A chemical ecologist passionate about engaging students in experiential learning will join The University of Toledo to lead the Jesup Scott Honors College.

Dr. Heidi Appel comes to UT from the University of Missouri where she served as senior associate director of the Honors College. Her first day will be Monday, Aug. 15.

“Dr. Appel is an advocate for the role of a strong honors college at a research university that engages students in critical thinking and creates interdisciplinary relationships across the institution,” said Dr. Andrew Hsu, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “Her decade of experience with honors colleges along with her enthusiasm for research and active, hands-on learning as part of the student educational experience matches our goals for the Jesup Scott Honors College and The University of Toledo.”

Appel

Hsu thanked Kelly Moore, who has served as interim dean of the college since August, for his leadership during the past year.

Appel joined the University of Missouri in 2007 as a senior research scientist and member of the graduate faculty and also served as associate director of the Honors College. Prior to that, she was a member of the faculty at Pennsylvania State University, which she joined in 2000.

“An honors college has a special role on campus. It’s a place where students can develop their intellectual capacities, learn to think broadly, creatively, and critically, and have intense discussions,” Appel said. “The Jesup Scott Honors College’s emphasis on experiential learning and undergraduate research, inclusive approach to admissions, and its talented faculty and staff make it a standout program. I look forward to working with the honors students, faculty and staff, my colleagues in other colleges and with the broader Toledo community to build upon the strong program.”

Appel, who grew up in the metro Detroit area, has long been interested in the outdoors. Midway through her undergraduate studies of ancient history and music she decided to make science her career. Since then she has focused her research on the intersection of chemistry and ecology to explain ecological patterns and broaden our understanding about the relationship between plants and insects.

Appel is an accomplished researcher who has received more than $2.5 million in external research funding and authored more than 45 publications. She made national headlines in 2014 with her research that showed plants can “hear,” meaning that they can identify vibrations caused by a caterpillar chewing and respond with increased chemical defense. The experience reinforced her interest in being sure that students not only get involved in research, but that they also have the opportunity to present it to a broader audience.

“Everyone has a responsibility to be able to communicate their interests and ideas effectively with other people. In higher education, we have a special need for that training for our students. Even if we’re working on a very esoteric topic, it is important to explain the basics of that to other people,” she said.

Among Appel’s goals for the Jesup Scott Honors College are to align the curriculum with student needs, increase interdisciplinary course offerings, get honors students actively engaged with campus as mentors and tutors, and deepen relationships with other colleges across campus.

“I‘m excited to join The University of Toledo where there is so much support for the role of honors education in the mission of the University,” she said.

Appel has a bachelor’s degree in general studies from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., and a master’s degree in biology and PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Michigan.

Starting this week, University of Toledo undergraduate and graduate student volunteers joined physicians, nurses and other health professionals as a part of a patient’s care team at The University of Toledo Medical Center.

Students pursuing a health-related career such as nursing, pre-med, pharmacy, social work or health care administration began rounds as patient advocate assistants (PAA) to provide a unique service to patients during their stay at UTMC.

A part of the Service Excellence Department, the patient advocate assistant serves as a patient resource, answering questions, facilitating communication between patients and hospital staff, troubleshooting when challenges arise and ensuring patients are comfortable while they are recovering in the hospital.

“Communication issues are the main criticism patients have with hospitals nationwide,” said Debra O’Connell, UTMC patient advocate. “This program will help improve two-way communication with our patients and their family members while providing a unique learning opportunity for UT students enrolled in various health-related careers.”

The field of health care is complex and patients and their family members can find a hospital stay overwhelming.

Allison Gerren and Mahbod Pourriahi, UT patient advocate assistants talk with UTMC patient, Louis Turley during his recent hospital stay.

“It’s not always easy for a patient to ask their physicians questions about their care, or they may think of something after the doctor has finished rounds,” said UT student Mahbod Pourriahi, a patient advocate assistant studying bioengineering. “That’s where we come in. We spend time visiting with the patient, understanding their concerns and gathering any questions they may have for their health care team.”

Patient advocate assistants also ensure patients are resting comfortably during their stay.

“We visit patients on their second day in the hospital,” said future UT medical student Allison Gerren, a patient advocate assistant. “I was expecting to meet patients who were sad or in a lot of pain, but instead I found patients smiling and laughing and happy to talk with me. It brightens my day and I look forward to doing rounds.”

Ten students have completed the training program and 15 additional students are entering phase two of training. The students will begin regular rounds within UTMC’s cardiovascular unit and medical/surgical step-down and neurology units. There are plans to expand the program to other areas of the hospital as more students enter the program.

“The program is another way UTMC strives to provide excellent patient care while training future doctors, nurses, pharmacists and hospital administrators,” said Dustin Ballinger, UTMC Cardiovascular Unit nursing director. “This program provides another avenue for checking in on our patients and receiving their feedback.”

Students also benefit from the opportunity to build relationships with medical professionals, get real-world experience interacting with patients and practice communication and customer service skills.

“We want each and every patient to know that they are our priority,” said O’Connell. “Patients and their families should feel comfortable with all decisions and plans that are made during their stay. We encourage patients to be more active during consultations with physicians. The goal of this program is to provide the best care possible for the patient.”

The students in the program said they have learned valuable skills from the training experience and are ready to begin visiting their own patient caseload.

“The training has really helped me to become more comfortable approaching and talking to people in need of care,” Pourriahi said. “I think working with patients now will make me a better and more receptive doctor in the future.”

Media Coverage
WTOL 11 (June 3, 2016)

The University of Toledo Health’s Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center and University of Toledo Physicians were selected to participate in a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) pilot program designed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of oncology specialty care.

UT Health will participate in the five-year program along with 195 other physician groups as a part of Vice President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot plan to accelerate cancer research. The Oncology Care Model pilot began July 1 and ends June 20, 2021.

The goal of the Oncology Care Model is to enhance the care delivery process through nationally-recognized clinical guidelines for beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy. These enhanced services could include:

• Coordination of appointments with providers within and outside the oncology practice to ensure timely delivery of diagnostic and treatment services;

• 24/7 access to care when needed;
• Arrangement of diagnostic scans and follow up with other members of the medical team such as surgeons, radiation oncologists and other specialists that support the beneficiary through cancer treatment;
• Ensuring data from scans, blood work and other tests are received in advance of patient appointments; and
• Access to additional patient resources, such as support groups, pain management services and clinical trials.

“The Dana Cancer Center’s treatment plans and programs are designed to provide our patients with this sort of comprehensive
care and support,” said Chris Kosinski, clinic manager at the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center. “We are proud to be a part of this national best practice model. We continually seek to improve patient care and the Oncology Care Model will provide oversight and guidance as we work to facilitate advanced treatment and recovery from one of the most aggressive and invasive diseases we fight today.”

The Oncology Care Model represents a shift of basing provider payments on the quality of care delivered rather than quantity. Practices are encouraged to improve care and lower costs through episode- and performance-based payments that reward high-quality patient care. The model is one of the first CMS physician-led specialty care models and builds on key points from other innovative programs and private-sector models.

“The feedback we receive from the data collected during this initiative will serve to strengthen and optimize our nationally-accredited oncology program,” said Allen Seifert, director of the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center. “We are proud to be a part of a group of providers dedicated to putting the patients’ needs first.”

In 2015 the cancer program at UT Health was one of only 47 cancer providers to earn the Outstanding Achievement Award from the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer. The award recognizes cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality patient care. Additionally, the center was named one of “100 hospitals and health systems with great oncology programs” by Becker’s Hospital Review.

Media Coverage
13 ABC (June 7, 2016)