LEBANON — Dartmouth-Hitchcock has announced the six research fellows who will share $1 million in annual funding meant to create dedicated time to research causes of and cures for cancer.
“Each one of these recipients demonstrated a thoughtful approach, a collaborative spirit and an incredible dedication to gathering data and developing strategies to bring their research to fruition — all with the same passionate desire to make a difference in the lives of our cancer patients,” D-H CEO Joanne Conroy said in a news release.
The funding will compensate for the researcher’s work and time away from the clinical. It will enable each to have two full days dedicated to their research. The research will be funded by grant money, including from the National Cancer Institute.
The first recipients of the funding are: Dr. Gabriel Brooks, medical oncologist whose research evaluates health care delivery approaches with a goal of improving the safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers; Dr. Audrey Calderwood, gastroenterologist, whose research centers on improving care around colorectal cancer prevention; Dr. Joseph Phillips, surgical oncologist, a thoracic surgeon whose research is centered around immunology in non-small cell lung cancer; Dr. Keisuke Shirai, medical oncologist, whose research focuses on furthering immune checkpoint inhibitor treatments and immunotherapy; Dr. Louis Vaickus, pathologist, who focuses on programmatic data analysis, particularly application of artificial intelligence in global health; Dr. Ivy Wilkinson-Ryan, medical oncologist, who studies the effect of chemotherapy on the ovarian cancer immune environment.
LEBANON — Dartmouth-Hitchcock CEO Joanne Conroy has been named to the American Hospital Association board of trustees, and will begin her three-year term on Jan. 1, 2020.
“AHA’s advocacy on behalf of our nation’s hospitals, and the millions of patients cared for by them, is critically important in today’s shifting health care landscape,” Conroy said in a news release.
Prior to Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Conroy served as CEO of Massachusetts-based Lahey Hospital and Medical Center (formerly Lahey Clinic) and as chief health care officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges in Washington, DC. She is board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiologists. She received her undergraduate degree in chemistry from Dartmouth College and a medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina, where she completed her residency in anesthesiology and served as chief resident for one year.
Steve Ahnen, president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association, said that Conroy will be an asset to the board.
“Her leadership and commitment to patients and health care transformation will serve as an excellent addition to the AHA Board and its commitment to shaping the future of the healthcare landscape in communities large and small all across the country,” he said.
LEBANON — A new tele-intensive care unit at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center aims to support providers in rural hospitals as they care for critically ill patients.
The newly renovated space at DHMC is staffed by intensive care physicians and critical care nurses, according to a D-H news release. Using two-way, interactive audiovisual technology, the tele-ICU team will work with bedside clinicians in rural hospitals to provide real-time care, support, monitoring and clinical consultations.
The program is intended to improve patient outcomes, such as reducing mortality rates, complications and lengths of stay and decrease the risks and costs of hospital transfers.
“D-H TeleICU facilitates excellent care for patients at ICUs across the region, and allows us to ensure that DHMC’s ICU beds are available for the most critically ill patients who require a level of care and access to specialists and other resources that can only be provided here,” said Stephen Surgenor, medical director for the tele-ICU program, in the release.
The program also aims to improve the patient and family experience and to support DHMC’s own providers.
“We’ve incorporated TeleICU in our own Medical Center because we recognize its ability to support our physician and nursing staff, mitigate burnout and improve satisfaction, while at the same time reinforcing the culture of safety and our commitment to quality patient care,” Surgenor said.
In addition to serving DHMC’s own medical, surgical and neurological intensive care units, the system will be used to support D-H partner institutions such as Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H., and Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, Vt.
NEW LONDON — New London Hospital’s Director of Wellness and Population Health, Catherine Bardier, has been elected chair of the Governor’s Council on Physical Activity and Health.
Bardier was appointed to the council, which promotes a healthy, active lifestyle for all citizens of New Hampshire, in 2017 by Gov. Sununu. She has served as vice-chair since last year and will begin her new role in September.
“I’m proud of the statewide activity challenges, events and achievement awards we are able to promote as a Council,” Bardier said in a news release. “I look forward to providing my service as chair and to continue the passionate work of a dedicated team.”
As director of wellness and population health at New London Hospital, Bardier oversees community health initiatives, including the Wellness Connection Coalition and the hospital’s Employee Wellness Program. She also serves as the Chair of the Greater Sullivan County Public Health Advisory Council and is on the executive committee for Dartmouth-Hitchcock Partners for Community Wellness.
CHARLESTOWN — Valley Regional Hospital hosted an open house and ribbon cutting in late July in advance of the opening of a new facility in Charlestown sometime this month.
The new clinic located at 125 Main Street is set to include urgent care, radiology, lab services, physical therapy and occupational therapy. These services are intended to complement, not to compete with the primary care offered by Springfield (Vt.) Medical Care Systems at the Charlestown Health Center, which opened in 2017, said Deanna Howard, Valley Regional’s interim CEO.
“It’s an amicable service,” Howard said. “… The community is the beneficiary of good services.”
— Compiled by Nora Doyle-Burr