Pulse

Volume5/1996_July22PULSE July 22, 1996 Mike Openshaw Leads U Hospital Service Directors' Council Mike Openshaw, U Hospital director of Clinical Resource Management, recently conducted his first meeting as president of the Service Directors' Council. Openshaw replaced Abe Bakhsheshy, Ph. D., director of Customer Service, who completed a two- year term. The council consists of 35 hospital department directors. It meets monthly to discuss operational issues, to increase cooperation and I coordination ® among departments and to recommend topics for study by hospital quality improvement teams. It was an-nounced that A1 Tokunaga, director of health informa-tion, had been elected to the group's executive committee, and that Zina Firmage, R. N., manager of cardiology services, has been invited to join the council. Other items included discussion of hospital employee benefits, nursing per diem rates, and the introduction of the new Chief Information Officer, Pierre Pincetl, M. D. Also discussed were employee dress standards, and how patient care personnel present themselves to patients. • UNIVERSITY OF UTAH HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER Mike Openshaw at last week's Service Directors' Council. What Type Are You? Hospital Patients Need Your Blood The stockpiles of donated blood are slowly draining away. According to the American Red Cross, one million fewer people have donated blood over the past three years. The ARUP Blood Donor/ Apheresis Center, located on the Hospital's A Level, needs your help. Call X5- 2767 for an appointment, or just stop by. The center is open seven days a week. • Nursing Professor Honored By National Nurse- Midwifery Group Joyce Cameron Foster, Ph. D., C. N. M., F. A. C. N. M., professor in the University of Utah College of Nursing, has received the 1996 Hattie Hemschemeyer Award, the highest honor pre-sented by the American College of Nurse- Mi d-wives ( ACNM). She recently was honored at the ACNM annual meeting in Palm Desert, California. Foster was recognized for more than 30 years of dedication to improving the health of mothers and babies. In 1964 at the U of U, she initiated the first nurse- midwifery education program west of the Mississippi. In addition, she wrote the first nurse- midwifery licensing act in Utah. The first president of ACNM, Hemschemeyer was a leader in the development of nurse- midwifery in the 1970s. The award named for her is presented annually to individuals who demonstrate continuous outstand-ing contributions or distinguished service to nurse-midwifery. " We are proud of Dr. Foster's recognition for her many contributions and leadership in the field of nurse- midwifery," said Linda K. Amos, Ed. D., dean of the U College of Nursing. " Her dedication for more than 30 years has done much to improve the health of mothers and babies in Utah." • Joyce Cameron Foster Mini Open Scheduled Next Week University Hospital's employee) will compete Mini Utah Open is coming to the U of U Golf Course Tuesday, July 30. Four- member teams ( two men and two women- at least one player must be a Hospital for fun and prizes. Cost is $ 28 per team, which includes green fees, lunch, drinks on the course and a golf ball. For tee times, call Al Tokunaga, xl- 2180. • Faculty News T. Samuel Shomaker Shomaker Named Associate Dean T. Samuel Shomaker, M. D., J. D., formerly assistant dean for Medical Education and Minority Affairs in the U School of Medicine, has been appointed associate dean for Curriculum and Minority Affairs. Since his assistant dean appointment two years ago, Shomaker has been super-vising the medical school's upcoming accreditation and its curriculum reform plan. In 1997, the school will change its curriculum to problem- based learning, where students learn clinical skills from the first day of school and receive earlier exposure to medical practice. • Border Honored at Pioneer of Progress Wayne A. Border, M. D., professor of internal medi-cine and chief of the Divi-sion of Nephrology and Hypertension, will be honored during Wednesday's Days of ' 47 celebration as a 1996 Pioneer of Progress. Known for his research into the causes and possible prevention of kidney disease, particularly that caused by diabetes, Border has been cited for his work in " Education, Health, and Welfare." The award, sponsored by the Days of ' 47 board of directors and the executive directors of Fox 13 televi-sion, will be presented at a luncheon in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Other 1996 Pioneers of Progress are J. D. Mortensen, M. D. ( Scientific and Technology Development), William Farr Christensen ( Historic and Creative Arts) and Philo Farnsworth ( Posthumous Legacy). • Wayne A. Border 5 South Scheduled to Begin Admitting Family Practice, General Med Patients The staff on Univer-sity Hospital's 5 South, the adolescent pediatric unit, recently added community medicine to their list of services. The Community Medicine Team will provide care to patients of all ages, admitted from family practice. Stephen D. Ratcliffe, M. D., M. S. P. H., associate professor and division chief of family practice, and David J. Green, M. D., associate professor of pediatrics and medical director of 5 South, are working in a collaborat-ing to educate housestaff from both areas. In addition, the 5 South nursing staff is expanding their professional educa-tion to include the full range of patients that will be admitted through this service. Adolescent and pediatric patients will take priority for admit-tance. Family practice patients and general medicine patients will follow. • Pulse is published weekly by the Office of Public Affairs. If you have information you need published, or know a good story idea, contact Lanaya Wright, xl- 7387. w Printed on Recycled Paper Dosimetrists Receive National Awards Teresa Edlund and Matt Tobler, medical dosimetrists from the Division of Medical Physics in U Hospital's Department of Radiation Oncology, recently were honored by the American Association for Medical Dosimetrists for their entries in a national paper- writing competition. Edlund placed first with her paper " Multi- Fraction-ated Stereotactic Radiotherapy," a look at the use of small focal photon arcs in the treatment of small brain lesions. Tobler, who was honored with a first- place award last year, received second place for his paper " Design and Production of Wax Compensation for Electron Treatment of the Chest Wall." He describes the techniques used to limit radiation doses to lung tissue by altering the thickness of the tissue treated. In their papers, both writers described the diverse patient population at the U, as well as the opportunity to work with a medical staff and physicists who thrive on challenges.