Joseph G. Ouslander, M.D., was selected by The Florida Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association (FMMJUA) Board to receive a grant to develop his STAR program on May 4. The $750,000 grant plus matching support of approximately $500,000 from FAU and Boca Raton Regional Hospital (BRRH) comprises a period of two years. The ultimate goal of the FMMJUA grant program is to improve the safety of health care services for all Floridians and to improve the safety of the delivery of health care services to patients. Dr. Ouslander is internationally recognized in the field of geriatric medicine for his work on improving the care of older people. He has more than 30 years of experience in leading large, multi-site grant projects funded by the National Institute of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a variety of foundations, and industry.

The STAR program addresses the patient safety problem of potentially preventable hospital readmissions among older adults at high risk of complications during transitions between care settings. "We propose to test such a targeted and multifaceted intervention entitled "Safe Transitions for At Risk Patients" or the "STAR Program" said Dr. Ouslander. The Program will target high-risk patients identified through analyses of over 1,100 hospital discharges, and close to 5,000 hospital transfers from post-acute care (PAC) facilities, and will incorporate components of multiple evidence-based and government-recommended care transitions interventions. Dr. Ouslander's goals are to generate an implementation guide, and tools and resources available on a user-friendly website modeled after the Interventions to Reduce Acute Care Transfers (INTERACT) quality improvement program (http://interact.fau.edu). Key components of INTERACT will be incorporated into the STAR Program.

Although normal inflammation plays an important role in helping to fight off infections, there is mounting evidence that chronic inflammation is linked to increased risk of tumor development. A new study by Vijaya L. Iragavarapu-Charyulu, Ph.D., (Dr. VJ) and her team helps shed light on the important link between inflammation and cancer, and how pre-existing inflammation may aid in the metastatic process.

In an article titled, "Allergen Induced Pulmonary Inflammation Enhances Mammary Tumor Growth and Metastasis: Role of CH13L1," featured on the cover of the current issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, this new research suggests inflammation raises the level of a known biomarker of cancer, called "chitinase-3-like-1" or "CHI3L1," in the inflamed tissue, which leads to increased metastasis and faster cancer growth in that tissue. Metastasis is responsible for 90 percent of breast cancer deaths despite significant improvements in diagnosis and treatments. "Important findings from our research show how pre-existing inflammation may be one of the factors that accelerates metastasis to the inflamed site," said Dr. VJ, the principal investigator of the study. Pictured above are members from Dr. VJ's research team. From left to right, are Patricia Keating, Nathalia Gazaniga, Dr. Vijaya Iragavarapu-Charyulu, Stephania Libreros, and Ramon Garcia-Areas.

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We are proud to announce that beginning this August iPads will be introduced to our medical education curriculum for both faculty and students. Many prominent medical schools, such as Yale, Stanford, Dartmouth and George Washington University, have all embraced the iPad and a mobile, digitally based education platform as an essential tool in their curriculum. Digital resources are quickly becoming students' first and preferred choice to access clinical information, medical library resources, medical journals 

and databases. Such mobile devices are changing not only the way students learn but also how instructors teach and how students and faculty interact. At a number of schools, instructors have created innovative and engaging methods to use iPads during lectures, to assign work, and to observe student activity.  This is a major transformation in the way that we deliver the curriculum and better prepare our students for their future careers. We are all very excited to be a part of this project for our incoming M1 class in August 2015.

When will faculty receive iPads? Core designated teaching faculty who teach consistently throughout the year or who direct courses will be given iPads to use in June at sessions that will be scheduled. Faculty who teach in intermittent courses throughout the year will receive their loaner iPad prior to the start of their course, but are encouraged to attend faculty development sessions where iPads will be provided to gain familiarity.  Faculty who already have their own iPads are encouraged to use them and can load their devices with educational apps and materials with the assistance of Amanda Chiplock, FAU's Senior Librarian.

Accessing medical care can be a significant challenge for transgendered individuals.  Apart from the struggle to afford healthcare, it is often challenging to obtain competent healthcare from physicians who are affirming and understand transgender health.  Sometimes receptionists block access to healthcare - many female to male transgender people still have female reproductive anatomy and therefore need pap smears, but health clinic receptionists often call security on these people, since they appear male.  Additionally, insurance agencies often only cover care for someone's assigned sex at birth.  If a transgender person has legally changed their gender and they enroll for a new health plan with their new legal gender, they may no longer be eligible for services for their assigned sex.