girod, MD, medical center execu-tive vice chancellor. “It will allow us to accelerate our university’s move toward a modern health education curriculum that empha-sizes small group, interdisciplinary problem-solving and advanced patient simulation technology.”

Located at 39th Street and Rainbow Boulevard, the facility is the second major construction project underway on our main campus. The University of Kansas Hospital’s Cambridge North Tower is also slated to open in 2017.

Making way for more healthcare professionals

By the Numbers: Residents and fellowsOur academic medical center each year is responsible for training hundreds of future physicians and other healthcare professionals – not only students but also residents and fellows who already have graduated from medical school.

Growth in residents/fellows

10 largest programs

To suggest a By the Numbers, email Advances@kumc.edu.

20% Graduated from the KU School of Medicine

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Internal Medicine 69Psychiatry 44

Anesthesiology 36

Medical center and state officials broke ground on the new Health Education Building Aug. 27.

552 Residents and fellows

on the main campus working in more than 65 core and specialty programs

499514522533552

Fellows 95Residents 457

Female 225

Male 327

Family Medicine 28Radiology 29Neurology 29

Pediatrics 26Emergency 20Orthopedic Surgery 20

Events Stroke Walk – You can still

join The University of Kansas Hospital team participating in the Stroke Walk this Saturday, Sept. 12, at Theis Park, just east of the Country Club Plaza.

The event, which benefits the American Stroke Foundation, includes live music, a pancake breakfast, a Kids Zone and more. To register for our team online: • Go to americanstroke.org• Select “The Stroke Walk” • Select “Click to Find Teams Here” • Select “The University of

Kansas Hospital” from the drop-down menu

• Select “Join This Team”

The $20 registration fee includes a team T-shirt and Stroke Walk T-shirt.

Supporting the supporters – Join with others to discuss the challenges of being a “supporter” and learn practical ways to man-age feelings that go with it. Topics include riding the emotional roller coaster, factors of resilience and the importance of self-care. The class is 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, at Turning Point: The Center for Hope and Healing in Leawood. Call 913-574-0900 to register.

Living with loss – When life throws you a curve ball, the best approach is to learn about it, laugh about it and find a way to live with it. You’ll also explore how to communicate with those who are providing sup-port. The session is 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, at Turning Point: The Center for Hope and Healing in Leawood. Call 913-574-0900 to register.

Nourishing soups – Our hos-pital dietitian will demonstrate a few healthy, practical and tasty soups that will add warmth and nourishment to cold winter days. Recipe packet and tastings included. The class is 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, at the Whole Foods Market Cooking Studio in Overland Park. Call 913-574-0900 to register.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

Advancing power of medicine – with IT At The University of Kansas

Hospital, it may be easy to imagine Healthcare Information Technology Services as just computers and technical help, but it’s much more than that.

The department’s 269 employees are working to advance the power of medicine through advancing the power of health technology. They take pride in directly supporting those who support patients.

“Our doctors are saving lives. They shouldn’t worry about logging into a computer or worry if our network systems will go down,” said Susie Farkas, direc-tor of applications. “The technol-ogy we provide is an extension of their job. It’s our job to make sure it’s efficient and natural.”

When applied to healthcare, IT provides a comprehensive manage-ment system for health informa-tion. From patients to providers and insurers, IT allows hospital staff to access patient information seamlessly, accurately and securely.

Nationwide, IT departments have become one of the most promising tools for improving healthcare quality, safety and efficiency. A yearly study from Hospitals & Health Networks

magazine ranks the country’s “Most Wired” hospitals. Our facility has made the list eight years in a row.

Some of the HITS team’s biggest initiatives include development of analytics applications that help staff easily find data relating to patient safety and hospital quality metrics.

Another is the hospital’s electronic health record system, O2. It continues to expand to new areas, such as MyChart (mychart.kumed.com), which allows patients to communicate quickly and securely online with their care teams, pay bills and see lab results and other records.

HITS impacts non-patient and

behind-the-scenes operations, too. The department supports 40,000 separate wired network-ing ports and 700 wireless access points throughout the hospital and clinics, with everything from ventilators to food orders using the infrastructure.

“Think about IT in our personal lives – your iPhone, laptop or iPad. IT is no longer a ‘nice to have’ but a necessity,” said Chris Harper, director of business architecture. “It’s the same with business. Whether a doctor, nurse or new building, it all touches IT. We are proud to support the hospital with the best technology.”

EXPOSURE

Gridiron fundraiser Last month’s second annual Kansas City Chiefs Fantasy Camp was an-other success, attracting about 60 participants to Arrowhead Stadium. The two-day event, which raises money for The University of Kansas Hospital’s Center for Concussion Management, is a chance for fans to socialize with team greats, break down game film, suit up in personalized jerseys and hit Arrowhead’s hallowed turf for a skills competition. They also compete in a 7-on-7 tournament with former players such as Will Shields (in white jersey).

The hospital’s HITS team supports technology systems that are an efficient and natural extension of caregivers’ jobs.

Magazine profiles ‘superhero’ transplantThe summer issue of The University of Kansas Hospital’s

Good Medicine magazine is available online at kumed.com. Among the stories in this issue:• Once strangers, Tim Saylor and Nate Estrella are like family

now. Saylor donated a kidney to Estrella, giving him his second lifesaving transplant, which was performed at our hospital. “Not a lot of people would donate a part of their body to a stranger,” said Estrella. “That right there is a miracle. It’s superhero stuff.”

• When diagnosed with an aggressive type of breast cancer, retired music educator Judy Bowser decided to participate in a clinical trial. The decision, she said, may have saved her life: “It really empowered me, to feel there was something I could do.”

• In less than four years, the Andrew J. Somora Foundation has given more than $200,000 to support cancer patients and families. Julie Thomas discusses her late husband’s battle with colon cancer and her decision to form the foundation in his memory.

Good Medicine is produced three times a year for community members, donors and friends. The magazine also includes information about innovative treatments, fundraising events and wellness tips.

Study reveals diabetes’ high food cost A healthy diet for families with children who have Type 1

diabetes can add up to $1,500 or more to a family’s annual food budget, according to a study at the University of Kansas Medical Center. The additional cost may contribute to children not following the recommended dietary guidelines.

Susana Patton, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics at the medical center, is the first author of the study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

Patton said families with diabetic children often are encour-aged to reduce fat in their diets and eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. However, the additional $1,500 can be a real burden considering a typical family already spends about $4,000 per year on food.

“Families can incur some very real and significant costs when trying to purchase healthier food options,” Patton said. “They can also encounter barriers in finding some of these options at their local food stores. We should look at reframing the way we counsel these families to include some advice on how to shop for healthier options that cost less.”

The extra costs are due to buying leaner meat and foods prepared with whole grain. Oatmeal could be a potential cheaper substitute for whole grains, for example, as it has the same nutritional value, Patton said. Finding other sources of protein, like legumes, also can help.

New

s Br

iefsIn the News

A recap of recent articles, TV segments and other media coverage of the region’s leading academic medical center

With bundles of mail, young burn patient goes home – KCTV-5, Sept. 2. After spending his summer in the burn unit of The University of Kansas Hospital, 9-year-old Alex Dewey finally has gone home. The youngster was famous around the hospital for receiving the most letters and get-well cards in one day – 192 on July 13. The piles continued to grow during his many weeks of care. The cards truly boosted his spirits, his grandmother said. “He looked for the mail every day,” she said. “He fell asleep opening it.” Alex is expected to be ready for school by November.

Top five vaccines for college students – KSHB-41, Aug. 28. Students should consider receiving vaccines before heading back to college – specifically the meningitis vaccine. “Your immune system is primed to recognize it and eliminate that disease when you are exposed to it,” said Stephen Lauer, MD, PhD, Pediatrics at The University of Kansas Hospital. “It is a rare disease, but it leads to a terrible infection that can really change someone’s life.” Other recommended vaccines: TDAP, HPV, the flu and chickenpox booster vaccines.

Health education building on the way – Kansas City Business Journal, Aug. 27. The University of Kansas Medical Center on Aug. 27 held a ceremonial groundbreaking for its $75 million Health Education Building. Construction will begin by mid-September and should be done by fall 2017. The building will contain state-of-the-art teach-ing technology and will serve as the primary education building for the University of Kansas schools of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professions. (See story on page 1.)

Stronger flu vaccine on the way – KMBC-9 News, Aug. 20. The flu vaccine has arrived at area hospitals. “We target that the vaccine efficacy will be around 50 percent,” said Dana Hawkinson, MD, Infectious Diseases at The University of Kansas Hospital. Last season one of the viruses mutated, making the vaccine only about 18 percent effective. The big push for flu vaccinations this year will begin in October.

Radiology expansionThe University of Kansas Hospital last week completed the third and final phase of its Radiology renovation. The yearlong $14 million project nearly doubled the size of Interventional Radiology, allowing staff such as

IR technologist Heather Vander Vegte and IR fellow Saad Iqbal, MD, to care for the growing numbers of patients. The expansion also included Nuclear Medicine and Sonography areas. The IR department is one of the busiest in the nation, performing about 50 procedures a day.

ADVANCES

is a biweekly publication produced by:

The University of Kansas Hospital Corporate Communications

2330 Shawnee Mission Pkwy., Suite 303 Westwood, KS 66205

Send story ideas to Advances@kumc.edu.

Bob Page, President and CEO The University of Kansas Hospital

Doug Girod, MD, Executive Vice Chancellor University of Kansas Medical Center

Kirk Benson, MD, President The University of Kansas Physicians

Staff: Mike Glynn, Editor Kirk Buster, Graphic Designer

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Our People Coffee with the Labor secretary –

U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez was in town last month to praise local organizations, including The University of Kansas Hospital, for their support of a unique federal training and recruiting program.

The hospital’s Healthcare Information Technology Services and Human Resources partici-pated in Reboot U, which provides technology training and retraining for people who have faced lengthy unemployment.

While he was here, Perez grabbed a cup of coffee with Bruce Ives, a new HITS employee and one of Reboot U’s success stories, at the Hi Hat Coffee shop at 50th and State Line Road. They chatted for about 45 minutes.

“Secretary Perez told me one of his highest priorities is to find ways to re-train displaced workers and get them back to work,” Ives said. “We both agreed it is essential to refresh your skills.”

HITS and HR Recruiting began their participation in Reboot U in January. In May HITS held a “speed interviewing” session for 15 Reboot U participants. Seven of them

were selected for an eight-week internship in HITS, which required extensive time and effort from seven HITS managers.

“The seven managers basically committed to eight weeks of men-toring and developing those seven interns,” said HR’s Ria Moss. “That’s not easy, especially considering how busy our HITS staff are,” she said.

‘Top Cancer Doctors’ – Two phy-sicians from the University of Kansas Medical Center’s main campus were named to the Top Cancer Doctors 2015 list in Newsweek’s Dispatches from the War on Cancer issue.

They are Carol Fabian, MD, professor in hematology/oncology and director of the Breast Cancer Prevention Center; and Brantley Thrasher, MD, professor and chair of urology. Also named to the list is Shaker Dakhil, MD, clinical profes-sor in hematology/oncology, at the KU School of Medicine-Wichita.

Family physician leadership training – The American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation has named Tequilla Manning, medical and master of public health student at the University of Kansas Medical Center, as one of 30 scholarship winners nationwide of the organiza-tion’s inaugural Family Medicine Leads Emerging Leader Institute. The institute is a yearlong leadership development program.

Good timing leads to great outcomeAl Wallace’s prostate cancer was caught early because he recognized his risk factors and scheduled a physical and PSA test at The University of Kansas Cancer Center.

To schedule a screening, call 913-588-1227 or toll free 800-332-6048. Learn more at kucancercenter.org/prostate.

During their coffee shop meeting, Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez (left) and HITS’ new staffer Bruce Ives discussed worker retraining programs.

John Yost III, MD Anesthesiology

New

Phy

sici

ans

Andrew Hoover, MD Radiation Oncology

Joseph Valentino, MD Surgery/Colorectal

Beth Floyd, MD Gastroenterology

Andrea Jewell, MD Gynecologic Oncology

Travis Abicht, MD Cardiovascular Diseases

Fabian

Thrasher