In this month’s issue:

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia ranked #1 in the US

Philadelphia -- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, a member of Philadelphia International Medicine (PIM), was named the best children's hospital in America. The number one ranking was the finding of Child magazine, which looked at 178 hospitals during a five-month investigation. The findings were released this month.

"This is further recognition that the medical care provided by Philadelphia International Medicine hospitals is among the best in the world," said Andrew Wigglesworth, president of PIM. "We are very proud of the quality and dignity of care provided at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and all of the PIM hospitals."

The magazine looked at treatment protocols, recordkeeping, dispensing of medication, performance records, percentage of staff board-certified in pediatrics, research capabilities, community outreach and other areas. A comprehensive 42-question survey developed by the magazine's medical advisory board was sent to 50 finalists. The survey addressed crucial issues ranging from cancer survival rates to the extent of the hospital's programs for the emotional needs of patients.

CHOP has more than 19,000 inpatient admissions and more than 600,000 outpatient visits annually, including 60,000 emergency department visits. Every active medical staff member is board certified in pediatrics or a pediatric subspecialty. The hospital has the largest pediatric intensive care program in the country, and provides comprehensive care in 41 clinical areas and 54 specialized programs.

CHOP's cardiac center is an internationally renowned program that performs in excess of 1,000 cardiac procedures a year, including 450 pediatric open-heart procedures. Its Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center is one of only two programs worldwide to offer comprehensive treatments in the emerging field of fetal surgery.

To schedule an appointment at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, or other PIM network member, call 215-735-3575.

Penn's Scheie Eye Institute researching treatment for "Eye Attacks"

The terms "heart attack" and "brain attack" have become commonplace, but now neuro-ophthalmologists at the University of Pennsylvania's Scheie Eye Institute, a member of Philadelphia International Medicine, are waging war on the all too common, underreported and untreated condition referred to as "eye attacks."

These attacks, known medically as Ischematic Optic Neuropathy ("ION"), result from a sudden lack of blood flow to the eye. Eye attacks, which are usually painless, can develop quite rapidly--sometimes overnight, often with catastrophic consequences to the vision of the individual, such as a sudden and permanent loss of peripheral or central vision in one eye. The resulting visual impairment and the degree of severity usually varies from patient to patient but can include loss of the bottom half of one's vision and difficulty with light and darkness. While the frequency of the condition is estimated to occur in only a couple of people per thousand, per year, the catastrophic results are unquestioned. Studies indicate that irreversible damage can occur as quickly as within the first 90 seconds of the attack.

"Prompt acknowledgement and treatment of the problem are essential if there is any chance of minimizing present and future damage," said neuro-ophthalmologist and researcher Nicholas J. Volpe MD, associate professor of ophthalmology and neurology at the University of Pennsylvania's Scheie Eye Institute.

A new multi-center clinical trial, funded by the pharmaceutical company Allergan, is about to commence at approximately 50 research sites across the country, including the Scheie Eye Institute. The goal of the study is to determine whether neuro-protection-- i.e., delivering a proprietary and investigational topical agent to help a damaged nerve-- is viable. Specifically, Allergan is testing eye drops that will hopefully minimize collateral losses to the eye by saving some of the optic nerve fibers. Eye attacks, which are not a new occurrence, have been treated over the years by using steroids and surgical intervention--neither with much success. A visual problem that typically occurs later in life as part of the aging process, "ION" is also suspected to occur with increased frequency in patients with diabetes and hypertension, in addition to occurring frequently in people with small, crowded optic nerves.

At this time, little can be done for the damaged eye, therefore successful prevention of second eye involvement is another goal of new research studies. A secondary and independent research study is also being performed by Volpe in conjunction with Carolyn Glazer, MD and Juan Grunwald MD, a retinal blood flow expert, also with Penn's Scheie Eye Institute. This study will attempt to focus on the characteristics and nature of the blood flow patterns in a patient's healthy eye, once he or she has suffered an eye attack. By examining the characteristics of the optic nerve in the healthy eye, the researchers hope to develop treatment strategies that can be used to protect the second eye.

Crozer Burn Treatment Center gains national recognition

The Nathan Speare Regional Burn Treatment Center (BTC) at Crozer-Chester Medical Center, a member of Philadelphia International Medicine, was recently awarded the extremely prestigious American College of Surgeons and American Burn Association (ACS/ABA) verification. This distinctive verification was granted in recognition of the BTC's "dedication to providing optimal care for its patients".

To be considered for verification hospitals and their burn centers voluntarily meet the most stringent criteria established by the ACS Committee on Trauma in cooperation with the ABA.

These standards of excellence ensure that all burn patients receive only the very best care from skilled physicians and highly trained burn care nurses. This spectrum of care extends from the pre-hospital phase through the rehabilitation process. The Crozer BTC opened its doors on November 7, and the Burn Wound Center in 1998. The BTC, nationally-recognized for its burn expertise and leading burn research, has the good fortune of Crozer's excellent ancillary services dedicated to providing all patients with emotional, social, and psychological support.

Jefferson ultrasound physician awarded international training grant

Barry Goldberg, MD, director, Division of Diagnostic Ultrasound, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and the Jefferson Ultrasound Research and Education Institute, has been awarded a Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) International Program Grant to train African physicians in the use of the latest ultrasound technology. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is a member of Philadelphia International Medicine.

The "Teach the Teachers" from Emerging Nations grant is designed to provide opportunities to use or develop educational programs for individuals in emerging countries around the world. Its goal is to enhance the education and training of individuals in the radiological sciences from an emerging country who will, in turn, educate and train others from their native land. Dr. Goldberg, professor of radiology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, as well as the Jefferson Ultrasound Research and Education Institute are world-renowned for their efforts to educate and train radiologists from other nations. Radiologists from emerging foreign nations as far away as Mongolia travel to Jefferson to train under Dr. Goldberg's direction.

He is immediate past president of the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, a 45,000-member organization of ultrasound societies.

He has also hosted a meeting at Thomas Jefferson University of the World Health Organization (WHO) Study Group on Diagnostic Ultrasound - Principles and Standards. The meeting's purpose was to develop a document outlining methods of improving the training and clinical performance of medical doctors and allied health professionals using diagnostic ultrasound throughout the world.

Dr. Goldberg is the recipient of the RSNA's 1998 Outstanding Researcher Award, given to radiologists who have displayed a career of outstanding achievement, and the Joseph H. Holmes Clinical Pioneer Award presented by the American Institute of Ultrasound in America (AIUM), of which he is a past president. Dr. Goldberg was founding president of the Greater Delaware Valley Ultrasound Society and is a fellow of the American College of Radiology.

The Jefferson Ultrasound Research and Education Institute coordinates the education and research programs of the department of radiology's division of diagnostic ultrasound. Through the international reputation of the division and its director, the Institute promotes stronger ties with health-care facilities and organizations around the world that share an interest in diagnostic ultrasound. This Institute has the nation's most diverse ultrasound education programs and facilities, with which it conducts highly respected CME courses and offers visiting fellowships, among other activities. The Institute's large research staff conducts a broad spectrum of basic and clinical projects in ultrasonography.

Fox Chase lists clinical trial information for patients on website

Fox Chase Cancer Center, a member of Philadelphia International Medicine, has placed easy-to-understand summaries of clinical trials on its web site at www.fccc.edu. The summaries have been adapted from the complete clinical trial documents that are used by the medical staff.

"Patients and their families have become more savvy in their search for information after a diagnosis of cancer," said Michael Bookman, MD, director of medical information management and the protocol management facility. "The first place many of them go is to the Internet to find reliable information about clinical research programs at the top cancer centers. Now, when they visit the Fox Chase website, they can easily read about our clinical trials." Patients or researchers can also go to the PIM website at www.philadelphiamedicine.com.

The studies are grouped by cancer site (breast, prostate, etc.) and have information describing what a clinical trial is. "Most of the information for the lay summaries is drawn from the patient informed consent document used for the actual clinical trial and is reviewed by the local principal investigator for the study," explains Bookman. "This information can help patients understand their options more fully and serve as a reference when the patient talks to his or her doctor. Bookman added, "Improvement in cancer treatment absolutely depends on our ability to conduct informative clinical trials, and it would be wonderful if we could increase patient awareness and participation."

Overall, approximately 20 percent of patients who receive treatment at Fox Chase elect to participate in a clinical trial, which is already much greater than the national average.

The project to create the "patient-friendly" summaries and post them on the site is ongoing. "It reaffirms our commitment to provide patients and their families with comprehensive information about cancer and available treatment options," Bookman said.

"These new summaries do not replace the current Protocol Management Systems offered for medical professionals on the Fox Chase site," Bookman explained. "But clearly, the patient summaries provide a less technical overview of the studies and are easier to understand than the physician versions."

Fox Chase Cancer Center has about 150 cancer treatment trials open at any one time, including studies of cancer prevention. Each clinical trial has been reviewed and approved by the Research Review Committee and the Institutional Review Board. The web site uses new software to display updated summaries only on those trials that are currently enrolling patients. However, because new protocols are rapidly activated, not all studies will have a "patient-friendly" summary that has been written and approved for the web site prior to the study's activation.

Fox Chase Cancer Center, one of the nation's first comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute in 1974, conducts basic and clinical research; programs of prevention, detection and treatment of cancer; and community outreach.

Philadelphia International Medicine is an organization that provides medical and patient support services to international patients. It also provides continuing medical education and health care training and education to international physicians, administrators and other practitioners. As the international department of several Philadelphia-area hospitals, international patients gain access to physicians and hospitals rated among the best in the world through one telephone call to PIM. You can reach PIM by calling 1-215-735-3575; fax, 1-215-790-1267; or e-mail, physicians@philadelphiamedicine.com. You can find out more about PIM through its Website at www.philadelphiamedicine.com.

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