News Makers 2012

- archived News Makers -

• 11-30-12

  Is "nature's speedball" the latest South Florida drug craze?

  A story about Kratom, a plant known for its stimulating effects in low doses and opiate-like effect at high doses, references a study by Edward Boyer, MD, PhD, professor of emergency medicine, which investigated whether the plant could be used to alleviate opioid withdrawal symptoms.
  Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel

• 11-30-12

  UMass Medical School Receives $1.6M National Grid Incentive

  National Grid has awarded UMass Medical School $1.6 million for the energy-efficient design of the Albert Sherman Center. Chancellor Michael F. Collins is quoted in the article.
  Worcester Business Journal
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette

• 11-30-12

  Health Watch Discusses C-Sections

  Mary Herlihy, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics & gynecology, was recently featured on Worcester News Tonight in a Health Watch segment about c-section deliveries.
  Charter TV3

• 11-30-12

  Generic Lipitor Production Halted to Clear Glass From Capsules

  Edward Boyer, MD, PhD, professor of emergency medicine, was the featured expert on ABC’s Good Morning America and World News Tonight and discussed the quality control issues faced by Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc., the company that makes a generic version of the cholesterol-controlling medicine Lipitor. Ranbaxy recently halted production of its Lipitor generic when small glass particles, the size of a grain of sand, were found in the ingredients for the pills.
  ABC Good Morning America
  ABC World News Tonight
  KVOR AM

• 11-30-12

  Hot flashes may return after ending antidepressant

  Judith K. Ockene, PhD, MEd, MA, the Barbara Helen Smith Chair in Preventive & Behavioral Medicine and professor of medicine, is quoted in an article about the return of menopause symptoms in women who have discontinued use of antidepressants.
  San Jose Mercury News
  Reuters

• 11-30-12

  Worcester Laces Up for Oval Rink Opening

  The outdoor skating rink, Worcester Common Oval, officially opened Nov. 30. UMass Medical School is one of the rink’s sponsors.
  GoLocalWorcester

• 11-30-12

  “Goods for Guns” Born out of Worcester Doctor’s Tragedy

  Michael P. Hirsh, MD, professor of pediatric surgery and Worcester’s interim commissioner of public health, talks about the “Goods for Guns” buyback program and how he started it after losing one of his closest friends and colleagues to a shooting over 30 years ago.
  GoLocalWorcester

• 11-30-12

  Central Mass Nurses Nominated for Nurse of the Year

  Carolyn Brown from UMass Memorial Medical Center and Linda Gregory from UMass Memorial Health Care are among finalists for the March of Dimes Massachusetts Chapter of Westborough’s annual Nurse of the Year Awards.
  GoLocalWorcester

• 11-30-12

  Texas Hold'em To Benefit The Angel Fund

  A Texas Hold’em Tournament scheduled for Saturday, December 1 in Wakefield will benefit the Angel Fund, which supports the research of Robert H. Brown Jr., DPhil, MD, chair and professor of neurology, and the Cecil B. Day Neuromuscular Research Laboratory at UMass Medical School.
  Wakefield Patch

• 11-29-12

  Worcester Nurses Forced To Choose Between Flu Shot, Mask

  A story about the controversy over UMass Memorial Medical Center’s flu vaccination policy includes quotes by Robert A. Klugman, MD, chief quality officer and senior vice president at UMass Memorial Medical Center and associate professor of medicine.
  WBZ-TV Boston
  Boston Globe

• 11-28-12

  Marblehead native finds ways to help educate children in Uganda

  Kevin Schwartz, MD, SOM class of 2006, writes about his work with The Child is Innocent, a nonprofit organization that educates children and develops leaders in Northern Uganda.
  The Salem News
  

• 11-27-12

  A long way back: A mother recounts her son's battle back from brain injury

  UMass Medical School alumna Carolyn Roy-Bornstein, MD, chronicles her son’s struggles to overcome a brain injury that caused short-term memory loss and chronic bouts of anxiety and depression.
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette

• 11-26-12

  Marlborough Hospital hosts community health education program Dec. 5

  Philip Cohen, MD, assistant professor of surgery, is scheduled to speak at Marlborough Hospital about acid reflux disease (GERD) on December 5^th.
  Community Advocate

• 11-27-12

  Six to be honored at Scout gala Nov. 29

  Abraham W. Haddad, DMD, clinical assistant professor of surgery, is one of six local community leaders being honored by the Mohegan Council, Boy Scouts of America, at their 2012 12-Point Grand Gala and Benefit Auction at 6 p.m. Nov. 29 at Mechanics Hall.
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette

• 11-25-12

  Architecture Reveals Genome’s Secrets

  Job Dekker, PhD, co-director of the Program in Systems Biology and professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, explains the function of 3-D genome organization.
  The Scientist

• 11-21-12

  Health Watch Holidays With Diabetes

  Roberta Powell, RN, MPA, clinical coordinator for diabetes education at the Diabetes Center of Excellence, offers holiday eating tips for choosing foods that don’t disrupt diabetes control.
  Charter TV3 Health Watch

• 11-20-12

  Private labs caught in budget crunch

  Charles H. Emerson, MD, professor emeritus of medicine, is quoted in an article about the closing of the Boston Biomedical Research Institute. Dr. Emerson is also a senior scientist and director of the institute.
  Nature

• 11-20-12

  Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center and UHealthSolutions Kick Off Patient Communications Pilot Project

  UMass Medical School affiliate UHealth Solutions, partnering with the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center, has launched a pilot project to manage patient calls for appointments and other inquiries — a partnership unique among community health centers in Massachusetts.
  EON

• 11-20-12

  Holiday Meals Calories

  Lacey Bell, dietician for UMass Memorial Medical Center, talks with Worcester News Tonight offering tips on cutting calories during holiday meals.
  NECN

• 11-20-12

  Prevent yourself from eating through the holidays

  Sherry Pagoto, PhD, associate professor of medicine, offers tips on how to avoid overeating and holiday weight gain.
  NECN

• 11-20-12

  Morrill’s legacy alive and well

  An op-ed by President Robert L. Caret highlights how the University of Massachusetts is continuing to transform individual lives and make our communities, our state and our nation smarter and more competitive. In the article, he references the UMass Medical School students who started WooFood.
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette

• 11-19-12

  First 34 U.S. Patients Implanted with Smallest Triple-Chamber CRT Device on the Market—BIOTRONIK’s New Evia HF-T Pacemaker

  UMass Memorial Medical Center is among a handful of high-profile medical centers using the new Evia HF-T triple-chamber cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) pacemaker.
  Cision Wire

• 11-19-12

  Questions mount on energy drinks

  Richard J. Church, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine, is quoted in an article exploring the dangers of caffeinated energy drinks.
  Boston Globe

• 11-19-12

  University Study Shows Health and Happiness Directly Related

  Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, George Mason University, the University of Alabama-Birmingham, and the University of Chicago, have published a new study that indicates that health could impact happiness.
  Financial
  WebMD

• 11-17-12

  UMass Medical School Doctor: Health Hazards for Holiday Flyers

  Louis M. Messina, MD, professor of surgery, talks about deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and the increased risk of blood clots during travel.
  GoLocalWorcester

• 11-16-12

  Marlborough Hospital’s COO educates public on health issues

  Candra Szymanski, RN, MS, and the COO of Marlborough Hospital, talks about her monthly cable show in Marlborough, which provides updates on the latest in medical treatments and new equipment in the healthcare field.
  Community Advocate
  

• 11-15-12

  Health Watch Children Holiday Eating

  Safdar Medina, MD, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics, offers healthy holiday eating tips for parents and children.
  Charter TV3 Health Watch

• 11-15-12

  Health Watch Blood Donor Center

  Eileen Galvin Karr, RN, BSN, Blood Donor Center supervisor, talks about the importance of blood donations and how the blood is used.
  Charter TV3 Health Watch

• 11-15-12

  Shutdown spurs hunt for medication sources

  Robert Brogna, media and public relations manager at UMass Memorial Health care, is quoted in an article about what hospitals are doing to ensure an uninterrupted supply of critical medications following notification that contaminated steroid medications, which led to a national meningitis outbreak, were found at a major drug supplier.
  Boston Globe

• 11-15-12

  Cellucci and Weld in Worcester for ALS event

  Former Govs. A. Paul Cellucci and William F. Weld were among the dignitaries on hand last night for a fundraiser to benefit the UMass ALS Champion Fund.
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette

• 11-15-12

  Even without Rick Scott and GOP governors, Obamacare exchanges should flourish

  Jay S. Himmelstein, MD, MPH, professor of family medicine & community health and medicine, talks about models for implementing health insurance exchanges.
  Forbes
  CBS News

• 11-14-12

  Size of problem requires mass awareness-raising

  An article about a pilot program designed to reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes contains quotes from David M. Harlan, MD, the William and Doris Krupp Professor in Medicine and professor of medicine.
  Financial Times

• 11-14-12

  Soldier suicides stir medical, military leaders into action

  UMass Medical School, the Massachusetts National Guard and the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services have joined forces to increase resiliency and help prevent suicide among Massachusetts National Guard members.
  Worcester Magazine

• 11-14-12

  Combating Diabetes

  An article about the continued rise in diabetes includes quotes from David M. Harlan, MD, the William and Doris Krupp Professor in Medicine and professor of medicine.
  Financial Times Health

• 11-14-12

  Study Shows Health And Happiness Really Are Related

  Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, George Mason University, the University of Alabama-Birmingham, and the University of Chicago, have published a new study that indicates that health could impact happiness.
  Red Orbit
  Health Care Global

• 11-13-12

  How Higher Education Could Save Medicaid

  David Polakoff, chief medical officer for Commonwealth Medicine and director of the Center for Health Policy and Research, is quoted in an article about the need to reform Medicaid programs.
  Governing.com

• 11-12-12

  The Importance of Considering Work Life Balance for Physicians

  Julia V. Johnson, MD, chair and professor of obstetrics & gynecology authored an op-ed about how a new generation of physicians are balancing personal and family needs with the privilege of providing medical care for patients.
  PIAM.com

• 11-12-12

  Survivors Face A Major Gap In Post-Cancer Care

  A story about using physical rehab to lessen the side effects of cancer treatments includes comments from Rebecca D. Lansky, DO, assistant professor of orthopedics & physical rehabilitation.
  WBUR CommonHealth

• 11-12-12

  Not Even Nate Silver Can Decode Health Care

  In an op-ed piece, Darshak M. Sanghavi, MD, associate professor of pediatrics and chief of pediatric cardiology, cautions against the use of meta-analysis studies by clinical researchers and physicians.
  WBUR

• 11-12-12

  Research institute in Watertown on verge of closing

  Charles H. Emerson, MD, professor emeritus of medicine, is quoted in an article about the closing of the Boston Biomedical Research Institute. Dr. Emerson is also a senior scientist and director of the institute.
  Boston Globe

• 11-12-12

  Gaps in Mental Illness Checks Swallow Juvenile Victims

  Gina Vincent, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry, talks about the need for screening and assessment in juvenile justice systems.
  Juvenile Justice Information Exchange

• 11-11-12

  Business People

  Gene Chaisson, clinical administrator for UMass Correctional Health at NCCI Gardner, received a Professional Excellence Award from the Massachusetts Department of Correction at its annual Beyond Excellence Awards Ceremony held Nov. 2.
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette

• 11-11-12

  Suicide prevention program for military announced

  UMass Medical School, the Massachusetts National Guard and the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services have joined forces to increase resiliency and help prevent suicide among Massachusetts National Guard members. Chancellor Michael F. Collins and Barry N. Feldman, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry, are quoted in the story.
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette

• 11-11-12

  State agency going to where veterans need help

  An article about the issue of homelessness among veterans includes comments from David A. Smelson, PsyD, professor of psychiatry and director of the Bedford site of the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans.
  Boston.com

• 11-09-12

  Former Congressman Joseph Early dies

  Massachusetts congressman Joseph Early Sr., passed away last week. Early helped obtain state financing for the University of Massachusetts Medical School and pushed to locate the school in Worcester.
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette

• 11-09-12

  ‘Everyone Needs A Caring Listener’: Gut Doctor Wins Compassion Prize

  John Zawacki, MD, professor of medicine, is the recipient of the 2012 Schwartz Center Compassionate Caregiver Award.
  WBUR
  BioSpace.com

• 11-09-12

  UMass Medical School Technology Gets Patent, Milestone Payment

  Oxford BioMedica will pay UMass Medical School a milestone payment for RNA interference (RNAi) technology developed by Nobel laureate Craig C. Mello, PhD, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, the Blais University Chair in Molecular Medicine and distinguished professor of molecular medicine and cell & developmental biology and licensed in 2008.
  Worcester Business Journal

• 11-09-12

  Study: Friends can negatively impact view of your own body

  Sherry Pagoto, PhD, associate professor of medicine, explains new research showing that a young woman’s body image is strongly influenced by her friends’ views of their own bodies.
  NECN

• 11-09-12

  More skating hours added

  The outdoor skating rink, Worcester Common Oval, scheduled to open December 5^th will also be open for lunch time skating. UMass Medical School is one of the rink’s sponsors.
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette

• 11-08-12

  Finding and Assembling the Building Blocks to Improve Chronic Care and Reduce Costs

  David M. Harlan, MD, the William and Doris Krupp Professor in Medicine and professor of medicine, talks about using MyCareTeam, an integrated diabetes management system, to help improve patient care.
  MassTLC.org

• 11-08-12

  'We're all in this together'

  UMass Medical School, the Massachusetts National Guard and the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services have joined forces to increase resiliency and help prevent suicide among Massachusetts National Guard members. Chancellor Michael F. Collins is quoted in a story about the new program.
  NECN

• 11-08-12

  Marlborough Knights of Columbus donates to Cancer Pavilion

  The Knights of Columbus, Council 81 of Marlborough, recently donated $1,000 to the Cancer Pavilion now under construction at Marlborough Hospital. Ellen Carlucci, director of development for Marlboro Hospital, is quoted in the story.
  Wicked Local Marlborough

• 11-07-12

  Big storms like Sandy, nor'easter deplete blood supplies

  A reporter from NECN recently spent time at UMass Memorial Medical Center talking with a donor in an article about the importance of blood donation.
  NECN

• 11-06-12

  21st century patient communication

  David M. Harlan, MD, the William and Doris Krupp Professor in Medicine and professor of medicine, was quoted in a USA Today article discussing how technology is changing how patients and doctors communicate.
  USA Today

• 11-06-12

  Health Watch Breast Cancer Q and A

  Robert Quinlan, MD, professor of surgery, and Carolynn Michelle DeBenedectis, MD, assistant professor of radiology, answer questions about breast cancer.
  Charter TV Health Watch

• 11-06-12

  Anti-sitting movement gaining followers

  Sherry Pagoto, PhD, associate professor of medicine, is quoted in article about the health effects caused by prolonged sitting.
  The Boston Globe

• 11-05-12

  Hospitals look to lower readmission rates

  Robert A. Klugman, MD, chief quality officer and senior vice president at UMass Memorial Medical Center and associate professor of medicine, is quoted in an article about new programs hospitals are putting into place to cut down on patient readmission rates.
  Boston Globe

• 11-05-12

  The Brain on Anesthetics

  Nanyin Zhang, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry, was quoted in a recent article about a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences which supports a link between consciousness and coordinated communication in the brain.
  The Scientist

• 11-05-12

  A tribute to veterans - UMass Medical School – Worcester

  Members of the military from UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial Health Care will have an opportunity to meet and mingle at a pre-Veterans Day observation today from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Knowles Hall at the UMass Memorial Medical Center – Memorial Campus.
  Blue Star Mothers in the News

• 11-04-12

  Painkillers are frequently abused by young people

  Gerardo Gonzalez-Haddad, MD, associate professor of psychiatry, talks about the rise rates of painkiller addiction among adolescents.
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette

• 11-04-12

  ALS marathoners

  UMass Medical School is recruiting eight runners to represent the UMass ALS Champion Fund at next April’s Boston Marathon.
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette

• 11-03-12

  Coalition to focus on suicide prevention

  Barry N. Feldman, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry, is quoted in an article about suicide prevention and the Central Mass Coalition for Suicide Prevention, which he co-chairs.
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette

• 11-03-12

  UMass Medical School chancellor calls for federal research support

  Chancellor Michael F. Collins spoke at the Central Mass Business Expo yesterday about the devastating effect potential federal spending cuts would have on medical research and the economy.
  Worcester Telegramand Gazette
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette

• 11-02-12

  Reinvent RI: Even as URI increases spending on research, it trails other New England state schools

  An article on recent findings from the National Science Foundation shows UMass Medical School is one of the top research institutions among New England state universities.
  Providence Journal

• 11-01-12

  ‘Models for Change’ Series Available Online

  UMass Medical School will offer technical assistance and training to state and local governments as part of the Models for Change initiative, a $2 million partnership to help improve services and treatment of juveniles in the justice system.
  Juvenile Justice

• 11-01-12

  Generator keeps hospital humming

  Mary Lourdes Burke, spokeswoman for HealthAlliance, a member of UMass Memorial Health Care, talks to the Telegram and Gazette about having to turn to generator power after losing grid power during hurricane Sandy.
  Worcester Telegram and Gazette