Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute joins precision medicine data initiative to accelerate scientific research for heart care.
Strategic collaboration will help revolutionize how cardiovascular researchers and clinicians collaborate to tackle heart disease, the leading cause of death.
“This platform will make it much easier to access data and share it with other institutions as we work collaboratively to improve cardiovascular therapies for patients.”
— Kirk Knowlton, MD, Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT, USA , November 21, 2016 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Intermountain Healthcare's Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute has joined with The American Heart Association and a handful of other heart research centers across the nation in a strategic collaboration with Amazon Web Services to launch a global, secure cloud-based data repository that will help revolutionize how researchers and clinicians collaborate to tackle coronary heart disease, the number one killer in the world.
The Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute, one of the leading cardiovascular research and clinical treatment centers in the country, is participating in this initiative as a platform data partner at the invitation of the American Heart Association.
Other healthcare and research organizations are participating as data contributors to the AHA Precision Medicine Platform include: AstraZeneca, Cedars Sinai Heart Institute, Dallas Heart Study, Duke Clinical Research Institute, the International Stroke Genetics Consortium, and the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute.
The goal: enhance the way cardiovascular researchers and clinicians collaborate and analyze rich and diverse research data to accelerate solutions for cardiovascular diseases.
The AHA Precision Medicine Platform, which was announced last week at the AHA 2016 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans, will include a vast array of curated rich data sets, that are centrally stored, easily searched and accessible, and managed on the Amazon Web Services cloud.
“This platform will greatly help us as investigators because it will make it much easier to access data and share it with other institutions as we work collaboratively to improve therapies for patients,” said Kirk Knowlton, MD, director of cardiovascular research at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City.
This platform will enable researchers and clinicians to aggregate and analyze a rich breadth and depth of data including longitudinal cohorts, proteomic, genomic, and gene expression data using a precision medicine approach to uncover critical cardiovascular disease insights that translate into medical innovations that positively impact millions of lives.
Precision cardiovascular medicine takes into account an individual’s biology, environment and lifestyle and is driven by advanced methods of aggregating, integrating and analyzing patient data to develop prevention and treatment strategies for individuals.
Derived from the fullest possible range of biological and environmental factors relevant to a patient’s cardiovascular health, the platform will integrate data from clinical trials, long-running epidemiologic studies, clinical registries, and real-time health data acquired through wearable devices and technology.
“The platform will harness the power of big data to revolutionize the way cardiovascular research is performed and speed the promise of precision cardiovascular medicine,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. “The AHA remains steadfast in its commitment to eliminate the tragic global burden cardiovascular disease places on individuals, families, healthcare systems, and entire nations by mapping scientific discovery to the dramatic advances in biomedical research and technology innovation.”
Amazon Web Services, a leading cloud services provider, provides the computational and analytic power needed to manage an information ecosystem of this magnitude. Cloud computing is already accelerating scientific progress throughout academia, industry and government, helping to forge new models of open science, collaboration and discovery. Through a cloud-based infrastructure, the Precision Medicine Platform will advance our community of researchers together. to find solutions for patients.
To spark the collaboration, the American Heart Association is providing access to the Precision Medicine Platform through a series of grants. Amazon Web Services is providing grant recipients free access to computational cloud storage and analysis as part of the AHA data grant portfolio.
Grant submissions are in progress and the first round of recipients will be announced in April 2017. The Precision Medicine Platform will be available at https://precision.heart.org/ and is a marquee project of the AHA Institute for Precision Cardiovascular Medicine. Additional information can be found at http://institute.heart.org.
The Intermountain Medical Center is the flagship medical facility for the Intermountain Healthcare system, which is based in Salt Lake City.
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Maternity Care Costs Now Available by Hospital
UtahHealthScape Website Gets New Look, More Information for Health Care Consumers
Salt Lake City – Are you preparing to have a baby and are curious what your hospital bill might look like? Does your doctor deliver at more than one hospital and you would like to compare your options? Or do you want to know how often C-sections are performed at the hospital where you will be delivering? You can find the answers to these questions and more on the newly redesigned UtahHealthScape.org.
Maternity care cost and quality data are now available via hospital, meaning you can compare the cost of delivering a baby at every hospital in Utah. You can also get data about the number of C-sections, inductions or vaginal births after C-sections being performed at your hospital. UtahHealthScape also provides information about other costs included in having a baby like doctor fees, ultrasound and lab fees and pediatrician costs.
“The website is easy to use and is helpful for first-time moms like me who have no idea what it is going to cost to have a baby. It shows the highs and lows and median so if you have a normal, healthy delivery you can get an idea of what it will cost,” said Whitney Wilkerson, who is pregnant with her first baby. “You can also compare nearby hospitals so if you are early in your pregnancy and cost is really an issue you can take that into consideration.”
UtahHealthScape has been providing cost and quality data on Utah hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies and physicians since 2011but the redesigned website now puts more information in the hands of the consumers, providing tools and resources to help Utahns make informed decisions about the cost and quality of their care. Along with the new maternity cost data, UtahHealthScape now also includes hospital acquired infection data, readmission rates, HealthInsight Quality Award designations and information on whether or not your provider participates in the Clinical Health Information Exchange (cHIE). The information available allows users to compare facilities for themselves or their loved ones. All of the new information is available in English or Spanish, and has been optimized to be accessible and searchable on mobile devices.
“HealthInsight and our community partners are committed to giving patients access to information that they want. The ability to share cost and quality information empowers families as they make decisions about care. We hope the information available on UtahHealthScape spurs conversations between patients and their doctors,” said Dr. Sarah Woolsey, medical director at HealthInsight Utah. “We are excited that this update provides even more information and the ability to compare cost, quality, all while being easier to use.”
UtahHealthScape is powered by HealthInsight, a nonprofit, community-based health care collaborative working to improve health and health care for patients and providers, and is dedicated to providing Utah health care consumers with the information they need to make informed choices.
Dr. Sarah Woosley is available for interviews upon request. Please contact Paige Fieldsted to schedule an interview.
About HealthInsight
HealthInsight is a recognized leader in convening and partnering with communities to improve health and health care by advancing quality, efficiency and value for patients and providers. We are leading experts in quality improvement; transparency and public reporting; use of health information technology; engaging patients to improve their health; and redesigning how care is paid for and delivered. Learn more at healthinsight.org.
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ASCO Trial at Intermountain Medical Center and Dixie Regional Will Learn From Use of Approved Targeted Cancer Therapies Matched to Tumor Genomic Profile
SALT LAKE CITY, UT, UNITED STATES, November 21, 2016 /EINPresswire.com/ -- November 21, 2016 -- Intermountain Healthcare announced today it is recruiting patients for the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) first-ever clinical trial, the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) Study. The trial will evaluate molecularly targeted cancer drugs and collect data on clinical outcomes to learn about additional uses of these drugs outside of indications already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Patients enrolled in the study will have access to these cancer drugs at no cost. Patients interested in participating in the study are encouraged to review the eligibility requirements on the TAPUR website and speak to their physicians.
Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City and Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George are the only Utah entities participating in the ASCO trial.
"We are excited to be participating,” said Craig Nichols, MD, Intermountain Medical Center Department of Oncology main investigator. "We thank ASCO for bringing the opportunity for molecularly-driven solutions to more cancer patients."
“We have been working to target medications to specific tumors for some time,” said Lincoln Nadauld, MD, Director of Intermountain Healthcare’s Precision Genomics program. “The ASCO clinical trial gives us the ability to collaborate with other healthcare providers, empowering physicians and patients in finding solutions to cancer without increasing costs.”
Because TAPUR includes broader eligibility criteria and allows the treating physician greater discretion, it will include a broader patient population than many clinical trials. Eligible participants include those who have an advanced solid tumor, multiple myeloma, or B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, who are no longer benefitting from standard anti-cancer treatments or for whom no acceptable standard treatment is available.
“This trial will help evaluate whether certain targeted therapies offer benefits when no established options remain and provide access to these therapies for patients who participate,” said ASCO President Daniel F. Hayes, MD, FASCO. “With TAPUR, these patients have the potential to benefit from targeted therapies that have already demonstrated effectiveness in other cancer types. Like other clinical trial participants, they can also help tomorrow’s patients.”
An Institutional Review Board has approved the study, and ASCO has established a Steering Group and an independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board to oversee the trial. A Molecular Tumor Board also is available to help identify treatment options for patients based on the genomic profile of their tumor. Patients and patient advocates are included in each of these groups and play a central role in providing direction and guidance regarding all aspects of the study. ASCO will publish the study’s findings in peer-reviewed journals to inform clinical practice and future research.
Patients can find study information such as general eligibility criteria, participating locations, and contact information for the study team at www.TAPUR.org. The TAPUR Study also is registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 02693535), which includes a full list of inclusion/exclusion criteria and other information. Researchers and practices interested in participating can fill out the TAPUR Study Site Questionnaire or contact study organizers at: http://www.tapur.org/contact-us.
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About Intermountain Healthcare
Intermountain Healthcare is a Utah-based, not-for-profit system of 22 hospitals, 185 clinics, a Medical Group with about 1,500 employed physicians and advanced practitioners, a health plans group called SelectHealth, and other health services. With a mission of helping people live the healthiest lives possible®, Intermountain is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare through high quality and sustainable costs. For more information about Intermountain, visit intermountainhealthcare.org, read our blogs at intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs, connect with us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Intermountain and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Intermountain.
About ASCO
Founded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is committed to making a world of difference in cancer care. As the world’s leading organization of its kind, ASCO represents more than 40,000 oncology professionals who care for people living with cancer. Through research, education, and promotion of the highest-quality patient care, ASCO works to conquer cancer and create a world where cancer is prevented or cured, and every survivor is healthy. ASCO is supported by its affiliate organization, the Conquer Cancer Foundation. Learn more at www.ASCO.org, explore patient education resources at www.Cancer.Net, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter
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CAFE RIO HOLDS A FUNDRAISER FOR FALLEN OFFICER CODY BROTHERSON TOMORROW ON NOVEMBER 22
AT THEIR VALLEY FAIR MALL LOCATION AND MATCHES DONATIONS
ANNOUNCEMENT FROM CAFE RIO MEXICAN GRILL
Nov. 21, 2016, West Valley City, UT
Our utmost condolences go out to the family members and fellow officers of Cody Brotherson, who was killed in the line of duty in West Valley City on Sunday, November 6th. We would like to help by holding a fundraiser at Cafe Rio Mexican Grill in our Valley Fair Mall location in West Valley City all day on Tuesday, November 22nd.
Cafe Rio will be collecting and matching 100% of the donations made during open hours on the 22nd at their Valley Fair location. The donations will benefit both the Cody Brotherson Family Fund and the Utah 1033 Foundation, which supports the families of Utah’s fallen officers. Cafe Rio will match the total donations received up to $10,000.
When: November 22, 2016 from 10:30 A.M. to 11:00 P.M.
Where: Cafe Rio Valley Fair Mall location
3567 2700 W, West Valley City, UT
What: All donations received from customers will be matched up to $10,000 by Cafe Rio and the total amount raised will be split equally between the Cody Brotherson Family Fund and the Utah 1033 Foundation.
Sincerely,
The Entire Cafe Rio Team
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LifeSmarts consumer literacy program launches first-ever mobile app
‘LifeSmarts Adventure’ offers fun, alternative way to study, compete, win prizes on virtual cross-country tour of national parks
For immediate release: November 22, 2016
Contact: Cindy Hoang, NCL Communications, cindyh@nclnet.org, (202) 207-2832
Washington, DC—LifeSmarts, a national consumer literacy program and scholarship competition for middle-school and high-school students, today announced the launch of its first mobile app, available for smart phones through Web browsers. The new app, “LifeSmarts Adventure,” offers LifeSmarts participants a unique, fun approach to study content, compete, and win prizes. Visit LifeSmartsAdventure.org to view.
The first LifeSmarts Adventure is a virtual, cross-country road trip touring five U.S. national parks. The second version of LifeSmarts Adventure, with a new theme and content focus, will launch in the new year. To play, students answer a series of LifeSmarts curriculum questions at each stop. The app tracks progress and leaderboards show top-scoring travelers. The top three participants earn trophies that stay with them on future LifeSmarts Adventures, with new episodes released periodically throughout the LifeSmarts program year (which runs on a traditional academic calendar). Students who earn trophies will have the chance to win prizes.
LifeSmarts Adventure is a web-based app that is best rendered on a mobile device using a browser with an Internet connection, but the app may also be viewed using a computer at LifeSmartsAdventure.org. The app was made possible by a new partnership with LifeLock, Inc., (NYSE: LOCK), an industry leader in proactive identity theft protection.
“The app is an exciting extension of LifeSmarts,” said LifeSmarts Program Director Lisa Hertzberg. “Designed as a practice tool for LifeSmarts students to quiz themselves and see how they measure up against others across the country, it is also a fun and accessible way for all consumers to test their marketplace savvy.
The LifeSmarts Adventure app features:
Beta testers from the LifeSmarts Student Advisory Board enjoyed their sneak peek of LifeSmarts Adventure, saying they cannot wait for the app to launch and be available to all students. In particular, they liked the variety of questions, the content covered, the fun graphics, and the leaderboards. Visit LifeSmartsAdventure.org to get the app.
Sample questions from LifeSmarts Adventure include:
A credit card is an example of _____ credit, a mortgage loan is not.
Financial planners help people with more than just investing.
A _____ is a diversified investment, a single stock is not.
The FDIC protects consumers if:
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About the National Consumers League and LifeSmarts
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America's pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.
LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League. LifeSmarts focuses on five main content areas: consumer rights and responsibilities, personal finance, technology, health and safety, and the environment. Students are quizzed on their knowledge of these subject areas during online competition. Top-performing teams then advance to statewide competitions, and state champion teams advance to the national championship held each year in a different American city. The 2017 National LifeSmarts Championship will take place April 21-24, in Pittsburgh, PA. Winning teams receive scholarships and other prizes.
LifeSmarts offers American students the chance to get a head start on the responsibilities of adulthood before being thrown in to the marketplace through educational curriculum and scholarship / prize opportunities. Pre- and post-testing on related consumer issues show LifeSmarts participants, on average, see their scores increase from a C to a B+/A-. Last year, students answered more than 3 million competition questions about credit reports, recycling, nutrition, social media, state lemon laws, and everything in between. To learn more, visit www.LifeSmarts.org.
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Patients who are depressed and attend cardiac rehabilitation after heart surgery reduce their risk of death significantly, according to a new study by researchers at Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute.
Patients who are depressed and attend cardiac rehabilitation after heart surgery reduce their risk of death significantly, according to a new study.
"Our study shows that if those patients attend cardiac rehabilitation, their risk for death decreases significantly.”
— Viet Le, MPAS, PA-C, Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute
SALT LAKE CITY, UT, USA , November 22, 2016 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Depression has been known to be associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes, but if patients who are depressed attend cardiac rehabilitation after heart surgery, their risk of death is significantly reduced, according to a new study.
The study, conducted by researchers at Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City, found that patients who were moderately to severely depressed had a higher risk of death after cardiovascular surgery than patients with mild to no depression. However, if those moderately to severely depressed patients attended rehabilitation after surgery, their risk of death was moderately reduced.
“We know the presence of moderate to severe depressive symptoms prior to cardiovascular surgery is a major risk factor for death, but our study shows that if those patients attend cardiac rehabilitation, their risk for death decreases significantly,” said the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute’s Viet Le, MPAS, PA, lead author of the study.
Results of the study will be presented at the 2016 American Heart Association’s Scientific Session in New Orleans.
Le says several benefits of cardiac rehabilitation may play a role in reducing the risk for death in heart patients after cardiovascular surgery.
“We think cardiac rehab helps patients to manage their expectations as they return to work and life,” he said. “This comes from having a support group of fellow patients who may be further along in their rehab, as well as having exercise and activity protocols managed by experienced staff who can encourage consistent follow-up as well as ‘slow’ an overly enthusiastic patient. Getting patients out of their home after surgery, where they may overthink the effects of the disease, to a place where their job is to heal can enhance not only their physical recovery but their emotional health.”
The research indicates that patients who attend rehabilitation after surgery reduced their risk of death by nearly half, Le said, but further study is required to determine whether other factors contribute to this result, as well.
The Intermountain Medical Center Heart research team compiled information from 118 patients undergoing heart surgery who completed a nine-question patient health questionnaire (PHQ)-9 during an outpatient visit before their surgery.
Patients were categorized based on their results of their survey as having no to mild depressive symptoms or moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Following each patient’s completion of the last questionnaire, patients were followed post-surgery to determine the association of pre-surgery PHQ-9 depressive symptoms and death.
At the conclusion of the study, death occurred in 6.1 percent in patients with no to mild depressive symptoms and in about 25 percent of heart patients with moderate to severe depressive symptoms, showing that depressive symptoms were significantly associated with death.
Among patients with moderate to severe depression however, attending cardiac rehabilitation significantly decreased their risk of death by 74 percent (HR=0.26, p=0.02).
Other researchers involved in the study include: Tami L. Bair, Jose Benuzillo; Heidi T. May, PhD; Kirk U. Knowlton, MD; Donald L. Lappé, MD; and Joseph B. Muhlestein, MD.
Intermountain Medical Center is the flagship facility for the Intermountain Healthcare system, which is based in Salt Lake City.
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