New Hanover Medical Group, a primary care practice part of the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Physician Group has been recognized by the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA) for its success in creating a centralized “medical home” for patient care.

The recognition, called the Physician Practice Connections Patient-Centered Medical Home was developed to assess whether physician practices are functioning as medical homes and recognize them for these efforts.

Standards for medical homes include open scheduling so patients can be seen quickly when they’re in need of urgent medical care, technology that allows for better sharing of information and counseling and services that take a more proactive approach to preventing illness and managing chronic conditions.

Practices like New Hanover Medical Group that are medical homes act as care coordinators communicating between specialists, labs and other medical entities to ensure their patients receive the highest level of care, said hospital spokeswoman Erin Balzotti.

“The patient-centered medical home promises to improve health and health care,” said Margaret E. O’Kane, NCQA president in a news release. “The active, on-going relationship between a patient and a physician in medical homes fosters an all-too-rare goal in care: staying healthy and preventing illness in the first place. The recognition shows that New Hanover Medical Group has tools, systems and resources to provide their patients with the right care at the right time.”

“It’s great to know that our efforts to provide the best, most comprehensive care possible are appreciated by a group like the NCQA,” said Dr. Elijah Gregory of New Hanover Medical Group.

New Hanover Medical Group has more than 20 physicians and mid-level providers in three locations in Ogden, Myrtle Grove and 16th Street in Wilmington. It is part of the NHRMC Physician Group which has more than 100 primary care physicians and specialists and is affiliated with New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations.

SEAHEC doctor presents research

Dr. Suheir Khajuria, who is affiliated with the South East Area Health Education Center, recently presented a research project at the National American College of Physicians 2012 conference.

At the April 19 and 20 conference in New Orleans, Khajuria’s research, “EGFR Mutation in Advanced NSCLC,” was presented, said SEAHEC spokeswoman Lindsay Fletcher. EFGR stands for epidermal growth factor receptor. NSCLC stands for non-cell small lung cancer.

The research, coauthored by Dr. Andrew M. Schreiber, was one of 300 projects selected nationally by the American College of Physicians Council.

Khajuria also presented her work in February in Greensboro at the invitation of the North Carolina Chapter of the American College of Professors. Her research involves the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and how various inhibitors affect the outcome.

Khajuria is a second-year resident in the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency Program administered by SEAHEC.   

Zimmer Cancer Center gets national award

New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s Zimmer Cancer Center was recently granted the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons. The award is designed to recognize cancer programs that achieve excellence in quality care for cancer patients.

“It was presented to a select group of only 106 currently accredited and newly accredited cancer programs across the United States that were surveyed in 2011,” said NHRMC spokeswoman Erin Balzotti in a news release.

Established in 2004, the Commission on Cancer Outstanding Achievement Award is granted to facilities that demonstrate a “Commendation Level of Compliance” with seven standards that represent six areas of cancer program activity: cancer committee leadership, cancer data management, clinical management, research, community outreach and quality improvement.

The level of compliance with the seven standards is determined during an on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor. Facilities also must receive a compliance rating for the remaining 29 cancer program standards.

“We have a very dedicated group of physicians and staff, who work hard every day to provide high quality care to their patients. To be recognized for the quality of our care on a national level, along with so many other prestigious institutions is really an honor,” said Chad Knight, Zimmer Cancer Center administrator.

The Accreditation Program, a component of the Commission on Cancer, sets quality-of-care standards for cancer programs and reviews the programs to ensure they conform to those standards. Accreditation by the Commission on Cancer is given only to those facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance, Balzotti said. To maintain accreditation, facilities with Commission on Cancer-accredited cancer programs must undergo an on-site review every three years. NHRMC’s Zimmer Cancer Center was re-accredited with commendation in 2011.

Surgeons to speak at free back pain seminar
 
New Hanover Regional Medical Center will host a free Back Pain seminar from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1 at the Fitness and Wellness Center in Brunswick Forest located at 2701 Brunswick Forest Parkway in Leland.

Experts from NHRMC will discuss the causes of back pain, how it can be prevented and treatment options.

Specialists will be on hand to talk about non-surgical and rehabilitative options, in addition to qualifications for surgical treatment. Speakers will include Dr. Todd Rose, M.D., an orthopedic-spine surgeon and neurosurgeon Dr. John Butler. This event is free and open to the public.

“Attendees are encouraged to bring their questions about back pain,” said hospital spokeswoman Erin Balzotti in a news release.

The NHRMC Spine Center has been ranked among the nation’s top 10 percent of similar facilities for infection prevention and control, complication and readmission rates, Balzotti said.

The Spine Center has 16 board-certified surgeons many of whom are fellowship trained, who treat more than 2,250 back, neck and spine patients annually. 

Brunswick Novant hosts ‘March for Babies’
 
Employees of Brunswick Novant Medical Center and Novant Medical Group turned out in force Saturday, April 14, for the March of Dimes “March for Babies” event.

For the first time in the history of the Brunswick County March for Babies walk, the walk was held on the Brunswick Novant Medical Center campus. The event included nearly 150 walkers.

“Where better to host an event to help save babies than on the hospital campus where many Brunswick County babies are born?” said Shelbourn Stevens, acting president for Brunswick Novant Medical Center during his remarks on Saturday.

In his comments, Stevens also shared that Brunswick Novant Medical Center has welcomed nearly 400 babies since its opening in July 2011.  The physicians of Brunswick Women’s Center provide obstetrical care at the hospital. Nearly 80 of the walkers involved in the event were Brunswick Novant Medical Center or Novant Medical Group employees and their families. Many more employees working inside the hospital that day supported the event with donations to March for Babies.

At the event, Barbara Cavanaugh, one of the women’s services nurses, shared a personal story of how premature birth affected her grandson. Kellie Griggs, the women’s services department manager, helped to organize the hospital’s participation in the event.

Money raised helps the March of Dimes continue its support of education and community-based programs that help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies. Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death and many lifelong disabilities.