A Message from Shelly Voet, MD
August 22, 2022
Hello! I hope all of you are doing well! Here are my updates for the month of August:
CPAC Update – CPAC is continuing to work with POE and Andy Spooner in IS on the Referral Letter project. The goal of this project, led by Dr. Spooner, is to improve the reliability and consistency of content (assessment and plan up front) in referral letters sent by specialty divisions. We are grateful for the divisions who have engaged so far, and CPAC will begin meeting with additional divisions soon. We are also excited to share a new podcast on Otitis Media, moderated by Dr. Jill Schaffeld. Search for “Pediatric Consult Podcast” wherever you listen to your podcasts!
Jaundice – This month the AAP revised their guidelines for the management of newborns over 35 weeks with jaundice. Birth hospitals and CCHMC inpatient teams are adjusting protocols currently. You can review the new guidelines HERE. Physician Outreach is working with Neonatology to update the Jaundice CPST. You can also use Peditools.com (2022) Hyperbilirubinemia management guidelines (peditools.org) to provide point of care guidance based on these new standards. We hope to present a virtual event soon focused on this topic.
Transfer Center – Behind the scenes at CCHMC, work is being done to improve the process of transferring and accepting patients from outside facilities. The main difference we will notice as PCPs will occur in mid-October when Intake for PPL, ED, and Direct Admissions will begin to flow through one common pathway. More information will be shared as the process is finalized, so please continue to read Weekly Vitals and Synapse.
Electronic Referral to ED – I am grateful for the STAT line operators and ED leadership for their willingness to trial a method to allow us to send electronic referrals through Epic Link. This process was months in development but is now fully functional. PCP use has been limited so far, but I am hopeful more PCPs will take advantage of this. For me, it took less time to input the referral in Epic Link than it would have to call/fax or to give someone else the information so they could call. The referral goes in as an order (search “ED”) like other referrals.
TOPS4ALL.COM – Don’t miss the article below in our Clinic Spotlight from Shari Wade, PhD on her novel approach to accessible therapy for kids and teens who have experienced a traumatic brain injury. This therapy can be accomplished online at home (free of charge) or through BMCP (Psychology) at CCHMC.
Dr. Mike Farrell – This month the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine awarded its highest honor, the Daniel Drake Medal, to Dr. Farrell, who served as Chief of Staff and Residency Director for many years in addition to his GI practice. The Drake medal is awarded annually to living faculty for outstanding contributions to education, scholarship, and research. Don’t miss the article, which includes a short video tribute. Former trainees and colleagues will enjoy this tribute. Congratulations Dr. Farrell on this well-deserved honor. Thank you for ensuring we would always remember to “just take care of the patient”!
Jeffrey Robbins, PhD - It is with sadness that we share the news of the sudden loss of Dr. Jeffrey Robbins, former co-director of the CCHMC Heart Institute, former director of the division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, and former Associate Chair of the Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation. Dr. Robbins was world-renowned researcher whose lab helped advance understanding of healthy and disease-causing cardiac proteins. You can read about his extraordinary influence in this issue. He was 71.
For Community Medical Staff - Please join us for our fourth annual (and second in person) Resident-PCP Meet and Greet. We are hosting this event at the Sabin Auditorium from 6:30-8:30 pm on Thursday, September 15. If you are interested in meeting some of the residents considering primary care, please contact Kim Hunt to reserve your spot (kimberly.hunt@cchmc.org). Also, please keep an eye on your email for news about the election for Community-based Pediatrician Medical Staff representative to the Med Exec Committee. There are also minor Medical Staff Bylaws changes that help guarantee active participation of Community Associate providers to be more active on MEC and Medical Staff Committees. This election will likely occur in September for a 2-year term beginning in January 2023. Med staff services will also be sending an email soon about an upcoming social event.
Thanks for all you do for kids and families in our region. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me, your physician liaison, or regional physician leader with any questions or concerns.
Shelly
Shelly F. Voet MD
Pediatric Associates PSC, CCHMC Executive Community Physician Leader
Shelly.voet@cchmc.org