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Federal Jury Finds Cornell Univ's Med College Committed Fraud On Thursday, July 22, a federal court jury found that Cornell University's Weill Medical College and a former faculty member submitted false claims to the National Institutes of Health on three separate occasions from 1999-2001 arising from a grant design Las Vegas Review-Journal, July 29, 2010
Terasaki Donates $50M to UCLA's Life Sciences Life Sciences Building to be named for organ transplant pioneer from L.A.'s Boyle Heights neighborhood "Univ. of California, Los Angeles", July 29, 2010
Rice Appointed Brown Med Chair Effective Sept. 7, Louis Rice will be taking on the positions of chair of the Department of Medicine at Alpert Medical School and chief of medicine at Rhode Island Hospital and the Miriam Hospital. Brown Daily Herald, July 26, 2010
Docs Overwhelmingly Using iPhones; Blackberry Second It’s official. Physicians love the iPhone. In fact, most smartphone-using-docs use the iPhone as their main mobile communication device. So says a study published by The Spyglass Consulting Group, a healthcare and technology market research firm. Physician's News Digest, July 26, 2010
UConn Med School Given Probation Warning An accrediting group has given a "warning of probation" to the University of Connecticut School of Medicine after finding that the school failed to fully comply with 15 out of 132 standards. Norwich Bulletin, July 23, 2010
Should Patients Read the Doctor's Notes? For 40 years, the tension over patient access to doctor's notes has been playing out in hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices. New YorkTimes, July 23, 2010
Paid Medical Expert Witnesses in Malpractice Cases The UNC study suggests that the use of experts who are blinded to both the medical outcome and the litigation may be a more objective way of determining whether or not the standard of care has been met. UNC, July 23, 2010
Violations Found at J&J Drug Factory A dozen recent federal inspections of a Johnson & Johnson factory for heartburn and other nonprescription medicines show a host of violations that could affect the quality and makeup of the drugs. Boston Globe and Boston.com, July 22, 2010
A Tougher Conflict Policy at Harvard Med School Professors at Harvard Medical School will no longer be able to take industry money to speak for drug or medical device companies or accept gifts, travel or meals under a new conflict-of-interest policy announced Wednesday. New York Times, July 22, 2010
New Rules for Harvard Docs Harvard Medical School is placing new restrictions on relationships between its 11,000 faculty members and pharmaceutical and medical device makers. Boston Globe and Boston.com, July 21, 2010
The Pros and Cons of Opening Doctors Notes to Patients Patients typically have no idea what their doctor jots down about them after an office visit, and rarely read those notes, even though they have the legal right to do so. Wall Street Journal (Public access), July 21, 2010
RI Hospital Exec's Conviction Upheld federal appeals court on Tuesday affirmed the corruption conviction of a former Providence hospital executive, saying jurors had ample evidence to find that he had bribed a state lawmaker for legislative favors. Boston Globe and Boston.com, July 21, 2010
Duke Scientist Placed on Leave Over Rhodes Scholar Claim A well-regarded Duke cancer researcher has been placed on leave and at least temporarily denied access to a research grant while the university looks into whether he falsely claimed to be a Rhodes Scholar on applications for federal funding. Raleigh News & Observer, July 20, 2010
Study: Medical Residency Applicants and Plagiarism The Health Blog has written about plagiarism before, in the context of scientific publications. But a team from Brigham & Women’s Hospital wanted to know about a different sort of copycatting — using plagiarized material in a medical or surgical resid Wall Street Journal (Public access), July 20, 2010
Former Prof Faces Allegations in Avandia case A spokesman for the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio said Monday that the university had no knowledge of a former professor allegedly allowing his name to be used for a ghostwritten article on a diabetes medication called Avandia The Daily Texan, July 20, 2010
People and Profession
Suresh Named Anesthesiology Chair at BCM Dr. Maya S. Suresh was named chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at Baylor College of Medicine by the college's board of trustees Wednesday. Baylor College of Medicine, July 29, 2010
Three UC Entomology Profs Elected ESA Fellows Three University of California entomology professors are among 10 newly elected Fellows of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Univ. of California, July 29, 2010
Marshall's Dr. Robert Nerhood Retiring; Successors to His Leadership Posts Named Dr. Robert C. Nerhood will retire July 31 as senior associate dean for clinical affairs and chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Marshall University's Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. "Marshall Univ., the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine", July 29, 2010
Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist joins Med College Faculty at Children's Heena Desai, MD, has been named assistant professor of psychiatry & behavioral medicine at The Medical College of Wisconsin and to the staff at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, a major teaching affiliate of the College. Medical College of Wisconsin, July 29, 2010
Dr. Magun Steps Down as Cell & Developmental Biology Chair, Dr. Maurer Named Interim Chair Bruce E. Magun, PhD, has stepped down as Chair of the Department of Cell & Developmental Biology (CDB). Dean Richardson has appointed Rich Maurer, PhD, Professor, as Interim Chair of the department. This leadership transition was effective July 1, 2010. Oregon Health & Science Univ., July 29, 2010
Marschall Runge Named Director of NC TraCS Institute UNC Med School As principal investigator for UNC's CTSA grant from the NIH, Runge has the financial, human resource and strategic oversight responsibilities for one of the largest CTSAs in the country. Univ. of North Carolina - Medical, July 29, 2010
Wagstrom Halaas Named to UND Post UND’s medical school has named Dr. Gwen Wagstrom Halaas as its new senior associate dean for academic and faculty affairs. Grand Forks Herald, July 29, 2010
UTMBs Malloy Appointed to Professorship Dr. Michael H. Malloy, professor in the department of pediatrics, division of neonatology, has been appointed the inaugural holder of the John P. McGovern Distinguished Professorship in Oslerian Education. Galveston County Daily News, July 29, 2010
Deshpande to Leave Vanderbilt for Arkansas Childrens Hospital Jayant Deshpande, M.D., MPH, anesthesiologist-in-chief at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, is leaving Nashville for Little Rock where he will be Senior Vice President/Chief Quality Officer and Associate Medical Director at Arkans Vanderbilt Univ. School of Medicine, July 29, 2010
GE Appoints Denman as CMO William Denman, MD, has been appointed chief medical officer (CMO) at GE Healthcare. Cardiovascular Business, July 26, 2010
Neurologist Fellowship-Trained in Multiple Sclerosis and Clinical Neurophysiology joins Memorial Renu K. Pokharna MD, board-certified neurologist, has joined Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center. With a fellowship in Multiple Sclerosis from University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and one in Clinical Neurophysiology from West Virginia University Somerset Co. Daily American, July 26, 2010
Beckers Ranks VUMC Among Best Vanderbilt University Medical Center was named one of the 30 Best Hospitals in America by Becker's Hospital Review. The review also cited that VUMC is a top 10 ranking in total NIH research funding among U.S. medical schools. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, July 23, 2010
Med School Names Microbiology and Immunology Head Gregory Pari, Ph.D., has been named chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. He assumed his new role on July 1. Daily Sparks Tribune, July 22, 2010
Drs. Keepers, Raj and Smith are Recipients of 2010 OPA Access Awards The Oregon Psychiatric Association (OPA) Access Award recognizes people who have made a significant impact in improving access to mental health care for Oregonians. Oregon Health & Science Univ., July 22, 2010
Brain Surgeon Gets Another Chance When Arthur Day joined the medical school faculty at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston on July 1, he brought more than his decades of experience as cerebrovascular neurosurgeon with him. Inside Higher Ed, July 21, 2010
Shah Assumes Faculty Affairs Role at Med School Darshana Shah, Ph.D., has accepted expanded responsibilities at Marshall University's Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, with the new title of associate dean for faculty affairs and professional development. "Marshall Univ., the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine", July 21, 2010
Calypsos Medical Director Named One of Seattles Top Physicians Calypso Medical announced that Kenneth Russell, M.D., Medical Director for the Company, was awarded recognition in Seattle Magazine’s annual Top Doctors survey. Medicexchange, July 21, 2010
Docs Find Solo Act Tough Medicine The private doctor's practice -- long considered a mainstay of American medicine -- could be going the way of the independent bookstore and locally owned pharmacy. Detroit News, July 20, 2010
NAPH Names Siegel as New CEO The National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems (NAPH) is pleased to announce the appointment of Bruce Siegel, MD, MPH to the newly created position of Chief Executive Officer. BigNews.biz, July 20, 2010
UT Southwestern Names Med Affairs VP Dr. Peter J. Plantes has joined UT Southwestern Medical Center as vice president for medical affairs and executive director of the medical service, research and development plan. Univ. of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Southwester, July 20, 2010
Onyx CEO Appointed to Johns Hopkins Board Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc. President and CEO N. Anthony Coles was appointed to a one-year term on the board of Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. Philadelphia Business Journal, July 20, 2010
Dr. Lee Appointed Chief of General Surgery at Albany Med Center Edward Lee, M.D., has been named chief of the division of general surgery in the department of surgery at Albany Medical Center, according to an announcement by Steven Stain, M.D., professor and chair of the department of surgery at Albany Medical College Albany Medical Center, July 20, 2010
Gifts
Terasaki Donates $50M to UCLA's Life Sciences Life Sciences Building to be named for organ transplant pioneer from L.A.'s Boyle Heights neighborhood "Univ. of California, Los Angeles", July 29, 2010
KFC Breast Cancer Effort Raises $4.2M, But Some See Pinkwashing' Breast cancer survivor Reanna Smith-Hamblin didn't eat any KFC chicken during the recent “Buckets for the Cure” campaign, which raised a record $4.2million for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. Louisville Courier-Journal, July 22, 2010
Faculty and Staff Receive Von Voigtlander Womens Hospital White Coats Faculty and staff of the new University of Michigan Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital received new white coats bearing the new hospital name during a ceremony at the Towsley Center Wednesday. Univ. of Michigan Health System, July 22, 2010
Teaching Hospitals and Administration
UConn Med School Given Probation Warning An accrediting group has given a "warning of probation" to the University of Connecticut School of Medicine after finding that the school failed to fully comply with 15 out of 132 standards. Norwich Bulletin, July 23, 2010
Hospitals Stress Cost Cuts Saving Billions Massachusetts hospitals say in a new report that they have substantially slowed the rise in their costs in the past 18 months, saving insurers and employers billions of dollars, and showing that they do not deserve all the blame for skyrocketing health in Boston Globe and Boston.com, July 22, 2010
Ripples From All Children's-Johns Hopkins Merger Could Touch Many The news that All Children's Hospital is becoming part of Johns Hopkins Health System has caused a major splash in the Tampa Bay area medical community. St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Bay.com, July 22, 2010
Shands to Limit Access for Some Patients Shands at UF will be forced to close its doors to some of its poorer patients. Independent Florida Alligator Online, July 22, 2010
OHSU Family Med Interest Group Receives Program of Excellence Award The Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine’s Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) has received the Program of Excellence Award from the American Academy of Family Physicians. Oregon Health & Science Univ., July 22, 2010
Einstein's Renowned Offerings Keep Physicians Current In a clinic located in a busy section of the north Bronx, five healthcare practitioners with diverse medical specialties are seeing patients along with perhaps the leading clinical expert in New York State on sexually transmitted diseases. Albert Einstein College of Medicine, July 22, 2010
All Children's Hospital to Join Forces with Johns Hopkins Health System All Children's Hospital, an 83-year-old community institution, is joining one of the most prestigious national names in health care in an effort to expand research and doctor-training opportunities in the Tampa Bay area. St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Bay.com, July 21, 2010
New SOM Program Smoothes New Faculty's Transition to UMMC After Dr. Patrick Smith joined the University of Mississippi Medical Center faculty in the mid-'90s and became involved in faculty recruitment, he learned that the School of Medicine was poorly equipped to handle incoming faculty's arrival. Univ. of Mississippi Medical Center - Jackson, July 21, 2010
Dean Accepts Recommendations for Conflicts of Interest Policy Following more than one year of rigorous discussion and deliberation, the Harvard University Faculty of Medicine Committee on Conflicts of Interest and Commitment has presented Dean Jeffrey S. Flier with a series of recommendations to revise and clarify Harvard Medical School, July 21, 2010
Cambridge Health Alliance Appoints New CMO A panel of cancer specialists said yesterday that the government should remove its endorsement of Roche’s drug Avastin for breast cancer, after follow-up studies failed to show benefits. Cambridge Chronicle, July 21, 2010
IU Simon Cancer Center Has New Affiliate Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center today announced an affiliation agreement with Horizon Oncology Center, a Lafayette-based cancer program. Inside Indiana Business, July 20, 2010
VCU Med School Receives Program of Excellence Award The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine has received the Program of Excellence Award from the American Academy of Family Physicians Virginia Commonwealth Univ. School of Medicine, July 20, 2010
Building and Expansion
UTHSCSA Establishes New Center for Healthy Aging The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio has established a new Center for Healthy Aging. Nicolas Musi, M.D., a diabetes researcher in the School of Medicine, will be the founding director. San Antonio Express-News, July 29, 2010
UCF Shows Off New Med-School Building Dean Deborah German gives the grand tour and explains the ideas behind state-of-the-art building Students at the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine will enjoy the latest in technology Orlando - Localspur, July 29, 2010
Beth Israel Med Center Officially Opens its Manhattan West Side Comprehensive Cancer Center Offering greater access to cancer care services for Manhattan West Side residents in New York, Beth Israel Medical Center has opened the Beth Israel Comprehensive Cancer Center - West Side Campus in the facility formerly known as St. Vincent's Comprehensi Forbes.com (Forbes Magazine), July 26, 2010
UVA and VCU Sign Collaboration Agreement The joint program will expand congenital cardiac surgical care for pediatric and adult patients. Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, July 23, 2010
Could UNC Charlotte Be Home To Future Med School? The latest idea for establishing a medical school in Charlotte would place the operation at UNC Charlotte, with students based in a planned $120 million science facility on campus. Charlotte Business Journal, July 23, 2010
Wistar to Receive State-of-the-Art Research Tower Plans are underway to keep the Wistar Institute on the map as an internationally recognized cancer research center. The Daily Pennsylvanian, July 22, 2010
Bullish on Biomedical Park: Jackson Lab to Partner with USF Jackson Laboratory’s first partner in developing a biomedical park in eastern Collier County will be the University of South Florida in Tampa. Marco Island Eagle, July 21, 2010
DMC Unveils New Construction and Expansion Program Detroit Medical Center (DMC) launched its long-awaited new construction and expansion program Friday, July 16, 2010, during a "Construction Outreach" event that announced the creation of an estimated 5,000 local jobs for the building industry. AZoBuild, July 20, 2010
Research and Discovery
Scott & White Granted $2M Scott & White Healthcare has received three grants totaling nearly $2 million to fund nursing education, elderly care and assist in child abuse prevention. Austin Business Journal, July 29, 2010
Chicago Surgeon Trying for Breakthrough to Help Pro Athletes' Careers Four months after a minimally invasive, relatively controversial new surgery performed by Anthony Romeo, the head of shoulder and elbow surgery at Rush University Medical Center, DiCostanzo was playing catch from 10 feet away. Hilton Head Island Packet, July 26, 2010
NIH Awards $31 Mil For Skin Infection Study The Atopic Dermatitis Research Network will include researchers from , Emory, Boston Children's Hospital, Johns Hopkins, U.Rochester, Oregon Health and Sciences, UCLA, UCSD, U.Minnesota, National Jewish Health, and La Jolla Institute. American Association for the Advancement of Science, July 23, 2010
UNC Receives $3.1 Mil For Heart Study The Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention has received a two-year, $3.1 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to research alternative ways to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease. University of North Carolina, July 23, 2010
FDA Issues Hold on Avandia Study The Food and Drug Administration ordered GlaxoSmithKline PLC to stop enrolling patients in a clinical trial of its troubled diabetes drug Avandia while the FDA weighs whether to pull the drug from the market. Wall Street Journal (Public access), July 22, 2010
$9M NIH Grant Awarded to CWRU/UHCMC Center for AIDS Research The Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals Case Medical Center Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) announced today it has received a five-year renewal grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for $9 million. News Blaze, July 22, 2010
USC Receives $56.8M Award The University of Southern California has received a $56.8 million Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health to support and promote scientific discoveries and their application in real-life settings to health and heal San Bernardino County Sun, July 22, 2010
Grant Will Help UCSD-Led Team Speed Lab Discoveries to Clinic New tools, such as integrated software for data collection and management and sophisticated technologies that measure patient responses to therapies in ways that are far more sensitive than standard clinical assessments, are at the heart of an emerging fi Del Mar Times, July 22, 2010
Grant, Center Position Med Center as Leader in Cognitive Research Two announcements made in July promise to put the University of Mississippi Medical Center at the forefront of Alzheimer's disease and dementia research. Univ. of Mississippi Medical Center - Jackson, July 21, 2010
UF Scientists Discover Clues to Inflammatory Disease Immune system cells called macrophages spring into action to surround and destroy threats such as viruses or cancer cells. But sometimes the would-be protective response leads to persistent inflammation, which, in turn, can cause disease. Univ. of Florida College of Medicine, July 21, 2010
FDA Panel Opposes Avastin for Breast Cancer A panel of cancer specialists said yesterday that the government should remove its endorsement of Roche’s drug Avastin for breast cancer, after follow-up studies failed to show benefits. Boston Globe and Boston.com, July 21, 2010
UI Brings in Record Level of External Funding Professor Michael Apicella has worked to find a cure for the bacterium responsible for most children's ear infections — and the No. 1 cause children go to the doctor — for the past 30 years. Univ. of Iowa - The Daily Iowan, July 21, 2010
Survey: Persuasion From Peers Can Halt Scientific Misconduct Scientific misconduct isn’t always as breathtaking as falsely claiming to have cloned human embryos, as a South Korean researcher did several years ago. Boston Globe and Boston.com, July 21, 2010
A.M. Vitals: Avandia Panel Member a Paid Speaker for GSK Three members of the FDA advisory committee that last week considered Avandia voted to keep the drug on the market with no further restrictions — and one of them is a paid speaker for the diabetes drug’s manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, the WSJ reports. Wall Street Journal (Public access), July 20, 2010
Boston Researchers Find Stem-Cells Remember Origins Two teams of Boston researchers have demonstrated that a technique used to transform adult cells into stem cells has a limitation: the stem cells retain a "memory" of their original cell type. Boston Globe and Boston.com, July 20, 2010
CDC Awards $10M to Prevention Research Centers The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week awarded four projects grants to study the impact of different public health strategies on preventing, diagnosing and monitoring health conditions in community settings. AHA News, July 20, 2010
OU Diabetes Researchers Win Talley Awards Four junior researchers at the Harold Hamm Oklahoma Diabetes Center at the University of Oklahoma have received 2010 Talley Research Awards for their work with diabetes. Individual.com, July 20, 2010
Medical Training
Med Students: We Want More Sex Ed! Why ask med students about their sex lives? That was our first question when we heard about a University of California, San Francisco study just published in Academic Medicine that digs into the factors associated with how comfortable a student is discuss Wall Street Journal (Public access), July 29, 2010
Med School Student Continues Tradition New medical school student Holly Volz was overcome with emotion Sunday morning as she stood next to her mother and grandfather at the University of Texas Health Science Center. San Antonio Express-News, July 26, 2010
Fulbright Scholarship brings Jamaican physician WSU Department of Emergency Medicine will host a physician from Jamaica who has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study hypertension research. Wayne State University School of Medicine, July 23, 2010
Carilion Med School Opens Doors Virginia Tech has teamed up with the Carilion Clinic to create a new medical school and research institute in Roanoke. Its first class of 42 students will begin classes on August 2. Collegiate Times.com, July 22, 2010
UofL Med Students, Residents Work at Camp for Critically Ill Children This summer, two University of Louisville medical students and four pediatrics residents are going camping with critically ill children at The Center for Courageous Kids, a free, year-round summer camp in Scottsville, Ky. for kids from across the country Univ. of Louisville - Medical, July 22, 2010
Tufts Med School has Highest Private School Tuition in Country While undergraduates at Tufts are facing the highest costs in Massachusetts, students on the Boston campus must deal with an even higher price tag. Tufts School of Medicine ranks as the most expensive private medical institution in the nation. Tufts Daily, July 21, 2010
Training Kid Docs in Psychiatry Dr. Kathy Anderson treated kids' broken bones and colds for years as a pediatrician in central Nebraska, but she wanted to do more about the mental illnesses she saw. Omaha World-Herald, July 21, 2010
VA to Start Medical Foster Program At an age where most people are looking for someone to take care of them, Daniel Morrison is looking to do just the opposite. Asheville Citizen Times, July 26, 2010
A Rewarding Failure for Fortis Healthcare Walking away from a bidding war for control of Singapore-based health-care group Parkway Holdings, India's Fortis Healthcare finds itself $85.6 million richer. Wall Street Journal (Public access), July 26, 2010
AMA Asks Insurers to Examine Doctor-Rating Programs The American Medical Association sent letters to more than 40 health insurance companies throughout the country on Monday requesting they investigate the reliability of their physician rating programs. Boston Globe and Boston.com, July 21, 2010
2 in Vt. Sentenced for Bilking Medicaid Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell says two caregivers who submitted bogus time sheets have been convicted of Medicaid fraud. Boston Globe and Boston.com, July 21, 2010
Legal and Malpractice
US Drops Fraud Case Against Wanted Filipino Doctor Federal prosecutors have dropped charges against a doctor from the Philippines who went into hiding after being accused of scamming a military health program out of more than $1 million in the 1990s. Saint Paul Pioneer Press, July 26, 2010
Feds to Pay Univ Hospital $20M University Hospital and medical residents who have trained there will receive about $20 million from the federal government to resolve a tax dispute. South Florida Business Journal, July 26, 2010
Should Patients Read the Doctor's Notes? For 40 years, the tension over patient access to doctor's notes has been playing out in hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices. New YorkTimes, July 23, 2010
Paid Medical Expert Witnesses in Malpractice Cases The UNC study suggests that the use of experts who are blinded to both the medical outcome and the litigation may be a more objective way of determining whether or not the standard of care has been met. UNC, July 23, 2010
Small N.D. Hospitals Learn From Computer Mannequin Employees at smaller, regional hospitals see only a fraction of the trauma cases that urban hospital workers do, so they welcome the chance to learn how to treat critical cases. Bismarck Tribune, July 26, 2010
AMA Weighs in on Meaningful Use Requirements For E-Records When we wrote about the response to the government’s final “meaningful use” requirements for electronic medical records, there was a notable absence: the American Medical Association. Wall Street Journal (Public access), July 22, 2010
U-M Health System Launches Massive Medical Information Technology Overhaul The University of Michigan Health System has just embarked on a multi-year journey to completely transform the way its physicians, nurses, other care providers and administrators use information technology in every U-M hospital, clinic and office. Health News Digest, July 21, 2010
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