Pulse

Volume5/2002_September30September 30, 2002 PULSE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER Willem Kolff Receives 2002 Lasker Research Honor Meet the October Hallside Artist HSC staff will have a chance to meet Brian Szugye, a Salt Lake City artist whose works are returning to the Hallside Gallery, ACl 13 SOM, during October. Szugye will greet Hallside visitors on Oct. 3 from 11 a. m.- l p. m. His " jazz art," including paintings, copper embossings and prints, celebrates the essence of jazz music, ranging from somber to spirited. University Hospital Wins Consumer Award for Fourth Straight Year Congratulations to all faculty, staff and employees whose efforts have resulted in University Hospitals & Clinics being named a Consumer Choice Award Winner in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area for the fourth consecutive year. University Hospital received top honors in four major categories: - Best doctors - Best overall quality - Best image and reputation - Best nurses In addition to top honors in the four main catego-ries, University Hospital also was judged the best in a number of other areas: most preferred hospital, best community health programs, latest technology and equipment, widest range of services, orthopedics, neurology, cancer treatment, mental health services, senior services and most- used hospital Web site. University Hospital's top rankings reflect the dedication and hard work of the staff, according to Rick Fullmer, executive director. " We are honored to receive this award for the fourth consecutive year," Fullmer said. " Thank you staff and faculty for your hard work that is reflected in this recognition. " Our own patient surveys indicate overwhelmingly that most University Hospital patients would again choose our facilities for their health care." National Research Corporation ( NRC), a leading company that measures health- care performance, polled more than 140,000 households nationwide to determine the top 152 hospitals. In the Salt Lake metro area, NRC surveyed people in Salt Lake, Davis and Weber counties. University Hospital Schedules One- day Blood Drive in Cafeteria UH and ARUP Blood Services will hold a blood drive Oct. 7 from 1- 6 p. m. in the southwest corner of the hospital cafeteria. Donations will benefit patients at University of Utah Hospitals & Clinics, Primary Children's Medical Center, Shriners Hospitals for Children Intermountain and the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Call Ron Allison, xl- 2429, to make an appointment and remember to bring photo l. D. Willem J. Kolff, M. D., Ph. D., distinguished profes-sor emeritus of internal medicine, surgery and bioengineering, received the 2002 Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Re-search Sept. 27 in New York City. The award is consid Willem J. Kolff ered the nation's most distinguished honor for out-standing contributions to basic and clinical medical research. Kolff and Dr. Belding H. Scribner, professor emeritus of medicine at the University of Washington, share the award for their " development of renal hemodi-alysis, which changed kidney failure from a fatal to a treatable disease, prolonging the useful lives of millions of people," according to the Lasker Foundation. Kolff, 91, now resides in Pennsylvania. Last year, another U faculty member, Mario Capecchi, Ph. D., distinguished professor of human genetics and biology and co- chair of the Department of Human Genetics, received the Lasker Award. National Environmental Services week gave staff reason to picnic earlier this month. Pictured counterclockwise are: Weston Bird, Cheryl Henson, Connie Becerril, manager, Maria Molina, Jennifer Kent, Jose Guzman, Tomasa Contreras, Zoradia Ortega, Fidel Guerrero, Pam Sage, Ada Hernandez, Theresa Montoya, Nicki Winch and Alonna Andrus. Environmental Services Thanks Staff Environmental Services staff celebrated National Envi-ronmental Services Week Sept. 9- 13. They received treats and recognition and enjoyed a picnic at the end of the week. Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the depart-ment, with a staff of 180 employees, is responsible for the safety and cleanliness of 1,132,000 square feet that includes U Hospital, the medical school, Madsen Health Center and the patient- care area at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Symposium Set to Discuss Parkinsons An educational symposium will be presented by the American Parkinson's Disease Association Information and Referral Center of Salt Lake City on Oct. 5. Robert E. Gross, M. D., will present information on stem cell research and deep brain stimulations. Gross, formerly a member of the Department of Neurology, currently practices at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Lee Dibble, Ph. D., P. T., assistant professor of physical therapy, will speak on exercise programs helpful to Parkinson's disease patients. The symposium is scheduled from 10: 30 a. m.- 2: 30 p. m. at Mt. Olympus Senior Citizen Center, 1635 E. Murray- Holladay Road. Cost is $ 8 and includes lunch. For more information, call x5- 2354. To submit information to Pulse, contact Jason Burgess or Lanaya Wright in the Office of Public Affairs, xl- 7387. Read Pulse online at uuhsc. utah. edu/ pubaffairs. U of U Providers Named Heroes Five of seven " Healthcare Heroes" honored by the Utah Business magazine in its September issue are affiliated with the University of Utah Health System. The magazine recognized individuals and organizations in the categories of corporate achievement, advance-ments, physicians, practitioner, volunteer and patient care. Advancements Christopher R. Jones, M. D., Ph. D., associate profes-sor of neurology and medical co- director of the Sleep- Wake Center, was named a Healthcare Hero for his work in establishing a link between human sleep patterns and genetics. The distinction for healthcare advancements went to Jones and the U's Sleep- Wake Center. Jones said the discovery came after several years of tracing the sleep patterns of a patient and her large extended family and studying the data and the family's DNA with a neurogenetics colleague and a biochemist friend. Physicians A U Hospital father and son duo was chosen for their specialty care at the Women's Pelvic Pain Clinic. Howard C. Sharp, M. D., professor emeritus of obstetrics and gynecology, started the program and his son Howard T. Sharp, M. D., associate professor and division chief of obstetrics and gynecology, continued the clinic in 1995. The younger Sharp said one of the clinic's biggest breakthroughs came when his father and anesthesiologists developed a technique for identifying and relieving pain in abdominal muscles by injecting lidocaine into the muscle knots. Practitioner Brad Wiggins, R. N., B. S. N., clinical nurse coordina-tor for U Hospital's Intermountain Burn Trauma Center, was selected as the practitioner Healthcare Hero for the burn camps and river trips he organizes for burn survi-vors. Children 6- 11 can go on a three- day camp, and teens and adults brave rapids on a week- long river trip. For 10 years, Wiggins has organized the camps, which involve counselors, nurses, physical therapists, firefighters, psychologists and adult burn survivors. Volunteer Catherine deVries, M. D., associate professor of surgery, was recognized for her international service in urological care. In 1995, she co- founded International Volunteers in Urology, Inc., which organizes doctors, nurses and anesthesiologists throughout the United States to provide urological care and information to patients and doctors in developing countries. She donates 30 hours a week to run the organization in addition to clinical work at Primary Children's Medical Center. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER u u h s c . u t a h . e d