171 Ashley Ave.
Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-1414
800-424-MUSC
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February 2006
This edition:
Letter From Our Chair
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L. Lyndon Key, MD
Professor and Chairman
Department of Pediatrics |
Dear Faculty and Friends:
As we celebrate the first anniversary of the Charles P. Darby Children's Research Institute we reflex back on the
opportunities this remarkable institute has provided us. In just a short amount of time we have come so far and with
much joy and anticipation we look forward to the journey and discoveries ahead of us.
However, in the moments of our celebration we must stop and take a moment to thank our supporters. It is important for us
to remember the wonderful gifts that we have been given by our benefactors. Many have given significantly of both their
time and wealth. Without their support none of our successes would be possible. With their generous contributions the doors
of the region's largest and most comprehensive pediatric research center were opened to a world of discoveries and advancements
in pediatric health care.
[read more]
Feature Story
DCRI Uses MUSC-Wide Resources to Generate Potential and Impact
One year after its opening, the Charles P. Darby Children's Research Institute (DCRI) is moving full-force ahead in its mission
to provide premium care to MUSC's young patients by developing and refining new approaches and treatments for children.
As the largest and most comprehensive pediatric research facility in the Carolinas, the DCRI offers researchers an environment
in which they can strive to discover the causes of and cures for ailments that continue to afflict our children. Here, in this
unique setting, pediatric researchers and investigators MUSC-wide work together under one roof.
[read more]
Message From Our Medical Director
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J. Philip Saul, MD
Medical Director
Director, Pediatric Cardiology |
As we close in on the one year anniversary of the Darby Children's Research Institute, we are reminded of the critical importance of
research to the everyday care of children with both complex and common diseases. What would the health of our children be without
vaccines or antibiotics--just a few of the many now "routine" aspects of healthcare we take for granted. Yet it was not long ago that
such therapies were being developed in the laboratory, with children's hospitals playing a critical role in their testing and deployment.
The same is true today. Our understanding of the underlying causes of a variety of diseases continues to grow, resulting in new diagnostic
techniques and therapies. MUSC Children's Hospital works hard to support and participate in the clinical evaluations of these new therapies
so that we can offer state-of-the-art care to the children of South Carolina and the region. We encourage parents and staff to view
participation in the trial of a new therapy or test as an opportunity to work with us to enhance the care of their child and,
simultaneously, to advance the frontiers of medical care.
Update From Our Administrator
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John Sanders, MHA
Administrator
MUSC Children's Hospital |
Team Work
One of the aspects of the MUSC Children's Hospital that makes all the components of care we provide work well is the teamwork. Everyone
is working together to provide the best care possible for the children and their families. This is true at all levels of the organization
and it shows. We are very lucky at the executive level to have a team that works well together and plans programs to build on the
collaboration, but it is the teamwork at the bedside that really makes a difference.
The hospitalist program has brought us even further in coordinating the care that is necessary for the children with the most complex conditions.
Many of our patients need several sub-specialties to provide services for difficult conditions. The case managers facilitate this process by
coordinating all the services needed in the hospital and at home after discharge, if needed.
The most important part of our team is the families of the children we treat. More and more, we are including parents in the care of their
children. After all, who knows a child and what she needs better than her parents? We also are excited that many members of the Family Advisory
Council are participating in the planning of new programs and units to ensure we're making the right decisions. Everyone on our team has one
focus--to provide the best care possible for the children.
Darby Children's Research Institute News
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Bernard L. Maria, MD, MBA
Executive Director
Darby Children's
Research Inst. |
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Inderjit Singh, PhD
Scientific Director
Darby Children's
Research Inst. |
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We are very excited and proud of the accomplishments of children's researchers since the building opened its doors and was dedicated to
Dr. Charles P. Darby last year. In a competitive process, investigators were selected through peer-review for occupancy in the Institute.
This was a challenging effort because MUSC has never before used such a space allocation process. Also new: steering committee oversight
of research themes and multidisciplinary teams replaced departmental oversight and control of research space. In addition, several
outstanding investigators, working in their respective departments far removed from the Children's Hospital or pediatric biology, were
asked to consider how their basic research aligned with the mission of the DCRI.
[read more]
Darby Honored with Health Hero Award
Charles P. Darby, Jr., MD, recently received a Health Care Hero award for his work as a pediatrician and children's
advocate from the Charleston Regional Business Journal and WELLPATH.
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| Charles P. Darby, Jr., MD |
Dr. Darby was among a select group of healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, first responders,
researchers, organizations and volunteers, honored for their efforts to make a difference in the health care field.
This was the first year for the Health Care Heroes awards program.
"The tri-county region's health care professionals, volunteers and organizations make a huge contribution to the
quality of life of our citizens," said Bill Settlemyer, Charleston Regional Business Journal executive publisher.
"We're really pleased to present the Health Care Heroes awards as a way of honoring their dedication to their
profession and the communities they serve."
Dr. Darby was acknowledged for his commitment to caring for children and pediatric research. The Health Care Hero
award honors his lifelong work, including the key roles he has played in the opening in 1988 of the MUSC Children's
Hospital, one of the top children's facilities in the southeast, and in 2005, of the Charles P. Darby Children's
Research Institute, the largest and most comprehensive pediatric research facility in the Carolinas. Also cited was
Dr. Darby's dedication to the Children's Hospital Fund and the Medicaid Advisory Committee.
"This is a very nice honor and I appreciate that they've recognized me," says Dr. Darby. "It's always rewarding to
have people take notice of these sorts of things."
"We salute the leaders honored this year who, on a daily basis, help put the care in health care throughout the
Charleston area," said Tracy Baker, chief executive officer and president of Wellpath Select, Inc.
A special thanks to the following individuals for their efforts in putting together Kids Connection each month.
Managing Editor: Bernard L. Maria, MD, MBA
Publisher: Jennifer Cherock (Trio Solutions Inc.) and Jessica Munday (Trio Solutions Inc.)
Web design: Brian Dadin (Trio Solutions Inc.)
Feature Writer: Mary Sue Lawrence, Trio Solutions Inc
Contributing Writers:
Charles P. Darby,
Lindsay DeVane,
Lyndon Key,
Bernard Maria,
Sakamuri Reddy,
John Sanders,
Philip Saul,
Inderjit Singh
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