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In the News

Joe Kannam, M.D., cardiology, discussed BIDMC's participation in the Boston Heart Walk during an interview with WCVB-TV (Channel 5). Kannam reminisced about long-time patient Rick Sternberg, to whom BIDMC dedicated the Walk this year. Before losing his battle with heart disease, Sternberg had labored arduously in support of the Walk.

George Blackburn, M.D., Ph.D., surgery, consulted for a piece on WCVB-TV (Channel 5) regarding the usefulness of extra-fortified multi-vitamins for people on low-carbohydrate diets. Many vitamin companies are now marketing products targeted at people who would lose certain nutrients as a result of their dietary restrictions against carbohydrates.

Jean Matheson, M.D., neurology/sleep studies, was interviewed by WHDH-TV (Channel 7) for her expertise on a story concerning violent sleep patterns and how they can hinder a person's quality of life. Several patients and their spouses talked about episodes that ranged from destroyed alarm clocks to injuring their partner. A few years ago, an Arizona man used his sleeping disorder as his defense in the killing of his wife. Matheson stressed, "It's important that patients understand that these behaviors are not volitional, that they can be treated."

Adam M. Tobias, M.D., plastic and reconstructive surgery, spoke to the Portsmouth Herald about surgery performed on breast cancer patients following mastectomies, and the new abdominal procedure he has been performing on patients since February. The new technique, dubbed "Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flaps", or "DIEP Flaps," was pioneered in New Orleans, but Tobias is one of the first New England doctors to utilize the approach.

Lowell E. Schnipper, M.D., hematology/oncology, discussed the benefits of clinical trials for cancer patients in the Chicago Daily Herald for a story about Mike Siegel, a cancer survivor and cyclist in the Tour of Hope. Schnipper addressed the phases of clinical trials, regress rates and options for people with cancers that have no feasible cure.

John D. Halamka, M.D., chief medical information officer, was featured in articles in NetworkWorldFusion and on SearchSecurity.com. Both pieces were written in response to Halamka's recent speaking engagement at HealthSec 2004, where he lectured about the importance of an auditing process when accessing patients' records, and the system in place at all of CareGroup's facilities.

Neil Rofsky, M.D., radiology, was quoted in The Boston Globe on a story about the rising cost of health care due to increased magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner facilities. "When someone has a financial incentive to order the MRI, the barrier to ordering is lower," said Rofsky, addressing partnerships between doctors and MRI facilities, as well as the growing installation of MRI machines in doctors' offices.

Warren Manning, M.D., cardiology, advised on the benefits of MRI testing for people at risk for developing heart disease in a Boston Globe article. Manning reported, "It [MRI] allows you to get unparalleled images that allow you to look at the size of the heart, the contraction, to see if someone has had a prior heart attack."

Max Rosen, M.D., radiology, talked about the use and outcome of computed tomography (CT) scans for patients during an interview with The Boston Globe. "If somebody can articulate to you how the information is going to benefit you, it's worth doing the imaging study. But if the information is not going to impact your health care, in most cases, there's really no point in having the study done," said Rosen.

Gregg Jacobs, Ph.D., neurology, published a new study covered by The Boston Globe, Boston Herald, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time, CBS News and many online resources, such as WebMD. The study found that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is more effective than sleeping pills in treating chronic sleep-onset insomnia. The findings, which appear in the Sept. 27 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, show non-drug techniques yield better short and long-term results than the most widely prescribed sleeping pill, zolpidem. It is the first placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the separate and combined effects of CBT and pharmacological therapies in treating insomnia in young and middle-aged adults.