HJAR Nov/Dec 2019

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  NOV / DEC 2019 59 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalAR.com a collaboration with Philadelphia, Pennsylvania- based Penn Medicine to accelerate high-priority clinical research efforts related to heart surgery and implement novel approaches into surgical practice. The seven-year initiative, which is funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), is part of the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Net- work (CTSN) Linked Clinical Research Centers project. Under the program, five institutions nationwide with extensive experience conduct- ing cardiothoracic surgery research are linked with a qualified institution with little clinical research experience located in an underserved area with a high prevalence of cardiac disease, stroke, obesity, and diabetes. Arkansas has the third highest mor- tality rate from heart disease in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “We’re honored by this opportunity to collabo- rate on the forefront of clinical research and help establish a new platform for the next generation of clinical and implementation researchers so geography no longer limits access to the latest best practices in the field,” said CHI St. Vincent CEO Chad Aduddell. “The ultimate value, though, benefits our patients in Central Arkansas who will experience advanced care and unique access to clinical trials on the forefront of the healthcare industry for the treatment of heart disease and related illnesses.” Heart disease – which is responsible for about one in four deaths – is the leading cause of death in the United States. Nearly half of U.S. adults have some sort of heart or blood vessel disease, according to American Heart Association. Cardio- thoracic surgical procedures play a critical role in addressing some of the most prominent con- ditions, including coronary artery disease, con- gestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and valvu- lar heart disease, and help to extend survival and improve quality of life. While the rapid pace of innovation in this field has led to the use of new approaches and technologies, the clinical research efforts needed to validate the approaches con- tinue to lag behind due, in part, to the challenges of enrolling patients in clinical trials. As a part of the initiative, teams at CHI St. Vin- cent and Penn Medicine will conduct CTSN clini- cal research studies that evaluate novel products, cardiac surgical interventions, and cardiovascular medicine practices in areas deemed as high-pri- ority by the CTSN, including valvular heart disease and circulatory assist devices and cardiac regener- ation. Nimesh Desai, MD, PhD, an associate pro- fessor of surgery at Penn Medicine, established and developed the Clinical and Implementa- tion Research Skills Program (CIRSP), a platform that extends across both institutions to help edu- cate junior faculty on how to translate the latest in clinical research and innovation into best sur- gical practice. “Historically, cardiac surgery clinical trials have been extremely difficult to conduct,” said Michael Acker, MD, Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery, and primary grant investigator at Penn Medicine. “However, with the support of the NHLBI and CTSN, our team at Penn Medicine has been able to complete studies that spurred change in sur- gical best practices. Through this collaboration, we have a unique opportunity to share best prac- tices in cardiac surgical research and help develop sustainable models that lead to improvements in patient access and outcomes across this region.” Penn Medicine has remained a core clinical research site since the NIH launched the grant in 2007 to support the CTSN. As a part of this new project, CHI St. Vincent was chosen as a linked site by Penn Medicine because of its significant healthcare resources and expertise available through the CHI St. Vincent Heart Institute, along with additional support from other CHI St. Vincent associated facilities. As part of the Penn Medicine mentoring plan, the CHI St. Vincent Heart Insti- tute clinical research team visit Penn Medicine in August 2019 for intense research training. Arkansas Health Network Appoints Dr. Shahid Shafi as Chief Medical Officer, Vice President The Arkansas Health Network (AHN), a physi- cian-led, clinically integrated network (CIN) serv- ing Arkansas patients, providers, and employ- ers, announced that Dr. Shahid Shafi has been appointed as its new chief medical officer and vice president. Shafi’s responsibilities will include all aspects of clinical quality improvement, evidence- based medical guidelines, and the development of quality metrics across the network in addition to supporting AHN’s other strategic initiatives. “Dr. Shafi brings a wide breadth of expertise to our value-based approach to healthcare as AHN partners with healthcare providers, employ- ers, and insurers to improve patient health while lowering costs,” said AHN President Bob Sarkar. “His experience will be invaluable as we further develop those collaborations to build a healthier and happier workforce in Arkansas.” Shafi previously served as medical director of Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance ACO in Dallas, Tex. and as CEO of Surgical Group of North Texas. He also served as medical director of Trauma Surgery for Parkland Memorial Hospi- tal in Dallas as well as associate dean for clinical affairs for Texas Christian University and the Uni- versity of North Texas. Shafi earned a Doctor of Medicine from Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan and received a trauma surgery fellowship from the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds a Master of Pub- lic Health degree from Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Business degree from Southern Methodist University. CHI St. Vincent Wound Care Center Receives National Award for Clinical Excellence The CHI St. Vincent Wound Care Center has received the Center of Distinction Award pre- sented by Healogics. To earn the recognition, the center achieved outstanding clinical outcomes for 12 consecutive months, including patient satis- faction higher than 92 percent, and a minimum wound healing rate of at least 92 percent within 30 median days to heal. Shahid Shafi, MD