Children’s Doctor News and Updates: Summer 2018

New leaders named for endocrinology, plastic surgery, obstetrics

Diva De León-Crutchlow, MD, MSCE, has been named Chief of the Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, succeeding the 10-year tenure of Michael Levine, MD. She has served as Director of the CHOP Congenital Hyperinsulinism Center since 2012 and is an associate professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Jesse Taylor, MD, was named Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery. Following several years at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, in 2010 Taylor joined CHOP, where he serves as Director of the Craniofacial Fellowship Program, Co-director of the Cleft Lip and Palate Program, and on the Quality Improvement Committee in the Department of Surgery. Taylor, an associate professor of Surgery, takes the place of Scott Bartlett, who served as the Chief for 11 years.

Julie S. Moldenhauer, MD, has been named Director of Obstetrical Services in the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment (CFDT) and Director, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Since 2012, Moldenhauer has served as the Medical Director of the Special Delivery Unit. She is an associate professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology in Surgery. She succeeds Mark P. Johnson, MD, the first-ever obstetrician recruited to the CFDT in 1998, who decided to step down as director.

It’s safe to send patients with anaphylaxis home after 4 hours of observation

A CHOP study, published in Pediatrics, found children experiencing symptoms of anaphylaxis can be observed in the Emergency Department for 4 hours after treatment, then discharged, compared to the traditional observation period of 8 hours. As a result, the overall admission rate decreased nearly 60%.

After new procedures, outlined in a revised clinical pathway, were implemented, there was a reduction in the average rate of admission from 58% (baseline) to 25% with no significant difference in the percentage of patients returning to the ED within 72 hours. There were no adverse outcomes in the 257 cases seen during the study period. Also, the median time to first epinephrine administration for the most critical patients was 10 minutes, and more than 80% of patients were discharged with an epinephrine auto-injector in hand.

Find this pathway, along with more than 110 others, at chop.edu/pathways.

CHOP department of pediatrics ranked no. 1 by U.S. news

For the sixth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has designated the Department of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania as the No. 1 department of pediatrics in the United States. This year, CHOP is tied for the top ranking with Harvard University.

This recognition marks the 15th consecutive year the department has been ranked first or second in the magazine’s annual listing of the best medical schools and other graduate programs.

Opportunity to learn best practices for patients on autism spectrum

Primary care providers seeking to learn best-practice care for patients on the autism spectrum have a new resource: Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) Autism.

ECHO Autism is an evidence-based distance learning program that connects a team (consisting of medical, behavioral health, and resource specialists and a parent of a child with autism) with community-based PCPs through virtual case-based conferences and high-yield brief didactic presentations. ECHO Autism clinics are currently being offered free of charge during 2 90-minute clinics a month. Providers can apply for MOC Part 4 credit by participating.

Interested clinicians are encouraged to send an email to ECHOAutismCHOP@email.chop.edu for more information or to register.