The USF Health School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences post-professional residency program in orthopedic physical therapy has been accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency & Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE). The initial five-year accreditation begins Feb. 29.

The first orthopaedic physical therapy resident — Dana Webb, PT, DPT, CSCS, a 2014 graduate of the school’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program — will graduate this spring. Mary (Ginny) Tolle, PT, DPT, a 2015 graduate of  USF’s DPT program, recently entered the new residency.

Dana Webb, DPT, left, and Mary (Ginny) Tolle

Aimee Klein, DPT, DSc, OCS, associate professor and coordinator of post-professional residency education in the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences, directed the development of the clinical residency program and guided the school through the accreditation process.   

The USF College of Pharmacy’s Yashwant Pathak, MPharm, EMBA, PhD, was recently awarded a Fulbright Scholar Award.

Dr. Pathak, professor and associate dean for Faculty Affairs in the College of Pharmacy, will be working in the College of Pharmacy of the Surabaya University in Indonesia.

The six-month visit will go from January to June 2017 and will offer Dr. Pathak the opportunity to teach two courses in nano technology and help students there learn how to build courses in their own curriculum based on nano drug delivery systems. He will also help organize a conference on nanotechnology and initiate research in the field of drug delivery systems.

Prior to his trip to Indonesia, Dr. Pathak will also travel to Australia from June to July 2016 as part of an Endeavour Executive Fellowship he was awarded by the Australian government. The fellowship will be at Deakin University, where Dr. Pathak will work to establish research collaboration in the field of gene nano drug delivery.

USF Health neurosurgeon Harry van Loveren, MD, was recently installed as president of the Southern Neurosurgical Society (SNS) at its annual meeting held in March in San Antonio, TX.

Dr. van Loveren, chair of the Department of Neurosurgery in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, senior associate dean for Surgical Subspecialties at USF Health, and chief medical officer of the USF Physicians Group, will serve as president for a one-year term and preside over meetings of the group and its executive council. At SNS’s recent annual meeting, Dr. van Loveren provided opening remarks and the presidential address, as well has introduced the speaker for the keynote lecture.

In 2013, Dr. van Loveren served as vice president.

The Southern Neurosurgical Society was formed in 1949 as a sectional society representing neurosurgeons across the southeastern region of the United States and Puerto Rico, and has grown to include 354 active, 51 candidate and 228 lifetime members.

The USF College of Public Health is home to 30 faculty and staff who have earned national certification designation of Certified in Public Health (CPH).

Just last year, the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE) extended eligibility to take the CPH exam to faculty and staff at accredited schools of public health. The USF College of Public Health is “one of the first schools of public health in the nation to require our students to pass the CPH exam as a requirement for graduation,” said Donna J. Petersen, ScD, MHS, CPH, senior vice president for USF Health and dean of the College of Public Health.

According to the NBPHE, the USF COPH has the most faculty and staff who have successfully earned the CPH credential out of all organizations that have reported their numbers.

The CPH is the only credential of its kind for public health, measuring knowledge of all aspects of public health and a commitment to the field through continuing education.

Six of the 30 COPH faculty who are CPH certified include Dr. Jill Roberts, Dr. William Sappenfield, Dr. Kay Perrin, Allison Oberne, Dr. Jennifer Marshall, and Dr. Tom Bernard. (Photo by Caitlin Keough).

The 30 members of the COPH who are now certified in public health are: Anna Armstrong, Brian Bernard, Dr. Tom Bernard, Sarah Bonnema, Emily Bronson, Somer Burke, Jaime Corvin, Donna Haiduven, Elizabeth Dunn, Ellen Kent, Dr. Karen Liller, Humberto Lopez Castillo, Matawal Makut, Allison Oberne, Kathleen O’Rourke, Deidre Orriola, Dr. Jennifer Marshall, Mahmooda Pasha, John Peek, Dr. Kay Perrin, Donna Petersen, Dr. Zachary Pruitt, Saba Rahman, Dr. Arturo Rebollon, Dr. Jill Roberts, Aurora Sanchez-Anguino, Dr. William Sappenfield, Ryan Tokarz, Adewale Troutman, and Ronee Wilson.

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USF Health’s Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN, has been selected for a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award.

Dr. Morrison-Beedy, dean of the USF College of Nursing and senior associate vice president at USF Health, will be working in Scotland at the Edinburgh Napier University.

The three-month visit will be from May to July 2017 and will offer Dr. Morrison-Beedy the opportunity to customize her Health Improvement Project for Teens (HIPTeens) in Scotland, which is experiencing some of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in Europe. HIPTeens, is an intervention that has demonstrated sustained decreases in multiple sexual risk behaviors across a year-long period, increased secondary sexual abstinence in sexually active girls, and reduced pregnancy rates 50 percent. Dr. Morrison-Beedy has tested and disseminated HIPTeens in the U.S., so its implementation in Scotland would be the first time HIPTeens has been introduced outside the U.S.

This is a second Fulbright award for Dr. Morrison-Beedy. In 2014, she was selected for the Fulbright International Education Administrators Program in France, a designation that allowed her to connect with higher education programs in France to learn about teaching and research collaborative opportunities for the College of Nursing, USF Health and across the University.

Long-time friend and USF Health supporter Frank Morsani was honored recently by the Tampa Bay Lightning as a Community Hero for his tireless efforts and generosity in the local community.

He was spotlighted and honored at the team’s April 14 game and presented with a check for $50,000 from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Heroes program. The check was made out to the Judeo Christian Health Clinic, Morsani’s charity of choice for receiving the donation. For more than 20 years, many USF Health faculty have volunteered their time and students conduct clinic rotations, clerkships and family medicine electives at the Judeo Christian Clinic, which offers health care to Tampa area residents who are uninsured and can’t afford to pay for care. Last year, the Clinic saw more than 40,000 patient visits.

Carol and Frank Morsani have supported many areas at USF, including providing the $20 million gift that named the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

The Lightning Community Heroes program was started by Jeff and Penny Vinik in the 2011-12 hockey season and has since provided more than $11.5 million to local non-profits organizations.

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The Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative (FPQC), which is based in the Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers and Babies and is part of the USF College of Public Health, has won the Sapphire Award from the Florida Blue Foundation for its effort to improve health outcomes for mothers and infants through quality care.

The FPQC team includes, back row from left are: Doug Hardy, Winnie Palmer neonatologist and FPQC Neonatal Consultant and MOM Medical Lead; Karen Harris, ACOG District XII Chair, FPQC Obstetrical Consultant, ACT Medical Co-Lead; Annette Phelps, FPQC Nursing Consultant; Lori Reeves, March of Dimes Regional Program Services Director, FPQC Steering Committee Member; Karen Bruder, USF COM, FPQC Obstetrical Consultant and ACT Medical Co-Lead; Judette Louis, USF COM, FPQC Obstetrical Consultant and HIP Medical Lead; Kris Albers, FDOH, FPQC Steering Committee Member; and Yuri Sebastiao, FPQC Graduate Assistant. Seated from left are: Maya Balakrishnan, USF COM, FPQC QI Director; Linda Detman; William Sappenfield, USF COPH and FPQC and the Chiles Center; Emily Bronson; and Charlie Mahan.

The FPQC was selected from among 120 nominees to win the top award in organization category and will receive $50,000 and was presented with the award April 21 in Orlando. A video highlighting their work was shown at the awards presentation and features many familiar USF faces.

The award helps validate the work and mission of the FPQC, said William M. Sappenfield, MD, MPH, CPH, professor and chair of the Department of Community and Family Health in the USF College of Public Health.

“The Sapphire Award demonstrates credibility of the reach the FPQC has in the eyes of others,” said Dr. Sappenfield, who co-directs FPQC and directs the Chiles Center. “The award money will go to support current quality initiatives the will help us have an even greater impact on the lives of mothers and infants.”

The USF-based FPQC works to provide the best health outcomes possible for mothers and infants through receiving high quality evidence-based perinatal care. Its mission is to advance perinatal health care quality and patient safety for all of Florida’s mothers and infants through the collaboration of all FPQC stakeholders in the development of joint quality improvement initiatives, the advancement of data-driven best practices and the promotion of education and training.

Accepting the Sapphire Award are, from left, Dr. William Sappenfield, Linda Detman and Emily Bronson.

Members of the USF Town & Gown awarded Dr. Charles Lockwood and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine with its award in April.

The group, which promotes understanding and friendship between USF and the community, presents the award annually to a faculty member or USF program that exemplifies the bridge between community and university. Dr. Lockwood made a compelling presentation in the Fall on the direction of the Morsani College of Medicine and its plan to move to downtown Tampa with the USF Health Heart Institute. Based on the presentation, the Town & Gown board of directors voted unanimously to award this year’s honor to Dr. Lockwood and MCOM. The award is accompanied by a $1,000 donation, which will go toward Dr. Lockwood’s laboratory that focuses on preventing stillbirth and premature births.

Dr. Lockwood accepted the award April 14 at the Town & Gown’s Spring Reception.

Town & Gown was founded in 1977 by a group of 25 charter members whose goal was to promote understanding and friendship between the University of South Florida and the community. Today, the group includes over 125 members who act as USF ambassadors, promoting understanding and friendship between the university and the Tampa Bay Community, in addition to honoring exceptional academic departments, faculty and students.

USF Health neuroscientist Cesario Borlongan, PhD, was selected to deliver the Donald D. Matson Lecture at the 84^th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS).

Dr. Borlongan, a world leader in stem cell therapy for stroke, spoke May 2 on the topic “Stem Cell Therapy for Pediatric Disorders” at the AANS meeting in Chicago.  The lecture he gave is named in honor of Dr. Donald Darrow Matson, a pioneer of pediatric neurosurgery who made seminal contributions to the field.

Cesario Borlongan, PhD

Dr. Borlongan is a professor of neurosurgery and director of the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. His translational bench to clinic research has led to five FDA-approved clinical trials of cell transplantation, including the world’s first cell therapy in stroke patients. He served as a National Institutes of Health staff fellow for five years, and joined the academe in 2002.

Author of more than 310 peer-reviewed publications, lead editor of two books and editor of many scientific journals, including Stem Cells, Stroke, JCBFM, PLoS One and Brain Research, he is also a regular study section member of NIH, Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the American Heart Association, and chairs the State of Maryland Stem Cell Research Funds.

He is an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow and serves as president of the American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair and the International Placenta Stem Cell Society.

USF Health Dermatologist Neil Fenske, MD, was recently presented with the Distinguished Service Award by the Florida Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery.

Dr. Fenske, professor and chair of the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, received the award at the group’s annual meeting in April in Naples, FL.

Dr. Neil Fenske with Dr. Nishit Patel.

Named in 2008 as one of Women’s Health Magazine’s Top 17 Dermatologists for women in the nation and the only physician in any specialty in the greater Tampa Bay area, Dr. Fenske is Medical Director of the USF Health Cosmetic and Laser Center and a Professor of Oncologic Sciences as well as Pathology and Cell Biology. Dr. Fenske has been widely recognized by his peers in America’s Top Doctors, America’s Top Cancer Doctors, America’s Best Doctors and the Guide to America’s Top Physicians. He is past president of five dermatology organizations and is past president for the Florida Society of Dermatologic Surgery and the Noah Worcester Dermatological Society. Dr. Fenske started the USF Dermatology Residency Program in 1980 and is actively involved in governance of the USF Physicians Group. His areas of special interest are skin cancer melanoma, psoriasis and Cosmetic Dermatology.

USF College of Medicine charter faculty member Kailie Shaw, MD, has received the 2016 Distinguished Service Award from USF.

The Distinguished Service Award is only awarded to one faculty member in the USF System per year; Dr. Shaw is the only faculty member in the entire system to receive the 2016 Distinguished Service Award.

Dr. Kailie Shaw.

Dr. Shaw, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, earned the award for “numerous contributions to service in your field and to the University, and it is fitting that your efforts be recognized through receipt of this award,” as noted in the letter notifying her of the award.

Dr. Shaw has been with USF since 1971 – following a fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital, she conducted her residency in psychiatry at the newly opened USF College of Medicine, followed by a fellowship in child psychiatry at USF.

Among her many academic and community service activities, Dr. Shaw directed USF’s psychiatry education program, was a member of Expert Panel on the Best Practices for the Use of Psychiatric Medications in Children and Adolescents, a Florida Governor appointee to the Community Hospital Education Council, and a member of the Hillsborough County Mental Health Critical Incident Response Team. She also served as interim chair for the USF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences.

In 1995, she earned a fellowship with the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program for Women, a nationally renowned program that prepares senior women faculty at schools of medicine, dentistry, and public health to move into positions of leadership.

Dr. Shaw will be officially recognized for this award at a reception held next November.

Continuing the success of USF medical students taking active roles on national stages, two second-year students in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine were recently elected to positions in the American Medical Association student section’s (AMA-MSS) Region 4 Governing Council.

David Aum and Johanna Yun were each attending the recent AMA-MSS meeting in Chicago as delegates for USF. On the second day of the conference, the new Governing Council elections took place for Region 4, which includes medical schools from across Florida, but also those in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Second-year medical students David Aum and Johanna Yun.

Through those elections, David Aum was elected secretary treasurer of the Region 4 Governing Council and Johanna Yun was elected as representative to the AMA Foundation for Region 4.

Medical students are provided with supportive funding for travel to conferences by the MCOM Dean’s Office through the MCOM Office of Student Affairs, including for events that promote student learning and research activities. In their travel summaries for the Office of Student Affairs, Aum and Yun expressed the impact USF has in this national group.

“As a first-time attendee, I was struck by how active and prominent USF MCOM has been on the national stage in AMA-MSS,” Aum said. “I met with the chair of the Governing Council William Pearce, MD, and Cameron Paterson, MD, delegate to the House of Delegates, who both just graduated from USF this year. No other medical school in the country was represented twice on the Governing Council, which I believe speaks to the strength and passion of USF students. Part of that success comes from the willingness and commitment of the Office of Student Affairs to fund such trips to AMA meetings so that USF students can have the opportunity to learn and lead. I look forward to cultivating the next generation of AMA-MSS power players from our school!”

While at the conference, both Aum and Yun also participated in discussions of upcoming resolutions for Region 4.

“It was an enlightening and motivating experience to debate policy on a gamut of health care issues ranging from mental health to near-death organ donation,” Aum said. “It was a wonderful experience to meet and connect with medical students actively interested in some of the most complex and contentious issues facing the next generation of physicians.”

“I attended as alternate delegate on behalf of USF and as the head recruiter for our school,” Yun said. “At the conference, I voted and recommended decisions on resolutions with David (Aum), our primary delegate. I learned about the resolution process while at the conference and am now considering authoring one with David next year. I believe that by voting, taking workshops, and by running for a position successfully, I was able to represent our school well and make sure that we had our voices heard.”

USF Health’s Hiram Green was recently appointed to serve on the Community Advisory Committee as a representative for East Tampa.

Green, director of Community Engagement for USF Health, will represent the East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), which includes a residential and business district within Tampa city limits that has a population of about 16,000.

The Community Advisory Committee includes representatives of areas and neighborhoods throughout Tampa, which ensures that interests of residents, property owners, businesses and other stakeholders are represented in key decisions relating to the City’s Community Redevelopment Plan and budget for their area. Representatives provide input and make recommendations to the City of Tampa City Council and the Community Redevelopment Agency Board concerning their respective Community Redevelopment Area.

Committee members tend to live or work in the redevelopment area and/or have significant interests within the area. Some members of each Committee have a background or expertise in the redevelopment process, such as neighborhood planning, real estate development, and/or real estate finance. Membership reflects the diversity of stakeholders in each area.

Green’s position as the East Tampa representative is for a two-year term.

USF Health’s global health and infectious disease researcher John H. Adams, PhD, was recently named Distinguished University Professor for 2016 for his work in malaria parasite biology that is helping lay the groundwork toward better control and vaccine development.

Dr. Adams, professor in the USF College of Public Health, will be honored and have his new title formally bestowed at the Faculty Honors and Awards ceremony in the fall.

The Distinguished University Professor award recognizes senior faculty members who have distinguished themselves among their peers, both within and outside the University. The title is awarded through a process of nomination and external peer review and identifies those holding it as outstanding members of their profession.

Dr. Adams, who joined USF in 2007, also earned the title Distinguished University Health Professor in 2014.

In his letter announcing Dr. Adam’s designation, USF Provost Ralph Wilcox noted the researcher’s work:

“His research program studies malaria parasite biology with the expectation that a better understanding of Plasmodium biology will enable developing better ways to control malaria through vaccines, drugs and other prevention strategies. Notably, Dr. Adams is the author of over 100 refereed articles in professional journals that have generated a very high citation and corresponding h-index rate. In addition, he has been engaged in funded research in excess of $17 million and has been awarded six U.S. patents. He is a highly sought-after speaker at international conferences and colloquia, and serves as the Editor of the journal Infection and Immunity.”

Dr. Adams was one of three faculty given the 2016 Distinguished University Professor designation. The other two are John Skvoretz, PhD, professor of sociology in the USF College of Arts and Sciences; and Dana Zeidler, PhD, professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning in the USF College of Education.

Third-year medical student Curtis Gravenmier was awarded the 2016 AOA Carolyn L. Kuckein Student Research Fellowship award for his research titled “Evolution of the Warburg Effect as Metabolic Bet-Heding: A Multidisciplinary Study.”

Gravenmier, who was one of 53 students selected from medical schools across the country, earned the award earlier this year as part of his work in the Scholarly Concentrations Program in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. His mentor is Robert A. Gatenby, MD, professor and chair of Diagnostic Imaging at Moffitt Cancer Center.

Gravenmier’s part of the research project includes calculating the mathematics and computer modelling. His work earned him the Best MCOM Medical Student II Presentation at the 26th Annual USF Health Research Day this past February and Best Preclerkship Oral Presentation for the 6th Annual Scholarly Concentration Program Student Symposium.

Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) is the national honor medical society that recognizes academic excellence, leadership, and service. The AOA Carolyn L. Kuckein Student Research Fellowship encourages and supports student research, emphasizing student-designed and initiated projects. The award includes a $5000 award, with $1000 available for travel to a national meeting to present research results.

The faculty councilor to the USF MCOM Florida Gamma Chapter of the AOA is Catherine Lynch, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology, associate vice president for Faculty Development and Women’s Health, and associate dean for MCOM Faculty Development.

Kelley H. Caporice, PHR, human resources generalist in the USF Health Office of Human Resources, recently earned the Professional in Human Resources certification from the HR Certification Institute (HRCI).

The designation certifies that she has demonstrated proficiency in HR ethics, laws and best practices.

“We are excited and proud of Kelley,” said Lori Withrow, PHR, SHRM-CP, director of USF Health Office of Human Resources. “This is a tremendous personal and professional accomplishment. Those three letters signify that an individual possess the theoretical knowledge and practical experience in human resource management, enough so to pass the rigorous and time-limited exam. Kelley not only mastered the exam, but demonstrated real-world application of the material learned.”

Caporice has been with USF Health since 2002, when she joined the HR team for the USF Physicians Group. In her 14 years at USF Health, she has handled components of payroll, new hire orientations, employee benefits, leaves of absence, training, and employee relations, among other duties. Caporice is active in committee work and has been coordinator or co-coordinator of employee appreciation events since 2008.

The USF Health Office of Human Resources provides HR services to both State and USF Physicians Group employees at USF Health and is located on the first floor of the Faculty Office Building (MDF), just across from the Morsani Center for Advanced Healthcare.

HRCI is a national credentialing organization for the human resources profession and offers certifications across HR disciplines. By earning PHR certification, HR professionals demonstrate a mastery of the technical and operational aspects of HR practices and U.S. laws and regulations.

William S. Quillen, PT, DPT, PhD, FACSM, senior associate dean for USF Health and director of the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, has been appointed to serve on the Department of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Prosthetics and Special Disabilities Programs.

Dr. Quillen was appointed by Robert A. McDonald, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

“The Committee is an important body that advises me on VA prosthetics and special-disabilities programs,” Secretary McDonald said in his letter informing Dr. Quillen of his new position. “VA is committed to enhancing services and programs available to disabled Veterans, and I appreciate your willingness to assist us in those efforts.”

Dr. Quillen’s term in this position is through September 2019.

Dr. Quillen joined USF Health in 2004 and has helped lead the USF Health School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences the first Florida state university authorized to offer the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.

A retired commander in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Quillen held a variety of academic positions before joining USF Health. These included assistant professor, US Army-Baylor University Physical Therapy Program; assistant professor, School of Physical Therapy, Texas Women’s University; associate professor and chairman, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, OH; and most recently associate professor and chairman, Department of Physical Therapy, Indiana University. Clinical appointments have included: Department of Pediatrics at the USUHS, Texas Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and Riley Hospital for Children.

Second-year medical student Nicole K. Le won second place for her research poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Florida Medical Association Alliance, held in July in Orlando, FL.

In addition, Le was elected parliamentarian and will represent USF on the Governing Council of the Medical Students Section of the group.

Le’s research poster was titled “Reemergence of Measles in the Americas: The Genotype B3 2011-2012 Outbreak in Ecuador.”

Second-year MCOM students Stephen Stachnik and Cate Nall, Dr. Andrew Gurman, president of the American Medical Association, and Nicole Le.

Several USF Health staff members rose to the top of patient satisfaction surveys, earning scores that helped define the level of care and service they provide to the patients of the USF Physicians Group.

Their efforts also earned them the inaugural awards of the Press Ganey Employee Recognition Program, an effort to recognize those with top scores in each quarterly report. These first winners represent top ratings earners for the first quarter of 2016, with winners from the second set to be named soon.

“We’ve created a robust employee recognition program that is meant to showcase the top performers at USF Health,” said Maria Garces, MT (ASCP), MBA, director of operational efficiency for USFPG. “And we are excited to present these first quarter awards and our second quarter winners are being identified and will be notified very soon.”

The award program is meant to recognize those who excelled in providing USFPG patients with exceptional care and service. The first round of reports for Press Ganey patient satisfaction surveys produced several winners, which were placed within three categories: provider, based on his/her Overall Doctor Rating; office staff within a specialty or division; and nurses/medical assistants within a specialty or division. Future quarters will recognize a fourth category for ARNPs and physician assistants.

The inaugural winners are:

• Provider: Robin Moran, PA, in the Department of Dermatology, with a score of 98.5%
• Office Staff: Neurosurgery at the South Tampa Center, with a score of 98.6%. Winners include Debra Beverly, Yvette Cartagena, Merly Lopez, Debbie Malott, Karlos Martinez, Sharon Matz, Terrie Messier, Jackie Sanchez, Lucas Smailes, Lina Stover, Sandy Tomes, and Irma Velic.
• Nursing/MA: Cardiology at Florida Cardiology Institute in South Tampa, with a score of 96.3%. Winners include Ada Kahrim, Rafael Seda-Perez, Edgar Echavarria, Kenisha Moody, Mary Ann Joy, and Monica Michalski.

Dermatology’s Robin Moran, PA, won the Provider award with a score of 98.5%. Photo by Katy Hennig.

The Neurosurgery team at South Tampa Center won the Office Staff award with a score of 98.6%. Photo by Eric Younghans.

The team in Cardiology at Florida Cardiology Institute in South Tampa won the Nursing/MA award, with Maria Garces (second from left, front row) and Phil Cox (far right) with a score of 96.3%. Photo by Eric Younghans.

The providers are honored with a crystal bull, a rotating award they can proudly display for about three months before the next winner is named, similar to the Stanley Cup for the National Hockey League.

The winning office staff and nursing/MA teams are able to choose among several award options, including a pizza lunch with colleagues, ice cream party, a catered “Breakfast from the Boss,” a cake party, and a patient comment plaque.

Patient surveys are provided through Press Ganey and is designed to encompass the entire patient experience, from the moment they walk in the door until the moment they leave. For USFPG providers, the survey helps them understand what patients expect. Feedback, both complimentary and critical, helps USFPG providers know where they stand, giving them a baseline for implementing improvements. The information collected is used to define and design improvement strategies that improve patient care and build stronger patient safety initiatives, as well as provide benchmarking opportunities with other large academic physician practices

This standardized survey offers patients two modes of questions. One set is the Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CGCAHPS) questions that include the overall provider rating from 0 to 10, the quality of the provider communications, the quality of the office staff, ease of access to appointments and care at our facilities, and the coordination of their care.

The second set are questions USFPG asked Press Ganey to include that are more specific to its practice, with more in-depth questions on communication, access, courtesy, timing (both with getting appointments and with moving through their appointment at our clinics), understanding of their treatment, and their likelihood of recommending USFPG to others.

John Curran, MD, FAAP, professor of pediatrics, associate vice president for Faculty and Academic Affairs at USF Health, and senior executive associate dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, was recently named winner of the 2016 Schiebler Advocacy Award by Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Dr. Curran, who was presented with the award at the group’s recent conference in September, earned the award because of his exceptional work in his profession, for educating local and state legislators, and for diligently advocating to improve the health and welfare of Florida’s children.

The Schiebler Advocacy Award is one of many honors bestowed to Dr. Curran. In April 2016, Dr. Curran was named deputy secretary of Children’s Medical Services (CMS) by the Florida Department of Health. And in November 2015, he was awarded the Frederick A. Reddy, M.D. Memorial Award from the Hillsborough County Medical Association.

The Schiebler Advocacy Award, established in 2013, was established by the Florida Pediatric Foundation to honor the lifetime achievements of Dr. Gerold Schiebler and Audrey Schiebler. For over 50 years their advocacy efforts included the establishment of many programs in Florida including the Guardian Ad Litem, Children’s Medical Services, Poison Control Centers, Child Protection Teams and the Boggy Creek Camp for Children.