July SOM News

Taking a Leadership Position on Outcomes Transparency

Over the coming months, OHSU will be moving forward with a plan to share aggregate clinical and patient satisfaction outcomes data with the public. This initiative reflects OHSU's commitment to the nationwide effort to create a more transparent health care system, a policy goal first articulated by the Institute of Medicine in 2001.

The initiative is the result of long and careful planning by Chief Medical Officer Roy Magnusson, M.D.; Chairman of the Quality Executive Committee Jeffrey Kirsch, M.D.; and the OHSU Quality Executive Committee. The initiative is fully supported by the OHSUMG, the Professional Board, the OHSU Health System Board, OHSU President Peter Kohler, M.D. and incoming President Joe Robertson, M.D., M.B.A.

The OHSU Quality Executive Committee has primary responsibility for determining what data will be formally recognized as official data that may, in turn, potentially be released publicly. So far, the committee has designated four minimum criteria for any data to be recognized as official OHSU data: 1) nationally recognized as a measure of quality; 2) consistent standards for data entry and reporting; 3) the ability to benchmark with other health care providers; and 4) reasonable turnaround time to focus on recent performance.

Based on the above criteria, OHSU thus far recognizes two aggregate data sources that can be released publicly – University Hospitals Consortium Clinical Database and the NRC+Picker Patient Satisfaction data. Service line aggregate data from these two sources, along with explanatory and educational information, will be posted to the OHSU public reporting website sometime this summer. Public outreach and educational efforts will also occur at that time.

OHSU will be the first hospital in Oregon to publicly release this type of outcomes data. Some academic health centers in other parts of the nation have already taken this step of public reporting to support health care quality and transparency. The data will provide OHSU patients with information to make better and more informed health care decisions.

As Oregon's only academic health center, it is appropriate for OHSU to be a leader on this issue, helping to shape policies that will benefit patients and improve the accuracy and usefulness of outcome information for everyone. OHSU will also proactively educate the public about the overall process of quality assessment in health care as part of this initiative.

OHSU Hospital Ranks in Annual "Best Hospitals" Report

Once again, OHSU Hospital is the only Oregon hospital to appear in U.S. News & World Report's 2006 "America's Best Hospitals" rankings. This is the twelfth consecutive year OHSU Hospital has been ranked in the report.

The annual report, which appeared in the July 7 edition of the news magazine, ranks the top 50 hospitals in each of 16 specialties. The rankings include only 176 different medical centers, selected from the approximately 5,200 medical centers that were evaluated.

OHSU ranked in six categories: 19th in Endocrinology; 22nd in Digestive Disorders; 35th in Gynecology; 42nd in Cancer; 44th in Kidney Disease; and 46th in Urology. Both of the two OHSU specialties recognized last year moved up in the rankings this year: Digestive Disorders moved from 35th to 22nd, and Endocrinology moved up to 19th from 41st in 2005.

According to U.S. News & World Report's methodology, their goal in providing this information is to help patients with a difficult condition or in need of a complex operation to find hospitals that adhere to higher standards of care. Those selected are mostly referral centers, where the sickest patients are sent for advanced care.

People from every county in the state rely on OHSU's hospitals, clinics, community practices and outreach clinics. Because much of the care provided is innovative or highly specialized, OHSU is a safety net for hospitals across Oregon, caring for the hardest-to-treat patients.

Tram Construction Update

(Photo courtesy of Kent Anderson)

The tram is about 60 percent complete. The upper terminal, which will be linked by skybridge to the Kohler Pavilion, is progressing rapidly. The 200-foot elevator and stair-core tower has been topped out, the electrical and control room floors have been poured and erection of the terminal's steel support structure is under way. At the lower station in the South Waterfront district, the drive equipment has been installed and the roof and ropeway saddles are in place. The 196-foot intermediate tower next to S.W. Macadam has been erected and installation of the saddles at the top of the tower has begun. Fabrication of structural, mechanical and hydraulic components as well as of the tram cabins has been completed. Installation of the ropeway is expected to begin in late August.

Following is the link to the PDOT site with up-to-date information and photos of tram construction: click here.

First Quarter 2006 Media Coverage

OHSU had 1,399 known media stories and mentions from January through March 2006. About half of that coverage was in the Portland area media. Another 30 percent of media coverage appeared in state-wide media. Local media focused on the business of OHSU (40 percent of coverage), including 26 percent of coverage about expansion, growth and the tram. Negative news coverage increased slightly to about 3 percent of all media coverage. Forty-four percent of OHSU's media coverage focused on areas of emphasis, including 8 percent of coverage focusing on education innovation and health care work force issues.

IOM Seeks Applicants for New Fellowship Program

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is seeking applicants to its new Anniversary Fellows Program, an opportunity for early career health science scholars to participate in the work of the IOM and to further their careers as future leaders in the field. The fellowships will be awarded for a two-year period during which participants will be expected to continue their work at their main academic posts. Fellows will be assigned to a board of the IOM, and will participate in the work of an expert study committee and in a one-week health policy orientation in Washington, D.C. Nominations are due August 1, 2006.

For additional information, click here.

School of Medicine Awarded $1.3 Million to Enhance Medical Curriculum

OHSU School of Medicine is one of only nine medical schools in the nation to receive $1.3 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to enhance behavioral and social science education for physicians-in-training.

Changes to the OHSU medical school curriculum will focus on six key "domains": mind-body medicine, patient behavior, physician role and behavior, doctor-patient interactions, social and cultural issues, and health care policy and economics.

Students will be taught better communication, learn psychosocial skills in dealing with patient needs and behaviors, learn more about the social and cultural contexts of their patients, come to a better understanding of the mind-body connection in diagnosis and treatment, and will be asked to be more conscious of and reflective upon their roles as professionals.

The NIH grants were prompted by a 2004 IOM report that indicated improving medical training in the behavioral and social sciences can significantly improve health care outcomes. William Toffler, M.D., professor of family medicine, OHSU School of Medicine, is principal investigator for the five-year grant, which draws on the expertise of faculty in 10 separate OHSU departments.

According to the IOM report, titled "Improving Medical Education: Enhancing the Behavioral and Social Science Content of Medical School Curricula," roughly half of all deaths in the United States are linked to behavioral and social factors, with the leading causes of preventable death and disease being smoking and sedentary lifestyle, along with poor dietary habits and alcohol consumption. Physicians should be able to "recognize, understand, and effectively respond to patients as individuals, not just to their symptoms," the report states. It also suggests the National Board of Medical Examiners cover behavioral and social sciences in the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination.

Online Discussion on Solutions to Oregon's Health Care Access Crisis Gains Momentum

With over 8,000 hits since it started, the OHSU-facilitated "blog" on health care reform is moving forward. OHSU president Peter Kohler, M.D., is host to the blog (Weblog). The site's goal is to support debate among diverse thinkers and leaders in Oregon and beyond, and to generate possible solutions to the health care access crisis by providing a central place to share perspectives and ideas.

At least 600,000 Oregonians now lack health insurance, hundreds of thousands of others are underinsured and the numbers keep rising. Access to health care has become a major economic challenge for many people, but fundamental change has been elusive.

"I think we can all agree that everyone deserves access to basic health care. The question is how we come together to create a health care system to achieve this," said Kohler. "I hope that the debate on this site will help create momentum for change and support the dedicated individuals and groups already working hard on reform."

This online community is still growing, but already includes a nucleus group of 20 regular contributors from OHSU faculty, reform advocacy groups, government, the uninsured, health care and safety net providers, tribes and a third-party payor. Over time, this contributor group will expand. The website is open to the public with real-time posting for comments. OHSU faculty, alumni and friends are especially encouraged to participate, given your knowledge of health care issues and challenges.

Topics will cover many facets of health care reform. So far, columns have been posted on the potential of computer technology to support health care teams of the future, a discussion of a recent IOM report on the problems related to emergency medicine, a personal essay on the challenges of being uninsured, a tally of current reform efforts, a discussion of policy changes that would help young adults afford health insurance and ideas about how to patch Oregon's frayed safety net.

To access the blog site, click here. OHSU is facilitating the blog as a service to the Oregon community.

Moving from "Service Recovery" to Service Excellence

A special thank you is due to all SOM clinical faculty and administrators for patience and understanding -- and an occasional jog across campus because of last-minute room changes -- during the first Service Excellence training session. Ambulatory Service Administration is also to be thanked for undertaking the daunting task of training planning, registering participants, scheduling meetings and finding appropriate space for this first session. We all participated in a demonstration of the many challenges in coordinating and scheduling within a very complex organization.

As we move into our new patient-care facilities in the Center for Health & Healing and the Kohler Pavilion, we have a one-time opportunity to define anew what service excellence means at OHSU. A recent patient satisfaction survey established that too many patients and their families have unsatisfactory experiences -- including long waits for appointments, scheduling problems and lack of coordinated care -- while seeking care in OHSU clinics.

We are committed to improving the service system and to ensuring that service quality is comparable to the excellence of the clinical care patients receive at OHSU. Three (3) one-hour Service Excellence meetings, one each in July, August, and September, offer an opportunity to learn more about Service Excellence and to enhance efforts for continuing to distinguish OHSU and its clinicians both locally and regionally.

Sessions are led by Service Excellence expert Elaine Berke. Session one was offered July 17 – 19. Make-up meetings for session one will be offered the week of August 21. Pre-registration is available for Service Excellence sessions at click here.

Changes at CBCIBM

Center for Biostatistics, Computing and Informatics in Biology and Medicine (CBCIBM) houses two shared resources: Biostatistics Shared Resource (BSR) and Informatics Shared Resource (ISR). The BSR provides biostatistics consultation including study design, sample size and power and data analysis, while the ISR provides informatics consultation including data collection forms, data capture methods and data base design. During 2005, these two resources assisted approximately 100 project requests. Due to the budget reduction, all BSR services will be offered as a fee-for-service basis. In the past, grant submission assistance was offered free, but this is no longer the case. Please visit CBCIBM website (http://www.ohsu.edu/cbcibm) or contact Drs. Becker (CBCIBM Director), Mori (BSR Director) or Logan (ISR Director) for further information.

Department of Education Report Addresses Physician Workforce Shortages

The Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education has released the second draft of a report predicting future trends and challenges in higher education. Among the additions, the commission has outlined concerns that "current and projected shortages in physicians, registered nurses, and other medical specialties may affect the quality of care for the increasingly aging population of Baby Boomers." The report recommends an increase in federal and state investment in education and research into critical areas such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics, teaching, nursing, biomedicine, and other knowledge-intensive professions. The report also broadly calls for increased transparency and accountability in higher education, as well as innovative means to control costs and improve productivity, simplifications to the financial aid process, and a shift to financial aid awards based on need rather than merit.

For additional information, click here.

OHSU Branding

OHSU's current expansion and plans for the future provide an opportunity to evaluate and revitalize how we express the OHSU brand in imagery and messaging. A branding update sets us apart from other health care institutions and universities, conveys our unique and intrinsic value to the people of Oregon, and strengthens recognition of OHSU as a key player nationally and throughout the world. Please take time to learn more about the updates to OHSU's brand and see the new logo at click here.

Motomi Mori to Join NCI Review Group

Motomi Mori, Ph.D., Professor and Head, Division of Biostatistics, OHSU Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, has been nominated as a member of the National Cancer Institute's Initial Review Group - Subcommittee A for Cancer Center reviews, effective July 1, 2006. The Subcommittee plays a key role in voting priority scores and comprehensive designations for applications for Cancer Center Support Grants. This is the first time that a biostatistician is appointed to the Subcommittee.

New Treatment Target for Leukemia Identified

The OHSU Cancer Institute's Brian Druker, M.D., has identified a faster way to identify molecular abnormalities that cause normal cells to turn cancerous. In search of a more efficient screening strategy than DNA sequencing for spotting cancer-causing mutations in molecules, researchers devised a new application of mass spectrometry, an existing technology capable of capturing a chemical snapshot of the inner workings of a cell, in combination with other technologies. Within less than two months they found three activating mutations of the tyrosine kinase JAK3 in AML cells. Their study will be published in the July issue of Cancer Cell.

New SOM Faculty

Following is a list of faculty members who have joined the School of Medicine between June 1, 2006 and June 30, 2006.

Benjamin J. Morasco, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Psychiatry; Hussain M. Lakdawalla, M.D., Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology & Per-Operative Medicine; Daniel L. Greenberg, M.D., Assistant Professor, Hematology & Medical Oncology; Amy K . Warwas, B.S.N., Instructor, Anesthesiology & Peri-Operative Medicine; Erika L. Lemke, B.S., PA-C, Instructor, Family Medicine; and Jonathan P. Betlinski, M.D., Assistant Professor, Psychiatry.

OHSU Hospitals and Clinics Get New COO

Cynthia M. Grueber has accepted the position of Chief Operating Officer, OHSU Hospitals and Clinics, reporting directly to Peter Rapp, Vice President and Executive Director. Positions reporting to Ms. Grueber include Associate Hospital Director for Professional & Support Services, Associate Hospital Director for Ambulatory Care, Associate Hospital Director for Doernbecher, Chief Nurse Executive, and Chief Medical Officer. Ms. Grueber received her Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from Michigan State University and her Master's of Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan. Her leadership experience in health care has been drawn from both community-based health systems in Michigan and the Medical College of Virginia, University of Illinois at Chicago, and most recently as Hospital Director at the University of Missouri Hospitals & Clinics. She is a seasoned operations executive with strong experience in quality management, service lines, medical staff relationships, and community mission and services.

New Department Administrator for Peds

The Department Administrator position in the Department of Pediatrics has been successfully filled. Scott Turner, who currently holds a similar position in the Department of Internal Medicine at Kansas University, will begin his new duties on August 28, 2006. Previously, he managed several clinical operations in Internal Medicine at OHSU, where he also worked on numerous hospital projects. Scott brings strong financial skills and an exceptional track record in clinical operations and academic administration to this position.

Dr. Moss Selected for FASTRO Honor

Dr. William Moss, chairman emeritus of the Department of Radiation Medicine, has been selected for the inaugural induction class of Fellows of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (FASTRO). Dr. Moss, one of the early pioneers of modern radiation oncology, having been awarded the ASTRO Gold Medal in 1981, also received the American Radium Society's Gold Medal along with the honor of delivering the fifth Annual del Regato American College of Radiology Gold Medal in 1990 and the St. Georges' Medal of the American Cancer Society in 1993. He also was the ASTRO President and Board Chair in the mid-1970s. Dr. Moss' classic text Radiation Oncology served to educate legions of radiation medicine physicians throughout the world for decades. He will receive his official FASTRO designation on November 5, 2006 at a special ceremony during the Society's Forty-eighth Annual Meeting, scheduled for November 5 - 9 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

Mark Richardson, M.D., MScB, MBA, Appointed as SOM Interim Dean

Mark A. Richardson, M.D., MScB, MBA, has accepted the position of OHSU Interim Dean in the School of Medicine. Dr. Richardson has been serving as Professor and Chair of the OHSU Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery since 2001. He will begin his tenure as Interim Dean on September 15, 2006.

Dr. Richardson came to OHSU from Johns Hopkins University, where he was the Bordley Professor of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. Prior to joining Johns Hopkins in 1995, he spent 15 years on the faculty at the University of Washington in Seattle. He has been instrumental in OHSU's Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery placing in the top five in NIH rankings of sponsored research. Departmental funding from the NIH has tripled from 2001-2005. Today, funding priorities include research on hearing (The Oregon Hearing Research Center), the molecular biology of head and neck cancer, and translational research.

Dr. Richardson earned his medical degree at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston and completed his surgical internship at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He completed his otolaryngology residency at the Medical University Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina, and a fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, that included time in London, England, at The Hospital for Sick Children. Dr. Richardson earned the Master of Science in Business in 1998 and his Master of Business Administration in 2000, receiving both degrees from Johns Hopkins University.

Read the announcement on the SOM website:
http://www.ohsu.edu/som/dean/interim-dean.cfm.