December 2011

Academic News

Quoted

Employee Spotlight

HEALTH OBSERVANCES

► January 1 - 31January is Cervical Cancer 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

EVENTS

► January 25Save the date for a community event held at UHealth at Kendall. The event will help Kendall residents learn more about the services offered at this satel-lite site.

► February 6 - 1132nd Annual Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Meeting - The Pregnancy Meeting. Hyatt Dallas Regency at Reunion, Dallas, TX. www.smfm.org

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

2011YEAR IN REVIEW - Improving the Patient Experience

In 2011, the department implemented several initia-tives to improve the patient experience. For example, first-time patients receive thank you cards in the mail for choosing our practice; all clinic employees now wear uniforms; all department employees received telephone etiquette training; and Suite 507 at the Professional Arts Center was renovated to accommodate obstetrics,

maternal-fetal medicine and ultrasound services.

Based on Press Ganey Surveys, our efforts have paid off. The overall trend indicates that patient satisfaction has increased during the course of the year. For example, the graph below indicates that the department met its goals for a large majority of the year in terms of the likelihood of patients recommending the practitioner.

The graph below reflects how likely a patient was to recommend one of our practice sites.

Year in review continued on page 2

OB/GYN Connection - December 2011

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Year in Review

The graph below reflects survey results for several key areas the department sought to improve this year: cleanliness of our practice, likelihood of recommending practice and wait before going to exam room. Results are broken down by practice site.

Other 2011 highlights:

New LeadershipIn February, Ira Karmin, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, was appointed interim chair for OB/GYN.

Breakthrough MedicineIn January, J. Matt Pearson, M.D., assistant professor of obstet-rics and gynecology, performed the first single incision robotic hysterectomy in Miami-Dade County at University of Miami Hos-pital. He was assisted by Jean-Marie Stephan, M.D., fourth year OB/GYN resident.

In April, Tarek Bardawil, M.D., M.B.A., assistant professor of ob-stetrics and gynecology, performed the first single incision robotic myomectomy in Miami-Dade County at the University of Miami Hospital, according to a representative from Intuitive Surgical, the company that makes the da Vinci surgical robot. Karen Tang, M.D., and J. Matt Pearson, M.D., both assistant professors of obstetrics and gynecology, assisted during the surgery.

Dr. Bardawil was also the first physician in Miami-Dade County to perform a single incision laparoscopic myomectomy, according to a representative from Applied Medical, the company that provides the technology used in single incision laparoscopic surgery. Dr. Tang assisted during the procedure.

Leaders in ResearchThe Division of Gynecologic Oncology, led by Fiona Simpkins, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, secured $839,000 in grant funding for research in ovarian and cervical cancer.

In the newsSalih Yasin, M.D., associate professor and vice chair of obstet-rics and gynecology, delivered the first set of quintuplets born at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The quintuplets made their first public appearance at a news conference held on June 22, 2011.

Dr. Yasin participated in a news conference held August 17, 2011. His patient, Trine Engebretsen, is Florida’s first liver transplant recipient. The baby’s father is also a liver transplant. The baby, delivered by Dr. Yasin via C-section, is thought to be the first born to parents who are both liver transplant recipients. The news con-ference was held at UM/Jackson Memorial Medical Center.

Recognition

Gynecology at University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital was listed among high-performing specialties by U.S. News & World Report's first-ever Best Hospitals Metro Area rankings, pub-lished online in late March 2011. In these rankings, the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center was ranked No. 1 in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area.

OB/GYN Connection - December 2011

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Department hosts holiday partyThe department held its annual holiday party on December 2, 2011 at Jungle Island. Close to 200 guests were in attendance at the dinner-dance.

From left: Angela Fuste, Betsy Sanchez, Jackie Taylor, Marietta Suarez and Maria Padilla.

From left: Michaela Tregembo, Jennifer Suarez, Dr. Eftichia Kontopoulos and Karla Fuentes.

From left: Phara Chery and Tameka Col-lins.

OB/GYN enhances patient experience with clinic renovationThe Department of OB/GYN held a rib-bon-cutting ceremony for their renovated suite at Professional Arts Center (PAC) on November 17, 2011.

Department leadership, faculty and clinic staff and Steven Falcone, M.D., M.B.A., associate vice president for medical affairs and chief operation officer of Uni-versity of Miami Medical Group, attended the event.

Remodeling of Suite 507 included expansion that now permits diagnostic ultrasound services and the obstetrics and maternal-fetal medicine clinics to be located in one place. Prior to the renova-

tion, ultrasound held a suite on the third floor of PAC.

The previously tan walls are now painted a cheerful sky blue, a nice contrast to the dark wooden furniture throughout the clinic and the hardwood floors. The ad-ministrative personnel is now located at a counter space at the front of the clinic, rather than in the back, where they were originally.

This makes it easy for patients to identify a staff member who can help them check in and answer questions while they wait to see their doctor. Also, the waiting room is now more spacious.

Faculty and staff celebrate the opening of PAC, 507.

“Our number one priority in renovating the space was to make things more comfortable and more effective for our patients,” said Ruth Srebrenik, vice chair for OB/GYN administra-tion.

Obstetrics program recognized by Healthy Start

The Healthy Start Coalition of Miami-Dade presented the Department of OB/GYN with the Award of Excellence in Maternal, Infant and Child Health. This award is given to prenatal care providers for offering the Healthy Start Prenatal Risk Screens to pregnant women and obtaining a consent rate over 95% during fiscal year July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011.

The award was presented at the Healthy Start Coalition’s annual meeting on Tuesday, December 13. Zeneida Suarez, patient access representative for practice sites, accepted the award on the department’s behalf.

OB/GYN Connection - December 2011

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QUOTED

► Christopher Estes, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, was interviewed regarding two FDA advisory panels that will meet to discuss whether to recommend new warning labels about increased risk of blood clots with newer forms of oral contraceptives. http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=659549

Dr. Estes also commented on a story explaining the morning-after pill. http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/1994-morning-pill-plan-controversy-explained.html

► Ruben Quintero, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, was featured in “El Pais,” an Uruguayan publication, in a story about fetal therapy. http://www.elpais.com.uy/11/11/10/pnacio_605423.asp

► Leo B. Twiggs, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, commented on the results of a study that found women who habitually drink several cups of coffee per day over the course of years or decades may be less likely than their peers to develop cancer in the lining of their uterus.http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/22/health/coffee-reduces-cancer-risk/index.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/23/coffee-endometrial-cancer-risk_n_1110195.html

► Salih Yasin, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, commented on a story, “HIV: A Women’s Disease Too,” for the website Every Day Health. http://www.everydayhealth.com/hiv-aids/hiv-a-womans-disease-too.aspx

► Tarek Bardawil, M.D., M.B.A., and Karen Tang, M.D., both assistant professors of obstetrics and gynecology, presented, "Manage-ment of Rudimentary Uterine Horn Presenting as Complex Adnexal Mass," at the 40th American Association of Gynecologic Laparosco-pists Global Congress of Minimally Invasive Gynecology on November 6, 2011 in Hollywood, FL. At the same meeting, Drs. Bardawil, Tang, and J. Matt Pearson, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, had a scientific video poster titled, "Single Incision Robotic Myomectomy."

► Nathalie Dauphin McKenzie, M.D., gynecologic oncology fellow, had her abstract, “Angiosarcoma of the Ovary: A Case Report with Review of the Literature,” accepted for poster presentation at the 9th International Conference on Ovarian Cancer, held December 2-3, 2011 in Houston, TX.

► John P. Diaz, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, was the president's invited speaker at the Miami Obstetrics and Gynecology Society meeting held November 16, 2011. Dr. Diaz presented, “Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping in Cervical Carcinoma.”

► Ruben Quintero, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, presented, “Advances in Operative Fetoscopy,” at the World Sympo-sium for Perinatal Medicine, held Friday, December 2, 2011 in San Diego, CA.

Dr. Quintero will present Grand Rounds, “Endoscopy Fetal Surgery and Update,” at the New York Obstetrical Society, NYU Langone Medical Center, on December 14, 2011.

ACADEMIC NEWS

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 33136Tel. 305-689-8006 ● Fax 305-689-8008www.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 once a month. 5

OB/GYN Connection - December 2011

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Get to know Kimberly PachecoAs UHealth – University of Miami Health System places greater emphasis on delivering patient-centric services, the Department of OB/GYN has done its part by launching several initiatives. These initiatives include providing staff with tele-phone etiquette training, implementing uniforms at practice sites and renovating clinic space, among other things.

These improvements have been in large part driven by the results of Press Ganey Surveys, in which patients have provided feedback regarding OB/GYN clinics, practitioners and support staff. Kim Pacheco, practice manager for the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, has played a key role in helping interpret the data gathered by the surveys and in presenting the information in a way that all employees can understand.

“Kim helps us figure out how we can translate this data into goals and that’s re-ally important,” said Ruth Srebrenik, vice chair for administration for the Depart-ment of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Q: When did you start with the Department of OB/GYN? A: I started with OB/GYN in 2003 as a temp, splitting my time there as a clinical secretary for Dr. [Arthur] Shapiro and auditing ultrasound reports for the billing office but for the past few years I've been practice manager for the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM).

Q: What are your main duties? A: I manage the day to day administrative operations of the MFM Division as well as oversee division clinics located at Professional Arts Center. I also partici-pate in several project initiatives for the entire department. One is compiling all the Press Ganey data and transforming it into useful information our department can use to better improve patient satisfaction.

Q: Prior to joining this department, what were you doing? A: Before coming to UM I was the HR/payroll manager at an OB/GYN medical group located in Coral Gables.

Q: What do you find most challenging about your job? A: I learned a long time ago that challenges exist to strengthen and build char-acter so I do not mind the challenges but I do get frustrated when I feel my hands are tied in difficult situations.

Q: What is most enjoyable about your job? A: I really enjoy working with the staff I lead. They are a very hardworking group.

I am most proud when they come through for each other. That definitely makes my job easier.

Q: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why? A: There are too many to list but the very first place would be Baranquilla, Colombia. My husband has always wanted to take me there to see his people, experience the culture as well as visit the country side.

Q: What do you enjoy doing during your free time? A: These days it’s spending quality time with my five-month old grandson.

Q: What is something that most people don’t know about you? A: I have lived in Miami all my life and never learned how to swim.

Q: What song are you listening to most lately? A: Everything from Adele’s “21” album.

Q: What’s your favorite movie or book and why? A: All the “Underworld” movies including the one that hasn’t been released yet. Yes, vampires!