Page 12 - Mecklenburg_Medicine_November-December-2017

At the Hospitals
n CHS and UNC Health Care Now Sharing
Patient Data
Carolinas HealthCare System and UNC
Health Care have partnered to make patient
information easily accessible for clinicians
at both organizations by connecting CHS
CareConnect to Epic@UNC, the health
information exchange (HIE) at UNC Health
Care. Our goal is that this collaboration will
improve patient care by offering providers at
both health systems a more complete picture of
their patients’ health information.
“Our patients’ health issues don’t
know city, county or state boundaries,
and neither should the exchange of their
medical records electronically,” says Craig
Richardville, senior vice president and
chief information and analytics officer for
Carolinas HealthCare System.
What is happening?
• This connection will allow clinicians to
pull in data from more than 4 million UNC
Health Care patients.
• Similarly, UNC Health Care users will be
able to view data on the more than 6 million
CHS patients.
Is this a result of the new organization
announced August 31 by Carolinas HealthCare
System and UNC Health Care? No, the
technical teams at Carolinas HealthCare
System and UNC Health Care already
were working together before the August 31
announcement to make it easier to share patient
data across the two organizations.
n Levine Cancer Institute Stands Ready
to Address Ocular Melanoma Concerns
Although ocular melanoma typically strikes
five in one million people, nearly two dozen
cases have been reported in Huntersville and
the surrounding area over the past five years. In
addition to being extremely rare, ocular melanoma body’s overwhelming and life-threatening
usually affects males over age 60, making this
cluster of largely young female victims a mystery damage, organ failure and death — and it
that continues to stump local experts.
The state has put up $100,000 for
environmental testing and genetic counseling,
but no specific cause has been found.
12 | November/December 2017 • Mecklenburg Medicine
While LCI is not directly involved in the
study, several of the individuals diagnosed
with ocular melanoma are being treated with
chemotherapy at LCI. In addition, LCI stands
ready to provide follow-up care for those
already diagnosed, as well as address concerns
by those who are worried about developing
ocular melanoma.
Of course, local ophthalmologists and
optometrists are aware of the situation and are
being vigilant in looking for signs and symptoms
of ocular melanoma among their patients.
Those diagnosed with ocular melanoma may
be referred to Carolinas HealthCare System
NorthEast or Carolinas Medical Center for free
genetic counseling and free testing available to
those within the cancer cluster study.
n Be a Sepsis Hero
Michael Barringer, MD, a physician leader
at Carolinas HealthCare System Cleveland,
knows more about sepsis than he ever intended
to. After years of treating patients with sepsis, father” of sorts, given his tenure and many
in 2016 his daughter contracted the life-
threatening condition.
Julie Johnson had just had her third child two
weeks prior. Everyone assumed her lethargy
and related symptoms were due to sleep
deprivation. But her OB/GYN signaled her case
may be more severe and sent her to Carolinas
HealthCare System University, where the
maternity unit immediately flagged her as high-
risk for sepsis and activated the Rapid Response
Team. Dr. Barringer then watched his daughter
battle toxic shock sepsis in the ICU. Despite
slim chances of survival, Johnson’s care team
provided timely, coordinated care — delivering
a “home run” case.
Sepsis is a complication caused by the
response to infection. It can lead to tissue
can happen to anyone. It can be difficult to
diagnose because it happens quickly and
can be confused with other conditions. This
medical emergency is deadly when it’s not
quickly recognized and treated.
n In Loving Memory: Charlie Rich, MD
It is with a heavy heart that we share the news
that Charlie Rich, MD, passed away. Our thoughts
and prayers are with his family and friends.
Dr. Rich was a member of the Mecklenburg
Medical Group for more than 25 years and was
a true leader, working across many departments
in our organization, helping to lead many
innovative system programs while impacting
and influencing countless teammates. Because
of his widespread reach, we felt it important to
share this news with you.
Beloved by his patients and colleagues,
Rich was a devoted internist who cared for
patients at Mecklenburg Medical Group.
His patients routinely shared their positive
comments about him — and trusting, caring
and kind were just a few of the many words
they frequently used to describe him as a
caregiver. In fact, he was often voted by his
patients as “top” or “best” doctor in local and
national publications.
Always quick to share a warm smile and
listening ear, Rich was known as a diplomatic
statesman who was devoted to his colleagues
and staff. He was a respected leader who served
on many committees over the years, helping
to shape our medical group as a “founding
contributions. He also found time to serve as
a mentor to aspiring doctors through several
volunteer programs. Rich also was passionate
about teaching and always made time for
learners. He spent countless hours with medical
students, residents and ACPs, passing on his
knowledge and wisdom to the next generation
of providers.
Rich was a loyal friend and colleague to many
in this organization and community. Many of
us are grieving because of this unexpected loss,
so please know there are services available for
those who need support.
Trivia answer from page 5:
In 1683, when Anton van Leeuwenhoek
reported his findings of tiny living
organisms seen through his microscope,
he called them “animalcules,” Latin for
“small animal.”
Trivia correction: In an earlier letter, I
spoke of Dr. Edward Jenner as the father of
vaccinology. While Dr. Jenner played a vital
role in educating Europe about vaccines, a
dairy farmer in Dorset, England, Benjamin
Jesty, vaccinated his wife and sons against
smallpox 22 years before Jenner began his
trials. For more info, you can go to www.
benjaminjesty.com.