Archive for 2013

Established in 2002, OHSU’s Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network (ORPRN) works to improve the health of rural populations in Oregon. Along with a diverse group of communities and practitioners, ORPRN conducts and promotes health research from throughout the state. Recently, one of its case studies garnered national attention. Led by family physician, David Evans, M. D., at Madras Medical Group, the study evaluated whether the influence of pharmaceutical representatives and clinic inventories of prescription medications might increase costs and … Read More

OHSU is expanding healthcare access in Southeast Portland. We are proud to announce the opening of the new OHSU Family Medicine at Richmond Walk-In clinic. The clinic will open alongside Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare’s walk-in clinic, allowing for easy referrals between family medicine and mental heath providers. Now in its final stages of construction, the new clinic will offer a number of non-emergency services to local residents – both insured and uninsured. The clinic will also … Read More

Spring is always an exciting and bittersweet time for the OHSU community. This June, hundreds of students will walk across the stage, taking hold of a well-deserved diploma and taking oath to practice medicine and research with ethical verve and compassion. Three graduates from the School of Medicine reflect on their time spent at OHSU, sharing memories, insights and their hopes for the adventures that lie ahead. Why did you choose OHSU? Bailey Pope, M.D.: OHSU … Read More

An Invitation from Bob Applegate, Assoc. Dir. Of Community Engagement As many know, we are facing titanic shifts in the way that our health care is financed and delivered. Our economy continues to recover, but change is truly the watchword. What we believe about these and other issues determines how we will approach solutions to our biggest challenges in the years ahead. Oftentimes the values and beliefs of the “middle” of the opinion spectrum – representing … Read More

By Tracy Severson, R.D., L.D. With the growing popularity of all things gluten-free, are you wondering if this diet might be right for you? I’m frequently asked by patients if a gluten-free diet will help with weight loss, digestive issues, or other ailments. Unless you have a gluten allergy or intolerance, the simple answer is no. Gluten is a protein found in certain grains — wheat, barley, and rye. People following a gluten-free diet avoid … Read More

By Hormozd Borzorgchami, M.D. Just a few days after a stroke left Emil Evans paralyzed from the tip of his right toe to the tip of his right finger, he was back raking leaves in the yard of his McMinnville home. The OHSU Telemedicine Network played a vital role in his remarkable rebound by bringing the best stroke treatment expertise to his bedside minutes after he arrived at Willamette Valley Medical Center. Evans was struck … Read More

by Jone Sampson, M.D. I admire Angelina Jolie for sharing her very personal medical information with the public. Her story, shared in the New York Times yesterday, highlights the importance of being aware of a hereditary cancer predisposition, the value of genetic testing, the information gained from testing, and the options for managing the increased cancer risks associated with having a BRCA1 mutation. As Director of Clinical Cancer Genetics at the Knight Cancer Institute, I work closely … Read More

This week, the OHSU family celebrates some of our most skilled, dedicated and compassionate community members: nurses. And we recognize one nurse, in particular, whose commitment to the success and education of others is unparalleled. We can all remember a teacher in our lives that really made a difference. He took time after class to answer your questions. She introduced you to a subject that changed your career path and encouraged you to go beyond … Read More

You may have read about a recent Spanish study (published this month in the New England Journal of Medicine) touting the benefits of a Mediterranean diet in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. There is certainly nothing new about the Mediterranean diet, but I am pleased to see that it’s currently garnering headlines. While not a “diet” in the weight-loss sense, the Mediterranean diet is more of a way of life, a plant-based eating pattern that … Read More

By Wayne Clark, M.D. Earlier this month, the OHSU Telemedicine Network treated two stroke cases that demonstrate how tele-stroke technology can assist in the development of new therapies and expand clinical research. Case No. 1 A 51-year-old previously healthy businessman was brought to the Salem Hospital emergency room with stroke symptoms. Salem Hospital’s Peter Killefer, M.D., called OHSU and requested a tele-stroke consultation. Minutes later, OHSU stroke neurologist. Hormozd Borzorgchami, M.D., was examining the patient … Read More