Minnesota - June 2015 Archives

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic and the George Family Foundation are leading supporters of the newly formed Southeast Minnesota Partnership for Community-Based Health Promotion. A key aim of this partnership is to extend the care that occurs in Southeast Minnesota health systems into the communities. The partnership will focus first on incorporating clinical referrals of effective, community-based programs into routine primary care treatment strategies. The new program is called Living Well with Chronic Conditions (formally known as the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program). “The goal of this partnership is to fundamentally change the way individuals and communities in Southeast Minnesota experience life with chronic health conditions,” says Aaron Leppin, M.D., a research associate in Mayo Clinic’s Knowledge and Evaluation Research Unit. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 7 out of every 10 deaths in the U.S. are the result of chronic disease. In Southeast Minnesota, Community Health Needs Assessments consistently identify chronic disease management as an area of priority. Media Contacts: Colette Gallagher and Naomi Ogaldez, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu 

WASHINGTON — Mayo Clinic is participating in the White House Forum on Excellence and Innovation through Diversity in the STEM Workforce. Participants will meet tonight ...

KASSON, Minn. – Construction plans are in place, and renovations are set to begin at Mayo Family Clinic Kasson in June. Mayo Clinic invites patients and community members to attend an informational construction kickoff event at Mayo Family Clinic Kasson, 411 W. Main St., on Wednesday, June 24, from 2 to 4 p.m. The event will be held outside in front of the clinic, weather-permitting. In case of rain, the event will be held inside the clinic. Visitors can learn more about the project from clinic staff and see artist renderings of what the clinic will look like once construction is completed late in 2015. Refreshments will be available at this event, and visitors can come and go as their schedules allow. “We are excited to launch this project, and we want to share that excitement with our patients and the Kasson community at this kickoff event,” says Anne Kramlinger, M.D., Family Medicine, who is medical director at Mayo Family Clinic Kasson. “Our staff is invested in the health and well-being of our patients. This project is also an investment in our patients and the entire community. It will help support our efforts to make our services more accessible and convenient through face-to-face and nonvisit care opportunities, including phone and online options.” MEDIA CONTACT:  Joe O'Keefe, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

ROCHESTER, Minn. — On June 19, Mayo Clinic was named a Yellow Ribbon Company — the first health organization in Minnesota to receive this recognition. Mayo received this recognition in connection with its participation in the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program, which was started by the Minnesota National Guard. This program creates awareness of the need to connect service members and their families with community support, training, services and resources. Being a part of the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program enables Mayo Clinic to help those affected by military deployments, support successful transition into the workplace following military deployments and demonstrate a public commitment to supporting military members when they become patients. “To be named a Yellow Ribbon Company is a distinct honor,” says John Noseworthy, M.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic “Throughout our history, Mayo Clinic has been proud to serve, and serve with, the U.S. military. The risks and challenges faced by our military are very different today, but our passion for supporting the country and aiding and protecting its troops is unchanged.” Media Contacts: Kelley Luckstein and Mickella Geary, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu 

American and Chinese adults with Type 2 diabetes are at similar risk for memory impairment, Mayo Clinic and Shanghai researchers report Rochester, Minn. – Diabetes is a known risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia, age-related conditions that affect memory and thinking skills. However, little is known about how the diabetes-cognitive decline link compares across cultures. Scientists from Mayo Clinic and Huashan Hospital in Shanghai explored the association between Type 2 diabetes and cognitive impairment to find out if the relationship varies in different populations. Study participants had not been diagnosed with memory-related diseases, such as vascular dementia or Alzheimer's dementia. For the study, the researchers evaluated data from two large, ongoing, population-based studies: the Shanghai Aging Study (SAS) and the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging (MCSA). Both use similar designs and methodologies. For example, both studies recruit participants from a defined population, include an on-site, in-person evaluation, use similar or comparable tests of cognition, and include participants over age 50. The SAS uses neuropsychological tests adapted from Western tests to harmonize with Chinese culture. MEDIA CONTACT: Duska Anastasijevic, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

MINNEAPOLIS – Dignitaries from the worlds of medicine, sports, business and politics hit the court today, Wednesday, June 17, to dedicate Mayo Clinic Square in downtown Minneapolis. The event was the first in a series of grand-opening events marking the strategic collaboration of Mayo Clinic, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx. "At Mayo Clinic we pride ourselves in teamwork," said John Noseworthy, M.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic. "We are proud to be part of the team that made this day possible." Mayo Clinic Square is home to Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine and the new headquarters of the Minnesota the Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx. Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine provides medical services to the teams and is located just across from their training facility and practice court. "I've never seen anything like this," said Adam Silver, commissioner of the NBA. "It's the gold standard." "I couldn't be prouder to be a partner of the Mayo Clinic," said Laurel Richie, president of the WNBA. Guests at Wednesday’s dedication ceremony got a behind-the-scenes look at Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine, a 22,000-square-foot facility that opened in October 2014. It serves players and the public alike. MEDIA CONTACT: Rhoda Madson, Mayo Clinic, 507-284-5005, madson.rhoda@mayo.edu Journalists: B-roll from today's event plus sound bites from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Mayo Clinic President and CEO Dr. John Noseworthy are available in the downloads.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwS2EluWN9Y&feature=youtu.be

MINNEAPOLIS — Mayo Clinic, the Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Lynx and other dignitaries will celebrate the grand opening of the teams’ new state-of-the-art training facility and headquarters at Mayo Clinic Square. WHAT: Leaders from Minnesota’s sports, medical, political and business communities will gather for the official dedication of the Timberwolves and Lynx Courts at Mayo Clinic Square. Attendees will also be able to take a tour featuring a history hallway, offices, theater, practice court and weight room, and M ayo Clinic Sports Medicine, the teams' exclusive provider of medical services. Appetizers will be served during the event. WHO: John Noseworthy, M.D., President and CEO, Mayo Clinic; Glen Taylor, owner, Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx; Adam Silver, Commissioner, NBA; Laurel Richie, President, WNBA; Phillip Jaffe, Principal and CEO, Provident Real Estate Ventures. WHERE: Timberwolves and Lynx Courts at Mayo Clinic Square, 600 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. Registration is on the second floor. The ceremony is on the third floor. WHEN: Wednesday, June 17, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Doors open at 11 a.m. Ceremony will be from 11:30 to 11:50 a.m. Tours will be held after the ceremony. NOTE: Dr. Noseworthy will be available after the ceremony to talk to media. Availability of the other speakers is being finalized. Members of the media should RSVP to Rhoda Madson at 507-284-5005 or newsbureau@mayo.edu. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhcIXwpyvPE&feature=youtu.be

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic Children’s Center has again been ranked as the top performing children’s hospital in the Minnesota, Dakotas and Iowa region on U.S. News & World Report’s 2015-2016 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings. Rankings of nearly 200 of the nation’s children’s hospitals identify the top 50 in each of 10 specialties. The Mayo Clinic Children’s Center was one of only 19 children’s hospitals across the country to rank in all 10 pediatric specialties in 2015-2016. Mayo Clinic and its Children’s Center is the medical center most recognized as a top choice for patients and families by U.S. News & World Report and many other ranking organizations. “This is a very exciting time for the Mayo Clinic Children’s Center”, says hospital director Randall Flick, M.D. “With our most recent launch of the proton beam therapy for childhood cancer and stem cell treatment for children with heart disease, we look forward to what we are capable of accomplishing for many more years to come.” Media Contacts: Kelley Luckstein and Mickella Geary, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, Luckstein.Kelley@mayo.edu and Geary.Mickella@mayo.edu

WHAT: The Advanced Product Incubator (API) establishes cell-free platforms to develop regenerative therapies. Built according to Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) set forth by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the API adheres to rigorous standards of facility design, monitoring and process control. This multidisciplinary, first-of-its-kind facility bridges teams of researchers and physicians with scientific and industry experts to accelerate product development. The API design fosters the translation of laboratory discoveries into clinical grade curative products developed with the lowest possible risk to patients. API’s unique approach is to develop low-cost, off-the-shelf, cell-free regenerative therapies that address chronic or incurable diseases. Reporters will have a chance to tour portions of the facility, take photos and video, and interview experts. A ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 4:30 p.m. WHERE: Minnesota Biobusiness Center, 221 1st Ave. SW, 3rd floor, Rochester, Minnesota. WHEN: Thursday, June 11, 2015, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. WHO: Interviews available with Atta Behfar, M.D., Ph.D., director, Advanced Product Incubator; Andre Terzic, M.D., Ph.D., director, Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine; and Gary Smith, president, Rochester Area Economic Development, Inc. RSVP:  Jennifer Schutz, Schutz.jennifer@mayo.edu, 507-284-0025 MEDIA CONTACT: Bob Nellis, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu

ROCHESTER, Minn. — The molecular makeup of brain tumors can be used to sort patients with gliomas into five categories, each with different clinical features and outcomes, researchers at Mayo Clinic and the University of California San Francisco have shown. The finding could change the methods that physicians rely on to determine prognosis and treatment options. Previously, they relied on how patients’ tumors look under the microscope. The study is published online in the  New England Journal of Medicine. “Our findings are going to weigh heavily on the future classification of brain tumors. The time of classifying these tumors solely according to histology as astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma or mixed oligoastrocytoma could be a thing of the past,” says lead study author Daniel H. Lachance, M.D., a neuro oncologist at Mayo Clinic. “This molecular data helps us better classify glioma patients, so we can begin to understand who needs to be treated more aggressively and who might be able to avoid unnecessary therapies.” http://youtu.be/76YHqUxXZVs

Four to nine factors contributed to each `never event,’ study finds ROCHESTER, Minn. — Why are major surgical errors called “never events?” Because they shouldn’t happen — but do. Mayo Clinic researchers identified 69 never events among 1.5 million invasive procedures performed over five years and detailed why each occurred. Using a system created to investigate military plane crashes, they coded the human behaviors involved to identify any environmental, organizational, job and individual characteristics that led to the never events. Their discovery: 628 human factors contributed to the errors overall, roughly four to nine per event. The study results are published in the journal Surgery. The never events included performing the wrong procedure (24), performing surgery on the wrong site or wrong side of the body (22), putting in the wrong implant (5), or leaving an object in the patient (18). All of the errors analyzed occurred at Mayo; none were fatal. The Mayo Rochester campus rate of never events over the period studied was roughly 1 in every 22,000 procedures. Because of inconsistencies in definitions and reporting requirements, it is hard to find accurate comparison data, but a recent study based upon information in the National Practitioner Data Bank estimated that the rate of such never events in the United States is almost twice that in this report, approximately 1 in 12,000 procedures. MEDIA CONTACT: Sharon Theimer, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, Email: newsbureau@mayo.edu Journalist: Sound bites of Dr. Bingener discussing the study are available in the downloads.

Vitesse formed to identify and advance early stage biologic research in immunology, hematology and oncology Deerfield, IL., Rochester, MN and South San Francisco, CA. — Baxter Ventures, the venture arm of Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX), Mayo Clinic and Velocity Pharmaceutical Development, LLC (“VPD”) today announced the formation of Vitesse Biologics, LLC, (“Vitesse”). Vitesse is a unique collaboration model initiated by Baxter Ventures to focus on the development of antibody and protein-based therapeutics in the areas of immunology, hematology, and oncology. Following the spin-off of Baxter BioScience as Baxalta Incorporated, anticipated to take place by mid-2015, the Vitesse relationship will be managed by the planned venture arm, Baxalta Ventures, for the new company. Baxter Media Contact: Kellie Hotz, (224) 948-5353, media@baxter.com Baxter Investor Contact: Mary Kay Ladone, (224) 948-3371 Mayo Clinic Media Contact: Brian Kilen, (507) 284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu Velocity Media Contact: Leslie Loven, (415) 509-5110,  leslie@vpd.net