A periodic newsletter for the University of Pennsylvania Health System, System News includes information about the various

components of UPHS.

December 2008

Inside this Issue

A History of the Pennsylvania Hospital P. 2

Building the Future P. 3

Penn Hospice at Rittenhouse Opens P. 5

Bringing on

AND KEEPING the Best of the Best

NE W HR STRATEGIES
Building a Supportive Environment
A key factor in employee satisfaction is a positive workplace culture. Continuing to improve the quality of UPHS culture is another of Schuelers goals, starting from the time a person joins UPHS.After one to two months, we should be reconnecting with new hires. Is it working out? Did we meet their expectations? What could we have done differently? Recognizing people who consistently go beyond the boundaries of their job ranks as another priority.It can be something as simple as athank you or a hand-written note. These are practices that change the culture of an organization and aremust-have behaviors for leadership.

UPHS remains a top health-care provider thanks to its employees.As a result, recruiting and retaining top-notch staff is essential. Not surprisingly, Judy Schueler, new VP of Organizational Development and chief HR officer for the Health System, has initiated several strategies to ensure that we continue to attract the best and keep them. As she wryly noted,Getting to the top is hard . but staying there is even harder.

Retention Strategies
Promoting learning within the workplace helps employees and patients alike. Organizational Development is introducing new methods for learning formally and informally across the Health System. One approach is to create scenarios using professional actors.Medical schools have been using this for years, a standardized patient method or theatrical-based training, Schueler noted.Its a way to integrate actions as they really occur. Video-based case studies targeting a particular service challenge, such as long wait times for patients, are another strategy.This allows the staff to understand what the patient is going

By Ralph W. Muller CEO, University of Pennsylvania Health System

As everyone knows, our nation finds itself in an economic downturn more acute than any in recent memory. Tough conditions continue to bear down on virtually every industry and the health-care sector. In these difficult times people are anxious, including worries about access to health-care of high quality. During this economic decline we remain as committed as ever to our patients and the community at large. Undoubtedly, the downturn will generate greater numbers of underinsured and uninsured needing our help. Its crucial that we will be here when they need us most. All of us are dedicated to our mission and will continue to provide all of our patients with care. My confidence is based on the fact that we are in a much better position to ride out the financial storm than many other hospitals. Over the last few years we have managed our finances wisely and made investments that solidify our reputation as a first choice for both patients and employees. Indeed, amidst the global economic tumult investors recently purchased $200 million of refinanced UPHS bonds. This purchase reflects the confidence that the financial community has in our fiscal condition. As one would expect, and like households and businesses across America, we are responding to the present economic cycle by (continued on page 2)

Keys to Successful Recruitment

Successfully matching applicants to positions is key to keeping standards high and the turnover rate low.Its not just about filling openings. Its about filling them with the best talent available. We have outstanding staff, she continued. And we want to make sure that staff continues to be surrounded by others who have extraordinary skills and abilities. To ensure a betterfit, HR will use technology to track talent within the application system. We consistently use pre-screening mechanisms, such as a telephone-based interview or assessing an individuals orientation towards a job prior to referring them to a hiring manager, Schueler said.This is a way of improving the pool. The three or four applicants we then refer to the manager are top tier instead of just sending all the applicants to sift through. Also part of the strategy is aligning these processes with key initiatives in the organization, such as the Blueprint for Quality which focuses on improving patient safety and clinical outcomes.Our role is to select people who have a propensity towards attention to detail and concern for safety. Another recruitment strategy is to more vigorously promote educational opportunities provided by PENN Medicine.We know that they attract talent, especially people inhot job areas that directly impact health care.

Our priority is to create processes and programs

that benefit the individual while maintaining a positive impact on the performance of our organization. through, what he or she may be thinking, she explained. These scenarios orlearning huddles can be easily integrated into staff meetings or short briefing sessions within the unit.The learning huddles create a dialog among the staff about how to handle a specific situation or change behavior. Using our wealth of experienced employees is the basis for the newambassadors of learning program.According to Schueler, these employees would share their knowledge, either by leading a class or providing expertise in updating curriculum. A certification program will be available to those who wish to become ambassadors. This is more than just going to class or online to Knowledge Link. People can learn everywhere at the bedside, in learning huddles, during rounding. These are all tools of learning. Schueler said that a learning resource center will be created to develop these kinds of programs andsupport new vehicles for disseminating learning across the organization. With that in mind, there will be a new emphasis on leadership development, at all levels.We need to identify and develop our future leaders by giving them stretch assignments or the opportunity to work outside of the traditional boundaries of their job role. Thats how people learn to lead. We will continue to invest in our most valuable resource our people, she continued. Our priority is to create processes and programs that benefit the individual while maintaining a positive impact on the performance of our organization.

A W A R D S of
E X C E L L E N C E
Penn Medicine Awards of Excellence are presented to faculty who have demonstrated excellence through their highly significant contributions to biomedical research, their mentoring, and their dedication to improving the quality of patient care. This years winners and their awards are:

Twenty-five years before the American Revolution, Pennsylvania Hospital opened its doors to

the sick-poor of Philadelphia. In a matter of decades, it became not only Americas first voluntary hospital, but also the home of the first apothecary, medical library, and surgical amphitheatre. A History of the Pennsylvania Hospital, the new book on the history of the nations oldest chartered hospital, is an entertaining and educational look into its history from its founding in 1751 by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond to 2008. Franklin and Dr. Bond were visionaries. They brought the novel concept of a hospital from England to Philadelphia to treat the sick-poor of the city, explained Stacey C. Peeples, lead archivist-curator of the hospitals vast medical archives.In those days, care was given mostly in the home to those who could afford it. We wanted to celebrate our founders and share our Colonial and recent history, she added. Kristen A. Graham of The Philadelphia Inquirer authored the book. In it, Graham introduces the people and ideas that guided Pennsylvania Hospital through numerous wars and social and economic crises, landing it at the forefront of healing, learning and innovation.

MENTORING AWARDS
Arthur Asbury Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award

Caryn Lerman, Ph.D.

Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching

Stanley Goldfarb, M.D and Joshua Metlay, M.D., Ph.D.

Leonard Berwick Memorial Teaching Award

Jeffrey Berns, M.D.

Provosts Award for Distinguished Teaching

Thomas Faust, M.D., M.B.E The 120-page book includes never-before-seen images of the hospital and the men and women who make up its past. It examines changes in the health-care system and care delivery over the hospitals 257-year history. A History of the Pennsylvania Hospital costs $19.99 plus tax. It is available at the Pennsylvania Hospital Gift Shop or from the archivist at 215-829-5434 or peepless@pashosp.com. By Lee-Ann Landis
Robert Dunning Dripps Memorial Award for Excellence in Graduate Medical Education

Eli Glatstein, M.D.

RESEARCH AWARDS
Stanley N. Cohen Biomedical Research Award

Steven L. Reiner, M.D.

William Osler Patient-Oriented Research Award

Karl Rickels, M.D.

Samuel Martin Health Evaluation Sciences Research Award

B O O K E X C E R P T : C i v i l Wa r
When the Civil War began in 1861, Pennsylvania Hospital was again called upon to treat the wounded. In fact, the first casualty it received came not from a battle but from an act of secessionist mob violence in Baltimore. Private George Leisenring died at Pennsylvania Hospital four days after sustaining injuries in a Baltimore train station. The mob had seized upon a Philadelphia contingent of Northern recruits, and Leisenring became the first casualty. At the annual managers meeting in 1861, the board of managers made a statement that read in part: At the present time, when our country is threatened with the terrible scourge, war, it behooves us to endeavor to be prepared by every means in our power, to relieve those who may be sufferers from the inseparable ills which must follow in its train, and that not one applicant should be allowed to leave our gate while there is room to accommodate, because the funds adequate to relieve are wanted. A few months later, the managers said they could take 60 soldier patients at once and would soon be ready for 80 additional. They also offered authorities room to build a temporary hospital, if it was necessary. The hospital admitted 124 wounded or sick soldiers between July 7 and October 13, 1862, many of whom were specialized surgical cases, given Pennsylvania Hospitals excellent reputation for surgery. As it had during the Revolutionary War, the hospital suffered economically during and after the Civil War. Across the board, charitable institutions were not properly funded, financially or supply-wise. The Department of the Insane received no reimbursement for the large number of Southern patients it housed.

Thomas R. Ten Have, Ph.D.

Michael S. Brown New Investigator Research Award

Kathryn M. Ferguson, Ph.D.

Lady Barbara Colyton Autoimmune Research Award

Kyong-Mi-Chang, M.D.
Marjorie A. Bowman New Investigator Research Award

Kathryn H. Schmitz, Ph.D. M.P.H.

CLINICAL AWARDS
Luigi Mastroianni, Jr., Clinical Innovator Award

Paul A. Offit, M.D.

Alfred Stengel Health System Champion Award

Patrick J. Brennan, M.D.

I.S. Ravdin Master Clinician Award

Ernest F. Rosato, M.D.

Sylvan Eisman Outstanding Primary Care Physician Award

Gary W. Crooks, M.D.

Louis Duhring Outstanding Clinical Specialist Award

Susan J. Mandel, M.D., M.P.H.

(continued from page 1) being realistic and making judgments based on sound financial common sense. This means we are carefully considering which expenditures are essential to our operations and our growth. For example, we continue to recruit staff in the areas such as nursing, where weve added 250 since July. Capital expenditures are similarly continuing but, as with new hires, each request is reviewed and evaluated based on necessity and alignment with our fiscal goals. After careful assessment we will continue to add capacity to meet patient needs, as demand for our services is likely to continue to increase. While we will continue to hire crucial personnel and make vital capital investments, we also must work hard to control expenses wherever and whenever we prudently can. For example, conservation and lower energy costs throughout the System, and particularly at the Perelman Center, have helped lower utility costs significantly and various cost management efforts are helping across the board. We all have a role to play in helping the Health System get through this complex, challenging time. The current downturn is cyclical, and the economy will turn around. Managing through it requires everyones active involvement. You can help by contributing cost-saving ideas and working as a team. Thank you for all of your hard work, both now and in the coming months. Together, with your efforts, we will take the necessary measures to weather this storm.

System News Staff

Editor Sally Sapega, M.A. Graphic Design Lisa Paxson

System News Administration:

Director of Communications Marc Kaplan Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Susan E. Phillips
3535 Market Street, Mezzanine Level Philadelphia, PA 19104 Telephone: (215) 662-4488 Fax: (215) 349-8312

Let Us Hear From You

Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas for improving our Health System! E-mail the editor at sally.sapega@uphs.upenn.edu.

One of the spacious waiting rooms located on each floor of the Abramson Cancer Center.

Future
PENNS

Abramson Cancer Center

A New Level of Patient Care
Penns Abramson Cancer Center is a national leader in cancer research, patient care, and education. Indeed, it has been designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Center for the past 30 years one of only 39 such centers in the US. With its recent move to the Ruth and Raymond Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, however, the Cancer Center reaches a new level in patient care.

More Than Just a Great Facility

As Philip Okala, chief administrative officer of UPHS Cancer Services, explained, when designing the new Cancer Center at Perelman, Our focus was also to improve the patient experience beyond the technology and expertise of our physicians. The ideal patient experience also includes complementing the comfort of a patient through each visit. Each of the floors is centered around a specific disease.Cancer patients meet with so many providerssurgeon, radiation oncologist, medical oncologist, social workers, he said.We wanted to integrate all those components provide a continuum of care in one compassionate environment. For example, the second floor was developed for lung cancer, head & neck cancers and blood cancers. The third floor contains the Jordan Gynecologic Oncology Center and the Rena Rowan Breast Center; all of its providers specialize in womens health.Different specialists work towards the same goal while addressing the needs of the patient, Okala said, adding that always returning to the same exam areas, same intake staff, and same triage areas for all three disciplines is critical to the patient experience.Theyre always in a familiar environment, not on different floors of the hospital. Outpatient surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are also all at the Perelman Center. And, if necessary, staff from financial services and registration will come directly to patients rather than making them travel to HUP or Penn Tower. The patients-first approach begins when they first enter the Perelman Center atrium. Elevators take patients and their families directly to the Cancer Center floors. All three floors feature large waiting areas on either side of the elevators, with amenities such as a small refrigerator with snacks.

WHAT HAS MOVED

The Abramson Cancer Center has moved the following services to its new location in the Perelman Center on the second, third, and fourth floors of the West and South Pavilion:
I I I I I I I I I

Rena Rowan Breast Center Jordan Gynecologic Oncology Center Hematology Oncology Endocrine and Oncologic Surgery Neuro Oncology Radiation Oncology Consultations Palliative Care Cancer Rehabilitation Program Chemotherapy Infusions

At check-in, patients names are entered into the NaviCare system.This is a tracking system that helps to strengthen patient management in many ways, including wait times, from the time they arrive to check-out, Okala noted. Large conference rooms close to clinics on the second and third floors encourage multidisciplinary consults. Consultation rooms on each floor provide a private location for patients and families to meet with physicians, social workers and nutritionists. The new Center boasts 72 exam rooms, almost double the number in the former Penn Tower location. A call button in each exam room and its connected bathroom, and in chemo rooms alerts staff in the nearest location that a patient needs assistance. Family waiting rooms, located near exam and chemo rooms, provide a comfortable environment with use of a refrigerator.

The STAT Lab has moved to the Ground Floor, East Pavilion.

Chemotherapy: A True Transformation

The chemotherapy infusion areas underwent a significant transformation. The 27 chemo rooms per floor nearly doubles those on 15 Penn Tower, but the changes go far beyond just numbers. Each floors infusion area is divided into three sections.The smaller environment allows more of a 1-to-1 relationship between nurses and patients, said Dawna Gillespie, practice administrator for Hematology-Oncology. Each chemo room is private, and most have windows facing an expansive view of University City and Center City.All are outfitted with flat-screen TVs and have wireless Internet

We are proud to be able to provide our patients with the most comprehensive cancer care available in an environment that is designed to speed diagnosis and treatment and enhance patient comfort and convenience, said Craig Thompson, MD, director of Penns Abramson Cancer Center.

access. In addition, the rooms are large enough to comfortably fit family members or friends. All infusion chairs are on wheels so they can be moved according to the patients preference. Also, as Gillespie, noted,If two patients want to do their sessions together, we can easily wheel a second chemo chair into the room. We will do whatever it takes to make our patients feel comfortable. A pharmacy in the center of each floors infusion areawith a pass-through window provides nurses with easy access to chemotherapy drugs. A convenient prep area outside of the pharmacy allows them to prepare the drugs before administering them. Support services, such as radiology and pathology, are also located at the Perelman Center. Plus, each cancer floor has its own lab with six draw stations and an area for preparing the blood for processing. Pneumatic tubes take the blood to the lab on the ground floor. The Faith & Hope Boutique also moved to the Perelman Center. The ground floor location features two dressing areas and a larger area for display. Although the boutique caters to breast cancer patients, the expanded location allows it to offer services for all cancer patients both men and women. We are proud to be able to provide our patients with the most comprehensive cancer care available in an environment that is designed to speed diagnosis and treatment and enhance patient comfort and convenience, said Craig Thompson, MD, director of Penns Abramson Cancer Center. Added Okala,Its a significant change in our processes from where we were before.

P E N N Me d i c i n e

NEWSMAKERS

Zapping Depression Many people suffering from depression cannot tolerate antidepressants and have had to find other methods to cope with their symptoms. But as reported on the front page of a recent Health & Science section of The Philadelphia Inquirer, a new non-drug, noninvasive treatment called transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS is now available. TMS, which was tested and is now offered at Penns Treatment Resistant Depression Clinic, was recently approved by the FDA. John OReardon, MD, associate professor of Psychiatry and director of Penns TMS clinic, was quoted as saying the treatment is also being studied for adolescents with ADHD and adults with PSTD, obsessivecompulsive and panic disorders. v Foreclosures Can Be Hazardous to Your Health Over a million family homes are currently in foreclosure in the United States. During the fall of 2008, the number of foreclosure filings across the nation increased 71 percent compared to the same timeframe a year ago. Does the downturn in the economy also have an impact on health? A story broadcast on CBS-3, featuring Craig Pollack, MD, a Penn internist and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholar, focused on his research that links foreclosure to negative health outcomes. The financial toll of foreclosure may lead homeowners to cut back on their health spending, leading to unfilled prescriptions for dangerous chronic conditions, missed doctor visits, and cheaper, less nutritious diets. Relocation to temporary or substandard housing may expose children and adults to environments that exacerbate conditions like asthma or diabetes. Pollacks research also revealed that one-third of the participants reported symptoms meeting the diagnostic criteria for clinical depression, and they report high rates of unhealthful behaviors like smoking and heavy drinking.

Should IVF be Regulated? Children born in multiples are almost always premature, which can lead to medical and cognitive problems. With more couples turning to fertility treatments, a doctors decision to implant multiple embryos in infertile women can cause a dilemma for both physicians and patients alike. Arthur Caplan, PhD, director of the Center of Bioethics, was featured on ABCNews.com commenting on this continuing controversy. Caplan said that he has long argued that nobody should be putting more than four embryos into any woman because of the high risk of super multiple pregnancies which are hugely dangerous to newborns. We know that usually every one of these cases has the kids in a neonatal unit, that disability and learning disorders are common and death can even occur. v Penn Study: Detox Drug May Help Young Addicts Quit The Washington Post was among the many media outlets reporting that longerterm use of a drug that relieves withdrawal symptoms might help young people undergoing treatment for addiction to heroin or prescription painkillers like Oxycontin. George Woody, MD, professor of Psychiatry, said many treatment programs in the United States and other countries favor shorter-term detoxification and counseling for young people addicted to the drugs called opioids; but he added that drug treatment might be a more effective option. Although relapse rates in these rehab programs are high, he said there is a hesitation to use medication in this country. His study appeared in The Journal of the American Medical Association. v New Way to Identify People At-Risk for High Cholesterol Daniel J. Rader, MD, director of Penns Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine & Lipid Clinic and the Clinical and Translational Research Center, was quoted as an expert source in a recent article published in The New York Times. He commented on a Harvard study that suggests that millions more people could benefit from taking cholesterollowering drugs called statins even if they have low cholesterol because the drugs can significantly lower their risk of heart attacks, stroke, and even death. These particular patients had high levels of the C-reactive protein, or CRP, which indicates inflammation in the body. According to Rader, the Harvard study very convincingly used CRP as a way to identify another group of high-risk individuals who would not otherwise have been treated and supports the concept that those people should be treated with a statin.

Communicating Clearly to Patients has Medical Benefits USNews & World Report carried results of a Penn study showing that giving patients clearly written and verbal instructions on the proper use of the blood thinner warfarin significantly reduces the risk of serious gastrointestinal and brain bleeding problems. Joshua P. Metlay, MD, associate professor of General Internal Medicine and a senior scholar in the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, conducted the research. The study also found that patients who see only one physician and get their prescription filled at the same pharmacy all the time are less likely to suffer serious bleeding episodes. v Bad Bugs Neil Fishman, MD, associate professor of Medicine and director of Healthcare Epidemiology & Infection and Penns Antimicrobial Management Program, was the source for a Philadelphia Inquirer story about drug-resistant infections. The article was an at-a-glance guide of the top four antibiotic-resistant bacteria including three newly emerging strains of common bacteria against which there are no completely effective antibiotics. v The Leading Edge of Medicine William Hanson, MD, professor of Anesthesia and Critical Care and medical director of Penn E-lert, was interviewed on Fresh Air, the popular program broadcast on National Public Radio, about his new book, The Edge of Medicine: The Technology That Will Change Our Lives. The book examines biomedical advances like robotic surgery, telemedicine programs to manage chronic diseases like diabetes, and electronic noses that are designed to diagnose illnesses based on the way a persons breath smells. During the program, Hanson discussed two areas where Penn is serving as a medical pioneer the growing use of proton therapy, and the use of video and audio monitoring to watch over ICU patients. v Remedies for the Skin Abby Van Voorhees, MD, director of the Penn Psoriasis and Phototherapy Treatment Center, was interviewed by Selecciones Reader's Digest (Spanish edition) for an article discussing an injectable medicine that represses the overactive immune response in patients with psoriasis, which causes inflammation and an accumulation of cutaneous cells that form plates. The medicine could be approved this autumn and may improve the options for the 7.5 million people with psoriasis whose wounds do not improve with the currently available treatments.

Cash Incentives Motivate Weight Loss New research conducted by Kevin Volpp, MD, PhD, associate professor of Medicine and Health Care Management and director of the Center for Health Incentives at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, was featured in stories that aired on dozens of ABC and NBC News affiliates across the country, including Los Angeles, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Seattle.Volpp published findings in The Journal of the American Medical Association that showed financial incentives are helpful in motivating people to lose weight. The research was also highlighted in The New York Times, MedPage Today, Reuters, The Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal. The goal is to design a reward system in a way to help people in the short term do whats in their long-term best interest, Volpp said.A lot of insurers are starting to spend a lot of money on incentive programs to improve health. This shows that providing tangible rewards with a higher degree of frequency makes the use of these dollars more effective. v Getting Serious about Diabetes A special health-care section in The Philadelphia Daily News focusing on diabetes quoted several Penn faculty, including: Mitch Lazar, MD, PhD, director of the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism (IDOM); Rex Ahima, MD, PhD, director of the Obestiy Unit of IDOM; Mark Schutta, MD, medical director of the Penn Rodebaugh Diabetes Center; and Fran Love, RN, MSN, CDE, clinical nurse specialist. Spotlighted in the series of articles was the attention Penn pays to empowering the patient to help control the disease. Shutta noted,There is no disease that I can think of where the patient has as much of an impact. v Bloodless Medicine in China Patricia Ford, MD, medical director for the Center for Bloodless Medicine at Pennsylvania Hospital, was quoted in the South China Morning Post about the use of bloodless medicine to help mainland hospitals in China overcome the national blood shortage and reduce blood-borne infectious diseases.I definitely think it really makes for better medicine. It makes you think clinically about when a person needs a blood transfusion and to prepare better for surgery, rather than just allowing transfusions to serve as a [fallback] if you need it. The article noted that the mainland has long struggled to maintain the integrity of its blood supplies.

To reach the PENN Medicine news website, go to www.uphs.upenn.edu/news

4

Penn Hospice at Rittenhouse

Last month the Health System opened a new era in acute hospice care Penn Hospice at Rittenhouse. The facility offers those near the end of life a space that combines function with comfort and beauty.
Hospice care is the highest and most intense level of palliative care for people who decide that they no longer want to receive curative treatment, explained Joseph Straton, MD, Penn Hospice chief medical officer.The palliative care focuses on removing a patients distress and improving quality of life.. When the Health System took over the old Graduate Hospital, the hope of creating an inpatient unit was transformed into reality.It was probably seven or eight years that weve known that we wanted to add to our services and develop a dedicated inpatient unit, said Joan Doyle, executive director of Penn Home Care and Hospice. We had looked at different spaces over the years, but this was really the best. Penn Hospice provides acute symptom management for patients with symptoms or problems that cant be managed at home. The new unit, at 1800 Lombard Street, is tastefully designed using soothing beige colors and fabrics with well-appointed spaces and lighting applications. It features 12 private patient rooms, each with views of the Center City skyline, a dining area with full kitchen, a living room space with a fireplace and Internet access, a meeting room and a spa area that features a therapeutic bathtub to provide water therapy and help with pain management. The patient rooms are larger than the typical hospital room and include a built-in space to serve as a sitting area or bed for a family member who chooses to stay overnight, a dining table and chairs and private bathing space. A visual highlight can be seen in the spa.Amazon Rain Forest, a magnificent stained glass art application has become the wall across from the spa tub. Originally exhibited in the Tuttleman Building of Graduate Hospital, it was installed in the hospice by the artist, Val Sigstedt. Penn Hospice at Rittenhouse is designed as a short-stay unit.We provide a higher level of care than a patient can get at home. For some patients it may provide a transition space from hospital to home, explained Elizabeth Alexander, director of Penn Wissahickon Hospice. The staff includes three physicians, 20 nurses and a host of therapists, including massage, all of whom are trained in hospice and palliative care and have expertise in end-of-life care. Our goal is to get their symptoms under control so that they can go home, Straton says.We can offer intravenous pain medicine for a patient who is having a pain crisis or who cannot take their medication because of terrible nausea. We will provide oral or intravenous medicines and therapies such as water and massage to make them comfortable. Over $400,000 in funding for the hospice came from many generous sources, including close to $94,000 from staff and through the Penns Way campaign. The Philadelphia Flyers/Philadelphia 76ers room recognizes a donation from Comcast Spectacor Foundation while the Red Rock Conference Center was made possible through a donation by the The Hutch Project in memory of Tom Hutchinson, a Penn Wissahickon Hospice home patient. A tribute wall comprised of three glass windows displays the names of other contributors who helped Penn Hospice at Rittenhouse come to fruition. By Nan Myers
The Amazon Rain Forest stained glass window provides a tranquil presence.

Penn Presby Honored as a

Top 100 Hospital

for Cardiovascular Care

Penn Presbyterian was recently named as one of Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospitals for Cardiovascular Care, the only hospital in Philadelphia and one of seven in Pennsylvania to receive this honor. Each year, this award for cardiovascular services objectively measures performance on key criteria at the nations top-performing acute-care hospitals. This is the sixth year that Penn Presbyterian has been recognized with this award. This distinction recognizes Penn Presbyterians consistent expertise in cardiac care, a tribute to the entire cardiovascular teams' collaborative medical efforts to care for our patients with complex heart conditions, said Michele Volpe, Penn Presbyterian executive director and CEO. The Thompson Reuters found that Penn Presbyterian patients fare better than those cared for at most other hospitals, particularly in heart attack and coronary artery bypass surgery survival and reduced post-surgical hemorrhages.

The family lounge offers a comfortable and soothing place for family members to ease tensions and relax.

Arlene Worley and Patricia Mairone first met at a ceramics class 30 years ago and started a friendship that has remained strong through sickness and health literally. The two recently underwent knee replacement surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital.After three days, they transferred to the new Good Shepherd Penn Partners (GSPP) for post acute care and post operative rehabilitation. We both were aware that we needed to have something done about our knees, says Arlene, who had a bilateral knee replacement. Once we knew that we both had to have the operation, we started discussing the possibility of doing it at the same time so we could support each other throughout the process.

The successful procedures and rehabilitation for both women represent a new and improved model of care for UPHS.When they were ready for rehabilitation on their new knees, both stayed within the UPHS system with their transfer to GSPP. This illustrates a perfect example of the continuum of care that is now available to patients in the University of Pennsylvania Health System, said Mike Soisson, executive director of GSPP.With the systems rehabilitation facilities combined in the all-new GSPP with its generous space, excellent resources and exceptionally high level of available care, we are fully able to meet all post acute care and rehab requirements.

We have long known continuity of care is crucial to the entire healing process, noted David Nazarian, MD, director of Hip Surgery at PAH.The partnership that is Good Shepherd Penn Partners assures the level of rehabilitative care they receive is equal to the high level of expertise patients receive during the surgical procedures. Nazarian performed Arlenes procedure; Robert Booth, MD, chief of Orthopaedic Surgery at PAH, performed Patricias surgery. Both women started their rehab regimen the day after transferring to GSPP. Natalia Stroutinsky, one of the GSPP therapists who worked with the two friends, said she had never before come across two friends who had

elected to undergo surgery at the same time. Being able to support each other during the initial rehab was very motivating for them and certainly helped us as well, she said. GSPP, a joint venture between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network, of Allentown, and UPHS provides specialized inpatient long-term acute care, and medical and physical rehabilitation for patients transferred from medical, surgical and intensive care at UPHSs three hospitals. GSPP also provides outpatient rehabilitation care at eight locations in the Philadelphia area.

PENN MED

Art Show

John Tomaszewski, MD
New Interim Chair

j
/

JOHN TOMASZEWSKI, MD, has been appointed

interim chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. He is a regionally and nationally recognized expert in diagnostic genitourinary pathology who was named a Top Doctor numerous times in both regional and national surveys. In addition, he has recently been elected to a leadership position in his specialty society. Tomaszewskis research has had a strong focus on high resolution MRI of prostate and breast cancer, computer-assisted diagnosis, and high dimensionality data fusion in creating new diagnostic testing paradigm. This model of fusing high dimensionality in vivo and ex vivo image and molecular data is the current focus of his collaborative research group which includes Penn Radiology and image scientists at both Penn and Rutgers University. In addition, Tomaszewski has won numerous awards for his commitment to teaching, including the Peter Nowell Teaching Award and the Deans Award for Excellence in Basic Science Teaching as well as strong recognition from the students themselves. Prior to this appointment, Tomaszewski served as vice-chair for Anatomic Pathology Hospital Services.

Each year, the Penn Med Art Show features a wide array of art and performances by members of Penns biomedical and health-care
community. And this year was no different. From sculpture to canvas to tapestry and live music performances, the artistic side of 43 members of our medical community came shining through. Entries included (above) Paint Cans, an oil on canvas by Bernett Johnson, MD, HUPs senior medical director; and Summer Olympics, a weaving by Theresa Alcorn of Hematology-Oncology at PAH.

in the news
KATRINA ARMSTRONG, MD, has been named the new chief of
Internal Medicine. Armstrong is an internationally recognized investigator in medical decision making, cancer prevention, quality of care, and cancer outcomes. She has received several awards for her work, including Outstanding Junior Investigator of the Year from the Society of General Internal Medicine. Her research program has been awarded extensive federal funding from the American Cancer Society, the Department of Defense, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Armstrong is also associate director of the Abramson Cancer Center and co-director of the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program.

WILLIAM JAMES, MD, vice chair and program director of

Dermatology, has been elected president-elect for 2009 and president for 2010 of the American Academy of Dermatology. The academy is the largest dermatologic organization in the United States, with more than 14,000 members.

JONATHAN MORENO, PHD, of Medical Ethics, was named to

one of the review teams for the incoming Obama-Biden administration. The mission of the teams is to make a thorough review of key departments, agencies, and commissions of the United States government, as well as the White House, to provide the presidentelect, the vice President-elect, and key advisors with information needed to make strategic policy, budgetary, and personnel decisions before the inauguration. Moreno was appointed to lead a review of the Presidents Council on Bioethics.

ARTHUR L. CAPLAN, PHD, director of the Center for Bioethics

and chair of Medical Ethics, was among The 50 Most Important, Influential, and Promising People in Science, published in Discover Magazine. Caplan was included among the 10 Most Influential People in science, described by the magazine as the operators who control so much of the agenda for science, often from behind the scenes.

LYNN M. SCHUCHTER, MD, has accepted the position of chief

of Hematology/Oncology. Schuchter is a nationally recognized oncologist whose research and clinical activities are focused on melanoma and breast cancer. Her clinical research emphasizes novel therapies for treating patients with advanced melanoma. Schuchter is director of the Clinical Research Unit in the Abramson Cancer Center and program leader of the Cancer Centers Melanoma Program.

RICHARD DEMERS, RPH, MS, was elected president of the

Pennsylvanian Society of Health System Pharmacists. The mission of PSHP is to advance and support the professional practice of health-system pharmacy. Demers is associate hospital director and director of Pharmacy at HUP.

STEPHEN C. RUBIN, MD, chief of Gynecologic Oncology, was EDNA FOA, PHD, director of the Center for the Treatment and
Study of Anxiety, has received two major grants. The first, from the Department of Defense, will compare intensive vs delayed prolonged exposure (PE) for post traumatic stress disorder. Foa and her colleagues developed PE, which has been shown to be a highly effective treatment for PTSD. The second grant, from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, will be used in a five-year study to test the efficacy of an integrated treatment for smoking cessation among smokers with PTSD. Foa also received the Outstanding Lifetime Contribution to Psychology Award from the Connecticut Psychology Association. appointed to the executive committee of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He also serves the board as a director, as chair of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, and as chair of the Subspecialties Committee.

C. WILLIAM SCHWAB, MD, was awarded the Surgeons Award

for Service to Safety from the American College of Surgeons, the Association for the Advancement of Surgical Trauma and The National Safety Council. Schwab, who is chief of Trauma & Surgical Critical Care, was honored for his visionary leadership and steadfast commitment to firearm injury prevention, and his distinguished surgical career marked by excellence in clinical care, prodigious research and inspirational mentorship and training of young surgeons.