2009 DOM Annual Report - Department of Medicine - University of ...

2007The primary mission of the Division of Hematology/Oncology is tocontribute to the School of Medicine’s goal of excellence in research,teaching and provision of clinical care. The Division has continuedto grow both clinically and academically, as well as in levels ofresearch funding and accomplishments. Our Division’s diversitycovers many different disease subspecialties and faculty memberswho are heterogeneous in terms of research activities. With anextensive network of community-based clinical oncologists in UPMCCancer Centers, there has been an ongoing emphasis on integratingthe research and clinical activities of the full-time faculty and todeveloping close and effective interactions with community-basedcolleagues, as well as multidisciplinary interactions with faculty inother divisions and departments.CLINICALSince the opening of the Hillman Cancer Center in the summer of2002, clinical activities of the Division have grown progressively. Inaddition, the outreach and networking efforts of the UPMC CancerCenters in establishing regional cancer centers has led to an increasein volume in referrals for subspecialty care. The clinical capacity of theDivision has expanded and will be able to meet increased demand forservices with the current clinical structure.Currently, faculty members in the Division conduct outpatientclinics at the Hillman Cancer Center and Magee-Womens Hospital,seeing 20,875 patients in fiscal year 2007. All disease sites are wellrepresented, including melanoma, lung, head and neck, GI, breast,myeloma, leukemia and lymphoma. The Division has placed a highpriority on providing an optimal level of patient access and hasbeen able to ensure appointments for all new patients within fivedays of calls for appointment. Additionally, within the Division, fourphysicians are attending physicians on the inpatient and outpatientconsult services at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System UniversityDrive Division.RESEARCHResearch continues to be a major component of the Division’s mission.During this fiscal year, the Division’s level of direct funding fromvarious funding agencies totaled $10,562,374, despite the continuedpressures on the NIH budget. There were 215 clinical trials open infiscal year 2007. Our faculty members are working in conjunction withUPMC Cancer Centers’ physicians to implement specific and detailedclinical pathways of treatment for various major disease sites. On eachclinical pathway that is developed, the first line of treatment is to be aclinical protocol. This will further enhance our patient care, accrual totrials and our collaboration with the community physicians. Specificresearch interests of our faculty include myeloma, lung cancer andprostate cancer, among others.TEACHINGSeveral components of the fellowship have been revised and we haveintroduced a number of innovative educational programs, such asour writing group, our intensive “mini-course” approach to didactics,and our structured research-mentorship program, which have beenwell received by the fellows. In addition to the Neoplasia course forfourth year medical students and multiple lectures for residents, theexpanding appeal and prestige of the fellowship program has beenreflected in the progressive growth in both quality and quantity of thefellowship applicant pool, as exemplified by the receipt of over threehundred applicants for the seven available slots. The introductionto research for the fellows has been formalized. Most importantly,the commitment to scholarships among the fellows recruited in thepast two to three years has clearly increased. Fellows are regularlyaccepted into the ASCO-AACR Clinical Research Training Workshop.One fellow received a prestigious Amgen Fellowship Award, and asecond the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) FellowshipAward.QUALITYQuality initiatives continually underway at the Hillman CancerCenter outpatient clinic include targeted patient satisfaction surveys,aggressive interventions to improve the patient flow process,compliance with administration of moderate or deep sedationfor procedures, prevention/management of extravasations inchemotherapeutic agents, quarterly chart review, infection controland monitoring of events related to chemotherapy administration.Aligned with a major focus for this year, patient access has improvedgreatly and patient wait time has improved in all areas: registration,clinic visits, lab work, treatment and radiology. There has also beena major recent initiative to carefully evaluate the nutritional needsof cancer patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings andto ensure that nutritional needs of patients, especially those withadvanced cancer, are consistently monitored.HIGH IMPACT PUBLICATIONSAmong the many publications of the Division of Hematology/Oncology during the last year, several point to the high potentialof translational and clinical research studies to make an importantimpact on the treatment of patients with cancer. For example, Dr. Liand colleagues in Targeting Antiapoptotic Bcl-2 Family Members withCell-Permeable BH3 Peptides Induces Apoptosis Signaling and Deathin Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells (Neoplasia, 2007)studied a series of cell-permeable peptides for their ability to inhibitDivisionHematology /OncologyUPMC - DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINEPATIENT DAYS BY DIVISION - Fiscal Years 2005 - 2007AdmissionsFY 05AdmissionsFY 06AdmissionsFY 07%Change986 899 1,057 17.6%37