March 7, 2011

At its annual cancer symposium, the Society of Surgical Oncology presented the 43rd annual James Ewing Layman’s Award to Kimberly T. Duchossois of Barrington Hills, Ill., for her deep commitment and long-term efforts to improve the quality of cancer treatment and help cancer patients get the information they need to make wise decisions about their care.

The award, presented Saturday, March 5, at the Society’s 64th annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas, celebrates the contributions of those who are not cancer physicians but who find unique ways to improve cancer care. Past recipients include Mary Lasker, Ann Landers, Jane Brody, Evelyn Lauder, Nancy Brinker, General Norman Schwarzkopf, Arnold Palmer, Hamilton Jordan, Tommy Thompson and, in 2000, Richard Duchossois, Kim’s father.

“By virtue of Kim’s leadership and vision, she and her family are helping to improve the lives of cancer patients and their families on a daily basis,” said Society President Mitchell Posner, MD, the Thomas D. Jones Professor and vice chairman of surgery and section chief of general and oncologic surgery at the University of Chicago Medical Center. “They have helped inspire and inform a nationwide effort to connect all cancer patients with the comprehensive services they need.”

“On behalf of the Duchossois family, it is overwhelmingly humbling to receive such distinguished recognition for the absolute privilege to work on behalf of cancer patients and families as they move through their challenging journeys,” Kimberly Duchossois said. “To be among the many gifted oncological surgeons and have the chance to express deep gratitude for their critical role in a cancer patient’s well being is truly a gift.”

The family’s dedication to cancer care, and to cancer patients, began in 1980 when Beverly Duchossois–Richard’s wife and Kim’s mother–died of cancer at age 57. Since then, the entire family has made steady and significant contributions to cancer research and patient support services.

A young mother at the time of Beverly’s death, Kim is now 57. “She tells me she often imagines how different the outcome might have been if Beverly had been diagnosed today,” Posner said. “The field has progressed rapidly and we now have so many more treatment tools.”

To help newly diagnosed patients understand their options and gain access to the best possible care, Kim and her family made the first of two transformational gifts in 2003 to create and endow the American Cancer Society Patient Navigation Services™. Although initially restricted to Chicago, Patient Navigation Services have now rolled out nationwide to serve the millions who will face a cancer diagnosis.

Navigators guide and support cancer patients, their families and caregivers throughout the difficult and complicated process of dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Services in the program range from counseling and transportation to state-of-the-art cancer care and treatment options.

Navigators are especially valuable for those who have difficulty accessing quality care and support. They can provide individualized assistance to patients, families, and caregivers; facilitate timely access to quality medical and psychosocial care; and help patients overcome health care system barriers.

“This is a golden opportunity to encourage many cancer specialists to make use of the vital human services available to them–and their patients–through the American Cancer Society’s Patient Navigation Services, which profoundly complements their scientific expertise,” Duchossois said.

“Thanks to support from Kim and her family for this approach,” Posner said, “the American Cancer Society reached more than 31,000 new cancer patients in Illinois alone in 2010 and 500,000 patients and their caregivers across the country with comprehensive services. This effort is invaluable in addressing the cancer patient’s needs in a comprehensive manner, which is what they need and deserve.”

The Duchossois Family Foundation, under Kim’s guidance, empowers cancer researchers and those facing cancer at all levels, Posner said. “It supports scholars and academic institutions, but it also helps those in family and social services, and those facing end-of-life issues.”

With more than 2,500 members, the Society of Surgical Oncology is dedicated to improving cancer care and advancing the science and practice of cancer surgery worldwide. Created by James Ewing, the founder of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, it is the pre-eminent professional society for physicians who specialize in surgical treatment of all types of solid tumors.

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Cancer surgery society awards top honor to Kimberly Duchossois | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Interventional Radiologists Revolutionize Modern Medicine: Latest Minimally Invasive Treatments Featured at SIR’s 36th Annual Scientific Meeting March 26–31 in Chicago, Ill.

FAIRFAX, Va., March 3, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — The Society of Interventional Radiology will feature minimally invasive scientific advances and new discoveries in treating a host of diseases at its 36th Annual Scientific Meeting March 26–31 at McCormick Place (West) in Chicago, Ill. The theme of the meeting is “IR Rising: Leading Image-guided Medicine,” chosen to reflect interventional radiology’s continued revolutionizing of modern medicine.

(Logo: http://photos.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/prnh/20100127/SIRLOGO )

More than 5,000 physicians, scientists and allied health professionals are expected to attend this premier interventional radiology event. Central to the meeting’s theme of “IR Rising” will be the presentation of researched data on the impact of high-quality, more efficient medical treatments in advancing patient care. Nearly 400 scientific presentations and posters covering the latest trends in interventional radiology research and approximately 150 technical exhibits and product demonstrations will be showcased during the Annual Scientific Meeting.

Several hot topic sessions are detailed below.

March 27: Multidisciplinary Treatment of Liver Metastases will focus on various treatment options of colorectal and other liver metastases, examining embolic and ablative therapies.

March 28: A categorical course will explore chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency in individuals with multiple sclerosis. This session includes presenters Paolo Zamboni, M.D., an Italian doctor who published the study suggesting that a blockage in the veins that drain blood from the brain and spinal cord and return it to the heart (CCSVI) might contribute to MS and its symptoms; Sandy McDonald, M.D., a cardiovascular surgeon from Barrie, Ontario, Canada; Gary P. Siskin, M.D., FSIR, an interventional radiologist and chair of the radiology department at Albany Medical Center, Albany, N.Y.; E. Mark Haacke, Ph.D., director of the MRI Institute for Biomedical Research and director of Harper University Hospital Magnetic Resonance Imaging Facility, both in Detroit, Mich.; and Michael Dake, M.D., an interventional radiologist and Thelma and Henry Doelger Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, Calif. Frontiers in Interventional Oncology will explore current and future clinical practice, imaging methods and targeted treatments with today’s leading researchers, including Jeff H. Geschwind, M.D., FSIR, professor of radiology, surgery and oncology and director of vascular and interventional radiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md.; William S. Rilling, M.D., FSIR, professor of radiology and surgery and director, vascular and interventional radiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Riccardo Lencioni, M.D., associate professor of radiology at the University of Pisa in Italy and director of the division of diagnostic imaging and intervention at Pisa University Hospital; and Riad Salem, M.D., MBA, FSIR, professor of radiology, medicine and surgery, and director, interventional oncology, division of interventional radiology, department of radiology at Northwestern University in Chicago, Ill.

March 29: Jeanne M. LaBerge, M.D., FSIR, a clinician researcher and professor for more than 20 years at the University of California–San Francisco, will address “Data Integration in IR — A Pressing Challenge for Our Time” as the 2011 Dr. Charles T. Dotter lecturer. This lecture honor, supported by SIR Foundation, acknowledges an interventional radiologist’s extraordinary contributions to the field, dedicated service to SIR and distinguished career achievements in interventional radiology. Interventional radiology pioneers Andrew B. Crummy, M.D., FSIR, and Gordon K. McLean, M.D., FSIR — along with Peter B. Lauer, CAE, past executive director of SIR (posthumous) — will each be awarded SIR’s Gold Medal, an honor given to those who have helped ensure the future of interventional radiology by advancing the quality of medicine and patient care. Nanotechnology Applications for Interventional Oncology will examine why and how nanotechnology will play a role in the future of interventional radiology, and High-quality, More Efficient Care — Rising Opportunities for IR will review the current state and potential future impact of quality improvement in national health care reform and interventional radiology.

March 30: Controversies of the past year will be debated in The (Sterile) Gloves Are Off: use of drug-eluting beads vs. chemoembolization to treat regional hepatic tumors; CCSVI: evidence and clinical benefits; and indications for nonretrievable filters. Interventional Oncology — Under the Microscope will explore how advances in molecular and cellular biology are driving fundamental changes in the understanding and practice of oncology.

Speakers include John Combes, M.D., president, Center for Healthcare Governance/American Hospital Association, “Health Care Reform — One Year Later, What Do We Know?”; Mark A. Crafton, executive director, the Joint Commission, “Organizational Culture and Effective Management: Lessons From High-performing Hospitals”; and William Pritchard, M.D., Ph.D., medical officer at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Tools of the Trade” workshop.

Other sessions will cover the current and future role of interventional radiology in the management of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, especially relevant since March is DVT Awareness Month.

To register for the SIR Annual Scientific Meeting, visit www.SIRmeeting.org.

For more information about the Society of Interventional Radiology and its 36th Annual Scientific Meeting, visit online at www.SIRweb.org or www.SIRmeeting.org.

About the Society of Interventional Radiology

Interventional radiologists are physicians who specialize in minimally invasive, targeted treatments. They offer the most in-depth knowledge of the least invasive treatments available coupled with diagnostic and clinical experience across all specialties. They use X-ray, MRI and other imaging to advance a catheter in the body, such as in an artery, to treat at the source of the disease internally. As the inventors of angioplasty and the catheter-delivered stent, which were first used in the legs to treat peripheral arterial disease, interventional radiologists pioneered minimally invasive modern medicine. Today, interventional oncology is a growing specialty area of interventional radiology. Interventional radiologists can deliver treatments for cancer directly to the tumor without significant side effects or damage to nearby normal tissue.

Many conditions that once required surgery can be treated less invasively by interventional radiologists. Interventional radiology treatments offer less risk, less pain and less recovery time compared to open surgery. Visit www.SIRweb.org.

The Society of Interventional Radiology is holding its 36th Annual Scientific Meeting March 26–31 at McCormick Place (West Building) in Chicago, Ill. The theme of the meeting is “IR Rising: Leading Image-guided Medicine,” chosen to reflect interventional radiology’s continued revolutionizing of modern medicine.

SOURCE Society of Interventional Radiology

http://www.sirweb.org
http://www.sirmeeting.org/

Society of Interventional Radiology Showcases High-quality, Efficient Medical Treatments | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

EVERGREEN PARK, Ill., Jan. 21, 2011 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Little Company of Mary Hospital and Health Care Centers is proud to announce five physicians on staff at the Hospital were honored in the Chicago Magazine’s Top Doctors issue.

Chicago Magazine’s list of the area’s top doctors was compiled by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., which publishes a number of guides to the country’s outstanding physicians. Castle Connolly’s physician-led team of researchers follows a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels.

Little Company of Mary proudly congratulates the more-than-500 physicians who come from all over the Chicagoland area to practice at the Hospital and are certified in a wide array of specialties. In many cases, Little Company of Mary is a family affair, with multiple generations of practicing physicians. Through the years, many talented men and women have lent their hearts, minds and hands to make the southwest area of Chicago a healthier place to live. Please join us in saluting the following physicians:

CARDIOLOGY

DR. DANIEL A. ROWAN – Angioplasty and stents; cholesterol/lipid disorders; Medical Staff President at Little Company of Mary Hospital

DR. THOMAS QUINN – Geriatric cardiology; echocardiography; coronary artery disease

MATERNAL AND FETAL MEDICINE

DR. STEVEN AMBROSE – Ultrasound prenatal diagnosis; high-risk pregnancy

DR. HOWARD O. GRUNDY – Ultrasound

GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY

DR. JACOB ROTMENSCH – Gynecologic cancer; ovarian cancer; cervical cancer

Little Company of Mary has made it easier for patients to make appointments to be treated by the Chicago’s top docs by creating PhysicianMatch®, a free community physician referral service that includes many of the physicians on staff at Little Company of Mary. The PhysicianMatch database contains information you really need to know about a physician, such as what languages she speaks, what types of patients he sees, how many years he’s been in practice, if she makes house calls and nursing home visits, and if her office offers wheelchair access. PhysicianMatch is a free service available by calling 708-423-3070 and talking with one of our friendly staff members.

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Little Company of Mary Hospital and Health Care Centers

Little Company of Mary Physicians Named Among Chicago’s Best | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Calls on U.S. House to join Senate and stop Medicare doctor pay cut

CHICAGO, Dec. 8, 2010 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ – AARP Illinois Senior State Director Bob Gallo today released a statement applauding the U.S. Senate for passing legislation that will preserve access to doctors for people in Medicare by stopping a scheduled 25 percent cut in reimbursement.  The statement follows:

“We thank the U.S. Senate for working together on a bipartisan basis to stop a drastic pay cut to physicians treating people in Medicare.  By stopping the cut for a year, the Senate has given seniors peace of mind that they can continue to see the doctor they trust.  

“We now call on the U.S. House to act swiftly and pass this legislation.  Without action in the House, doctors in Medicare will face a 25 percent pay cut on January 1, which could drive more doctors out of Medicare.    

“On behalf of the 1.8 million Illinoisans in Medicare and the over 47,000 doctors and other professionals caring for them, we thank the U.S. Senate for protecting seniors’ access to their doctors and urge the U.S. House to do the same.  

“Over the past three weeks, thousands of AARP activists in Illinois have contacted their Members of Congress, generating over 2,400 calls and over 1,700 emails to express the importance of a stable physician payment system.  But our work is far from over.

“We renew our call on Congress to make replacing this unstable payment system an urgent priority next year so we can ensure greater stability for the doctor-patient relationship in Medicare.”

For more information, visit www.aarp.org/il.

SOURCE AARP Illinois

http://www.aarp.org

AARP Illinois Applauds U.S. Senate for Preserving Access to Doctors for People in Medicare | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CHICAGO, Nov. 4, 2010 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — The Board of Trustees of the American Medical Association (AMA) and Michael Maves, MD, MBA, Executive Vice President, Chief Executive Officer, have mutually decided that Dr. Maves will complete his successful leadership of the AMA when his current contract ends on June 30, 2011.  Dr. Maves has served in this role since 2001.

“Under Dr. Maves’ leadership, the American Medical Association restored its financial stability, weathered the recession and implemented a number of critical initiatives to improve quality of care, increase access to care and establish a fair system of payment for physicians within the Medicare program.  We thank him for his many years of distinguished service,” said Ardis Hoven, MD, Chair of the Board of Trustees.  ”As we enter into a new era that is redefining the way health care is delivered, both Dr. Maves and the Board of Trustees share the belief that new top leadership is required to address these challenges and to ensure the rights of patients and physicians are passionately and effectively protected.”

During his tenure, Dr. Maves personally led important multi-association efforts such as the “Scope of Practice Partnership,” a coalition of national medical specialty organizations and state medical societies established by the AMA to clarify the roles and capabilities of non-physician health care providers.  The AMA’s House of Delegates also took a number of positions related to various aspects of health system reform.  Working under the direction of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Maves ably led the management team in carrying out those directives.

“I have proudly served the AMA and its members for nearly nine years.  The end of my current contract in June 2011 presents a natural opportunity to transition the leadership of the AMA to a new physician executive,” said Dr. Maves.  ”I am tremendously thankful for the opportunity to have worked alongside such an exceptional team of professionals.  They are unwavering in their commitment to helping doctors help patients, and I intend to remain fully engaged in our shared mission.”

The Board of Trustees will engage an executive search firm to identify the next physician executive to lead the AMA and expects a new Executive Vice President, CEO to be in place by the conclusion of Dr. Maves’ contract.  In the interim, Bernard Hengesbaugh, Chief Operating Officer, will partner with Dr. Maves to ensure a seamless transition.  No additional executive changes are expected.

About the American Medical Association (AMA)

The American Medical Association helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional, public health and health policy issues.  The nation’s largest physician organization plays a leading role in shaping the future of medicine.  For more information on the AMA, please visit www.ama-assn.org. Follow AMA on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AmerMedicalAssn

SOURCE American Medical Association

http://www.ama-assn.org/

Michael Maves, MD, MBA, Executive Vice President and CEO, to Leave the AMA on June 30, 2011 | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

PFF Call on Patients, Families, and Supporters to Contact Congress and Urge Support for S. 3703 and H.R. 1079

CHICAGO, Aug. 19 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) today expressed its support for the 2010 National Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week activities, to be held from September 11-18, 2010 in Washington D.C.  National PF Week has been held annually since 2003, and seeks to raises awareness of pulmonary fibrosis with Members of Congress and their staffs, as well as local and national media.

“This is a critically important year for the patients, families, caregivers, and physicians affiliated with the PFF to actively participate in our advocacy efforts during Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week”, said Daniel Rose, MD, President of the PFF.  “The introduction of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act (PFREA, or S. 3703) in the U.S. Senate by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) is an important step towards seeking new understanding of pulmonary fibrosis and find new treatments for this severe disease by establishing the first national patient registry.”

A companion Act (H.R. 1079) was introduced in the House of Representatives this year by Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) and Mike Castle (R-DE).  H.R. 1079 has gained significant bi-partisan support, and currently has 136 bipartisan co-sponsors.

Both Houses of Congress have previously passed legislation expressing the need for increased attention and research funding in pulmonary fibrosis. Concurrent resolutions H. Con. Res. 182 (House) and Sen. Con. Res. 42 (Senate) were passed during the 108^th Congress in 2007. The PFREA would be the first legislation of its kind to specifically authorize funding to achieve the goals of each House’s concurrent resolution.

“Now is the time for our membership to take action on this important legislation,” said Leanne Storch, Executive Director of the PFF.  “The simple act of calling or emailing your Member of Congress to ask for their support of S. 3703 and H.R. 1079 can have a substantial impact on the success of this Bill, while supporting the goals of PF Awareness Week.”

Both bills are in need of new co-sponsors to ensure passage in the current session of Congress, which ends on October 8, 2010.

The PFF is asking every PF patient, family member, or others who have been impacted by pulmonary fibrosis to help secure additional co-sponsors of the PFREA by contacting both their Representative and Senator in the coming weeks. Complete information on this advocacy effort is available on the home page of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation at www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org. Interested advocates without internet access can contact the Capitol Hill Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to be connected to your representative’s office, or contact the PFF directly at 888-PFF-ORG1 (888-733-6741) to learn how to contact their Senator or Representative.

About the Pulmonary Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act (S.3703, H.R. 1079)

The PFREA authorizes $16 million to establish the first national patient registry for pulmonary fibrosis (PF), establish a national PF advisory board, and call for a national PF education and awareness plan for this deadly disease. The PFREA would also amend the Public Health Service Act to encourage the National Institutes of Health to expand, intensify, and coordinate the activities of the Institute with respect to research on PF, as appropriate.  The PFREA was previously introduced in the United States House of Representatives (H.R. 1079) in 2008 and 2009 by Representatives Brian Baird (D-WA) and Michael Castle (R-DE). The House bill currently has 136 bi-partisan co-sponsors (including 96 Democrats and 40 Republicans). Action on the House bill is pending in the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health.

About Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF)

According to the National Institutes for Health (NIH), PF is a condition in which over a period of time the lung tissue becomes thickened, stiff, and scarred. The development of the scar tissue is called fibrosis. As the lung tissue becomes scarred and thicker, the lungs lose their ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream. As a result, the brain and other organs don’t get the oxygen they need. In some cases, doctors can determine the cause of the fibrosis, but in most cases, there is not a known cause. When there is no known etiology for the fibrosis (and certain pathologic criteria are met) the disease is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or PF. PF affects approximately 200,000 Americans and an estimated 40,000 Americans pass away from PF each year.

About the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to find a cure for pulmonary fibrosis (PF) by funding research, advocating for pulmonary fibrosis issues, promoting disease awareness, and providing a compassionate environment for supporting patients and their loved ones. We aim to accomplish this by working with the medical community to drive new research, increase research funding, by representing the needs of our constituents in Washington DC through national advocacy, and by developing caring relationships with patients and their families throughout the course of their disease. Since the inception of the Foundation, it has funded or is committed to fund $3,000,000 in basic research. For more information please visit www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org or call (888) 733-6741.

Contact: Matt Derda of PFF, 312-239-6628

SOURCE The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation

http://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org

Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Supports Goals of 2010 National Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Physicians will write prescriptions for healthy foods that will be discounted at select Walgreens food desert locations

CHICAGO, Aug. 11 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — One of the most important—and easiest—ways to control diabetes is through healthy diet and exercise.  In an effort to raise general awareness about the benefits of healthy eating, Northwestern Medicine, Walgreens Corp. and Near North Health Service have launched their new Food Oasis program. Called Greenlight Select, the pilot targets diabetic patients of Near North to receive prescriptions for healthy foods that are redeemable for discounts at select Walgreens food desert locations.

“We view our Food Oasis offering with Walgreens as a way to meaningfully expand on our 40-year partnership with Near North and to provide added support to patients in our Diabetes Collaborative,” said Dean M. Harrison, President and CEO of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, partner in Northwestern Medicine and parent to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “With more convenient access to healthier foods and health education programs, we believe Food Oasis could ultimately help improve health care outcomes for thousands across the city. We are hopeful this program can be expanded to patients with hypertension, obesity and much more.”

The program combines the “food oases” of Walgreens’ new fresh markets and the educational backdrop of the Diabetes Collaborative, Northwestern’s and Near North’s 5-year-old program that teaches diabetics how to control their illness through a healthy lifestyle.  Through a $2 million grant, Northwestern Medicine researchers developed educational modules and worked with Near North to construct two, full-scale mock grocery stores within two of the federally qualified health center’s community clinics—one being the Komed Holman Health Center where food prescriptions will emanate.  To launch the pilot, prescriptions will only be redeemable at Walgreen’s 67th and Stony Island location.

Walgreens has redesigned 10 of its stores on Chicago’s South and West Sides to include more than 750 new food items including fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen meats and fish, pasta, rice, beans, eggs, whole grain cereals and other healthy meal components.

Greenlight Select strives to incentivize diabetics to apply the teachings of the Diabetes Collaborative and follow through on making better food choices. Experts have declared that roughly 633,000 of Chicago’s 3 million residents live in food deserts, or neighborhoods either lacking or too far away from conventional supermarkets.  

For more information, please visit us online at http://www.nmh.org.

About Northwestern Memorial HealthCare

Northwestern Memorial HealthCare is the parent corporation of Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital, an 854-bed academic medical center hospital and Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, a 215-bed community hospital located in Lake Forest, Illinois. 

About Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Northwestern Memorial Hospital is one of the country’s premier academic medical centers and is the primary teaching hospital of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.  Along with its Prentice Women’s Hospital and Stone Institute of Psychiatry, the hospital comprises 854 beds, 1,603 affiliated physicians and 7,144 employees.  Northwestern Memorial is recognized for providing exemplary patient care and state-of-the art advancements in the areas of cardiovascular care; women’s health; oncology; neurology and neurosurgery; solid organ and soft tissue transplants and orthopaedics.

Northwestern Memorial possesses nursing Magnet Status, the nation’s highest recognition for patient care and nursing excellence, and it is listed in 12 clinical specialties in U.S. News & World Report’s 2010 “America’s Best Hospitals” guide. For 10 years running, it has been rated among the “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” guide by Working Mother magazine. The hospital is a recipient of the prestigious National Quality Health Care Award and has been chosen by Chicagoans as the Consumer Choice according to the National Research Corporation’s annual survey for 11 years.  

SOURCE Northwestern Memorial Hospital

http://www.nmh.org

Northwestern Medicine, Walgreens and Near North Health Service Team up to Combat Diabetes in Chicago’s Food Deserts | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Advocacy Leaders, Renowned Physicians, and Actor Patrick Dempsey Spur Dialogue and Inspire Action in First-of-Its-Kind Roundtable Event

CHICAGO, June 5 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Eminent leaders and thinkers in the cancer community came together yesterday at the 2010 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting for a first-of-its-kind roundtable event. The session, sponsored by Amgen and its Breakaway from Cancer® initiative, was designed to highlight potential areas for improvement throughout the spectrum of cancer care, and inspire action by establishing several calls-to-action for the cancer community and health policymakers.

Cancer has an enormous impact on individuals, their families and society; in 2009 alone, approximately 1.5 million Americans were newly diagnosed with cancer. The entire landscape of healthcare in the United States (U.S.) is undergoing a legislation-inspired metamorphosis, creating both challenges and opportunities for cancer patients, their caregivers and healthcare professionals. Experts agree that cancer care in the U.S. needs to continue to evolve in order to achieve greater balance and help ensure patients receive the best possible care across every stage of their journey.

Founded in 2005 by Amgen, Breakaway from Cancer® (BFC) is a national initiative to increase awareness of important resources available to people affected by cancer — from prevention through survivorship. BFC represents a partnership between Amgen and four nonprofit organizations dedicated to empowering patients and caregivers through education, resources and hope.

The roundtable event featured leaders from each of the four BFC partner organizations; distinguished community and academic oncologists, Drs. Lee Schwartzberg and John Marshall; and special guest speaker Patrick Dempsey, actor and founder of the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing, who joined the meeting virtually via videoconference. The event was moderated by Susan Dentzer, Editor-in-Chief of Health Affairs and contributor to PBS NewsHour.

“My awakening to the realities of cancer began in 1997 when my mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer,” said Patrick Dempsey.  ”During her illness I found out how important it is to have access to good, reliable resources to help the patient, family members and caregivers. After this experience, I knew that I wanted to make a difference, to give back to the community that helped my mom through her cancer journey and I have supported the Breakaway from Cancer initiative since 2007. I hope the roundtable discussion held at the ASCO meeting will help spread awareness about the importance of education, support and wellness services to cancer patients.”

Discussion at the event focused on each stage of the cancer continuum, and evoked the following calls-to-action:

Prevention and Screening

Most people don’t realize the power they possess and don’t know that more than half of all cancers could be avoided by lifestyle choices. Prevention is the one area in the cancer care arena that the individual retains the most power and the ability to markedly alter the course of their health – if they choose to.

“In order to mount a successful fight against cancer, it’s crucial to focus on people who haven’t become patients. We need a more collaborative approach to prevent cancer,” Carolyn “Bo” Aldige, president and founder, Prevent Cancer Foundation. “We must help everyone understand that to a large extent, they are the architects of their own health.”

A close relative of prevention is screening and early detection of cancer. If cancers can be detected in early stages, the likelihood of successful treatment is far greater. Therefore screening guidelines should be easy for the average person to understand and discuss with their regular health care provider. When debates over screening recommendations are hashed out in public, the science is often lost on members of the public, who sometimes opt to do nothing – a dangerous proposition.

Delivery and Access to Quality Cancer Care

Countless advances in cancer treatment, detection and prevention have transformed the disease that was once considered an automatic terminal diagnosis to one that is often manageable and sometimes curable. However, patients can only reap the benefits of advances if they have reliable access to quality cancer care based on evidence, regardless of where they receive treatment.

“Our nation has realized that doing research at the bench only brings value to society if it can be brought to the bedside and touch the lives of patients, improving their health and wellness,” said Nancy Davenport-Ennis, founder and chief executive officer, Patient Advocate Foundation. “We hope the new healthcare reform law will provide benefits to cancer patients by eliminating restrictions on pre-existing conditions and lifetime coverage caps, providing access to care for those who are currently unable to receive it and capping annual out of pocket expenses. We will be monitoring the implementation of the law closely to ensure that the rights of cancer patients are protected.”

It is also important that a patient advocate or navigator is available to explain treatment options and next steps – at every step along the cancer care continuum. In addition, patients must receive cohesive, coordinated care that is seamless, affordable and delivered by an integrated, multidisciplinary team that may include oncologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, nurses, psychiatrists, social workers and nutritionists.

Providing comprehensive, quality care goes beyond simply offering an array of services. It focuses on making those services readily accessible to patients, helping them utilize the services based on their individual needs and guiding patients throughout their journey.

Patient Support and Survivorship

Caring for the whole patient and delivering quality care includes tackling the cancer as well as ensuring the patient’s emotional wellness.

Cancer’s toll can go beyond the physical impact. It is essential that those fighting this disease are screened to determine whether psychosocial services are indicated, and that these services are readily available, paid for and fully coordinated.

“We are all dedicated to creating seamless, integrated care and overcoming the silos and fragmentation to make the cancer experience a little easier for families and patients,” said Kim Thiboldeaux, president and chief executive officer, Cancer Support Community. “We are committed to ensuring that all patients have access to quality cancer care in this country.”

“Each cancer patient should receive a treatment plan complete with a list of potential side effects, a treatment summary of all past treatments and a post-treatment survivorship care plan,” said Thomas P. Sellers, president and chief executive officer, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. “It is unfortunate that most patients aren’t privy to that type of well-coordinated care. We need to empower patients to demand it.”

Patients should also be made aware – in a systematic fashion – of the free support and services that are available from advocacy groups (such as those that make-up the BFC coalition), but it is important that resources are presented in a way that does not overwhelm the patient.

“This roundtable event was a very important step in creating a venue where leaders in the cancer community could come together to discuss these key issues emerging for patients today,” said Stuart Arbuckle, vice president and general manager, Amgen Oncology.  ”We look forward to continuing to work with the Breakaway from Cancer team on initiatives that will continue to drive this dialogue, and inspire action in order to provide patients and their families with the best possible care.”

More information about Breakaway from Cancer, including valuable resources offered by Amgen’s partners, is available at www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

About Breakaway from Cancer

Founded in 2005 by Amgen as a complementary component to the company’s title sponsorship of the Amgen Tour of California, Breakaway from Cancer® is designed to help empower people affected by cancer. Breakaway from Cancer supports the services of four nonprofit organizations: Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community (formed by the merger of The Wellness Community and Gilda’s Club), Patient Advocate Foundation and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. For more information, please visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

About Amgen

Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science’s promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses. With a broad and deep pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people’s lives. To learn more about Amgen’s pioneering science and vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com.

About Prevent Cancer Foundation

Prevent Cancer Foundation was started in 1985. Today, it is one of the nation’s leading health organizations and has catapulted cancer prevention to prominence. Through healthy lifestyle choices, you can reduce your risk of breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, oral, prostate, skin and testicular cancers.

Since its inception the Foundation has provided more than $113 million in support of cancer prevention and early detection research, education and community outreach programs. The Foundation’s peer-reviewed grants have been awarded to nearly 450 scientists from more than 150 of the leading academic medical centers nationwide. This research has been pivotal in developing a body of knowledge that is the basis for important cancer prevention and early detection strategies. For more information, please visit www.preventcancer.org.

About Cancer Support Community

Backed by evidence that the best cancer care includes emotional and social support, Cancer Support Community offers these services to all people affected by cancer. Likely the largest professionally-led network of cancer support worldwide, the organization delivers a comprehensive menu of personalized and essential services. Because no cancer care plan is complete without emotional and social support, Cancer Support Community has a vibrant network of community-based centers and online services run by trained and licensed professionals. For more information, visit www.cancersupportcommunity.org.

In July 2009, The Wellness Community and Gilda’s Club joined forces to become the Cancer Support Community. The combined organization provides high-quality psychological and social support through a network of nearly 50 local affiliates, more than 100 satellite locations and online.

About Patient Advocate Foundation

Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) was established in 1996 as a national 501(c)3 organization with a mission of removing obstacles to accessing health care for people with chronic, life threatening, and/or debilitating illnesses assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of their financial stability. Through the work of professional case management staff, patients have come to rely upon PAF as the providers of direct mediation, negotiation, and arbitration support.  Additionally, educational materials directly related to patients’ specific issues are included.  PAF specializes in insurance appeals, pre-authorization, coding, billing, social security disability income access (SSDI), and medical debt crisis resolution. For more information, visit www.patientadvocate.org.

About National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship

NCCS advocates for quality cancer care for all Americans and provides tools that empower people affected by cancer to advocate for themselves. Founded by and for cancer survivors, NCCS created the widely accepted definition of survivorship and considers someone a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis through the balance of life. Its free publications and resources include the award-winning Cancer Survival Toolbox www.canceradvocacy.org/toolbox, a self-learning audio program created by leading cancer organizations to help people develop essential skills to meet the challenges of their illness. More information is available at www.canceradvocacy.org or 1-888-650-9127.

(Logo:  http://photos.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/prnh/20081015/AMGENLOGO)

SOURCE Amgen

http://www.amgen.comhttp://www.breakawayfromcancer.comhttp://www.preventcancer.orghttp://www.cancersupportcommunity.orghttp://www.patientadvocate.orghttp://www.canceradvocacy.org

Striking the Balance: Community Experts Come Together for High-Level Dialogue on Cancer Care | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

When Kelly Arellanes fell off a horse and suffered a severe head injury in rural Arkansas, medics said she would need to be airlifted immediately to the nearest hospital — 50 miles away in Fort Smith. There, emergency surgery saved her life — but at a cost.

The hospital wasn’t in her insurance network, so she and her husband ended up with $20,000 in out-of-pocket expenses that they wouldn’t have incurred at their network hospitals 150 miles away in Little Rock.

If the new health law had already been enacted, Arellanes wouldn’t have had such a big emergency bill. Under the law, insurance companies must extend several new protections to patients who receive emergency care. One of the biggest guarantees: insurance companies can no longer pay less for emergency care at “out of network” hospitals — the hospitals with which they don’t have prior financial arrangements.

The equal coverage guarantee “was a major victory for us,” said Angela Gardner, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. “People often can’t stop to check to see if a particular hospital or doctor is in- or out-of-network when they are having an emergency,” she said.

© 2010 This information was reprinted with permission from KHN. KHN is an editorially independent news service and a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health care policy organization that isn’t affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

Patients saved from huge ER bills by new law | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

More than 50 Physicians and Oncology Experts Affiliated with US Oncology Presenting Orals, Posters and Poster Discussions

THE WOODLANDS, Texas, May 20 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — US Oncology, Inc., the nation’s leading integrated oncology company, announced today that two physicians affiliated with US Oncology Research will be honored at the 46th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) held June 4 – 8 at McCormick Place in Chicago.  

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100520/DA08694)

Daniel D. Von Hoff, MD, FACP, is the recipient of the 2010 David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award and Lecture for his outstanding achievements in cancer research and for his impact on the treatment of patients with cancer. Dr. Von Hoff is an internationally recognized physician-scientist who has contributed to the development of numerous anticancer agents, including paclitaxel, docetaxel, irinotecan and gemcitabine. He currently serves as physician-in-chief for the Translational Genomics Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, chief scientific officer at US Oncology and Scottsdale Healthcare, and clinical professor of medicine at The University of Arizona College of Medicine. Dr. Von Hoff also serves as lead physician of the Translational Oncology Program (TOP) for US Oncology. The TOP program offers Phase I clinical trial studies, which often offer first-in-human agents. He is also responsible for bringing many new compounds to US Oncology Research for studies.

John V. Cox, DO, FACP, Texas Oncology is a recipient of the ASCO Statesman Award.  This award recognizes ASCO members for their extraordinary volunteer service, dedication, and commitment to ASCO. Recipients of the 2010 Statesman Award have given 20 years of volunteer service.

In addition, more than 50 physicians affiliated with US Oncology Research and the United Network of US Oncology participated in studies that will be presented in oral and poster presentations at this year’s ASCO. US Oncology Research has a long history of bringing innovative and successful agents to market. To date, US Oncology Research has played a role in the development of 40 FDA approved cancer fighting therapies.

Presentations that US Oncology affiliated physicians are part of include:

Oral Abstracts:

Joyce O’Shaughnessy, MD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center:

Tuesday, June 08,  9:30AM – 12:30 PM (10:45 AM)  E Hall D1

• A meta-analysis of overall survival data from three randomized trials of bevacizumab (BV) and first-line chemotherapy as treatment for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC)

Joanne Blum, MD, PhD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Tuesday, June 08,  9:30 AM – 12:30 PM (9:30 AM) E Hall D1

• A phase III study (EMBRACE) of eribulin mesylate versus treatment of physician’s choice in patients with locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with an anthracycline and a taxane.

Jeff Sharman, MD, Willamette Valley Cancer Institute and Research Center;

Kathryn Kolibaba, MD, Northwest Cancer Specialists – Vancouver Cancer Center

Thomas Boyd, MD, North Star Lodge Cancer Center, Yakima, Wash.

Saturday, June 05,   1:00 – 4:00 PM (3:45 PM)    E354a

• Effect of BTK inhibitor PCI-32765 monotherapy on responses in patients with relapsed aggressive NHL: Evidence of antitumor activity from a phase I study

William R. Berry, MD, Cancer Centers of North Carolina – Raleigh

Sunday, June 06,     9:30 AM – 12:30 PM  (11:15 AM)   E Hall D2

• Docetaxel (D) plus high-dose calcitriol versus D plus prednisone (P) for patients (Pts) with progressive castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC): Results from the phase III ASCENT2 trial.

Late Breaking Oral Presentation:

Michael G. Teneriello, MD, Texas Oncology – Austin Central  

Sunday, June 06,   9:30 AM – 12:30 PM (11:45 AM)   E Arie Crown Theater

• Phase III trial of induction gemcitabine (G) or paclitaxel (T) plus carboplatin (C) followed by elective T consolidation in advanced ovarian cancer (OC): Final safety and efficacy report.

Clinical Science Symposium:

Daniel D. Von Hoff, MD, FACP, US Oncology Research and Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)

Sunday, June 06,   8:00 AM – 9:30 AM (8:45 AM)    E345a

• Phase I dose-escalation study of E6201, a MEK-1 inhibitor, in advanced solid tumors.

Donald A. Richards, MD, PhD, Texas Oncology – Tyler

Monday, June 07,  9:45 AM – 11:15 AM (10:15 AM) E Arie Crown Theater

• Efficacy and safety of farletuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody to folate receptor alpha, in platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer subjects: Final data from a multicenter phase II study.

Poster Discussions:

Michael G. Teneriello, MD, Texas Oncology – Austin Central  

Poster #5  Sunday , June 06,    2:00 PM – 6:00 PM  E450a

Discussion  5:00 PM – 6:00 PM   E Arie Crown Theater

• PRECEDENT: a randomized phase II trial comparing EC145 and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) in combination, versus PLD alone, in subjects with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer  Poster discussion

Mark Fleming, MD, Virginia Oncology Associates – Hampton

Michael Kolodziej, MD, New York Oncology Hematology – Albany Medical Center

Sanjay Awasthi, MD, Texas Oncology – Arlington South

Thomas E. Hutson, DO, PharmD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Danko Martincic, MD, Cancer Care Northwest – Spokane Valley

Guru Sonpavde, MD, Texas Oncology – Deke Slayton Cancer Center

Yunfei Wang; Kristi A. Boehm; Lina Asmar, PhD: US Oncology Research

Poster #12  Monday, June 07,    8:00 AM – 12:00 PM   450a

Discussion 12 – 1 PM    E Hall D2

• Results of a randomized phase II study of mitoxantrone vs mitoxantrone with cetuximab in metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer previously treated with docetaxel-based chemotherapy.  Poster discussion

Donald A. Richards, MD, PhD, Texas Oncology – Tyler

Joe Stephenson, MD, Cancer Centers of The Carolinas

Lawrence E. Garbo, MD, New York Oncology Hematology – Albany Medical Center

Poster #23  Friday, June 04,  2:00PM – 6:00PM E 450b

Discussion   5:00 – 6:00 PM       E354a

• A placebo-controlled, randomized phase II study of conatumumab (C) or AMG 479 (A) or placebo (P) plus gemcitabine (G) in patients (pts) with metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC).

Donald A. Richards, MD, PhD, Texas Oncology – Tyler

Poster #22  Tuesday, June 08, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM    S403

Discussion   11:00 AM – 12:00 PM     S406 (Vista room)

• Final results of a randomized phase II study of perifosine in combination with capecitabine (P-CAP) versus placebo plus capecitabine (CAP) in patients (pts) with second- or third-line metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Donald A. Richards, MD, PhD, Texas Oncology – Tyler

Lawrence E. Garbo, MD, New York Oncology Hematology

Joe Stephenson, MD, Cancer Centers of The Carolinas

Poster #23  Friday, June 04,    2:00 PM – 6:00 PM     E450b

Discussion     5:00 PM – 6:00 PM    E354a

• A placebo-controlled, randomized phase II study of conatumumab (C) or AMG 479 (A) or placebo (P) plus gemcitabine (G) in patients (pts) with metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC).

Robert N. Raju, MD, Dayton Oncology & Hematology – Kettering

Poster #15  Saturday, June 05,   8:00 AM – 12:00 PM E450a

Discussion      12:00 PM – 1:00 PM     E354a

• A phase I dose-escalation study of the Hsp90 inhibitor STA-9090 administered once weekly in patients with solid tumors.

Michael G. Teneriello, MD, Texas Oncology – Austin Central

Poster #5  Sunday, June 06,   2:00 PM – 6:00 PM E450a

Discussion   5:00 PM – 6:00 PM    E Arie Crown Theater

• PRECEDENT: a randomized phase II trial comparing EC145 and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) in combination, versus PLD alone, in subjects with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer

Patrick J. Flynn, MD, Minnesota Oncology – Minneapolis

Poster #1  Tuesday, June 08,   8:00 AM – 12:00 PM E450a

Discussion    11:00 AM – 12:00 PM   E353

• Evaluation of a urea/lactic acid-based topical keratolytic agent (ULABTKA) for prevention of capecitabine-induced hand and foot syndrome (HFS): NCCTG trial N05C5.

Patrick J. Flynn, MD, Minnesota Oncology – Minneapolis

Poster #10  Saturday, June 05,    8:00 AM – 12:00 PM     S103

Discussion   12:00 PM – 1:00 PM     S100b

• NCCTG phase II trial of bevacizumab in combination with sorafenib in recurrent GBM

General Posters:

Matthew Galsky, MD, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada – Twain

Guru Sonpavde, MD, Texas Oncology – Deke Slayton Cancer Center

Beth Hellerstedt, MD, Texas Oncology – Austin Central

Scott McKenney, MD, Texas Oncology – Mamie McFadden Ward Cancer Center Beaumont

Thomas E. Hutson, DO, PharmD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Mary A. Rauch; Yunfei Wang; Kristi A. Boehm; Lina Asmar, PhD: US Oncology Research

Poster #1H  Monday, June 07,  1:00 PM – 5:00 PM    S Hall A2

• Phase II study of gemcitabine, cisplatin, and sunitinib in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma.  

David McCollum, MD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Darren M. Kocs, MD, Texas Oncology – Round Rock

Punit Chadha, MD, Texas Oncology – South Austin

Donald A. Richards, MD, PhD, Texas Oncology – Tyler

Yunfei Wang; Kristi A. Boehm; Lina Asmar, PhD: US Oncology Research

Poster #14D  Sunday, June 06,  2:00 PM – 6:00 PM      S Hall A2

• A randomized Phase II trial of preoperative chemoradiotherapy with or without cetuximab in locally-advanced adenocarcinoma of the rectum.

Thomas H. Cartwright, MD, Ocala Oncology Center

Matthew Clayton; Jody Garey, PharmD; Kristi A. Boehm, US Oncology Research on behalf of US Oncology Pathways Task Force

Poster #13C  Sunday, June 06,  2:00 PM – 6:00 PM  S Hall A2

• Use of an Electronic Health Record (iKnowMed), in conjunction with evidence-based pathways, permits more complete data capture for outcome measurement in colorectal cancer patients treated with 1st-line therapy in the US Oncology network.

Marcus A. Neubauer, MD, Kansas City Cancer Center – Southwest

Debra A. Patt, MD, Texas Oncology – Austin Central

Janet L. Espirito, PharmD; Matthew Clayton; US Oncology Pathways Task Force

Poster #27G  Monday, June 07,   1:00 PM – 5:00 PM    S Hall A2

• Combination vs. sequential chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer: An evaluation of outcomes from a community oncology network.

Susan N. Hoang, PharmD; Innovent Oncology

J. Russell Hoverman, MD, Texas Oncology

Brian Turnwald; US Oncology Pathways Task Force

Poster #34A  Monday, June 07,      1:00 PM – 5:00 PM      S Hall A2

• 2nd line pancreatic cancer therapy: Patterns of care and survival.

Thomas E. Hutson, DO, PharmD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Poster #7A  Monday, June 07,   1:00 PM – 5:00 PM    S Hall A2

• Long-term sorafenib safety profile in > 700 patients with renal cell carcinoma treated for 12 to 42 months.

Thomas E. Hutson, DO, PharmD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Poster #5H  Monday, June 07,   1:00 PM – 5:00 PM    S Hall A2

• Sorafenib (SOR) safety profile in >4600 patients (pts) with renal cell carcinoma (RCC): assessment at 3-month (mo) intervals using an integrated database of 8 company-sponsored studies

Steve K. Gruschkus, PhD; Clara Chen; Michael T. Forsyth: US Oncology

Poster #20C  Saturday,  June 05     2:00 PM – 6:00 PM     S Hall A2

• First line patterns of care and outcomes of HER2 (+) breast cancer patients who progressed after receiving adjuvant trastuzumab in the outpatient community setting.

J. Russell Hoverman, MD, Texas Oncology

Steve K. Gruschkus, PhD; Michael T. Forsyth; Clara Chen: US Oncology

Poster #35D  Monday, June 07,     1:00 PM – 5:00 PM     S Hall A2

• Impact of comorbidities on clinical and economic outcomes among patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving care in the community-based outpatient setting.

Mary Ann K. Allison, MD, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada

Poster #14D  Monday, June 07,   8:00 AM – 12:00 PM    S Hall A2

• Phase I study of PD 0332991, cyclin-D kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitor in combination with letrozole for first-line treatment of patients with ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.

Allen L. Cohn, MD, Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Poster #8F  Saturday,  June 05    2:00 PM – 6:00 PM    S Hall A2

• Bevacizumab (BV) plus chemotherapy (CT) in second-line metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC): Initial results from ARIES, a second BV observational cohort study (OCS).

Joyce O’Shaughnessy, MD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Jessica D. Jensen; Lina Asmar, PhD: US Oncology Research

Poster #24A  Saturday, June 05,   2:00 PM – 6:00 PM    S Hall A2

• Candidate predictive biomarkers of cetuximab benefit in triple-negative breast cancer

Allen L. Cohn, MD, Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Poster #8G  Saturday, June 05    2:00 PM – 6:00 PM   S Hall A2

• Clinical outcomes in bevacizumab (BV)-treated patients (pts) with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC): Results from ARIES observational cohort study (OCS) and confirmation of BRiTE data on BV beyond progression (BBP).

Thomas E. Hutson, DO, PharmD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Poster #4E  Monday, June 07,    1:00 PM – 5:00 PM    S Hall A2

• TWiST analysis to estimate overall benefit for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients (pts) treated in a phase 3 trial of sunitinib vs. interferon-alfa (IFN-a)

Nicholas Robert, MD, Fairfax-Northern Virginia Hematology-Oncology

Poster #17H  Saturday, June 05,     2:00 PM – 6:00 PM     S Hall A2

• Efficacy of capecitabine (C)-based therapy in patients with first-line metastatic breast cancer (MBC) previously treated with adjuvant anthracyclines and taxanes.

Daniel Von Hoff, MD, FACP, US Oncology Research and Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)

Poster #1C  Monday, June 07,    8:00 AM – 12:00 PM    S Hall A2

• A first-in-human phase I study to evaluate the pan-PI3K inhibitor GDC-0941 administered QD or BID in patients with advanced solid tumors.

Guru Sonpavde, MD, Texas Oncology – Deke Slayton Cancer Center

Poster #2C  Monday, June 07,   8:00 AM – 12:00 PM   S Hall A2

• Correlation of disease-free survival at 2 to 3 years and 5-year overall survival in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy.

Daniel Von Hoff, MD,  FACP, US Oncology Research and Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)

Poster #5F  Monday, June 07,    8:00 AM – 12:00 PM   S Hall A2

• Final results from a phase I study of oral TRC102 (methoxyamine HCl), an inhibitor of base-excision repair, to potentiate the activity of pemetrexed in patients with refractory cancer.

Daniel Von Hoff, MD, FACP, US Oncology Research and Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)

Poster #16D  Monday, June 07,    8:00 AM – 12:00 PM    S Hall A2

• Results from a phase I, dose-escalation study of PX-478, an orally available inhibitor of HIF-1a.

Daniel Von Hoff, MD, FACP, US Oncology Research and Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)

Poster #25F  Monday, June 07,   1:00 PM – 5:00 PM   S Hall A2

• Concomitant medication (CM) use in phase I and II cancer clinical trials(CCT): Effects on trial eligibility and potential interactions with study medications.

Patrick J. Flynn, MD, Minnesota Oncology – Minneapolis

Poster #21A  Saturday, June 05,   8:00 AM – 12:00 PM   S Hall A2

• Phase II study of the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor belinostat for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

Guru Sonpavde, MD, Texas Oncology – Deke Slayton Cancer Center

William R. Berry, MD, Cancer Centers of North Carolina – Raleigh

Poster #9H  Monday, June 07,   1:00 PM – 5:00 PM  S Hall A2

• Use of changes in serum alkaline phosphatase to predict survival independent of PSA changes in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer and bone metastasis receiving chemotherapy: A retrospective analysis of the TAX327 trial.

Joyce O’Shaughnessy, MD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Poster #21E  Saturday, June 05,   2:00 PM – 6:00 PM  S Hall A2

• Differential gene expression analysis and correlation with outcome in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer treated with HER2-targeted therapy.

Thomas E. Hutson, DO, PharmD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Poster #6C  Monday, June 07,    1:00 PM – 5:00 PM    S Hall A2

• Efficacy and safety of everolimus in elderly patients (pts) with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).

Karen L. Tedesco, MD, New York Oncology Hematology – Amsterdam

Joanne L. Blum, MD, PhD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Cynthia R. Osborne, MD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Frankie Ann Holmes, MD, Texas Oncology – Houston Memorial City

Poster #21G  Saturday, June 05,   2:00 PM – 6:00 PM   S Hall A2

• A phase II trial of trabectedin (T) in patients (pts) with HER2-positive and BRCA1/2 germ-line-mutated metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Trials in Progress:

Frankie Ann Holmes, MD, Texas Oncology – Houston Memorial City

Joyce O’Shaughnessy, MD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Poster #21F  Monday, June 07,   8:00 AM – 12:00 PM   S Hall A2

• Lapatinib and trastuzumab: Molecular effects and efficacy, separately and combined in breast cancer.

Allen L. Cohn, MD, Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Poster #36H  Monday, June 07,   8:00 AM – 12:00 PM    S Hall A2

• SPIRITT: a multi-center, open label, randomized, phase 2 clinical trial evaluating safety and efficacy of FOLFIRI with either panitumumab or bevacizumab as second-line treatment in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with wild-type KRAS tumors.

Allen L. Cohn, MD, Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Poster #41  Monday, June 07,   8:00 AM – 12:00 PM    S Hall A2

• A randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter phase II adjuvant trial of the efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety of GI-4000 plus gemcitabine versus gemcitabine alone in patients with resected pancreatic cancer with activating ras mutations.

Joyce O’Shaughnessy, MD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Gail Wright, MD, Florida Cancer Institute-New Hope – Hudson

Poster #24F  Monday, June 07,    8:00 AM – 12:00 PM S Hall A2

• Three parallel randomized phase 2 trials of dasatinib plus hormonal therapy (HT) in advanced ER+ breast cancer (ER+ BC)

Publish Only

Sheetal Sheth, PharmD, Innovent Oncology

J. Russell Hoverman, MD, Texas Oncology

Brian Turnwald, US Oncology on behalf of US Oncology Pathways Task Force

• Cytotoxic therapy beyond 2nd-line in non-small cell lung cancer: patterns of care and survival.

Clara Chen; Steve K. Gruschkus, PhD; US Oncology

Nicholas J. Vogelzang, MD, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada

Thomas E. Hutson, DO, PharmD, Texas Oncology – Baylor Sammons Cancer Center

Michael T. Forsyth; William Lopez: US Oncology

• Observational study evaluating resource utilization among metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients treated with mTOR inhibitors in the outpatient community-based setting.

About US Oncology

US Oncology, Inc. is the nation’s leading integrated oncology company. By uniting the largest community-based cancer treatment and research network in America, US Oncology expands patient access to high-quality care and advances the science of cancer care. Headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, US Oncology is affiliated with more than 1,300 community-based oncologists, and works with patients, hospitals, payers, and the medical industry across all phases of the cancer research and delivery continuum. By promoting the use of innovative technology, clinical research, evidence-based medicine and shared best practices, US Oncology improves patient outcomes and offers a better patient experience. For more information, visit www.usoncology.com.

About US Oncology Research

US Oncology conducts clinical research through US Oncology Research, its wholly-owned subsidiary and the nation’s largest community-based cancer research network. US Oncology Research has experienced investigators and dedicated research nurses who specialize in Phase I through Phase IV oncology clinical trials. US Oncology Research serves more than 80 sites in 200 locations managing more than 200 active trials at any given time. The research network has enrolled more than 42,900 patients in more than 700 trials since its inception and has contributed to the development of 40 cancer therapies approved by the FDA. For more information call (866) 216-5053 or visit www.usoncology.com/oncologists.

SOURCE US Oncology, Inc.

http://www.usoncology.com

US Oncology Affiliated Physicians to Present and Receive Honors at ASCO | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

“I run 4 miles every day,” writes msnbc.com reader Marvin Day from Springfield, Ohio. “Even though I am retired, i get involved in coaching sport activities to help kids.”

“I ride my bicycle daily,” says Larry Ciampa of Pittsburgh, adding that he studies the Bible every morning and is actively involved in his church.

Msnbc.com asked readers to share how they manage to hold off the annoying and inevitable hands of time. While many rank exercise high, as Ciampa and Day do, others see a positive mental attitude as helpful as a strict diet.

Maybe mere mortals can’t age as gracefully as Meryl Streep (age 60), or compete with as much athleticism as astronaut Buzz Aldrin (age 70) on “Dancing with the Stars,” but there’s plenty of advice out there on how to keep their bodies running smoothly and brains alert as we head around the block for the, oh, 50th time or more.

For doctors, it’s all about the sweat. A text message survey of 100 U.S. family physicians, conducted by Truth On Call for msnbc.com found that 39 percent of doctors said exercise is the most important step someone can take for healthy aging. In fact, regular aerobic exercise helps lower blood pressure, fights diabetes, reduces stress and sharpens the brain, research shows.

For 26 percent of the doctors polled, not smoking is crucial for a healthy old age. Twenty-one percent said a healthy diet is key. While just 9 percent of doctors credited staying social as a way to age well, research has found that by delaying retirement, people can at least briefly slow down the effects of Alzheimer’s.

When it comes to being social, one reader offers an unexpected take.

“Toga!” writes Pat Mack, Boston.

Well, now. As long as Mack isn’t smoking or drinking as heavily as the hard-partying group of frat boy misfits in “Animal House,” he’s got the right frame of mind. Studies have shown that optimistic people tend to live longer, with fewer chronic diseases.

Reader Julia Reed of Los Angeles defies aging by “walking everywhere,” along with regular check-ups, vitamins and herbal teas. “I don’t think about it,” she writes. “I just carry on with my usual everyday routine and I don’t think about getting old. Life is to be lived and to be thankful for every day that you are alive so just live and don’t worry about getting old.”

Read on for more.

Hang out with young people and only and happy people. Drama queens and kings and people who wallow in their agedness, their depressions and illnesses bring YOU down as well. Stay out of the sun and forget about tanning salons. Eat 90% whole foods, as they come from nature, minimal cooking and processing. Don’t just try and “avoid” processed foods, make a concerted effort to treat them as once-a-month specialties.Anonymous

I’m careful about my diet and I walk a lot. This feeling of being somewhat in control of my health gives me a quiet confidence. I have always looked at life with regard to others and their troubles. Things for me could always be worse and I’m thankful there not! David Hughes, Rock Hill, S.C.

No, doubt about it, exercise has been my ticket to feeling and looking younger than my years — I began aerobics at 29 thanks, to Ms. Fonda, like so many women did then, but never stopped. Cardio, including spinning classes, weight training, ballroom dancing, all help me fit.  Anonymous

The most important part of my strategy to stay young, is to remember how to have fun and keep a positive attitude. Humor is key! Anonymous

1.  Have some goals. I ran a half marathon or two for the first time at 47.2.  Hang out and be involved with Younger people.3.  Get outside, be active.4.  Fitness, stay away from refined sugars i.e. donuts and other fat bombs to keep the weight off.5.  Try some new stuff, what ever that may be for you.Anonymous

Strict diet and exercise.  Do not hang around negative people.  Do not hang around people over 45 who complain about aging, kick to the curve.  Be around young vibrant people who welcome your knowledge.  If your in a job you hate be thankful but start taking steps to doing something you love. Watch the news but do not let whats going on consume you.  Stay prayerful and develop a strong spiritual foundation. If single, date mentally stable likeminded individuals.Anonymous

Readers on aging well: Exercise, diet, no drama | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Effort will boost quality, safety of health care in underserved communities

Northwestern Memorial Hospital is among several local partners who have teamed up with Northwestern University to establish the Chicago Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (CHITREC).

Established with a $7,649,533 grant, the center was formed to help Chicago Physicians, many who work in underserved communities, begin to use electronic health records and use them effectively.

“Our goal is to work with primary care physicians who practice in the City of Chicago to help them implement and use electronic health records in a meaningful way,” says Abel Kho, M.D., internal medicine physician at Northwestern Memorial and assistant professor of medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and lead investigator.

“Ultimately, we believe that increasing the percentage of primary care providers using electronic health records will improve the quality, safety and value of health care in Chicago.”

The center is led by Northwestern University and was made possible through a partnership with the Alliance of Chicago Community Health Services and a number of local and national collaborators.

The center is funded by a Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act grant, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

Some of the Chicago-area partners include:

• The City of Chicago
• Northwestern Memorial Hospital
• Children’s Memorial Hospital
• Sinai Health System
• University of Chicago Medical Center
• University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center
• Cook County Health and Hospital Systems

Kho says the funding will enable CHITREC to support more than 80 percent of Chicago’s primary care providers. The current adoption rate for electronic health records in Chicago is under 30 percent of primary care providers.

Vice President Joe Biden and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius underscored the importance of electronic health records adoption among physicians in August 2009 when the funding availability was announced in Chicago.

Physicians interested in learning more about CHITREC, including how they can receive the technology and benefit from support, should visit chitrec.org for more information.

A complete listing of national and local partners, as well as information for job seekers, is also available on the site.

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These physicians are recognized for their altruism, compassion, and leadership.

The physicians will be presented with awards during the eighth annual Excellence in Medicine Awards dinner on March 1, 2010 in conjunction with the AMA National Advocacy Conference in Washington D.C.

“These five Excellence in Medicine Award recipients embody what it means to be a physician,” said AMA Foundation President Richard Hovland.

“By compassionately sacrificing their time and effort to help underserved, uninsured and disadvantaged populations, these physicians show us that one person can truly make a difference. They are role models for us all.”

Two physicians will receive the Pride in the Profession Award, two physicians will receive the Jack B. McConnell, MD Award for Excellence in Volunteerism and one physician will receive the Dr. Nathan Davis International Award in Medicine.

The awards are presented in association with Pfizer Inc.

The Pride in the Profession Award honors physicians who aid underserved populations in the U.S.

Judith T. Broder, MD

Psychiatrist

The Soldiers Project, Los Angeles, Calif.

Many people in the military are apprehensive to seek help for issues such as PTSD, depression and family problems through military channels, for fear it could adversely affect their careers. Judith Broder, MD launched The Soldiers Project, offering mental health services for the military and their families. All treatment is offered without charge and is completely confidential. Currently, there are 400 licensed therapists participating in the program, and in Southern California alone, over 300 people have consulted these therapists. The program has expanded to Seattle, Chicago, New York City, Sacramento and San Diego.

Javier Davila, MD

Internist and infectious disease specialist

American Indian Healing Center, Whittier, Calif.

It is a common misconception that the health care needs of the American Indian community are met through government programs. In fact, urban American Indians are among the most medically underserved group in the nation. Javier ‘Hawk’ Davila, MD recognized this need and founded the American Indian Healing Center (AIHC) in 2000, providing health care to disadvantaged American Indians in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Today, AIHC serves as a medical home to over 1,500 individuals, providing primary care and health education.

The Jack B. McConnell, MD Award for Excellence in Volunteerism honors senior physician volunteers who increase access to health care in the U.S.

Zaven S. Ayanian, MD

Internist

Parker Family Health Center, Red Bank, New Jersey

In 2000, as the second physician volunteer to be recruited to launch the Parker Family Health Center, Zaven Ayanian, MD has been there from the beginning. The free clinic evolved from a walk-in clinic open two nights a week into a six-day-a-week comprehensive health care source. Now, after nine years of volunteerism, Dr. Ayanian has helped to build an organization that provides 10,000 patient visits annually with support from 200 volunteers.

Robert G. Kendall, MD

Neurosurgeon

Our Health, Inc., Winchester, Va.

Robert Kendall, MD is the catalyst behind Our Health, Inc., which provides coordinated, collaborative, high quality health care to disadvantaged populations. The Our Health model provides ‘one stop shopping’ for low income, uninsured and underinsured citizens of Frederick and Clarke Counties and the city of Winchester. Started in 1999, twenty-nine different agencies are linked together through Our Health. The result is astounding – this network, including 25,000 square feet of office space and a green activity area, serves 15,000 people annually.

The Dr. Nathan Davis International Award in Medicine honors physicians for outstanding international service.

Richard Bransford, MD

Bethany Kids at Kijabe, Kijabe, Kenya

Richard Bransford, MD has spent a lifetime in service transforming the lives of disabled children of Africa. In 2004, he and a colleague founded Bethany Kids Center at Kijabe Hospital, which has become known throughout Africa as a referral center for disabled children. At fourteen outreach clinics across Kenya, nurses and doctors assess new and previously treated patients. African trainee doctors work alongside Dr. Bransford’s team to learn the special operations for this population.

About the AMA Foundation

The AMA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt foundation, is the philanthropic arm of the American Medical Association and is committed to improving the health of Americans through support of quality programs in public health and medical education.

For more information, please visit amafoundation.org.

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With the probe-based, confocal, laser-endomicroscopy system known as Cellvizio®, which is used through a standard endoscope or bronchoscope, University of Chicago physicians can examine tissue in the gastrointestinal tract or look deep into the lungs to examine and assess early stages of disease.

With magnification 500 to 1,000 times that of a standard scope and 10 to 50 times that of a magnifying scope, the Cellvizio system, one of about 40 in the United States, can help doctors distinguish between normal and cancerous tissue without taking samples.

If they do need samples, the probe helps them collect exactly the tissue they need for a biopsy rather than extracting multiple samples from the general vicinity of suspected disease.

“Until now, if we found suspicious tissue during a diagnostic procedure, we had to take out tissue almost randomly and send it to a laboratory for analysis,” said Irving Waxman, MD, professor of medicine and surgery at the University of Chicago, the first center in Illinois to use the system.

“This meant that cancerous tissue could be missed.”

“With this scope,” said Waxman, “we can pinpoint abnormal tissue during the initial diagnostic exam, remove it, and then go back to be certain that we got what we needed.”

The tiny microscope, produced by Mauna Kea Technologies of Paris, France, (known as Cellvizio in the U.S.) is approved by the Food & Drug Administration for use in the gastrointestinal tract and lungs. It consists of a laser light system coupled with a miniprobe made of tens of thousands of individual optical fibers capped by microlenses.

The scope is only 2.5 mm in diameter, small enough to pass through accessory channels on most standard GI or pulmonary scopes. Specialists worldwide have used the device for more than 3,000 procedures to date.

The tiny flexible device is inserted through a channel in a standard scope. The tip is placed on the tissue to be examined. It sends back 12 high-resolution video images per second.

By adjusting the focus, the probe can also provide clear, detailed images of tissue slightly beneath the surface.

Recent studies have demonstrated the value of the technology in multiple areas. “We currently use it to identify precancerous areas in Barrett’s esophagus (the major risk factor for esophageal cancer) for improved detection and targeting of minimally invasive endoscopic therapy,” said Vani Konda, MD, instructor of medicine at the University of Chicago.

“The technology can also be applied in the colon, bile duct and pancreas to try to differentiate cancer from inflammatory (benign) disorders.”

The microscope does a good job of catching early cancers and diagnosing them immediately, without having to wait for a pathology report, according to Mauna Kea Chief Executive Sacha Loiseau. “It’s especially useful in getting into tiny bile ducts,” he adds.

“Detailed microscopic images of the esophagus or the bile ducts can help us reduce the risk of biopsy-related complications,” said Waxman. “By identifying in vivo the area of interest we can move right then to follow with a therapeutic application.”

“The tiny miniprobe can also be inserted through the bronchoscope and extended well into the lungs, even to the smaller branches of the bronchial tree,” said pulmonologist Kyle Hogarth, MD, FCCP, assistant professor of medicine and director of bronchoscopy at the University of Chicago.

“Better visualization could help us perform fewer, more-targeted biopsies,” he said. “It lets us examine and sample tissues that were previously inaccessible without surgery.”

MEDIA CONTACT:

John Easton, 773-702-6241
john.easton@uchospitals.edu

University of Chicago Physicians Find Mini Microscope Can Improve Disease Detection, Diagnosis and Treatment | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

After the federal court dissolved the long-standing injunction against implementing the Act, the law took effect yesterday, August 4, 2009.  The provision of the Act addressed by the members’ recommendation would require disciplinary actions against physicians who “willfully” fail to provide notice of a planned procedure.

“To promote the goals outlined in the Board’s recommendation and to provide the medical community with clarity, the Department accepts the members’ recommendation and will act consistently with that recommendation,” said Brent Adams, Acting Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation.

In the resolution adopted last Friday in an emergency meeting of the Disciplinary Board, the members unanimously recommended that the Director of the Division of Professional Regulation defer disciplinary actions, including fines, reprimands, or other sanctions against physicians and surgeons for 90 days to allow them time to understand their responsibilities, train their staffs, and familiarize themselves with court procedures that would allow young women to seek a waiver of the parental notification requirements.

The text of the recommendation follows:

WHEREAS, on July 14, 2009, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued a decision that will dissolve the federal injunction barring enforcement of the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995.  Absent further court action, the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995 will go into effect on August 4, 2009, and physicians who do not comply with the law as of that date will be subject to discipline under the Medical Practice Act.  While the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995 was enacted 14 years ago, it has never been enforced. In order to ensure proper compliance with the law and protection of minor women whose medical care and constitutional rights are affected by the Act, the Illinois State Medical Disciplinary Board finds it is necessary to provide Illinois physicians additional time beyond the 21 days afforded under the federal rules to put in place appropriate compliance procedures.

Illinois physicians will need to institute new procedures and protocols and to educate staff about the Act’s notification requirements and exceptions to ensure compliance with the Act.  It is essential that they have sufficient time to institute these new procedures and protocols in order to ensure both compliance with the Act and protection of patients’ medical care and constitutional rights.

Physicians also need time to familiarize themselves with the Act’s judicial bypass process—which permits minors to seek a judicial waiver of the Act’s notification requirements—and any procedures adopted by local courts to implement the bypass process, in order to effectively counsel their minor patients about all of their options.

THEREFORE, the Illinois State Medical Disciplinary Board resolves and recommends to the Director of the Division of Professional Regulation, Daniel E. Bluthardt, and the Acting Secretary of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Brent E. Adams, that the following policy be implemented by the Department:

(a) That for 90 days after the date the federal court dissolves the injunction prohibiting enforcement of the law, or 90 days after August 4, 2009, whichever period is longer, any failure by a physician to provide notice as required by the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995, 750 ILCS 70/1-99, shall not be disciplined as a “willful” failure to provide notice under 750 ILCS 70/40(a) and 225 ILCS 60/22(A)(40); and

(b) That any physician who, within the 90 day period after the date the federal court dissolves the injunction prohibiting enforcement of the law, or 90 days after August 4, 2009, whichever is later, relies on section (a) of this resolution in not providing notice under the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995, 750 ILCS 70/1-99, shall be deemed to have done so in good faith and shall not be subject to discipline for unprofessional conduct.

A copy of the Department’s statement is available at IDFPR.com.

Illinois Medical Professionals Offered More Time for Compliance with Parental Notification Law | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.