1. Children's Hospital rated #3 in nation
Child magazine has rated Children's Hospital of Wisconsin the third best children's hospital in the nation. This rating reflects the commitment and training of the Children's Specialty Group physicians who practice at the hospital. 
In subspecialties, Children's Hospital's Emergency Department/Trauma Center earned the elite ranking of No. 1 in the nation in pediatric emergency medical care. Other Children's Hospital programs appearing in the national top-10 ratings include: cardiac care, fifth; orthopedic care, sixth; neonatal care, seventh. These programs are featured in this issue of Pediatric Rounds.
Survey results and articles about the top 10 children's hospitals and five "super-specialties" are published in the February 2005 issue of Child magazine and online at www.child.com. Children's Hospital's third overall rating proved to be the greatest upset to this year's list, as the hospital has not been credited to this list previously.
Children's Hospital's rating is the result of Child magazine's comprehensive study of pediatric hospitals across the United States. The survey addressed critical areas of pediatric-specific care surrounding survival rates, heart surgeries, solid organ transplants, staff qualifications, nurse-to-patient ratios, research and clinical trials, family support and other services unique to pediatric health care. The Child magazine survey currently is the only comprehensive, data-driven ranking of children's hospitals in the nation.
2. Herma Heart Center offers outstanding clinical care, innovative programs and cardiac research
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin offers a full-service cardiac program for infants, children and adults with congenital heart defects. Beginning in 1973, Children's Hospital recruited cardiac surgeons and pediatric cardiologists from many leading training centers to develop our center, which today has some of the best published results for even the most complex infant heart surgery. This includes operations such as the Norwood procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
Cardiac surgeons performed more than 12,000 procedures at Children's Hospital over the past 31 years with a current operative mortality rate of 1.2 percent (701 cases in 2004).
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin cardiac services were rated No. 5 in the nation by Child magazine |
| James Tweddell, MD, leads the cardiac surgical service, which includes S. Bert Litwin, MD, and Robert "Jake" Jaquiss, MD. They provide the entire spectrum of surgical interventions, including heart and lung transplant. Before and after surgery, pediatric specialists care for children in a state-of-the-art intensive care unit where their parents can be at their sides 24 hours a day. In addition, the nearby Ronald McDonald House provides lodging and a quiet atmosphere for rest and comfort to these families.
The Children's Hospital Herma Heart Center combines cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery into one integrated center to provide seamless care for children with congenital heart disease and their families. Several areas of the center, in addition to the surgical care, contributed to the recent No. 5 rating by Child magazine, including:
Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam's Memory).
This is a community-focused program, lead by Stuart Berger, MD, that helps implement automated external defibrillator (AED) programs in schools. Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold embraced this innovative program by sponsoring the Adam Act, which was signed into law in 2003 and highlighted the need for placement of AEDs in schools across the nation. The project's mission is to eradicate sudden cardiac death in children through research, education and prevention initiatives.
Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program.
Children with congenital heart disease are surviving into adulthood in significantly increasing numbers. These individuals require a very specialized physician to manage their medical care. Michael Earing, MD, joined the team last year to lead this Children's Hospital program. Earing trained at the Mayo Clinic, one of only three nationally recognized adult congenital heart disease training programs in the country. Only 30 cardiologists nationwide have specialized training to care for this unique population. As a result, many of these patients do not receive adequate follow-up care due to access issues. This program offers access to experts in both pediatric and adult subspecialties to ensure state-of-the-art, comprehensive diagnostic and interventional cardiac care to adults with congenital heart disease.
Cardiac Fetal Program.
Directed by Michele Frommelt, MD, this prenatal cardiac diagnostic program now draws patients from well beyond the boundaries of the state. Partnered with the Fetal Concerns Program based at Children's Hospital and Froedert & Medical College of Wisconsin, care is provided for both the expectant mother and the infant with heart disease. This allows families who receive a prenatal diagnosis of heart disease to choose the most advanced medical care for both mother and child in close proximity to one another. Parents have traveled from as far as Nebraska, Colorado, Florida and Tennessee for this advanced care.
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| The cardiac cath lab at CHW represents the best medical imaging technology currently available. |
Cardiac Research.
Herma Heart Center physicians, nurses and other specialists collaborate with one another and with cardiac specialists across the country and throughout the world to conduct research to provide new and innovative therapies for children and adults with many forms of heart disease. In addition to studies of specific medical and surgical management, a highlight of the center's mission in research is to explore issues affecting quality of life for children after facing multiple complex cardiac surgeries. Survival no longer is the single focus of health care providers working with these children. The quality of life for patients and the ability to understand special learning needs has become an important focus nationally. Clinical research professionals are involved in cutting-edge neurodevelopmental and psychosocial outcomes research to explore these issues.
Source: Maryanne Kessel, RN, is the director of the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Herma Heart Center.
For more information
Herma Heart Center
(414) 266-2380
To make an appointment
Central Scheduling
(414) 607-5280 local
(877) 607-5280 toll-free
3. Multicenter emergency medicine research paves the way for improved patient care
Taking excellent care of patients is one of our missions, but ensuring this excellent care can continue and advance – through research and education – is another important part of what we do. The Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Emergency Department/Trauma Center has a longstanding interest in clinical research that is directly relevant to the care of acutely ill and injured children.
Currently, our emergency medicine physicians are engaged in more than 35 different studies. These include epidemiologic studies, clinical trials, evaluations of diagnostic tests and health services research. This research covers a broad range of clinical areas including asthma, violence and injury prevention, head trauma, pain and sedation, health service utilization, adolescent issues, technology assessment and outcomes of acute care.
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin emergency medicine services were rated No. 1 in the nation by Child magazine |
One of the most exciting developments in the past few years has been the creation of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN). Children's Hospital is a founding member. With funding from the Emergency Medical Service for Children (EMSC) Program of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Service Administration, PECARN was established in fall 2001 to provide the necessary infrastructure to conduct multicenter collaborative studies of the full spectrum of care for acutely ill and injured children – from prevention to pre-hospital care, emergency department and inpatient treatment and rehabilitation. As it approaches the midpoint of its fourth year, it is clear PECARN is off to an excellent start in fulfilling these goals.
PECARN includes 26 emergency departments across the country: both large tertiary care centers and community hospitals; pediatric and general emergency departments; and urban, suburban and rural institutions. Among the participating sites are traditional pediatric emergency medicine research powerhouses such as Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, St. Louis Children's and Cincinnati Children's Medical Center as well as smaller facilities such as Harlem Hospital Center in New York and Marquette General Hospital in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Of the top five pediatric emergency departments cited by Child magazine, four are members of the network. There also is an independent Data Management and Coordinating Center located at University of Utah. Children's Hospital of Wisconsin is represented in the network through my membership on the steering committee.
There are nine studies in progress in the network. Some of the highlights follow.
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| More than 58,000 patients were treated in the CHW Emergency Department/Trauma Center during 2004. |
Core data project. This was our first effort, an epidemiologic study of the more than 800,000 annual visits to the emergency departments in the network. Among the findings to date are:
- Important limitations in terms of availability and accuracy of demographic and clinical data reported by hospital information systems.
- Descriptions of patient populations with frequent repeat emergency department use.
- Differences in quality of care and resource utilization between general and pediatric emergency departments.
- Innovative uses of geographic information systems (GIS) technology to map high-risk areas for injuries.
Neuroimaging decision rule for minor head trauma. There is scarce evidence to guide the use of CT scanning for children with minor head trauma. Serious injuries such as intracranial hemorrhage are fortunately rare, making it difficult to study this issue systematically. CT use has increased dramatically over the past decade, leading to increased cost and possible risk from radiation exposure. This observational study, being conducted at all sites, will enroll a total of 25,000 children, the largest study of this issue by an order of magnitude, over a two-year period. So far we have more than 10,000 subjects, with more than 600 enrolled at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, and we anticipate results by mid-2006.
Corticosteroids for bronchiolitis. The existing literature on the usefulness of steroids for infants with bronchiolitis is mixed. The majority of studies have failed to demonstrate a benefit, but they have been small and suffer from methodologic flaws. A recent Canadian study suggests dexamethasone may be effective in this disease, but this study was relatively small (71 infants) and has not yet been replicated. A multicenter randomized controlled trial at 17 of the PECARN sites will enroll 800 infants with bronchiolitis to provide a definitive answer to this question.
Hypothermia for children with cardiac arrest. PECARN hospitals with pediatric intensive care units (including Children's Hospital of Wisconsin) are conducting a planning study, sponsored by the National Institute for Child Health and Development, which will lead to a multicenter randomized trial of hypothermia as an adjunct in the management of children who have suffered cardiorespiratory arrest.
Risk factors for C-spine injury in children. The EMSC Program recently granted funding to conduct a case-control study of cervical spine injury in children at all PECARN sites. The goal is to identify predictors of injured children at essentially no risk of cervical spine injury as a preliminary step in conducting a randomized trial of the use of cervical spine immobilization in children before they reach a hospital, a widely used but not evidence-based practice.
Other studies include a demonstration of a real-time syndromic surveillance system to help detect bioterror events or emerging infectious diseases such as SARS; an FDA sponsored trial of the use of lorazepam for status epilepticus (one of the target agents in the Better Pharmaceuticals for Children Act); and a study of the epidemiology of psychiatric and mental health emergencies in children. More information is available at www.pecarn.org.
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| During 2004, CHW Transport brought a record 1,400 patients patients to CHW. |
In the coming years, we will analyze and disseminate the results of these and other studies, in the hope of providing solid evidence on which to base clinical practice, and ultimately to improve the care and outcomes of children in need of emergency medical care.
Source: Marc Gorelick, MD, is medical director of Emergency Services and holds the Jon E. Vice Chair in Emergency Medicine at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. He also is a professor of Pediatrics (Emergency Medicine) at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
For more information
Specialists can be contacted directly through the Children's Transport and Physician Referral Center
(414) 266-2460 local
(800) 2669-0366 toll-free
4. Orthopedic physicians engage in research, actively improving patient care
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Variety Club Orthopedic Center uses state-of-the-art musculoskeletal function assessment equipment and offers sophisticated evaluation of children with orthopedic disorders. These technologies not only provide important clinical information, but they also are used in research to objectively assess pathology and determine the best methods for treatment.
Research strengthens treatment options
There are several broad research areas where orthopedics continues to progress: human motion analysis, surface topography, dynamic foot pressure measurements and animal laboratory studies. The new technologies enable objective measurement of pediatric orthopedic disorders, which provides valuable information for physicians. Our research efforts are under the direction of Xue Cheng Liu, MD, PhD, who continues to further refine and improve the technologies in place.
We recently received a highly competitive grant from the Orthopedic Research and Education Foundation, totaling $150,000. With this grant, we are developing a new method for assessing children who have had surgical correction of their clubfoot deformities. The study aims to create a classification system that appropriately identifies factors relevant to long-term function and satisfaction. The goal is to devise a method that can be agreed upon internationally for evaluating these children, providing a common language where the results of various treatment protocols can be assessed.
Human motion analysis
The Children's Hospital center includes a high-tech human motion analysis system with dynamic electromagnetic sensors. This allows for real-time assessment of the dynamic function of children with a variety of neuromuscular disorders, and it provides methods for determining parameters that could not be evaluated by prior motion analysis systems using the pure reflective (refractory) methodology. The motion analysis system allows physicians to obtain objective criteria of children's gait abnormalities. (See Figures 1 and 2.)
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| Figure 1 |
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| Figure 2 |
This helps to understand the pathology in order to give the best information for planning the ideal nonoperative or surgical intervention. This motion analysis system provides a way to evaluate children's alignment, joint motions and dynamic muscle function during gait. Performing studies preoperatively and postoperatively allows objective assessment of the results of surgical treatment.
Surface topography
The center also advances the use of surface topography for analysis of patients with spinal deformities. (See Figure 3.)
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| Figure 3 |
The system is used to monitor children with minor scoliosis. The benefit for patients is decreased radiation risk due to repetitive X-ray exposure. Surface topography helps assess the effects of surgical intervention on the contour of the spine. Research is underway to find even more precise evaluations for children with spinal deformities.
Dynamic foot pressure measurements
Dynamic plantar pressure studies are used in the evaluation of children with a variety of pediatric foot disorders. (See Figures 4 and 5.)
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| Figure 4 |
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| Figure 5 |
This provides physicians with accurate information of the forces generated by the foot during walking and gives additional information that can provide optimal orthotic intervention or help identify the ideal surgical procedure. (See Figure 6.)
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| Figure 6 |
Animal laboratory studies
Animal studies are underway to evaluate new devices for treating common pediatric orthopedic disorders. Studies evaluating the effect of ultrasound on fracture healing and on the function of the growth plate have been performed. Currently, surgical procedures designed to modulate the growth of the spine in juvenile animals involve sophisticated histological and radiographic evaluation.
Our research continues to expand to provide the optimal methods for assisting children with pediatric disorders. We are hiring additional research assistants to conduct studies relating to spinal deformity, clubfoot and neuromuscular disorders. The goal is to provide the most sophisticated methods for the optimal care of children and to develop improved methods for treating children's orthopedic disorders in the future.
Source: John Thometz, MD, is medical director of Orthopedic Surgery at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. He also is a professor of Orthopedics at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
For more information
Variety Club Orthopedic Center
(414) 266-2410
To make an appointment
Central Scheduling
(414) 607-5280 local
(877) 607-5280 toll-free
5. Fetal Concerns Program provides integrated care for mothers and babies with antenatally diagnosed anomalies
Each year 150,000 babies – 1 in 28 – are born with some type of birth defect. Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin offer a unique program to help the families when an antenatal fetal anomaly diagnosis is made. The purpose of the program is to assist, educate, counsel and empower these families and coordinate the care for both mothers and infants in one place. Besides being the only program of its type in Wisconsin, it has served as a model for several perinatal centers around the country to provide family-centered care.
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin neonatology services were rated No. 7 in the nation by Child magazine |
Since the inception of the program in 2000, it has served more than 800 prenatally diagnosed babies and their families. These babies have come from throughout Wisconsin as well as Illinois, Michigan, Alabama, Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado. In fall 2003, Children's Hospital began a cooperative affiliation with the Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Maternal-Fetal Medicine Group to expand the care provided to mothers and their unborn children located in northern Illinois.
Nurse coordinators help support families
All care is coordinated by specially trained nurse coordinators: Emilie Lamberg Jones, RN, BSW; Barbara Burkard, RN; and Teresa Godfrey, RN, MSN. This nursing team advocates for families, becoming a "familiar face" to turn to during this potentially traumatic time and easing adjustment. Coordination of care begins at the time of a prenatal diagnosis and continues through one year after delivery.
The nurses provide families education on the abnormality and subsequent care, set up meetings with the providers who will care for their children after birth, and offer emotional support and grief counseling. Some of the specialty areas a family may see include: Genetics, General Surgery, Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neonatology, Nephrology, Urology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery and Cleft Lip/Palate. Other areas involved may include Palliative Care, Pastoral Care, Child Life, the Birth Defects Research Center and the Wisconsin Poison Center. Despite the number of care providers who may be involved in children's care, families in the program have one person – their nurse coordinator – to turn to with questions.
Families are actively involved in health care decisions
The in-depth counseling empowers parents in decision making. They become informed participants in the plan of care, the delivery and the care of the infant after birth. Information helps parents work through the grief of the loss of normal pregnancies and helps decrease their anxiety about the care their children will require at birth. Because the prenatal diagnosis requires continued care after birth, Children Hospital staff doesn't look at the birth as a transfer, but rather a point within the continuum of care. In some rare cases, an early diagnosis offers the opportunity for fetal therapies that might not otherwise be an option.
Statistical overview: 2000-2004
Our specialists are national leaders in developing prenatal palliative care for infants with lethal or significant life-threatening anomalies. While guidelines for effective perinatal palliative care have been proposed, there was little descriptive data utilizing these models. From 2000 to 2004, the program cared for 36 pregnant women who had potentially life-threatening fetal diagnoses, thus leading to a prenatal palliative care consult. Prenatal diagnoses included complex CNS diseases (anencephaly, holoprosencephaly, hydranencephaly), chromosomal anomalies (trisomy 18, trisomy 13, Meckel-Gruber syndrome), non-immune hydrops, complex congenital heart disease, and renal anomalies and oligohydramnios. Course-defining decisions included induction of labor in 50 percent, expectant management in 39 percent and elective C-sections in 6 percent of cases. Patients who were induced stated reasons of psychological health, medical health and fetal demise. Patients who chose expectant management stated religious views (29 percent) or improved prognosis (21 percent) as a reason. Advance care planning requests revealed that 67 percent of families chose comfort care only, and 25 percent requested that the baby be resuscitated for further evaluation after birth. All patients had personalized care plans documented. Palliative care team members were present at 23 percent of births. Overall, 51 percent of the neonates were stillborn. Of the 49 percent born alive, 76 percent eventually died, living from a few minutes to 4.5 months. Two of these infants died in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and three died at home while in hospice care. Four infants are living. Lastly, the team remained involved through hospital family meetings, hospice referral and follow-up phone calls. Bereavement services from Children's Hospital were offered to all families.
In addition to offering personalized, seamless care for women with fetal abnormalities, the Fetal Concerns Program provides support for community physicians in diagnosing and managing pregnancies suspected to involve complications. Counseling and education are available to help families and physicians make informed decisions for the fetus and family. When it is known that a newborn will need immediate surgical intervention, the community physician can deliver at the Froedtert & Medical College Birth Center located inside Children's Hospital so the appropriate action can be taken immediately.
Fetal Concerns Program diagnostic and therapeutic services
Diagnostic
- Regular or 4-D ultrasound imaging.
- Amniocentesis.
- Chorionic villous sampling.
- Fetal echo.
- Fetal MRI.
Therapeutic
- Amniocentesis.
- Periumbilical blood sampling and transfusions.
- Developing urologic expertise.
- Referrals to National Institutes of Health trial institutions.
Current research initiatives
- Pulmonary hypertension and lung biology research to advance understanding and develop new therapies, Ganesh Konduri, MD.
- Birth defects prevention and pharmacogenomics research to understand the role of genetics and environmental exposure in causing birth defects, Gail McCarver, MD.
- Perinatal palliative care and outcomes to understand the experience of families dealing with complex fetal anomalies, Steven Leuthner, MD.
- Prevention of respiratory and nosocomial infections to improve the outcome for premature infants, Ponthenkandath Sasidharan, MD.
- Benchmarking of outcomes and continuous quality assessment and improvement, Michael Uhing, MD.
For more information
Fetal Concerns Program
Co-directors:
Steven R. Leuthner, MD
Thomas R. Wigton, MD
(414) 805-4776
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
(414) 266-2950
To transport a patient
Children's Transport and Physician Referral Center
(414) 266-2460 local
(800) 266-0366 toll-free
Source: Steven Leuthner, MD, is the Fetal Concerns Program co-director, a neonatologist at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and an associate professor of Pediatrics (Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine) at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Source: Ganesh Konduri, MD, is a neonatologist at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and an associate professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology) and chief of Neonatology at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
6. Children's Hospital breaks ground on new research institute
Children's Hospital and Health System and the Medical College of Wisconsin held a ceremonial groundbreaking Jan. 28 to begin construction of a $117 million joint research facility. Executives and board leaders from both institutions were on hand for the ceremony, as well as Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and other dignitaries. The first phase of the research facility is expected to open in December 2006.
The new facility will provide shared research space and two wings of laboratories, one for the health system's new Children's Research Institute and the other for the Medical College's Biomedical Research Building. It will be located adjacent to both the Medical College and Children's Hospital, just south of Watertown Plank Road on the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center campus.
"With the inception of Children's Research Institute earlier this year, one of our objectives was to determine the best way to provide both laboratory space and organizational support to continue to expand our pediatric research efforts," said Jon E. Vice, president and chief executive officer, Children's Hospital and Health System. "After careful study and collaboration with the Medical College, we determined that new facilities that share resources would best serve the mission of each organization."
The Medical College will provide $77 million of funding support for the project, and Children's Hospital and Health System will provide $40 million. The state of Wisconsin has granted $25 million for the project as an investment in biotechnology in the Milwaukee area.
The specially designed facilities will provide adequate space for existing and expanded research initiatives of both the Medical College and Children's Research Institute. Key pediatric research programs on target to move to the institute include: cardiovascular disease (congenital defects, hypertension, bleeding disorders); genetics (obesity, diabetes, gene therapy); immunology (rheumatic disorders, lupus, tumor immunology); and community/public health research (child abuse and injury prevention).
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| The first phase of the research facility that will house Childrens Research Institute is expected to open in December 2006. |
About Children's Research Institute
From stemming milk-borne illnesses in the early 1900s, to the development of the Milwaukee Brace in the 1950s, to more recent advancements such as bone marrow transplantation techniques and post-operative management of hypoplastic left heart syndrome patients, research at Children's Hospital has been fueled by the desire to do better for the children of Wisconsin. More than 200 physicians and other Medical College faculty are involved in pediatric research. That number is expected to grow to 250 in the next few years. The Department of Pediatrics ranks No. 35 of all pediatric departments in the nation for funding from the National Institutes of Health.
"As a nationally recognized pediatric facility, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin always has supported research," said Robert Kliegman, MD, executive vice president, Children's Research Institute. "The creation of the institute will allow us to bring a tremendous amount of pediatric research together – from bench to bedside. We know that children are not just little adults, and their treatment protocols and care are unique, as is the research into childhood diseases."
Kliegman holds the Muma Family Chair in Pediatrics at Children's Hospital and is chairman and professor of pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Ellis Avner, MD, a nationally recognized pediatric research leader, serves as director of Children's Research Institute. Avner, who was chief medical officer at Cleveland's Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital and chairman of Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University College of Medicine, is building the pediatric research program at Children's Hospital. He also serves as associate dean for research at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
7. Center offers evaluation and treatment for children with sleep disorders
The Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Sleep Center has immediate availability for consultation and sleep studies.
Pediatric patients may benefit from further evaluation if they:
- Snore.
- Have difficulty breathing.
- Have difficulty falling asleep.
- Have nightmares, night terrors or sleepwalk.
The Sleep Center includes the only board-certified sleep specialists in Wisconsin and northern Illinois dedicated solely to pediatrics:
To make a referral, call the center at (414) 266-2790.
8. Children's Transport and Referral Center provides one source to connect with Children's Hospital specialists
If you have an emergency, emergent or non-urgent patient issue, you have an easy way to access services at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. With a single call to the Children's Transport and Physician Referral Center, you will connect with the resources you need, whether facilitating a patient transport, consulting with a physician specialist or setting up a clinic appointment with a pediatric specialist.
Transport nurse clinicians staff the line 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These nurses will expedite your transport, page the pediatric specialist on call or help you schedule an appointment for your patient with an appropriate specialist.
The center was created in 2002 to offer physicians and other health care professionals a single-point of access to specialty consults and services. Since that time, more than 850 calls have been handled through the center.
Transport services
Transport nurses, clinicians, pediatricians and respiratory therapists are ready 24 hours a day to provide emergency neonatal and pediatric transport service to Children's Hospital from referring facilities via ambulance, helicopter or airplane. The transport team stabilizes and transports accident victims, premature infants, newborns requiring immediate surgery, children in respiratory distress, children who have ingested poison and other critically ill children.
Since its inception in 1988, Children's Transport staff has transported more than 15,000 infants and children to Children's Hospital. In 2004, a record 1,400 patients were transported.
Children's Transport and Physician Referral Center
Physician Consultation Service
(414) 266-2460 local
(800) 266-0366 toll-free
Call to obtain a general pediatric consultation, a second opinion and/or assistance in making referrals to pediatric specialists at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
Available 24 hours a day, every day
9. Regional outpatient clinics expand services
In addition to more than 70 pediatric specialty clinics located at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin near Milwaukee, Children's Hospital and Health System offers a number of outpatient clinics throughout the region. Children's Specialty Group physicians staff the clinics and provide consultations, assessments and follow-up care.
These clinics provide physicians with improved access to the pediatric experts needed by children in their communities. Patients and families benefit from the ability to see pediatric experts without having to travel to Milwaukee.
Recently expanded services include:
Green Bay
Bellin Health Family Medical Center
555 Red Bird Circle, Suite 200
DePere, Wis.
Gastroenterology
For appointments, call (920) 445-7272 and ask for the Pediatric Gastroenterology Clinic.
General Pediatric Surgery
A new monthly pediatric consultation clinic now is available for referrals. For appointments, call (920) 445-7272 and ask for the Pediatric Surgery Clinic.
Fox Valley
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Clinics-Fox Valley
Medical Office Building, Suite 480
200 Theda Clark Medical Plaza, Neenah, Wis.
Gastroenterology
For appointments, call (920) 969-7970 or Central Scheduling toll-free at (877) 607-5280.
Kenosha
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Clinics-Kenosha
Kenosha Medical Center Campus
Medical Professional Building, Suite 3090
6308 Eighth Ave., Kenosha, Wis.
Gastroenterology and Constipation
Weekly clinics now are available for referrals. For appointments, call (262) 653-2260.
For more information about regional outpatient clinics, visit the Children's Hospital Web site at www.chw.org.
10. Sign up today! Children's Hospital to host national pediatric conference in June
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin is hosting a national pediatric conference expected to attract more than 200 pediatricians and family practitioners from across the country. "Editor's Choice" will showcase 22 experts representing a variety of pediatric medical and surgical specialties. The conference is being held Thursday and Friday, June 16 and 17, at the Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee.
Timely pediatric topics include:
- Depression and anxiety.
- Bellyaches and appendicitis.
- Medical and surgical management of obese children.
- Inflammatory bowel disease.
- Feeding and swallowing issues.
- Epilepsy and seizures.
- Dermatological hair disorders.
- Antibiotics.
- Sudden death in student athletes.
- Sports injury prevention.
- Asthma management.
- Complex airway management.
- Hematuria and glomerulonephritis.
- Pneumococcal vaccines.
- Diabetes management.
- Sexually transmitted infection in teens.
In a special lunch-hour presentation, rabies management will be addressed by the infectious disease specialist who led the team that used innovative treatment to save the life of a 15-year-old Wisconsin girl in Oct. 2004.
The registration fee of $200 includes tuition for the full conference, continental breakfast for two days, refreshment breaks, lunch and an evening reception on Thursday, June 16. A syllabus of presentations also is included. Continuing medical education credits are available for physicians and family practitioners.
For more information call (630) 681-1040 or visit the Children's Hospital Web site at www.chw.org and select the link on the home page. You can download a copy of the conference brochure and register online. Registrations are due Friday, May 27.
Prominent textbook editors on staff at Children's Hospital
The conference title, Editor's Choice, reflects the fact that a number of prominent pediatric textbook editors are on staff at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, the host of the conference.
Robert Kliegman, MD, pediatrician-in-chief and Muma Family Chair in Pediatrics at Children's Hospital; executive vice president of Children's Research Institute; and chairman and professor of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin: an editor of Nelson's Textbook of Pediatrics, 17th edition.
Colin Rudolph, MD, PhD, medical director of Gastroenterology at Children's Hospital; professor and chief of Pediatrics (Gastroenterology) at the Medical College: an editor of Rudolph's Pediatrics, 21st edition.
Keith Oldham, MD, surgeon-in-chief and Marie Uihlein Chair at Children's Hospital; professor and chief of Pediatric Surgery at the Medical College: an editor of Principles and Practice of Pediatric Surgery.
11. May CME to offer wide variety of pediatric dermatology information
The Medical College of Wisconsin CME Program and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin are sponsoring a program titled "Midwest Pediatric Dermatology Conference: Pediatric Dermatology for the Practitioner," from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, May 14, 2005 at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
Topics and presenters
- Birthmarks: when to worry – Maria Garzon, MD, associate professor, Dermatology and Clinical Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, NY.
- Red, hot and bothered: fever and a rash quiz – Victoria Barrio, MD, fellow, Pediatric Dermatology, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and Medical College of Wisconsin.
- Tinea capitis: therapy update – Valerie B. Lyon, MD, pediatric dermatologist, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin; assistant clinical professor, Dermatology, Medical College of Wisconsin.
- Infestations – Sheila S. Galbraith, MD, pediatric dermatologist, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin; assistant professor, Dermatology, Medical College of Wisconsin.
- Common skin lumps and bumps:evaluation and management – Lyon.
- Dermatology consult: from the benign to the malignant – Garzon.
- Viral exanthems: the old, the new and the unexplained – Beth Ann Drolet, MD, medical director, Dermatology, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin; associate professor of Pediatrics (Dermatology), Medical College of Wisconsin.
- Your genes are showing: cutaneous findings of common genetic disorders – Kristen E. Holland, MD, fellow, Pediatric Dermatology, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and Medical College of Wisconsin.
- Refresher in acne – Galbraith.
Who should attend
This lecture is designed for pediatricians, family practice physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, pediatric and dermatology residents and dermatologists from throughout the Midwest.
Designation of credit
The Medical College of Wisconsin designates this education activity for a maximum of 5.5 category 1 credits toward the AMA Physicians' Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those credits that he/she actually spent in the activity.
Contact hours
The Medical College of Wisconsin designates this activity for up to 5.5 contact hours of continuing education for allied health professionals.
The cost is $55 per person prior to May 1; $65 per person prior to May 10; $75 for day of registration. The fee includes all conference materials, continental breakfast and lunch. For registration information, call (414) 456-4081. Space is limited and registrations will be taken in the order received.
12. Pocket directory provides quick access to Children's Specialty Group specialists
In January, physicians' offices were sent copies of the 2004 Children's Specialty Group Pocket Directory.
This handy directory will assist you and your staff in referring patients to more than 230 pediatric specialists and subspecialists and 60 nurse practitioners and physicians' assistants at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. A list of current providers is given for each program, as well as a brief program description and phone number to make it more convenient for you to contact us.
If you would like additional copies of the Pocket Directory, call the Children's Specialty Group office at (414) 266-3456 or e-mail csg@chw.org. You also can download the directory to your PDA at www.mcw.edu/CSGPocket/index.asp.
13. Children's Specialty Group member news
New hires
Neurosurgery
David Tuinstra, PA-C, pediatric physician assistant at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, has joined the Neurosurgery Department at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Education: Bachelor of Science, Physician Assistant Program, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City.
Certification: Physician Assistant Certification.
Psychiatry
James Jensen, MD, is a pediatric psychiatrist at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and an associate professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Medical School: Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia.
Residency: Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, General Psychiatry.
Fellowship: Boston Children's Hospital and Judge Baker Children's Center, Boston, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Board Certification: Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
New appointments
Adolescent Medicine
Susan Jay, MD, is program director for Adolescent Medicine at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. She also is an adolescent medicine specialist at Children's Hospital and a professor of Pediatrics (Adolescent Medicine) at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
In her new role, Jay will help provide young adults with clinical care specific to the unique developmental issues of adolescence. During 2005, plans include developing a clinic specifically for adolescents, creating a teen advisory board, offering an adolescent consulting service and continuing to address the community needs of young adults.
Jay recently joined the medical staff at Children's Hospital and the Medical College.
Medical School: University of Illinois, Chicago.
Residency: University of Chicago, Pediatrics.
Fellowship: Stanford University Hospital, Stanford, Calif., Adolescent Medicine.
Board Certification: Pediatrics and Pediatric Adolescent Medicine.
NEW (Nutrition, Exercise and Weight Management) Kids Program
Joseph Skelton, MD, has been named program director of the NEW Kids Program at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. He also is a pediatric gastroenterology fellow at Children's Hospital and an instructor of Pediatrics (Gastroenterology) at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Skelton spearheaded the conceptual design of the NEW Kids Program and is an emerging leader in pediatric obesity. He recently was an invited participant in the preparation of national guidelines for bariatric surgery in adolescents.
14. Mark your calendar for the "Best Practices in Pediatrics" fall conference
The fall 2005 "Best Practices in Pediatrics" conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Lincolnshire Marriott in Linolnshire, Ill.
To pre-register, call Nancy Paffel at (414) 266-6556.
The winter 2006 conference will be held Saturday, March 11, at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
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