August 5, 2016

Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights

By Karl Oestreich

Mayo Clinic in the News LogoMayo Clinic in the News is a weekly highlights summary of major media coverage. If you would like to be added to the weekly distribution list, send a note to Emily Blahnik with this subject line: SUBSCRIBE to Mayo Clinic in the News. Thank you.

Editor, Karl Oestreich;  Assistant Editor: Emily Blahnik

 

Washington Post
A “breathholding time” for Alzheimer’s research as trials focus on seeking a cure
by Tara Bahrampour

Despite the paucity of new drugs, researchers say this is an exciting time in the field. “It’s a breathholding time for the field; I think the field is in so much of a need of some kind of positive indication that we are on the right track,” said Ronald Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging. “I think we can have a little more optimism about drug trials that areWashington Post newspaper logo coming down the road.”

Reach: Weekday circulation of The Washington Post is more than 356,000. The Post's website receives more than 32.7 million unique visitors each month.

Previous coverage in the July 29, 2016 Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights

Context: Ron Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., is the Cora Kanow Professor of Alzheimer’s Disease Research at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Petersen is regularly sought out by reporters as a leading expert in his medical field. Dr. Petersen chairs the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care and Services.

Contact: Susan Barber Lindquist

 

US News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report Announces the 2016–17 Best Hospitals

U.S. News & World Report today released its 27th annual Best Hospitals rankings to help patients make more informed health care decisions. U.S. News compared nearly 5,000 medical centers nationwide in 25 US News Health Care Logospecialties, procedures and conditions. This year the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is No. 1 on the Honor Roll, which has been expanded to highlight 20 hospitals delivering exceptional treatment across multiple areas of care. The Cleveland Clinic is No. 2, followed by Massachusetts General Hospital at No. 3. U.S. News also recognized 504 Best Regional Hospitals in states and metro areas.

Reach: U.S. News & World Report is a multi-platform publisher of news and information, which includes http://www.usnews.com and http://www.rankingsandreviews.com.

Additional coverage: KTTC-TV, Wisconsin State Journal, MassLive.com, WebMD, Post-Bulletin, Healio, STATMedscapeKIMT-TV, Pioneer Press, WXOW-TV LaCrosse, Twin Cities Business, KMSP-TV, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Bring Me The News, Boston magazine, KAAL-TV, Denver Post, MedCity Beat, FOX NewsKNUJ-Radio, Nephrology News, Minnesota Monthly, WCCO-AM

Context: Mayo Clinic was named the best hospital in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s annual list of top hospitals published online today. In addition, Mayo Clinic is ranked No. 1 in more specialties than any other hospital in the country. Mayo Clinic took the No. 1 spot in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota. It also ranked No. 1 in the Phoenix metro area and in the Jacksonville metro area. More information can be found on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Contact: Rhoda Fukushima Madson

 

Florida Times-Union
U.S. News & World Report calls Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville the best hospital in Florida
by Charlie Patton

The Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville is ranked the top hospital in Florida In U.S. News & World Report’s annual evaluation of top hospitals, released online Tuesday. Gianrico Farrugia, who became CEO of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville in January 2015, called the rankings “remarkably gratifying news for us,” adding that it is “great news for Jacksonville and Northeast Florida.” He said Mayo has been investing heavily inFlorida Times-Union newspaper logo “people, space and technology” as it continues to establish itself as a destination regional hospital. In March Farrugia announced that Mayo in Jacksonville would begin $100 million in major construction projects this year.

Reach: The Florida Times-Union reaches more than 120,000 daily and 173,000 readers Sunday.

Context: Mayo Clinic is ranked No. 1 in Florida and the Jacksonville metro area in U.S. News & World Report’sannual list of top hospitals published online today. In addition to the Florida ranking, Mayo Clinic’s Rochester, Minnesota, campus was named the best hospital in the nation onU.S. News & World Report’s Honor Roll of America’s Best Hospitals. The Rochester campus also took the No. 1 spot in Minnesota, and Mayo Clinic’s campus in Arizona was ranked No. 1 in that state and in the Phoenix metro area. “The rankings reflect the dedication of our exceptional staff in providing outstanding care and service to our patients,” says Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., CEO, Mayo Clinic in Florida. “Mayo Clinic is a special place because of our employees, and I congratulate each of them on this honor.” More information can be found on Mayo Clinic New Network.

Additional coverage: WJCT-TVSouth Florida Business Journal, First Coast News, WOKV-Radio, News Talk Florida, Jacksonville Business Journal

Contact: Kevin Punsky

 

Phoenix Business Journal
U.S. News & World Report unveils Best Hospitals in Arizona
by Angela Gonzales

U.S. News & World Report released its 27th annual Best Hospitals rankings in an effort to help patients make more informed health care decisions. Nationally, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, made the top Phoenix Business Journalspot on the Honor Roll, which has been expanded to highlight 20 hospitals delivering exceptional treatment across multiple areas of care. The Cleveland Clinic is No. 2, followed by Massachusetts General Hospital at No. 3, Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore at No. 4 and UCLA Medical Center at No. 5.

Reach: The Phoenix Business Journal is published by American City Business Journals which owns more than 40 other local business newspapers.

Additional coverage: tucson.com

Context: Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix is ranked No. 1 in Arizona and the Phoenix metro area in the annual U.S. News & World Report America’s Best Hospital List released today. Since opening a clinic in Scottsdale in 1987 and hospital in Phoenix in 1998, Mayo Clinic has grown to become a vital part of Arizona and the Southwest, bringing  many medical innovations to Arizona including:

  • Proton beam therapy – part of Mayo Clinic’s National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, this therapy is a more precise radiological cancer treatment using specialized “pencil beam” technology to eradicate hard-to-reach tumors
  • Regenerative medicine – harnessing the potential to repair diseased, injured or congenitally defective tissues and organs
  • Individualized medicine – bringing forward the latest discoveries in genomics-based tests
  • And, soon, the expansion of the Mayo Medical School to Arizona - ushering new ideas to improve quality, outcomes and cost, and to prepare future doctors to not only deliver, but to administer care

More information can be found on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Contact: Jim McVeigh

 

Mankato Free Press
Mayo a high performer in heart, hip care
by Brian Arola

Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato was honored for its heart failure and hip replacement care in new ratings released this week. The recognition came as part of the U.S. News & World Report’s annual honor roll of best hospitals. The report measures quality based on survival rates, re-admissions and volume. The Mankato Mayo didn’t have top marks in all the categories but managed a good enough showing to earn aMankato Free Press “high performing” distinction — defined as far better than the average hospital.

Reach:  The Mankato Free Press has a daily circulation of about 20,000 and has more than 139,000 unique visitors to its website each month.

Context: Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato was rated High Performing in heart failure and hip replacement by U.S. News & World Report’s 2016-17 Best Hospitals for Procedures & Conditions, which was published online today. These ratings focus on how well hospitals performed in nine common inpatient procedures and conditions. “Mayo Clinic has a deep commitment to delivering high-value care to the patients of our region as a trusted community partner,” says James Hebl, M.D., regional vice president of Mayo Clinic Health System Southwest Minnesota Region. “While no single set of measures can perfectly represent health care quality, this tremendous recognition is something we are very proud of and highlights our primary value: the needs of the patient come first. We owe this success to our dedicated employees who provide outstanding care and the full range of health care needs for our patients and their families.” More information can be found in Mayo Clinic Health System's press room.

Additional coverage: Mankato TimesKEYC-TV

Contact:  Micah Dorfner

 

La Crosse Tribune
Gundersen, Mayo-Franciscan get US News' hospital kudos
by Mike Tighe

La Crosse isn’t a bad place to experience heart failure, with both Gundersen Health System and Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare getting atta-boys for handling faulty tickers in U.S. News and La Crosse TribuneWorld Report’s annual list of the best hospitals in the country.

Reach: La Crosse Tribune is a daily newspaper in La Crosse, WI with a daily circulation of more than 20,000. Its website receives more than 154,000 unique visitors each month.

Additional coverage: WKBT-TV

Context: Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse was rated High Performing in heart failure by U.S. News & World Report’s 2016-17 Best Hospitals for Procedures & Conditions, which was published online today. These ratings focus on how well hospitals performed in nine common inpatient procedures and conditions. “Mayo Clinic has a deep commitment to delivering high-value care to the patients of our region as a trusted community partner,” says Amy Noel, regional vice president of surgical specialties at Mayo Clinic Health System Franciscan Healthcare. “While no single set of measures can perfectly represent health care quality, this tremendous recognition is something we are very proud of and highlights our primary value: the needs of the patient come first. We owe this success to our dedicated employees who provide outstanding care and the full range of health care needs for our patients and their families.” More information can be found in Mayo Clinic Health System's press room.

Contact:  Rick Thiese

 

Star Tribune
Why are women losing the battle of the bulge?
by Allie Shah

The nation as a whole continues to struggle with obesity, with 35 percent of men considered obese. But while men’s obesity rates appear to have stabilized, women’s are still rising, the CDC report shows. Dr. Maria Collazo-Clavell, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic who works with overweight and obese patients, has been working in the obesity research field for 20 years. She said the recent findings give her pause aboutStar Tribune Logo whether public health officials are taking the right approach to tackling obesity. “All of that makes you question: Are you on the right track?” she said. “The data would say no.” That so many women are obese is cause for alarm not only because of the increased health risks for them but also for those around them, Collazo-Clavell said.

Reach: The Star Tribune Sunday circulation is 518,745 copies and weekday circulation is 300,277. The Star Tribune is the state’s largest newspaper and ranks 16th nationally in circulation.

Context: Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D, is a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist. Dr. Collaz0-Clavell's research interests include the clinical study of obesity and its complications, particularly Type 2 diabetes Mellitus. The emphasis involves the outcomes of varied weight loss interventions in improving the established medical conditions as well as discovering and better defining the potential complications of these interventions. Interventions studied include dietary modification, behavioral therapy, medical therapies, and surgeries for weight loss.

Contact: Bob Nellis

 

Florida Times-Union
Health Notes: MayoClinic researcher receives major award for Alzheimer's research
by Charlie Patton

Guojun Bu, a neuroscientist at Mayo Clinic’s Jacksonville campus, last week received the 2016 MetLife Foundation Major Award for Medical Research in Alzheimer’s Disease, one of the most prestigious awards Florida Times-Union newspaper logogiven annually to a top scientist in this field of study. The award was presented to Bu at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto. Over the past 20 years, Bu and his medical research lab have produced more than 220 peer-reviewed articles that have been cited more than 10,000 times.

Reach: The Florida Times-Union reaches more than 120,000 daily and 173,000 readers Sunday.

Context: Guojun Bu, Ph.D., a neuroscientist onMayo Clinic’s Florida campus, will receive the 2016 MetLife Foundation Major Award for Medical Research in Alzheimer’s Disease ─ one of the most prestigious awards given annually to the top scientist in this field of study. The award was presented to Dr. Bu recently at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Bu and his medical research lab have produced more than 220 peer-reviewed articles that have been cited more than 10,000 times. Colleagues and other Alzheimer’s researchers say his team’s contributions to Alzheimer’s research rank among the most significant in the field. “We are very proud of Dr. Bu and his outstanding research team,” says Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., CEO, Mayo Clinic in Florida. “At Mayo Clinic, we are grounded in research, so that we can continually advance the science of healing. Our world-class physicians and scientists strive every day to work toward solving the most complex and deadly health issues, such as Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.” More information can be found on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Contact: Kevin Punsky

CBS News, How to reverse the health risks of sitting all day by Mary Brophy Marcus — Sitting too much can take a serious toll on your health, even raise your risk of early death. But if you're stuck in your chair at a desk job all day, don't despair -- a new study suggests there is something you can do to reverse the damage… Another 2014 study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that prolonged sitting affected people's fitness levels, regardless of whether they exercised or not. Two hours of sitting cancelled out the benefits of 20 minutes of exercise when it came to cardio-respiratory fitness, the authors said.

New York Times, The Right to Know That an Operation Is ‘Next to Useless’ by Gina Kolata — Dr. David Kallmes of the Mayo Clinic, an author of the vertebroplasty paper, said he thinks doctors continue to do the operations because insurers pay and because doctors remember their own patients who seemed better afterward. “When you read a study, you reflect on whether it is representative of your patient population,” Dr. Kallmes said. “It is easy to conclude that the answer is ‘no.’ The mean age in the study is different or I do it differently.”

Washington Post, A changing mole is sometimes a sign of skin cancer — Most adults have between 10 and 40 moles. Some people, especially those with lighter skin, have many more. These small clusters of pigment-producing skin cells may change in size and appearance over the years; in rare instances, a mole becomes a melanoma, the most potentially deadly skin cancer…If you spot new moles or are unsure whether a mole’s changes may be meaningful, see a dermatologist. Sometimes, a melanoma may not resemble others in shape, color or size, says Scott W. Fosko, chair of dermatology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. For example, he says, the amelanotic melanoma has little to no color.

STAT, Alzheimer’s researchers seethe over years of missteps after latest drug failure by Sharon Begley — In the wake of disappointing results this week for yet another experimental Alzheimer’s drug, scientists who have toiled for decades to understand the devastating disease expressed frustration and even anger that their field has not made more progress toward a cure.“Our field desperately needs new therapies,” Dr. David Knopman, an Alzheimer’s expert at the Mayo Clinic, said at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto, where biotech company TauRx reported the failure of its drug candidate. “In defense, our field is still young,” Knopman added — a justification that dismayed some of his colleagues.

Prevention, What All Women With Freckles Need To Know by Jessica Chia — If you have ephelides, as they're known medically, you've got Mom and Dad to thank. Freckling is a recessive trait, so both parents have to be carriers and pass the tendency on for it to show up, says Amit Sharma, MD, a dermatologist at the Mayo Clinic, who researches dermatologic genetics. The so-called gene for freckling is actually a benign mutation of the MC1R gene, which regulates pigment. While it's true that such a mutation in people of Celtic heritage causes the stereotypical dot-dot-dots in fair redheads, variations of the MC1R gene lead to freckles in Chinese, Japanese, French, Mediterranean, Israeli, and certain African ethnic groups as well, explains Sharma.

HealthDay, Cancer Surgeons Advise Against Removal of Healthy Breast — Only certain women with cancer in one breast should have their healthy breast removed in an attempt to prevent cancer, a leading group of breast surgeons maintains. Only certain women with cancer in one breast should have their healthy breast removed in an attempt to prevent cancer, a leading group of breast surgeons maintains. However, "it is important for patients to understand it does not improve their cancer outcome and for them to understand the pros, cons and alternatives to [contralateral prophylactic mastectomy]," she said in a society news release. Additional coverage: Medical Xpress

Science 2.0, Gene Therapy For Metabolic Liver Diseases Shows Promise In Pigs — With a shortage of donor organs, Mayo Clinic is exploring therapeutic strategies for patients with debilitating liver diseases. Researchers are testing a new approach to correct metabolic disorders without a whole organ transplant. Their findings appear in Science Translational Medicine. "Liver transplant is the only curable option in treating HT1, which is characterized by progressive liver disease," says Raymond Hickey, Ph.D., a Mayo surgical researcher. "Using this novel approach to treat HT1 and other metabolic diseases will allow patients to avoid a liver transplant and save more lives." Additional coverage: Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

US News & World Report, What Is POTS and Why Haven't More People Heard of It? by Anna Medaris Miller — Since POTS is fundamentally a problem of the autonomic nervous system – which controls involuntary functions such as breathing, heart rate and digestion – its symptoms can manifest in many body parts while physical exams of each part don't raise flags. "Each piece of their body looks fine and can work fine, but the body has lost the ability to work together fluidly," explains Dr. Philip Fischer, a pediatrician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where he studies and treats children and young adults with POTS. Many of the physicians who work with POTS patients – Fischer included – never intended to specialize in the condition but rather came to it after seeing enough patients with similar features but no explanation.

Omaha World-Hearld, 'Students can make mistakes and learn from them': More and more, schools use simulators to teach students by Rick Ruggles — Dr. David A. Cook, a Mayo Clinic physician in Minnesota who has written articles about simulation, said through an email that simulation is “highly effective in improving knowledge, skills, behaviors and patient outcomes.” But Cook also said that too much emphasis has been placed on simulators with realistic physical features that are expensive but extraneous to teaching objectives. There is a place for high-priced mannequins that talk and breathe, he said, but there has to be a “cost-conscious alignment between true educational needs and the resources expended.”

MedPage Today, Tau Drug Flops in Study by Kristina Fiore — …But investigators not involved in the study raised concerns that these findings were only from a subanalysis, which raises issues about potential confounders such as geography and variations in standard of care. "I'm disappointed by the results because my view of clinical trials that's been forged from 30 years of experience is that the only thing that really counts is the primary outcome that was prespecified," said David Knopman, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, who wasn't involved in the study. "Secondary analyses are fraught with interpretational difficulties because of hidden biases," Knopman said. "We're only looking at a small subset of participants -- the 15% who didn't get other drugs. It becomes difficult to interpret."

Post-Bulletin, Mayo Clinic donates $89,000 to Zumbro Valley Health Center — The Zumbro Valley Health Center announced Thursday that the Mayo Clinic has donated $89,000 to the organization to support its integrated care delivery model. "Mayo Clinic has been a longtime supporter of our efforts to improve the delivery of care through the integration of services and use of interdisciplinary teams," said Chief Executive Officer Dave Cook. "Their support has been critical to the development of the infrastructure for our new model of care." Additional coverage: KIMT-TV

Chippewa Herald, Mayo's sports injury clinics offer immediate treatment to athletes — Injured athletes can receive immediate diagnosis and treatment during Saturday Morning Sports Medicine Clinics at Mayo Clinic Health System sites in Eau Claire and Menomonie this fall. Clinics are from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. on Saturdays from Aug. 13 through Oct. 15. The walk-in clinics are specifically designed to help athletes injured during practices or events earlier in the week. Additional coverage: Post-Bulletin

Reader’s Digest, What Your Food Cravings Secretly Reveal About Your Health by Charlotte Hilton Andersen — Are your dreams, both day and night, filled with visions of sugar plums (and more modern sweets)? If so you might need to spend more time in dreamland, according to research done by the Mayo Clinic. People who were short-changed on just over an hour of sleep ate an average of 550 calories the next day—and those calories weren't grilled chicken breasts and broccoli. Rather, the scientists say that people use sugar as a quick pick-me-up to fight their exhaustion.

Family Practice News, Alzheimer’s anti-tau drug fails, but shows hint of effet when taken alone by Michele G. Sullivan — A highly anticipated phase III trial of an anti-tau drug has posted negative topline results, conferring no cognitive or functional benefits when given in conjunction with standard-of-care Alzheimer’s disease medications…The missing number of patients who took LMTX monotherapy is key, however, in determining whether the positive effects in that group are real or a chance finding, according to Richard J. Caselli, MD, associate director and clinical core director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Center at the Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Ariz.“Were the monotherapy results a fluke that washed out with bigger numbers or a meaningful effect? That needs to be clarified,” he said when asked to comment on the study.

Men’s Health, The Scary Truth About Lyme Disease by Bill Gifford — Lyme disease tests are notoriously inaccurate in the early stage of the infection. In patients with a recent bull’s-eye rash, the ELISA turns up positive less than half the time, according to Elitza Theel, Ph.D., an expert in blood testing at the Mayo Clinic. “If you’ve noticed that you have a tick bite and a rash, you really don’t need to be tested,” she says. You’re infected.

Live Science, Workout Calorie Math: Here's How to Eat to Fuel A Workout by Tia Ghose — The recommended total calorie intake depends on a person's weight and sex, with a 154-lb. (70 kilograms) person needing to eat about 2,000 calories daily, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Those numbers also hold for the vast majority of people who are exercising, said Dr. Michael Joyner, an exercise physiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "If people are training at 30 or 40 or 50 minutes a day, they don't need [extra] carbohydrates, they don't need sports drinks, they don't need any of that stuff. People have way overcomplicated this," Joyner said.

Post-Bulletin, Mayo Clinic seeks ways to avoid physician burnout by Brett Boese — By this time next year, Mayo Clinic will be well on its way to training 45,000 employees across its campuses in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Arizona and Florida to use Epic's electronic health records system. Whether that's a positive or a negative may depend upon who you ask. Mayo Clinic's Tait Shanafelt authored a study last month in Mayo Clinic Proceedings that further confirmed those findings. In collaboration with American Medical Association, Shanafelt surveyed more than 6,000 physicians across the country before determining that the increased clerical burden — particularly among family medicine physicians, urologists, otolaryngologists and neurologists — led to decreased job satisfaction and an increased risk of burnout. Additional coverage: Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune

Live Science, Fitness Nutrition: What Science Says About Diet and Exercise by Tia Ghose — It turns out there's no single best way to eat to be successful in your exercise goals. In fact, the vast majority of people who exercise do not need to eat anything special to support their exercise regimens, several experts said. "When someone tells you there is a specific magic diet or specific magic supplement, it's cause for suspicion," said Dr. Michael Joyner, an exercise physiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "For the vast majority of people who are working out less than an hour a day, it doesn't make a whole lot of difference."

Courier Journal, Supersizing: Hospitals gear up for big patients by Laura Ungar — The South and Midwest are especially hard-hit by obesity, but the trend holds true across the nation, said Dr. Robert Cima, a colorectal surgeon with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. One of the fastest-growing industries in surgery is designing equipment for obese patients, such as laparoscopic instruments long enough to reach organs through layers of fat, he said. And architects who design new medical centers or hospital wings now do so with obese patients in mind. All of this is expensive. Cima estimates that retrofitting or redesigning a hospital room for obese patients costs $50,000-$70,000.

Allentown Morning Call, Northampton woman's death tied to heart condition affecting mothers of newborns by Sarah M. Wojcik — Two months after the birth of her second son, a Northampton woman succumbed to a devastating and mysterious heart condition that a lead researcher warns is more common than originally believed. Dr. Sharonne Hayes, the principal investigator on SCAD for the Mayo Clinic, said the heart condition is significantly more common than anyone in the medical world previously realized and prevention is frighteningly elusive. This is a completely different type of heart attack than the ones you typically see," Hayes said. "And so the people at risk are different."

News4Jax, Your Zika questions answered by Ethan Calloway — Growing concern about the Zika virus has led to more questions about its transmission. Florida health officials said Friday that there is a "high likelihood" that four cases of Zika in Miami-Dade and Broward counties were caught locally.The Florida Department of Health said it believes the cases were likely transmitted through infected mosquitoes in a small area in Miami-Dade County. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 80 percent of patients don't even have symptoms. The ones who do most often experience fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes. "Really be vigilant about mosquito bites, especially women who could potentially get pregnant, or are trying to get pregnant," said Dr. Vandana Bhide with Mayo Clinic. Additional coverage: First Coast News,

Healthcare Business News, MR exams are among most frequently 'rationed' health services: study by John W. Mitchell — A team of physicians and biomedical ethicists have finally crunched the numbers on a well-known health care practice: sometimes, despite established protocols, doctors don’t order tests that may benefit patients. “People get upset when we say we ration care in America,” Dr. Robert D. Sheeler, lead researcher formerly at Mayo Clinic, told HCB News. “But we, as a society, need to be mature and more sophisticated in discussing these issues.”

Albert Lea Tribune, Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea to offer urgent care appointments — A new option is now available for patients who have urgent health care concerns, according to a press release. Patients who need same-day care for minor illnesses and injuries now have the option to schedule an appointment in urgent care at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea. Walk-in visits to urgent care will still be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Appointments are accepted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. “Our goal is to provide better access and more convenience to patients who need acute care services,” Steve Waldhoff, operations administrator at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and Austin, said.

Star Tribune, Rochester's Zumbro River in the spotlight as city remakes itself by Matt McKinney — Geese paddling its surface, rapids riffling its length, the South Fork of the Zumbro River passes through the heart of downtown Rochester, a stone’s throw from City Hall. Yet thanks to an engineering project meant to tame the flood-prone waters, it’s difficult to think of this city as a river town. That could be changing, slowly, now that the city is engaged in a major economic redevelopment project known as Destination Medical Center (DMC), meant to secure the Mayo Clinic’s place as a global leader in medicine, health care and research…

KIMT-TV, Estrogen and Alzheimer’s by Adam Sallet — Mayo Clinic says they gave estrogen skin patches to newly postmenopausal women and found it decreased beta-amyloid deposits. Those are the plaques found in brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. We talked to an area doctor who tells us this means a lot to the future of patients. “Women tend to have Alzheimer’s disease more than men — it’s not because they develop a different kind if pathology. It’s because most likely they live longer, therefore we have more women in our population who have Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Kejal Kantarci, Mayo Clinic.

KIMT-TV, Path to Health opens in Rochester by DeeDee Stiepan — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3 out of 5 Minnesotans are overweight or obese. To encourage the community to be more active, Mayo Clinic is partnering up with others to unveil a total fitness system. What used to be just a regular walk/jogging path behind Mayo’s Southeast Clinic, is now called the Path to Health. It features 20 workout stations spread out throughout the trail. As you walk along the path, you can stop at the stations and signs will walk you through different exercises.

Twin Cities Business, Reviving Block E With Mayo And Jerky by Adam Platt — Fretting about the fate of Block E is a decades-old pastime in downtown Minneapolis. Now rechristened Mayo Clinic Square, the block is in better shape than it has been for years and is nearly 100 percent leased. One hole remains: the former Hard Rock Café space at the corner of Seventh Street and First Avenue…The Mayo Clinic and the Minnesota Timberwolves/Lynx took a combined 85,000 square feet for a sports medicine clinic and the team practice space. Wisconsin-based beef jerky purveyor Jack Link’s is leasing 78,500 square feet and plans a ground-level retail store.

Pulse Headlines, Alzheimer’s LMTM drug failed to be beneficial for patients by Elizabeth De Faria — The 15-month trial drug, leuco-methylthioninium-bis (LMTM) failed to be significant for treating Alzheimer’s disease as it was announced during the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference last week. Ronald Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging stated that the results of the First Phase 3 trial are full of hope. Petersen says the recent results knowledge about the brain condition could be tested in future patients with mild cognitive impairment, for those who had not taken Alzheimer’s drugs.

Post-Bulletin, DMC group looks for best practices by Andrew Setterholm — A team of Destination Medical Center contributors toured sites in Saint Paul and Minneapolis on Friday, from the cities' best uses of public space and investments to examples of design and execution that fell short… The tour studied connections between street-level pedestrian places, subways and skyways, a multilevel system Saint Paul and Rochester share in some cases. Hotels in the St. Marys Place district of DMC development have expressed interest in climate-controlled connections to Mayo Clinic Hospital St. Marys Campus.

WQOW-TV, Dragon Boat Festival — Dragon Boat Festival preview on WQOW TV-18 “Daybreak.” Anna Sizer, Community Events director for Mayo Clinic Health System and Cindy Bednar, R.N., with Mayo Clinic Health System’s hospice program, discuss details of the 2nd annual event.

KAAL-TV, Mayo Brothers Statue Returns by Ben Henry — The boys are back in town – after more than a year the Mayo Brothers’ statue was returned to its original home behind the Mayo Civic Center…"The history is so important. And the more we know about it the more we can be proud of where we are in Rochester and the development that's occurred since this time capsule was put in place," said Renee Ziemer with the Mayo Historical Unit, in April 2015. Additional coverage: Post-Bulletin

Post-Bulletin, New law enables clinic to hire world-famous fetal surgeon by Heather J. Carlson — The way Dr. Ola Famuyide saw it, his toughest challenge in getting a world renowned fetal surgeon to practice at Mayo Clinic would simply be convincing him to come to Rochester. He was wrong. "He came. We liked him. He loved the practice, and I thought everything was hunky dory," said Famuyide, chairman of the clinic's Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. Then came the bad news. The accomplished fetal surgeon — Dr. Rodrigo Ruano — had done his medical training outside of the United States. Even though he had been practicing in Texas, he was ineligible to be licensed in Minnesota. To get licensed, he would have to dedicate up to a year studying to pass the U.S. Medical License Exam — a tough sell for an experienced surgeon…

LaCrosse Tribune, Mayo-Franciscan's new Arcadia clinic to open Monday by Mike TIghe— Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare’s new Arcadia clinic will open Monday. The $4.5-million, 12,500-square-foot clinic at 895 S. Dettloff Drive replaces the existing clinic at 464 St. Joseph Ave. S., adjacent to the former St. Joseph Hospital, which closed in 2011. The clinic will include family physicians with prenatal care, lab, radiology including ultrasound and behavioral health. Cardiology specialists will visit once a month. Additional coverage: WEAU-TV, WKBT-TV, WXOW-TV

Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, Gimme 5: Dragon boats return to local lake — Preview of 2nd Annual Dragon Boat Festival in the Leader Telegram newspaper. Anna Sizer, Community Events director for Mayo Clinic Health System, discusses details of the event.

MedPage Today, Breast Surgeons Urge Against Prophylactic Mastectomy by Charles Bankhead — Most women with newly diagnosed unilateral breast cancer do not benefit from contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) and should not routinely undergo the procedure, according to a consensus statement from the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS)…"The consensus group agreed that CPM should be discouraged for an average-risk women with unilateral breast cancer," consensus chair Judy C. Boughey, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and co-authors wrote in the two-part statement, published online in Annals of Surgical Oncology. "However, the patient's values, goals, and preferences should be included to optimize shared decision making when discussing CPM."

Post-Bulletin, Letter: Mayo Clinic's decisions should reflect past dedication to community — I am sorry to see the Mayo Clinic is planning to have its dietary personnel become employees of a company outside Minnesota. They will lose their Mayo Clinic benefits. Such treatment is used by big businesses to avoid reasonable pay and benefits. Shame on those businesses and shame on Mayo Clinic. We almost lost the name of our 1,000-bed St. Marys Hospital. Tis is the hospital that the Franciscan Sisters said, "Dr. Mayo, you be the physician, and we will build the hospital and be your nurses." I have seen many Mayo patients enjoy the singing and piano playing in the Gonda Building, so I don't understand why they are not allowed to do so.

Fierce Biotech, Evelo, Mayo Clinic team up to use bacteria for cancer immunotherapies by Ben Adams — Flagship’s recently merged upstart Evelo Biosciences is partnering with the Mayo Clinic in an attempt to use bacteria to help stimulate an immune response to cancer. This exclusive collab, financial details of which were not disclosed (although Mayo will receive some money from the biotech), will see the two work on immuno-microbiome-based therapies against a number of tumors. Under the terms of the deal, Evelo will work with the Mayo Clinic to build up a larger library of cancer-associated bacteria from Mayo’s patient stool samples and tumor biopsies. Additional coverage: Yahoo! Finance, BioSpace

LaCrosse Tribune, Mayo-Franciscan in Tomah slates diabetes program — The effects of beverages on weight and diabetes control will be the topic of the free Diabetes Education Program from 9 to 10 a.m. Aug. 30 at Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare in Tomah. Mayo-Franciscan dietitian Meghan Teska also will talk about caffeine and sugar substitutes during the program, titled “Rethink Your Drink,” in the Lakeview Conference Room at Mayo-Franciscan at 325 Butts Ave.

WEAU-TV, 2016 Half Moon Dragon Boat Festival — A two-part interview on this Saturday’s 2nd annual Dragon Boat Festival at Half Moon Beach, benefitting Mayo Clinic Health System hospice services.

Pioneer Press, Paralyzed former Totino-Grace hockey captain: ‘I don’t think about what if … ‘ by Bob Sansevere — In February, former Totino-Grace High School varsity hockey captain Matt Olson was playing with the Chicago Cougars of the U.S. Premier Hockey League when he slid into the boards and suffered a severe spinal cord injury. A quadriplegic since that game, Olson, 20, is rehabilitating at the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in Golden Valley, where Bob Sansevere talked with him for the Pioneer Press…I don’t wear a neck brace anymore. I started weaning off it when I was at the Mayo Clinic (prior to transferring to Courage Kenny last month). My muscles have gotten strong enough to support my head. That’s big, not having to wear it all the time. Additional coverage: WCCO-TV

Twin Cities Business, Eye Cell Regeneration In Focus With New Mayo Research Spin-off by Don Jacobson — The Rochester biotech start-up scene is getting a new member as a Mayo Clinic professor seeks to tap the commercial potential of regenerative medicine and stem cells in the battle against eye diseases such as macular degeneration. Alan Marmorstein, a professor of ophthalmology at the Mayo Clinic Medical School, is the founder of LAgen Laboratories LLC, which was established last year. He is now in the process of raising $275,000 to launch the venture, according to documents submitted to the city by Rochester Area Economic Development Inc. (RAEDI).

KIMT-TV, Educating student-athletes on concussions by Hannah Funk — High school athletes are starting practice for their fall sports and coaches at Southland are making sure their student athletes know how serious a concussion is… That’s why athletic trainers from Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine are conducting a baseline concussion testing for student athletes across southern Minnesota. “Over the past five, six, seven years concussions have really come to the forefront and it used to be old school. You got your bell rung or you got a dinger and it was no big deal,” said Jim Williams, Athletic Trainer for Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine. “Now we do know it’s a serious injury. A bell ringer is considered a concussion now.”

KIMT-TV, Mayo advances breast cancer research by Adam Sallet — Breast cancer remains a top concern for many, but researchers in Rochester believe they may have taken a step in the right direction to kill the disease. Mayo Clinic health officials say not only did they find bacteria on tissue samples from the breast but could see a difference between those who had cancer and those who didn’t. Although it may seem like a small step, it could mean a lot in the long run.

Science Daily, Is there difference in surgical site infection using sterile vs. nonsterile gloves? — Outpatient cutaneous surgical procedures are common and surgical gloves are standard practice to prevent postoperative surgical site infection (SSI). But, is there a difference in SSIs when sterile vs. nonsterile gloves are used for these minor procedures? Jerry D. Brewer, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and coauthors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the medical literature to examine that question, according to an article published online by JAMA Dermatology.

Healio, New-onset IBS common after C. difficile infection — Patients with Clostridium difficile infection have a high risk for developing post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome, particularly those with longer duration of C. difficile infection, anxiety and higher BMI, according to a recent study published in Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics. “Post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) develops after gastrointestinal infections in about 10% of individuals,” Madhusudan Grover, MBBS, from the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., told Healio Gastroenterology. “Although Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) are increasingly common, the epidemiology of PI-IBS following CDI was unclear.”

WQOW-TV, Dragon Boat training — WQOW and WEAU TV talk to Mayo Clinic Health System Community Events Director Anna Sizer as dragon boat teams train for Saturday’s big event.

KTTC-TV, Local businesses highlight diversity at Supplier Diversity Summit — Businesses in our area gathered Wednesday to talk about the economic benefit of having a diverse business community. It's part of a Supplier Diversity Summit hosted by the Rochester Chamber of Commerce, the Mayo Clinic, the Diversity Council and the city of Rochester.  Small businesses had a chance to learn and connect with others in the community when hearing from managers in some of the areas larger corporations.  "Diversity adds choices and creativity to our economy and also to other businesses and allows them to know what else is out there. It allows for jobs, it allows for stability," said Mayo Clinic Operations Manager Tammy Munson. Additional coverage: KAAL-TV

Red Wing Republican Eagle, Red Wing center designated a Level 3 trauma hospital — For a severely injured person, the time between sustaining an injury and receiving definitive care is the most important predictor of survival — the “golden hour.” The chance of survival diminishes with time. However, a trauma system enhances the chances of survival regardless of proximity to an urban trauma hospital. Mayo Clinic Health System in Red Wing is part of a Minnesota statewide trauma system and recently received a Level 3 trauma hospital designation from the Minnesota Department of Health. The medical center voluntarily participated in an intense designation process to be part of the statewide trauma system.

Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, Heart murmur calls for valve evaluation — Cardiovascular surgeon Thomas Carmody, M.D., and cardiologist Richard Hanna, M.D., with Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, discuss the availability of valve evaluation testing locally, prior to a transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR, procedure.

Organic Spa magazine, Mealtime Mindfulness by Jeremy McCarthy — I recently attended a workshop on “Mindful Eating,” which was offered by Laura Peterson, a registered nurse on the Mayo Clinic team at the Mandarin Oriental Resort in Bodrum, Turkey. I’m a big fan of both “mindfulness” and “eating,” but these are two words that rarely go together in my vocabulary. I’ve never been much of a foodie and rarely take time to savor what I am eating…

Luxury Daily, XOJet capitalizes on recent trends with healthcare partnership by Forrest Cardamenis — Private aviation company XOJet is helping its clients to feel better. XOJet has partnered with Summus, a private healthcare referral network connecting clients with leading physicians, to bring its clients quick access to world-class medicinal service... In November, Mandarin Oriental Bodrum in Turkey began helping its guests lead a more holistic lifestyle with the introduction of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program. Since Jan. 8, 2016, guests have been able to book services that combine the medical knowledge of the Mayo Clinic with the treatments available at the hotel’s spa.

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