July - September 2004 Media Coverage
Patients in N.J. get a gauge for care quality
(Published 7-2004, Philadelphia Inquirer) David B. Nash, chairman of the Department of Health Policy at Jefferson Medical College recently spoke with the Philadelphia
Inquirer about the first New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services' performance report on New Jersey hospitals.
"What I hope will evolve with time is public report cards that have both outcomes and process indicators," Dr. Nash said,
speaking on the value of such reports.
Targeting appendicitis, a new tool offers wider promise
(Published 7-7-2004, Philadelphia Inquirer) Jefferson researchers yesterday announced government approval of a novel method to quickly diagnose appendicitis using technology
that may soon help doctors detect dangerous, hidden infections ranging from abscesses to anthrax.
Targeting appendicitis, a new tool offers wider promise(Published 7-7-2004,
TimesLeader.com) Jefferson researchers yesterday announced government approval of a novel method to quickly diagnose appendicitis using technology
that may soon help doctors detect dangerous, hidden infections ranging from abscesses to anthrax.
Department of Radiology
Loud and Clear
(Published 7-12-2004, Philadelphia Inquirer) Ear Specialist Dr. Thomas Willcox of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in the Philadelphia Inquirer discusses some of
the reasons people with hearing problems are reluctant to wear hearing aids.
Battling Alzheimer's
Sam Gandy, M.D., Ph.D, director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences at Thomas Jefferson University, discusses the battle
being waged by researchers, patients and caregivers against Alzheimer's disease in a series of articles in the Philadelphia
Inquirer:
Catching a better rat to study Alzheimer's
(Published 7-23-2004, Philadelphia Inquirer) Mice have many good qualities when it comes to medical research, says Dr. Sam Gandy, director of the Farber Institute for
Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University. But mice have a big drawback for studies of Alzheimer's disease; they're dumb.
"They don't have that much to lose," he said We actually need smarter animals."
Firms revisit Alzheimer's drug
(Published 7-15-2004, Philadelphia Inquirer) Alzheimer's disease specialist Sam Gandy, director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences at Thomas Jefferson University,
in the Philadelphia Inquirer, discusses the manufacturing of Alzheimer's disease vaccines that could attack amyloid plaque
build up in the brain that causes Alzheimer's. "One strategy is a cocktail, or combination, of a couple of these that might
be most effective by hitting the amyloid at several steps," Dr. Gandy said.
Doctor: Alzheimer's battle is lifelong
(Published 7-17-2004, Philadelphia Inquirer) Neuropsychologist Paul Nussbaum envisions a time when the first question people will ask themselves each morning is: What
do I need to do today to make sure my brain stays healthy? ... brain tissue, and that is hard to fix, said Sam Gandy, director
of the Farber Institute.
Patients tell what it's like to have Alzheimer's
(Published 7-18-2004, Philadelphia Inquirer) For Ed Knorr, one of the first signs that his brain was sick came as he drove his 9-year-old granddaughter to school. Although
he'd taken the route many times, Knorr suddenly realized that he didn't know what to do next. "Poppy, don't worry, we'll find
it," his granddaughter said. ... pinpoint genes that make people susceptible. Sam Gandy, director of the Farber Institute.
Viagra Use By Young Men High
(Published 8-5-2004, CBS 3) Thomas Jefferson Univ. Hospital urologist Dr. Irvin Hirsch talks to CBS3 (Ch. 3) about a new study that indicates there
has been a dramatic increase in the use of Viagra by younger men (age 18-45). Dr. Hirsch says he's concerned younger men are
using the medication for recreational uses instead of to correct erectile dysfunction, as should be the case.
Stopping Alzheimer's: Antibody thwarts disease in mice
(Published 8-7-2004, Science News) Sam Gandy, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Farber Institute of Neurosciences of Thomas Jefferson University recently spoke
with Science News about a new study being conducted on proteins that may lead to Alzheimer's disease. "This [study] shows
that there is an early window of time during which clearance of amyloid by antibodies is accompanied by clearance of tau,"
said Dr. Gandy.
More Doctors Needed In Rural Areas
(Published 8-8-2004, KYW News Radio 1060) Family physician Dr. Howard K. Rabinowitz, of Jefferson Medical College, talks to KYW Newsradio(1060AM) about his new book,
"Caring for the Country," which chronicles the lives of lives and work of 10 graduates of Jefferson's Physician Shortage Area
Program (PSAP). The PSAP was first developed in 1976 to address the long-standing shortage of physicians in rural communities.
WeatherWatch--Pain, pain, go away: Weather might affect migraines
(Published 8-9-2004, Philadelphia Inquirer) Dr. Joseph Primavera of the Jefferson Headache Center tells the Philadelphia Inquirer that there might be some merit in
a new study showing that weather can have an impact on the severity and onset of migraines.
Starting Young in Treating High Blood Pressure
(Published 8-10-04, The New York Times) Bonita Falkner, M.D., professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, chaired
a National Institutes of Health panel which produced guidelines that suggest high blood pressure in children is more similar
to high blood pressure in adults and should be treated as aggressively. Children should be routinely screened beginning at
age 3. Dr. Falkner offers this possible explanation for the rise in rates of pediatric hypertension: “It seems like the intake
of processed foods has gone up a bit, and this raises the intake of sodium,” she said. “The intake of soda has gone up too.”
Doc Regrows Cartilage In Arthritic Knees
(Published 8-10-2004, NBC 10) NBC10 (Ch. 10) reports that orthopaedic surgeons at Thomas Jefferson Univ. Hospital are able to surgically treat younger
patients who have torn or ruptured the particular cartilage which cushions the knee joint by growing new cartilage cells from
a patient's own healthy cartilage cells to replace the torn cartilage in the knee.
The doctor will see you - today
(Published 8-11-2004, Philadelphia Inquirer) Jefferson Family Medicine has taken a leading role in Philadelphia in instituting an Open Access program for patient appointments.
According to George Valko, M.D., vice chairman for clinical programs at Jefferson Medical College's department of Family Medicine,
people "want to have access to their physician's practice every day."
Three Pennsylvania physicians are featured in book on rural doctors
Today's edition (8/16/04) of the Tribune-Democrat (PA.) has a front page story on the Jefferson Medical College Physician
Shortage Area Program (PSAP) and a new book about the program, "Caring for the Country," authored by the program's director
family physician Howard K. Rabinowitz, M.D., professor of Family Medicine, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University.
The book chronicles the work and lives of 10 graduates of the PSAP, which was developed to address the long-standing shortage
of physicians in rural communities.
A doctor had to make a house call
When the housebound cast of the MTV Real World program began to suffer and break out in skin rashes (cast members cannot leave
the house while the program is being shot) due to excessive heat, the producers called Jefferson Family Medicine doctor Robert
Winn, M.D., to treat them. The doctor made a house call and the Real World continued.
Jefferson Heart Doctors Explain Why People May Need Bypass Surgery When President Clinton is Scheduled for the Procedure
(Aired 09-03-2004, KYW-3, NBC10)
As soon as President Bill Clinton announced that he needed coronary bypass surgery, Jefferson Heart doctors were on the air
to explain the procedure to a worried public. Interventional Cardiologist Paul Walinsky, M.D., used actual video of a coronary
bypass to demonstrate the procedure to KYW-TV reporter Pat Ciarrocchi. Interventional Cardiologist David Fischman, M.D., also
used a video example to show the procedure to channel 10 Medical Reporter, Cherie Bank.
A lifesaver for little ones
(Published 9-6-04, Philadelphia Inquirer) Testing newborns' blood can identify many health disorders, but the practice isn't
consistent from state to state. Gary Emmett, Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas
Jefferson University, discusses which tests are the most common and the issues involved with screenings.
GI Specialist discusses feeding tubes cut at nursing facility
(Published 9-24-04, Philadelphia Inquirer) In an article about patients in a Philadelphia nursing home whose feeding tubes were cut, Leo Katz, M.D., gastroenterologist
and medical director of nutrition services at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, pointed out that in general, patients
on feeding tubes can go several hours without the tube without suffering any effects. Unlike an intravenous tube, which normally
provides medicine, a feeding tube provides food and water. In general," Dr. Katz said, "nothing should happen most of the
time from a medical standpoint" if tube feeding is discontinued for a few hours.
