U.S. News & World Report is recognizing The University of Toledo Medical Center for its digital prowess when it comes to patient safety and engagement.

UTMC is one of 126 U.S. medical centers in 34 states to be named Most Connected Hospitals for 2015-16, per U.S. News standards that span both electronic medical records and quality care.

The selection was based on responses to a set of 26 questions selected by U.S. News from the 2013 American Hospital Association Annual Survey Information Technology Supplement.

“UTMC prides itself on being committed to health care’s digital future,” CEO Dave Morlock said. “Digital technology is paramount when it comes to the coordination and continuity of care. It promotes informed decision-making by both the health care workers and the patients. We take pride in helping patients become more directly involved in their health care management.”

To be considered for Most Connected Hospital status, a hospital had to register a high score in the questions selected from the survey and be among the 954 facilities recognized by U.S. News as nationally ranked or rated as high performing in 2015-16 in Best Hospitals for Complex Care, Best Hospitals for Common Care or Best Children’s Hospitals.

UTMC was evaluated in three areas:

• Clinical connectedness, which evaluates a hospital’s ability to exchange or share patient information electronically with any provider who needs it;
• Patient safety, which evaluates a hospital’s ability to protect patients by using bar-coded wrist bracelets to verify patient’s identities before medications and other treatments are administered; and
• Patient engagement, which evaluates a hospital’s ability to offer patients an opportunity to access their electronic medical information and receive updates.

Dr. Bryan Hinch, chief medical information officer at UTMC, said health care is being revolutionized by digital technology.

“The standardization of electronic health records and the sharing of health information in a secure way are a huge boost for health care quality and safety,” Hinch said. “UTMC is proud to be recognized for our efforts, which are continual because technology is always improving and changing.”

Media Coverage
U.S. News & World Report (Oct. 15, 2015)

It has been known as the White Plague, Robber of Youth and the Graveyard Cough.

It has been a scourge for centuries, possibly killing more people than any other infectious disease.

But in the midst of the despair and horror, tuberculosis has inspired some of the greatest works of art and literature. In the French opera “La bohème,” Mimì, the heroine has tuberculosis, and Fantine in Victor Hugo’s novel “Les Miserables” becomes ill and dies from “consumption.”

Dr. Robert Bartlett

Tuberculosis, its trail of destruction and eventual hope will be the focus of the seventh annual S. Amjad Hussain Visiting Lecture in the History of Medicine and Surgery at The University of Toledo. Dr. Robert Bartlett, professor emeritus of surgery at the University of Michigan, will present the free, public lecture, “Romance, Science and the White Plague,” at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, in the Health Education Building, Room 100, on the Health Science Campus.

“When people were dying of tuberculosis, it inspired sufferers and those witnessing the suffering to write books, poems and music about the experience,” Bartlett said. “It was truly phenomenal how they were able to take the horrific experience, which in many cases led to death, and leave us with some memorable works of art. It’s quite unusual for one specific disease to have such a footprint on art and literature.”

Tuberculosis was an epidemic in Europe and caused millions of deaths in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. While this serious disease declined after the late 19th century, it still remains a public health issue today.

Bartlett’s lecture will look at the science behind finding the cause of tuberculosis and how not knowing the source of the disease led to strange remedies.

“It affected everybody, and no one knew what caused it,” he said. “People tried all sorts of things like eating a lot of food or eating no food, drinking milk or avoiding milk or exercising a lot or not exercising at all.”

Eventually, German bacteriologist Robert Koch discovered that the bacteria that cause tuberculosis are spread from one person to another through tiny droplets released into the air via coughs and sneezes.

This led to the formation of sanatoriums where sufferers could stay as they recovered. These days, a series of antibiotics for at least six to nine months are used to treat patients with only a limited time in quarantine.

“Tuberculosis is still common these days, but it is treatable in most cases,” Bartlett said. “We see it occurring in people who have a low-immune response like patients with AIDS or patients who are undergoing chemotherapy.”

Bartlett was selected for this year’s lecture by a committee that included Hussain, Dr. Peter White, emeritus professor of medicine, Dr. Gerald B. Zelenock, former professor and chair of surgery, and Dr. Steven H. Selman, former professor and chair of urology. Hussain teaches and oversees the History of Medicine elective.

“History is an integral part of the human experience,” Hussain said. “Our job as teachers and scholars is to connect the present with the past by blowing away the cumulative dust of time. Unless we know the past, we can’t make sense of the present, nor can we chart a cohesive course for the future.”

Lymphedema is a painful condition that can affect women who have undergone, or are undergoing, breast cancer treatment that unfortunately, many women are never properly educated on.

Those who suffer from lymphedema, which is a lack of lymphatic drainage, experience severe swelling in their arms or other extremities. Sometimes it can be so bad that it leads to disfigurement.

“I noticed my left arm was swollen and it felt heavy, but I didn’t know it was lymphedema,” said Peggy Mercurio, a breast cancer survivor. “I also had lymphedema in my chest wall and in my back. For me, it is more bothersome but not necessarily painful. It just feels very uncomfortable.”

On Thursday, Oct. 15, the public is invited to learn about treating this condition, which is not exclusive to breast cancer survivors, during a Focus on Lymphedema educational night from 6-8 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel on the Health Science Campus of The University of Toledo. Mercurio will be available for interviews.

The free, public lecture is part of the Tie One On Awareness Lecture Series hosted by the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center.

Dr. Iman Mohamed, UT professor and chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology, will be one of the guest speakers talking about the causes, preventative methods and treatment for lymphedema. Lymphedema therapists from UTMC as well as ProMedica, Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, Blanchard Valley Rehab and Wood County Hospital will be among the experts offering advice and support.

“Any patient with lymphedema can benefit from this lecture, but it is especially crucial to talk about lymphedema during October because it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” Mohamed said. “Anytime you remove or disturb a lymph node, you have the chance to suffer from lymphedema. It can happen immediately or it might take years.”

Those at risk for developing lymphedema are advised to keep the affected arm or leg elevated above the level of the heart when possible; avoid tight clothing; forgo the use of a heavy purse on the affected arm; do not use hot tubs or heating pads; and avoid heavy lifting with the affected limb.

However, sometimes lymphedema will occur anyway, and patients need options for relief. Mohamed said elastic sleeves, bandages, manual compression and exercises can help.

Mercurio uses a compression sleeve and massages to ease her discomfort.

“It is very important for people to know about lymphedema,” Mercurio said. “I put off the swelling. It would have been great to know that it wasn’t just weight gain.”

Kelly Farley, UTMC lymphedema therapist, said sometimes people just live with the condition, which is unfortunate because relief is possible. Other people aren’t educated about the possibility of the condition and, therefore, do not follow any of the precautionary measures to avoid getting lymphedema.

“Lymphedema is not curable; it is a chronic disease,” Farley said. “Patients must be committed to long-term self-care to achieve positive outcomes. Through the course of the treatment, patients are taught components that are necessary to manage the lymphedema.”

Registrations can be made by calling Renee’s Survivor Shop at 419-383-5243 or by emailing EleanorNDanaCancerCenter@utoledo.edu. Registration starts at 5:30 p.m.

Media Coverage
13 ABC (Oct. 16, 2015)
Full Plate (Oct. 14, 2015)

A University of Toledo researcher who saw his grandfather battle Alzheimer’s disease is hoping to find better treatment options with the help of a new research grant.

Dr. Isaac Schiefer, recently appointed assistant professor in the Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, has received a $100,000 New Investigator Research Grant through the Alzheimer’s Association.

Schiefer will walk in his grandpa’s honor at The Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sunday, Oct., 18, on UT’s Main Campus. The walk will start at the Health Education Center with registration and check-in at 9:30 a.m., a ceremony at 11:30 a.m., and the walk at noon.

Dr. Isaac Schiefer

“This disease is just heart-breaking and not just for the patient,” Schiefer said. “I can remember my grandma talking with my grandpa about a memorable vacation when my grandpa said, ‘I don’t remember any of that.’ The look on my grandma’s face was crushing.”

Schiefer, a synthetic bioanalytical chemist, developed a prototype molecule, which improves memory in mice, using a $10,000 grant he received last year from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. His newest grant will allow him to further study the drug characteristics of the prototype molecule.

Schiefer said the molecule was designed to increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor, also known as BDNF.

BDNF, a protein, is important for long-term memory, and patients with Alzheimer’s disease have been shown to have less of it. Schiefer said BDNF’s ability to heal damaged brain cells could be compared to how Human Growth Hormone, known as HGH, helps athletes recover from muscle fatigue or injury.

The molecule is the first step toward a drug that could be given to Alzheimer’s patients.

“My lab designs the drugs, makes the drugs and then we test to see if they work,” Schiefer said. “A key component of my research is making a drug that can be manufactured quickly and cheaply.

“If something cures cancer, but it costs too much to make or it is hard to make or too expensive, it isn’t going to be marketable,” Schiefer said. “I want to put a drug on the market. I don’t see any reason why you can’t translate a drug from UT to the market. There are a lot of resources here. If your product is good enough, you can sell it.”

Media Coverage
13 ABC and WTOL 11 (Oct. 14, 2015)
13 ABC (Oct. 16, 2015)

To keep its employees and patients as healthy as possible, The University of Toledo is implementing a universal flu shot policy for those in the hospital, ambulatory services, off-site clinics and others whose duties or positions cause them to be in patient care areas.

The flu shot, which will be offered free of charge, is being required for all doctors, faculty, staff, students, health-care workers and volunteers. Flu shots are also being offered on Main Campus, where the immunization is not required but highly encouraged.

“We want to provide the best possible care for our patients and the safest working and learning environment for our employees and students,” said Ann Smith, UT director of infection and prevention. “The flu spreads easily so we would like to prevent that from happening. The goal is to protect our staff and faculty as well as our patient population.”

Smith said influenza is a respiratory infection that can lead to serious complications, especially for young children, older adults and those with certain medical conditions. Even if a UT employee doesn’t work directly with patients, he or she can help prevent the spread of disease by being immunized, Smith said.

Many national health advisory organizations, including the American Hospital Association, Infectious Disease Society of America and American College of Physicians, support mandatory influenza immunization for those in the health-care field. More far-reaching, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older be vaccinated each year.

“This is something that many of our staff are already receiving every year, which we appreciate,” Smith said. “With this change in policy, we intend to move to widespread compliance because it just takes one sick person to spread it to others.”

Getting the immunization is easy. By logging onto the Fluprep website at www.utoledo.edu/fluprep/, people can fill out the vaccine administration questionnaire in advance and take a look at the immunization schedule as well as fact sheets and other important information. If those affected by the new policy receive a flu shot outside of UT, they need to upload proof on the Fluprep website. Exemption requests, which are due by Nov. 15, can also be found at the same website. Those granted an exemption will be required to wear a mask during flu season, which runs Dec. 1 through March 31.

Dr. Carl Sirio, chief operating officer and chief medical and clinical officer for The University of Toledo Medical Center, said those on the Health Science Campus are beginning to embrace this new policy because employees understand the benefits of being vaccinated for the flu.

“We don’t want to make each other sick,” Sirio said. “This is the responsible thing to do for ourselves and for our patients because the flu virus is adaptable and hard to avoid.”

Smith said being immunized will just take a few seconds and is relatively painless.

“The flu shot does not cause someone to get sick with the flu, despite what some people claim. That is a misconception,” Smith said. “It might cause a little muscle pain or a general feeling of discomfort, illness or uneasiness, but it does not make someone sick with the flu.”

Flu shot information and calendar:

www.utoledo.edu/fluprep/

Media Coverage
The Blade (Oct. 5, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Oct. 12, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Oct. 14, 2015)

A research scientist at The University of Toledo is meeting with congressional leaders to advocate for an increase in biomedical research funding.

Sumit Bhattacharya, a post-doctoral fellow trainee, will be in Washington, D.C., from Oct. 7-8 representing the State of Ohio in the NAEVR (The National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research) Emerging Vision Scientists Program. He is one of 22 participants.

“A lot of biomedical researchers haven’t been able to do the kind of comprehensive research that is crucial for the advancement of science,” Bhattacharya said. “I plan to talk to Sens. Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur regarding the current crunch in research funding.”

Sumit Bhattacharya

His participation is crucial because Congress will be considering spending and authorizing bills that specifically address the issue of funding for early-stage investigators, according to Dr. David Giovannucci, professor of Neurosciences at UT and principal investigator overseeing Dr. Bhattacharya’s training.

“We are so proud that Sumit will be going to D.C. to speak on behalf of biomedical researchers,” Giovannucci said. “This is quite an honor as well as an opportunity to add his voice to a conversation that could help increase our case for more funding.”

The National Institutes of Health previously funded more than 30 percent of the grants applied for by junior faculty, but in recent years the number has decreased to only 10 percent due to reduction in federal funding.

Bhattacharya’s research in Giovannucci laboratory involves understanding the disease process and developing therapies to treat dry eye and dry mouth. A human drug trial to treat dry mouth is already planned.

“We are collaborating with physicians here at UT to conduct a human trial to reverse or prevent dry mouth. We want to test a compound that we have characterized,” he said.

Bhattacharya is also applying for federal funding for dry eye research. Dry eye commonly affects over 10 million people resulting in billions of dollars for health care costs each year. The majority of sufferers are women over the age of 40.

Bhattacharya was eligible to apply for the NAEVR Emerging Vision Scientists Program because he was previously funded for dry eye research through the Fight for Sight Foundation.

A scientist at The University of Toledo has discovered a potential way to stop the spreading of the most lethal brain cancer glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). 

Dr. Kathryn Eisenmann, an assistant professor in Biochemistry and Cancer Biology at UT, worked with Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) on this research, which was published online Sept. 9 by the American Society of Cell Biology in the journal Molecular Biology of the Cell.

Dr. Kathryn Eisenmann

Eisenmann’s team, led by first author and UT M.D./Ph.D. graduate student Jessica Arden, found that cancer cells that cause GBM can potentially be stopped with a drug developed by VARI Professor Arthur Alberts.

“The most lethal part about GBM is that the cells move so rapidly,” Eisenmann said. “We want to keep the cells in one place so they don’t spread to vital parts of the brain.”

In previous research, Alberts discovered a bioactive peptide called DAD and small molecules called intramimics. Both DAD and intramimics activate a family of proteins called DIAPHs or mDIA, which are known to play vital roles in GBM spread. He had been exploring the use of the drug for colon cancer treatment.

Eisenmann decided to see if his research could be applied to GBM, which is the most common brain tumor in adults. In 2010, there were 22,000 cases in the U.S. People with GBM often live fewer than 15 months following diagnosis because, despite surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, individual cancer cells escape and invade healthy surrounding tissue, making additional treatment attempts increasingly difficult.

Eisenmann was inspired to study treatments for GBM because she has had friends and colleagues diagnosed with or die from the disease.

“It is one of the most lethal cancers and there are very few, if any, effective and durable treatments,” she said. “The prognosis is usually poor.”

The next step, with the help of a $75,000 grant from a UT’s Interdisciplinary Research Initiation Award, is to evaluate the effectiveness of this new strategy in preclinical models, a crucial step in translating this discovery to the clinic and patients.

“GBM is lethal because it so effectively escapes and evades therapy,” Eisenmann said. “Our hope is this discovery will prove to be an anti-tumor strategy and one that will be safe and effective for patients.

“New therapies for GBM are desperately needed,” she said. “We hope our latest finding will lead to a novel and effective treatment for this extremely aggressive cancer.”

For more information on how to support this research, contact Allie Berns, assistant director of Annual Giving, at 419-530-5414 or allison.berns@utoledo.edu. You can also contribute online at: https://give2ut.utoledo.edu/gbm.asp

Media Coverage
WTOL 11 (Nov. 2, 2015)
WTOL 11 (Nov. 2, 2015)
13 ABC (Nov. 5, 2015)

A new cardio-oncology clinic at The University of Toledo Medical Center is focusing on the heart health of cancer survivors.

The clinic is held every Wednesday afternoon in the Eleanor N. Dana Cancer Center to assist patients to continue their chemotherapy and radiation care while minimizing the potential for a negative impact on their heart.

“We want to minimize cardiotoxicity for those undergoing cancer treatments as well as decrease any long-lasting cardiovascular problems after treatment,” said Jodi Tinkel, medical director of ambulatory care at UTMC.

Dr. Jodi Tinkel

Tinkel, a cardiologist who is running the clinic, said cardiotoxicity could cause the heart muscle to weaken and not circulate blood as efficiently. It is a concern for some patients being treated for breast cancer, for example. Fortunately, not all chemotherapies cause cardiotoxicity.

“Oncologists could consider referring a patient to us if they think someone is at risk or has developed cardiac symptoms suggestive of toxicity,” she said. “We can image the heart using echocardiography with strain imaging, which detects toxicity at an earlier stage than routine echo.”

Tinkel also will consult with patients who are already suffering from cardiac problems because of previous chemotherapy treatments. Medications can be used to reduce the risk or help with existing cardiac problems.

This new clinic benefits UTMC’s cancer patients because all of the services will be conveniently located in the Dana Cancer Center.

“We want to treat those who are already affected and help those who might be at risk, but we don’t want to make patients afraid of their chemotherapy,” Tinkel said. “We want to see patients in our clinic so they can continue their chemotherapy and radiation without sacrificing their heart health.”

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Media Coverage
WTOL 11/Fox Toledo Oct. 7, 2015
NBC 24 Nov. 4, 2015

A recent symposium highlighted the ongoing research in hypertension being conducted at The University of Toledo.

The University of Toledo College of Medicine & Life Sciences, in conjunction with The Center for Hypertension & Personalized Medicine, hosted the symposium on Tuesday, Sept. 22, as one of a number of campus events that took place during the week of the inauguration of UT President Sharon Gaber.

During the first session of the event, pre- and post-doctoral trainees gave poster presentations that focused on their research studies.

A series of faculty oral presentations followed on the topic, “Five Decades of Seminal Contributions of UT to Research in Hypertension.”

Dr. Maurice Manning, Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Biology, spoke on the topic, “Thought Leaders of UT in Hypertension Research: A Historical Perspective.”

The next two talks, by Dr. Bina Joe, chair of the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, and Dr. Ashok Kumar, Professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, highlighted recent research into the genetics of hypertension.

Other highlights of the symposium looked at renal function, a critical area of hypertension research at UT. This series started with Dr. Christopher Cooper, executive vice president for clinical affairs and dean of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences, who has a passion for this research. Dr. Steven Haller, Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine also gave a report on his related work that shows that low levels of circulating CD40 are associated with loss of kidney function in patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis.

A founder of the very honor he helped create will instead be one of the people recognized at the fifth annual Emergency Medicine Wall of Honor induction ceremony Tuesday, Sept. 22, at noon.

“Given the fact that I was the principal instigator for the creation of the EM Wall of Honor, I feel reluctant to be recognized in this fashion,” said Dr. Paul Rega, director of emergency medicine simulation education and medical advisor for disaster preparedness at The University of Toledo Medical Center.

“I am extremely humbled and grateful that I was even considered; however, it affords me the opportunity to thank everyone, over the course of 35 years, who has worked with me in emergency departments and in disaster situations to improve the health and welfare to those who sought our care,” Rega said.

Rega

The reception will start at 11:30 a.m. in the Lloyd A. Jacobs Interprofessional Immersive Simulation Center on the Health Science Campus. UT President Sharon Gaber will speak. The simulation center will also host a demonstration.

A plaque for each honoree will be added to the wall, located in the Emergency Department of UTMC, near the ambulance entrance.

The Emergency Medicine Wall of Honor, made possible through funding from The Blade, was established in 2011 to recognize individual achievement and self-sacrifice in the emergency medical services and emergency medicine community.

Nominations are submitted by community stakeholders and reviewed by a multidisciplinary selection committee.

In addition to Rega, this year’s honorees are:

• Thomas Couture Sr., paramedic. Dedicating more 30 years to prehospital medicine, Couture was a founding leader of EMS in Lucas County. Beginning in the 1970s, he was instrumental in implementing policies, protocols and educational standards for the ever-growing role of the paramedic in the community.

• Karen Peckinpaugh, registered nurse. Peckinpaugh is the founding “mother” of the Forensics SANE (sexual assault nurse examiners) programs in the region. She has worked to establish community relationships that have assisted with the growth of local and regional SANE programs.

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