Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Improving The Inhaler, Alex Reibstein, Jesse Evensky, Bradley Freid, Kabir Malkani, Gregory C. Kane, Md

Phase 1

Background: Inhalers used to dispense various pharmacological agents play an important role in the care of patients with pulmonary disease. These pharmacological agents can be very effective, however, many patients that use inhalers often deliver these drugs incorrectly or in a sub-optimal manner. Our project aims to improve the design of the inhaler in order to increase the effectiveness of drug delivery and also ease of patient use.

Methods: We interviewed a critical care pulmonologist regarding patient inhaler use and compliance. This physician offered information about proper inhaler use and described common errors that patients encounter when attempting to dispense …

Applying Design Thinking For Community-Provider Collaboration: Designing A Culture- And User-Friendly Refugee Wellness Center, Oluwatoni Okuboyejo, Ellen Solomon, Shandon Coffman, Brandon Joa, Bon Ku, Md, Mpp

Phase 1

Background: Designing South Philadelphia’s first permanent healthcare facility dedicated to immigrant and refugee health presents a unique opportunity to integrate cultural sensitivity with principles of community health. Philadelphia is a city saturated with many medical institutions and hospitals, yet there are large health disparities within miles of each other. Bringing together healthcare providers with a common goal of improving community health needs from a cultural standpoint can be tasking, even when all are on the same page. Design thinking is an underexplored perspective that has the potential to address these concerns in an efficient way that improves both provider and …

Patient-Specific 3d Printed Liver Models For Pre-Operative Planning And Improved Patient Adherence, Nathan Ott, Miranda Sill, Robert S. Pugliese, Pharmd, Bcps, Ashesh P. Shah, Md

Phase 1

Project Background: 3D anatomical relationships in the liver are not always visually accessible for surgeons performing resections even with advanced imaging options. Firm understanding of these relationships is essential for timely procedures, which can improve patient outcomes and lower hospital expenses. Patient-specific 3D modeling has existed for some time, though it is costly. New cost-effective techniques have surfaced which may yield opportunities for more effective preoperative planning in liver surgery and improved patient adherence.

Methods: Digital patient-specific 3D reconstruction of a liver was completed by interpolating data from MRI scans using 3D Slicer, a segmenting program. The liver model was …

Improvements On The Inhaler, Jesse Evensky, Bradley Freid, Kabir Malkani, Alex Reibstein, Gregory C. Kane, Md

Phase 1

Background: Inhalers are a commonplace in American health care and deliver crucial drugs to patients with COPD and asthma. Inhaler use has been shown to be unsatisfactory among patients resulting in ineffective medication delivery. The goal of this project was to improve the inhaler design for increased effectiveness and ease of use.

Methods: Our team first interviewed a Pulmonologist regarding patient inhaler use. Dr. Harry Kane demonstrated the proper use of an inhaler as well and described errors in inhaler use are due to patient technique. A variety of inhalers currently available were examined and were compared for ease of …

Sound Dampening Headband For Infants, Alexandra A. Mccullough, Mohammad Rasool, Alison Romisher, Robert S. Pugliese, Pharmd, Bcps, Bon Ku, Md, Mpp

Phase 1

Background: Noise in the Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) has been linked to sleep disruption, vital sign destabilization, abnormal development, and stress response induction in infants. Specifically, a sound level ≥60 decibels (dB) was linked to sleep disruption in infants, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) set a maximum recommended sound level of 45dB in ICNs. The present work was conducted to confirm that the Jefferson ICN exceeds the 60dB and 45dB levels, like most hospitals do, and to conduct preliminary testing on materials for a wearable intervention to reduce infants’ exposure to noise.

Methods: A group of …

3d Printing Of Bone Spurs Before Surgical Removal, Katelyn Koons, John Paul Prodoehl, Matthew Chadwick, Chris Li, Lauren Schlegel, Jeffrey Henstenburg, Md

Phase 1

Project Background: In the United States, 2% of the population will experience bone spurs, which will not resolve on their own.¹ Of people over 60 who experience a bone spur, 40% will require medical attention.² The soft tissue visualization appears to be difficult with imaging, leaving increased chance of poor balancing of the knee replacement. Osteophyte structure continues to be difficult to visualize in a 3D way and without their proper removal, can lead to increased rate of revision surgery. Having a 3D model of the bone spur may decrease risk of complication and enhance soft tissue modification …

Improving The Inhaler, Bradley Freid, Jesse Evensky, Kabir Malkani, Alex Reibstein, Gregory C. Kane, Md

Phase 1

Background: Inhaled drugs play a critical role in caring for patients with respiratory disease such as COPD and asthma. It is understood that many of the patients that use inhalers to deliver these drugs to their lungs use them entirely improperly or in a sub-optimal manner. Improving the inhaler design for increased effectiveness and ease of use was the focus of this project.

Methods: A pulmonary critical care attending was interviewed regarding patient inhaler use. The attending provided information about proper inhaler use and also described patient errors in using the inhaler that were observed. Inhalers that are currently in …

Applying Design Thinking For Community-Provider Collaboration: Designing A Culture- And User-Friendly Refugee Wellness Center, Brandon Joa, Ellen Solomon, Oluwatoni Okuboyejo, Shandon Coffman, Bon Ku, Md, Mpp

Phase 1

Purpose: This case study demonstrates the application of design thinking to the process of building a culturally sensitive health center for refugees and immigrants.

Background: Refugee communities present a growing underserved population. Designing South Philadelphia’s first permanent healthcare facility dedicated to immigrant and refugee health presents a unique opportunity to integrate cultural sensitivity with principles of community health. Design thinking is a promising yet underutilized strategy for addressing health and social justice concerns in an efficient way that improves both provider and patient satisfaction. A project was conducted to utilize design thinking to make suggestions to the design of Hansjörg …

Design Thinking For Community-Provider Collaboration: Designing A Culture- And User-Friendly Refugee Wellness Center, Shandon Coffman, Oluwatoni Okuboyejo, Ellen Solomon, Brandon Joa, Bon Ku, Md, Mpp

Phase 1

Background: South Philadelphia has a growing immigrant and refugee population, increasing the need for a healthcare facility dedicated to refugee health that integrates cultural sensitivity with principles of community health. Design thinking (human-centered design) is a promising strategy to address health and social justice concerns through the development of innovative products and services that prioritize population needs. This project utilized design thinking to inform suggestions to the design of Hansjörg Wyss Wellness Center that promote a culturally sensitive and welcoming environment in order to improve healthcare outcomes for the refugee population in Philadelphia.

Methods: Standard qualitative data gathering methods were …

Scavenger Of Waste Anesthetic, Cary Hess, Jonathan Karp, Delara Kiani, Corey Jameson, Michael E. Mahla, Mary Herman, Dietrich Gravenstein, Robert S. Pugliese

Phase 1

Waste anesthetic gases (WAGs) are associated with spontaneous miscarriages in pregnant persons, an increased risk of congenital abnormalities, hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and cognitive impairment. Through monitoring anesthesiologists we found levels of WAGs to be 5-10x the current standard inside the OR. Currently, no solutions exist for the mitigation of WAG release. Remora is a solution to removing WAGs that fits on top of existing anesthesia masks. A flexible skirt is joined to a rigid ring, which deforms under hand pressure to facilitate effective hand-to-mask placement. The suction system is plugged into an unused suction port to create an area under the …

Color-Changing Device To Improve Adherence To Foley Catheter Replacement Protocols And Reduce Urinary Tract Infection Frequency, Kurt Hill, Alexander Straus, Ms, Bryn Cross, Jason M. Fields, Md

Phase 1

Background: Foley catheter-associated UTI’s (CAUTI’s) represent a driving cause of cystitis, bacteremia and sepsis in the hospital setting. Accordingly, the CDC has identified prolonged indwelling time as the foremost risk factor for CAUTI’s. However, the fundamental design of the Foley has remained unchanged for over eighty years. Hospital-specific protocols do currently exist for the removal of infection-prone catheters; however, in practice it remains commonplace for catheters to be ignored, increasing the risk of life-threatening infection. Our design process addressed this by creating a color-changing alarm device that would alert providers when a catheter has been left in beyond protocol, is …

Automated Assessment Of Cardiothoracic Ratios On Chest Radiographs Using Deep Learning, Varun Danda, Paras Lakhani, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: The cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) is a quantitative measure of cardiac size that can measured from chest radiography (CXR). Although radiologists using digital workstations possess the ability to calculate CTR, clinical demands prevent calculation for every case. In this study, the efficacy of a deep convolutional neural network (dCNN) to assess CTR was evaluated.

Methods: 611 HIPAA-compliant de-identified CXRs were obtained from [institution blinded] and public databases. Using ImageJ, a board-certified radiologist (reader #1) and a medical student (reader #2), measured the CTR by marking four pixels on all CXRs: the right- and left-most chest wall, the right- and left-most …

Understanding Subscription-Based Automated Electronic Notification Usage In Hospitals: A Qualitative Study, William J.K. Vervilles, Benjamin Slovis, Md, Ma, Jeffrey Riggio, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: The potential exists for patient harm when clinicians do not respond to clinical results in a timely manner. Much of the research on asynchronous electronic notifications (pager, cellphone or wearable devices) comes from home-grown electronic health records (EHR). Little is known about factors influencing notifications from vendor-based EHRs and the effect of subscription-based notifications, where providers select which results for notification. This study investigates what factors influence a clinician’s decision to order result notifications, the perceived role of these notifications in the clinical setting, and ways to improve notifications in a vendor-based EHR.

Methods: We queried the EHR to …

Evaluating The Impact Of Kardiamobile On Healthcare Expenditures, Christopher Gerace, Mph, Daniel Frisch, Md

Phase 1

Background: KardiaMobile is a mobile ECG device, with smartphone connectivity, that is able to detect atrial fibrillation (a-fib). The device captures a 30 second reading and an algorithm differentiates a-fib from sinus rhythm. The mobile application can alert the user to an a-fib reading and also send the ECG output to their personal physician. By monitoring a-fib without accessing traditional care, KardiaMobile has the potential to reduce healthcare costs for patients with a-fib. This study looked to evaluate the effect of KardiaMobile on healthcare utilization for patients with suspected or diagnosed a-fib and who see a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist.

Methods: …

Assessment Of A Wearable Device For Minute Ventilation In Detecting Different States Of Ventilation, Michael Morano, Yash Patel, Marc J. Torjman, Phd, Indupriya Eedara, Ms, Moeness Amin, Phd, Channy Loeum, Jeffrey Joseph, Do

Phase 1

Introduction: Minute ventilation (MV) and breathing status are valuable vital signs to measure in patients clinically such as in detecting opioid induced respiratory depression. However, there are few devices capable of continuously monitoring MV in an accurate fashion. RTM Vital Signs, LLC and TJU are developing a non-invasive wearable Tracheal Sound Sensor to determine if a device can accurately and continuously measure respiratory rate (RR), tidal volume (TV), MV, and changes in ventilation patterns based on sound recordings of breathing.

Methods: Tracheal breathing sounds were recorded in six researchers using a prototype sensor placed on the skin above the sternal …

Angiogenin Mrna Expression Levels In Prostate Cancer Tissue, Bowen Yao, Megumi Shigematsu, Phd, Kamlesh Ganesh Pawar, Phd, Venetia Pliatsika, Ms, Yohei Kirino, Phd

Phase 1

Introduction: Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and second leading cause of cancer deaths. Studies have shown that tRNA fragments are upregulated in prostate cancers and play important roles in carcinogenesis. This project looks at how tRNA cleaving enzyme angiogenin expression is regulated in prostate cancer tissues.

Methods: Clinical data and mRNA expression levels of selected tRNA cleaving enzymes were extracted from the TCGA website. mRNAs were sequenced using IlluminaGA_RNASeqV2 at University of North Carolina.

Results: 546 samples from 494 patients, with normal tissue from 53 patients were collected. ANG mRNA levels were lower in patients …

Evaluation Of Ventricular Repolarization In Patients Undergoing Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (Crt) Using Two Modalities: Conventional Biventricular Pacing Vs. His-Bundle Pacing, Anshul Gupta, Behzad B. Pavri, Md, Fhrs

Phase 1

Introduction:

Permanent His-bundle pacing (HBP) is being used as an alternative to biventricular pacing (BiVP) for CRT. HBP preserves the physiologic pattern of ventricular activation and markedly reduces ventricular dyssynchrony. While ventricular depolarization with HBP vs. BiVP has been studied, the effects of the 2 modalities on repolarization have not been compared. The purpose of this study was to compare ventricular repolarization in patients with HBP and BiVP. We hypothesize that HBP provides more physiologic repolarization as compared to BiVP.

Methods: ECG repolarization parameters were analyzed in patients who underwent HBP and BiVP using the first available ECG post implant. …

Comparison Of Patient Satisfaction With Telehealth And In-Clinic Post-Operative Visits, Lillian Matthews, Bryan Renslo, Deborah T. Glassman, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: Telehealth has grown rapidly in the healthcare industry as a time efficient, affordable, and accessible means to provide care. Jefferson’s Department of Urology currently employs telehealth for post-operative visits but its efficacy in post-nephrectomy patients has not been well studied. We aim to demonstrate that patient satisfaction is the same for telehealth versus in-clinic post-operative visits in nephrectomy patients. Secondarily we will examine distance saved for telehealth patients.

Methods: We will administer an IRB approved questionnaire to all nephrectomy patients via the EPIC^® EMR platform after their post-operative visit. Each questionnaire will be specific to telehealth or …

Cognitive Changes In Patients Treated For Obstructive Sleep Apnea With Upper Airway Stimulation, Maxillomandibular Advancement, Or Expansion Sphincter Pharyngoplasty, Nicolas Zingas, Colin Huntley, Matthew Stewart, Ramez Philips

Phase 1

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent diagnosis that has been shown to not only affect sleepiness, but daytime cognitive function — specifically attention, working memory, and executive function. CPAP treatment is troublesome for some patients and it is possible that superior treatment options, specifically novel surgical techniques, are available, though none have been evaluated for their long-term effects on neurocognition. We hypothesize that treating patients with upper airway stimulation surgery (UAS) UAS, maxillomandibular advancement surgery (MMA), and expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty surgery (ESP) for OSA produces a significant improvement in cognition from baseline.

Methods: For inclusion in the study, …

Utilizing The Smart Rooms Device To Improve Patient Experience In Hospitals, Thomas Hurysz, Alison Romisher, Daniel Campbell, Maia Ottenstein

Phase 1

Introduction: Utilizing smart room assistants in a hospital setting has the capacity to improve both the patient and provider experience, as well as improve patient outcomes. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital created the Smart Rooms device, a HIPAA compliant voice assistant, specifically for hospital settings.

Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 rooms on the Methodist Hospital postoperative floor between March 2019 and September 2019 to study the impact of the Smart Rooms device on patient experience. Patients were given a survey using a Likert scale which asked questions about their satisfaction with their stay. During this time, surveys …

Pilot Evaluation Of The Usability And Utility Of A Wearable Technology To Monitor And Evaluate Health Condition, Drew Nielsen, David Shipon, Md, Facc, Facp

Phase 1

Introduction: Cardiac rehabilitation programs have particularly poor attrition and rehospitalization from cardiac-related events is a large burden on the medical system, as 8.9% of patients who have acute MI are rehospitalized within one year. External barriers may exist that prevent patients from adequately completing in-house cardiac rehabilitation, which makes them strong candidates for a home-based rehab program (HBCR). Previous randomized trials have generated evidence that HBCR can achieve similar cardiac improvements in 3- 12-month clinical outcomes. With the large-scale adoption of wearable technologies, with an estimated 8.2 million devices owned by individuals over 55, we have an opportunity to incorporate …

Comparison Of Patient Satisfaction Between Telehealth And In-Clinic Post-Operative Visits, Bryan Renslo, Lillian Matthews, Deborah T. Glassman, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: Telehealth has the potential to be an efficient, affordable, and accessible means to give care. In the field of Urology, its use has large potential but has not been well studied. We hypothesize that the use of telehealth for post-op nephrectomy patients will maintain the same level of patient satisfaction. We also hypothesize that telehealth visits will take less time and save patients money by eliminating the need to travel.

Methods: From May through July 2019, post-nephrectomy patients who consented to the study were given either a telehealth or in-clinic post-operative visit. Outcome metrics and demographics information were obtained …

Smart Rooms Devices As A Modality Of Enhancing Patient Engagement, Daniel Campbell, Alison Romisher, Thomas Hurysz, Maia Ottenstein, Anna Marie Chang, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: Recent literature has demonstrated that increased patient engagement is linked to improved patient outcomes. As such, hospitals are currently attempting to increase patient engagement via use of digital tools. One potential digital tool is a Smart Rooms Device, a voiceassistant integrated into hospital rooms. The goal of this investigation is to identify modalities by which patients intend to engage with the Smart Rooms Device.

Methods: This is a prospective interview study conducted between 11/20/2019 and 12/17/2019, whereby patients from the TJU Observation Unit were asked pre-determined interview questions in order to ascertain potential device usages.

Results: 12 patients were …

An Investigation Of Infectious Etiologies Of Sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis, Tyler Kennedy, Michele Meltzer, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: Sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) is a rare, debilitating disease that can significantly lower one’s quality of life. Unfortunately, there are no current effective treatments, as the underlying causes are still unknown. We hypothesize that preceding infections do not cause sporadic inclusion body myositis.

Methods: The study investigated patients with a diagnosis of inclusion body myositis, with a concurrent or previously documented infection. Men represented a larger proportion of the population as they have an increased preponderance of those affected. The primary objective was to discern which infection, if any, could induce the inflammatory and degenerative changes in muscle …

Spatially Fractionated Radiation Therapy: History, Present And The Future, Weisi Yan, Mohammad K. Khan, Xiaodong Wu, Charles B. Simone Ii, Jiajin Fan, Eric Gressen, Xin Zhang, Charles L. Limoli, Houda Bahig, Slavisa Tubin, Waleed F. Mourad

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Neoangiogenesis And Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction In Human Tsc Brain Lesions, Kimberly Sansalone, Pelin Dilsiz, Howard Weiner, Orrin Devinsky, Delia M. Talos

Phase 1

Introduction: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder characterized by the presence of multiple benign tumors throughout the body and brain. Patients with TSC experience severe cognitive dysfunction and therapy-resistant seizures, which can be associated with refractory epilepsy and poor developmental outcomes. We hypothesize that neoangiogenesis, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, and leakage of serum proteins into the brain parenchyma play vital roles in the pathogenesis of TSC.

Methods: In order to assess blood-brain barrier integrity, cortical tissue samples from TSC patients with intractable seizures, non-TSC patients with therapy-resistant epilepsy, and control subjects were immunolabeled for the serum …

Characteristics And Outcomes Of Patients Directly Discharged To Home From The Intensive Care Unit, Ann Zheng, Preeyal M. Patel, Michele Fiorella, Lauren Mcdonnell, Mina Yasuoka, Erika J. Yoo, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: Given the current era of decreasing hospital bed availability, there has been a rise in the practice of direct discharge to home (DDH) from ICUs. We evaluated the demographics, clinical characteristics, outcomes and readmission patterns among DDH patients.

Methods: Retrospective review of patients from 2 MICUs from June 2017 to June 2019 at Thomas Jefferson University hospital, an urban tertiary care center. Primary outcome of interest was 30-day hospital readmission. Patients were dichotomized into two groups based on time between ward transfer order and hospital discharge (<24 or ≥24 hours). Risk adjustment performed with Mortality Probability Model (MPM0 -III). ICU workload at admission and discharge was estimated with nine equivalents of nursing manpower use score (NEMS). Patient characteristics compared using t-test and Fisher exact or χ² test.

Results: 331 DDH patients were analyzed, with the majority …

Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Outflow Graft Stenting: Indications And Outcomes, Chelsey T. Wood, Mfa, Elizabeth J. Maynes, Md, Thomas J. O'Malley, Md, Rohinton J. Morris, Md, Louis E. Samuels, Md, H. Todd Massey, Md, Vakhtang Tchantchaleishvili

Phase 1

Introduction: Stenosis in the continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) outflow graft can be caused by various mechanical and anatomical factors. Increasingly, percutaneous management has been utilized to re-establish adequate CF-LVAD flow. We sought to evaluate indications for such interventions and their outcomes.

Methods: An electronic search was performed to identify all studies in the English literature reporting CF-LVAD outflow graft stenting for various etiologies. Twenty-one studies consisting of 26 patients were included in the analysis.

Results: Median patient age was 59 years [45.8-67.0] and 65.4% (17/26) were male. 58.3% (14/24) of patients had HeartWare HVAD, 37.5% (9/24) had HeartMate …

Development Of A Hert Trained Interprofessional Student Decontamination Team For Hospital Mass Casualty Response, Ashley Wong, Claire Zurlo, Edward Jasper

Phase 1

Introduction: FEMA’s Hospital Emergency Response Training (HERT) prepares healthcare workers to decontaminate patients during a mass casualty incident. This depletes the emergency department (ED) staff when they are needed most though. Developing an interprofessional student composed HERT team to screen and decontaminate affected populations will allow ED staff to handle more medically complex situations during a mass casualty event.

Methods: Likert scale surveys were conducted among ED physicians and nurses at Jefferson Hospital and HERT trained medical and nursing students at Jefferson University. These were to evaluate the training program and ED staff opinions of utilizing a student HERT …

Conversion Total Knee Arthroplasty Needs Its Own Diagnosis Related Group Facility Reimbursement Code, Jonah Stein, Michael Yayac, Md, Gregory K. Deirmengian, Md, Javad Parvizi, Md, P. Maxwell Courtney, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: Conversion from a prior surgery to a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a more technically difficult procedure than primary TKA and is associated with worse short-term outcomes and increased complication and readmission rates, despite being undifferentiated under the current bundled payment model. The aim of this study was to determine differences in facility costs between primary TKA and conversion TKA, which we hypothesize are significant, to ensure providers are not penalized for treatment and high-risk patients have the same access to care.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a consecutive series of patients undergoing primary TKA at two hospitals within …