UMMC garners innovator ranking, staff tapped for leadership program

The Medical Center garners recognition for its use of analytics to solve business challenges, two staff members are selected to participate in a faculty leaders program in policy research and analysis, a physiology postdoctoral research fellow receives an award for his research poster, and radiology staff enjoy a successful wellness event.

Drexel, CIO.com list UMMC among strongest innovators

The University of Mississippi Medical Center has been named one of the top 50 institutions in the nation for innovative use of analytics to drive innovation.

The ranking is produced by Drexel University and CIO.com. The awards program honors 50 executives who are using analytics at their organizations to solve business challenges.

By identifying these 50 leaders, Drexel and CIO.com hope to share best practices while recognizing innovation in analytics.

UMMC and Dr. John Showalter, associate professor of medicine and the Medical Center's chief health information officer, were nominated for the honor. The Analytics 50 represents a broad spectrum of industries, ranging from pharmaceuticals and health care to sports and media.

UMMC duo tapped for policy leadership program

Dr. Dana West, left, associate professor of health sciences in the School of Health Related Professions, and Dr. Jessylen Age, RN risk management coordinator, have been selected to take part in the 2016 Pardee RAND Graduate School Faculty Leaders Program in Policy Research and Analysis.

West and Age are among 12 faculty leaders nationally to have received the fellowship award. The Pardee RAND Graduate School is the nation's only policy school based at a public policy research institute.

West has been with UMMC since 2007. Her research interests are professional advancement of sexual minorities in academia and equitable, appropriate and accessible health care among sexual minorities.

Age came to UMMC in 2009 and is responsible for proactively managing risk-reduction strategies to ensure safety and quality of care for patients, their families and the workforce. She was selected as a Minority Access Role Model by Minority Access, Inc. and was recognized at the recent National Minority Access Role Model Conference.

Physiology postdoc's poster earns HTN council award

Patil

Dr. Chetan Patil, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, won an Onsite Trainee Poster Award at the Council on Hypertension Scientific Sessions Sept. 14-17 in Orlando, Florida, for his poster, “Hypertension in Post-Menopausal Women: Role of Renin-Angiotensin System and Eicosanoids.”

Patil is a fellow in the lab of Dr. Jane Reckelhoff, Billy S. Guyton Distinguished Professor and interim chair of biochemistry.

A section of the American Heart Association, the Council on Hypertension's mission is “to foster excellence in hypertension research and education" to achieve the American Heart Association's goal “to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke."

Radiology staff conduct successful wellness event

The Department of Radiology hosted a Radiology Wellness Education Day event Sept. 24 at Old Trace Park in Ridgeland that included a two-mile walk/run/bike to the Reservoir Outlook, lunch and lawn games around the park pavilion.

Radiology physicians, residents, fellows and administrative staff, pictured above, participated in the festivities. Dr. Patrick Smith, professor of family medicine, and Dr. Joshua Mann, professor of preventive medicine, spoke about the importance of wellness and preventive medicine.

“The radiology community is becoming more aware of the importance of health and wellness to physician productivity and professional/personal satisfaction,” said Dr. Timothy McCowan, chair and professor of radiology. “We are promoting departmental activities to recognize these principles and increase participation by our faculty and residents.”

“Having a Wellness Education Day was a wonderful way to raise awareness on how we can take care of ourselves in order to take care of others,” said Dr. Patrick Smith, chief faculty affairs officer. “It's a win-win to success.”