Sutter Institute for Medical Research 2008 Annual Report

More documents

Recommendations

Info

“There are a lot of unknowns in pediatric neurology and a great deal that can be learned by turning clinical observations into research studies that prove or disprove those observations. When I started seeing children with Down’s syndrome exhibiting signs of autism, I wondered if epileptic episodes might be occurring in these children. Working with SIMR allowed me to pursue that idea and verify that there may indeed be a connection. In fact, the opportunity to do research is one of the things that drew me to Sutter. There is a large patient population and ample support from SIMR to initiate, conduct and complete a research project.” Michael Chez, M.D. Medical Director, Pediatric Neurology Symposium Highlights One of the lesser-known opportunities SIMR provides is the chance for investigators to pursue research interests that lie outside clinical trials. Since 1989, dozens of physicians and other Sutter practitioners have initiated research projects. In most instances, these researchers apply for and receive a grant funded by donations and other philanthropic gifts made by Sutter Medical Center Foundation. Over the years, many SIMR researchers have received national and international recognition for their work. In October 2008, we gathered a few together for a local symposium presented to Sutter colleagues and members of the Greater Sacramento community. Research scientist Carol Parise and SIMR staff members Bobbie Benabides, Dorothy Wullenwaber, Tammy Donnel, and Marilyn Dela Cruz, organized the symposium. Presentations were made by six researchers who recently completed studies with SIMR support: Nate Hitzeman, M.D. Affect of Personalized Annual Health Reminder Cards (PAHRC) on Completion of Age-Appropriate Health Maintenance Projective Objective A study to determine if personalized reminders of health maintenance items sent to patients on their birthdays would improve their completion of patient specific health maintenance requirements within six months. Results showed no increase from this lowcost intervention. Vincent Caggiano, M.D. Age, Race/Ethnicity, and Breast Cancer Subtypes in California A series of studies conducted by analyzing 6,370 records within the California Cancer Registry database showing an invasive breast cancer subtype featuring negative receptors for estrogen, progesterone and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (triple negative). The widely published and presented studies conclusively showed that the subtype is more prevalent and deadly in young African American and Hispanic women, a finding that can help doctors look for and treat this challenging subtype.
Investigator-Initiated Research Rosanna Hannum, R.N. Using Telemedicine to Manage Children Starting Insulin Pump Therapy A study to determine if telemedicine (medical care at a distance using technology) would improve access to care and affect the care standard in children with diabetes. The study showed telemedicine improved access to care, produced comparable treatment effectiveness and patient satisfaction. Current equipment costs and quality, maintenance costs, and lack of insurance reimbursement limit telemedicine’s feasibility at present. This is saying that telemedicine isn’t used because of the cost and insurance won’t reimburse for telemedicine visits. Michael Chez, M.D. Frequency of Abnormal Overnight EEG in Downs Syndrome Patients with Co-Morbid Diagnosis of Autism A study that grew out of Dr. Chez’s observation of an apparent link between Down’s syndrome children who developed autistic behavior and sleep abnormalities brought about by an epileptic process. The study of seven patients using a 24-hour electroencephalogram (EEG) showed brain wave disruption in four of the six who completed the test. Treatment with epilepsy medication created significant improvements in all four patients. Steve Weber, M.D. Pain Scores in the Management of Postoperative Pain in Shoulder Surgery An outcome study that tested the correlation between pain scores and patient outcomes. The study found that high pain scores did correlate to longer recovery times, but also found high pain scores were more common in certain patient populations and did not correlate with the magnitude of the operation or with heart rate, respiratory rate, or level of consciousness. William Bargar, M.D. Validation of Computer Navigation for Acetabular Component Placement in Total Hip Arthroplasty A study to determine the precision and accuracy of an imageless navigation system for correct placement during insertion of the acetabular cup in total hip replacement. The study showed high placement accuracy in patients with BMI scores of less that 35. The symposium drew a standing-room only crowd and a great deal of positive feedback from the audience. Supporting SIMR: We’re All in This Together Sutter Medical Center Foundation, the philanthropic arm of not-for-profit Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, provides grants that enable Sutter researchers to initiate and conduct quality research in a community hospital setting. By giving to the foundation, everyone in the community can take part in the excitement of advancing medical care through research. “Research funding is a critical investment in our future. The returns are immeasurable: new drugs, improved technology, and most important, better survival and quality of life for our patients and for people everywhere,” says Katherine Keeney, executive director of Sutter Medical Center Foundation. “Safe, effective medical research requires more than the dedication of doctors, support staff and participants. The financial support we receive from our community through charitable donations to Sutter Medical Center Foundation helps SIMR to efficiently conduct research in a well-organized atmosphere that ably supports research participants, investigators and staff.” To contribute to the work Sutter Institute for Medical Research is to improve patient care in our community and beyond. Please contact the Sutter Medical Center Foundation at (916) 733-3863. You can find out more about the foundation at www.suttermedicalcenter.org/philanthopy.
Page 1 and 2: Sutter Institute for Medical Resear
Page 3 and 4: Letter from the Medical and Operati
Page 5 and 6: Research and Training Laboratory SI
Page 7 and 8: Artificial Disc Puts Skier Back on
Page 9: “The results were everything I ha

Sutter Institute for Medical Research 2008 Annual Report

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?