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 JUNE 18, 2015

Kitchen TherapyProgram Spotlight

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Innovative study will determine best dose for heart disease care 

Approximately 15 million Americans with heart disease take a daily dose of aspirin to help ward off heart attack and stroke, but it’s not clear how much is best – regular strength 325 mg or the 81-mg “baby aspirin.”

A nationwide study intends to find out, with researchers and care-givers at the University of Kansas Medical Center expected to play a significant role in the work.

Announced last month, the three-year trial will enroll about 20,000 patients at healthcare systems around the country. Some will take the regular dose, others the low dose. Results, including aspirin’s potential to cause intestinal bleeding, will be collected and analyzed.

In addition to its sheer size and practical applications, the trial will emphasize innovation and efficiency, using new databases to enroll patients and analyze results.

“This is a unique study,” said cardiologist Kamal Gupta, MD, who is leading the effort at our medical center. “If it is done right, it will be one of the most economical studies done on such a large number of patients.”

Our medical center is head-quarters for the Greater Plains Collaborative, a network of 10 medical centers in seven states that are expected to participate in the study. Data analysts here

plan to help researchers access electronic medical records across the network, allowing for quicker patient recruitment and other system efficiencies.

Also, the $14 million study, funded by the Patient-Centered

Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), is the first to use the national PCORnet data network. It will integrate findings from dozens of research sites, in addi-tion to those in the Great Plains Collaborative.

Without the new data net-works, Gupta said, the cost of such a large trial likely would cost at least $50-$60 million.

Because aspirin is reasonably priced and widely available, the study could have big implications

for better health around the globe. The study’s leaders hope results will help prevent 88,000 deaths per year worldwide by prevent-ing heart attacks and reducing intestinal bleeding incidents.

“This will lay to rest the ques-tion of 81-mg doses vs. 325-mg doses,” Gupta said. “It will be an important piece of informa-tion for cardiologists. But more importantly, it will be a proof-of-concept for this type of study design.”

Which dose is best?Of the 15.4 million Americans with coronary heart disease:

325-mg aspirin daily

81-mg aspirin daily

60%36%

Chicago Area Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Network —

Louisiana CDRN —

Mid-South CDRN —

New York City CDRN —

PaTH: Towards a Learning Health System in the Mid-Atlantic Region —

Greater Plains Collaborative —

Duke Clinical Research Institute will lead the study.

UC-San Francisco will provide secure patient portal for data collection.

A network of researchersThe new study is expected to involve researchers, clinicians and patients from six clinical data research networks (CDRN), each made up of multiple large healthcare systems.

Putting aspirin to the test

Cardiologist Kamal Gupta, MD, is leading the research effort at our medical center.

Heart disease strikes someone in the U.S. about once every 43 seconds.

43 sec.

Events Health awareness at The K –

Just in time for Father’s Day, The University of Kansas Hospital’s final Health Awareness Day at Kauffman Stadium is Sunday, June 21, when the Royals take on the Boston Red Sox. The event will raise awareness of prostate cancer. The hospital’s previous health events at The K focused on stroke and organ donation awareness.

Benefits of fermented food – Although they have been around for thousands of years, fermented foods such as kimchi and sauer-kraut have been making news because of their health-promoting properties. Learn why fermented foods should be incorporated into your daily diet. The class is 2-3 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, at Turning Point: The Center for Hope and Healing in Leawood. Call 913-574-0900 to register.

Men’s health seminar – Experts will address erectile dys-function and male stress urinary incontinence, as well as discuss treatment options, during a free men’s health seminar. The session is 5:45-7 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at the KU Clinical Research Center in Fairway. Call 913-588-1227 to register.

Summer party – “Hot Summer Nights: Street Fair Extraordinaire” benefits Turning Point: The Center for Hope and Healing. The 12th Street Bridge near downtown Kansas City will be transformed for the festive event Saturday, June 27, featuring authentic cuisine and drinks from around the world. For details and tickets, go to turningpointkc.org or call 913-574-0912.

Medicaid, Medicare do’s and don’ts – Learn about eligibility and coverage for living with ill-ness, disability, assisted living and skilled nursing care. The session is 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, June 29, at Turning Point: The Center for Hope and Healing in Leawood. Call 913-574-0900 to register.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

Kitchen Therapy cooks up comfortCancer treatment can knock

patients for a loop. Side effects from chemotherapy and radiation treatments often include nausea, loss of appetite, trouble swallow-ing and low energy.

The idea of eating, much less cooking, is far from the minds of most patients. Yet studies show that maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, low in fat and rich in antioxidants, is critical to patient recovery and long-term health.

That’s why the Midwest Cancer Alliance, the outreach division of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, has de-veloped Cancer Center Kitchen Therapy. The free program is for cancer patients, their families and caregivers.

Each session features cooking demonstrations and recipes, as well as helpful information about nutrition and food appeal. KU Integrative Medicine dietitians select and prepare dishes.

“We have some terrific recipes lined up,” said Leigh Wagner, RD. “We try to keep the dishes seasonal because we put a big emphasis on freshness and whole foods.”

The sessions are noon-1 p.m. on the third Thursday of the

month (January-October) in the KU Clinical Research Center test kitchen in Fairway. Register by calling 913-945-7624.

“There’s no question a healthy diet can play a role in a patient’s ability to rebound from cancer treatment,” said Gary Doolittle, MD, an oncologist and MCA medical director. “When eating habits are poor, it impacts your energy, mood and strength – all things that cancer patients need in good supply.”

Kitchen Therapy launched in 2013. It proved so popular it has

expanded from six sessions to 10 in the years since. The classes also are now broadcast via televideo for patients at MCA-member hospitals in Topeka and Great Bend, Kan.

“At the first Kitchen Therapy program we had just a few guests, but programs over the past year have been so full we’ve added an overflow room,” said Brooke Groneman, MCA assistant director for outreach. “Guests are returning, bringing family and spreading the word among fellow cancer patients.”

EXPOSURE

Reprocessing medical devices The University of Kansas Hospital works with Stryker Sustainability Solutions to reprocess certain medical devices, such as compression sleeves, pulse oximeters and laparoscopic surgery products. By doing so, the hospital last year reduced costs by more than $1.9 million and eliminated 29,000 pounds of waste from the landfill. Stryker’s Mike Prochaska (from left) and Kristen Conway presented a symbolic check for the savings. Hospital staff accepting the gift were Value Analysis’ Lisa Steyer, Electrophysiology Lab’s Zonie Iverson, Contracting and Procurement’s Brian Dolan and EP’s Wallace Ray.

Integrative Medicine dietitians Leigh Wagner, RD, and Randall Evans, RD, select and prepare dishes at the Clinical Research Center demonstration kitchen in Fairway.

Dean Miller’s legacy of leadership, visionA reception last week honored Karen Miller, PhD, RN, who

is stepping down June 30 from her highly acclaimed leader-ship roles at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Miller served 18 years as dean of the School of Nursing, 16 years as dean of the School of Health Professions and nine years as senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs. She will continue as a tenured professor in the School of Nursing.

Many of the graduate programs in the schools rose to national prominence during her tenure. In the latest rank-ings by U.S. News & World Report, seven programs in the two schools were ranked in the top 25 among public universities. In 2013 the School of Nursing was recognized as a Center of Excellence in Education by the National League for Nursing.

“Karen Miller has worked diligently to increase the number of nurses and healthcare professionals to meet the workforce needs of Kansas and beyond,” said Doug Girod, MD, the medi-cal center’s executive vice chancellor.

“She recognized the importance of educating more teachers by using faculty enhancement strategies, cutting-edge infor-mation technology and interprofessional teaching approaches,” he added. “Most important, she has been a great student advo-cate who has been dedicated to ensuring that KU is preparing skilled and compassionate healthcare professionals.”

“I have been privileged to lead exceptional faculty and staff whose innovations in education, research and practice are known nationally and internationally,” Miller said. “I am very proud of our thriving KU Medical Center and the part I played in making that happen.” Searches are under way for her successors.

ED staff ready to handle more snake bitesVenomous snake bites in the region are on the rise, likely

because heavy rains are prompting the creatures to seek drier ground. As a Snake Bite Center, staff at The University of Kansas Hospital Emergency Department have anti-venom available and are well-prepared to treat bites. 

So far this season, 17 people have received treatment at area hospitals for venomous bites. Last year our hospital’s Poison Control Center responded to 73 such calls.

Stephen Thornton, MD, Poison Control Center medical director, said people who are bitten by a poisonous snake should stay calm and try to immobilize the bite area, such as putting it in a sling, and get to a hospital. They should not use a tourniquet, cut into the bite or try to suck out the venom.

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

Heart attacks among teenagers – KCTV 5, June 8. An athletic 17-year-old Lee’s Summit girl died June 5 while swimming in a community pool, likely due to heart arrhythmia. Stephen Lauer, MD, PhD, associate chair of Pediatrics at the University of Kansas Medical Center, said even a young, strong heart can have underlying problems with its electrical system. For symptoms, he advised paying close attention to family history, especially if a family member suffered a heart attack before age 55. Another warning sign is if a person fainted or nearly fainted while exercising.

New cholesterol-fighting drug shows promise – Fox 4 News, June 6. An FDA committee has recommended approval of Praluent, a drug that can help remove bad cholesterol from the bloodstream. “It’s amazingly powerful in lowering LDLs and, more importantly, it’s amazingly safe,” said Patrick Moriarty, MD, FACP, director of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, which was part of the study. “We’ve found very little, if any, side effects related to this class of drug.”

Focusing on the care of cancer survivors – Medical Daily, June 5. As part of National Cancer Survivors Day, which was celebrated June 7, Carol Bush, a nurse navigator at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, explained how caregivers begin the discussion of survivorship – often at the point of diagnosis. Survivorship not only means a whole team of healthcare professionals is “helping to assess the continuing needs of the patients,” she said, but it also includes patients helping to design “their journey forward.”

Expert advice for old food – Time.com, June 3. The danger of mold on your bread and other items is real: “Mold can produce toxic substances, called mycotoxins,” said Katie George, clinical dietitian at The University of Kansas Hospital. The toxins can cause respiratory problems, allergic reactions and illness. She and other dietitians discussed what food items can be safely salvaged from mold. George also said it’s important to keep the fridge clean and all food covered so mold doesn’t spread.

School work Never mind summer. Approximately 60 new students at the University of Kansas School of Health Professions already have started classes. For their orientation, the students, who are part of the doctor of physical therapy program, par-ticipated in a scavenger hunt, which required taking team selfies on the main campus.

Karen Miller, PhD, RN, was lauded by Doug Girod, MD, and other medical center leaders.

ADVANCES

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Our People

Excellence in teaching – John Ferraro, PhD, professor and chair in the Department of Hearing and Speech, has received the Stata Norton Distinguished Teaching Award.

Faculty and students in the University of Kansas School of Health Professions vote on the award, which has been given the past 30 years to recognize excellence in teaching as well as outstanding contributions in recipients’ professions.

Ferraro is a teacher and mentor in audiology doctoral programs, while providing clinical expertise to audiology clinics at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

His research interests include auditory electrophysiology with special emphasis on the clinical applications of auditory- and vestibular-evoked potentials. He pioneered techniques for the diagnosis, assessment and manage-ment of otological/neuro-otological disorders.

The award honors the late Stata Norton, PhD, dean of the school from 1980 to 1984, a member of the faculty of the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition and profes-sor emeritus of pharmacology, toxicology and therapeutics in the

University of Kansas School of Medicine.

“This award is par-ticularly meaningful to me because Stata Norton was the dean who hired me 31 years ago,” said Ferraro, who came to the medical center in 1983. “She was a gold-standard dean and human being. Stata will always be one of my heroes, and to receive an award named for her is a true highlight of

my career.”Starting next month, Ferraro will

serve as interim dean of the School of Health Professions while the school continues its search for a full-time dean.

Iron Man of the first-aid station – He’s known as The University of Kansas Hospital’s Iron Man at The K, and for good reason.

Medical technician David Smith has staffed Kauffman Stadium’s first-aid stations for more than 200 consecutive games. “It’s a labor of love,” he confessed. “I’ve always been

a baseball fan and always been a Royals fan.”

His streak, which started in September 2012, reached the 200-game mark May 19, a game against the Cincinnati Reds. He also staffs first-aid stations at many of the Chiefs games at Arrowhead, Sprint Center events and Kansas Speedway races.

“It’s absolutely extraordinary,” said Charlie Rozanski, our hospital’s sports medicine executive director. “We are so appreciative of his com-mitment to our Sports Medicine program.”

Smith is one of approximately eight hospital staff and physicians at each Royals game, available to pro-vide care to fans and players. All of his healthcare colleagues, he notes, strive to reflect the Royals’ values.

“The organization has a saying: ‘We treat our guests like royalty,’ and they expect us to do the same,” he said. “I feel we, as a team, have taken this to heart, and I’ve seen many members of our medical staff go way above and beyond what’s expected

of them to ensure fans have the best experience possible at The K.”

Nurse practitioner recognition – Cynthia Teel, PhD, RN, professor

and associate dean of gradu-ate programs at the University of Kansas School of Nursing, has received the State Award for Excellence from the American

Association of Nurse Practitioners. It recognizes her significant contri-

bution toward increasing awareness and acceptance of nurse practitioners. 

Teel co-leads the Kansas Action Coalition, a grassroots effort funded by several foundation grants to implement recommendations focused on how nurses’ roles, re-sponsibilities and education should change to meet an increasingly diverse patient population and the evolving U.S. healthcare system.

Delivering exceptional healthcare to a world-class city

T H I S I S A C A D E M I C M E D I C I N E .

Proposed Cambridge North Tower

As our region grows, so do our healthcare needs.

That’s why we’re building Cambridge North Tower, an expansion to help us treat more of the most seriously ill patients.

But we need your help. The University of Kansas Hospital receives no state or local funding. Instead, we depend upon private philanthropy to grow. Now, the Annette Bloch $10 Million Challenge Grant will match gifts on a dollar-for-dollar basis – immediately doubling your donation.

Invest in the health of our community. Give online at giving.kumed.com/ cambridgenorth or call 913-588-2800.

Teel

Medical technician David Smith (center) has staffed Kauffman Stadium’s first-aid stations for more than 200 consecu-tive games. To honor his streak, Sports Medicine’s Charlie Rozanski (left) and Adam Olberding, RN, presented him with a baseball signed by “Iron Man” Cal Ripken, Jr.

Ferraro