Family AcademyThe Family Academy will help
parents raise their children to be healthy, happy, and ready for school by providing:
Support Resources Education
Over 60 families are being served in the Family Academy. A database has been developed and implemented to track progress
Cardiac Diagnostics Using Sophisticated Fluid Mechanics Techniques
An analytical tool was developed to characterize cardiac flow. The tools measure various flow parameters including the propulsive efficiency of the mitral inflow as a means of describing cardiac health, cardiac disease stages and heart failure. This work could lead to a commercializable and sophisticated cardiac diagnostic tool.
Chronic Illness Strategies ClinicThe purpose of the Chronic Illness Strategies Clinic is to empower individuals with chronic illnesses to manage their disease, prevent acute exacerbations, delay further decline and maximize quality of life. It will be designed as an adjunct to primary care services, and will provide innovative, evidence-based multi-disciplinary strategies not feasible in primary care settings today.
Creation of a Simulation CenterA simulation center has the potential to provide regional services to enhance education/practice partnerships by providing staff development and continuing education for area health care providers.
Development of an Immunoassay for Human Tear Lacritin
Lacritin is a natural human tear protein being developed as a new topical therapeutic to treat dry eye, microbial infections, and corneal wound healing. In conjunction with this, a team is developing an ELISA-based immunoassay to detect lacritin and variants of lacritin in human tears. They are interested in obtaining tear samples from healthy individuals as well as individuals with ocular infections or diseases.
a = tear gland / lacrimal glandb = superior lacrimal punctumc = superior lacrimal canald = tear sac / lacrimal sace = inferior lacrimal punctumf = inferior lacrimal canalg = nasolacrimal canal
Energy Conservation - Alternative Fuel Showcase
A power company may provide grant money dependent upon consumer education provided by RMH, perhaps in collaboration with JMU.
The left pot is burning diesel fuel. The right is burning biodiesel fuel.
Evidence Based Practice - Developing a Collaborative Model for Scholarship
EBP promotes the collection, interpretation, and integration of valid and applicable patient-reported, clinician-observed, and research-derived evidence. Research/workshops linked to topics identified by clinical nurses include:Foley catheters in the ORUmbilical cord carePain management in the confused
patientScopolamine patches and nausea
and more
Functional Mapping of Hospital CostsResearchers would use mathematical modeling to calculate functional distances between various costs for a number of patients as the difference between the billed amounts. Multidimensional scaling would then reduce the complexity of those data to a two-dimensional graphical depiction.
Result: insight into how costs accrue, and in the recognition of different patterns in different patients. Eventually this model should help predict what resources will be needed.
Harrisonburg Community Health CenterRMH and JMU, in collaboration with the Healthy Community Council, are providing support to a Federally Qualified Community Health Center (FQHC) in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. The practice is busy and growing, with 3 physicians, 2 nurse practitioners and 10 other staff persons. They are currently engaged in a strategic planning process.
Integrative HealthGoal: Collaborate in
developing integrative health education and practiceExamples underway:
Continuing medical education session offered through RMH
Mindfulness based stress reduction collaborative research project
Center for Voice and Swallowing Assessment and Treatment
The center, a collaboration between physicians in the region, the RMH, and JMU faculty, will provide previously unavailable specialized services for the Shenandoah Valley region to serve patients with voice, speech and swallowing disorders
Modeling Waiting Times in the Emergency Department
Using Emergency Department data from RMH in a constructed cartography model to determine patient flow and ultimately reduce any bottlenecks.
Training: Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk
Designed for RMH and college campus mental health clinicians
Goal: increase suicide prevention preparedness
Video games for balance rehabilitation
JMU researchers wish to collaborate with RMH by testing participants in a balance study using the Wii and Wii Fit video gaming system
Workshops/Education sessions on environmental sustainability
JMU Scholars are available for group discussion and education:Wetland
preservation Water/soil
management Integrated
medicine with healthy environment
Recycling wastes
Learning Tour of RMH HardwareTour of RMH facilities
by interested Computer Information Systems faculty in order to learn more about the computer hardware being used
Objectives include acquisition of outgoing RMH hardware for JMU student learning activities as well as identification of research possibilities
Medical Imaging for JMU AthleticsOnsite x-ray services for JMU’s student-athletes at athletic events
Touchscreen Computer KiosksGoal: help persons of low literacy by
improving access to effective, high quality health information
Recycling at RMH Collaborative effort of JMU’s Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World and RMH Surgical services
LEED Certification Educational DVD
Helping to inform and enlighten the greater Harrisonburg population to understand the benefits for becoming LEED certified
Chronic Illness Strategies ClassesA 6-week educational program for persons
with chronic illnesses covers nutrition, exercise, use of medications, evaluating new treatment options, effective communication, and strategies for addressing problems.
Outcomes include: decreased days in the hospital, improvement in health behaviors and health status.