January 2012

Academic News

Quoted

HR Corner

Employee Spotlight

HEALTH OBSERVANCES

► January 1 - 31January is Cervical Can-cer Awareness Month. Cervical cancer occurs most often in women over age 30. In 2004, 11,892 women in the U.S. were told they had cervical cancer.

It is important to get tested for cervical cancer because 6 out of 10 cervical can-cers occur in women who have never received a Pap test or have not been tested in the past five years. For more information visit:www.nccc-online.org/awareness.html

OB/GYN ConnectionMonthly News from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UHealth - University of Miami Health System

OB/GYN to implement Leader Evaluation Manager

Using the pillar model, the Miller School of Medicine has been focused on set-ting and meeting measurable goals. As you may recall, the pillars represent the categories of service, people, quality, growth, and finance – the foundations of an institution.

Pillar goals are a critical component of the UCare management initiative and enable our team to deliver high-quality patient care that is consistent at every point of service. The Department of OB/GYN has been active in following the pillar goals model and in having team members at the divisional level aim at meeting these goals.

This fiscal year (June 2011 – May 2012), the school is extending pillar goals to the individual leader level. Using the Leader Evaluation Manager (LEM) web tool, lead-ers will be able to track their individual pillar goals, which are in alignment with the divisional and departmental goals. A leader’s goals will be the same or similar to the chair's goals; what will vary are the weights assigned to each goal depend-ing on each leader’s focus. Eventually, the individual LEM scores will be the sole performance management tool used to evaluate leaders.

The LEM tool clearly connects the goals of the organization to the individual leader, and this allows the leader to focus on clear priori-ties and goals.

Our current goals include:

Service – Increase Press Ganey patient survey response, “likelihood to recom-mend practice,” to 75% ranking

People – Demonstrate Code of Conduct

Quality – Select appropriate Physi-cian Quality Reporting System (PQRS) measure groups and ensure providers are submitting necessary data

Growth – Achieve budgeted surgical volume and revenues for UMH and all UM facilities

Finance – Achieve budgeted net operat-ing income for the department

Division of Ultrasound acquires new machinesThe Division of Ultrasound now has state-of-the art ultrasound machines at Professional Arts Center and UHealth at Kendall, where gynecologic and obstetric services are rendered.

Four brand new Voluson E6 machines, made by General Electric, were pur-chased by the department.

“With the acquisition of these new machines, all our equipment is now updated,” said Cheryl Dold, manager for the Division of Ultrasound. “Our oldest machine is only one year old.”

The new machines have improved hard-ware and software that permit ultraso-

nographers to capture better sound and images including 3-D and 4-D.

“The department is committed to offering our patients care that is cutting edge,” said Ruth Srebrenik, vice chair for admin-istration. “Our new machines are proof of that commitment.”

Although previous machines had 3-D and 4-D capability, this new technology allows for sharper images and can help detect birth defects like cleft lip much earlier. Another advantage of the new machines is that they are among the most energy efficient in the industry.

From left: Graciela Rivera, Cheryl Dold and Gessy Gervais with one of the new machines.

OB/GYN Connection - January 2012

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OB/GYN moms receive holiday gifts from Boy Scouts

The Division of Research and Special Projects was able to provide underserved moms with gift baskets thanks to Boy Scout Jonathan Alvarez.

Jonathan is a member of Boy Scouts of America Troop 744 – Tequesta Blue Lagoon Ward. He made it his Eagle Scout Project to collect items such as toiletries, baby clothes and other useful items for newborns. The items were used to fill baskets for 25 mothers receiving care at the Department of OB/GYN’s Prenatal Immunology Clinic, which specializes in providing care for pregnant women living with HIV.

“The mothers (and even a father) were so excited and appreciative to get these bas-kets, particularly in these tough financial times,” said Jasmin O’Neale-Lewis, director of quality management for the department’s Division of Research and Special Projects.

Troop members Alex Ruiz, Jonathan Ruiz, Nicholas Duplessi, Juan Duplessi, Freddy Rojas and Jeffery Carreño also participated in collecting donations and in delivering the baskets.

From left: Jonathan Alvarez, (front, third from left) is pictured here with members of his troop.

Drs. McKenzie and Simpkins lead clinical trial for cervical cancer

Nathalie McKenzie, M.D., gynecologic oncology fel-low, and Fiona Simpkins, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and leader of Phase I Clini-cal Trials for Gynecologic Cancers, are leading a Phase I Clinical Trial for the drug Nelfinavir, which will be available to women currently being treated for locally advanced cervical cancer.

Nelfinavir is an FDA approved drug used to treat patients with HIV; there is over a decade of safety data available on the drug and compelling evidence that Nelfinavir has an effect on cervical cancer cells. Nelfinavir helps radiation therapy be more effective (it is a radiosensitizer). This suggests that this drug may be helpful to cervical cancer patients who do not have HIV.

“This evidence has led us to initiate a clinical trial to investigate whether the combination of taking Nelfinavir pills daily while receiving the usual treatment for advanced cervical cancer (weekly chemotherapy and daily radiation thera-py), will improve the efficacy of the treatment and ultimately improve survival,” said Dr. McKenzie. “We are very excited to offer this new trial to women with stages II, III, and IVA cervical cancer through both the University of Miami Hospital and Clinics and Jackson Memo-rial Hospital,” she added.

The trial is funded by the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Young Investigator Award, of which Dr. McKenzie is a recipient.

To refer a patient or to enroll in the study, call Mary Byrne, research coordinator, at 305-243-2233.

CLINICAL TRIALS

Dr. McKenzie Dr. Simpkins

ACADEMIC NEWS

► John P. Diaz, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, obtained certification in obstetrics and gynecology from the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

► Dr. Diaz, Joseph Lucci III, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and Andrea Papadia, M.D., who recently completed a fel-lowship in gynecologic oncology at the University of Miami, had their paper, “Surgical resection of recurrent upper abdominal cervical cancer: A case report and review of the literature,” published in Gynecologic Oncology Case Reports. [Andrea Papadia, Yesenia Moya, Steven E. Rodgers, Joseph A. Lucci III, John P. Diaz. "Surgical resection of recurrent upper abdominal cervical cancer: A case report and review of the literature." Gynecologic Oncology Case Reports. Volume 1, Issue 1, December 2011, Pages 8-9]

OB/GYN Connection - January 2012

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► Peter Takacs, M.D., Ph.D., is coauthor on, “Performance of human chorionic gonadotropin curves in women at risk for ectopic pregnancy: exceptions to the rules,” published in Fertility and Sterility. [Morse CB, Sammel MD, Shaunik A, Allen-Taylor L, Oberfoell NL, Takacs P, Chung K, Barnhart KT. Fertility and Sterility. 2012 Jan;97(1):101-106.e2]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22192138

► Dr. Takacs is also coauthor on, “Placental mRNA in the maternal plasma as a predictor of an ectopic pregnancy,” accepted for publication in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics [Peter Takacs, Sindy Jaramillo, Kurt Barnhart, Anthony Williams, Joseph Olczyk, Ram Datar]. The article is the result of a collaboration between the UHealth Departments of OB/GYN and Pathology (Olczyk, Williams, Datar) and the Department of OB/GYN at the University of Pennsylvania (Barnhart).

ACADEMIC NEWS

QUOTED

► George Attia, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, commented on a Health Day News story regarding a recently released CDC report stating that the number of twin births in the United States has jumped by 76% since 1980. Most of the increase appear to be linked to fertility treatments. The story was picked up by major news outlets.

HEALTHDAY: http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=660396

ABC GOOD MORNING AMERICA: http://gma.yahoo.com/u-twin-births-soar-cdc-170210737.html

U.S. NEWS: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/womens-health/articles/2012/01/04/us-twin-births-soar-cdc

YAHOO NEWS: http://news.yahoo.com/u-twin-births-soar-cdc-170210737.html

MSN: http://health.msn.com/pregnancy/us-twin-births-soar-cdc

NEWSDAY, NY: http://www.newsday.com/news/health/u-s-twin-births-soar-cdc-1.3427894

HEALTH: http://news.health.com/2012/01/04/u-s-twin-births-soar-cdc/

U.S. HHS: http://healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?Docid=660396

EVERYDAY HEALTH: http://www.everydayhealth.com/publicsite/news/view.aspx?id=660396

► Gene Burkett, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, commented on a CBS story about stillbirths and risk factors affecting the condition.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500368_162-57342588/studies-identify-stillbirth-risk-factors-causes/

► Ruben Quintero, M.D., is mentioned in Livingston Daily in an article about identical twins from Michigan who were featured on the cover of National Geographic magazine last month. Dr. Quintero treated the girls for twin-twin transfusion syndrome.

http://tinyurl.com/76j98h2

HR Corner

The department welcomes the latest addition to its team:

► Marie Dorleus is a registered nurse in the Division of Research and Special Projects.

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ATTENTION DOCTORS:

As a friendly reminder, e-prescribing must be used for all prescriptions, for all patients.

The following chart comes from MGMA Connexion - January 2012, page 14.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Get to know Jasmin O'Neale-LewisQ: What is your official job title and when did you start with the department? A: Ryan White Part C Program Director / Director of Quality. I started Septem-ber 2000 with OB/GYN.

Q: What are your main duties? A: My main duties are to develop and implement a strategic plan for the Ryan White Part C Early Intervention Program in the OB/GYN Department and to oversee the day-to-day operations of HIV clinical research. I work closely with Dr. JoNell Potter, Barbara Messick, Patricia Roberts, Maria Fernandez and Lun-thita Duthely. I develop and implement quality assurance and quality improve-ment for the programs receiving funding through Ryan White Part A, C, D, and SFAN. I also conduct internal audits to ensure compliance to grant guidelines.

Q: Prior to joining this department, what were you doing? A: I was a quality/utilization review coordinator for Av-Med Health Plan.

Q: What do you find most challenging about your job? A: I embrace challenges. I have a Type A personality and I find ways of solving and improving the problems by having everyone in the department get involved.

Q: What is most enjoyable about your job? A: The people. I work with some of the most dedicated and caring nurse practi-tioners, case managers, peer, and support staff; they go above and beyond for our clients. I love the diversity of our department especially when we have our pot luck lunches and I can eat all kinds of food from around the world.

Q: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why? A: This is very hard question. My husband and I travel a lot. We love cruises and have been to so many countries around the world. My dream is to go to a safari in Africa. I watch the Travel Chanel and it is so fascinating - the sceneries you see.

Q: What do you enjoy doing during your free time? A: What is that? I do not have any free time. I am very active in my church so that keeps me busy when I am not at work.

Q: What is something that most people don’t know about you? A: When I was growing up I was called the international child. I was born in London, England; my parents are from Jamaica and Barbados, and grandpar-

ents and great-grandparents are from Jamaica, Cuba, Barbados, Trinidad and England.

Q: What song are you listening to most lately? A: I am into gospel music, “For Every Mountain” by Kurt Carr Singers.

Q: What’s your favorite movie or book and why? A: I just finished reading "The Help” by Kathryn Stockett. It was so fascinating because I could relate to it; I had an Irish nanny when I was a child in England, and she treated me very well. My family treated the help very well also, not like some of the characters in the book who treated their help badly.

DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP

Ira Karmin, M.D., interim chair

Salih Yasin, M.D., vice chair, director of patient safety at JMH

Ruth Srebrenik , vice chair for administration

Carlos Medina, M.D., associate chair, director of gynecology, JMH

Joseph Lucci III, M.D., associate chair, director of medical education

DEPARTMENT OF OB/GYN ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

1120 N.W. 14th St. Clinical Research Building, Suite 1151 Miami, FL 33136www.uhealthobgyn.com

Newsletter EditorJackie Taylor

To submit your news, comments or questions, e-mail jtaylor2@med.miami.edu or call 305-689-8006. OB/GYN Connection is published monthly.

OB/GYN Connection - January 2012