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The Board of Directors of Kansas University Physicians Inc. has announced the integration of 16 clinical practices at KU Medical Center to form the largest physician group in the metropolitan Kansas City area and the state of Kansas. "This is one of the most important events to occur within KU Medical Center in the past decade," said Executive Vice Chancellor Don Hagen, MD. "I am very proud that within one year of initiating consolidation of the 16 practice foundations, we have goal. This is the beginning of the future for us, and now we can truly act as a single entity." Because of this new unified practice plan, patient scheduling and billing will be streamlined, said Donald Tower, the group’s chief executive officer. KUPI, as the practice group is known for short, will be by far the largest practice in both the Kansas City area and the state of Kansas. It will comprise 280 physicians from anesthesiology, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, clinical radiology, family medicine, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, pathology, pediatrics, psychiatry, radiation therapy, rehabilitation medicine and surgery. KUPI’s Board of Directors comprises 36 physicians, including the chairs of each of the clinical departments. Its president is Norman Greenberger, MD, chair of internal medicine, and its vice president is William Jewell, MD, director of the Kansas Cancer Institute. Solomon Batnitzky, MD, chair of diagnostic radiology was elected treasurer and Lillian Pardo, MD, clinical professor of pediatrics, secretary. "In terms of excellent patient care, we are already the leading mul-tispecialty group practice in the state of Kansas and the metropolitan Kansas City are," said Tower. "By refining our administrative systems and carefully planning our strategic direction, we intend to prosper in the managed-care marketplace."
Jewell appointed director of the KU Cancer Center Professor of Surgery William Jewell, MD, has been named director of the KU Cancer Center. Jewell’s specialty is breast cancer. In the late 1970s, he was among the first United States surgeons to show that lumpectomy combined with radiation therapy is an effective alternative to mastectomy for early-stage breast cancer. At KU Medical Center, he is principal investigator of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project and co-investigator of the KU Cancer Center’s breast and tissue serum repository, which uses breast tissue to look for biochemical, cellular, molecular and epidemiologic factors in breast cancer. Jewell received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago and completed a surgery residency at the University of Illinois Research and Educational Hospital, also in Chicago, before joining the staff at KUMC in 1971. He is a fellow in the American College of Surgeons and a member of numerous societies, including the Society of Surgical Oncology, the Society of Head and Neck Surgeons and the American Association for Cancer Research. He has served on the National Cancer Institute’s Scientific Review Cancer Center Support Grant Committee and the Clinical Cancer Program, Project Review Committee. Moreover, he has served as chair of the Southwest Oncology Group’s surgery committee and as co-chair of the Melanoma Committee. "He is an excellent choice to assume the leadership of the KU Cancer Center, said Herbert Swick, MD, acting dean of the KU School of Medicine. As director of the center, Jewell will oversee all aspects of cancer research, education and clinical care. He also will be responsible for helping the enter receive a National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Grant to achieve designation as an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center, which would put the facility on a par with other NCI comprehensive cancer centers, the closest of which are the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute in Houston.
Woman receives liver, kidney; 1st in area A 41-year-old Topeka woman received both a new liver and a new kidney Jan. 5 (1996) at KU Medical Center. The combined organ transplantation was the first in the Kansas City area and one of only 82 performed on average annually in the United States, according to the most recent United Network for Organ Sharing statistics. The 17-hour surgery was performed by George Pierce, MD, director of kidney transplantation, and Jameson Forster, MD, director of liver transplantation. The woman’s transplanted liver, which was transplanted first, and kidney are both functioning. Both organs came from the same donor. The woman’s disease began with elevated liver enzymes 15 years ago when she was working on a renal dialysis unit. She was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1993 when surgery to remove an inflamed gall bladder revealed a diseased liver. Her health continued to decline and in June 1994 she received her first liver transplant. She then enjoyed a year of relatively good health until it was discovered that the hepatitis C, a chronic infection, had damaged the transplanted liver. Her kidneys had quit functioning. "We are lucky that the kidney and the liver were both very good matches," said Forster. "Without the transplants, (she) could not have lived." The woman will require immuno-suppressants to prevent organ rejection. With the transplant, she initially will take lower than usual doses of immuno-suppressive drugs to allow her immune system to fight the hepatitis C virus and its adverse effects on the transplanted liver. The virus typically does not affect the kidneys. At KUMC, 131 liver transplants have been performed since the program began in 1990, and 676 kidneys have been transplanted since 1969.
KUMC, Children’s team for pediatric transplants The first patient of the Kansas City area’s only pediatric liver-transplant program is expected to be released from Children’s Mercy Hospital this week. The program is a cooperative effort between Children’s and KU Medical Center. When a 14-month-old rural Missouri boy was admitted in August, he was 9 months old and weighed less than 10 pounds. "He was really sick before the first surgery (he had two transplants, on Nov. 13 and on Dec. 8) ... near coma," said David Sigalet, MD, who with Jameson Forster, MD, director of KUMC’s liver transplant program, performed the surgery. Because of his critical status, doctors accepted a liver that was not a perfect match for the child, but it was considered the best option at the time. A complication – a clot in the arteries that supply blood to the liver – developed, and Brian was placed back on the waiting list. Since the second transplant, Brian has made slow, steady progress. Until KUMC and Children’s formed their cooperative program, infants in need of a liver transplant had to be taken to out-of-town medical facilities. "This demonstrates that two big hospitals can work together," said Forster. In September, Children’s Mercy received approval from UNOS: The National Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network to establish a transplant program and is granted only to hospitals meeting stringent criteria. "This joint effort between KU Medical Center and Children’s Mercy is a fine example of the superior work that can be done when great institutions work cooperatively," said Executive Vice Chancellor Don Hagen, MD. "This is just the beginning of what we plan will be a long and outstanding relationship between the two of us in this and other collaborative efforts.
Cooperative effort results in new ambulatory clinic In today’s highly competitive health care marketplace, organizations have no choice but to seek out new efficiencies. With that in mind, the Kansas Legislature in 1993 authorized KU Medical Center to hire a consultant to comprehensively study the institution’s needs and formulate managerial strategies to address them. Subsequently, the KU Board of Regents hired the firm of Arthur Andersen & Co. to conduct the study. In their report to the Regents in early 1994, the authors concluded, among other things, that the medical center needed to create "a single multi-specialty group practice from sixteen physician practice corporations plus (install) appropriate managed care components to permit them to compete in the evolving health care environment." They further recommended the medical center expand its public presence. Those two strategies merged when Kansas University Physicians Inc., after successfully unifying the medical center’s 16 clinical groups, earlier year purchased a 59,000-square-foot building and 18 acres in the 7400 block of Renner Road near Interstate 435 for about $2.5 million. The group recently entered into an agreement with KU Hospital to jointly own and operate a multi-specialty ambulatory care center at the site. All told, the project is slated to cost some $13 million. Plans call for construction to begin in February and for the center to open in January 1997. The new center will allow medical students to learn the intricacies of practice in an ambulatory setting and the facility will serve as a mechanism for enhancing referrals to KU Hospital. In addition, KUPI executives expect the center to be self-supporting.
Karen Miller named dean of KU School of Nursing Karen Miller, RN, PhD, has been named dean of the KU School of Nursing. She will begin her new responsibilities in June, said Executive Vice Chancellor Don Hagen, MD. "Dr. Miller brings rich experience and helpful skills as a leadership partner for the Medical Center, but, most importantly, she is an enthusiastic and energetic leader who shares our views about building the future together," he said. Miller comes to the School of Nursing from The Children’s Hospital in Denver, where she was vice president for nursing, and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (UCHSC), where she was an associate professor. "Everybody is extremely pleased that Dr. Miller has accepted this position," said Rita Clifford, RN, PhD, the school’s acting dean. "She comes to us with a wealth of experience in education, clinical services and research, and we are looking forward to a bright future under her leadership." Miller has held joint appointments in academic and nursing service for much of her 20 years with UCHSC. With an initial focus on teaching, Miller moved into research in 1992 when she was named co-investigator for a $1.75 million National Institutes of Health study on the effects of administrative policy on managing children’s pain. She also has supervised students for dissertations and other research projects. In her current role, Miller is accountable for all nursing operations and professional practice and is a member of the Senior Hospital Management Operations Council. Among the innovations introduced under her leadership were a hot line for staff nurses, a legislative committee, nursing clinics and home care. She worked with the College of Nursing to establish a faculty practice plan. She succeeds Eleanor Sullivan, RN, PhD, who was dean of the School of Nursing form 19898 to 1995. Sullivan resigned to become the first MOOG Visiting Professor at the University of Missouri, ST. Louis, School of Nursing. Recently voted president-elect of Sigma Theta Tau International, Sullivan will return to the KU School of Nursing as a professor in July (1997).
Cumming chosen KU Hospital’s CEO Irene Cumming has been named chief executive officer for the University of Kansas Hospital. In her new role, Cumming is responsible for leading the hospital to recognized excellence in patient care. "We are entering an exciting period of opportunity and positive change at KU Hospital. I look forward to the challenging days ahead as we expand our services and capabilities to reaffirm KU Hospital’s position as one of the premier health care providers in the Midwest," she said. "I am pleased to accept this leadership position and am proud to be associated with this prestigious academic medical center." Cumming has been employed at KU Medical Center since 1994 when she was appointed chief financial and information officer, a position responsible for providing financial and information system leadership for the hospital. In 1995, her role was expanded to include responsibilities as KU Hospital’s chief operating officer. "We are very fortunate to be able to have Ms. Cumming at KU," said Executive Vice Chancellor Don Hagen, MD. "She has had extensive experience in the business of health care and brings a new perspective in hospital management to this academic medical center’s environment. She has worked well in creating innovative physician practice plans and in bridging of health systems prior to coming to Kansas City." Prior to joining KU Hospital, Cumming was associate director of medical affairs for St. Luke’s Health System and chief executive officer of St. Luke’s Medical Development Corporation in Kansas City. Her duties there included developing and managing the system’s ambulatory care division, developing a primary care network and providing support to the medical staff in its evaluation of integration opportunities. From 1989 to 1993, she was executive vice president and chief financial officer of Allegheny Health, Education and Research Foundation, Philadelphia, a six-hospital system.
Fry is facility’s new COO Susan Fry has been named chief operating officer for KU Hospital. Fry will be responsible for the day-to-day operations for patient services within KU Hospital. In addition to her new responsibilities, she will keep her roles as chief nurse officer and associate dean of clinical affairs in the KU School of Nursing. Prior to joining KU Hospital, Fry most recently served as vice president of patient care services at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Topeka. Among her career accomplishments, Fry planned and implemented a clinical computer system recently judged as one of 10 best in the United States. At KU Hospital, she introduced a professional practice model for nurses that provides an opportunity for the nurse at the bedside to be involved with setting care standards establishing on-going relationships with patients and resolving care issues on their behalf. Fry holds a bachelor of science in nursing degree from the University of Cincinnati and a master’s degree in education from Boston University. She is also a fellow of the Wharton School of Business. Fry is the immediate past president of the Kansas Organization of Nurse Executives and has been the only person to serve in this capacity for two separate terms. "These are exciting times to be in health care," she said. "The challenges at KUMC are furthered by the vital need to provide an environment of excellent patient care that is conducive to the education of health professionals and the advancement of research."
Two student researchers win honors Two KU medical students have won Howard Hughes Medical Institute/National Institutes of Health Research Scholars awards. Ashish Chawla, a third-year student at the KU School of Medicine, has received a continuing scholarship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Yeachyng Kathy Chang, a second-year student in the School of Medicine, has been selected for admission to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute-National Institutes of Health Research Scholars program. Chang joins the twelfth class enrolled since the program began. She is one of 40 medical students chosen from 246 applicants from 93 medical schools. Chawla, Wichita, completed his undergraduate requirements at KU, where he received a bachelor of science degree in cellular biology in December 1991. Before entering medical school, he was on the dean’s list four semesters, received best paper honors at the Junior Academy of Science, was named a Kansas Honors Scholar and a Governor’s Scholar and was selected for membership in the Golden Keys Honor Society. Chang came to the KU School of Medicine after completing her bachelor of scienc degree at Stanford University. She won an NIH Summer Research Fellowship in 1995.
KUMC joins with counties for mental health program Addressing a stark need, KU Medical Center, Johnson County Mental Health Center and Wyan-dot Mental Health Center Inc. have formed a partnership to staff a 24-hour stabilization and crisis center for psychiatric emergencies. The center will be adjacent to the KUMC emergency department. The service will include psychiatric assessment and an observation-stabilization period for up to 23 hours. The service’s staff will provide follow-up contacts to ensure continued care once patients return to the community. "The goal is to provide immediate crisis intervention and avoid expensive hospitalization," said Steve Solomon, PhD, director of Wyandot Mental Health Center. "Many mental health emergencies happen at night when community resources are not easily accessible." Because emergency rooms treat and move patients quickly, there has been no place available to observe persons undergoing psychiatric crises. "This is a really unique service," said Gail Harkness, PhD, program coordinator for the crisis stabilization center. "There is no emergency room that allows someone to be observed for up to 23 hours and receive intensive crisis intervention. Patients either go to hospitals or are sent to outpatient services." Organizers said the new approach makes sense from both quality-of-care and economic perspectives. The unit can avert hospitalization and reduce the high cost of an emergency department visit, both of which are advantageous in the wake of managed care. It also can provide immediate crisis intervention by professionals who are trained in psychiatric emergencies and who are knowledgeable about community services. The most common mental health emergencies include contemplation of suicide, depression, psychosis, substance abuse, anxiety, panic and situational or relationship crises, said Lee Smith, supervisor of emergency services at the Johnson County Mental Health Center. The crisis stabilization center is an expansion of After Hours, a 17-year-old program staffed by a team of mental health professionals available on evenings and weekends.
JCAHO accords hospital extremely positive marks Surveyors from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations cited KU Hospital as an organization with a conscience and as one that cares deeply about its patients. "This was a great survey," said Irene Cumming, the hospital’s chief executive officer. "These are outstanding results. We can all be very, very proud." For those involved in the JCAHO’s on-site survey, Friday, July 12, marked the end of a long week, which itself was the end of a process that began three years ago at the completion of the hospital’s 1993 JCAHO survey. But the results were well worth the efforts put into preparing for the survey. The grid score for the survey, which was determined by the hospital’s compliance with JCAHO standards, was 95 out of a possible 100 points. "One member of the survey team told us, ‘this score places you among the top hospitals in the nation,’ and another told us if he had to receive medical care, he’d want to come here," said associate hospital administrator Tom Valuck. The survey team was impressed with the knowledge shown by KU Hospital staff, the amount of follow-up accorded patients and participation exhibited by medical staff. Said Valuck: "The surveyors spoke to several of our patients who were all highly complimentary of the care they received at the hospital." To put the survey in an historical perspective, the 1990 survey gave the hospital 43 recommendations in 20 categories, resulting in a grid score of 70. Three years later, the hospital was given 16 recommendations in 10 categories with a grid score of 84. "In contrast, this year we were given five recommendations in three categories with a grid score of 95," said Valuck. "That’s significant improvement. "We are aware of the improvements necessary in all of the areas and, where recommendations were made, a process is in place to remedy the concerns." None of the recommendations involved patient care. Hospital Chief Operating Officer Susan Fry said she was pleased with the results. She then challenged those attending a forum held to disseminate the survey score: "Let’s keep up the good work."
Calkins recruited to steer KU primary-care project David Calkins, MD, has been named executive director of the Primary Care Physician Education (PCPE) project at KU School of Medicine. He also was named associate dean for primary care. The project is supported by a five-year, $15 million grant funded by the Kansas Health Foundation in 1995. The PCPE project is of paramount importance for the School of Medicine and for Kansans in general. Said Calkins: "It addresses the need for expanded primary care education for medical students and residents, which will help meet the state’s need for more primary care physicians." PCPE emphasizes an interdisciplinary and community-oriented approach to primary care education. Project goals include recruiting more students to primary care, amending the curriculum to bolster primary care teaching, expanding primary care residency positions, increasing the number of primary care faculty and developing new research programs in primary care. A central element of the project is the establishment of a primary care education network throughout the state. Calkins most recently was chief of the division of general internal medicine and medical director of ambulatory services at Deaconess Hospital in Boston, where he also served on the faculty of the Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health. He is a graduate of Princeton University, the Harvard Medical School and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He completed an internship in medicine at the University of Washington, Seattle, and a residency in primary care internal medicine at Beth Israel Hospital, Boston. From 1979 to 1981, he worked with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "We are excited to have recruited Dr. Calkins," said interim School of Medicine Dean Herbert Swick. "We feel his background, his experience, his interests will not only provide a good match for what we need to do with the Primary Care Education grant, but also provide leadership in the primary care initiative for this institution."
Funding hyperbaric chamber pays off for KCK firefighter First, Kansas City, Kan., firefighter Chris Hinkle donated to help KU Medical Center acquire its first hyperbaric chamber. Shortly thereafter, he benefited from his benevolence. While fighting a fire in an abandoned building during the early morning hours of Aug. 21, Capt. Hinkle crashed through the floor into a room choked with smoke. His injuries from the fall were minimal; however, carbon monoxide flooded his bloodstream. The 19-year veteran was rushed to KU Hospital, where he was placed inside the hyperbaric chamber. There, pure oxygen at double or triple atmospheric pressure helped flush the toxic gas from his system. Hyperbaric – or "high pressure" – doses of oxygen speeds the healing of wounds, increases delivery to injured tissue and helps eliminate toxic substances. Ironically, the treatment was available, in part, because of Hinkle’s fund-raising efforts. In the days before KU acquired the chamber, Hinkle drove for Battalion Chief Orville Cox, who knew of the technology’s merits. Hyperbaric treatment is often used to combat burns and carbon-monoxide poisoning. He convinced Hinkle not only of the value of acquiring such a device but also to help raise funds to do so. For five years, he and his fellow firefighters raised money hosting dances and other events. "After all this," he said, while recovering from his near-fatal accident, "I’m glad the hyperbaric unit was here and that I could help raise funds for it."
Four faculty surprised with fellowships Cho, Varghese, Four faculty members at KU Medical Center were honored Sept. 3 by Chancellor Robert Hemenway and KUMC Executive Vice Chancellor Donald Hagen, MD for their teaching and advising efforts. Each was awarded $5,000. They are Norman Martin, MD, Cheng Cho, MD, PhD, George Varghese and Robert Klein, PhD. The awards are part of a five-year project called the WT Kemper Fellowships for Teaching Excellence to recognize outstanding educators and advisors at KU. The W.T. Kemper Foundation has established a $250,000 fund to help finance the program. The KU Endowment Association provided $250,000 in matching funds. "The program’s goal is to reward and encourage outstanding teaching and advising at KU," said Hemenway. A seven-member selection committee, comprising KU faculty members and students and a Kansas alumnus, chose the KU Kemper fellows after reviewing nomination letters from faculty and students. Norman Martin is a professor of radiology and a graduate of the KU School of Medicine. He joined the faculty in 1971. Throughout his career, he has been active in both formal and informal education. He has coordinated the medical student experience in diagnostic radiology and for years has spent several hours a day in a teaching environment while performing and supervising radiographic studies. An active researcher, Martin has held nearly $2 million in external grants. He has received numerous teaching awards and was named Chancellors Club teaching professor in 1986. Cheng Cho, professor of pediatrics and microbiology, has served as chief of the Section of Pediatric Infectious Diseases since 1972. He received his undergraduate medical school training in Taiwan as well as his medical degree and his graduate training at KU, where he received a doctorate in microbiology. Cho’s research interests include pathogenesis and control of viral infections in the immunocompromised host and clinical pediatric infectious diseases. During his years in the School of Medicine, he has won many teaching awards, including the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. George Varghese, professor of rehabilitation medicine, came to the KU Medical Center in 1977 after completing his residency at New York Medical College. He works individually with medical students and residents in the clinical setting. Varghese emphasizes traditional bedside evaluation of patients, stressing history and physical examination to the fullest extent possible, He also is active in the School of Allied Health, where he teaches courses to senior physical and occupational therapists on head and spinal cord injuries and wound healing. He has won several educational awards, including the 1993-1994 Excellence in Teaching Award. Robert Klein, professor of anatomy and cell biology, came to KU Medical Center in 1975 after completing his doctorate in basic medical sciences at New York University. At the KU Medical Center, Klein has maintained a heavy instructional load while remaining active in research. He has three grants from external agencies, including the National Institute of Mental Health. Klein has been involved in the Health Careers Pathway Program for minority students since its inception. He was named Excellent Educator in the Basic Sciences six consecutive years.
Hagen celebrates 1st year at Medical Center’s helm KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway and Executive Vice Chancellor Don Hagen, MD, marked the latter’s first-year anniversary at the KU Medical Center helm with a campus wide, joint presentation Sept. 24. "I made it through my first year," Hagen said, drawing applause from the audience of several hundred in Battenfeld Auditorium. "It hasn’t always been fun, but it’s been worthwhile." They took the opportunity to update and praise those in attendance. "We’ve finally worked through one of the toughest issues we’ve faced recently and will be moving the burn unit to Unit 52 in the hospital," said Hagen. The process of selecting the site took several months. He also noted that $950,000 had been donated for the relocation effort. That project is not the only substantive brick-and-mortar project on the table: "I’m delighted to have funding for a new nursing education building," he said, citing moneys approved by the Kansas Legislature for a number of building projects.
For his part, Hemenway praised KUMC staff, faculty and students for their efforts in making last summer’s visit from the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organ-ization’s a successful one. "You all are riding on the most rapid roller coaster this country has ever seen. You’ve gone from the heart transplant program problems to a Joint Commission accreditation score of 95 percent," he said. "Because the challenges have been so great, I believe that when the history of the Medical Center is written, the work you’re doing today will be seen as the most heroic work in the history of the Medical Center."
KC Chamber recognizes Radiology’s quality effort KU Hospital’s Department of Radiology has won one of three quality team awards presented by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. The awards were presented at a luncheon Nov. 13 at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center Hotel. Radiology was honored for its Project A.S.S.E.R.T. – Actively Searching and Striving for Excellence in Radiologic Technology – a program designed to more efficiently schedule and treat patients, process films and provide physician reports. The result? Improved patient satisfaction; a significant decline in patient complaints; greater cost savings for the hospital; an increase in the amount of volunteer time in the department; and a more efficient scheduling process. Companies eligible for the Chamber of Commerce awards are involved in manufacturing, service, government, health care and education or with a non-profit group. This is the fourth year the awards have been offered. Allied Signal Federal Manufacturing & Technologies and Humana Health Care Plans also won chamber quality awards.
VA, School of Medicine: Fifty years of cooperation The University of Kansas School of Medicine and the Dwight David Eisen-hower VA Medical Center celebrated 50 years of cooperation Sept. 30 in Leavenworth, home of the center. KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway, Executive Vice Chancellor Donald Hagen, MD, and Interim Executive Dean Herbert Swick, MD, were on hand to commemorate the golden anniversary of the association, the longest such affiliation west of the Mississippi River and one of the lengthiest in the nation. The relationship dates to 1946 when Congress, faced with staggering numbers of wounded American soldiers in the wake of World War II, sought to improve the standard of care available to the nation’s veterans. Legislation enacted by Washington that year forged affiliations between academic medical centers and Veterans Administration hospitals. Both have benefited from the ongoing relationships. The VA facilities avail themselves of the medical centers’ expertise and also provide excellent research and educational opportunities to the latter. "Research conducted at VA hospitals by medical school faculty has led to many important advances in our understanding of diseases that particularly afflict our nation’s veterans, ranging from chronic pulmonary diseases through the psychological and psychiatric problems related to the stress of combat to sophisticated prosthetic and rehabilitation approaches that foster a return to maximum possible function," said Swick. Conversely, "the VA hospitals have offered an important site for the education of medical students and residents; thus the VA has made immeasurably important contributions to training future generations of physicians." With those contributions in mind and on behalf of the School of Medicine, Swick presented a certificate of appreciation to the Leavenworth VA hospital. Until the end of the second world war, the national veterans facilities were little more than residential centers. The 1946 legislation, which created the VA/medical center affiliations, changed that to the benefit of all.
KUMC reaches out to Hungary’s youngest In 1991, a Hungarian child was no more likely to contract cancer than was a typical American boy or girl. Yet, at the time, they were dying of pediatric cancers at a rate twice that of children in the United States. In fact, one particular brain cancer, medulloblast-oma, was killing Hungarian kids at four times the American rate. Clearly, something had to be done. And three KU Medical Center physicians were determined something would be done. That year, Drs. Fred Holmes, John Kepes and Tribhawan Vats launched Project POOH: Pediatric Oncology Outreach to Hungary. The project, funded by a $2.33 million grant from the United States Agency for International Development and additional moneys provided by KU Medical Center, began when the three KUMC physicians met with counterparts in the Hungarian capital, Budapest. There, they found a harsh dichotomy: "The Hungarians are the scientific equals of anyone in the world," said Holmes, director of the project and also, KUMC’s Hashinger Distinguished Professor of Medicine. "It’s just that they were technologically starved." Said Kepes, a professor emeritus in the KU School of Medicine: "Hungary is like an engine in neutral waiting to be put in gear." Moreover, nursing had not followed the same progressive, sophisticated path as it has in the United States the past 30 years. Hungarian nurses were not an integral part of the health care team. Rather, said Holmes, they were "primarily bed makers and bedpan emptiers." Cancers were being diagnosed late (not surprising in a country of more than 10 million and only a single MRI); recordkeeping was insufficient. After care was faulty to the extreme; post-surgical infections were widespread. Now, however, POOH has changed much of that, and as the five-year project, which was scheduled to end this past New Year’s Eve but has been extended through March, nears its end, the KUMC contingent can reflect on the successes realized by the collaboration. All in all, said Holmes, "truly we accomplished far more than I ever thought we could pull off. Everything went smooth as silk." Added Project Coordinator Ariel Baker, "that’s because we worked as a team from the start." Project members expectnew data will show their efforts successful in bringing down pediatric oncology mortality rates. "Hungary will continue with the concepts we developed," said Baker. "The project helped establish relationships with physicians and nurses that will continue." For Kepes, the project had a special import. In 1956, with his wife and young daughter in tow, he fled Hungary on foot and escaped to Austria. Earlier that year, the Russians had brutally crushed a popular revolution in his homeland, and Kepes could not tolerate life under the ensuing occupation. Now, however, with the fall of the Iron Curtain, Hungary is a free nation, and the children who will be given a second chance thanks to POOH are dear to his heart. After all, he said, "These are the same children I grew up with, I went to school with, I played on the playgrounds with." Then he smiled, raised his right hand in a half salute and said, with quiet pride, "mission accomplished." (Ed.’s note: The project has been extended through the end of March.)
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For Sale: Computer 486 SX, 25 MHZ, 4 RAM, Color Monitor 14-inch keyboard, mouse, $600 or best offer. 333-7139 For Sale: Mac Classic II with 40MG internal drive, 54MG external drive, extra high-density floppy drive, modem, StyleWriter printer, $350. 334-9920. For Sale: IIci 24/240 Daystar accelerator, 13-inch color monitor, keyboard, mouse, extras, $1,000. Radius GX1600 24-bit color CD, new, $800. APS 44 Syquest external, includes cartridge, $100. 432-7524. For Sale: GymPack 2000 exercise machine, paid $200, used very little, $50. 596-1230. For Sale: Aquarium, 20 gallon, on wooden cabinet stand, hood, filter, gravel, pump, heater, plants, etc., very nice, $45. 453-6111 after 5 p.m. or weekends. For Sale: Large microwave, in good shape, $75 or best offer. 781-1172. For Sale: HP Deskjet 500 B&W printer, $150. Lap-top Oshiba 1950CS, DX50 486, 220MG hard drive, 8MG RAM, with case, $650. 441-4535. For Sale: Diamond tennis bracelet, one carat, $400 or best offer. 331-7020. For Sale: NEC portable phone with accessories, $150. President mobile phone, everything included, voice-activated, $75. 641-4596.
For Sale: 1990 Silver LeBaron loaded with options, fewer than 40,000 miles, excellent condition, Asking $7,000. Call 341-7195 For Sale: 1982 Chevy S-10, 4-speed, 25,000 miles on new motor, new clutch, new interior, A/C, PS/PB, AM/FM stereo, excellent condition, $1,900. (913) 367-4823. For Sale: 1988 Eagle Premier, clean, like new inside and out, $3,500 or best offer. 596-2897. For Sale: 1984 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham d’Elegance, 71,000 miles, PS/PB, PL/PW, power seats, auto climate control, remote entry, alarm, metallic blue with perfect plush interior, flawless soft top, beautifully kept, all maintenance done on time, close to perfect, $4,950. 383-9334. For Sale: 1991 Buick Regal, white, four-door, good condition, $5,000. 921-3967.
Study Subjects Wanted: People who are currently quitting smoking or have quit smoking in the past three to six months are needed to participate in a study of how people resist the urge to smoke. You will be recording information on a hand-held computer. Training and reimbursement are offered. Contact Melba Small, ext. 1683. Study Subjects Wanted: Infants with and without Downs Syndrome and four to six months of age to participate in research study of early cognitive development. Data session includes looking behavior and recording of brain waves (EEG). About one hour. Call Keith Gora at 588-5997. Study Subjects Wanted: Healthy volunteers over age 18 and taking no medications to participate in a study of drug metabolism. Participation includes taking a dose of non-prescription cough syrup. Urine to be collected on three occasions. Participation may also include taking another medication for a short period (one to three days.) Participants will receive $25 upon completion of study. Call Christin McIntyre at 588-7151. Study Subjects Wanted: People with rheumatoid arthritis between the ages of 40 and 70 years are needed to participate in a study of arthritis symptoms. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups. One group will attend an exercise class for one hour three times a week for 12 weeks. The second group will perform the same exercises at home using a videotape provided. A third group will not do the special exercises but will come for assessments. The study involves no changes in your medications or treatments prescribed by your doctor. Exercise classes and assessment times will be scheduled to accommodate persons who work as well as those who do not. A small stipend will be paid for your participation. Contact Geri Neuberger, ext. 3374.
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Don Hagen, MD
