The Bulletin: January 2007

The Bulletin is a monthly newsletter for Children's and community providers.

Medical Director Changes: David Fisher to Succeed Richard Molteni

Dr. Thomas Hansen, Children’s Hospital president and CEO, has announced the appointment of Dr. David J. Fisher as medical director, effective Jan. 15, 2007. Fisher will succeed Dr. Richard Molteni, who announced to the Children’s Hospital Board of Trustees his intention to step down more than a year ago.

Dr. David Fisher

Fisher joins us from Columbus Children’s Hospital, where he has been the medical director since 1998 and also a member of the Division of Cardiology. He was professor of pediatrics and academic vice chairman of the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Dr. Fisher is board certified in pediatrics and pediatric cardiology.

While medical director at Columbus, Fisher focused on quality of care, including clinical safety, timely access to care, effectiveness of care and implementation of an electronic medical record. He also worked effectively in medical staff leadership development.

“I have had the opportunity to work with David for many years and look forward to collaborating with him again in Seattle,” says Hansen. “He is deeply committed to family-centered care and patient safety, and he has a strong track record of collaborating with providers to improve the quality of care.

Dr. Richard Molteni

“I was pleased that Rich agreed to continue in his role through my first year as I became oriented to Seattle Children’s. He played an important role on our senior leadership team in the development of our five-year strategic plan,” Hansen says. “During his eight years as medical director, Rich championed family-centered care and led efforts to improve quality of care, safety and access for patients and families. His advocacy for patients and families at the local, state, regional and national levels was key to our progress as one of the leading pediatric medical centers.”

Molteni also led efforts to restructure the medical staff, enabling physicians from the community and Children’s to collaborate more effectively in efforts to enhance access to services and improve the overall health of our shared patients.

To facilitate Fisher’s transition, Molteni will continue at Children’s in the coming months, eventually assuming a new part-time role.

“There will be opportunities in the new year to welcome David and his wife Peggy and to celebrate the contributions of Rich and his wife Joyce,” Hansen says.

Spirometry Education Pilot Needs Participants

Dr. James Stout, a pediatrician at Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic and researcher at the UW Child Health Institute, is piloting a program to teach primary care providers about using spirometry to assess status and medication effectiveness in obstructive lung disease.

To participate, primary care providers need to register as a team with a clinical office staff member (medical assistant or nurse). The physician will order and interpret the tests based on clinical judgment, and the office staff member will coach the patient as the test is performed.

Participants in the pilot will receive a free copy of the training CD, Spirometry Fundamentals: A basic guide to lung function testing (usual cost is $60), and will have access to Dr. Ted Carter, a pulmonary specialist, who will be available by phone to answer questions and help interpret results. A respiratory therapist will work with the clinical office staff member to oversee the coaching of the spirometric procedure.

Study participants must have access to a spirometer and agree to view the CD before the expert support component. After participating in the pilot, they will be asked to complete an online evaluation about the effectiveness of the CD.

Recruitment is occurring in January and the program will last four months. To learn more and to register for the pilot, contact Stout at (206) 616-9411.

Spirometry Resources

Spirometry Fundamentals Web site
Children’s Initiative: Distribution and Support for Spirometry Fundamentals: A basic guide to lung function testing (PDF)
Spirometry Fundamentals CD preview: PC version and Mac version
KING 5 HealthLink program on spirometry featuring Dr. Stout

Quarterly Consult: Heart Disease in Adolescents

Dr. Michelle Gurvitz, a pediatric cardiologist in the Heart Center at Children’s, provides information for primary care providers on heart disease in adolescents in the Quarterly Consult.

Children's Celebrates 100th Anniversary

Children’s will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2007, a milestone that only a handful of children’s hospitals across the country can claim. Next year we will commemorate the vision of our founder Anna Clise and her generous friends, who believed the residents of Seattle needed a hospital dedicated to children.

To kick off the 100th anniversary, an event that included Children’s faculty and researchers was held in November at the new Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Institute in downtown Seattle. The event focused on the expansion of Children’s research and the adoption of the newly released strategic plan.

To celebrate the contributions of Children’s providers over the past 100 years, a medical symposium and alumni reunion for current and former medical and house staff will be held Sept. 28 and 29, 2007. The two-day event will include both education and entertainment. For more information, visit the symposium Web site.

Children's and Community Medical Center Announce Partnership

Children’s and Community Medical Center (CMC) of Missoula, Mont. announced the formation of a partnership to improve pediatric health-care services in western Montana. Through this agreement, CMC will work with Children’s hospitalists to implement the most up-to-date pediatric practices.

Collaborating with Children’s will also enable CMC to have new pediatric training and telemedicine opportunities, expanded physician and nurse education, enhanced provider relationships, and a streamlined patient referral processes.

“Children’s is committed to assisting our Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho (WAMI) partner institutions and providers to offer the highest quality care to all children and their families,” says Dr. Richard Molteni, medical director. “This new partnership allows us to more effectively deliver regional care closer to home for many children and to expedite care in Seattle for those who can only be served by the resources available on our campus. It’s a real win-win situation for the children of Montana.”

Waldhausen to Lead General Surgery

Dr. John H.T. Waldhausen was named division chief of General/Thoracic Surgery. Waldhausen has been a member of the Children’s medical staff since 1992, when he came to the University of Washington for his pediatric surgery fellowship. A specialist in general and thoracic surgery and transplantation, he has been listed as a top doctor and surgeon in both local and national publications. Waldhausen’s clinical interest is in minimally invasive surgery. He is also program director of Children’s surgical residency.

“John Waldhausen is one of the most respected pediatric surgeons in the country because of his excellent surgical judgment, great surgical skill and conscientious care of children,” says Dr. Robert Sawin, surgeon-in-chief. “He is also highly regarded by pediatricians in the community for his superb communication with them and with their patients and families. His leadership will be key to our efforts to expand the pediatric general surgery service so that more children in the region can have access to the best, and most efficient surgical care available.”

Migita Named Clinical Director of Emergency Medicine

Dr. Russell Migita was named clinical director of Emergency Medicine. He came to Children’s as an attending physician in the Emergency Department in 1998 and joined the faculty in 2005 after completing his pediatric emergency medicine fellowship.

“Russ has been a wonderful addition to our clinical and academic faculty since he joined us, and we are thrilled to have him in this important administrative position,” says Dr. Tony Woodward, MBA, chief, Division of Emergency Medicine.

Law Named Medical Director of Cardiac Transplant

Dr. Yuk Ming Law

Children’s welcomes Dr. Yuk Law as the new medical director of Cardiac Transplant.

He joins us from Doernbecher Children’s Hospital at Oregon Health and Science University, where he was director of Heart Failure and Transplant Services in the Division of Pediatric Cardiology and associate professor of pediatrics.

He was also director of the Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program at Doernbecher.

Dr. Law received his medical degree at the UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles. He completed his post-doctoral training as a pediatric scientist and his pediatric residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital in Connecticut.

Dr. Law then moved to Toronto to complete his fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children.

His current research includes B-type Natriuretic Peptide as a Screening Test for Heart Failure, Left Ventricle Remodeling in Aortic Insufficiency and Prevalence and Clinical Features of the Development of Thrombosis in End-Stage Heart Failure Patients Awaiting Transplant.

Dr. Law received the Rose Award for teaching of subspecialty trainees in cardiology and also received the Young Investigators Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“Dr. Law is unique in that he specializes in heart transplantation, bringing to Children’s an opportunity to further develop our rapidly growing cardiac transplant program,” says Dr. F. Bruder Stapleton, pediatrician-in-chief.

2007-2008 Physicians Directory Submissions

Children’s recently sent letters to practice managers inviting them to update their contact information for the 2007-2008 Physicians Directory. To submit new or updated information, you can use the online form or send a fax to (206) 985-3118. If your practice is not currently listed, you may submit your contact information using the same online form. For questions, call Emily Rice at (206) 987-5221.

New Child Health and Safety Site

The Children’s Web site has a new comprehensive Child Health and Safety site with sections designed to help parents, children and teens with their questions.

This site features parenting tips, articles about health and development, and information for parents about what to do and when to call the doctor if their children are sick or injured. It also provides resources developed for children and teens, information about classes and events, articles on child health in Spanish, the My Good Growing and Good Growing newsletters and the Physician Finder service.

KING 5 Children's HealthLink Special on Orthopedics Program

The Webcast of the KING 5 Children’s HealthLink Special about the Orthopedics Program at Children’s is available online. The special follows patients who are being treated for various orthopedic conditions and bone deformities.

New Medical Staff and Allied Health Professionals

Children’s welcomes these new medical staff members and allied health professionals.

Patricia Fechner, MD, Endocrinology, Children’s
David Hallam, MD, Radiology, Harborview
Daniel Silbergeld, MD, Neurosurgery, UW
Robert Tower, MD, Ophthalmology, UW
Elizabeth Hadland, ARNP, Cardiac Surgery, Children’s
Lara Shepard, ARNP, Cardiology, Children’s

Upcoming CME Courses

View information on upcoming courses: L.T. Staheli Pediatric Orthopedic Seminar, Practical Pediatrics and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).

CME: L.T. Staheli Pediatric Orthopedic Seminar
Jan. 20, 2007

This seminar provides a clinically practical update on diagnosis and treatment/management of pediatric orthopedic conditions for primary care providers, physician assistants, nurses and school health care professionals.

CME: Practical Pediatrics
Feb. 3, 2007

This course is designed to enhance your clinical practice by providing practical diagnostic and management updates on common health problems encountered in the primary care of children and families.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
Jan. 28, 2007

The course will use the new American Heart Association 2006 curriculum. As of Jan. 1, 2007, all PALS Courses have a prerequisite of Basic Life Support certification.

Grand Rounds

View the schedule of upcoming Grand Rounds.

Grand Rounds Online

View online versions of recent Grand Rounds.

On-Call Schedule

The on-call schedule for inpatient services can be found in the secure area of the Medical Staff Web site. It is updated on a daily basis.