UW School of Medicine Online News 6-27-08

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University of Washington School of Medicine

Online News

Vol. 12, No. 26
June 27, 2008
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To view an archived version of Online News on the UW
Medicine Web site, visit:
http://www.uwmedicine.org/Global/NewsAndEvents/somnews/index.htm

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This week's news:

* Hunter Wessells named new chair of Department of Urology

* UW Medicine receives national information technology award for ORCA/CIS Replacement project

* Washington state ranked fifth in the country in technology and science index, according to report from economic think tank

* UW chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society elects new student, resident, and faculty members

* UW Medical Center takes part in World Health Organization surgical checklist initiative


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HUNTER WESSELLS NAMED NEW CHAIR OF UROLOGY

Hunter Wessells, professor of urology, has been named the new chair of the Department of Urology, effective July 1. Wessells has served as chief of urology at Harborview Medical Center since 2002. He is a surgeon specializing in urogenital reconstruction and erectile dysfunction treatment.

Wessells earned his undergraduate and medical degrees at Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C., completed residencies in surgery and urology at the University of Pennsylvania, and completed a fellowship in reconstructive urology and trauma at the University of California, San Francisco. He joined the University of Arizona faculty in 1995, and served there until coming to the UW in 2001. Wessells is also a physician at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System, an affiliate member of the UW Diabetes Endocrinology Research Center, and an affiliate member of the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center.

Wessells has served in leadership positions in many professional and medical organizations, including the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the American Urological Association, the American College of Surgeons, and the Sexual Medicine Society of North America. He teaches medical students, residents, and research trainees, and has been honored for his teaching by both the UW and the University of Arizona.

Wessells' clinical work in urology covers a wide range of areas, including acute injury management and sexual complications from diabetes. In addition, he studies the physiology of erectile dysfunction, endothelial cell function, and melanocortin signaling of sex behavior.


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UW MEDICINE RECEIVES NATIONAL IT AWARD

The Cerner/ORCA CIS Replacement (CISR) project has been named IT Project of the Year by Advance for Health Information Executives, an industry publication for health-care executives. ORCA, or Online Record of Clinical Activity, is an electronic medical record system designed by Cerner that is replacing CIS, or Clinical Information Systems, in UW Medicine.

The IT Project of the Year award is presented annually by Advance for Health Information Executives to a health-care facility that undertakes an innovative IT project that effects positive change in the organization. Entries come from all over the country and are judged by five health-care information technology executives. Entries are judged on performance, governance, issue and scope management, financial impact, clinical excellence, and customer satisfaction. The winner receives an engraved award and $1,000, and is featured on the cover of the magazine.

CISR project leaders are James Fine, chief information officer for UW Medicine and associate professor and chair of laboratory medicine; Wendy Giles, director of UW Medicine IT Services; and Jake Haunty, project manager. The executive sponsors at Harborview and UWMC are Cindy Hecker, interim chief operating officer at Harborview Medical Center, and Lorie Wild, chief nursing officer at UW Medical Center.


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WASHINGTON STATE RANKS FIFTH IN TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE ASSETS

Washington state is ranked fifth in the nation in technology and science assets that could lead to economic growth, according to a new report from the Milken Institute, an economic think tank in California.

The institute released its 2008 State Technology and Science Index earlier this month. The index relies on 77 indicators in a variety of areas, including research and development inputs, risk capital and entrepreneurial infrastructure, human capital investment, technology and science workforce, and technology concentration and dynamism. Washington rose from sixth in 2004 to fifth in the 2008 rankings. The state's ranking in the technology and workforce section rose from seventh in 2004 to fourth this year. Washington has the third-highest proportion of medical scientists per 100,000 people, according to the study.

The other top states in the overall rankings are Massachusetts, Maryland, Colorado, and California. A summary of the report is available from the Milken Institute here:
http://tinyurl.com/4vn9w9

Full profiles of each state, with tables and charts, are available here:
http://www.milkeninstitute.org/tech/


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UW CHAPTER OF AOA HONOR MEDICAL SOCIETY SELECTS NEW MEMBERS

The UW chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society has elected 10 new medical students, two faculty members, and three residents.

Students, faculty, residents and volunteer faculty are all eligible to be nominated for election to the society. Students are nominated by their classmates and faculty. Only a portion of the top 25 percent of a medical school class is eligible for election to AOA, making it a very selective society. In addition to scholarly achievement, election is based on qualities such as leadership, professionalism, and community service. Those elected earlier this year as third-year students are:
Rebecca Curry
Bijan Ghassemieh
Judith Gayne
Andrew Larson
Erich Koerner
Jarod McAteer
Andrew Pace
Callie Riggin
Sundrayah Stoller
Mark Van Tighem

The newly elected faculty members are Roger Tatum, assistant professor of surgery, and Rick Arnold, clinical associate professor of medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine. The newly elected residents are: Massimo Arcerito, surgery; Basak Coruh, medicine; and Dinah Thyerlei, neurology. In addition, a Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Service was awarded to volunteer clinical faculty member Nicholas Hunt, of Idaho Neurology Associates in Boise, Idaho.

The UW chapter of AOA was founded in 1950, and is currently led by Douglas Paauw, professor of medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine. There are 122 chapters in the United States and Canada.

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UWMC TAKES PART IN WHO SAFE SURGERY INITIATIVE

UW Medical Center (UWMC) took part in an international broadcast and global launch of the World Health Organization's Safe Surgery Saves Lives initiative this week. UWMC is the only site in the United States participating in the pilot phase of the project, which involves the use of a checklist for perioperative and operating-room care.

E. Patchen "Patch" Dellinger, vice chair of surgery, is directing UW efforts in the initiative, and he implemented use of the checklist for all general surgeries at UWMC starting in April. It will be used for all surgeries at UWMC by this fall. Dellinger's work coincides with the efforts of David Flum, associate professor of surgery, on the state's Surgical Clinical Outcomes Assessment Program (SCOAP). The WHO initiative is supported by groups including the Washington State Hospital Association, Washington State Nurses Association, Group Health Seattle, and others.

The initiative was featured in an article in the Seattle Times this week:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008018070_checklist26m.html


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Justin Reedy, editor:
206-685-0382, jreedy@u.washington.edu

Online News is copyright 2008. All rights, including electronic
redistribution, are reserved.

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