1 2 T H E S C R A N T O N J O U R N A L

The Future of MedicineDecades of Scranton students have beenaccepted to medical programs at ThomasJ e fferson University, Philadelphia. Therea re currently 14 University of Scrantonstudents working toward medical degre e sat Jefferson. Six of the 14 students arep i c t u red here with another Scranton alum-nus, Geno J. Merli, M.D. ’71, Ludwig A.Kind Professor of Medicine, Sr. AssociateDean for Continuing Medical Education,D i rector for the Division of Internal Medi-cine, and Vice Chairman of ClinicalA ffairs at Jefferson Medical Center. Fro mleft: Jennifer Miller ’01, Charles Hollow’02, Sharon Canale ’02, ChristopherJones ’02, D r. Merli, Mark Mingos ’01and Jill Marie Franceski ‘01.

IN T H E S PI R I T O F T H E M AG I S,

SC R A N TO N A LU M N I S E E K TO

A DVA N C E T H E F I E L D O F M E D I C I N E

T H RO U G H E D U C AT I O N, R E S E A RC H

A N D P RO F E S S I O N A L E XC E L L E N C E.

Since its days as St. Thomas College, The Un i ve r s i t yof Scranton has been preparing students to enterd o c t o r a l - l e vel health professions. To d a y, there arem o re than 1,500 medical doctors worldwide whoa re Scranton alumni.

The acceptance rate of Scranton students tomedical schools speaks volumes about the qualityof its pre-medical program. This spring, theacceptance rate for graduating seniors into medicaland related schools reached an all-time high of100%, more than twice the national average.

Despite their diverse careers as physicians,re s e a rchers, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists andveterinarians, they all prescribe to the Jesuit maximof c u ra personalis – c a re for the whole person.

It could well be the best medicine going.

The magisof Medicine

Goats, chickens and pigs ro a mf reely in the court y a rd adjacent to thehospital waiting room in the L’ Ho p i t a lLu m i e re in Po rt - a u - Prince, Haiti.

The main building houses fouroperating rooms, the pharmacy andthe radiology department. Un f o rt u-n a t e l y, only three are operational atany given time due to lack of equip-ment. Not unlike the operatingrooms, the surgery prep and re c ove ryfacilities are basic but functional.Patients, even those in critical condi-tion, are taken out of the operatingroom (OR) and put back in the sameroom in which they we re prepped fors u r g e ry. A nurse then watches ove rthe patient with nothing more than astethoscope and a blood pre s s u re cuff.

The limited facilities of the hospi-tal are made evident by the fact thatall those waiting to go into surgerymust watch the patients coming outwake up without the aided comfort ofpain medications. Although the anes-thesia machines we re re l a t i vely mod-ern, the majority of the equipment isout-of-date and in need of servicing.

The lighting is atrocious and theelectricity is temperamental – makingdelicate surgery quite dangerous. If, infact, something does go wrong durings u r g e ry and a patient needs blood,t h e re is no blood to give. The Re dCross has never been able to set up a substantial blood bank in Ha i t i

Medical Alumni Council MembersRichard Bevilacqua, D.M.D., M.D. ’83, ChairLawrence F. Gallagher, D.M.D. ’82, Vice Chair

Christian S. Adonizio, M.D. ’92Joseph P. Bannon, M.D. ’83Domenic W. Casablanca, M.D. ’89Paul R. Casey, Jr., M.D. ’71Kevin Corcoran, D.O., F.A.C.E.P. ’78Harold J. Davis, M.D. ’74F. Dennis Dawgert, M.D. ’68Mary F. Engel, Ph.D.Timothy J. Farrell, M.D. ’86Katherine O’Donnell Freeman, M.D. ’84Patrick J. Kerrigan , D.O. ’80Gregory J. Lynch, D.O. ’79John R. Mariotti, D.D.S. ’75John F. McGurrin, Jr., M.D. ’78Geno J. Merli, M.D. ’71Brian R. Mullin, M.D. ’66Michael W. Nagy, M.D. ’92Robert J. Noto, V.M.D. ’93Nicholas D. Saccone, D.D.S. ’43Michael A. Sulzinski, Ph.D.Gerald P. Tracy, M.D. ’63Anthony J. Yanni, M.D. ’88Amy Yavorek, M.D. ’84

T H E M A G I S O F M E D I C I N E

1 4 T H E S C R A N T O N J O U R N A L

The Medical Alumni CouncilThe Un i ve r s i t y’s Medical Alumni Council

(MAC) was formed in 1994 under theleadership of alumnus Gerald P. Tracy,M.D. ’63, a Scranton cardiologist. Dr.Tracy likens the Council’s role to the edu-cational platform of medicine itself.

“The model (of the Medical AlumniCouncil) is the mentoring program thatwe’ve had in medicine forever,” he says.

The Council fosters interactions amonghealth professions alumni and providescareer assistance to students and graduatesof the University’s Health Professions Pro-gram. The Medical Alumni Council spon-sors several events open to students includ-ing an annual spring lecture, a fallreception with medical alumni and a med-ical symposium, at which students andgraduates can present research data.

The Council also has compiled a HealthProfessions Alumni Directory that listsalumni who are willing to offer careeradvice or clinical experience to Universityof Scranton students.

Health Care in Haiti:A World of Diff e re n c eB Y S T E P H A NI E T E SS I N G ’ 0 3

In January, six University alumni and students staffed a

remote clinic in Haiti for a week as part of a service mission

organized by the University’s Medical Alumni Council

( M AC). The group included Richard Bevilacqua, D.M.D.,

M.D. ’83, MAC Chair, Je a n - Paul Bonnet, D.O. ’76,

Gre g o ry Lynch, D.O. ’79, Te re n c e Lonergan, M.D. ’89,

Christopher Jones ’02 and Stephanie Tessing ’03. In this

article, Ms. Tessing reflects on her experience in Haiti.

Stephanie Tessing ’03,Pre-med student andTruman Scholar

because the people do not understandthe concept of giving blood. T h es c reening technology that is ava i l a b l ein Haiti would make it impossible toe n s u re a safe blood supply. With thehigh risk of AIDS, Hepatitis, andother diseases, blood transfusionsc a r ry an unreasonable risk.

The patients’ families are re s p o n s i-ble for preparing their meals, keepingthem clean, dealing with their bodilywaste and changing the dressings ontheir wounds. The families live inw i n d owless huts alongside the hospi-tal and do their cooking in large,wall-less pavilions. They enter thew a rds barefoot, unaffected by thespots of exc rement, vomit, blood, pus,and urine that collect on the floor.Despite such poor sterile conditions,the Haitian nurses informed us thatinfections are rare. In fact, we did notsee any infections during our stay.

Another astounding aspect of theOR invo l ves the Haitian surgeonst h e m s e l ves. They are surgeons out ofnecessity rather than because they havesought specialized training, but theirskills reach far beyond their training.They serve a huge population, so thetwo Haitian surgeons are forced tow o rk as fast as possible, even if thatmeans sacrificing precision for speed.

As you move away from the OR,the cove red walkway then leads to thebuilding that houses all of the wards –Su r g e ry, Medicine, Pediatrics andMa t e r n i t y. A circular nurses’ stationa rea is located in the hallway. Fo u ropen rooms surround the nurses’ sta-tion and look out into the hallway.Each room contains eight beds, withfour beds lined against each wall.When someone is brought into“ i n t e n s i ve care,” their transport gur-ney is positioned in the middle of thehallway so that the patient is near the

n u r s e’s station. The patient’s pro g re s-s i ve improvement or decline can bem a rked by how far away from then u r s e s’ station the gurney is move d .After Dr. Bevilacqua and I re m oved ap a rotid tumor from a man in his six-ties, the man was in critical condition. The only way we knew that he wassteadily improving was that each dayhe was moved one bed farther fro mthe nurses’ station.

The abundance of diseases,injuries and medical conditions weencountered was incredibly diverse.The American doctors had to adapttheir thinking in order to diagnoseHaitian patients. American pathologydoes not often require physicians torule out tuberculosis as the first possi-ble problem. American physicians donot see on a daily basis machetewounds, human bites and woundsthat have been ulcerated for severalweeks without treatment.

Some of the most common injurieswe re seve re burns from either openf i res or kerosene lamps. Most of thepatients do not arrive at the hospitaluntil several days after the incident. Asa result, death is the most likely fate ofs e ve re burn victims. If patients do sur-v i ve, treatment options are limited.The hospital’s skin grafter is unre l i a b l e ,but even when it is working, most of the children do not have enoughhealthy skin to use a skin graft.

Of all the surprising things seent h roughout the trip, the spirit of theHaitian people was the most extraor-d i n a ry of all. Most Haitians live in ac ycle of pove rty that is impossible tob reak. They need an education to get

a job, they need a job to make money,but they need money to get an educa-tion. The small Baptist missionaryschool in Bonne Fin teaches the chil-d ren in the area up to grade 7, but90% of those children do not passtheir BACs (graduation exams). T h e ya re, there f o re, doomed to continuethe cycle of pove rty that afflicts themajority of the Haitian population.

The faith of the Haitian peoplewas also ove rwhelming. T h e re wasn e ver a moment when they doubtedthat God loved them and that therewas a better life waiting for them. T h esmiles and the laughter told nothingof the hardship they endured. At aSunday service in the local Ba p t i s tC h u rch, the pastor spoke about car-ing for the poor. What a powe rf u lconcept: Those with nothing we rebeing told that God expected them to give all that they had to those withe ven less than they themselves. Howis it possible to witness such faith andl ove for others and go back to theUnited States unchanged?

Personally, I am forever changedby the poverty, disease and extremeneed that we witnessed in Haiti. Myexperiences there have undoubtedlyinfluenced the way I will practicemedicine and the way I will live mylife. As a future physician, I am trulyinspired to eventually bring my med-ical expertise back to Haiti. I alsohope that this small effort will inspireother Scranton students and alumnito extend St. Ignatius’ call to be “menand women for others” to those peo-ple in developing countries who des-perately need assistance.

F A L L 2 0 0 2 1 5

In January, University alumni and students staffed a re m o t eclinic in Haiti for a week as part of a service missionorganized by the University’s Medical Alumni Council.

A makeshift dental clinic at the L’Hopital Lumiere in Haiti.

If R. Ba r re t tNoone, M.D. ’61, hadl i ved in the 19th cen-t u ry, you might havefound him blazing atrail to some unsettledp a rt of the mid-west.

It’s an unlikelyimage to conjure upfor one of America’sleading plastic andreconstructive sur-geons. After all, he’sno chuck wagon char-ioteer. But he is most

certainly a pioneer in one of thefastest-growing fields of medicine.

In the 1970s, Dr. Noone led thedevelopment of microsurgery in thePhiladelphia area. In 1978, hedirected the team that performed areplantation of an amputated hand, afirst in the region. He also helped todevelop many of the early surgicalprocedures used to this day in breastreconstructive surgery.

In the 1980s, he introduced thethen controversial concept of breastreconstruction immediately followingmastectomy. This method has nowgained wide acceptance as standard ofcare for breast cancer patients.

Today, he performs an average of10 major surgeries per week.

There’s more. He’s the author of more than 75

scientific publications, and Plasticand Reconstructive Surgery of theBreast, a book on cosmetic and breastreconstructive surgery; Clinical Pro-

fessor of Surgery at the Univer-sity of Pennsylvania School ofMedicine; Chair of the Depart-ment of Surgery at Bryn MawrHospital for 10 years; Chief ofPlastic Surgery at Main LineHealth System; and Vice Chair-

man of the Board of Trustees of TheUniversity of Scranton. He just com-pleted a term as President of theAmerican Association of Plastic Sur-geons, the oldest and most presti-gious organizations of plastic sur-geons in the world.

He is particularly honored, how-ever, with his recent appointment asthe first Executive Director of TheAmerican Board of Plastic Surgery.For Dr. Noone, the accomplishmentis not in the prestige of the title; it’sin the opportunity to challenge hiscolleagues. Under Dr. Noone’s direc-tion, the Board is expanding its certi-fication policies.

“We want to make sure that plasticsurgeons are practicing at the highestpossible levels and that we candemonstrate their continuing cert i f i c a-tion to the public we serve,” says Dr.Noone, who calls himself an idealist.

“Yo u’re better off working tow a rdthe ideal than settling for mediocrity, ”he says.

He speaks from the voice of expe-rience – 29 years of it in the activepractice of surgery. Throughout theyears, he has consistently had a resi-dent working alongside him in theoperating room.

“It’s a one-on-one mentoring kindof relationship, much like that of thefaculty/student research program at

The University of Scranton.”Dr. Noone says his work on the

Penn faculty keeps his fingers on thepulse of the next generation of physi-cians. “It helps me to understandmore deeply the emerging issues inmedicine.”

For someone who’s always lookingahead, Dr. Noone remains loyal tohis beginnings at The University ofScranton.

“Dr. (Leonard) Wolf and Dr(Joseph) Evans were major influences.By their fine example, they instilledin you what it takes to be a leader.”

He recalls working as Dr. Wolf ’sassistant, setting up experiments andfeeding the guinea pigs in the lab.One of his most vivid memories fromhis work-scholarship in college speaksvolumes about the success of theUniversity’s pre-med program.

As Dr. Wolf ’s vision began to fail,the young Barry Noone was chargedwith driving his professor to appoint-ments at medical schools. Dr. Wolfregularly visited the Deans at medicalschools to personally recommendScranton students.

“That personal touch helped putScranton on the map,” says Dr.Noone.

The lessons he learned with Dr.Wolf – in the car, in the classroomand in the laboratory – have traveledwith Dr. Noone throughout hiscareer. In his work with pre-med stu-dents he encourages them to viewmedicine as something more than aprofession.

“It’s a true calling and not just ajob. Unless you view it that way, youwill not be motivated to devote theenormous amount of time andenergy required for success.”

It’s a calling he might have missedhimself, had it not been for his expe-rience at Scranton. “Before college, Inever had a burning desire to be adoctor,” he says. “But people like Dr.Wolf and Dr. Evans changed that.”

Once he found himself on thepre-med path, he wasn’t sure exactlywhere it would lead. “I just wantedto do pioneering work.”

Clearly, he never settled for less.

1 6 T H E S C R A N T O N J O U R N A L

T H E M A G I S O F M E D I C I N E

R. Barrett Noone, M.D. ’61E X E C U T I V E D I R E CT O R

American Board of Plastic Surgery

C H I E F O F P L A S T I C SU R G E R Y

Main Line Health Hospitals, Jefferson Health System

C L I N I C A L P R O F E S S O R O F S U R G E R Y

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

A Pioneer in Plastic andReconstructive Surgery

F A L L 2 0 0 2 1 7

Key Posts in the Keystone StateIn the state of Pennsylvania alone, there are more than 700 University of Scranton alumni who arephysicians, re s e a rchers, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists and veterinarians. Three Scranton alumni holdkey posts at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. From left: John J. LePore, M.D. ’88, FacultyMember and Attending Cardiologist; R. Barrett Noone, M.D. ’61, Clinical Professor of Surgery; andPeter Quinn, D.M.D., M.D. ’70, Professor and Chair of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

John J. LePore, M.D. ’88 FA C U LT Y M E M B E R AN D AT T E N D I N G C A R D I O L O G I S T

University of Pennsylvania

“My first science project ever was in the lab of Vito DelVecchio, Ph.D.,who introduced me to the world of molecular biology and impressedon me a fascination with and enthusiasm for discovering the way thingswork. I have never lost the strong desire to make a contribution in thebasic sciences that Dr. DelVecchio instilled in me.”

1 8 T H E S C R A N T O N J O U R N A L

Erin Tracy, M.D. ’88, knows thejoys of life.

As an obstetrician at Massachu-setts General Hospital, Boston, and amother of one-year-old twin daugh-ters, she knows the wonders associ-ated with giving birth.

As a gynecologist, she’s discoveredthe deep satisfaction that comes fromsaving a woman’s life through earlydiagnosis of cancer.

As a mentor to medical residentsat Massachusetts General and Har-vard Medical School, she has experi-enced the rewards of teaching herprofession to others.

For all the extraordinary momentsshe’s witnessed, Dr. Tracy has alsoseen the darker side of life. Citingnational statistics that one in fourwomen will be a victim of domesticabuse at some point in her life, Dr.Tracy discusses the ways in which shezealously seeks to help her patients.

“Victims of domestic violence aremost likely to tell a physician abouttheir experience,” she says. “We havethem in our office and, chances are,they want to talk to someone. Yet,historically, we (Ob-Gyn’s) haven’tbeen great about identifying andresponding to that need.”

Dr. Tracy aims to change that.“I ask eve ry new patient a series of

questions that help me understandwhether or not there might be a historyor threat of domestic abuse,” she says.

The questions, she says, are oftenas direct as, “Has anyone ever tried tohurt you?”

When and if she detects an inci-dence of domestic violence, she helpsher patients seek professional assistance.

“I don’t know all of the ways to

help them, but I do know where theycan get help.”

Dr. Tracy has taken this cause toregional and national audiences ofhealth care professionals. She has beenan invited speaker at conferences andgrand rounds at Ha rva rd Me d i c a lSchool and Massachusetts General. In2001, she returned to her hometow nof Scranton, where she was an invitedspeaker at a grand round at Me rc yHospital, where her father, Gerald P.Tr a c y, M.D., ’63 is a card i o l o g i s t .

“Some people thought thatdomestic violence is an inner cityproblem,” she recalls of the Scrantonaudience.

Presentations by Dr. Tracy, theWomen’s Resource Center and lawenforcement officials dispelled thatmyth.

Dr. Tracy says she learned theimportance of justice and social con-cern at The University of Scranton.As a regular participant in searchretreats offered by the late Joe Sim-mons, S.J., she says that she “learnedhow people can work together as acommunity.”

She also cites the academics t rengths of the Un i ve r s i t y’s pre - m e dp rogram, and the influence of Mi c h a e lHa rd i s k y, Ph.D., Professor of Bi o l o g y.

“The Un i versity really pre p a red mefor medical school (at Ge o r g e t ow n ) . ”

For those considering a career inmedicine, Dr. Tracy challenges themto give careful consideration to thepath they might take.

“Some people go into medicinebecause they like the idea of being adoctor,” she says. “But they mightnot like the idea of dealing with peo-ple who are sick.”

If you love what you do, it’s allworthwhile, she says.

“There’s nothing better than hav-ing a role in a happy, healthy deliv-ery. I consider it an incredible privi-lege to participate in a veryimportant moment in the life of afamily: the delivery of a new baby.”

Therein lies one of the joys of lifefor Erin Tracy, M.D. Two of the oth-ers – named Bridget and Shannon –rest in her arms at the end of a busyday at Massachusetts General.

Erin E. Tracy, M.D., M.P.H. ’88O B - G Y N

Massachusetts General Hospital

Delivering Powerful Messages About Life

Erin Tracy, M.D. ’88, is flankedby twin daughters Bridget (left)and Shannon (right).

F A L L 2 0 0 2 1 9

The dentist’s “d readed drill” – feare dby so many - will be replaced with laserequipment, predicts Scranton dentistJames L. Burne, Jr., D.D.S. ’63.

Peter Quinn, D.M.D., M.D. ’70,Professor and Chair of Oral andMaxillofacial Surgery at the Univer-sity of Pennsylvania, has seen lasersbecome a routine part of surgery.His predictions for dentistry in thefuture include “genetically engineeredcompounds and (the further develop-ment of) artificial bone and skin thatwill improve the success of bone andtissue grafting.”

Throughout his 18 years at theUniversity of Pennsylvania, Dr.Quinn has seen advances in bothtechnology and technique develop toallow surgeons to successfully accom-plish more and more complex proce-dures than ever before.

“I have seen oral surgery expand tomaxillofacial surgery,” says Dr. Qu i n n ,who served as chair of the medicalb o a rd of the Un i versity of Pe n n s y l va-nia Medical Center and is the onlyfaculty member who has also served aschair of the faculty senate at the De n-tal School. Under Dr. Qu i n n’s guid-ance, the Un i versity of Pe n n s y l va n i a’sp rogram developed to include a dou-b l e - d e g ree program in oral and max-illofacial surgery (D.M.D./M.D.).

Technology played a key role.Dr. Quinn credits 3-D Imaging,

which creates an exact model of theskull from CAT scans, for aiding hisdevelopment of a new implant for

the jaw joint. A procedure that tookhim 12 years to develop has beensuccessfully completed in the UnitedStates and internationally over 200times in the past seven years.

In over 50 years of practice andmore than 40 years of service andinvolvement in national dental asso-ciations, academies and conventions,Nicholas D. Saccone, D.D.S. ’43’H91, has seen dentistry develop“from a mechanical profession to aschool of medicine.”

“I was at the University of Penn-sylvania when the original fluoridestudy was being conducted inKingston and Newburgh, New York,”says Dr. Saccone, who considers fluo-ride to be the biggest public healthgain of his profession.

Now re t i red, Dr. Saccone hass e rved as President of both the Pe n n-s y l vania Dental Association and thePe n n s y l vania Academy of Ge n e r a lDe n t i s t ry. He also holds several pre s t i-gious fellowships, including one fro mthe Pi e r re Fa u c h a rd Ac a d e m y, wherehe also served as president of the In t e r-national Dental Honor So c i e t y.

Both he and Dr. Burne have seentheir profession grow from the“extraction of teeth” to one that canrestore functionality. A general practi-tioner for over 30 years, Dr. Burne’sSouth Scranton practice includes cos-metic and restorative dentistry.

Both also credit progress to educa-tional initiatives at the local, stateand national level for increasing the

public awareness of the “value ofkeeping one’s teeth,” and insurancecompanies for increasing accessibilityto dental care.

“All fields of dentistry haveadvanced more in the last 30 yearsthan in the previous 200,” says Dr.Burne. “In the 1960s, the U.S. popu-lation without teeth numbered 60million. Today, despite the overallpopulation increase, there are only 20million or less without teeth.”

Advances in technology and tech-nique have made the educationalrequirements for dentists moredemanding – something all threeagree will not change in the future.They also expect the competition forentry into dental schools to becomemore intense.

“Education played a key role inthe changes of the past and will con-tinue to be a catalyst for progress inthe future,” says Dr. Saccone.

“Dentistry in the future will bemuch more science-based andresearch-oriented and double degreeswill be more common,” says Dr.Quinn, who holds a D.M.D. fromthe University of Pennsylvania and anM.D. from the Medical College ofPennsylvania. “Cooperation amongspecialties such as E.N.T, maxillofa-cial surgery and plastic surgery willalso continue to increase.”

The three Scranton alumni agreethat the technology advances for thenext generation of dentists areboundless. The qualities that make a“good dentist,” however, will remainconstant.

According to Dr. Burne, “A gooddentist must be a scientist, artist,sculptor, psychologist, business man-ager and love to deal with people.”

Regardless of what the futureholds, one thing is certain. This pro-fession will keep us smiling into our80s – with our own teeth!

T H E M A G I S O F M E D I C I N E

Changes in Dentistry are Worth Smiling About

Nicholas D. Saccone, D.D.S. ’43 ’H91James Burne, Jr., D.D.S. ’63 Peter Quinn, D.M.D., M.D. ’70

Nicholas D. Saccone, D.D.S. ’43 ’H91 James Burne, Jr., D.D.S. ’63 Peter Quinn, D.M.D., M.D. ’70

2 0 T H E S C R A N T O N J O U R N A L

A veterinarian isn’t just a doctorwho takes care of animals.

According to Susan J. Colbassani,V.M.D. ’81, a vet is many doctorsrolled into one – pediatrician, den-tist, radiologist, dermatologist, neu-rologist, and more.

The diversity of veterinary medi-cine attracted the Scranton native toher field.

“We get to practice on many dif-ferent species, not just one. I chose itover human medicine because it’smore challenging.”

Dr. Colbassani wanted to be a vet-erinarian all her life. When it wastime to choose a college, she followedin the footsteps of her brother, JosephColbassani, ’79. She was the onlypre-veterinary medicine student inthe Class of ’81.

“I went to The Un i versity of Scran-ton because it had one of best pre - m e dp rograms in the country. The biologyand chemistry departments we re re a l l yg reat. I think my favorite teacher wasDr. Michael Cann. He was a challeng-ing teacher. He was also ve ry concernedabout his students’ well-being, a re a lp ro-student kind of guy. He was ve ryencouraging and support i ve to all of us.”

Another aspect of veterinary med-icine Dr. Colbassani likes is the rela-tionship she forms with her patientsand their owners.

“I like getting to know an animal,f o l l owing it through its lifetime and get-ting to know the owners. You almostfeel like the pet is yours after a while.”

This aspect of her practice hasbecome more prevalent during thepast several years.

“Years ago, animals were justworkers, to guard the house, keepmice away, etc., and now they’remuch more companions, a real partof the family,” Dr. Colbassaniexplains. “For some people, the vet isthe most important person in theirlife, because their pet is so importantto them. There’s almost a bondbetween you and the owner.

“People are more aware today ofwhat’s available in animal care. Theywant the most progressive practice. Ifa dog or cat is really sick, they wanteverything done for it. They alsowant someone who is genuinely com-passionate with their pets.”

After graduating from the Univer-sity of Pennsylvania School of Veteri-nary Medicine in 1987, Dr. Colbas-sani worked at a veterinary clinic inNortheastern Pennsylvania. Shedecided to try a change of sceneryand moved to Florida, but after twoyears, she came home and built herown animal hospital. She’s ownedand operated her solo practice inOlyphant since 1996.

“ It’s nice to give back to the com-munity where you have your ro o t s ,w h e re you we re nurt u red. I alwaysthought if I had my own clinic here ,I ’d call it Ho m e t own Animal Ho s p i t a l ,because this is my hometown are a . ”

She advises students planning toenter her field, “You really have tohave a love of medicine and truecompassion for the animals to be asuccess. If you don’t have that, youwon’t do very well. And you have tobe willing to work hard, and worklong hours. It’s a tough road, but areally rewarding career. I wouldn’twant to do anything else.”

Many Doctors Rolled into One

Susan J. Colbassani, V.M.D. ’81

Susan J. Colbassani,V.M.D. ’81, checks thehealth of Petunia, aChinese Crested dog.

F A L L 2 0 0 2 2 1

Total Quality Management – orTQM – is a familiar phrase amongmanufacturing companies. Fo rd, forexample has built an entire campaigna round its “Quality Plus Fo rd Dealers.”

In health care circles, quality man-agement typically re vo l ves aro u n dpatient care in hospital enviro n m e n t s .

A notable exception to therule can be found in we s t-ern Pe n n s y l vania, whereone health-care group islooking at quality healthc a re in a rather unique way.

Leading this effort is Francis X.Solano, Jr., M.D. ’75.

As President and Chief MedicalOfficer of Community Medicine Inc.at the University of Pittsburgh Med-ical Center, Dr. Solano directs a qual-ity improvement initiative with 450physicians who are part of a $4 bil-lion health-care network covering a250-mile radius.

“A lot of people assume that whenthey visit a doctor, they’re getting thebest possible health care,” says Dr.Solano. “Unfortunately, that isn’talways the case. Some practices arebetter than others. And even amongthe top tier of physicians, there arealways ways to make a good thingeven better.”

Dr. Solano describes his work as“quality management.” St. Ignatiusmight have referred to it as the magis,the Latin word that suggests the spiritof generous excellence in which min-istry should be carried out.

Using his own Jesuit education as afoundation, Dr. Solano works withphysicians in the Un i versity of Pi t t s-burgh health care network to raise thebar in the quality of health care. T h e i rw o rk differs from seemingly similar pro-grams in that it focuses on quality at thephysician – not the hospital – leve l .

“We want our people to reach ormaintain a certain standard of excel-lence,” says Dr. Solano.

Each ye a r, Dr. Solano and his asso-ciates identify two or three chro n i cdiseases that will be the subject of ane x t e n s i ve re s e a rch and eva l u a t i o np roject. For example, in 1999, theg roup began a thre e - year study onways to improve treatment of diabet-ics, as well as patients with congestiveh e a rt failure and coro n a ry art e ry dis-ease. Pa rticipating physicians we rep rovided with a list of 50 variables to address. The doctors worked witha p p roximately 10,000 patients tod e velop and implement managementplans designed to monitor and con-t rol the pro g ression of the diseases.Education of providers and sharingdata on disease management we re themost critical parts of the pro c e s s .

The program prevented the needfor expensive treatments and hospi-talization of many patients. Andthat’s good news, no matter how youlook at it.

“We saved an estimated $4 mil-lion in health care costs,” says Dr.Solano. “At the same time, we did alot of good for a lot of people.”

Dr. Solano says his job with theUniversity of Pittsburgh requires himto be a clear thinker and to “thinkoutside the box” – skills he honed atanother university – Scranton.

“There were plenty of opportuni-ties to learn how to think throughsituations,” the Pittston native says ofhis years at Scranton. “The Jesuitapproach to problem-solving mademe analytical.”

St. Ignatius may not haveinvented the concept of quality man-agement as the folks at Ford know it.But the centuries-old approach toproblem-solving and the Jesuit idealof the magis are very much alive inmodern day manufacturing – andmedicine.

As Dr. Solano has learned, eventhe finest health care systems canbenefit from an occasional tune-up.

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Francis X. Solano, Jr., M.D. ’75P R E S I D E NT A N D C H I E F M E D I C AL O F F I C E R O F C OM M U N I T Y M E D I C I N E I N C .

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Health System

Raising the Bar in theQuality of Health Care

2 2 T H E S C R A N T O N J O U R N A L

A Vision Shared by Three GenerationsIn 1935, James S. Jo rdan, M.D., H’62, an alumnus

of St. Thomas College, founded Jo rdan Eye Associatesin Scranton. Dr. Jordan’s vision of providing compre-hensive eye care services has been carried on by twomore generations of the Jordan family.

T h ree of Dr. Jo rd a n’s sons co-founded No rt h e a s t e r nEye Institute in 1983. Today, there are five membersof the Jordan family with University of Scranton tieswho are part of the practice.

Seated, from left: Elizabeth Jordan Flickinger, O.D., former Graduate School student, andJ e rome W. Jordan, M.D. ’67. Standing, from left: Arthur J. Jordan, O.D. ’59; William J. J o rdan, Jr., D.O. former Graduate School student; and Arthur J. Jordan, Jr., D.O. ’91. Missingf rom the photo is Christopher S. Jordan, M.D. ’98, who will soon be joining the practice.

James S. Jordan, M.D., H’62

Mo re than a century ago, Mi s s o u r iphysician Andrew Taylor Still, M.D.,founded osteopathic medicine on thebelief that doctor and patient work i n gtogether could re s t o re health. Heb e l i e ved if one part of the body wasi n j u red or ill, others would be affected,and that the human body had the abil-ity to heal itself in many circ u m s t a n c e s .

To d a y, Judith (Richmond) Pry b l i c k ,D.O., and her husband, Ga ry M. Pry-blick, D.O., both Class of 1984, carryon Dr. St i l l’s work as two of the 45,000physicians practicing osteopathic medi-cine in the United States. They practiceat and co-own 19th St reet Fa m i l yHealth Care in Allentow n .

And while family practice may notbe as exciting as life in the ER, Ju d i t hPryblick says, “We love what we do. ”

Ju d i t h’s ideas about osteopathyreflect the Jesuit approach to life.

“I liked the philosophy of taking thewhole person and looking at the physi-cal, mental and religious aspects. Tre a t-ing not just symptoms but the wholeindividual. It’s ideal for family practice.”

The Pryblicks met at the Un i ve r s i t yduring an orientation activity thati n vo l ved passing Life Sa vers from fre s h-man to freshman – on toothpicks heldin students’ mouths. Ga ry calls Scran-t o n’s orientation one of the “best send-offs to start college” he’s ever seen.

The Drs. Pryblick chose the Un i ve r-sity because of its excellent re p u t a t i o nfor preparing students for medicalschool. But Judith Pryblick insists the“life lessons” she learned there we re justas valuable as the academics. She cre d i t sthe late Ed w a rd Gannon, S.J., for get-ting her on the road to adulthood.

“ He really made you think aboutthings: questions on morality or ethics.He pre p a red you for life. I grew up intoa responsible, focused adult through my

college experience. I believe it wasd i rectly related to the philosophy at theUn i ve r s i t y. ”

Ga ry says, “The Jesuits we re a goodbunch of people. They built characterand accountability. I’ll take Scrantonover any college.”

Like many other doctors, the Pry-blicks have served in medical societiesand on committees. But they don’tcount professional accolades as theirmost significant accomplishments.

Judith insists her “g reatest thrill is tomake a diagnosis that’s life-changing forsomeone. You have to listen to the per-son and discover things. Gut feelingsh a ve been life-saving for people.”

It was just such a feeling that save dJu d i t h’s own life several years ago. Ga rylets his wife tell the story of his gre a t e s ta c h i e ve m e n t .

“ One evening, I developed a seve reheadache and chest palpitations,” sherecalls. “I thought I was having a braina n e u ry s m . ”

A CT scan didn’t re veal anything,but she continued to suffer for we e k swith blinding headaches, seve re chestpain and increasing blood pre s s u re (ashigh as 220/120). No one could dis-c over what was wrong.

“ Fi n a l l y, my husband, who was anintern at this time, said, ‘This really soundslike pheochromocytoma,’ an extre m e l yr a re tumor of the adrenal glands.

“ My husband went to the specialistand said, ‘Can this be it?’ They did thetest, and that’s what it was. Fre q u e n t l ythis diagnosis is made post-mortem. Iconsider myself extremely lucky. ”

Fo l l owing re m oval of the tumor,Judith remains healthy and “p ro b a b l ywill live fore ve r,” she jokes.

Remembering the day she met herlife part n e r, Judith states, “He truly ismy Life Sa ve r. ”

Judith (Richmond) Pryblick, D.O. ’84 Gary M. Pryblick, D.O. ’84 D O C T O R S O F OS T E O PAT H Y

“Life Saving” Lessons in Medicine

I t ’s all in the family! Dr. Judith Pryblick givesa check-up to her 4-year-old daughter, Ally,at 19th Street Family Health Care, Allen-town. Judith and her husband, Gary, bothClass of ’84, co-own and operate the clinic.

Dr. Gary Pryblick, left, takes a bloodpressure reading for patient Frank Kuzmin.

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