October 2009

Faster updates. Helpful tools to help you navigate the health system. Automatically sent to your inbox.

Connections - our quarterly newsletter for community physicians and their practices - provides online tools and news for our partners who provide pediatric care.

For questions on Connections, contact Physician Services.  You may also unsubscribe at any time.

Coming soon! Children's Memorial's updated Referral Toolkit. Look for it to arrive by the end of November. You can also reference all toolkit items online at childrensmemorial.org/ReferralToolkit.

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Look who’s new on staff

Marybeth Browne, MD, joined the Division of Pediatric Surgery in September, 2009. Dr. Browne recently completed her fellowship in pediatric surgery at Children's Memorial Hospital. She is board certified in general surgery, board eligible in pediatric surgery, and is an assistant professor of surgery at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Browne graduated from MCP-Hahnemann School of Medicine at Drexel University and completed her residency in general surgery at Northwestern University. Dr. Browne sees patients in Lincoln Park, Arlington Heights, New Lenox and Westchester. Her special interests include advanced minimally invasive surgery for neonates, infants, and children; tumors and developmental anomalies of the neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis; surgery for hernias, undescended testicles, gastroesophageal reflux, pectus deformity, thyroid disease; anorectal malformation; and the use of ultrasound by the bedside clinician in the evaluation of surgical diseases.

Megan Curran, MD, joined the Division of Rheumatology in August, 2009. Dr. Curran is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. She recently completed her fellowship in pediatric rheumatology at the University of California (San Francisco) Medical Centers. Dr. Curran graduated from Michigan State University School of Medicine and completed her residency in pediatrics at Miami Children’s Hospital. Dr. Curran is fluent in Spanish and sees patients in Lincoln Park and New Lenox. Her special interests include juvenile dermatomyositis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

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Look what’s new at Children’s Memorial

Capsule endoscopy
We are pleased to announce the capsule endoscopy program offered through the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Children’s Memorial. Capsule endoscopy is a technology that uses a tiny wireless camera to take pictures of the digestive track. The camera is the size of a large capsule and can either be swallowed or endoscopically placed inside the patient. The camera takes thousands of pictures which are downloaded to a computer for the gastroenterologist to review. This technology is very valuable in examining the small intestine, an area not easily reached by traditional endoscopy procedures, and is often used in the evaluation of obscure GI bleeds or suspected inflammatory bowel disease. The division provides patency capsule evaluation, swallowed and endoscopic placement of capsule, and written comprehensive evaluation of findings. Patients will require consultation with a Children’s Memorial gastroenterologist prior to the study. Please call the division at 773.880.4354 for more information.

Robot-assisted surgery offers less pain, lower infection rates and shorter hospital stays
Children’s Memorial now provides minimally invasive surgical services for children using the da Vinci^® robot-assisted surgical system. Ideal for pediatric urology surgery, this robot-assisted system can be used in children as young as six months to treat urinary tract obstructions, urinary reflux, urinary and bowel incontinence, and complex kidney stones. Currently being used by Bruce Lindgren, MD and Jennifer Hagerty, DO, this robot approach allows the surgeons to be more precise, advancing their technique and enhancing their capability in performing complex minimally invasive surgery by replicating the surgeon's movements in real time. One of the robot’s arms holds a camera that is lowered through a small incision and allows the surgeon see inside the body in high definition 3D images. The system provides up to 10 times magnification, allowing the surgeon to see small structures even more clearly than in open surgery. Read more »

Revised Outpatient Laboratory Request Form
The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine has revised the Outpatient Laboratory Test Requisition Form. This revision is necessary to comply with CMS and other regulatory agency standards, as well as to improve patient safety and accuracy in the clinical lab test ordering process. Please use the new requisition form when ordering outpatient laboratory tests. If you have questions about specific tests, orders, names or reference ranges, please direct inquiries to Children’s Memorial's laboratory customer call center at 773.880.3200. Thank you for your cooperation in implementing the new form.