OB/GYN Newsletter Summer 2021

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continued from page 1 Adapting to Change retirement. He has played a significant role in the education and mentoring of our residents and his contributions to the field are beyond measure. He will be greatly missed. I would also like to offer a heartfelt congratulations to our graduating residents. We wish you the best in your future fellowships and careers and ask you to please stay in touch. You’ll always be welcomed as a member of our Einstein family. Warmly, David Jaspan, DO, FACOOG Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Einstein Healthcare Network 215-456-8438 | JaspanD@Einstein.edu Editor’s Note: Graduating residents can stay in touch by registering with Einstein Alumni Connect – Einstein’s new alumni networking tool. Visit the site at alumni.einstein.edu 2 Medication-Assisted Treatment Improving Outcomes for Moms and Babies Supported by state grant funding, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Einstein has been advancing plans to launch a medication-assisted treatment program designed to address the specialized needs of pregnant women since the beginning of 2021. “There’s good evidence showing patients who receive medication-assisted treatment do better in pregnancy,” says Carlene Quashie, MD, who, along with Amanda Schieler, MD, is leading the charge to get the program up and running. “Patients are more likely to keep prenatal appointments, less likely to overdose, and are better able to care for themselves. It also helps the developing fetus.” The program was developed to address the growing problem of opioid use disorder in the general population, including pregnant patients. The Department of Pediatrics was also seeing an increase in the number of newborns experiencing withdraw symptoms without the OB providers having any prior knowledge of maternal opioid use during the pregnancy. “We backtracked and realized we could help reduce or prevent the incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome if we provided intervention for pregnant women prior to delivery,” explains Dr. Quashie. “In addition, there is a direct relationship with maternal opioid use and maternal mortality in the post-partum period.” To ensure the program’s success, Drs. Quashie and Schieler set out to develop training guidelines for clinicians and get input from other departments before launching the program. “We had a number of attending physicians get trained and certified to write prescriptions for buprenorphine, the drug used to treat opioid addiction,” says Dr. Schieler. “We’ve also reached out to departments already doing this type of work for feedback and buy-in.” Patients who admit to opioid use during prenatal care visits are informed about the program. For those who are interested, a consultation is scheduled with Dr. Quashie or Dr. Schieler and a social worker is brought in to initiate the patient’s medical and drug use history. “We provide interested patients with the education they need to take the next step,” says Dr. Quashie. “Initiation of medication can’t take place until the patient has been off opioids for at least 12-24 hours. If they decide to participate, we bring them back the following day, provide training on taking their medication and schedule a follow-up appointment one week later.” “When a patient has their baby, we schedule them for a post-partum appointment and help them with insurance clearance before discharging them from the hospital,” adds Dr. Schieler. “The post-partum period can get hectic and it’s a time when patients may be more likely to drop out of the program. Once they’re released from our care, we also refer them to the outpatient medicine service where they can continue medication assisted therapy.” The medication assisted treatment program is currently in its infancy and is offered at Einstein Philadelphia, as well as the Rising Sun practice location. Patient outcomes are being tracked and the program is hoping to expand to other locations by the end of the year. A program led by Dr. Schieler (left) and Dr. Quashie (right), is working to improve outcomes for mothers and their babies.
Empowering Women Through Health Education Meeting patients where they need to be met with information to inform good health has always been at the heart of Einstein Healthcare Network’s mission. In Einstein’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a new model has now formalized the practice of supporting women’s health in the community. In 2020, a group of physicians, nurse practitioners and residents in the department collaborated to form the Division of Public Purpose and begin work on outreach projects initiated within the department. “We want to treat our patients and serve our community,” says Selina Davis, MD, and coleader of the division. “We see the Division of Public Purpose as one way to create relationships with our patients and build trust.” The community service group has been meeting regularly to brainstorm ideas for programs and groups to support within the community. Unfortunately, COVID-19 slowed their progress, but they have been able to initiate a few projects even in the face of the pandemic. “We’re working on a mentoring program for girls aged 13-18 who are members of the Eyekonz lacrosse team,” says Lisa Smith-Hammond, MSN, CRNP, WHNP-BC. “The idea is to meet with interested girls once a month and provide information on a variety of topics including social skills, college and career exploration, safe sex education, general health information, and leadership skills.” Another project already up-and-running is a partnership to support No More Secrets, a nonprofit group in Germantown helping women with period poverty by providing menstrual supplies. “We met with Lynette Medley, the founder of No More Secrets, and we came up with some ways to assist with their fundraising,” says Dr. Davis. “It’s an ongoing effort.” The division welcomes input from all members of the group and there are different subcommittees working to bring in new ideas. The group also welcomes suggestions from area organizations. “We’re working on a number of ideas and gauging how the community would like us to provide support,” says Dr. Davis. “We’ve also been reaching out to different local groups to determine if there are partnership opportunities.” “So far, the projects we’re supporting have come from members’ personal experience,” says Smith-Hammond, who recognized a need for a mentoring program with the Eyekonz team when her daughter was a player. “I’m so glad we started the Division of Public Purpose. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I’m excited for the future of the program and the outcomes for our community.” Creating relationships with patients and building trust through the Division of Public Purpose. Pictured from left: Kara Pravdo, MSN, CRNP, WHNP-BC, division co-chair, Alycia Ham, DNP, CRNP, WHNP-BC, Lindsay Dorsey, MSN, CRNP, WHNP-BC, and Lisa Smith-Hammond, MSN, CRNP, WHNP-BC. (not pictured Selina Davis, MD) The Division of Public Purpose’s mentoring program for the Philadelphia-based Eyekonz girls’ lacrosse team, provides members with information on a range of topics. “ We’re working on a mentoring program for girls aged 13-18 who are members of the Eyekonz lacrosse team. The idea is to meet with interested girls once a month and provide information on a variety of topics including social skills, college and career exploration, safe sex education, general health information, and leadership skills.“ —Lisa Smith-Hammond, MSN, CRNP, WHNP-BC OB/GYN Updates | Summer 2021 | 3
Page 1: OB/GYN Updates ISSUE THREE | SUMMER

OB/GYN Newsletter Summer 2021

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