Health
National Satellite Broadcast Held at USC
- Kathleen Johnson and patient Mike Metcalfe
- Photo/Kukla Vera
By Kukla Vera on May 7, 2009 7:30 AM
The Health Resources and Services Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, presented a national learning session of the Patient Safety and Clinical Pharmacy Collaborative on May 6. The collaborative currently has 68 teams nationwide, including a USC School of Pharmacy team working in safety net clinics in Los Angeles.
The Patient Safety Collaborative is an effort to improve the quality of health care nationwide by integrating evidence-based, clinical pharmacy services into the care and management of patients with chronic diseases. The program strives to improve patient outcomes and safety.
A satellite broadcast of the learning session, whose main site was in Washington, D.C., brought together another dozen sites nationwide. USC and the University of Minnesota were the only satellite sites that transmitted part of the national program.
Steven Chen, associate professor at the USC School of Pharmacy, was online from Washington as part of the Human Resources faculty. Chen was there along with his co-faculty member Paul Gregerson, chief medical officer at the JWCH Medical Clinic at the Weingart Center, the clinic where the two work collaborate on care for the patients.
Gregerson told the audience about the important role that clinical pharmacy services play at the clinic and how the collaborative approach has improved patient outcomes while saving health care dollars. Chen discussed ways that others around the country might also form these kinds of partnerships between clinics and schools of pharmacy, providing a fertile environment for educating students and residents as well as offering faculty research opportunities.
From Washington, Chen introduced his patient Mike Metcalfe, who was at the USC site for the program. Metcalfe shared his personal story with the national audience, explaining how Chen played a pivotal role in helping him take control of his health.
Also from the USC site, Kathleen Johnson, holder of the William A. and Josephine A. Heeres Chair in Community Pharmacy, presented outcomes statistics from the school’s work in seven safety net clinics in Los Angeles.
Johnson’s presentation showed how pharmacist intervention produced better results for patients with diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol while enhancing patient medication compliance and safety.
Nearly 50 people attended the satellite broadcast at USC. The program was held at the Aresty Conference Center in the Harlyne J. Norris Cancer Research Tower.
TAGS: health
Latest Health stories
- Federal Agency Features Professor’s Research on Depression February 8, 2012 1:42 PM
- Study Produces New Findings on Autism and GI Dysfunction February 7, 2012 3:11 PM
- Ostrow School Celebrates Give Kids a Smile Day February 7, 2012 8:13 AM
-
For Journalists »
-
USC in the News
for 2/10/2012 »-
The Wall Street Journal highlighted the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College, and the $110 million gift from USC Trustee and USC Viterbi School alumnus John Mork and wife Julie to create the USC Mork Family Scholars Program.
KPCC-FM reported that this fall USC will offer Persian language courses for the first time. A $250,000 grant from the Farhang Foundation helped to establish the program. Bruce Zuckerman of the USC Dornsife College said he has many students interested in the Persian language, culture and region. “The Iranian region is one that has great impact on our lives today and has had great impact going back into ancient times,” he said. The story noted that USC and the Farhang Foundation hope to raise more money to create an Iranian studies minor. Payvand also featured the new courses.
American Songwriter ran a Q&A with Christopher Sampson of the USC Thornton School about the school’s Popular Music program, which Sampson founded. He noted that the program has been available as a major in Songwriting since 2009, and has incorporated a diverse range of musical genres. “We have now established a consistent track record of students having professional success to know that the program gets results,” Sampson said. He also highlighted the achievements of Songwriting faculty members Lamont Dozier, Andrea Stolpe and David Poe of the Thornton School.
The Economist featured research by Valter Longo of the USC Davis School finding that short periods of fasting could help cancer patients better tolerate chemotherapy, and may even make treatment more effective. The Globe and Mail (Canada) reported that cancerous tumors are essentially energy hogs. “They need to burn lots of energy just to stay alive,” Longo said. The study was also covered by Irish Independent (Ireland), Magyar Tavirati Iroda (Hungary), Anadolu Ajansi (Turkey), Son Haber (Netherlands), Vietnam+ (Vietnam), Turkish Radio and Television (Turkey) and Romania Libera (Romania).
L.A. Weekly featured research by USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies, which has developed video games based around physical movement for people recovering from strokes or other injuries. The games develop strength in specific body parts. Traditional video games weren’t right for these patients, said the institute’s Belinda Lange. “Often, the fun parts of the game would only be unlocked after a series of other levels, which our patients often couldn’t achieve,” she said. The games are now being tested with physical therapists in three major clinics.
-
-
Campus News
- Capital Connections
- USC faculty, staff and alumni in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento
- In Print
- New and recent books written or edited by USC faculty and staff
- Family Matters
- Achievements and awards
- Obituaries