WSU Spokane Campus Bulletin
Issue 2004-22 (December 1, 2004)
IN THIS ISSUE
Technology provides tools for improved health outcomes
Your doctor is drowning in data.
The world of medicine generates tremendous volumes of it.
Clinicians and policy makers struggle to find and understand
meaningful relationships within these large datasets.
The tools of technology increasingly enter into treatment and
policy decisions, particularly in the emerging field of health
informatics, as people work to turn data into information, and then
into usable knowledge.
 Kenn
Daratha, assistant professor of technology management, hopes
to apply his technical skills to help increase understanding of
potential solutions to complex problems.
He says, “I have always been fascinated by black and white
answers to our most pressing problems. Chronic illness (by
definition) has no cure. We must find ways to improve the lives of
those with chronic illness. Diabetes was a natural problem to
explore solutions to improve care and reduce costs and utilization.
This disease not only represents one of our largest health care
system expenditures, but also takes a tremendous toll on the lives
of patients. In the case of diabetes, improved care includes
screening and treatment options that delay the onset of co-morbid
disease.”
It takes research to know which options are both cost-effective
and provide the greatest benefit to the patient.
Daratha's proposal for a study on improving cost,
utilization and health outcomes in Type 2 diabetic patients
received funding from the WSU Spokane 2004 seed grant program.
He'll collaborate with Joseph Coyne and
Fevzi Akinci, in the department
of health policy and administration.
Daratha's earlier research in this area for his doctoral
dissertation suggested that some preventive screening services are
associated with delays in the onset of co-morbid disease and
reductions in acute care utilization. His findings included:
-
Base year lipid testing is associated with lower emergency
department visits and lower acute inpatient utilization.
-
Base year A1C testing is associated with lower acute inpatient
utilization.
-
Base year albumin testing is associated with lower acute
inpatient utilization.
-
Base year A1C testing is associated with a 42.9% lower rate of
the onset of neuropathy
-
Base year lipid testing is associated with a 38.6% lower rate of
the onset of neuropathy
This latest study seeks to further understand the relationships
between health services provided to patients with Type 2 diabetes
and subsequent improvements in health, cost and utilization
outcomes.
What role does technology play?
Six years' worth of data will be drawn from administrative
systems at Regence Blue Shield of Idaho in Lewiston. These records
include medical and pharmaceutical claims for more than 1/2 million
members in the State of Idaho.
The seed grant Daratha received will help fund a terabyte of
storage to build a data warehouse to store and analyze this data.
Neural network techniques such as self-organizing maps and
statistical techniques such as logistical regression are applied to
data stored in this data warehouse. This study seeks to find
patterns within the data that can be used to improve outcomes for
patients with Type 2 diabetes.
Centralized data storage and access, and development of
standardized analytical data models and processing algorithms, lay
the foundation for ongoing health services research initiatives at
WSU Spokane.
Quick facts about diabetes
-
Diabetes mellitus (Type 2) is one of the most prevalent and
costly chronic conditions in the U.S.
-
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates more
than 18 million persons in the U.S. suffered from this disease in
2002, incurring direct medical costs of $92 billion.
-
More than one in three Americans born in 2000 has a lifetime
risk of developing this disease.
-
More than 40% of the costs in treating diabetic patients are
attributed to complications of the disease, and the majority of
hospitalizations for diabetic patients occur for co-morbid
diseases, not for acute treatment of this disease.
-
Nearly 22 million persons in the U.S. will suffer from this
disease by 2025, representing 9% of the U.S. population, and by the
year 2050, 29 million people are expected to have diabetes
mellitus. Given the finite resources of the healthcare system,
management of this disease is critical. 
Largest-ever
diabetes study seeks subjects
Researchers in Spokane need more people with Type 2 diabetes to
sign up for a study. In particular, the researchers are looking for
individuals with diabetes who have experienced some of the
complications of the illness, such as high blood pressure and high
cholesterol. 
Once enrolled in the study, subjects will receive medications
and close monitoring of their illness over the next few years. They
will have to report every few weeks for a medical checkup by health
care professionals working on the national study at Washington
State University Spokane.
Researchers have enrolled 90 subjects in the study and want to
have 150 before next summer. Their goal is 100 by the end of the
year.
Information gained from the study will be used to help design
future treatments for diabetes, according to Debbie
Weeks, registered nurse and research coordinator.
The study in Spokane is one of 70 sites at which the ACCORD
trial is underway throughout the United States and Canada under the
direction of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.
For more information about participating, please contact Weeks
at (509) 358-7733, dweeks@wsu.edu, or Linda
Kunstmann, (509) 358-7741, kunstman@wsu.edu.
• WSU Today article: WSU Today article on ACCORD trial
(Oct. 17, 2003):
http://www.wsutoday.wsu.edu/completestory.html?StoryID=759
• ACCORD trial central Web site: www.accordtrial.org
Designing a healthier
neighborhood
Nursing and environmental design came together in a new way in a
collaborative learning session in mid-October. Nine nursing
students enrolled  in
a course in Community Health and Practice (Nur 427) and their
instructor, associate professor of nursing Cindy
Corbett, joined eighteen students from an
interdisciplinary design studio taught by associate professor
Bob Scarfo, landscape
architecture.
The purpose for the discussion was to share ideas regarding
design interventions in two neighborhoods in the East Central
Neighborhood. The design ideas aimed at neighborhood revitalization
focused on multigenerational life, work, play, and learning were
presented to the East Central Neighborhood Association November
4.
The East Central Neighborhood has been involved for the last
year with a group of stakeholders, meeting monthly to develop a
neighborhood-specific plan to meet the demands of growth
management. The committee has been working with the planning
department of the city and the EWU department of urban and regional
planning, as well as with students from the Interdisciplinary
Design Institute who have created design concepts.
 Jerry Numbers, chair of the East Central Neighborhood
Council, said, “The visionary work that is being done by the
Design Institute students will offer us some new and exciting
options that may fit in the plan for the neighborhood. We were very
impressed with the enthusiasm and ownership that the students
exhibited with their presentations. We are looking forward to the
final presentations and the possibilities that will be an outgrowth
of the project.”
Each of the four design teams was joined by two or three nursing
students. They worked together for 30 minutes, then the nursing
students changed teams for another 30 minutes. At the end of the
first session, students asked to continue; they were very involved
in discussions and did not want to break the momentum.
The students reported unanimously that they enjoyed the
interaction. One student said, “I love collaboration and
knowing people care about non-traditional healthcare related
issues!”
They all said they valued the interaction, noting that awareness
of community issues varies greatly depending on each student's
perspective. A nursing student noted that it was “nursing in
a nontraditional fashion. It brings to reality the need to
integrate other professionals, a necessity to making healthy
lifestyles comprehensive and practical.” A design student
said, “Any interaction with outside majors is valuable.
Designers need very much to interact with non-designers.”
Asked for suggestions about bringing these very different
professional programs together, students had several suggestions:
an interdisciplinary elective focused on health and design, joint
work on hospital and facility design and community design oriented
toward wellness, a community healthcare class that brings together
a wide variety of professions to examine spatial, physical, and
mental components of health, in-service presentations for students
and practicing nurses, and more interaction in general,
particularly in the future when nursing moves to the Riverpoint
campus.
Next, the students will expand on their initial concepts with
more detailed development, culminating in posters and a CD-ROM
presentation to the Neighborhood Council. The posters will be
displayed at the Stier Memorial Lecture in February 2005.
Research First Friday
presentation
Please join us for the Research First Friday presentation on
Friday, December 3, from 3:10 – 4:30 p.m. at the WSU
Intercollegiate College of Nursing, Rm 166. Renee Hoeksel,
Professor, and Janet Spuck, Instructor, WSU Vancouver
Intercollegiate College of Nursing, will present: “Nurses
Knowledge of Pain Management of Elders in Critical Care
Settings.” This presentation is open to faculty, staff,
graduate students and the community. Refreshments will be served.
For more information, contact Kathy Bridwell at 324-7258 or at
bridwell@wsu.edu.
Save the date:
WSU Spokane spring semester kickoff January 5, 2005
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, January 5, 2005. That morning
WSU Spokane faculty and staff will hold our traditional spring
semester kickoff meeting. It will also serve as our on-campus
welcome for new chancellor Brian Pitcher, whose
first full day is January 17.
Date: Wednesday, January 5, 2005
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Location: Phase I Classroom Building Auditorium
CTR Holiday Faire Follow-up
 The second annual Holiday Faire and Craft Show, put on by the
Riverpoint Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Committee took place on
Wednesday, November 17, and was a big success. Vendors included
Bohemian Heart Jewelry, by our very own Kelly
LaGrutta (right); Lakerock Creations, featuring unique
stone lamps and candleholders; Pockets of Prayer custom made quilts
and pillowcases with pockets; and Singing Shaman Traders, member of
the Fair Trade Federation, featuring one-of-a-kind pieces directly
from artisans in Mexico, aiding in the preservation of their unique
art forms and cultures.
All proceeds from the Holiday Faire are used to continue the
funding efforts of CTR on the Riverpoint campus, which includes
both EWU and WSU. The CTR committee is given the responsibility by
the state to promote CTR through education, promotions and
incentives, such as the Holiday Faire, and the Fiesta held
previously for those participants who won the Phase 1/SIRTI
buildings competition. The budget is small, so committee members
often donate personal time and money to make the promotions fun and
worthwhile.
In 1993, Spokane County implemented the Commute Trip Reduction
(CTR) Law to reduce traffic congestion, air pollution and petroleum
consumption through employer-based programs that reduce the number
and distance of commute trips in single occupant vehicles (SOV).
More than 1,100 worksites participate in the CTR Program statewide.
In Spokane County, 107 worksites are part of the CTR program,
including 12 worksites participating voluntarily.
Community connections
Spokane Transit
Citizens Advisory Committee
Spokane Transit recognizes that providing the best public
transportation services to the community goes beyond carrying
passengers from one point to another. To be truly effective and
excellent at what they do, it is imperative that they draw on the
talents and wisdom of the region's citizens and thoroughly
include them in this agency's decision-making
processes—and not just on routes, but on planning, practices,
and policies as well.
One of many ways of accomplishing this is to consult a Citizens
Advisory Committee. The Spokane Transit Board of Directors has
adopted a charter for the creation of such a committee, and they
are now recruiting members from various sectors of the community to
participate.
They are requesting your help in soliciting applications for
membership on the new Citizens Advisory Committee. If you know
anyone whose talents and interests are suited to this committee,
they would be very grateful if you inform them of this
opportunity.
Copies of the Citizens Advisory Committee charter and
application are posted on their website at www.spokanetransit.com.
Applications must be completed and returned to Spokane Transit by
December 6.
If you have any questions, contact Molly Myers at 325-6090 or
mmyers@spokanetransit.com.
Spokane Sister Cities
Association
The Spokane Sister Cities Association invites you to attend our
International Food Festival and Auction, Wednesday, December 1,
2004, 6:30 – 9:30 pm at the Montvale Hotel, 1005 W. First
(First and Monroe). Fredrick Peterson, professor,
WSU Spokane College of Education, is the Chair of the Sister Cities
International Annual Conference in Spokane and money raised will be
used to assist in funding the conference.
Be the first to see the Montvale Hotel, while you enjoy
international appetizers and a no-host bar provided by the
Catacombs Restaurant. With both silent and oral auction items,
guests will have an opportunity to mingle, nibble and bid on great
auction packages including gift baskets, dinners, art and
international crafts.
Tickets are $20. Visit the website at www.spokanesistercities.org.
Spokane's Sister
Cities:
Nishinomiya, Japan, since
1961
Jilin City, China, since
1987
Limerick Ireland, since 1991
Jecheon, Korea, since 1999
Personnel &
staffing changes
Coming:
Patt Early, Research Associate, Child & Family
Research Unit, effective 12/01/04
Searches:
Senior Associate/Full Professor, Criminal Justice, open until
filled
Assistant/Associate Professor, Construction Management, open until
filled
Assistant/Associate Professor, Interior Design, open until
filled
Assistant/Associate Professor, Pharmacotherapy, open until
filled
Clinical Assistant Professor, Pharmacotherapy, 7 positions full and
part-time, open until filled
Research Associate/Research Scientist, Washington Institute for
Mental Illness Research & Training, open until filled
Way to go!
"Way to go" is the place for you to recognize a
co-worker's extra effort, outstanding contribution, or
all-around good nature that makes your work day go a little more
smoothly.
Send your “Way to Go!” comments to Laura
Scholtens, scholtens@wsu.edu, and watch for
your thanks to be published in an upcoming issue of the
Campus Bulletin!
Find it on the Web
- News
Releases: Recent news releases and links to news releases
organized by subject for WSU Spokane.
- WSU News
Service: Breaking news from WSU, links to all news releases,
and other information sources.
- World Class
Faculty: Check out the online profiles featured as links from
our home page. The images rotate randomly on the home page, but the
profiles are always available from this central profile page. You
can also navigate to this page by choosing "About WSU Spokane"
from the home page, "People"
in the lefthand navigation, and "Profiles"
in the lefthand navigation there.
-
Bulletin archives: Links to past issues of the Campus Bulletin
from Oct. 2003 forward.
- In the
News: Media coverage of campus programs and people
- Events
Calendar: What's going on around here, anyway?
------------------------------------------------------
The Bulletin is usually published on Wednesday biweekly during the
academic year, every three weeks during breaks and summer session.
Publication date may shift due to holidays. Deadline is
Friday, the week before publication.
------------------------------------------------------
The Bulletin covers news of interest to the faculty, staff, and
friends of Washington State University Spokane, and associates on
other WSU campuses and on the Riverpoint campus.
Regular columns cover personnel changes, upcoming events,
professional accomplishments, opportunities for involvement in the
campus community and the Spokane community, notices of new
developments on campus, and other news.
The Bulletin also serves as a source of information for external
communications directed to alumni, future and current students, and
friends of Washington State University Spokane. You'll read it
here first!
Subscribers welcome! Also available: WSU Spokane News &
Events Update, an irregular email newsletter with brief excerpts
from news releases and articles, and links to more information
online (some duplication of Bulletin content). Send an email to
Barb Chamberlain, chamberlain@wsu.edu, to request
the WSU Spokane Campus Bulletin and/or the News & Events
Update.
Editorial staff
|
