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Volume 7 | Issue 24 | June 10, 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. UCH in the News Notable mentions of the hospital, its people and its community. Insurers fall flat on flu reimbursement. Infection Control Today, 5/14 School-based flu shot programs enjoy solid parental support and are effective in reaching large numbers of children, but their success is limited by low reimbursement rates from insurers, according to a CU School of Medicine study of a program administered by Denver Public Schools. Allison Kempe, MD, MPH, who led the study, is quoted. Story. 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 Jessica Berry, media relations coordinator •E mail her at [email protected] •C all her at 720-848-5878 Crashing on pot. Denver Post, 5/15 A new study from the CU School of Medicine shows the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes who have tested positive for marijuana has increased since the drug became commercially available. The study fails to show, however, if the drivers were impaired at the time of the accidents. In a separate study, CU researchers found perception of the risks of marijuana has decreased across age groups. Stacy Salomonsen-Sautel, who led the stoned-driving study, is mentioned. Story. Medicare charges questioned. Colorado Public Radio, 5/15 Data recently made public suggest that some physicians may be charging Medicare higher-thanexpected rates for routine visits. While physicians would be expected to see both complex and routine patients, the 15 physicians who billed at the highest rates 100 percent of the time may have valid reasons for doing so, story sources said. One of the 15, Marilyn Levi, MD, a transplant infectious disease specialist, said she bills office visits at the highest level because she sees the toughest-to-treat patients. “The time that is required to take care of them is longer than some of the other specialties in infectious disease,” Levi says. “That’s the reason for the longer time periods required for their evaluation and treatment, and that results in the higher coding.” Story. Subscribe: The Insider is delivered free via email every other Wednesday. To subscribe: [email protected] Comment: We want your input, feedback, notices of stories we’ve missed. To comment: [email protected] Volume 7 | Issue 24 | June 10, 2014 | Page 2 Clinic keeps medicine down on the farm. Colorado Public Radio, 5/15 Residents of a rural area in southwest Guatemala are getting much needed care, thanks to a partnership between the CU School of Medicine and owners of a banana plantation. Edwin Jose Asturias, with the Colorado School of Public Health, grew up in the region and recognized the need for basic care for residents, many of whom suffer health problems caused by poor sanitation. The plantation owners, who are friends of Asturias, donated $1 million for the clinic, which is staffed by School of Medicine residents and faculty. Story. Neonate survives Graves’ threat. 9News, 5/22 An expectant mother with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder that causes overproduction of thyroid hormones, had her thyroid removed and took medication to control her hormone production. But she discovered that her body was still producing antibodies that crossed the placenta and stimulated the baby’s thyroid gland. Physicians saw the baby’s heart rate was abnormally high in-utero and performed two procedures to deliver anti-thyroid medications that successfully controlled hormone levels. Meghan Donnelly, MD, quoted. Story. A cut at pediatric stroke. Denver Post, 5/18 A $2.5 million grant to physicians at the CU School of Medicine will help fund research to study the effects of strokes on children. “The grant gives us the opportunity to explore in detail the outcomes of strokes in kids and what kind of quality of life did they end up having,” said Tim Bernard, MD. Story. Groundbreaking drug legislation breaks through. Drug Discovery & Development, 5/22 A “breakthrough therapy” bill written by Colorado Senator Michael Bennet speeds Food and Drug Administration approval of drugs that can deliver potentially life-saving results. Bennet was at University of Colorado Hospital last week to meet with a patient who now has access to one such drug and with Ross Camidge, MD, head of the Lung Cancer program at UCH. Story. Going public with pregnancy. 9News, 5/19 Becky Ditchfield of 9News shares the story of her high-risk pregnancy. Ms. Ditchfield has a rare condition called uterus didelphys, which means she has two uteri and cervices. Each uteri is about half the size of a normal one, which increases the risk of a preterm pregnancy. Ditchfield’s OB/gyn, Patricia Huguelet, MD, is quoted. Story. Sipping sunscreen. Denver Business Journal, 5/21 An Evergreen, Colo.-based skin care company is marketing a drinkable sunscreen it claims provides SPF 30 protection from ultraviolet rays for up to three hours. The company’s founder says the ingredients in the solution assist the body in naturally repelling UV rays, but Theresa Pacheco, MD, says she sees no scientific reason why the concoction would work. Story. A “monumental” work revives memories of AIDS battles. US News and World Report, 5/23 Thirty years after it spurred intense debate with its frank examination of the early years of the AIDS crisis, “A Normal Heart” has made it to television, with an airing on HBO. The groundbreaking work has revived interest in the period, which was marked by fear, misunderstanding, and hostility toward the gay community, says Therese Jones, PhD, who teaches a course on AIDS and American culture. The play’s 1985 stage debut “was an opportunity not only to educate the people at risk about what was going on – and we knew very, very little – but also it became an opportunity to educate audiences who were themselves afraid of the people most impacted by this terrible epidemic: gay men,” Jones says. Story. With assistance, patient carries on the fight. 9News, 5/26 Carlo Spivey, 52, has stage IV lung cancer and limited time to live. But he’s continuing with treatment at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, where providers help meet basic needs for him and three-year-old son Dylan. Joan Hart interviewed. For more on this story, see this issue and the May 14 issue of the Insider.