MedTips: Awards and announcements from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Debra Goff, PharMD, an infectious diseases specialty practice pharmacist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and professor of clinical pharmacy at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, was honored by the Fleming Initiative and Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, as a recipient of its inaugural Trailblazers in Antimicrobial Resistance program. The global initiative recognizes women who are inspiring and leading action against antimicrobial resistance, which occurs when disease-causing microbes can resist the effects of medicines designed to kill them. Goff was the only American of the eight women honored. Goff is the only U.S. pharmacist appointed to the World Health Organization antimicrobial stewardship programs in low- and middle-income countries.

 

Brad Rovin, MD, Lee A. Hebert Professor of Nephrology and director of the Division of Nephrology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, has been appointed chair of the Lupus Foundation of American’s Medical-Scientific Advisory Council. He will lead the council’s structure and strategy, provide recommendations on membership and help drive scientific priorities. Last year Rovin received the foundation’s Evelyn V. Hess Award. He has held key leadership roles in the American Society of Nephrology, is deputy editor of Kidney International and co-chairs guideline development for Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO). 

 

The American Heart Association recognized The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s East Hospital and University Hospital for their patient-centered care. East Hospital earned the Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus award as well as the Target: Stroke and Type 2 Diabetes Honor Rolls. University Hospital earned the Gold Plus award for the 12th year in a row and made the Target: Stroke Elite Plus and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll lists. The Gold Plus award honors hospitals that consistently meet rigorous quality benchmarks, and the Honor Rolls recognize hospitals for compliance and treating patients within 60 minutes or less of arrival.

 

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center earned two honors from the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA) for its commitment to environmental stewardship and operational excellence. The medical center received the John Chapman Sustainability Leadership Award, OHA’s highest honor, for its long-term impact, innovation and leadership in sustainability across Ohio’s healthcare system. It also was honored with the Non-Hospital Energy Cup award for its year-over-year energy reduction.

 

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is one of 300 health care institutions nationwide now part of The American Orthopaedic Association’s Own the Bone Program. The program aims to better identify, evaluate and treat patients who have an osteoporosis or low bone density-related fracture. The program brings attention to the severe health implications of fragility fractures (broken bones that result from a fall from standing height or less) and the multi-faceted approach hospitals or clinics can incorporate to ensure these patients receive comprehensive care. Ohio State has integrated various preventive measures from the Own the Bone program to enhance patient care. These steps include guidance on nutrition, physical activity and lifestyle changes, as well as recommendations and initiation of pharmacotherapy and bone mineral density testing when suitable. The medical center also ensures effective communication of patient risk factors and recommendations through physician referrals and educational letters to patients.

 

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has been recognized as an American College of Radiology Recognized Center for Healthcare-AI (ARCH-AI). The ARCH-AI designation is given to healthcare organizations that follow current best practice for acquiring, deploying, maintaining, utilizing and monitoring clinical AI in medical imaging. Ohio State was recognized for its commitment to safety, effectiveness and excellence in healthcare AI.

 

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is ranked among the top sustainability performers in the nation’s academic health systems, according to the CAHSE (Council of Academic Health System Executives) Accelerating Sustainability & Resilience Initiative. The national benchmarking program compares academic medical centers on energy, water, waste and clinical operations metrics. Ohio State ranked first in regulated medical waste percent reduction and second in water use intensity. The medical center also showed strong participation in key initiatives, including tracking greenhouse gas emissions, setting reduction goals, implementing sustainable procurement policies, optimizing surgeon preference cards and proactively reducing chemicals of concern. 

 

The National Eye Institute has awarded Thomas Mendel, MD, PHD, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, a five-year, $1.03 million K08 award. His project, "Insulin-accelerated surgical approach to pre-retinal gene therapy," will explore strategies to deliver gene therapies for inherited retinal diseases. These conditions can cause progressive vision loss and blindness.

 

###