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Carilion Medicine
FALL 2020 | WINTER 2021
In partnership with the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
SURGE
PROTECTORS
Before the first patient with coronavirus
had even arrived, Carilion Clinic was ready
contents
CARILION MEDICINE FALL 2020/WINTER 2021
Departments
2 FROM THE CMO
3 IN BRIEF
Expanded telemedicine; White Coats for Black Lives
8 GRAND ROUNDS
Education initiatives both classic and with a twist
THE ART OF MEDICINE: THE
44
HEALING CEILING
Carilion Clinic’s cheerful new ceiling tiles were
painted by children for children.
BY TIFFANY HOLLAND
46 CHEERS FOR PEERS
Carilion clinicians achieve recognition
28 BACKSTORY: THE THIRD
48
PILLAR OF LEARNING
MOVING FORWARD: Health systems science gives medical
Marcia Dupree narrowly students the holistic framework they need
survived COVID-19, the disease to make a positive impact on medicine.
that took her husband’s life. BY LEE A. LEARMAN, M.D., PH.D.
SPECIAL REPORT
Surge Protectors Features
12 14 20 28 32 36 40
UP TO SPEED SURGE DESIGN LOVE AND GRIEF RISING HELPING HUGS,
The COVID-19 pandemic
has created unprecedented, PROTECTORS FOR LIFE IN THE TIME OF STARS HANDS NOT DRUGS
seemingly insurmountable
issues. Fortunately, Carilion
Early in the pandemic, even
before coronavirus entered
As the coronavirus spread
and threatened lives, CORONAVIRUS The heroes of the
pandemic—from Carilion
The Brachial Plexus Clinic
at Carilion is bringing a
When it comes to treating
babies with neonatal
Clinic had key systems the region, Carilion Clinic Carilion Clinic and its Marcia Dupree mourned her Clinic’s frontline providers to multidisciplinary approach to abstinence syndrome,
already in place to confront mobilized quickly to turn collaborators became husband’s COVID-19 death as giving community members— patients at risk of losing arm mothers have proved
such challenges. plans into action. inventive. she struggled for her own life. deserve celebration. mobility to nerve damage. to be the best medicine.
BY CHARLES SLACK BY CHARLES SLACK BY MARCIA LERNER BY ANITA SLOMSKI BY TIFFANY HOLLAND BY VERONICA MEADE-KELLY BY JESSICA CERRETANI
COVER ILLUSTRATION: BALBUSSO TWINS; JARED LADIA (PHOTO ABOVE)
Carilion Medicine
in brief
THERE HAVE BEEN INDELIBLE MOMENTS
in my life: The Space Shuttle Challenger
explosion. The Oklahoma City bombing. The
collapse of the World Trade Center’s South President and Chief Executive Officer
Nancy Howell Agee
On the pulse of the
Tower, followed by that of the North Tower.
I remember the unusual eeriness that Chief Medical Officer and Carilion Clinic community
Executive Vice President
followed the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Patrice M. Weiss, M.D.
For days, it felt like the world had stopped. Yet
we found comfort with family, friends, and Editorial Advisory Panel
Joel Bashore, P.A.; Nathaniel L. Bishop, D.Min.;
other loved ones. We became closer, literally Cesar Bravo, M.D.; John Burton, M.D.; Kimberly
and figuratively. Shaken yet undeterred, we Carter, Ph.D., R.N.; Teresa Ann Conner, Ph.D.;
resolutely continued our daily lives. Kimberly Dunsmore, M.D.; Daniel Harrington,
M.D.; Daniel Karolyi, M.D., Ph.D.; Donald Kees, M.D.;
Pictures of Health
The COVID-19 crisis feels different. The The American Hospital Association
Lee A. Learman, M.D., Ph.D.; Michael Nussbaum,
world as we knew it stopped, but so did many of our usual sources of comfort. M.D.; Sarah Henrickson Parker, Ph.D.; John Pastor; has honored Carilion Clinic as one
We were told: Don’t get together. Don’t leave your home unless you must. Edwin Polverino, D.O.; Paul R. Skolnik, M.D.; Robert of only five recipients of the 2020
Don’t gather with others to share your faith. You can’t have dinner with your Trestman, M.D., Ph.D.; Fidel Valea, M.D. AHA Dick Davidson NOVA Award.
closest friends. You can’t attend plays, movies, or concerts. Chief Administrative Officer This prestigious national award
Unlike with 9/11, we must endure this historic event often isolated and Jeanne Armentrout recognizes hospitals and health
alone, exacerbating physical and mental health challenges on many levels. Vice President systems for their collaborative ef-
The idea that a virus, so tiny and invisible, could cause such large-scale Mike Dame forts toward improving community
disruption—shutting down schools, businesses, sports, entertainment, and Executive Editor health status. Carilion was recog-
Linda Staley nized for its work with Healthy Roa-
even health care around the world—seemed implausible a year ago.
Editor noke Valley, a partnership with the
Now we’re living it. Sometimes I experience a disquietude. It seems like we’re
Paula Byron United Way of Roanoke Valley and
living in a containment. At other times, I’ve wanted to jump out of my skin or other local organizations to address
Editorial Assistant
hop on a plane until I realized there was nowhere to go! The virus is inescapable. health disparities in Roanoke.
Tiffany Holland
The coronavirus is not confined to a specific population either; we’re all at Healthy Roanoke Valley projects
Art Director MOVING THE NEEDLE: Carilion Clinic’s
risk. In our region, as of this writing COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Laura McFadden include Fresh Foods Rx, a 12-week initial batch of COVID-19 vaccines
rather than abating, are climbing steadily, and our positivity rate now is program that provides patients with went to frontline health care workers.
Special Thanks
among the highest in Virginia. Catherine Doss, Belinda Harris, Mark Lambert, weekly health education, peer and
Rather than going about our lives, we’re finding that COVID-19 continues Alison Matthiessen, Karen McNew McGuire, physician support, and vouchers
to dominate our culture. As the weeks and months wear on, I continue to be Anne Shaver, Whitney Slightham
CARILION CLINIC
for fresh, locally grown produce;
Pathways Community Hub, a care
A SHOT IN THE ARM
impressed with the way our teams selflessly put patients first. I’ve witnessed
nurses working long shifts in our COVID-19 unit as well as throughout our 1 Riverside Circle coordination system in which com- In mid-December, Carilion Clinic received “This is an exciting step forward in the
hospitals and then volunteering in their free time. I’ve seen care providers
P.O. Box 13727 munity health workers use a home its first shipment of Pfizer’s COVID-19 fight against this pandemic.”
Roanoke, VA 24036 visiting model; and the Morningside vaccine. “The light at the end of the Paul R. Skolnik, M.D., chair of the De-
pitching in to cover for colleagues with even more pressing needs or those who CarilionClinic.org Community Garden, which provides COVID-19 tunnel is getting a little bright- partment of Medicine, agreed, adding a
may have been exposed or infected. 800-422-4842
residents in a food desert with fresh er,” said Chad Alvarez, Pharm.D., senior reminder to double down on precautions:
I’m grateful, too, for the families of our providers, for whom this work also fruits and vegetables. director of pharmacy and the leader of “Those actions and the COVID-19 vac-
represents a sacrifice. Carilion’s COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force. cines will be what beat this pandemic.”
The outpouring of support from our community means so much. While we
didn’t go into health care for the accolades, the clear appreciation we’ve received Carilion Medicine is published twice a year at:
reminds us that what we do every day really is special. Despite our social 213 McClanahan Street, Suite 200 research tool
Roanoke, VA 24014
distancing, in many profound ways the pandemic has brought us closer.
Phone: 540-266-6586 Fax: 540-266-6608 Strength in Numbers
Email: CarilionMedicine@carilionclinic.org
Web: CarilionClinic.org/carilionmedicine Carilion Clinic has launched Storage and Programs Accelerating
Research Collaborations (SPARC), a new, secure tool that enables
Carilion Clinic is a nationally ranked integrated health research teams to store, share, and analyze data within the same
system headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia. Its
flagship, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, is the cloud-based research environment, all while being HIPAA compliant.
Patrice M. Weiss, M.D. CROSSING THE DESERT: The
clinical affiliate of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of “The future of research is about the ability to manage, share, and use big data,”
Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President Medicine and Radford University Carilion. Morningside Community Garden is
a Healthy Roanoke Valley initiative
said Paul R. Skolnik, M.D., chair of the Department of Medicine. “We can now securely
Carilion Clinic © Copyright 2021 by Carilion Clinic. All editorial rights that offers residents who live in a share data beyond the researchers who collected them, enabling scientists to translate
reserved. No part of this publication may be repro- food desert access to fresh produce massive amounts of data more quickly into findings with clinically relevant outcomes.”
duced or transmitted in any form or by any means
in addition to wellness education and
without written permission. Opinions expressed may
or may not reflect the views of Carilion.
community resources.
2 CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 PHOTO: JARED LADIA PHOTOS: EMILEE CHINN, THE ROANOKE TIMES; JOE CASTIGLIONI (TOP RIGHT) CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 3
prevention
Telemedicine Expands
briefings
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
awarded Carilion Clinic a grant of
nearly $1 million to expand and opti-
mize its telemedicine program.
“We are honored to receive this
grant and excited to get to work,”
said Stephen Morgan, M.D., senior
vice president and chief medical
information officer for Carilion. “This
will allow us to build on our existing Practice
network, offering rural patients Makes Perfect
throughout western Virginia
Carilion Clinic surgeons recently
increased access to high-quality
performed their 1,000th
primary and specialty care services.”
transcatheter aortic valve
The Telemedicine Expansion and
replacement (TAVR), a minimally
ADVANCE GUARD Optimization Project will feature
several new ways for patients to
invasive procedure that uses a
C
catheter to implant an artificial
ertified medical assistants in Virginia years 1–2 at the Virginia Tech Carilion connect and receive care from
heart valve in patients with
are now allowed to apply fluoride School of Medicine and a family medicine Carilion, including virtual care
severe aortic stenosis. Carilion
varnish to young children at well- physician at Carilion Clinic. centers, expanded inpatient and
was one of the first health
child doctor’s visits, thanks to a Guidelines recommend that children outpatient teleneurology services in END RACISM NOW: Artist and social worker La’Shay Foreman paints a crown in “W,” the final letter
in a street mural in downtown Roanoke. The Urban Art Project of Roanoke hosted the project, in systems in the country to
collaboration among physicians, dentists, receive regular fluoride applications starting community hospitals, and portable
which local artists painted letters that together spelled out “End Racism Now.” Carilion Clinic and the perform this lifesaving treatment.
nurses, and an advocacy group. at the onset of their first tooth eruption. Yet telehealth video devices available for
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine both helped fund the project in support of social justice.
patient use in primary care practices,
In 2018, the Delta Dental of Virginia Foun- children at that age are more likely to see a
in assisted living centers, and during
Best Practices
dation awarded the Virginia Tech Carilion physician than a dentist. So the interdisciplin-
In 2020, U.S. News &
School of Medicine $100,000 to start a new ary team successfully advocated for legis- home health visits. appointment World Report
pilot program to promote integrated oral lation enabling certified medical assistants “This grant, paired with Carilion’s
telemedicine expansion in response recognized Carilion
health care exams and fluoride varnishing for
young children in local doctors’ offices.
to be able to apply the varnish. At the same
time, Dr. Schmidt-Dalton said, the team built to the COVID-19 pandemic,” School of Nursing Dean Named Roanoke Memorial
Dr. Morgan said, “will allow for Hospital as one of
“Many people don’t realize that early a model for collaboration. Johnnie Sue Wijewardane, Ph.D., has been named the inaugural
continued improvements in Virginia’s top five hospitals for the
childhood caries is the number one chronic “I believe we are leading the way with dean of the Radford University School of Nursing, based in both
telemedicine access throughout sixth year in a row. The hospital was
disease in kids,” said Tarin Schmidt-Dalton, this,” she said, “having developed a model Radford and Roanoke, Virginia.
western Virginia, ensuring patients in also recognized among the elite
M.D., associate dean for clinical science that other communities can use and adapt.” Dr. Wijewardane had most recently served as a professor in the
rural communities can receive quality 13 percent of hospitals nationwide
School of Nursing at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, that won “Best” honors; Carilion
care close to home.”
where she also served as associate dean for academic affairs. Before entering aca- performed highly in nine areas.
community demia, she spent more than a decade as a nurse in a variety of clinical and hospital
settings. She has been honored as a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Close to the Heart
Taking a Knee for Justice Practitioners.
Dr. Wijewardane earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing, a master’s degree in
Carilion Clinic’s
Heart Failure team
The week after George Floyd’s brutal death, several dozen members of the nursing with an emphasis in emergency and trauma management, and a doctorate
has achieved VAD
Carilion Clinic community gathered near the Roanoke River to kneel in solidarity in nursing—with additional focus in psychometrics and evaluation, family and child
(Ventricular Assist
with White Coats for Black Lives, a obesity, and self-efficacy—from the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Device) Accredi-
national campaign by health care “This is an exciting and pivotal time in the School of Nursing’s history as it recently
tation from DNV
workers against racism. became the largest academic school at Radford University with the establishment of
GL – Healthcare, making the center
Their silent vigil lasted 10 minutes, Radford University Carilion located in Roanoke,” said Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D., presi-
one of only 10 in Virginia. The
just slightly longer than the amount DISTANCE VISION: In their first telemed- dent of Radford. “I am confident that, under the leadership of Dr. Wijewardane, the
American College of Cardiology has
of time police officer Derek Chauvin icine appointment, Bella and her mother, Radford University School of Nursing is poised for continued success and expanded
also accredited Carilion Roanoke
pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck. Kerri, consult with Dr. Andre Muelenaer, impact in the region, the commonwealth, and beyond.”
chief of pediatric pulmonology at Carilion Memorial Hospital with “Chest Pain
Clinic, about Bella’s asthma. Center with Primary PCI.”
4 CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES (TOP LEFT); JOSH LAUKAITIS (BOTTOM LEFT); DARRYLE ARNOLD (ABOVE) PHOTOS: DAVID HUNGATE (TOP); COURTESY OF RADFORD UNIVERSITY (ABOVE); JARED LADIA, (TOP RIGHT) CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 5
a moment in history
1918
I
t began quietly, with a teenage boy at the churches, dance halls, movie theaters, and
Baptist Orphanage in Salem, Virginia, bowling alleys closed. Streetcars operated
complaining of chills and fever. Soon with windows wide open, police began
nurse Mary Dunton was tending to two enforcing the anti-spitting statute, and
dozen orphans, then twice that many. gauze masks started appearing on faces
At Hollins College, in nearby Roanoke, across the region.
student Louise Mapp fell ill. By week’s Residents were advised to restrict tele-
end, 80 other students had joined her in phone use to emergencies, as so many op-
the infirmary. Just weeks later, 30 Nor- erators had fallen sick. Police too saw their
folk & Western Railway laborers were hos- numbers diminish, with one-third of the
pitalized with “the grippe.” force becoming infected. FACING PAGE: In Roanoke, Red Cross volunteers,
Wiley W. Eastwood didn’t even manage Druggists soon ran out of supplies. shown here selling Liberty Bonds to support the
World War I effort, cared for people stricken with the
to see a doctor; he left work early one day In the meantime, newspaper ads offered
flu during the 1918 pandemic. THIS PAGE: Masked
and died at home the next morning, after relief from flu symptoms through such workers across the country included New York City
receiving a stream of visitors. On Sep- remedies as Cascara Quinine cold tablets, conductorettes (above, middle); Red Cross nurses in
tember 25 of that year, Eastwood became Dreco stomach tonic, Dr. Pierce’s Pleasant Washington, D.C. (above, right); barbers in Cincinnati
(center); office clerks in New York City (below, left);
Snapshot the first Roanoke Valley resident to suc-
cumb to the 1918 flu pandemic.
Pellets, and “Oil of Hyomei,” a concoction
of alcohol, liquid paraffin, and eucalyptus
and nurses and doctors in a makeshift emergency
hospital in Brookline, Massachusetts (middle, left).
of a Past Within a month, nearly 90 of the 4,000
Roanokers already infected with the virus
oil that, once inhaled, promised to “abso-
lutely destroy the germs of influenza.”
Local newspaper ads extolled the virtues of “pure
milk” and bicycling to work to avoid crowds, while
Pandemic had died, including Dunton and Mapp. Fortunately, by the time the Great War
state and national posters advised hygienic practices.
At the time, many local physicians were armistice was declared on November 11
Just over a century stationed away, having received U.S. mili- of that year, the Roanoke area was expe-
ago, a worldwide tary commissions. So, with the encourage- riencing minor victories in its own war
influenza pandemic ment of Alice Terry Jamison, the local Red against the influenza virus.
Cross chapter president and a major player At the end of 1918, the health depart-
killed more than in the founding of what is now Carilion ment reported 162 deaths from more
50 million people, Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Red Cross than 6,500 influenza cases in the region.
including hundreds student nurses joined high school teachers Although cases—and deaths—would
in the Roanoke Valley. and other volunteers in helping to fill the continue to occur over the next two
caregiving gap. years, their numbers fell significantly.
With the urging of Dr. Brownley Foster, Even so, Dr. Foster concluded 1920 with
the city health director, on October 8, the a warning to guard against complacency
Roanoke City Council declared all schools, during the cold winter months.
6 CARILION MEDICINE
IMAGES:|COURTESY
FALL 2020/WINTER 2021
OF THE HISTORY MUSEUM OF WESTERN VIRGINIA (RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS) AND THE ROANOKE TIMES (ROANOKE CYCLE CO. AND CLOVER CREAMERY ADS) IMAGES: COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES (CONDUCTORETTES, BARBERS, TENT HOSPITAL, CLERKS); LIBRARY OF CONGRESS (PATIENT ON STRETCHER); 7
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES (“SAVE YOURSELF” POSTER); NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE (“TO PREVENT INFLUENZA!” POSTER)
grand rounds Education at Carilion Clinic and its affiliates mentoring
Recognition for
a Trailblazer
The American College
EXPANDED CLASS OF 2024 of Physicians has
bestowed a Master-
In July, the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
ship on Apostolos
welcomed its 11th class, its largest to date. The Class
“Paul” Dallas, M.D.,
of 2024 has 49 members, reflecting the first expan-
director of Continuing
sion in the school’s history.
Medical Education
“We are excited to welcome this outstanding new class, and to
at Carilion Clinic. The
offer seven more seats to students who are so well-qualified for ca-
honor is reserved for
reers in medicine,” said Lee A. Learman, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the
clinicians who have
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. “Members of the Class
reached distinction
of 2024 bring rich backgrounds. As with our smaller class size of
MASTER MIND: in the excellence and
42, having 49 students supports the formation of a close-knit com-
Dr. Paul Dallas explains an significance of their
munity, with rich relationships among students, their faculty, and anatomical principle to a contributions to the
our community.” medical student during
science and art of
Nearly 4,300 people applied for a slot. Ten members of the a portable ultrasound
machine demonstration. medicine.
Class of 2024 hold a master’s degree and one has a doctorate. The
“Dr. Dallas is
average member has completed more than 2,390 hours of research
eminently qualified for this prestigious honor,”
and accumulated more than 4,100 hours of clinical experience.
said Nancy Howell Agee, president and chief
“The increase in our class size allows us to cultivate seven ad-
executive officer of Carilion. “For nearly three
ditional scientist physicians whom we hope will work collabora-
decades, he has served as an outstanding inter-
tively, effectively, and sensitively toward a better health future
nist. He is also a superb teacher and an innovative
for our communities,” said Melanie Prusakowski, M.D., associate
leader nationally.”
dean for admissions. “The candidates are outstanding, and the
Dr. Dallas has been a trailblazer locally and
admissions team expects big things from this class.”
nationally in ultrasound training. When he
The school welcomed its first class in 2010. Since then, seven
established a portable ultrasound program at the
classes have graduated, each with a 100 percent match rate
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine a decade
RITE OF PASSAGE: First-year medical student Vemmy Metsutnan flashes a peace sign while Dr. Lee A. Learman, dean of the Virginia Tech Carilion School to residency.
ago, the institution was one of only three medical
of Medicine, helps her don her new white coat (above left). Dr. Learman also helps Brandon Ganjineh into his white coat (above right). Students express
emotion while watching a video with clips of family members and friends who were unable to attend the ceremony in person (bottom right). schools in the nation to provide such instruction.
His curricular innovations continued. In 2018,
the school, where he serves as an assistant
professor, became the first in the country to use
WHITE COAT CEREMONY portable ultrasound machines equipped with
12-lead EKG technology, which allows students
When members of the Class of 2024 began their Still, the ceremony managed to have a celebratory feel, rec-
to view images of the heart while also measuring
studies at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medi- ognizing each student’s hard work to get into medical school
its electrical activity through electrodes attached
cine during the COVID-19 pandemic, they knew their and complete their first block of study. “The purpose of the cer-
to the body.
medical school experience would differ from those of the classes emony is to clarify for our students that a physician’s responsi-
“Dr. Dallas’ enduring contributions are perhaps
before them. The same was true for their White Coat Ceremony. bility is both to take care of patients and to care for patients,”
marked best by his students,” said Agee. “He watch-
White coat ceremonies tend to draw a large crowd of family said Aubrey Knight, M.D., senior dean for student affairs.
es with pride as many top physicians who were
and friends, but this year, with the need to ensure social dis- The evening’s keynote speaker, Lisa Uherick, M.D., an asso-
once mentees reach the pinnacle of their profes-
tance, guests were limited to only a loved one who lives with ciate professor of emergency medicine and medical director of
sion by following in his footsteps—as beloved
the student. Other friends, family, faculty, and community the pediatric emergency department at Carilion Roanoke Me-
clinicians and leaders of residency and fellowship
members were asked to attend virtually through a livestream. morial Hospital, gave each student a stone to remind them that SAFETY FIRST: The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine traditionally programs. His legacy has been remarkable.”
Students were widely spaced out in the auditorium where the bumps and friction along their journeys will help shape them takes a photo of its incoming class clustered together on the front steps of
event was held. into polished physicians. the school’s building; this year, the pandemic inspired a new approach.
8 CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 PHOTOS: RYAN ANDERSON PHOTOS: RYAN ANDERSON (ABOVE); DAVID HUNGATE (ABOVE RIGHT) CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 9
medicine & innovation
grand
BEST IN CLASS: Alexandria Pilot,
a doctoral student at Radford
Focus on Design UNDER THE University Carilion, wants to translate
roundup
her health studies background into
Three Virginia Tech Carilion The group’s first project was a
MICROSCOPE a role in higher education.
School of Medicine students website that serves as a virtual reposi-
have created a medical design tory for sharing computer-aided design
club that merges medicine and files that can be used for 3D printing of
A Room of Her Own
innovation. materials for use with personal protec- Research has
Second-year students Luma Abun- tive equipment. The site accepts designs shown that a lack
imer, Katie Hardin, and Tommy To said from medical students, physicians, of appropriate
their goal is to support the engineering engineers, researchers, and anyone with facilities can im-
and design ideas of medical students a bright idea. Early designs include face pede physicians
and physicians so they can innovate and shields and accessories to reduce the who become mothers while com-
improve medical technology, systems, strain on ears from face shield straps. pleting their training from being
and procedures.
“We felt that if we could provide
“The Medical Design Club has a lot
of energy and expertise,” said Stephen
Gabriela Carrillo didn’t always aspire to
be a neuroscientist. It wasn’t until she
PULLING RANK able to follow the recommended
guidelines for breastfeeding their
medical students with the platform and LaConte, Ph.D., an associate professor at was providing in-home behavioral anal- U.S. News & World Report ranked After passing the National Board for infants. To help fulfill its commit-
skills to creatively address the many the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute ysis therapy for children with autism Radford University Carilion Certification in Occupational Therapy, ment to physician well-being
needs in the field of medicine, especially at VTC who serves as the club’s faculty that she was drawn to the laboratory. among the top health schools for graduates in occupational therapy are and to encourage physicians
now during the pandemic, we would advisor. “It will be a wonderful experi- “Science gave the families I worked 2021. The programs listed included the doc- licensed to practice in settings ranging to follow the same advice they
all be even more dynamic physician ence for medical students to be think- with a lot of hope,” said Carrillo, a tor of physical therapy, the doctor of nurs- from hospitals and nursing homes to give patients, Carilion Clinic has
thought leaders,” Abunimer said. ing about medical design and technol- graduate student in Virginia Tech’s ing practice, the master of occupational schools, community centers, and pri- expanded its lactation facilities for
Abunimer and Hardin have back- ogy issues from the very beginning of Translational Biology, Medicine, and therapy, and the master of communication vate practice. Those with a master’s de- residents and fellows.
grounds in biomedical engineering; To’s their basic science and clinical training.” Health program. “Parents appreciated sciences and disorders with a concentration gree concentration in speech-language Dedicated lactation spaces—
undergraduate degree is in biology. The club plans to use human- the therapy and saw progress, but they in speech-language pathology. pathology are prepared to earn the private rooms with a computer,
“We thought this was an amazing centered design principles to foster were also encouraged by the idea that The doctor of physical therapy pro- Certificate of Clinical Competence in phone, sink or full bathroom,
opportunity to work alongside class- innovation. “We’re hoping to make this one day, in our lifetime, a scientific gram engages students in honing deci- Speech-Language Pathology. and hospital-grade stationary
mates and have ideas together and an incubator for new ideas,” Hardin said. breakthrough in our understanding of sion-making skills, critical thinking, “Radford University has long been breast pump—are now located
learn how to solve problems by design- “We will help walk people through the autism might help their child.” psychomotor skill development, and known and respected for its delivery throughout Carilion Roanoke
ing real-world solutions,” To said. process of designing a technology.” Now, just six years after her ac- social skills integration. The School of of high-quality academic programs in Memorial Hospital. Each dedicated
ademic switch from studying archi- Nursing prepares registered nurses with a student-centered environment,” said space has a nearby refrigerator.
tecture and psychology to pursuing a bachelor of science in nursing. The pro- Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D., president of
neuroscience, Carrillo earned a com- gram is distance-based to promote max- Radford University. “I am so proud of the
petitive six-year, $445,000 National imum flexibility, while preparing gradu- great work occurring on the main campus Fellowship News
Institutes of Health grant that will ates to work in a variety of settings and and at the recently established Radford The Wilderness
fund her remaining doctoral and provide leadership in health care. University Carilion.” Medical Society
postdoctoral training. confirmed its
Under the mentorship of Michael certification
Fox, Ph.D., a professor at the Fralin Bio- fellowship of Carilion’s
medical Research Institute at VTC, Car- Wilderness Medicine Fellowship,
rillo studies how infections alter brain one of only eight programs
circuits. Her long-term goal is to study Medical Student Awarded Grant to nationally to be so honored.
how infections alter those circuits in
babies. After completing her doctoral Study Pediatric Brain Cancer The Accreditation Council
for Graduate Medical Education
studies, Carrillo hopes to join a world- has granted Carilion initial
Yazdi Doshi, a third-year student at the Virginia Tech Carilion
leading neuroimmunology lab for post- accreditation for a two-year
School of Medicine, spent his summer pursuing a research
doctoral training, paving the way to one rheumatology fellowship based
fellowship at the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. There he continued
day lead her own research lab focused in the Department of Internal
his Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC explorations into
on perinatal neuroimmunology. Medicine.
developing effective ways of treating pediatric glioblastoma, a
“When I think about the impact OMeGA, the Medical Grants
DESIGNERS FOR GOOD: A trio of medical students—from left, Luma Abunimer, Tommy brain cancer that is one of the most aggressive and difficult to
that my research could one day have Association, awarded a grant to
To, and Katie Hardin—started a club to serve as an incubator for biomedical design ideas. treat cancers in children.
on children and their families,” Carrillo the Orthopaedic Hand Fellowship
said, “that’s what really motivates me.” to offset the salary of one fellow.
10 CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 PHOTOS: RYAN ANDERSON (LEFT); CLAYTON METZ (ABOVE) PHOTOS: RYAN ANDERSON (ABOVE); MARK LAMBERT (TOP) CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 11
UP TO
COVID
CRISIS
SPEED Modern hospitals are built for crisis.
Their intricate and diverse departments and specialties share a
common goal of saving, prolonging, and improving the quality
of human lives.
But what happens when a health crisis threatens to engulf
the hospital itself? Carilion Clinic and thousands of hospitals
and health systems across the United States have been put to
that test in 2020 and will continue to be in 2021. As the novel
coronavirus and its associated disease, COVID-19, spread inex-
orably, health care facilities faced monumental questions: Were
they prepared to isolate pandemic victims from other patients?
How would they keep their workers safe and communicate
clearly—without spurring panic? Where would they find essen-
tial supplies that the whole world needed at the same time?
At Carilion, the ability to overcome these and other chal-
lenges in real time resulted from longstanding traditions of
teamwork and interdisciplinary leadership.
Weeks before the first COVID-19 case struck southwestern
Virginia, Carilion’s Incident Command system kicked into gear.
Medical and administrative leaders from across the enterprise
formed plans to create isolation units, convert office space to
beds if needed, and retrain and reassign workers to areas of
critical need.
Years of close collaboration between Carilion and Virginia
Tech enabled physicians and researchers to work seamlessly
together on everything from finding new ways to decontam-
inate and reuse precious personal protective equipment to
developing a new respirator whose usefulness may well outlast
the current crisis.
And a long tradition of warm relations between Carilion
and the communities it serves has paved the way for steady
communication of key public health information. The commu-
nity responded in kind, with an outpouring of donated meals,
masks, and equipment for Carilion workers that brought Tom
Hill, a senior vice president at Carilion, nearly to tears. Hill,
who oversees procurement for Carilion, says, “We were over-
whelmed with the generosity, the kindness.”
While the final chapters on COVID-19 have yet to be
written, the events of 2020 set the backdrop for an object
lesson in how a great health system, in a great community, can
ILLUSTRATION: BALBUSSO TWINS
meet a crisis head on with speed, efficacy, and grace.
CARILION CLINIC RESPONDED SWIFTLY TO THE
UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES OF COVID-19. by Charles Slack
12 CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021
SURGE
COVID
CRISIS
On March 19, 2020, Paul R. Skolnik, M.D., an infectious diseases
specialist and chair of Carilion Clinic’s Department of Medicine, announced
in a video the news that everyone, at some level, had been bracing for—south-
western Virginia had its first case of COVID-19.
A woman in her late 80s had presented at Carilion Roanoke Memorial
PROTECTORS
Hospital three days earlier with symptoms consistent with the disease. She
was admitted to an isolation unit, and a laboratory test confirmed the diag-
nosis. Already in serious condition when she arrived and at high risk because
of her age, she died 10 days later.
EARLY IN THE PANDEMIC, CARILION CLINIC MOBILIZED QUICKLY Steve Arner, Carilion’s chief operating officer, recalls that, for all the ner-
TO TURN PLANS INTO ACTION. by Charles Slack vous anticipation of the inevitable arrival of COVID-19, a sense of calm pre-
vailed. “We knew we were ready for whatever might occur,” he said, “because
of the intense planning we had already done.”
14 CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 PHOTO: ORBON ALIJA, ISTOCK CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 15
Laying the Groundwork UPWARD OF
community. We had to make sure we were pro-
That confidence lay rooted in weeks of tecting those most vulnerable to the virus.”
preparation. As the deadly virus made 40 PERCENT Another key issue facing Carilion—like all health
its push into Seattle, New York City, OF INFECTED systems—was the sudden need for equipment. And,
and elsewhere, Roanoke’s location— PEOPLE unlike with a natural disaster or regional outbreak of
more than 150 miles from the nearest ARE ASYMP- illness, coronavirus has been so encompassing that
major metropolitan area and girdled by TOMATIC. virtually every locality in the world was scrambling for
the Blue Ridge Mountains—offered a gift of time the same suddenly precious supplies. Modern supply
THAT’S
that Carilion leaders were determined not to waste. chains—marvels of complex logistics—suddenly
Starting in December, nearly three months VERY came to resemble a Wild West free-for-all.
before the World Health Organization’s March 11 DIFFERENT With stories emerging about patients in other
declaration that COVID-19 was a pandemic, Carilion FROM, SAY, hard-hit cities lying in hospital corridors in need of
was already forming a response plan. On February 27, EBOLA, ventilators, wearied hospital staff donning bandanas
the health system gathered leaders from areas WHERE for masks, and humble hand sanitizer suddenly a
ranging from infectious diseases to nursing to pro- rare and precious commodity, Carilion procurement
PEOPLE
curement to communications for the formal launch teams kicked into high gear, making thousands of
of Incident Command, Carilion’s official structure ARE HEMOR- phone calls in search of equipment to keep patients
for responding to emergency situations. RHAGING. and staff safe. And Carilion clinicians teamed with
“What we really didn’t want was panic,” Arner says. EBOLA IS Virginia Tech researchers to fashion new equipment
“We knew there would be a great deal of concern, so NOT A and explore novel ways to clean precious N95 masks
the question became, how do we make sure everyone SECRET.” for reuse.
knows we have a system in place to make decisions Paul R. Skolnik, M.D.,
At the same time came the all-important deci-
and roll solutions out quickly?” Arner, who also now Infectious Diseases sions about how to best manage space and how to
serves as chair of the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Specialist and treat COVID-19 patients without risking spread of
Association, began meeting weekly with medical and Chair of Carilion the virus to other patients or providers.
Clinic’s Department
civic leaders around the region and the common- of Medicine
wealth to ensure a coordinated response.
During a pandemic in which misinformation Creating Barriers to Disease
and rumor have sometimes spread faster than the The Incident Command structure, Guarding against this unpredictable threat Managing People LUCKY BREAK:
In confronting
virus itself, one key role of Incident Command is to used at hospitals throughout the required what Craig Bryant, director of emergency Yet the most complex challenge was the COVID-19
convey accurate information to Carilion staff and country, is designed to help Carilion management and safety, refers to as a “hardening” not the buildings or the equipment pandemic,
the community at large. Nearly 50 marketing and respond to crises of all kinds, from of all facilities. Working with an area contractor but the people—managing Carilion’s Carilion Clinic
communications professionals from around the floods to fires to major accidents. In at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, he says, more than 13,000 employees across found itself
fortunate in
Carilion system coalesced into a crisis communica- many instances, the chair of medicine “We basically turned a whole floor into a negative seven hospitals and more than 100 that its chair
tions team responsible for managing both breaking is a key member of that team. In the midst of a pressure unit.” clinics in 20 counties. For hospitals of medicine,
news and longer-term educational content about historic pandemic, Carilion had a stroke of luck: Its Patients with COVID-19 and those under investi- everywhere, the pandemic has been a study in Dr. Paul R. Skolnik,
the disease, including a town-hall style Coronavirus chief of medicine is also a noted infectious diseases gation for the disease were placed in rooms with HEPA contradictions. With elective surgery and other is a noted expert in
infectious diseases.
Community Conversation simulcast on all local specialist. In previous roles, Dr. Skolnik had joined (high-energy particulate air) filters designed to cap- services shut down to control spread of the virus,
radio and television stations. the fight against diseases ranging from HIV/AIDS ture and remove microscopic contaminants. A special hospitals experienced a drop in revenue and
“The key for much of our planning was antici- to the West Nile virus, and he helped lead the air handling system maintains air pressure at lower demand that forced reductions in staff and hours.
pating a surge of patients, and preparing to address response against Ebola in Connecticut. levels than in surrounding corridors and rooms—thus In April, Carilion made the difficult decision to
it when it came,” says Chris Turnbull, director of Among alarming characteristics of the virus, making it harder for air to escape to the rest of the furlough some employees. Ultimately, this move
corporate communications and operational conti- two stood out from the start, Dr. Skolnik says. hospital. Doors to the rooms remain tightly shut, affected fewer than 10 percent systemwide, and all
nuity at Carilion. “We knew we’d have to be on top First was the speed of transmission. Graphs and with entry through an anteroom, and displays give staff retained health benefits. Carilion leaders, physi-
of our game, every person, every day.” maps tracking the global spread of the coronavirus workers a running read on the air pressure. cians, and senior managers also took temporary pay
and the West Nile virus during the early 2000s Hardening also meant limiting access to build- cuts of 5 to 20 percent. Yet while some departments
resemble each other, but with a crucial difference. ings—no easy task at a community institution languished, the virus placed unique and ongoing stress
Protecting Patients and Staff “The West Nile spread took four to five years to with a long and proud tradition of openness. on Carilion’s ability to find sufficient staff to treat
Carilion carefully observed how other develop,” Dr. Skolnik says. “The coronavirus took “Carilion was, and still is, very community-ori- coronavirus patients and help keep communities safe.
areas were dealing with the crisis, their four or five months. That’s alarming.” ented, so visitors came and went easily prior to the For Carilion, nowhere has that fine balance been
successes and setbacks. When New The second characteristic was the stealth of pandemic,” Bryant says. “At Roanoke Memorial we more obvious than among its 3,000-strong staff of
York experienced a surge in COVID-19 the coronavirus. “Upward of 40 percent of infected had something like 14 ways that people could enter nurses and physician assistants.
deaths in nursing homes and senior people are contagious yet asymptomatic, which makes the hospital. We narrowed that down to five. That’s “Our biggest issue has been staffing,” says Meg
care centers, Arner says, “We made a viral transmission harder to prevent,” Dr. Skolnik the only way we can ensure that everyone’s wearing Scheaffel, B.S.N., R.N., vice president and chief
decision very quickly to let our medical directors and says. “That’s very different from, say, Ebola, where a mask, and that all visitors get screened to make nursing officer. “When COVID-19 first hit, our
others find ways to help those facilities in our people are hemorrhaging. Ebola is not a secret.” sure they’re not exhibiting symptoms.” patient census declined about 40 to 50 percent.”
16 CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 PHOTO: JARED LADIA CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 17With some staff furloughed, she and the nursing
OUR
have long recognized the value of data. The corona- COVID
team found themselves facing a whole new set of virus put a new urgency on the need to convert data CRISIS
MEDICINE
challenges and vacant positions. LEADERS into actionable information. Fortunately, having
“We reassigned 20,000 hours of employee time HAVE some of that infrastructure already in place allowed
right out of the gate,” she says. Whereas under LONG us to mobilize quickly.”
GOES VIRTUAL
normal circumstances each Carilion hospital oper- RECOG- Since the pandemic began, Dr. Morgan and a
ates more or less autonomously in terms of staffing, NIZED THE team of nearly 80 information specialists have
in this case a more comprehensive, cohesive ap- created dashboards with data updated in real
VALUE OF
proach was needed. To date more than 75,000 hours time to track cases, predict surges, and better
of employee time have been reassigned to meet the DATA. THE align the supply of personal protective equipment
CORONA-
needs and demands of the pandemic.
To manage the challenge, Carilion developed an VIRUS PUT
with needs. At a glance, internal users can see the
number of confirmed COVID-19 cases within the
NOW, MORE THAN EVER, PATIENTS ARE CHOOSING TO USE
enterprise-wide staffing command center. At Carilion A NEW Carilion system, as well as the number of people TECHNOLOGY TO CONSULT THEIR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.
Roanoke Memorial Hospital, an entire floor spanning URGENCY tested and the number of deaths. Cases are also
three towers was dedicated to COVID-19 patients. broken down by race, gender, age, and geographic
ON THE
“We had to train staff quickly,” Scheaffel says. location. Users can compare the number of recent
Protective safety officers—positions newly created in NEED TO cases to longer timeframes and the number of beds were conducted asynchronously via Caril-
response to the pandemic—were assigned to make CONVERT devoted to COVID-19 patients to those with other ion’s secure patient portal, MyChart. Patients
sure that everyone, whether patient, visitor, or staff, DATA INTO conditions. They can also track cases at each Car- can use MyChart to ask their doctors ques-
wore appropriate personal protective equipment ACTION- ilion facility and the health effects on staff. tions, check lab results, refill prescriptions,
inside Carilion buildings and practiced proper hand ABLE In May, when a statewide ban on elective sur- pay bills, and perform other functions.
hygiene. Contact tracers, another new role, track the gery and other procedures lifted, the dashboards For Carilion and other health systems
INFOR-
recent histories of anyone who is ill and may have helped Carilion ensure that reopening wasn’t nationwide, the rapid transition to virtual
been exposed to or recently diagnosed with the virus. MATION.” driving a spike in new infections. They have also medicine during the pandemic was made
Stephen Morgan, DIGITAL MEDICINE
Another immediate challenge was to fill a poten- tracked volumes of non-COVID-19 patients in the possible by waivers from the Centers
tial void of intensive care nurses. “It takes about a
M.D., Senior Vice
wake of reopenings, comparing patients in 2020
BY THE NUMBERS for Medicare and Medicaid Services that
700
President and
year to develop and fully orient a nurse to intensive Chief Medical with those in prior years. In that sense, the intense enabled reimbursements for telemedicine.
care, and they need to have a certain experience Information Officer, need for information related to the virus is in turn In a recent column in Modern Health-
level to be successful even within that year,” Carilion Clinic spurring new systems that will help Carilion better care, Nancy Howell Agee, president and
Scheaffel says. “But we didn’t have a year. We had manage patient care even when the pandemic even- Like many experts in the growing field of Number of patients each day chief executive officer of Carilion, wrote,
two months—or even just two days.” tually becomes a memory. digital medicine, Stephen Morgan, M.D., using telehealth services “With regulatory barriers removed, the
Scheaffel and her team developed a “mini critical By mid-September, with non-COVID-19 senior vice president and chief medical by mid-March 2020 health care field has made significant
23,000
care course” and turned to nurses with past experience patients returning and most Carilion services func- information officer of Carilion Clinic, had progress. At Carilion, for example, what we
in such settings as an intensive care unit or cathe- tioning as before, furloughed employees returned long envisioned a time when virtual doctor thought would take us two years, we were
terization lab. While these nurses can’t fully replace to full hours. In the early months of the pandemic, visits might help clinicians provide quality able to accomplish in a matter of days.”
ICU-dedicated nurses, Scheaffel says, “They can still at least, even amid the real suffering of many care remotely. But he never predicted the Percentage increase from
While patients have expressed high
give medications, conduct basic assessments, and help patients and their families, southwestern Virginia sort of trial by fire wrought by the corona- pre-COVID-19 days, when daily satisfaction with virtual visits, a key chal-
with suctioning or ventilator care. Their presence has appeared to have escaped the worst. virus pandemic. visits had averaged only three lenge will be to continue improving the
60
helped take some of the pressure off the ICU staff.” With a surge of cases and hospitalizations in late Before COVID-19, Carilion clinicians experience for physicians, Dr. Morgan says,
2020, though, Carilion has drawn on portions of were averaging just over three virtual to convince them they can provide the
its original provisional plans to handle this influx visits a day, often involving psychother- same level of care as with in-person visits.
From Raw Data to Lifesaving Action of additional patients with COVID-19. As effective apy, as that field was an early adopter of And in rural areas, insufficient broadband
Percentage of virtual visits
Sharing accurate information is even vaccines started rolling out in December, along with virtual options. By mid-March, when the by phone technology prevents many patients from
30
more crucial among Carilion staff. Like additional treatments—and with infection rates virus curtailed in-person visits to Caril- seeing their doctors online.
most health systems, Carilion generates rising alarmingly in the United States and else- ion’s network of hospitals and clinics, that By late summer 2020, with many Caril-
vast amounts of data, as many as 12 where—there’s no room for complacency. number jumped to more than 600 a day, ion departments reopened, virtual visits
terabytes (one terabyte is equal to 1,000 Indeed, just as experience from past crises has eventually reaching 700 by mid-March— dropped to about 20 percent of all visits.
gigabytes) a year on admissions, medical helped Carilion manage the coronavirus, the pan- an increase of more than 23,000 percent Percentage of virtual visits Yet for Dr. Morgan and others, the future
by online video
histories, and even patients’ vital signs. demic is already teaching lessons that will inform over pre-COVID-19 levels, covering a wide seems clear.
10
In 2019, Stephen Morgan, M.D., senior vice presi- responses to future challenges. spectrum of specialties. “What we’ve experienced since the
dent and chief medical information officer, had begun “When a health crisis hits, people are fearful and While some 60 percent of virtual visits spring,” Dr. Morgan says, “has been a funda-
a two-year project aimed at organizing all those data need clear, accurate, and easy-to-understand infor- were by telephone, 30 percent were mental shift in the way we treat patients
to help clinicians and administrators anticipate pa- mation,” Dr. Skolnik says. “It’s our job to deliver that conducted virtually using video conferenc- Percentage of virtual visits and the way we will continue to treat them
tient needs, manage resources, and improve care. information. Getting our team all on the same page ing technology. The remaining 10 percent through MyChart going forward.”
“Our data strategy and data analytics are among and working to the same goal is absolutely key. We
Carilion’s high-priority areas,” he says. “Our leaders can never let our guard down.” CM
18 CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 PHOTO: DARRYLE ARNOLD CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 19BATTLE READY: Dr. Anthony Baffoe-Bonnie,
medical director for infection prevention and
control at Carilion Clinic, knew that speed
and ingenuity would be critical in the early
days of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
DESIGN
COVID
CRISIS
forLIFE
AS THE CORONAVIRUS SPREAD AND
THREATENED LIVES, CARILION CLINIC
AND ITS COLLABORATORS BECAME
INVENTIVE. by Marcia Lerner
20 CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 PHOTO: JARED LADIASUPPLY AND DEMAND:
“We’ve never had to
fight for products
before,” says Tom Hill,
Carilion’s senior vice
president of materials
management
(below). “We could
get anything we
wanted as long as we
were willing to spend
the money. With
the advent of the
coronavirus, though,
P atient beds. Masks. IV bags, tubes, and splitters.
The list goes on. From automatic pill dispensers to X-ray machines
to pharmaceuticals and office supplies, every piece of equipment a
hospital uses comes through the often-unsung heroes of health care
facilities: the procurement team. • As senior vice president of mate-
rials management at Carilion Clinic, Tom Hill oversees the vast supply
we were no longer in chain, warehouses, and distribution system that ensure Carilion’s
that environment.” 13,000-plus employees—physicians, nurses, administrators, emer-
gency workers, and others—have the tools they need to do their jobs.
THE
CHALLENGE
Scarcity of
Products
But even for a team used to performing daily The Mask Challenge
miracles, the disrupted supply chains and Early in the pandemic, it became clear that
acute shortages that occurred in the early the United States was facing a shortage of
days of the coronavirus pandemic posed stag- N95 masks, which, as they block 95 percent
gering difficulties. of airborne particles, are an essential part of
“We’ve never had to fight for products personal protective equipment for workers
THE
before,” Hill says. “We could get anything we treating COVID-19 patients. Together with CHALLENGE
wanted as long as we were willing to spend his infection prevention team, Anthony
Mask
the money. With the advent of the coro- Baffoe-Bonnie, M.D., medical director for Shortage
navirus, though, we were no longer in that infection prevention and control at Carilion,
environment.” realized that extending the life of the masks IN THE AIR: As an avid
As Hill and his team went into overdrive, already in stock would be crucial. outdoor athlete,
making thousands of phones calls to source Dr. Baffoe-Bonnie learned that Duke Uni- Dr. Linsey Marr
suddenly scarce products, Carilion practi- versity’s biological warfare center had science (above left) has
long understood
tioners and their Virginia Tech colleagues supporting the potential for hydrogen peroxide the importance
responded with innovation: improving mask to decontaminate masks. Experimenting with of air quality. Top
sanitization, designing better face shields, different concentrations and methods, he right: Carilion
transforming BiPAP machines into ventila- found that hydrogen peroxide gas could indeed Clinic workers
decontaminate
tors, and modifying respirator hoods. The remove any active trace of the virus as well as equipment. Bottom
results of their vision are helping protect other contaminants. right: Virginia Tech
Carilion patients and staff, offering options to “Then came the next question,” Dr. Baffoe- graduate student
Lindsey Bezek works
the wider health care community, and invigo- Bonnie says. “Did the decontamination
with 3D-printed
rating the relationship between Carilion and method itself negatively affect the mask’s effi- masks to be tested
one of its principal partners, Virginia Tech. cacy?” He connected with Linsey Marr, Ph.D., by Dr. Marr.
22 CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 PHOTO: JARED LADIA PHOTO: PETER MEANS FOR VIRGINIA TECH (ABOVE LEFT AND BOTTOM RIGHT) CARILION MEDICINE | FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 23You can also read
