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Showing posts from July, 2014

Big Bang Theory

It is not often that when reviewing the medical literature you come across something 'cute' so I thought I would share it......... a nice light, end of summer week blog posting....


Are you aware of case where a pop music craze led to a healthy trend in children?  Well, apparently the number of teenagers (and speaking from experience, pre-teens) with hairstyles influenced by (the younger) Justin Bieber has increased. 

Well, according to a recent JAMA Pediatrics article, the 'big bangs' has led to a reduction in skin abnormalities among teenagers today as compared to in previous years.  They are calling it, yup you guessed, the Big Bang Theory!




Award Season!

Guest Blogger: Katie Carlin, Director, Research Development and Planning

It’s been an exciting fourth quarter in the Research Development Office at MHRI. Personally, for me, it’s been a wonderful opportunity to watch investigators, administrators, associates, Mi2 innovators and MedStar philanthropy and foundation team members come together across the system to submit a wide variety of research proposals that all aim to advance health. Most recently, several MedStar investigators have been recognized with external grant funding. I would like to take a moment to share their accomplishments with the larger MedStar Health community. Please join me in congratulating the following investigators for their important contributions to research at MedStar Health:


  • Risa Fishman, MD, Medical Director, Outpatient Behavioral Health at Medstar Washington Hospital was recently funded by the Department of Behavioral Health and the DC State Mental Health Planning council for the proposal “Embedding Psychiatry into Primary Care: Improving the Quality of Behavioral Health Services through an Integrated Care Delivery Model.” As part of the study Dr. Fishman will evaluate a care delivery model in which a mental health specialist is embedded in the Primary Care treatment setting.



  • Zijun Zhang, MD, PhD, Director of the Orthobiologic Laboratory, Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital was recently awarded by the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund, to study the topic of “Enhancing the Revitalization and Incorporation of Bone Allograft with Circulating Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs).”



  •  MedStar Union Memorial Hospital was recently selected as one of 11 hospitals to be awarded grant funding by the CareFusion Foundation as part of the Foundation’s second annual Clinical Excellence Grant Program. The MedStar program, led by Rohit Gulati, MD, MBA, assistant vice president of Medical Affairs at the Baltimore hospital, aims to increase outpatient medication adherence through a technological reminder system tightly coupled with in-person and phone-based reminders.

Congratulations again and stay tuned for more award announcements!

research@medstar.net

Are you aware of the email address:  research@medstar.net?

Do you know what it is, how is it used and what you should do with it? 


With MedStar Health being such a large system, we thought it would be helpful to establish a central point of contact for all things research. 

Whether you have a question about volunteering/internships/career requests, would like to participate in a clinical trial, have a request for a specialist/collaborator/investigator for sponsored studies, have questions about the IRB process, or have biostatistic and data management needs-think of this email address as a one stop shop.

An a MedStar associate or investigator, this is also a good email to share with anyone that asks a question about research at MedStar that you can not answer.

With the research@medstar.net email address your questions will be answered within 24 business hours. If we don't have an answer for you right away, we will direct you to the right contact that can assist with your needs.


'On Air' with the GRADE study

MHRI is on the radio!

Diabetes is a leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and MedStar Health Research Institute is conducting the GRADE Study to identify which medicines work best for people recently diagnosed with type II diabetes. 
This NIH sponsored study will compare the effectiveness of  4 different medicines in combination with metformin in about 5000 people. All the medicines are approved by FDA, and are recommended by American Diabetes Association. 
Participants receive the study medications as well as testing equipment and supplies, diabetes education, electrocardiograms, and have blood and urine tests all at no charge.  


We are very excited to have the GRADE Study advertised on WHUR and WOL-AM, respectively.  Through recognition via radio audiences, the GRADE study can be introduced throughout the local community.  In addition, media exposure can help to alert individuals, who might not be in the MedStar system, about this large study.  Medical research advancement is dependent upon studies, such as GRADE, in order to continue progress towards treatment of chronic diseases.

To hear the radio spot click here

If the above link does not work, cut and paste this address into your browser -   https://www.medstarhealth.org/research/Pages/GRADE-Research-Study.aspx

John L. Green Scholarship Luncheon

Guest Blogger, Joan Bardsely MBA, RN CDE FAADE, Assistant VP Core Scientific Services

It is always great to celebrate  the accomplishments of others.  I was recently invited  to a wonderful luncheon hosted  by Dr. Weissman  to recognize Suzette Van Buren Hayes’ winning of the  John L. Green Award. 

The John L. Green scholarship awards a MedStar associate who exemplifies excellence, leadership, and commitment. This award is in honor of the late John L. Green, executive vice president of corporate services who served in executive leadership roles at Medlantic Healthcare Group and MedStar Health from 1983-2002, and on the Morgan State University Board of Regents in Baltimore.

This scholarship will support Suzette in continuing  her pursuit of a Masters in Nursing and Nurse Practitioner.  Dr.'s Vanita Aroda, Dawn Fishbein,  Neil Weissman, Angela  Thomas  and I took such pride  in the  work that Suzettes is doing.  

Most memorable was Suzette's request for  the advise we could give her on balancing the  good and bad of her academic studies.  The advice from the group was really great. I think  we all learned from each other with sage thoughts and philosophies shared .   


Although  we are all busy, taking time to celebrate helps to make memories. This was truly one of those memories  we will  all share. 

Summer Research Scholar Recipients

Guest Blogger, Jamie S. Padmore, Vice President Academic Affairs

Research endowments help support some very special experiences.

Last week our endowed summer research scholarship recipients had the opportunity to meet the creators of the endowment that supports their summer experience.  These Georgetown medical students are between their first and second year of medical school, and doing their research at various MedStar sites in a wide variety of disciplines. 

Samuel McAleese and Daliha Aqbal are pictured with Dr. William Oetgen.  Samuel and Dahlia are recipients of the Pellegrini Scholarship, and are performing their research this summer in MedStar's Quality & Patient Safety departments.  Samuel is focused on sepsis, and Dalhia is focused on operating room safety.  Dr. Oetgen is a cardiologist, a senior executive at the American College of Cardiology, a member of the MedStar Health Board and established the Pellegrini endowment in honor of his father-in-law Dr. Pelligrini, an alumni of Georgetown Medical school. 

In the second picture, Dr. Carolyn Kleinman and her husband Mr. Wayne Pines are pictured with Laura Kirkpatrick, the Pines-Kleinman Mental & Behavioral scholarship recipient.  Laura is conducting her research on post-traumatic illness at Georgetown in the department of psychiatry.  Dr. Kleinman is a forensic psychiatrist in Washington, DC and Wayne Pines is formerly from the FDA and was the past chairman of the MHRI Board of Directors.  

Saying Thanks and Congratulations...

Yesterday was Beverly Antoine's (most of us know her as Ms. Bev) last day at MHRI;  after over 16 years as a trusted and very valued associate Ms Bev has decided to retire and spend more time with her family.

Beverly first started as the Senior Medical Adminstrative Coordinator for Dr. Robert Ratner and later worked with Dr Barbara Howard, the prior president of MHRI. Most recently, Beverly has served as the Executive Administrative Coordinator/Office Manager at UTC. For all those who know her, you know her as as quiet,  in the background, but she is a strong force that is two steps ahead in anything she's asked to do.

Miss Bev has been the touchpoint for so many MHRI associates and is a loyal and trusted associate. "Working for MedStar Health Research Institute has been a wonderful learning experience and I will miss everyone," Beverly said.

Joan Bardsley, Assistant Vice President of Scientific Core Services, who has worked with Beverly since the beginning says, "she will navigate until she gets the job done." "She's the ultimate professional" Joan says.

In classic Miss Bev style, she insisted that we not have a celebration or a public recognition of thanks (but did agree to this blog posting!).  We honored that wish but did have a chance for a small group of us to give her a thank you gift for her years of service.  During that time yesterday, I shared how she exemplifies what we all strive to be and value so much about the colleagues we get to work with - in short, she is the living example of SPIRIT values!

We wish you the greatest amount of enjoyment during your retirement and feel lucky that you agreed to continue to return on occasions to revisit (and help out!) your MedStar family. Thank you and congratulations Ms Bev!


MedStar Federal Hill

The latest outpatient MedStar Medical Center will open on Federal Hill in Baltimore tomorrow, July 7th. This is a beautiful facility that will have everything from MedStar PromptCare to specialty clinics like cardiology and sports medicine. Check out these pictures:





Independence Day

To reflect MedStar Health’s mission—to serve our patients, those who care for them, and our communities— MedStar has developed a print ad that celebrates the independence and freedom of all Americans, and acknowledges those who have served and continue to serve to ensure our freedom.

The attached ad (also shown below) will run next Friday, July 4, in both The Baltimore Sun and The Washington Post as four-color, four column x 16” ads.I thought you would want to know so I 'cut and pasted' it below.

Hope you all have an enjoyable holiday weekend!