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Tag: Keck Medicine of USC

  • COVID-19, Flu and RSV vaccines — what you need to know

    COVID-19, Flu and RSV vaccines — what you need to know

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    LOS ANGELES — Over the last few years, the nation has been through multiple rounds of COVID-19 vaccinations. This fall, the COVID-19 vaccine will be offered annually. The flu shot will also be recommended, as well as a newly approved vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a virus that is especially harmful to infants and older adults.  

    What can we expect from the vaccines, how important are they and can you get them at the same time? Keck Medicine of USC experts have the answers. 

     

    How COVID-19 vaccinations are changing this fall  

    The updated COVID-19 vaccine is designed as a single annual dose that will target the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, which is responsible for the majority of cases today. This formula should also offer protection against the new XBB substrains that have recently emerged. The vaccine will be offered by Pfizer, Moderna and a newcomer, Novavax. 

    We are still awaiting final approval and recommendations for the vaccine from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At that time, health officials will also make recommendations about who is eligible for the vaccine. 

    The U.S. Government COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Program, which provided free vaccinations, will end. However, insurance should pick up the cost for COVID-19 vaccines, and for those uninsured or underinsured, the CDC is launching the Bridge Access Program for COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC will partner with state and local programs to provide and distribute the free vaccines.  

    — Edward Jones-Lopez, MD, MS, is an infectious disease expert with Keck Medicine of USC. He is available for interviews in English and Spanish.  

     

    Why COVID-19 vaccines are still needed  

    Research shows about 75% of Americans have retained at least some immunity from a prior infection of the virus. However, immunity fades over time and the individual risk of getting COVID-19, despite some immunity, is varied and inconsistent. The protection offered by vaccines also fades over time.  

    Despite advances in treating COVID-19, it still can be a difficult and deadly disease that can lead to hospitalization, long-term symptoms or death. The side effects of the vaccine have proven to be minimal, so it is recommended that everyone who is eligible gets vaccinated, especially as we are coming off a summer surge and there may be future outbreaks over the holidays.  

    If you have any concerns about the vaccine due to a health condition, consult your health care provider. Additionally, while most people can wait until the new COVID-19 vaccine is released rather than getting the still-available 2022 vaccine, if you feel your health requires a vaccination now, you should also talk to your health care provider.  

    — Earl Strum, MD, is the medical director of Employee Health Services for Keck Medicine of USC and clinical professor of population and public health science with the Keck School of Medicine of USC.  

     

    Timing your vaccines safely and effectively

    It is recommended that everyone six months or older be vaccinated against influenza every year. The best time to get the flu shot is September or October, so you will be inoculated in plenty of time before the high-flu season of the holidays. 

    It is safe to get the flu shot at the same time as your COVID-19 vaccine. For some people, one or both vaccines may result in mild flu-like symptoms that should pass within a few days. For those concerned about soreness at the site of the jab, consider getting one shot in one arm and one in the other arm to avoid overtaxing one limb. Also, if a local reaction does occur, you will know which vaccine was responsible. If not insured, you can find a free flu shot at a local health clinic, pharmacy or even grocery store.  

    RSV is a highly contagious virus that causes infections of the lungs and breathing passages, particularly among the young and old. The CDC recommends adults 60 years and older receive a single dose of the RSV vaccine in consultation with their health care provider. Additionally, the FDA just approved the RSV vaccine for use in pregnant individuals to protect infants from the virus.  

    Clinical trials have shown that there are minimal side effects of the vaccine, and any mild symptoms far offset the possible serious complications RSV can cause. Talk to your health care provider should you have any questions or concerns about this new vaccine, including payment/insurance options.  

    While co-administration of the RSV vaccine with other vaccines is in accordance with general best practice guidelines for immunization, recommendations have not yet been made whether or not this vaccine should be taken at the same time as the COVID-19 and flu vaccines.  

    — Krist Azizian, PharmD, MHA, is the chief pharmacy officer for Keck Medicine of USC. 

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     For more information about Keck Medicine of USC, please visit news.KeckMedicine.org.  

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  • Keck Hospital of USC receives highest rating on national quality report

    Keck Hospital of USC receives highest rating on national quality report

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    Newswise — LOS ANGELES, CA — Keck Hospital of USC earned five stars, the highest rating possible, on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2023 quality star rating report.

    Only approximately 16% of hospitals across the country, 483 out of 3,076, received five stars out of a one-to-five-star rating system.

    “This prestigious designation demonstrates our continuing commitment to patient safety and to best patient outcomes, and is the result of the hard work of every physician, nurse and staff member at the hospital,” said Stephanie Hall, MD, MHA, chief medical officer of Keck Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital.

    A hospital’s star rating is based on how well it performs across five different areas of quality measures:

    • Readmission — returns to the hospital following a hospitalization.
    • Mortality — death rates of patients in the 30 days following a hospitalization.
    • Safety of care — potentially preventable injury and complications due to care provided during a hospitalization.
    • Timely and effective care.
    • Patient experience — such as how effectively physicians and nurses communicate to the patient and if a patient would recommend the hospital to others.

    “A five-star rating means that Keck Hospital outperforms the national average in readmission, mortality and complication rates as well as timely and effective care, which is a tremendous validation of our commitment to quality care,” said Marty Sargeant, MBA, CEO of Keck Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital. “We’re also proud to have received five stars in the patient experience category, which reflects that more than 90% of our patients are likely to recommend our hospital to others.”

    This quality designation is one of many recent national safety and quality recognitions the hospital has received, including earning a five-star ranking for excellence by Vizient, Inc., a leading health care performance improvement company. Keck Medicine of USC also recently underscored its commitment to safety by hiring a health system chief quality officer.

    The CMS rating system was launched in 2016 to help patients and caregivers make informed decisions when selecting a hospital. Hospitals report quality data to the CMS through multiple reporting programs, and the data is then reviewed and standardized to calculate hospital star rankings.

    For detailed information on how Keck Hospital scored on quality measures, please click here.

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    For more information about Keck Medicine of USC, please visit news.KeckMedicine.org. 

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  • USC Health System Board appoints Paul B. Rothman, MD, as board member

    USC Health System Board appoints Paul B. Rothman, MD, as board member

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    Newswise — LOS ANGELES — Paul B. Rothman, MD, has been appointed as a member of the USC Health System Board, which provides strategic oversight and governance over Keck Medicine of USC and university clinical services. 

    Rothman, former CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine and retired dean of medical faculty for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, brings his leadership acumen as well as clinical and scientific expertise in rheumatology and molecular immunology to this advisory role. 

    “Paul Rothman is a most-highly respected and accomplished physician-leader with a strategic vision, and we are honored to have him join the USC Health System Board,” said Steven D. Shapiro, MD, senior vice president for health affairs, University of Southern California. “His insight and experience leading one of the most preeminent academic health systems will be invaluable as we usher our innovative academic medical center into the future.”  

    In addition to his leadership experience, Rothman also is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Society for Clinical Investigation. He is a member of the Association of American Physicians and served as president in 2014. 

    “I look forward to working alongside the esteemed professionals of the USC Health System Board as we advance the mission of the health system to deliver cutting-edge care and groundbreaking research to Los Angeles and beyond,” said Rothman.  

    Rothman also previously served as dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Iowa and as head of medicine at the University of Iowa. Prior to this, he served as vice chairman for research and founding director of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he joined the faculty in 1990. 

    Rothman earned his Bachelor of Science in biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned his medical degree from Yale University. He completed both an internal medicine residency and a rheumatology fellowship at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, as well as a postdoctoral biochemistry fellowship at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. 

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    For more information about Keck Medicine of USC, please visit news.KeckMedicine.org.   

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  • USC Verdugo Hills Hospital nationally recognized with first ‘A’ hospital safety grade

    USC Verdugo Hills Hospital nationally recognized with first ‘A’ hospital safety grade

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    Newswise — LOS ANGELES — For the first time, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital (USC-VHH) earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, for achieving the highest national standards in patient safety. This achievement places USC-VHH among top tier hospitals in the nation for safety and quality.  

    “Our entire staff is dedicated to improving and upholding the highest standards of patient care,” said Mary Virgallito, MSN, RN, chief quality officer at USC-VHH. “This score reinforces our ongoing efforts to implement the most current, evidence-based practices for patient safety and outcomes.” 

    The Leapfrog Group assigns letter grades to general hospitals throughout the U.S. based on a hospital’s ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring.  

    “We are proud of the unwavering commitment of our staff in ensuring safety and quality care for our patients and will continue striving to ensure that this is the first ‘A’ grade of many,” said Armand Dorian, MD, MMM, CEO of USC-VHH.  

    USC-VHH recently employed several initiatives to improve quality and patient safety. The hospital has maintained rigorous infection prevention programs and has dedicated staff providing specialized 24-hour care for inpatients, intensive care and labor and delivery through its hospitalist, intensivist and laborist programs.  

    The Leapfrog Group grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. To see USC-VHH’s full grade details and access hospital safety tips for patients, visit  hospitalsafetygrade.org. 

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    For more information about USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, please visit news.KeckMedicine.org. 

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  • Keck Medicine of USC names Ikenna (Ike) Mmeje president and CEO of USC Arcadia Hospital

    Keck Medicine of USC names Ikenna (Ike) Mmeje president and CEO of USC Arcadia Hospital

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    Newswise — LOS ANGELES — Keck Medicine of USC has named Ikenna (Ike) Mmeje president and CEO of USC Arcadia Hospital (USC-AH), effective March 13.

    In this position, Mmeje will further the health system’s mission to expand access to specialized health care and research to the San Gabriel Valley and beyond. He will oversee all management and operations of the hospital, including corporate compliance, strategic plan implementation and fundraising.

    “Mmeje will utilize his wealth of knowledge and experience running complex, high-performing hospitals in his new role leading USC Arcadia Hospital,” said Rod Hanners, CEO of Keck Medicine.

    Mmeje replaces current USC-AH president and CEO Dan Ausman, who is retiring after a long and successful career in health care, including 12 years with USC-AH.

    “I am humbled and excited to join USC Arcadia Hospital,” said Mmeje. “The hospital has a rich 120-year history of caring for patients and the community, and I look forward to advancing its legacy and mission far into the future.”

    Prior to joining Keck Medicine, Mmeje served as chief operating officer (COO) of both MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach. Previously, he held CEO and COO roles with Tenet Healthcare.

    Mmeje is active on a number of boards, committees and organizations, including the American College of Healthcare Executives and the National Association of Health Services Executives, and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.  

    He holds a Bachelor of Arts in public health and social welfare from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan.

    USC-AH, founded in 1903, affiliated with Keck Medicine in July 2022. It is a full-service community hospital offering advanced cardiovascular services. Los Angeles County has designated the hospital as both a heart attack receiving center and a comprehensive stroke center, as well as an Emergency Department Approved for Pediatrics. The hospital also offers a variety of surgical services in orthopaedics, neurosurgery, obstetrics, gynecology, and cancer care, plus physical rehabilitation and many other medical specialties. 

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    For more information about Keck Medicine of USC, please visit news.KeckMedicine.org.

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  • Consumption of fast food linked to liver disease

    Consumption of fast food linked to liver disease

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    Newswise — LOS ANGELES — The new year has begun, and with it, resolutions for change.

    A study from Keck Medicine of USC published today in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology gives people extra motivation to reduce fast-food consumption.

    The study found that eating fast food is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a potentially life-threatening condition in which fat builds up in the liver.

    Researchers discovered that people with obesity or diabetes who consume 20% or more of their daily calories from fast food have severely elevated levels of fat in their liver compared to those who consume less or no fast food. And the general population has moderate increases of liver fat when one-fifth or more of their diet is fast food.

    “Healthy livers contain a small amount of fat, usually less than 5%, and even a moderate increase in fat can lead to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease,” said Ani Kardashian, MD, a hepatologist with Keck Medicine and lead author of the study. “The severe rise in liver fat in those with obesity or diabetes is especially striking, and probably due to the fact that these conditions cause a greater susceptibility for fat to build up in the liver.”

    While previous research has shown a link between fast food and obesity and diabetes, this is one of the first studies to demonstrate the negative impact of fast food on liver health, according to Kardashian.

    The findings also reveal that a relatively modest amount of fast food, which is high in carbohydrates and fat, can hurt the liver. “If people eat one meal a day at a fast-food restaurant, they may think they aren’t doing harm,” said Kardashian. “However, if that one meal equals at least one-fifth of their daily calories, they are putting their livers at risk.”

    Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, also known as liver steatosis, can lead to cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, which can cause liver cancer or failure. Liver steatosis affects over 30% of the U.S. population.

    Kardashian and colleagues analyzed the most recent data from the nation’s largest annual nutritional survey, the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, to determine the impact of fast-food consumption on liver steatosis.

    The study characterized fast food as meals, including pizza, from either a drive-through restaurant or one without wait staff.

    The researchers evaluated the fatty liver measurement of approximately 4,000 adults whose fatty liver measurements were included in the survey and compared these measurements to their fast-food consumption.

    Of those surveyed, 52% consumed some fast food. Of these, 29% consumed one-fifth or more daily calories from fast food. Only this 29% of survey subjects experienced a rise in liver fat levels.

    The association between liver steatosis and a 20% diet of fast food held steady for both the general population and those with obesity or diabetes even after data was adjusted for multiple other factors such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, alcohol use and physical activity.

    “Our findings are particularly alarming as fast-food consumption has gone up in the last 50 years, regardless of socioeconomic status,” said Kardashian. “We’ve also seen a substantial surge in fast-food dining during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is probably related to the decline in full-service restaurant dining and rising rates of food insecurity. We worry that the number of those with fatty livers has gone up even more since the time of the survey.”

    She hopes the study will encourage health care providers to offer patients more nutrition education, especially to those with obesity or diabetes who are at higher risk of developing a fatty liver from fast food. Currently, the only way to treat liver steatosis is through an improved diet.

    Jennifer Dodge, MPH, assistant professor of research medicine and population and public health sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and Norah Terrault, MD, MPH, a Keck Medicine gastroenterologist and division chief of gastroenterology and liver diseases at the Keck School, were also authors on the study.

     

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    For more information about Keck Medicine of USC, please visit news.KeckMedicine.org.

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  • Keck Medicine of USC launches Gender-Affirming Care Program

    Keck Medicine of USC launches Gender-Affirming Care Program

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    Newswise — LOS ANGELES — When Bridget, 57, moved from the East Coast to Los Angeles, she sought health care to maintain and monitor her hormone therapy. 

    She was quickly disappointed. One provider admitted they knew nothing about transgender health, and another labeled her transgender status as a “medical problem.” 

    She then discovered the Keck Medicine of USC Gender-Affirming Care Program and met with Laura Taylor, MD, a Keck Medicine family medicine specialist and medical director of the program. Taylor has been Bridget’s primary care doctor ever since.

    As Bridget experienced, transgender people often face barriers to equitable health care. According to a 2021 study from the Center for American Progress, one in three transgender adults said they had to teach their doctors about transgender health to receive appropriate care. Nearly one-half reported having negative or discriminatory experiences with a health care provider. 

    To address the many health care disparities faced by transgender individuals, Keck Medicine has launched the Gender-Affirming Care Program to meet the comprehensive needs of the transgender, nonbinary and gender-diverse community. Services include everything from routine health care, such as preventive cancer screenings, yearly checkups and flu shots, to gender-affirming hormone therapy and surgery.  

    The program is comprised of physicians from several disciplines including family medicine, plastic surgery, gynecology, urology and otolaryngology. Specialists in voice, occupational and physical therapy are also available to patients.

    A nurse navigator coordinates care with the providers to ensure patients receive seamless specialized treatment. The physicians and program staff have collectively received more than 600 hours of gender-affirming sensitivity and inclusivity training.

    “Our program brings together a multidisciplinary group of physicians across specialties to address the specialized needs of this underserved population,” said Taylor. “We’re proud to offer a full range of health care services in a safe and supportive environment.”

    Another key aspect of the Gender-Affirming Care Program is that it was designed with input from the local transgender community.

    “Due to historic marginalization of the transgender population, some within the community view medical providers with distrust,” said Roberto Travieso, MD, surgical director of the program. “It was important to make our local community part of the process as we built the program.”

    As part of its outreach, Keck Medicine partnered with The [email protected] Coalition, the largest trans-led nonprofit organization in Los Angeles that advocates for the needs of transgender, gender non-conforming and intersex immigrants across the country.

    This collaboration helps Keck Medicine establish a strong foundation within the transgender community and provides ongoing feedback on how the program can best serve patients.

    The Gender-Affirming Care Program was in development for several years, but came to full fruition with the arrival of Taylor and Travieso to Keck Medicine, respectively in 2020 and 2021. Taylor is trained in LGBTQ+ health care and Travieso is fellowship-trained in gender-affirming surgery.

    The program leaders hope to hire and train more gender-affirming practitioners, build more mental health services into care and foster additional community partnerships.

    Meanwhile, for patients like Bridget, the Gender-Affirming Care Program is a gift.

    “I am doing really well under Dr. Taylor’s care, and feeling happy and healthy,” she said.

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    For more information about Keck Medicine of USC, please visit news.KeckMedicine.org.

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  • Keck Hospital of USC nationally recognized with seventh consecutive ‘A’ hospital safety grade

    Keck Hospital of USC nationally recognized with seventh consecutive ‘A’ hospital safety grade

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    Newswise — LOS ANGELES — For the seventh consecutive time, Keck Hospital of USC earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, for achieving the highest national standards in patient safety.

    “Keck Medicine is dedicated to providing quality care, and we are proud once again to be recognized as one of the safest hospitals in the nation,” said Marty Sargeant, MBA, CEO of Keck Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital. 

    The Leapfrog Group assigns letter grades to general hospitals throughout the United States based on a hospital’s ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring.

    “While Keck Hospital has received an ‘A’ grade since 2019, we’re honored to share that this year, we received the highest score on performance measurements we’ve ever achieved,” said Stephanie Hall, MD, MHA, chief medical officer of Keck Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Hospital. “This distinction reflects the commitment of the entire staff to the highest standards of care as we continue to ensure a safe environment patients can trust.” 

    The Leapfrog Group grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. To see Keck Hospital’s full grade details and access hospital safety tips for patients, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org.

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    For more information about Keck Medicine of USC, please visit news.KeckMedicine.org.

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