A program for patients
and staff celebrating the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Clinical
Center will be held on July 9 at 1 p.m. in Masur Auditorium.
The ceremony will include remarks by NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni;
Dr. Steven Katz, director, NIAMS; Jerry Sachs, member of the Clinical
Center's Patient Advisory Group; Howard Drew, long-time Clinical Center
blood donor; and Julie Kohn, Clinical Center nurse. Dr. Harvey Alter,
chief, Infectious Diseases Section, and associate director of research
in DTM, will provide reflections on his years at the Clinical Center,
and Clinical Center Director Dr. John Gallin will discuss research advances
of the past 50 years. The program will end with a 50th anniversary video
presentation.
A tent reception on the South grounds of the Clinical Center will be
held immediately following the program. All guests, patients and staff
are invited.
Poster presentations depicting the history of the individual Clinical
Center departments will be displayed on the first floor of the Clinical
Center. The July 9 program is one of several 50th anniversary events planned
for the coming year. A scientific symposium will be held on Oct. 14, and
a special Grand Rounds series will begin in September. The events will
culminate with the opening of the Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center
next summer. For more information visit http://www.cc.nih.gov/about/news/anniver50.shtml.
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Family Lodge director appointed
Five years ago, The Edmond J. Safra Family Lodge was merely an idea.
Today the idea is a reality and one person who played a key role in developing
the project has been appointed as executive director.
Jan Weymouth, former Space and program management officer, was appointed
by Clinical Center Director Dr.
Jan
Weymouth
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John Gallin, to the position last month. Weymouth said she is expecting
the Family Lodge to be a major contributor in the lives of families who
are supporting loved ones being treated at the Clinical Center.
"My goal and vision for the Family Lodge is to provide a comfortable,
nurturing environment for the caregivers and families of the patients
who partner with NIH in clinical research," said Weymouth. "When
families enter the Lodge, either from a long day of being in the Clinical
Research Center or from the long trip just to reach NIH, we want them
to immediately feel a sense of comfort and reassurance."
The Edmond J. Safra Family Lodge is designed to provide "a home
away from home" on the NIH campus for caregivers of Clinical Center
patients. Residents will find amenities that reflect the comforts of home
as well as the support and companionship of others facing similar challenges.
The 34-room lodge, currently under construction near the corner of Center
and Convent Drives, grew out of the NIH Guest House Program that was piloted
by the Clinical Center in 1996. The Guest House was temporarily quartered
in the old Apartment House (Building 20), and provided short-term lodging
for patients' families. With the demolition of Building 20 in 1998 to
make way for the Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center, Weymouth assumed
oversight of the program and arranged for the 6-unit Guest House to be
moved to a nearby apartment building on Battery Lane in Bethesda, and
continues today in a combination of local hotel rooms and two apartments.
Artists'
rendering of the Family Lodge
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However, plans moved ahead to find a permanent, home-like facility for
families while their loved ones received care. Weymouth spearheaded the
project and worked with the programming and design of the Family Lodge
while the NIH Foundation raised funds to build a permanent facility. Organizations
such as Merck Company Foundation, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation,
GlaxoSmithKline, along with many others, gave generous contributions in
support of the Family Lodge. However, a $3 million donation from The Edmond
J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation was the catalyst to begin construction.
An additional $1 million has been pledged from The Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic
Foundation for the exterior garden. The Foundation for NIH hosted a ceremony
marking the naming of The Edmond J. Safra Family Lodge on April 17, 2002
at the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. A groundbreaking
ceremony was held on Oct. 29, 2002, which signaled the start of construction
that began in February 2003.
The Family Lodge is expected to be completed in summer 2004, to coincide
with the scheduled opening of the new Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research
Center, a state-of-the-art clinical research hospital currently under
construction and only a short distance from the Family Lodge.
"The Clinical Research Center will be a state-of-the-art facility,"
said Weymouth, "but the Edmond J. Safra Family Lodge will be state-of-the-heart."
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New CRC furniture will be safe and easily maintained
Everyone needs it. Everyone will use it. But few will realize how daunting
it was to choose more than 5,000 pieces of furniture required for the
patient care, public and office areas of the Clinical Research Center.
For that demanding task, the Furniture Work Group was established as
a subcommittee of the Hospital Activation Management Team. Co-chaired
by Lawrence Eldridge, assistant to the Chief Operating Officer of the
Clinical Center, and Ann Ellis, administrative officer, Office of Facilities
Management, the work group was charged with recommending the furniture
that would go into the CRC's public and patient areas and offices. Its
members reflect the complexity of this issue and included staff from the
Housekeeping and Fabric Care Department, the Patient Representative, Nursing
and Patient Care Services, the Safety Officer, Space Management Officer,
Rehabilitation Medicine Department, a representative from the Division
of Engineering Services and a representative from Gilbane, the activation
consultant for the Clinical Research Center.
The group's mission was to create criteria for choosing furniture that
would not only look good and last long, but also be "state-of-the
art." Furniture had to be safe, cleanable, easily maintained, and
readily useable by patients and their guests.
"We wanted to use fabrics and types of construction specifically
designed to perform well in a health care setting that would make the
furniture more durable and easier to repair. What we'll have in the CRC
will be up to date," said Eldridge. "We also wanted to have
furniture that would be manufactured by companies with a great track record
for quality and service and who offered a long-term guarantee," he
added.
Some of the furniture that will
be placed in the CRC can be seen in the lobby area outside of the
second floor cafeteria.
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The furniture ultimately chosen from these criteria had to be both practical
and attractive.
Standardization a key
To achieve their mission, group members put forth the concept of "standardization."
This is reflected in terms of color–each floor will have its own
color of furnishings; and style–a blend of traditional and modern
design that provides a soft appearance with rounded edges.
The color themes are drawn from three signature colors: forest green,
eggplant purple and russet brown. Each floor will have its own signature
color and units on that floor will have a variation of that color. These
colors will be worked into various textures and designs, including geometric
shapes and nature patterns such as leaves. "Within each patient care
unit, we limited the use of solid colors. We had patterns, and we played
off the color on each floor," said Ellis.
Since wayfinding was also important, the color theme on each floor will
serve that need as well.
Assuring practicality
Safety and function were critical ingredients for furniture that would
be used by patients and their visitors. Furniture could not tip or move
in ways that would be dangerous for people who found it difficult to negotiate
movement. Seat height, seat depth and chair arm position also had to accommodate
a range of patient needs, allowing for differences in a person's strength
and balance.
Site visit helpful
When presented with these rigorous criteria, the CRC design team at the
Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership Architectural Firm recommended the health-care
furniture manufacturer Nemschoff, based in Sheboygan, Wisc. This company
also has a track record with the Clinical Center, having supplied some
of the Clinical Center's furnishings throughout the years.
To give members an opportunity to see Nemschoff furniture in-person,
three members of the work group visited Nemschoff Ôs Wisconsin factory
last September. They met with the designers, saw different kinds of furniture
and narrowed down their selections.
Bonnie Thornton contributed her knowledge as an occupational therapist
with the Rehabilitation Medicine Department to help choose the furniture
design. "As an occupational therapist, I am familiar with the physical,
mental, cognitive symptoms, and subsequent challenges of many of the populations
studied here at the Clinical Center. I was also able to evaluate some
of the barriers of the furniture designs and suggest better designs, such
as anti-tip suggestions, which were actually incorporated by the furniture
manufacturer," said Thornton.
Passing crucial tests
While the furniture's design was paramount, so was its upholstery. Furniture
had to survive a variety of spillage from items such as food, coffee and
strongly colored substances like the antiseptic, Betadine. In this regard,
the expertise of the Housekeeping and Fabric Care Department was pivotal.
"One of the biggest factors for me and my department was to be able
to clean the furniture easily and completely. We were able to test many
of the materials before they were chosen," said Henry Primas, chief
of the Housekeeping and Fabric Care Department.
The results of this testing helped choose upholstery that was not only
attractive, but also durable.
Staff input valued
Clinical Center staff had a voice in the patient furniture selection as
well. To facilitate their input, the work group hosted a "chair fair"
in the Clinical Center during which manufacturers showed their products
for hands-on evaluation. Treatment chairs, guest chairs, patient high-back
chairs, recliners, and sleeper chairs were among the items displayed.
Additional demonstrations of other equipment, such as computer keyboards,
were held to enable staff to voice their preferences for office furniture.
Mission accomplished
Hard work and multidisciplinary cooperation paid off handsomely. The work
group's painstaking evaluations and the close collaboration with the interior
design team assured that the furniture chosen would be physically and
emotionally supportive to Clinical Center patients and guests as well
as complement the architectural style of the CRC.
"The style, the standardization, the colors, the design, all of
what the work group proposed was accepted by senior management with little
or no modification," said Eldridge.
For Ann Ellis, serving on this committee was very rewarding. "I
was happy to be involved in creating specifications that would be used
not only in the CRC but throughout the entire hospital."
–Wendy L. Schubert, Sc.M.
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Nutrition chief retires after 33 years
Alberta Bourne
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When Alberta Bourn, chief, Nutrition Department, first came
to NIH in 1970 she had only planned to stay for one year and then move
on. Thirty-three years later she is retiring from the Clinical Center–a
place she said exceeded all of her expectations.
"The management was very nurturing for one who was
beginning a career," said Bourn. "There was room for growth,
the salary and compensation was among the best and the work was interesting
and had a national and international impact."
Bourn began her career here as a clinical dietitian after
moving to the Washington area from upstate New York with her husband.
Upon graduating from college in Alabama, her home state, she went to Poughkeepsie
for a dietetic internship sponsored by New York State.
"My husband's company transferred him to the Washington
area and one day we were traveling down Rockville Pike and my husband
said to me 'maybe you could get a job there,'" said Bourn. "I
looked at my husband as if he had gone crazy. I said 'me, work there?
I can't imagine.'"
Eventually, she placed her name on a register for federal
jobs and received a call to come in for an interview. "I told them
I would come for the interview, but I wasn't interested in the job,"
said Bourn. "Needless to say, I came and the director had a whole
day mapped out for me. It was a pleasant experience. So I left the interview
with the plan to return as an employee, but only for one year."
By year 13, Bourn had moved up from a clinical dietician
to mid-level management and then promoted to chief of the Nutrition Department.
Under her leadership, the department has developed and evolved.
Bourn was successful in managing the computerization of food production,
the diet office and nutritional analysis functions. She also redeveloped
the role of the clinical dietitian to be more focused on patient care
and research support, and established a successful dietetic internship.
Yet with all of her accomplishments, Bourn said the highlight of her career
was being trusted with the management of the nutrition department, and
serving in the U.S. Public Health Service as Chief Dietitian Officer under
Surgeon General C. Everett Koop.
"The Clinical Center is really a good place to work.
There are so many things," said Bourn. "The resources are great;
there is never a dull day. The research brings such variety and all kinds
of experiences in my profession, whether it be management, people relationships,
or working with the technical partÉthose are the things that keep you
here."
During her retirement years, Bourn said she plans on taking
graduate courses and using her nutrition background in some capacity.
She also hopes to spend more time with her crafts –particularly quilting
– and probably take a quilting course and join a club.
"I will miss many of my wonderful co-workers and friends,"
said Bourn. "And I will probably miss the daily challenges of managing
and leading people to perform their best for medical research and patient
care."
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New drug prevents fungal infections
A new antifungal drug developed by the National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases has been found to effectively prevent fungal infections
in children suffering from chronic granulomatous disease, or CGD, an inherited
disorder that frequently leaves its sufferers with severe bacterial and
fungal infections.
"The addition of prophylactic antifungals to the standard regimen
of antibiotics should markedly reduce a significant cause of death from
this rare disease," said Clinical Center Director Dr. John Gallin,
who is a researcher at NIAID and lead author of the paper published in
last month's edition of The New England Journal of Medicine.
The drug, itraconazole, is well tolerated and effectively prevents fungal
infections in children who have CGD, report NIAID scientists. About 25,000
people worldwide have the disease, which frequently leaves sufferers prone
to severe bacterial and fungal infections.
This 10-year-long study is the latest contribution by NIAID researchers
to a better understanding of CGD. Forty years ago, Dr. Gallin noted, children
with CGD rarely lived past adolescence. More than 20 years ago, doctors
began administering prophylactic antibiotics to prevent bacterial infections,
and the number of annual hospitalizations for the average CGD patient
dropped greatly.
Then, in 1991, Dr. Gallin and his colleagues in NIAID's Laboratory of
Host Defenses published clinical trial results showing that an immune-boosting
substance called interferon gamma reduced serious bacterial infections
in CGD patients by 70 percent. Prophylactic interferon gamma was soon
added to the treatment regimen for children with CGD, and the quality
of their lives improved further, said Dr. Gallin. "Now people with
this disease are living long enough to marry and start families of their
own. In fact, I'll soon be attending the wedding of a patient whom I've
followed for 30 years."
Over the term of the study, the investigators recorded 12 cases of fungal
infection, seven severe and five superficial. When the study was "unblinded,"
researchers saw that 11 cases occurred in patients who were receiving
a placebo medication when the infection arose. One case of severe fungal
infection occurred during itraconazole treatment; however, that patient,
according to Dr. Gallin, was probably not taking the drug daily.
Including the 12 cases of fungal infection in their data analysis, the
scientists found that patients on itraconazole had a statistically significant
reduction of fungal infection risk. "We suggest that itraconazole
prophylaxis should be added to the treatment regimens for all patients
over five years of age who have chronic granulomatous disease," concluded
the paper's authors.
NIAID Director Dr. Anthony S. Fauci said, "In their laboratory and
clinical research, Dr. Gallin and his colleagues combine excellence in
basic science and medicine. The dedication and skill of these researchers
has led directly to healthier lives for the children they treat."
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River of rain couldn't stop Team NIH
Team NIH members gather on the
Mall.
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Even the rainmaker couldn't deter the 400-member Team NIH from participating
in the 14th edition of the National Race for the Cure. As one runner put
it, June 7 event participants met with a "river of rain" as
water fell from the sky. The steady downpour presented challenges in the
form of puddles,
umbrellas and plastic coverings for all runners and walkers as they made
their way through the 5K, or 3.1 mile, race course on the Mall in Washington,
D.C.
Members of the Department of Health and Human Services staff led by HHS
Deputy Secretary Claude Allen bolstered Team NIH or what everyone began
calling "Team Umbrella." At least 50 individuals from DHHS joined
Team NIH at the corner of 15th and Constitution Avenues before the race
start.
With more than 60,000 people signed up, at least 40,000 turned out on
race day. The National Race is the largest such event of its kind in the
world growing from one race in Dallas in 1989 that attracted some 7,000
runners to this year's 1.4 million entrants in races held nationwide.
These events raise awareness of, and support for, research of breast cancer
and related women's health diseases.
Teams represented schools, embassies, corporations, government offices,
congressional offices, and churches. Team NIH members' comments when asked
why they were doing this were representative of all Race participants–"a
friend, a relative, someone they knew or were close to had been affected
by breast cancer."
–by Dianne Needham
Six-year old Brady Cusack by the
pink Team NIH signs Ômelted' by rainy downpour on race day.
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NIAID and NCI staff members and family at pre-race
start. |
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CRIS implementation begins in Nutrition Department
Department members looking over
a bulletin board that's part of new system training for staff are
(from left) Robin Bell, Alberta Bourn, Judith Bowman, Shaololing
Eddie, and Amanda Krawchuk.
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The Nutrition Department introduced phase one of its new information
system on July 16. It is one of the ancillary systems that will be part
of CRIS, the Clinical Research Information System now in development.
Nutrition's first phase is a Food Services Suite that will handle such
tasks as purchasing, inventory management and food-production management.
"This new system will support streamlined and more efficient purchasing
and inventory control," explained Alberta Bourn, department chief.
That's important in a department responsible for more than 2,700 meals
a month. Nutrition's Food Services Suite, which will handle such work
as menu selection, tray service, nutrient analysis for patient care and
research, and internal and external requisitions for foods and supplies,
will debut in October.
The CRIS project is in high gear this summer, and work over the next
few months will focus on designing, building and testing the largest component
of CRIS, the core that replaces MIS. Two priorities drive core development:
to provide a new system that will keep the hospital running smoothly during
the CRC move and beyond and to make sure it is a system that will encourage
and support innovation and future growth. For more information, go to
http://cris.cc.nih.gov.
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Clinical Center Online
Scheduled Power Outage
The Clinical Center's Data Center will have a scheduled power outage from
3:30 pm to 7:30 pm on Saturday, July 26. During that time an input power
cable will be replaced on the Data Center's Uninterruptible Power System
or UPS. The Clinical Center purchased the UPS in 1986 and it has been
in continual service since that time. During the last service of the UPS,
it was discovered that one of the electrical cables that recharge the
three banks of batteries needed replacement. To accomplish this, electrical
power to the UPS must be shut off. A decision had to be made to shutdown
all the computers in the Data Center. This will impact the e-mail servers,
CITRIX servers, file and print servers, the lab system, the transfusion
medicine system and the Medical Information System or MIS along with other
clinical IT systems. All in all, more than 100 systems will be involved
during the scheduled July 26 Data Center power outage. To efficiently
orchestrate a scheduled outage or 'down' of this magnitude a Clinical
Center IT group met with department representatives to discuss when would
be the best time to schedule this event and how to best communicate the
down to the entire Clinical Center community. The IT group meets every
Friday until the scheduled down. Clinical Center IT representatives will
be available to all system owners to ensure that their systems are powered
off in the correct manner and restarted so all systems are correctly 'talking'
to each other. For information about the July 26 Data Center scheduled
power outage, contact Steve Groban at sgroban@cc.nih.gov.
Updated Web Information
In preparation for the October 2003 Joint Commission on the Accreditation
of Healthcare Organizations or JCAHO survey visit, the Clinical Center's
JCAHO Work Group provides current information at: http://intranet.cc.nih.gov/od/jcaho/.
The Clinical Center celebrates 50 years of clinical research in 2003-04.
To learn more about the 50th Anniversary schedule of events visit: www.cc.nih.gov/50th,
or contact Elaine Ayres at eayres@cc.nih.gov.
Send news items and ideas for Clinical Center Online to dneedham@cc.nih.gov.
July
calendar
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2
Grand
Rounds
noon-1 p.m.
Lipsett Amphitheater
No
Grand Rounds
Wednesday
Afternoon Lecture
3 p.m.
Masur Auditorium
No
Wednesday Afternoon Lecture
9
A Salute to Staff and Patiients on the 50th Anniversary
of the Opening of the Clinical Center
1-2 p.m. Ceremony in Masur Auditorium
2-4 Reception
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16
Grand
Rounds
noon-1 p.m.
Lipsett Amphitheater
No
Grand Rounds
Wednesday
Afternoon Lecture
3 p.m.
Masur Auditorium
No
Wednesday Afternoon Lecture
23
Grand
Rounds
noon-1 p.m.
Masur Auditorium
No
Grand Rounds
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30
Grand Rounds
noon-1 p.m.
Masur Auditorium
No
Grand Rounds
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Editor:
Tanya C. Brown
Contributing
writers: Colleen Henrichsen, Dianne Needham, John Iler, Pat McNees
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Clinical Center News, 6100 Executive Blvd., Suite 3C01, MSC 7511,
National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-7511. Tel: 301-496-2563.
Fax: 301-402-2984. Published monthly for CC employees by the Office
of Clinical Center Communications, Colleen Henrichsen, chief. News,
article ideas, calendar events, letters, and photographs are welcome.
Deadline for submissions is the second Monday of each month
.
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