IU GERIATRICS electronic news for November 2002

The IU Geriatrics Program and the IU Center for Aging Research congratulate Steven R. Counsell, MD, the recipient of a 2002 Tony and Mary Hulman Health Achievement Award. Read about this honor and about five special awards presented by the IU Geriatrics Program in "Awards."

Click on Graduate Minor in Aging to learn about this new interdisciplinary program offered in association with the IU Center for Aging Research on the IUPUI campus. Details about the program's course content, application procedures and competitive fellowship stipends are available on their web site.

AWARDS

Steven R. Counsell, MD was honored as the recipient of a 2002 Hulman Health Achievement Award in Geriatrics and Gerontology on October 17 at the Indiana Public Health Foundation's annual awards banquet. The award is Indiana's "PREMIER" health award in recognition of Indiana's citizens and organizations whose efforts have resulted in a significant improvement to the human race. The purpose of the award is to create a positive image of health and provide a forum for awareness of the contributions of health leaders. Nearly 40 colleagues from the IU Geriatrics Program, Wishard Health Services, IU Medical Group, IU School of Medicine and the IU Center for Aging Research were on hand to pay tribute to Dr. Counsell.

On behalf of the Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Steven Counsell, MD, Director of the IU Geriatrics Program, presented awards for "Outstanding Accomplishments in Geriatrics for 2001" to geriatrics faculty and staff during the program retreat in October. The recipients received inscribed plaques noting, "This individual demonstrates the values of the Geriatrics Program: teamwork, excellence, commitment, honesty, and innovation." The plaque also was inscribed with the awardees' individual accomplishments.

"Team Player" Carrie Bone, RN, Geriatric Nurse Practitioner, was honored as the person who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to contribute to the development and improvements in the Geriatrics Program.

"Top Clinical Performer" David Wilcox, MD, was honored as the person who has achieved the highest productivity standard for clinical care in the Geriatrics Program.

"Educator of the Year" Amna Buttar, MD, MS, was honored as the person who has achieved the most recognition for excellence in training in the Geriatrics Program.

For "Program Growth" Robin Beck, MD was honored as the person who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to facilitate the growth in programs in the Geriatrics Program.

For "Research" Christopher Callahan, MD was honored as the person who has been successful in obtaining grant funding and/or publishing to further the research goals of the Geriatrics Program.

PUBLICATIONS

Bakas T, Burgener S. Prediction of emotional distress, general health, and caregiving outcomes in family caregivers of stroke survivors. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation 2002;9(1):34-45.

McHorney CA, Bricker DE. A qualitative study of patients’ and physicians’ views about practice–based functional health assessment. Med Care 2002 40(11): 1113-25.

Tierney WM, Weinberger M, Ashton CA, McHorney CA. A remarkable legacy of science: Review of AHRQ-funded articles published in Medical Care during John Eisenberg’s directorship of AHRQ. Med Care 2002 40(11): 1003-11.

Callahan CM, Counsell SR. Measuring and communicating the value of geriatrics. JAGS 2002 Oct;50(10):1741-3.

PRESENTATIONS

Amna Buttar, MD, MS presented grand rounds, "Screening for geriatric syndromes in a primary care setting" at the Deaconess Hospital, Evansville, IN on October 29, 2002.

Colleen A. McHorney, PhD presented "Use of computerized adaptive testing in clinical research and clinical practice: Some cautionary notes" at the International Society for Quality of Life Research, October 31, 2002.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Tamilyn Bakas, DNS and Linda Williams, MD have been elected as Fellows of the American Heart Association (AHA) Stroke Council. The purpose of the Stroke Council is to achieve the objectives of the AHA in respect to prevention, identification, management and rehabilitation in patients with cerebrovascular disease, particularly those manifested as stroke.

Teresa Damush, PhD, represents the IU Center for Aging Research on the Graduate Minor in Aging program steering committee. She assists with development of topics, structure and evaluation of the program's courses and with identification of faculty lecturers.

Glenda Westmoreland, MD, MPH, also is a member of the Graduate Minor in Aging program steering committee. She represents the IU Geriatrics Program and assists in planning the education programs.

Steve Counsell, MD presented "Why Geriatrics?" at the kick-off meeting of the "Nursing Geriatrics Interest Group," a collaborative initiative of the IU School of Nursing, Senior Care at Wishard, and the IU Geriatrics Program. Dr. Angela McBride, Dean of the IU School of Nursing welcomed the group and shared her enthusiasm about the development of this collaborative initiative. Over 25 nursing school faculty and Senior Care nurses participated. This effort was facilitated by Karen Bowers, RN, Senior Care Nursing Director and Kathy Frank, RN, MSN, IU Geriatrics Program Administrator.

Michael Weiner, MD, MPH provided concluding remarks in the Sunday Indianapolis Star article "Redefining old."? The October 27 feature is part of the paper's ongoing series highlighting issues on aging.

Malaz Boustani, MD, MPH, has been selected vice chair for education and public relations for the Indiana Assisted Living Federation of America. The Assisted Living Federation of America represents over 7,000 for-profit and not-for-profit providers of assisted living, continuing care retirement communities, independent living and other forms of housing and services. ALFA was founded in 1990 to advance the assisted living industry and enhance the quality of life for the approximately one million consumers it serves.

Colleen A. McHorney, PhD sat on the AHRQ Health Care Quality and Effectiveness Research Study Section in October, 2002. The study section reviews R01/R18 and R03 (small grant) applications related to the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care, including clinical outcomes studies, as well as studies to develop/test quality measures, methods, tools and indicators.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

You are invited to the IU Geriatrics Conference on November 20, when Rafael Grau, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, presents "Temporal Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica" in Wishard T2008 A&B from 7:30-8:30am.

Join us at the next Aging Research Work in Progress November 26, 8-9am when Tim Stump, MA, will present "Differential Item Functioning in the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire." WIP meets at the VA in D-6005.