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Volume 8 | Issue 3 | August 19, 2014
Mentions in the media almost
always have unforeseen consequences. Although we never really
know how they will work, we
strive 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
UCH in the News
Notable mentions of the hospital, its people and its community.
A public struggle with disease.
KWGN 2 Denver, 7/24
The announcement that Denver Broncos owner
Pat Bowlen was stepping down from his leadership
position to deal with Alzheimer’s disease triggered
discussion of a malady that affects some 5 million
Americans. “In the case of Pat Bowlen, he’s
reached a point in terms of memory and thinking
problems where he’s no longer able to manage his
organization,” said UCH neurologist Benzi Kluger,
MD. Story.
relations efforts? Have an idea
you think the media may like?
Want to see the stories behind
the stories?
Contact Jessica Berry,
media relations coordinator
•E
mail her at
[email protected]
•C
all her at 720-848-5878
A punch back at Alzheimer’s.
Denver Post, 7/24
Continuing research into the roots of
Alzheimer’s disease tempered the bad news
concerning Pat Bowlen’s fight with his illness.
Huntington Potter, PhD, and Jonathan Woodcock,
MD, are leading a trial that aims to test the
effectiveness of Leukine in combating the
microscopic clumps of proteins that scramble
and ultimately destroy cognitive processes in
Alzheimer’s patients. Story.
The pain of painkillers.
KSPR 33, Springfield, Mo., 7/24
A grandmother’s use of painkillers to ease her
through hip discomfort eventually led to heroin
addiction. It’s a seemingly unlikely story that in fact
highlights an epidemic of prescription drug abuse
in the United States, says Patrick Fehling, MD,
with UCH’s Center for Dependency, Addiction and
Rehabilitation. Story.
A minimalist approach to surgery.
Denver Post, 7/27
University of Colorado Hospital is a pioneer in the
movement toward offering patients the option of
minimally invasive procedures for conditions that
previously required open surgeries. John Carroll,
MD, John Mitchell, MD, Richard Schulick, MD, and
Tatyana Popkova are quoted on the new procedures,
which can reduce recovery times. But they are an
additional option, not a replacement for traditional
surgery, Schulick says. Story.
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Volume 8 | Issue 3 | August 19, 2014 | Page 2
Rx for hospital reimbursement.
Healthcare Finance News, 7/28
With reimbursement rates tightening, hospital pharmacists are
playing an increasingly important role in controlling costs and
maximizing revenue. At UCH, teams with areas of expertise
concentrate on shortening reimbursement times, reducing
error rates, and managing drug utilization. “All of our clinical
pharmacists look at utilization trends and clinical guidelines
and collaborate with our physicians, case managers and other
providers to make sure that expensive medications are used
appropriately,” said Mary Peaslee, PharmD, clinical pharmacy
specialist, managed care. Story.
Hormone replacement therapy fails test.
Philly.com, 7/30
A study aimed at discovering if hormone therapy could prevent
coronary heart disease in early post-menopausal women failed
to show the regimen is more effective than a placebo. The study
targeted women who had just entered menopause. “We were
surprised, but we weren’t shocked,” said Nanette Santoro, MD,
chair of obstetrics-gynecology at the University of Colorado School
of Medicine and one of 17 authors of the study. “Not all of the
investigators believed we were necessarily going to see” a heart
benefit. She said the therapy doesn’t accelerate hardening of the
arteries, however. Story.
Four are one in a million.
CBS4 Denver, 7/30
Quadruplets born last month at University of Colorado Hospital
are a rare breed: they were conceived without the help of fertility
treatments. The infants are doing well, said Meghan Donnelly, MD.
Story.