Download UCH in the News - University of Colorado Hospital

Volume 6 | Issue 22 | through May 21, 2013
Mentions in the media almost
always have unforeseen consequences. Although we never really
know how they will work, we
work to get positive mentions in
the media to help attract patients
and gain attention to our clinical
outcomes, our advanced facilities and, not least, the enormous
benefits to a patient that academic
medicine can bring.
Interested in the hospital’s media
relations efforts? Have an idea
you think the media may like?
Want to see the stories behind
the stories?
Contact Dan Weaver
•E
mail him at
[email protected]
•C
all him at 720-848-7852
UCH in the News
Notable mentions of the hospital, its people and its community.
An emergency primer.
7News, Denver, 4/24
The emergency response by University of Colorado
Hospital to the Aurora Century 16 theater shootings
in July 2012 served as a model for teams providing
aid after the Boston Marathon bombing April 15.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston treated
23 bombing victims, the same number cared for at
UCH. Richard Zane, MD, chair of the Department of
Emergency Medicine at CU, previously worked at
Brigham and Women’s and provided advice during
the April ordeal. Story.
Historic delivery.
Enhanced Online News, 4/24
Providers at the Colorado Fetal Care Center, a
joint effort between UCH and Children’s Hospital
Colorado, removed a cyst from an infant still
attached to her mother’s umbilical cord. After the
procedure, providers cut the umbilical cord and
delivered the baby. The procedure, the first of its
kind documented in the world, was necessary to
establish an airway for the infant. The baby is
healthy and should go home in six to eight weeks.
Timothy Cromblehome, MD, who performed the
procedure, is quoted. Story.
You just might have a thyroid problem.
Fox31, Denver, 4/25
Weight gain, sluggishness, fatigue and joint stress
could be signs of a problem with the thyroid, a small
gland that controls functions in a number of organs.
Bryan Haugen, MD, says cold, dry skin and slow
thinking could be signs of an underactive thyroid. “I
tell my patients it’s kind of like turning the thermostat
down. Your whole body just slows down,” Haugen
said. Story.
Raising a glass equals raising heart risk.
Los Angeles Times, 4/25
Regular binge drinking between the ages of 18 and
25 increases the risk of hypertension, heart attack
and coronary disease, a new study concludes.
Throwing back drinks with regularity apparently
decreases vascular elasticity, researchers said. The
discovery may be worth celebrating with a drink,
quipped cardiologist Robert Vogel. Story.
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Volume 6 | Issue 22 | through May 21, 2013 | Page 2
Germs crouch in kitchens.
Fox31, Denver, 4/30
Sinks, blenders and ice dispensers are among the top locations
that are breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria. Germs can live
as long as 18 hours on kitchen surfaces. Michelle Barron, MD,
urges people to regularly disinfect the kitchen to prevent bacterial
illnesses. Story.
Cancer treatment combination.
Daily Rx, 5/1
A new study indicates that patients with advanced lung cancer
who received chemotherapy and radiation before surgery tended
to live longer than those who received chemo and radiation alone.
Ross Camidge, MD, quoted. Story.
March against MS.
CBS4, Denver, 5/1
There is still no cure for multiple sclerosis, a progressive
movement disorder that attacks the sheath covering the nerves.
But improved treatments, including oral medications, are coming
on line. Teri Schreiner, MD, says the strides made to combat MS
over the past 25 years have been significant. Story.
Wake-up call on sleep aids.
Fox31, Denver, 5/1
The number of emergency department admissions related to
ingestion of zolpidem, the active ingredient in the sleeping
medication Ambien, is up. That’s not surprising given the
number of prescriptions written for the drug, says toxicologist
Andrew Monte, MD. Story.
New space for neuro.
Aurora Sentinel, 5/2
The Neuro ICU at University of Colorado Hospital spent the
last days of April prepping to move into a new unit in Anschutz
Inpatient Pavilion 2. The 24-bed unit, which opened May 6, is twice
the size of the old space. The unit played a key role in helping the
hospital earn Comprehensive Stroke Center certification from the
Joint Commission last month. Robert Neumann, MD, quoted. Story.
ED cuts wait times.
Denver Post, 5/5
The larger emergency department that opened last month at
UCH has dramatically cut wait times, thanks in part to a new
care delivery model. Richard Zane, MD, quoted. Derek Birznieks
mentioned. Story.
Alternative test fors at risk pregnant mother.
9News, 5/5
Mothers-to-be over the age of 35 are advised to get tested to
identify chromosomal abnormalities in the children they carry.
The test, amniocentesis, requires inserting a large needle in the
abdomen to withdraw amniotic fluid. Now a new noninvasive
blood-screening method to test DNA is available. Teresa Harper,
MD, quoted. Story.