A publication for friends and colleagues of Jefferson’s Department of Surgery Spring 2016 Volume 11, Number 1 SurgicalSolutions Division of Acute Care Surgery Brings Coordinated Care to More Delaware Valley Residents

Jefferson-affiliated trauma centers all utilize JeffSTAT, a medical Surgeon Speaks transportation service owned and operated by Thomas Jefferson University . This 24-hour service provides a seamless transportation and referral system, with advanced life support, critical care ambulances, medical helicopters and personnel with the advanced training necessary to route the sickest and most sub-specialized patients to the Center City location as quickly as possible after injury.

Telemedicine Becoming an accredited Level II Trauma Center requires an incredible amount Members of the Acute Care Surgery team on the helipad at 11th & Walnut Streets in Center City: for Acute Care of time and effort. At most , John Rittenhouse, MD, Joshua Marks, MD, Julie Donnelly (Program Coordinator), George Koenig, DO, it takes 18 months to implement the Gary Lindenbaum, MD, Alannah Ryan, RN, CRNP, Pankaj Patel, MD, Murray Cohen, MD, Surgery Patients necessary infrastructure and coordinate Michael Weinstein, MD, and Jay Jenoff, MD. Patients also benefit from JeffConnect all of the supporting processes. However, administrators at Lankenau Medical Virtual Rounds – a telemedicine Jefferson’s Division of Acute Care critical care and emergency Center, in Wynnewood, PA, had a Surgery keeps expanding its reach. general surgery. solution designed to enhance more ambitious goal. They wanted to The Center City campus has long communications during and after reach “Trauma Ready” status in just six “Jefferson’s Acute Care Surgery maintained a Level I Trauma Center. a hospital stay. During a stay, acute months, and they came to Jefferson for Division now has a presence not , part of Main Line Health care surgeons use the system to help getting there. In partnership with only in Center City, but also in Jefferson’s Division of Acute Care Surgery, in Chester County, has been a Level hold videoconferences with patients’ Chester County and two locations in the new Trauma II Trauma Center led by Jefferson families – enabling face-to-face Montgomery County, including one Program opened on January 1, 2016. surgeons since 2010. Then, the updates with relatives whether near West Philly,” Dr. Cohen says. We’ll be undergoing a State survey of 2015 merger with Abington Hospital they’re in the suburbs or another “As we move forward with Aria, our the Trauma Program in June and aim to brought its established Level II Trauma state. Following discharge, surgeons receive Level II accreditation in October footprint will extend to Northeast Center into the fold. use JeffConnect Virtual Rounds to of 2016. Philly, as well. Over time, we will A second Main Line Health hospital, conduct some follow-up visits. Using standardize policies and protocols Throughout the process, I’ve been Lankenau Medical Center, is in the their smartphones, patients can get to ensure consistently high-quality impressed with the clinical and final stages of becoming an accredited the care they need without traveling care at every location.” administrative resources at Lankenau. Level II Trauma Center thanks to to what is often a brief appointment. And, it’s been rewarding to share its partnership with Jefferson (see Another key advantage of the Jefferson’s research, clinical and academic From increasing its physical footprint “Surgeon Speaks”). And, most recently, Division’s growing presence: patients expertise. Of course, the ultimate Aria Health has expressed interest in with sub-specialty injuries, such as to enhancing communications and beneficiaries are the people of Lower tapping into Jefferson’s demonstrated ophthalmologic and spinal cord or convenience with JeffConnect Merion Township and the surrounding expertise to support its Level II Trauma other complex orthopedic injuries, Virtual Rounds, the Division of Acute areas in Southern Montgomery and Center in the Torresdale section of can be channeled to Jefferson’s Level Care Surgery represents a significant Northern Delaware Counties who now have high-quality trauma care in their Northeast . I Trauma Center more quickly and resource for a growing number of community. efficiently. patients across the Delaware Valley. Add it all up, and you have one of the Ehyal Shweiki, MD, BS Bioethics, FACS largest trauma systems in any metro For more information about using “That’s better for the patients and it’s Assistant Professor of Surgery, JeffConnect for On-Demand Virtual area, says Murray J. Cohen, MD, FACS, better for the referring physicians, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Associate Professor and Director of who know whom to call if they have Care, Scheduled Online Visits, Remote Thomas Jefferson University the Division of Acute Care Surgery, to get someone out for a higher level Second Opinions and Consults, please Medical Director, Lankenau Medical Center which encompasses trauma, surgical of care,” Dr. Cohen explains. visit: Jefferson.edu/JeffConnect Trauma Program

Clinical Integration On the Job In this issue Critical View of Safety: First SSRA Study Educates Dominique Vicchairelli and Milly Yax – Page 3 Residents on Safer Cholecystectomy – Page 2 Those Who Give Changing Lives Through Research Nearly 25 Years After Beating Colon Cancer, Clinical Research Team Supports Diverse, Grateful Patient Establishes Endowment to Complex Trials – Page 3 Support Cancer Research – Page 4