By the Numbers: UKanQuit

N E W S F R O M T H E R E G I O N ’ S P R E M I E R A C A D E M I C M E D I C A L C E N T E R

ADVANCES

The University of Kansas Cancer Center, a combination of The University of Kansas Hospital clini-cal care and the research and edu-cation of the University of Kansas Medical Center, and North Kansas City Hospital have come together to create a new cancer program at North Kansas City Hospital at I-35 and Armour Road.

Both radiation oncology and medical oncology will be part of the new partnership, and facility renovations are under way at the Medical Plaza building on the North Kansas City Hospital campus.

“This is about providing the best care for our patients,” said North Kansas City Hospital President and CEO Peggy Schmitt. “It’s a way to expand our existing cancer pro-gram with a program that shares our focus on the quality of patient care. This collaborative effort brings together the high quality

of North Kansas City Hospital with the clinical cancer program attached to the only National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated program in our region.” Schmitt said the partnership gives North Kansas City Hospital patients ac-cess to NCI clinical trials.

The University of Kansas Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Page said, “The agreement gives our hospi-tal a chance to work with a part-ner hospital with a commitment to quality similar to our own. We have learned collaboration won’t work unless both sides share a patient focus. This agreement is about caring for the patients in North Kansas City and through-out the Northland.”

The University of Kansas Hospital and The University of Kansas Cancer Center will pro-vide physician staffing. 

Physicians from The University

of Kansas Cancer Center will provide medical oncology clinic services starting in fall 2013 in space adjoining the radiation oncology services to maximize the multidisciplinary approach to cancer diagnosis and treatment.

As part of this program, new patients seeking radiation oncol-ogy services at North Kansas

City Hospital beginning July 1 will see radiation oncologist Mark Thompson, MD, with The University of Kansas Cancer Center. During facility renova-tions, Thompson will see patients at both the North Kansas City Hospital location and the Green Hills location at Highway 152 and Green Hills Road.

JUNE 6, 2013

For the past six years, patients at The University of Kansas Hospital who use tobacco have received tobacco-cessation counseling by UKanQuit staff at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Many of those patients are now leading healthier lives.

7,700Patients seen per year

Melanoma Healthcare Spotlight

2

To suggest a By the Numbers, email Advances@kumc.edu.

2,868 Patients reached for six-month follow-up visits

28% Tobacco cessation among those reached; that success rate is four

times the quit rate among U.S. smokers

Total number of patients seen

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

698 791

1,470

1,940

2,214

587

Cancer program in the NorthlandNew partnership ‘is about providing best care for our patients.’

As part of the partnership, the Medical Plaza building on the North Kansas City Hospital campus will be renovated to include new technology for cancer patients.

Events Jin Shin Jyutsu: Managing

Fatigue – Jin Shin Jyutsu is an ancient, gentle healing tech-nique. Explore ways to increase energy and feel peaceful, re-newed and replenished: 1-2 p.m. June 12, The University of Kansas Cancer Center – North; and 11 a.m.-noon June 26 at the KU Clinical Research Center. Hosted by Turning Point co-founder Liz Paugoulatos. Registration required at 913-588-1227 or kumed.com/bewell.

Kansas City Royals Diamond of Dreams – Area restaurants serve food and drink on the field at Kauffman Stadium, followed by a performance by the band Drew Six: June 20 at Kauffman Stadium. VIP 5:30-7:30 p.m., general admission 7-10:30 p.m. Benefits The University of Kansas Hospital’s Neonatal Medical Home. Tickets: $100/250. Information: kansascity.royals.mlb.com/kc/community/diamond_of_dreams.jsp.

Ed Asner stars in ‘FDR’ – The one-man play is billed as “one of our generation’s greatest actors portraying one of our greatest pres-idents:” 7 p.m. June 29, Wyandotte High School. The University of Kansas Hospital is a sponsor of the play, which is a fundraiser for United Way of Wyandotte County. Tickets are $15. Purchase them at www.unitedway-wyco.org or 913-371-3674.

New parking rates next month – Parking rates increase on the main campus starting July 1. A new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) parking policy also takes effect. Increases apply to all parking garages and surface lots as well as visitor and ADA parking. ADA parkers with proper credentials will be charged $1 for the day. Visitor rates will be simplified to whole dollar incre-ments. For the first 15 minutes, parking is free, and $1 for every 30 minutes following, up to $6 in a 24-hour period. The patient validation rate will remain $2. The increases will support parking maintenance and upgrades.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

New group focuses on melanomaWith melanoma on the rise,

caregivers at The University of Kansas Cancer Center are doing their part to increase awareness of skin cancer – and treat those who have it.

The cancer center this spring formed a Melanoma Tumor Board, which encompasses approximately a dozen medical experts from a range of specialties. They meet monthly to discuss patients, treat-ment plans and the latest advances in their healthcare fields.

By the end of this year, the cancer center plans to apply for certification as a Melanoma Center of Excellence. It would be the first in the area – the clos-est such center is in Columbia, Mo. – and would help the cancer center expand the number of clinical trials available to patients with advanced melanoma.

“We bring a real multidisci-plinary approach to caring for patients with melanoma,” said Lisa Shnayder, MD. She oversees the new board, which encompass-es specialists in surgical oncology, medical oncology, pathology, der-matology and radiation oncology.

Also unique: The group includes a nurse navigator

specifically assigned to work closely with melanoma patients.

“It can be very scary for patients when first diagnosed,” said Kathleen Bryant, RN, the navigator. She helps coordinate everything from first appoint-ments to keeping track of their records and radiology films – even how to find physicians in the cancer center’s various offices and locations.

“We have a big healthcare sys-tem,” Bryant said. “Patients like having that personal touch.”

Awareness is keyAbout one in 50 people will

have melanoma. The most deadly

form of skin cancer, it usually can be treated successfully with surgery – if diagnosed early. That is why caregivers at the cancer center are pushing melanoma awareness.

The cancer center in May hosted its first Melanoma Monday, which offered free screenings. And the second an-nual Outpacing Melanoma 5K Run/Walk, which was May 5 in Overland Park, attracted more than 700 runners.

The best way to spot early stage melanoma is to examine a mole’s symmetry, shape, color and size. A video about identifying mela-noma is at youtube.com/kuhospital.

EXPOSURE

EMS picnicTo honor the community’s Emergency Medical Services – which play a vital role in our city’s health and safety – The University of Kansas Hospital on May 23 hosted the 14th annual EMS picnic at Rosedale Park. Michael Moncure, MD (right), director of the hos-pital’s Trauma Services, chatted with LifeNet flight paramedic Kyle Tapps, EMT-P; and LifeNet flight nurse Adriene Kutzler, RN. Approximately 85 EMS agencies in the Kansas City metro are invited to the picnic; about 300 EMTs and their families enjoyed the festivities.

Lisa Shnayder, MD (front), oversees the new Melanoma Tumor Board. Other members include (from left) Kathleen Bryant, RN; Radiation Oncology’s Chris Lominska, MD; Radiology’s Zach Collins, MD; and Hematology/Oncology’s Gary Doolittle, MD.

Burn center’s pediatric certificationThe Burnett Burn Center at The University of Kansas Hospital

has been verified as a pediatric burn center, the only facility in the region to receive this certification.

The verification is from the American Burn Association and The American College of Surgeons. Those organ-izations for years have verified the program as an adult burn center.

Richard Korentager, MD, chair of Plastic Surgery, said the creden-tialing process is purely voluntary, but the national certification ensures burn patients of all ages receive the highest levels of care.

Burn patient care is multidisciplinary, requiring expertise provided by physicians, scientists, nurses and thera-pists in critical care, infection, metabolism, nutrition, wound care, reconstruction and rehabilitation.

The Burnett Burn Center admits nearly 350 patients a year; approximately 10 percent are pediatric patients.

Grant targets American Indian smokingWon Choi, PhD, associate professor in Preventive Medicine

and Public Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center, and his colleagues have received a $2.7 million grant to create an Internet-based program to help American Indian tribal col-lege students stop smoking.

The five-year grant, from the National Cancer Institute, builds on a long history of successful research efforts in Native communities. In 2010 the medical center was awarded a $7.5 million National Institutes of Health grant to launch the Center for American Indian Community Health, led by Christine Daley, PhD, to address the enormous health disparities common among American Indians.

“American Indians suffer from the greatest health disparities,” Choi said. “You name the disease, they have the worst preva-lence compared to other racial or ethnic groups. They have the highest rates of obesity and diabetes, and the highest rates of smoking, which is my particular area of interest.”

University of Kansas researchers in the Center for American Indian Community Health enjoy a strong relationship with the tribes in Kansas and with Haskell Indian Nations University, whose students represent more than 250 tribes throughout the country.

Program offers help for chronic painThe University of Kansas Hospital is piloting a complimentary

program to offer patients additional pain management resources.Turning Point: The Center for Hope and Healing, which com-

bined its services with the hospital last year, is presenting the pain management programs. Sessions are 1-2 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays in the White Heart Learning and Resource Center, second floor of the Center for Advanced Heart Care.

“Most of our chronically ill patients have no additional re-sources to manage their pain,” said Melanie Simpson, PhD, RN, coordinator of the hospital’s Pain Management Resource Team. “We’re helping them connect to Turning Point so they can learn coping techniques to address their emotional, psychological and physical needs that accompany their illness.” Information: Cathy Pendleton at 913-383-8700 or turningpointkc.org.

In the NewsA recap of recent articles, TV segments and other media coverage of the region’s leading academic medical center.

Losing weight eases heartburn – Health 24, May 24. Obese and overweight people who suffer from heartburn often report relief when they lose weight, according to a new study. “If you lose weight, you will have improvements in your reflux symptoms,” said study author Preetika Sinh, MD, gastroenterology fellow at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Long-term exercise also helped reduce symptoms in women, but not men. Sinh evaluated more than 200 overweight and obese people. After six months of weight loss, just 16 percent reported severe heartburn, down from 38 percent at the start.

Cooking classes for cancer patients offer a menu for recovery – The Kansas City Star, May 28. For cancer patients, treatment side effects such as nausea and loss of appetite may complicate nutritious eating. The article explores a monthly free class called Cancer Center Kitchen Therapy. Held at the University of Kansas Clinical Research Center, the class is co-hosted by the Midwest Cancer Alliance, dietitians from the University of Kansas Medical Center and Cancer Action.

She gave kidney, he asked for heart – CNN and other media, late May. Travis Spire-Sweet and girlfriend Taesha Benson – the young couple who made Valentine’s Day headlines after he received one of her kidneys at The University of Kansas Hospital – were engaged May 28 at Kauffman Stadium in front of thousands of Royals fans. Spire-Sweet threw out the first pitch to Benson, part of Organ Transplant and Donation Awareness night, sponsored by our hospital. After the pitch, Spire-Sweet dropped to one knee and proposed.

How to protect yourself from melanoma – KSHB-41 Action News, May 29. Physicians at The University of Kansas Hospital are warning people to add sunscreen, hats and gloves to their summer wardrobe. Chief Medical Officer Lee Norman, MD, discussed his experience as a patient, and dermatologist Daniel Aires, MD, outlined the ABCDs of monitoring your moles for signs of melanoma.

New

s Br

iefs

Burn center leadership includes Nurse Manager Maria Pena, RN, and Co-Medical Directors James Howard, MD, and Dhaval Bhavsar, MD.

Emergency servicesMembers of the Young Professionals Alliance toured The University of Kansas Hospital May 28, where they received an up-close look at the hospital’s emergency services, including its helipad and ambulance bay. Greg Thornhill (from left), EMT with the Kansas City, Kan., Fire Department, explained the inner workings of an ambulance to James Cianciaruso, guest Nikki Malomo and Amber Schmuke. The YPA supports the hospital through advocacy, philanthropy and service.

ADVANCES

is a bi-weekly publication produced by:

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Send story ideas to Advances@kumc.edu.

Bob Page, President and CEO The University of Kansas Hospital

Doug Girod, MD, Executive Vice Chancellor University of Kansas Medical Center

Kirk Benson, MD, President The University of Kansas Physicians

Staff: Mike Glynn, Editor Kirk Buster, Graphic Designer

Our People 50 years in medicine – Rosetta

Barkley, HT/ASCP, last month cel-ebrated her 50th anniversary at the University of Kansas Medical Center,

the most senior-ity among medical center staff.

As an histotech-nologist in the Kansas Intellectual and Developmental

Disabilities Research Center, she pre-pares and processes tissue for use in diagnosing diseases and conduct-ing research. 

“I’m really interested in this work,” Barkley explained. “I’ve seen a lot of changes throughout my career, but the one thing that remains constant are the people who care and are invested in what we do here. I enjoy working with those people.” 

She came to the medical center in 1963 to support the new School of Medicine program, which previously was in Lawrence. Barkley eventually moved into research and earned her histotechnology certification by com-pleting the first medical technology program offered at the medical center.

Female leaders honored – Three women from our academic medical center were celebrated May 13 at the Women’s Foundation of Greater Kansas City.

Carol Cleek, RN, who directs The University of Kansas Hospital’s

Critical Care division, has worked in criti-cal care nursing for more than 25 years.

Since joining the hospital in 2004, she has built a remark-

able team – her “pride and joy” – that continues to drive excellence in nursing care for the various patient

populations they serve. She also has helped develop structures to support professional nursing. Cleek prides herself in her ability to grow and sup-port nurses throughout the division, especially within her direct-report leadership team.

Teresa Neely has more than 20 years’ expertise in leading ambulatory

practices, enabling her to play an integral role in the advancement of The University of Kansas Physicians.

Since joining the organization as its

chief operating officer in 2008, she has developed business intelligence reporting standards that have helped drive clinical practice perfor-mance and patient care standards.

She was instrumental in the 2011 opening of the Medical Office Building. And in pursuit of the goal of “one patient, one record,” Neely has successfully collaborated with physicians, executives and staff leading the transition to the O2 elec-tronic medical record system.

Steffani Webb has led a profound transformation at the

University of Kansas Medical Center since being named vice chancellor for Administration in 2011.

She has helped launch an intense leadership training initiative across 16 major units. Several departments also are implementing the principles of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Improvement Program. Renowned for her vision, enthusiasm and phi-lanthropy, Webb is helping increase efficiency at the medical center in its pursuit of healthcare education, research, patient care and commu-nity engagement.

Nurse professor wins teaching award – Sue Popkess-Vawter, PhD, RN, professor in the University of Kansas School of Nursing, has re-ceived the Phyllis Keeney Lawrence Teaching Award.

The award is given annually to a faculty member who dem-onstrates a superior record of teaching performance, makes significant contribu-tion to curriculum

development and uses innovative approaches in teaching.

Popkess-Vawter has spent more than 40 years in nursing education and research, much of it devoted to studying psychological motiva-tions that perpetuate unhealthy eating and lack of regular exercise. She has taught in both classroom and Internet venues and strives to individualize teaching-learning with students.

The award is in memory of Phyllis Keeney Lawrence, a 1990 graduate of the School of Nursing. Her family established the award after her death. 

Community Engagement Awards – The University of Kansas Medical Center has an-nounced $17,500 in awards to recognize community engagement partnerships.

Christine Daley, PhD, associate professor in Family Medicine, received the Faculty Award for Scholarship in Community Engagement.

Daley has worked with American Indian communities to develop a culturally tailored tobacco cessation program. She also has collaborated with the Kickapoo Nation and other tribes in Kansas to host events that provide immediate health benefits through screenings, physical exams and education sessions.

Kansas Sepsis Project received the Community Partnership Award. The project – the brainchild of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine’s Steven Simpson, MD – works with commu-nity hospitals and critical care staffs across the state to improve early recognition and treatment of sepsis.

This is the first year for the medical center’s Community Engagement Awards.

Barkley

A D V A N C I N G T H E P O W E R O F M E D I C I N E ®

© The University of Kansas Hospital

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Cleek

Neely

Popkess-Vawter

Webb