Winter 2008 - Arkansas Children's Hospital

More documents

Recommendations

Info

HOSPITAL NEWSACH Among “100 Best Companies to Work For”FORTUNE announced in late January that Arkansas Children’sHospital has been ranked 76th on the 11th annual “100 BestCompanies to Work For” list.“Arkansas Children’s Hospital is honored to be ranked amongFORTUNE’s ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ survey,” says Dr.Jonathan Bates, ACH president and CEO. “Our employees takemuch pride in providing care, love and hope to our kids here atACH. Their survey responses, which comprised the largest portionof the survey, is what matters most, and they feel that ACH is a veryrewarding place to work.”In addition, Arkansas Children’s Hospital was recognized underthe category “unusual perks” for offering a pre-kindergarten fitnessprogram by trained staff, and the hospital ranked number one in theonsite child care category having the least expensive, average monthlyrates.A driving factor for the list this year was that the chosen companiesall excel in creating jobs. The 100 companies on the 2008 listadded 67,000 employees to their payrolls in the past year and employa total of nearly 1.6 million employees; up 16 percent from the numberemployed by companies comprising last year’s list.To pick the “100 Best Companies to Work For,” FORTUNEworks with the Great Place to Work Institute, a global research andconsulting firm with offices in 30 countries, to conduct the mostextensive employee survey in corporate America. Of some 1,500firms that were contacted, 406 companies participated in this year’ssurvey. Nearly 100,000 employees at those companies responded toa 57-question survey created by the Great Place to Work Institute.Most of the company’s score (two-thirds) is based on the results ofthe survey, which is sent to a minimum of 400 randomly selectedemployees from each company.The survey asks questions related to employee attitudes about themanagement credibility, job satisfaction and camaraderie. The otherthird of the scoring is based on the company’s responses to theInstitute’s Culture Audit, which includes detailed questions about payand benefit programs and a series of open-ended questions abouthiring practices, methods of internal communications, training,recognition programs and diversity efforts.“The FORTUNE ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ rankingachieved by Arkansas Children’s Hospital, we hope, will help usattract more physicians, nurses and other quality staff to our hospital,”says Bates. “We believe one of the positives for Arkansas is thatthis recognition will help other companies recruit outstandingemployees to their business and our state.”The full list of the top 100 and related stories appear in theFebruary 4 issue of FORTUNE and at www.fortune.com.NEWLY ELECTED —ACH Foundation BoardStephen L. Strange, Sr.President,American ManagementCorporationConwayACH Foundation BoardDebbie JinesDental Consultant,Dental Provider Representative,Arkansas Blue Cross/Blue ShieldLittle RockACH Foundation BoardBill HannahPresident & CEO,Nabholz Construction Corp.ConwayACH BoardMary Aitken, M.D., M.P.H.Injury Prevention CenterMedical Director, ACHstaff physician and UAMSCollege of MedicineAssociate ProfessorLittle RockACH ResearchInstitute BoardRoss WhippleChairman,Summit BankArkadelphia8
RESEARCHStrengthening the Case AgainstPregnancyandSmoking■ John GreganEach year in the United States, an estimated 36,000 infants areborn with a heart defect. During the first year of life, approximatelyone in four of these infants requires invasive medical and/or surgicaltreatment, and one in eight will die.Maternal smoking is known to increase the risk of prematurity,low birth weight and cleft palate in babies. At the ArkansasChildren’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Dr. Sadia Malik, apediatric cardiologist and public health specialist, is investigating theassociation between congenital heart defects and maternal smokingand/or exposure to passive smoking.Under a two-year grant from the National Institute of ChildHealth and Human Development (NICHD), Dr. Malik is examiningnicotine levels in the hair of 50 mothers of infants with congenitalheart defects and 50 mothers of infants with no birth defects. “Theheart forms in the first trimester, and mothers may be smoking orexposed to cigarette smoke before they know they’re pregnant,” saysDr. Malik.The goal of the study is to measure nicotine exposures duringearly stages of pregnancy and the formation and development ofthe embryo that may be associated with adverse outcomes such asheart defects.To measure exposure to nicotine during the period correspondingto the first trimester of pregnancy, participants in Dr. Malik’s studyare providing 10 centimeters of hair after their infants are born. Incollaboration with researchers in California and New Zealand, hairsamples are analyzed in such a way as to determine the exact timingof exposure to nicotine. The hair shaft provides a “journal” of nicotineexposure during pregnancy. If hair nicotine levels correspondingto key periods of heart development are higher in mothers ofinfants with congenital heart disease, this will provide evidence thattobacco exposure may be causally related to congenital heart disease.The majority of congenital heart defects require only a visit to thepediatric cardiologist for diagnostic tests, such as an echocardiogramand medication; however, some heart defects require multiple surgeriesand may result in lifelong limitations in daily activities or even indeath. Heart defects range from simple problems, such as “holes”between the chambers of the heart, to severe malformations, such asvery small heart chambers or valves.“I want to help find a cure for the cause of these heart problemsso other families don’t have to go through what we’re goingBettye Flowers, RN, collects a hair sample from a non-smokingmother of a child with a heart defect participating in astudy at Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute.through,” says Amanda, a non-smoking mother of a child with a heartdefect participating in Dr. Malik’s study. Getting her hair clipped forthe study, Amanda adds, “I want to get the word out about what causesthese problems.”It is important that physicians and patients are aware of all thedetrimental effects of maternal smoking on the developing fetus sowomen can make informed lifestyle decisions prior to becoming pregnant.Twenty-eight percent of Arkansas women smoke, and 20 percentcontinue to smoke during pregnancy. Nationally, 25 percent ofwomen smoke, and 12 percent continue while pregnant. The results ofDr. Malik’s study may provide evidence that will compel some womento stop smoking during their reproductive years.“Both active and passive exposure to tobacco smoke has a longlegacy of association with harmful health events. Although many ofthese effects have been proven in the person who smokes, identifyingthe many harmful effects of environmental tobacco exposure on thefetus, newborn and children continues to challenge researchers,” saysACHRI president Dr. Richard Jacobs*. “Our research group atACHRI, with Dr. Sadia Malik’s leadership, is investigating the potentiallink between environmental tobacco exposure and congenital heartdisease. We are very excited about this project and its potential toadvance our understanding of this important potential association.”This study complements Dr. Malik’s other research funded by theArkansas Biosciences Institute, the major research component of theTobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000. She also receives fundingfrom the American Heart Association’s Heartland Affiliate BeginningGrant-in-Aid Program, which promotes the independent status ofpromising new scientists in research related to cardiovascular functionand disease.*Sadia Malik, M.D., M.P.H., is a pediatric cardiologist at ACH andassistant professor of pediatrics, UAMS College of Medicine*Richard F. Jacobs, M.D., FAAP, is president of ACHRI, professor ofpediatrics and chairman of the department of pediatrics, UAMSCollege of Medicine.9
Page 2 and 3: CONTENTSMichael JohnsonMichael John
Page 4 and 5: HOSPITAL NEWSStripes for SafetyProg
Page 6 and 7: HOSPITAL AND RESEARCH PROGRAMSOne a
Page 10 and 11: DONORSKaren and John FlakeSupportin
Page 12 and 13: DONORSBernard SharpProud to Support
Page 14 and 15: HOSPITAL NEWSDr. Angela Green recei
Page 16 and 17: AUXILIARY GROUPSMiracle BallOn a mi
Page 18 and 19: AUXILIARY GROUPSCircle of FriendsRo
Page 20 and 21: CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORKMiracle
Page 22 and 23: GIVINGThanks to You!Air Transport I
Page 24: Celebrating Miracles at the 2007 Mi

Winter 2008 - Arkansas Children's Hospital

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?