October 2023

Froedtert Hospital Spinal Cord Injury Program

Merle Orr, MD. Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehab

The Froedtert Bluemound campus has continued to grow in more ways than one. As of now we are increasing our capacity to provide care for this very special and vulnerable population. We wholeheartedly expect our census to grow and with this increase our goal is for our functional goals and quality indicators will continue to be well above industry standards. 

A Farewell to our Business Manager Jay Kumar 

With much gratitude, we want to thank our Department Business Manager Jay Kumar for his many contributions and outstanding leadership skills to our department. Prior to joining our team in September 2021 Jay has been an avid analytical healthcare and operations leader in progressive healthcare. His next venture will be in Dallas Texas where he will use his experience and Master's of Science in Healthcare Administration to further his career. Although we are excited for his next endeavors, we will miss his presence in our department greatly.

Welcome Renee Barany, APNP to our Pediatrics Team! 

I was born and raised in the Fox Valley. I attended Bellin College for my undergraduate degree and received my BSN in 2007. I worked in Labor and Delivery for 6 years before transitioning to an outpatient Women’s Health clinic where I worked as an infertility nurse. I had always dreamed of going back to school to become a nurse practitioner and reached a time in my life that I felt I was ready and able to do it. I attended Marian University in Fond du Lac where I graduated with my FNP in December 2019. I worked as a FNP in a primary care clinic before I transitioned to the adult Inpatient PM&R unit at Ascension Mercy Hospital in Oshkosh. I am very excited to be living my dream of being a pediatric provider at Children’s Wisconsin and could not be more excited to be here!

I have 2 wonderful children, Jayden (11) and Elizabeth (8). My daughter is in 3^rd grade at Richards Elementary in Whitefish Bay. My son started middle school this year and did not want to leave his friends so he chose to stay living in Neenah with his father. My son plays on his middle school football team and my daughter is on the Level 3 competitive team at Infinite Gymnastics which keeps me very busy. My fiancé, Martin, is a radiologist at MCW/Froedtert and has 2 children, Max (6) and Marina (3). Elizabeth and I moved to Whitefish Bay in August and we are excited for the new opportunities that come with living near Lake Michigan and Milwaukee.  We love to travel and be outdoors – especially where/when it is warm. I love a variety of music and have enjoyed attending concerts recently including Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, Kelsey Ballerini, Pink, Ava Max and Imagine Dragons.

I am so excited to be part of this amazing Pediatric PM&R team! I am looking forward to this next chapter in my life and all that the future holds.

-Renee Barany , APNP

Milwaukee Eagles Wheelchair Lacrosse team Win the National Championship

Dr. Kenneth Lee shares his experience at the 2023 Wheelchair Lacrosse National Championship which was held in Buffalo, NY this year from August 25th-27th.

"This weekend the Milwaukee Eagles took home the gold and the trophy yesterday at the National Championship in Buffalo NY. Ten teams from all over the country competed. We went all the way with a 6-0 record. Incredibly close final game to beat the defending last year’s champion Colorado Rolling Mammoth. Drs. Beth Weinman, Lauren Shuda, and Michiko Paschall with Dr Muqeet’s daughter (Suha) we’re there covering medical for the team.  Three MU Men’s Lacrosse members were leading the team as our coach and did a fantastic job!!!! Tentatively we have Oct 1st as a banquet date. Hopefully somewhere in MU area."

-Dr. Kenneth Lee

Dr. Anjum Sayyad Speaks at the 2023 Annual Neurotrauma Symposium

The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Neurotrauma team, along with MCW research coordinators hosted its 2^nd annual Neurotrauma Symposium, “Research Transforming Care”, on Friday, September 8^th and 9^th, at the Brookfield Conference Center. The accredited continuing medical education (CME) event highlighted our Neurotrauma Services while providing education related to neurotrauma and multidisciplinary collaboration across the continuum.

Our keynote speaker, Daniel Laskowitz, MD, MHS, kicked off the event with his presentation, “Traumatic Brain Injury: Current Therapy and New Horizons”. Dr. Laskowitz is a Professor and Vice Chair of Neurology; Professor of Neurosurgery, Anesthesiology and Neurobiology; and Director, DCRI Neuroscience Medicine at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.  

Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin was well represented by our own speakers. Hirad Hedayat, MD shared his expertise in “Acute Management of Neurotrauma”. Frank Pintar, PhD gave a lecture on the “Anatomy of a Car Crash” and shared information about the collaborative projects with the Comprehensive Injury Center through the departments of Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, and Trauma Surgery and Neurosurgery. Much of his team’s research has resulted in an increase in safety features in the cars we drive today.

Participants were able to choose from breakout sessions, which included clinicians and researchers from various disciplines. The sessions covered topics such as: motor control in SCI, translational research fundamentals, bridging neurotrauma research with prehospital protocols, gut-brain axis, fostering teambuilding in the care of SCI patients, outcomes from 414-Life program, equity in car crashes, neurogenic bowel and bladder and using patient feedback to improve TBI systems of care.

The symposium ended with our own TBI patient panel featuring a brain injury survivor, Rob Martin. It was facilitated by Jenna Haberkorn and consisted of Rob’s direct caregivers: Dr. Anjum Sayyad, Physiatrist; Christopher Clapper, Registered Nurse; Andrea Goetz, Occupational Therapist; and Heidi Miranda, Child Life Specialist. Rob shared his emotional journey after surviving a TBI while roller skating, which initially left him aphasic. His story touched the participants as he shared the positive impact his caregivers had on his recovery and the ongoing gratitude he has for each one of them.

-Michelle Wesline, RN - Neuroscience Institute Program Coordinator

Dr. Heather Curtiss Speaks at MCW Spine Day

PM&R Faculty Service Awards 

Dr. Judith Kosasih, MD - 30 Years of Service 

the best care to veterans and willingly seeks novel solutions including integrative medicine approaches."

-Dr. Diane W. Braza

neurorehabilitation and spasticity fellowship, training over 15 physiatrists. He has participated in multiple clinical trials and received NIH funding for his stroke research. He is clearly an exceptional academic leader in the field of PM&R!"

-Dr. Diane W. Braza

New Achievements in Research

Please congratulate Jennifer Nguyen on her recent promotion to Clinical Research Coordinator II! Jennifer has been with PM&R since 2016 in Dr. Durand’s lab and is vital in coordinating projects on his various grant-funded studies. With this promotion, Jennifer will be expanding her role and taking on additional responsibility. Congratulations Jennifer on a well-deserved promotion!

Dr. John McGuire dosed the final participant in the Saol RAISE trial. This is a first-in-man, placebo-controlled safety and efficacy industry trial of a drug formulation of phenol for treating spasticity. Dr. McGuire and lead coordinator, Alan Young, enrolled and dosed 16 participants in this trial. Congratulations on successfully meeting the recruitment goal in under 18 months and a well-earned SAOL-ebration.

Dr. Hans Anderson (PGYIII) was accepted to join the Editorial Board of the Resident Fellow Section of the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. The goal of this section is to increase scholarship in PM&R residency. Congratulations to Dr. Anderson on this honor!

Funding Announcements:

Dr. Erin McGonigle is a Co-Investigator on a new National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) award being directed by Dr. Habib Rahman (UW Milwaukee) entitled “Translating Multifunctional Robotic Assistive Arm (mR2A) for Activities of Daily Living Assistance into Practice”. This is a 5-year, $1,000,000 award to UW Milwaukee with a subcontract to PM&R. The goal of this project is to translate a robotic arm on power wheelchairs into daily practice to assist users with activities of daily living. Please congratulate Dr. McGonigle on this exciting grant award!

Publication/Presentation Research Announcements:

Dr. Alicen Whitaker-Hilbig’s dissertation paper, “Lower Middle Cerebral Artery Blood Velocity during Low-Volume High-Intensity Interval Exercise in Chronic Stroke”, was accepted to the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism for publication in an upcoming issue. Congratulations to Dr. Whitaker-Hilbig for acceptance to JCBFM, which is a top-tier journal in the field of cerebral blood flow regulation!

Dr. Karin Goodfriend was a recent co-author on a conference abstract as well as an invited podium presentation at the Pediatric Movement Disorders Session – From Bench to Bedside, given by Brooke Slavens (UW Milwaukee) at the Progress in Clinical Motor Control II Conference in July 2023. Drs. Goodfriend and Slavens have a funded NIH R01 going into its 5th year that focuses on correlating quality of life and pain scores with imaging biomarkers and motion capture analysis of manual wheelchair users.

The Wearable team has three accepted abstracts and an invited symposium presentation scheduled for the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) 100th Annual Conference in Atlanta, GA, in November. Congratulations to the Wearable team on this national visibility. PM&R will have a strong showing at this conference as Drs. Hans Anderson and Matt Durand also had an accepted abstract entitled “Using Machine Learning to Predict Discharge Destination from Inpatient Rehabilitation”. Well done everyone! More to follow in a future newsletter!

PM&R Philanthropy Case 

Please contact Meg Bilicki, Senior Director of Development  mbilicki@mcw.edu or Dr. Braza dbraza@mcw.edu for more information.

To support Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation click on this link!

PM&R Participates in the 2023 SE Wisconsin Heart & Stroke Walk

On Saturday, September 23rd there was a Heart & Stroke Walk organized by the American Heart Association in Veteran’s Park at Milwaukee's lakefront. A total of $269,904.00 was raised! It was a beautiful day and members from our very own PM&R team along with MCW and Marquette colleagues raised a total of $345.00! 

Department Mascot's Outfit for the Month of October

For the month of October department mascot 'Randy the Rhino' shares a photo of his Halloween party from 2022 before his guests arrived. 

The answer to the riddle below will be provided in next month's newsletter. This riddle is courtesy of Alan Young, Clinical Research Coordinator:

"Brawl, change, carrot, clover; proper, sacred, stone, drover, seventy, totters, travel, song. One of those words does not belong?"

Answer to last month's riddle:  "a stapler"

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder* is a form of depression also known as SAD, seasonal depression or winter depression. In the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), this disorder is identified as a type of depression – Major Depressive Disorder with Seasonal Pattern.

People with SAD experience mood changes and symptoms similar to depression. The symptoms usually occur during the fall and winter months when there is less sunlight and usually improve with the arrival of spring. The most difficult months for people with SAD in the United States tend to be January and February. While it is much less common, some people experience SAD in the summer.

SAD is more than just “winter blues.” The symptoms can be distressing and overwhelming and can interfere with daily functioning. However, it can be treated. About 5 percent of adults in the U.S. experience SAD and it typically lasts about 40 percent of the year. It is more common among women than men.

SAD has been linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain prompted by shorter daylight hours and less sunlight in winter. As seasons change, people experience a shift in their biological internal clock or circadian rhythm that can cause them to be out of step with their daily schedule. SAD is more common in people living far from the equator where there are fewer daylight hours in the winter.

Symtoms of Seasonal affective disorder inlcude:

• Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
• Changes in appetite; usually eating more, craving carbohydrates
• Change in sleep; usually sleeping too much
• Loss of energy or increased fatigue despite increased sleep hours
• Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing) or slowed movements or speech (these actions must be severe enough to be observable to others)
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide;

Treatment:

SAD can be effectively treated in several ways, including light therapy, antidepressant medications, talk therapy or some combination of these. While symptoms will generally improve on their own with the chnge of season, symptoms can improve more quickly with treatment.

Light therapy involves sitting in front of a light therapy box that emits a very bright light (and filters out harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays). It usually requires 20 minutes or more per day, typically first thing in the morning, during the winter months. Most people see some improvements from light therapy within one or two weeks of beginning treatment. To maintain the benefits and prevent relapse, treatment is usually continued through the winter. Because of the anticipated return of symptoms in late fall, some people may begin light therapy in early fall to prevent symptoms.

Talk therapy, particularly cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), can effectively treat SAD. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the type of antidepressant most commonly used to treat SAD.

For some people, increased exposure to sunlight can help improve symptoms of SAD. For example, spending time outside or arranging your home or office so that you are exposed to a window during the day. (However, exposure to UV light from the sun can increase your risk of skin cancer.and you should talk with your doctor about risks and benefits.) Taking care of your general health and wellness can also help—regular exercise, healthy eating, getting enough sleep, and staying active and connected (such as volunteering, participating in group activities and getting together with friends and family) can help.

If you feel you have symptoms of SAD, seek the help of a trained medical professional. Just as with other forms of depression, it is important to make sure there is no other medical condition causing symptoms. SAD can be misdiagnosed in the presence of hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia, infectious mononucleosis, and other viral infections, so proper evaluation is key. A mental health professional can diagnose the condition and discuss therapy options. With the right treatment, SAD can be a manageable condition.

Flu Season is Approaching

The Medical College of Wisconsin, in partnership with Froedtert Health, Children’s Wisconsin, the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center and the Medical College of Wisconsin Allied Hospitals (MCWAH), will facilitate a mandatory influenza (flu) vaccination program for the 2023-2024 influenza season. Flu vaccination is important for the safety of our patients, colleagues, learners and community. Details on obtaining a flu vaccine at Internal Occupational Health (IOH) Flu Clinics will be provided late in August. If vaccinated anywhere other than an IOH Flu Clinic, employees must send documentation to IOHflu@Froedtert.com.

*All MCW faculty, staff, students, postdoctoral fellows, volunteers, MCWAH residents and fellows  are required to either receive the flu vaccine or apply for and be granted an exemption. MCW Clinic Dates and Locations to be announced soon! Search “Flu” on InfoScope.

Important Dates Regarding the Flu Vaccine

• Sept 18–Nov 10 | Free MCW vaccination clinics

• Nov 10 | Compliance Deadline for employees

• Late Nov | Noncompliance reporting distributed to Department Leaders

• Dec 4 | Employment actions effective for noncompliant individuals

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is a worldwide annual campaign to increase awareness and to promote regular screening and early detection of breast cancer.

Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting American women, with 1 in 8 receiving the diagnosis of breast cancer during one’s lifetime. Early detection provides the best chance of successful treatment and cure. Over 3.5 million breast cancer survivors are alive today thanks to advances in screening, detection and treatment.

Other October Celebrations:

• October 2 – International Day of Nonviolence
• October 9 – National Indigenous Peoples’ Day (United States)
• October 10 – Thanksgiving Day (Canada)
• October 10 – World Mental Health Day
• October 11 – National Coming Out Day (LGBTQ+)
• October 15 – Navrati begins (Hindu)
• October 16 – Birth of the Bab (Baha’i)
• October 16 – Waste Reduction Week
• October 16 – Bosses’ Day
• October 19 – Spirit Day (LGBTQ+ anti-bullying)
• October 20 – Sikh Holy Day (birth of Guru Granth)
• October 22 – International Stuttering Awareness Day
• October 25 – Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
• October 31 – Halloween

COVID-19 Updates

Both Froedtert and MCW employees with an approved COVID-19 vaccination exemption are no longer required to wear masks at Froedtert & MCW facilities except when and where masks are required for all. To remain consistent within all adult clinical spaces, MCW clinics will follow this same guidance. Masks have not been required for unvaccinated individuals in MCW non-clinical spaces since October 2022.

The COVID-19 vaccine requirement was discontinued for employees effective on June 13, due to recent guidance from the CDC and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters will continue to be strongly recommended, but not required as a condition of employment with MCW.  Vaccination will continue to be required for students and learners who participate in clinical care due to many healthcare partners who have not yet lifted their COVID-19 vaccine requirement. This requirement is being actively re-evaluated as a high priority, and we will provide follow-up information as soon as feasible. Individuals who work in partner healthcare facilities that require vaccination must also continue to follow the guidance and requirements of those facilities. 

For additional information visit the COVID-19 page on infoscope. 

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