For those of you around in August, we have some good news to share. A major national award for our patient safety initiatives comes as welcome recognition to so many people at Johns Hopkins Medicine who have been working to reduce hospital mistakes for your protection. Details are below. So is good news on the global health front: a $44.7 million grant from the Gates Foundation to a consortium led by Hopkins. Closer to home, we're participating in an important regional electronic health data exchange, and have three new members of our Board of Trustees, whose names should be familiar to you.
Recent significant accomplishments in science are reflected in articles on a new way to detect cancer cells in breast fluid, the safety of MRI scans for those with pacemakers, and the possibility of educating stem cells to heal the immune system.
There's also a thought-provoking commentary on what's driving the soaring cost of prescription drug benefits. Please send us your questions or comments. We welcome your suggestions and hope you enjoy reading these reports.
-- Edward D. Miller, M.D., Dean of the Medical Faculty, CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine
-- Ronald R. Peterson, President, Johns Hopkins Health System, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
PATIENT SAFETY INITIATIVES WIN HOPKINS COVETED AWARD
The American Hospital Association praises The Johns Hopkins Hospital for its leadership and innovations in patient safety and honors the hospital with a Quest for Quality prize.RESEARCHERS RECEIVE $44.7 MILLION TO COMBAT HIV-RELATED TUBERCULOSIS
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation selects a consortium led by Hopkins researchers to study strategies for controlling TB in communities with high HIV infection rates.
MODELL, SHATTUCK, DRESHER JOIN HOPKINS MEDICINE BOARD
The Johns Hopkins Medicine Board of Trustees adds three members: Art Modell, former owner of the Baltimore Ravens football team; Mayo Shattuck, CEO of Constellation Energy Group; and Jim Dresher, CEO of Skye Hospitality LLC.
REGIONAL COALITION WINS $100,000 GRANT FOR E-DATA HEALTH EXCHANGE
Johns Hopkins Medicine, University of Maryland Medicine and MedStar Health, in collaboration with private practice physicians and community hospitals, receive a grant to develop a region-wide electronic health data exchange to improve health care delivery and lower costs.
NEW DETECTION METHOD FINDS CANCER IN SMALL DNA SAMPLES
Finding cancer in a tiny drop of body fluid containing relatively few cells now may be possible with a new method of analyzing multiple genes in small samples of DNA, researchers conclude. This may help detect cancer cells in breast fluid.EDUCATING IMMUNE SYSTEM MAY AID USE OF STEM CELLS
Hopkins research suggests it may be possible to "educate" the immune system to recognize rather than destroy human embryonic stem cells, thus reducing the risk of rejection if these cells are someday transplanted to treat conditions like Parkinson's disease, diabetes or spinal cord injuries.
HEART IMPLANT DEVICES SAFE TO USE IN MRI IMAGING SCANS
Researchers find that pacemakers and defibrillators can be safely used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines. This could make MRI scans available to 2 million Americans.
COMMENTARY
