UCLA Health David Geffen School of Medicine SUMMER 2019 A NEW KIND OF HOUSE CALL As hospitals endeavor to reduce repeat emergency room visits and readmissions, UCLA’s medical student “hotspotters” are working on the frontline of prevention. SUMMER 2019 VOLUME 39 NUMBER 2 A publication of UCLA Health and David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA VICE CHANCELLOR, UCLA HEALTH SCIENCES CEO, UCLA HEALTH John C. Mazziotta, MD (RES ’81, FEL ’83), PhD PRESIDENT, UCLA HEALTH CEO, UCLA HOSPITAL SYSTEM ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR, UCLA HEALTH SCIENCES Johnese Spisso, MPA DEAN, DAVID GEFFEN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT UCLA Kelsey C. Martin, MD, PhD Photo: Courtesy of Dr. Claire Panosian Dunavan Photo: Ara Oshagan Photo: Ann Johansson CHIEF OF COMMUNICATIONS Rhonda L. Curry Departments Features News + Notes CHIEF OF MARKETING Tanya E. Andreadis 01 Leadership 16 A New Kind 28 Faculty UCLA’s commitment to of House Call From the soccer field to the EDITOR ensuring health care for all. “Hotspotters” take it to the operating room. David Greenwald BY JOHNESE SPISSO, MPA streets to address the needs of patients who are frequent Alumni DESIGN & ART DIRECTION 30 02 The Cutting Edge users of medical resources. HOSTs extend helping hand Donenfeld & Associates News and Research: The BY MARINA DUNDJERSKI to students. sound of music in the NICU. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Stepping Back Marina Dundjerski 22 32 Friends Dan Gordon 10 Conversation from the Edge Celebrating philanthropists Julie Kirst Dr. Joel T. Braslow: Coming Dealing with daily adversity is in the fight against Claire Panosian Dunavan, MD to grips with mental an all-too-common stressor Parkinson’s disease. Elizabeth “Betsy” Roche illness, demedicalization for many people, but UCLA Nancy Sokoler Steiner and homelessness. programs are striving to break Alice G. Walton through the barriers to help. 14 Spotlight BY DAN GORDON EDITORIAL ADVISORY CO-CHAIRS Dr. Baljit Khakh answers Clarence H. Braddock III, MD a few questions. Patrick T. Dowling, MD EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE 42 Epilogue To read U Magazine online Benjamin J. Ansell, MD ’92 (RES ’95) My road to a career in Sherin U. Devaskar, MD tropical medicine. go to: uclahealth.org/ Steven M. Dubinett, MD (RES ’84) BY DR. CLAIRE PANOSIAN DUNAVAN u-magazine Dieter R. Enzmann, MD Brandon Koretz, MD (RES ’99, FEL ’00) To subscribe to receive Kelsey C. Martin, MD, PhD U Magazine digitally, Bartly J. Mondino, MD Patients quoted and/or photographed in this publication have given their go to: uclahealth.org/ Janet P. Pregler, MD consent to have their names and/or images used and their stories told. u-magazine/subscribe Alan G. Robinson, MD Thomas B. Strouse, MD (RES ’91) Lindsey Williams Share Your Thoughts with Us Your input is important, so please give us your comments and feedback. Include your name, email address, city and state of residence and, if you are a UCLA medical alum (MD, PhD, Resident and/or Fellow), your degree(s) and graduation year(s). Letters and/or comments may be edited for clarity and/or length. © Copyright 2019 by The Regents of the University of California. Permission to reprint may be granted by contacting the editor, Submit letters to: U Magazine, 10880 Wilshire Blvd., [email protected] uclahealth.org/getsocial Suite 1450, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6923. E-mail: [email protected] Printed on recycled paper. Digital Collage: Ara Oshagan LEADERSHIP Health Is a Human Right Seventy-three years after the World Health Organization Constitution enshrined the principle that health is a fundamental right, UCLA remains committed to eliminating barriers to care and improving population health. Photo: UCLA Health On July 22, 1946, representatives from 61 nations, counseling, referrals and health education, to thousands including the United States, convened in New York of underserved and uninsured community members throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Many UCLA City to sign and adopt the World Health Organization clinicians also regularly travel to all parts of the globe to Constitution. Its preamble states: “The enjoyment of render aid and train local health care workers. We also the highest attainable standard of health is one of are engaged on a variety of fronts to improve access for the fundamental rights of every human being without and deliver compassionate care to the LGBTQ community. distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic Alongside efforts to improve access to vital diagnostic or social condition.” services and treatments, UCLA Health also partners Seventy-three years later, more than half of the with the community to implement evidence-based world’s population still lacks access to essential interventions that reduce the burden of disease for future health care services, and health disparities — across generations. One such initiative is UCLA Health Sound demographic factors — continue to contribute to Body Sound Mind, which aims to combat childhood inequities in health outcomes. obesity by building comprehensive physical education As a leading public institution, UCLA Health is programs at underserved middle and high schools. committed to eliminating barriers to care and improving While much work remains, these and many other population health through systemic solutions that efforts at UCLA are designed to bring us closer to those address social, cultural and biological determinants who need us most, no matter the circumstances. The of health. Embedded in one of the most diverse promise of medicine — to cure disease, alleviate suffering communities in the world, UCLA Health has established and improve quality of life — is one we are committed to a range of community health programs — such as the keeping, for all people. UCLA Mobile Eye Clinic, Venice Family Clinic and Rape Treatment Center — that work with local and national partners to increase access to health care and prevent adverse health conditions. Johnese Spisso, MPA At the heart of these programs are the extraordinary President, UCLA Health faculty, staff, students and volunteers who dedicate CEO, UCLA Hospital System themselves to narrowing the equity gap. Every year, Associate Vice Chancellor, UCLA Health Sciences hundreds of UCLA physicians, nurses, dentists, optometrists and allied health professionals provide free medical, dental and vision care, as well as U MAGAZINE 1 THE CUTTING EDGE The NICU’s Alive with the Sound of Music On a Friday morning in January, Jana Gallus and Gregor Martynus Gallus and Martynus say doesn’t get old. The triplets have come a long poke their heads over their triplets’ set of bassinets in their Westwood way since July 2018 when they were born early, at 31 weeks, with weights apartment. Six-month-olds Ada, Kian and Nico are just waking up, kicking ranging from 2.5 to 4 pounds. For 52 days, the trio were cared for in the with excitement and beaming from ear to ear. It’s a daily moment that neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. Music therapist Kristina Casale (right) plays a special lullaby for the Gallus triplets that was written by their parents, Gregor Martynus and Jana Gallus (left). Photos: UCLA Health/Barb Consiglio 2 U MAGAZINE Jenna Bollard (left), manager of expressive arts therapies at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, sings to a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit. Bollard led a study examining a device that helps premature babies develop the skills necessary to orally feed using a lullaby sung by their parents. As the UCLA medical team monitored the triplets, another care team For the families who participate in the program, the songwriting entered their lives: a group of music therapists using an auditory device process can be an emotional one. “They create these special songs aimed at helping preemies develop, feed and grow. Premature infants in with us by sharing what they want their baby to know, what they see in the NICU — especially those born before 34 weeks — struggle with oral their baby’s personality and what they dream of for their baby,” Bollard feeding. They typically haven’t developed the reflex to suck, breathe and says. “They get to express all of the emotions they’re processing during swallow simultaneously, which inhibits their ability to gain weight. what can be a very difficult time.” It’s for this reason that music therapist Jenna Bollard sought to study But among the many ways that clinical treatments help preemies whether a pacifier-activated lullaby device, or PAL, might help. Its secret in the NICU, Bollard and the medical staff at UCLA Mattel Children’s ingredient: It plays a personal lullaby that parents write, sing and record Hospital note that parents are and will always be a crucial component for their baby. of care. “Parents make all the difference, and I often tell parents that “Allowing parents to use their voice and the special song that they they are the best part of this equation,” said Shelly Frisco, a nurse in created on this medical device allows them to aid their baby in these the NICU who works closely with Bollard and her team. “Technology very clinical-focused goals,” says Bollard, manager of expressive arts can only do so much. We as medical practitioners can only do so much. therapies at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. However, you are your baby’s best medicine.” The PAL encourages preemies to strengthen their oral feeding by — Ryan Hatoum playing soft music that’s appropriate for the baby’s developmental stage, when the baby sucks on the pacifier connected to the device. Bollard’s research is intended to determine if use of the device improves babies’ abilities to feed on their own and gain weight naturally, shortening their stay in the NICU. Early results from the research, which Bollard hopes to publish soon, suggest that 70 percent of participants increased their proficiency using a pacifier while the PAL was used.