Emory and Children's Pediatric Liver Transplant Program Earns Accreditation

Emory University School of Medicine's pediatric transplant hepatology fellowship program recently earned accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Educators (ACGME). The fellowship program is housed at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston and staffed by both Emory and Children's physicians.

The ACGME is responsible for the accreditation of U.S. post-MD training programs. ACGME accreditation is accomplished through a peer-review process and is based on established standards and guidelines. The mission of the ACGME is to improve the quality of health in the United States by ensuring and improving the quality of graduate medical education experience for physicians in training.

"The pediatric transplant hepatology fellowship program is pleased to receive the recognition and accreditation from the ACGME," says Rene Romero, MD, assistant professor of pediatric gastroenterology, Emory University School of Medicine, and medical director of pediatric liver transplantation, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

"As we continue to provide the highest quality multidisciplinary medical and surgical services to children with liver disease, we are proud to provide physicians from across the country with the opportunity to train and learn at one of the top pediatric liver transplant programs in the country," adds Romero.

The Emory and Children's pediatric liver transplant program averages 22 liver transplants a year, one of the highest pediatric transplant volumes in the country. In 2007, the pediatric hepatology program had 122 admissions, 146 consults, 2,356 inpatient visits, 1,239 outpatient visits and 178 procedures. The fellows involved in the Children's program complete six months of inpatient clinical service and attend a half-day post-transplant clinic each week.
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Awards Ceremony Photos for The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in Georgia

GFP Note: Congratulations to the nurses recognized at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta! You are truly a wonderful group of angels on earth.

BUSINESS WIRE --Photos from an awards ceremony for The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in Georgia, presented by UnitedHealthcare and The DAISY Foundation, are available to view.

The unique recognition program is part of many hospitals’ recruitment and retention programs, helping to offset the acute shortage of nurses nationwide. Each month, nurses are selected by their nursing administration and peers to receive The DAISY Award. The honorees receive a certificate commending her/him for being an “Extraordinary Nurse.” The certificate reads: “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.”

Click here for photo of Rick Elliott, President and CEO, United Healthcare of Georgia and Tena Barnes Carraher, The DAISY Foundation, present The DAISY Award to Bobby Patterson, RN, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (Photo: Business Wire).

Click here for photo of Joyce Ramsey Coleman, CNE, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Missy Gilford, RN, DAISY Award winner, Donna Hyland, CEO, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Bobby Patterson, RN, DAISY Award winner, Jennifer Tomasini, RN, DAISY Award winner, Rick Elliott, President and CEO, United Healthcare of Georgia, Tena Barnes Carraher, The DAISY Foundation (Photo: Business Wire)

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Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Breaks Ground on New Facility at Children's at Hughes Spalding

PRNewswire/ -- Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, a not- for-profit organization and one of the country's leading pediatric health care systems, today broke ground on the construction of a new facility at Children's at Hughes Spalding. More than 100 attendees witnessed the ceremony, which represents a major milestone in efforts to reshape and revitalize the downtown facility.

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta will continue to rely on support from the community in order to raise the nearly $10 million more needed to renovate and operate the facility.

"We are enthusiastic that this day has come," said Donna Hyland, president and CEO of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. "The new building at Hughes Spalding will have a pediatric focus, which is important since we know that children fare better when treated in a child-centered setting. With our increased attention on clinical excellence, research, teaching and wellness as part of Children's 10-year vision, we couldn't be happier with the strides that have been made towards providing the highest quality care for the Children's at Hughes Spalding community, as well as all of Georgia's children."

Children's assumed the management of Grady-owned Hughes Spalding in 2006 and has since worked extensively with members of the community, physicians, employees and others to create a plan to ensure its viability for future generations. The new, four-story facility, projected to open in 2010, is part of that plan. Replacing the hospital's 1952 building, which was originally constructed as an adult hospital, the new building will feature vital child- and family-friendly amenities not currently available.

"Children's and Grady share a mission to make the highest quality care accessible to all children," said Doug Hertz, Chairman of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Board of Trustees. "The enhancements that have been made already at Children's at Hughes Spalding and the ones yet to come will further strengthen our ability to do just that. It's an exciting time."

The hospital will be constructed on land now used for a parking lot and will augment a 1983 annex, which has also undergone renovations. The structure will house 24 child-friendly inpatient beds with the ability to expand, an enhanced and expanded Emergency department and vital specialty clinics: sickle cell, asthma and child protection.

"Many hands have come together to ensure Hughes Spalding remains an important resource," said Julia Jones, vice president, operations of Children's at Hughes Spalding. "Representatives from Children's and Grady, as well as Emory University School of Medicine and Morehouse School of Medicine - the physicians who see the children every day - provided invaluable feedback on how to revitalize the facility. It truly has been a community effort."

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Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to Open Marcus Autism Center

PRNewswire/ -- Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Bernie and Billi Marcus announced today (July 1, 2008) that they are joining forces in the fight against autism. Children's will develop a new wholly owned subsidiary, Marcus Autism Center, which will offer services for children with autism.

Children's plans to collaborate with Emory University, Georgia Tech and other academic and community-based organizations who are already serving the needs of children with autism in Georgia. Together, there is an opportunity to leverage the extraordinary research, resources and capabilities already available in Georgia to help improve the lives of these children and their families.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder in the country -- 1 in 150 children nationally are diagnosed as having an autism spectrum disorder.

"We've got a real issue on our hands. My wife, Billi, and I recognize the important need for a center that will bring together educators, researchers, the medical community, and others," said Bernie Marcus, founder of The Marcus Institute. "Children's was the ideal partner for this endeavor, given its proven track record as a clinical provider and focus on caring for Georgia's kids."

In July 2008, Children's will begin offering services at the Marcus Autism Center, located on Briarcliff Road where the Marcus Institute currently operates. Services will include programs designed to diagnose, treat and provide support for children who have been diagnosed with, or exhibit signs of autism.

"We will build upon Bernie's and Billi's vision and will strive to add value to the fight against autism," said Children's Healthcare of Atlanta President and CEO Donna Hyland, noting that the incidence of autism is even greater in Georgia -- 1 in 136 children. "With this new endeavor, we will build upon the great work already taking place to help children with autism here in our state."

Children's will seek to utilize its resources in developing the Marcus Autism Center to continue diagnosing and treating Georgia's children with autism.

"We believe Children's must address autism in a meaningful way in order to support our continued pursuit to become a world-class pediatric health care system," said Douglas J. Hertz, Chairman of the Children's Board of Trustees. "This collaboration will be a great building-block toward us achieving one of our long-term strategies in caring for the children of Georgia."

Many autistic children also are diagnosed with other medical conditions and Children's aims to improve the coordination of care for these patients and their families.

"Developmental disorders like autism often cause families many unanswered questions," said Marcus. "The Marcus Autism Center is a big step toward the evolution of autism care here in Georgia that will hopefully begin answering these questions."

Emory Board Authorizes Enhancements to Clifton, Midtown Campuses

With a special focus on fighting cancer, heart disease, pediatric ailments and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, Emory University trustees have authorized the next stage of program definition and design work for redevelopment and innovation of Emory Healthcare, the state’s largest and most comprehensive health care system.

The board agreed to spend $73 million for programming and schematic design for the clinic, hospital and research facilities on Emory’s Clifton Road and Midtown (Crawford Long) campuses. In addition, money was approved for utility relocations, preliminary infrastructure modifications and site preparation for the Clifton Road clinic facility.

"We are pleased to move ahead with state-of-the-art programs in patient care and research that will address the most acute health needs of our population in this new century," says James W. Wagner, president of Emory University.

"We look forward to working with our surrounding communities and government leaders to give DeKalb County and metro Atlanta a destination health care system that will be an unsurpassed source of civic pride and competitiveness, high-quality patient care and job growth well into the 21st century."

Perennially ranked among America’s Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, Emory has eight specialties rated among the nation’s top 50, the most in Georgia.

Emory previously announced plans, in 2006, to construct a new Emory Clinic complex, along with a replacement for Emory University Hospital (EUH), to be located and built in phases across Clifton Road from the hospital’s current site. The 2006 plans also called for construction on the replacement hospital not to begin until 2014 at the earliest.

The new proposal – which will now move into a design phase contingent on final program definition and the availability of funding – envisions the first phase of hospital redevelopment to be completed in 2013. The new proposal also contemplates investment at Emory Crawford Long Hospital in Midtown, which was not in the 2006 plan.

Key components for the Clifton Road site:

• A 250-bed hospital (100 beds will replace beds currently in EUH, for a net gain of 150 beds on Clifton Road)
• A new 395,000 square foot Emory Clinic to be built next to the current Emory Clinic
• A new emergency department in the new hospital to replace the current facility in EUH
• A new 100,000 square foot research facility located on Haygood Drive across from Emory Children’s Center

Key components for Emory Crawford Long Hospital site in Midtown:
• Approximately 125 new beds
• A new 137,000 square foot Emory Clinic building
• Approximately 75,000 square feet of new research space

"These new facilities will be designed to support top-tier patient care, research and medical training in a new and more nimble way that sets the standard for academic medicine and teaching hospitals everywhere," says Fred Sanfilippo, MD, PhD, Emory’s executive vice president for health affairs. "Emory's growth in programs and facilities will enable us to create the ideal patient and family experience, now and for the future, as we pursue our vision of transforming health and healing in the 21st century."

"As we continue to develop the ideal integrated model for health care delivery, the dedication to quality is at the heart of all of our facilities planning," says John T. Fox, CEO of Emory Healthcare. "Dedication to quality will drive everything we do now and in the coming years."

In concert with the Clifton Community Partnership, Emory has pledged to continue its dedication to sustainable buildings, a pedestrian friendly environment, a landscaped public realm, the aesthetic transformation of Clifton and North Decatur roads, and alternative transportation and improved traffic flow.

The new plans are founded on several years of planning, culminating in eight months of concentrated study involving more than 100 Emory faculty and administrators, along with professional consultants and community input. Emory’s new approach is predicated on building smaller-scale projects that can be executed more nimbly and economically in response to many variables including patient demand, the success of fundraising, national business cycles, and the healthcare policy and financing environment.

Research – particularly research that can translate discoveries from the laboratory directly into patient care – is a central component of the vision of Emory's Woodruff Health Sciences Center. Emory University received nearly $384 million in external research funding last year. Over the past decade, Emory's research funding has increased nearly two-and-a-half fold.

Emory's new plan will support and enhance its partnerships with the Georgia Institute of Technology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, the Grady Health System, and the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, as well as with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia Research Alliance and the Georgia Cancer Coalition.

Brock Built Kicks Off Going Green – “The Green House”

Brock Built kicked off their Going Green - “The Green House” project on last month with the pouring of the foundation walls. Brock Built has partnered with WSB-TV and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to build an environmentally responsible demonstration home that will showcase sustainable design features attainable by the typical Atlanta family. As green living becomes more popular among the community, Brock Built is teaching people that going green begins at home.

“Our green home will demonstrate the ins and outs of living green in a person’s everyday life,” said Steve Brock, Founder and CEO of Brock Built. “We are excited about the partnership with WSB-TV and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Hopefully the home will help to create a healthier Atlanta while raising money for a good cause.”

The house itself will be built to EarthCraft standards and constructed of innovative Green building materials. Other Green features will include: grey water collection, rain barrels, a water saving drip irrigation system, Energy Star appliances, extreme envelope protection, and much more.

Located in the West Highlands Community, the house will be conveniently located to the best dining, shopping and entertainment that Atlanta has to offer. To visit from I-75/85, take the 10th street exit towards Georgia Tech University and make a left onto Howell Mill Road. Make right onto 8th street and go two blocks, merging with W. Marietta St. which will become Perry Boulevard. Proceed on Perry Boulevard and pass the MARTA Bus Maintenance Facility on the left and immediately make the next left on to Habershal Drive. Proceed past the new homes for sale and make the first left onto Craftsman Road.

Construction on The Green House is expected to be complete in August, when the public will be invited to tour the home. WSB –TV will film the entire building process and will run a special one-hour prime time program in September telling the story of the innovative partnership behind the home’s creation, as well as the remarkable transformation of the larger West Highlands community. The program will also help consumers understand what they can do in their own homes to go green.

The Green House will be auctioned off to the highest bidder in October 2008. All proceeds from the sale will be given to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, a not-for-profit organization that provides care, research, teaching, wellness and charity care for the children of Atlanta.