Recognition April 2016

• Hartzler advises on patient data
• Miglioretti’s new book
• Tuzzio joins GHRI faculty
• Dimer named Seattle ‘top doc’
• Wernli presents at ASPO
• Green at colon cancer roundtable

Dr. Hartzler advises ONC on patient-generated health data

In March, GHRI Assistant Investigator Andrea Hartzler, PhD, was a subject-matter expert for the federal Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology, part of the Department of Health and Human Services. The Office develops and guides national use of health-related technology, including electronic health records. Dr. Hartzler advised the ONC about patient-generated health data—information people collect on their own such as with activity trackers. The ONC will use input from Dr. Hartzler and other experts to guide policy on securely using patient-generated data in ways that benefit providers and patients.

Dr. Miglioretti co-edits new book on breast cancer screening

GHRI Senior Investigator Diana Miglioretti, PhD, an expert in the evaluation of breast cancer screening and breast cancer risk prediction modeling, recently co-edited a new book called “Breast Cancer Screening: Making Sense of Complex and Evolving Evidence.” The book explores current and emerging evidence on breast cancer screening and explains the context that makes this evidence increasingly complex. It also looks at different perspectives on the benefits and harms of breast screening, as well as variability in screening practices and outcomes around the world.

Dr. Miglioretti is also the Dean’s Professor of Biostatistics at University of California Davis and has been the principal investigator of the Statistical Coordinating Center for the National Cancer Institute-funded Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium since 2005. Her co-editor is Nehmat Houssami, MBBS, PhD, a breast physician and clinical researcher with expertise in synthesizing evidence and evaluating new breast screening technologies in the clinical field. Dr. Houssami serves as an associate professor and principal research fellow at the Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, in Australia.

GHRI faculty welcomes research associate Leah Tuzzio

Longtime GHRI project director and senior project manager Leah Tuzzio, MPH, was recently named to the GHRI faculty as a research associate. Ms. Tuzzio joined GHRI in 2005 as the project director for the Cancer Research Network. Since then she has provided leadership on dozens of GHRI projects, including the community engagement core of the Institute of Translational Health Sciences, a collaboration led by the University of Washington. In the last two years, she has served as a senior project manager in GHRI’s MacColl Center for Health Care Innovation and the Center for Community Health and Evaluation (CCHE).

In her new role as research associate, she will continue working with the MacColl Center and CCHE, focusing on projects related to quality improvement in primary care, patient-centered care, community-based research, and translating evidence into practice.

Ms. Tuzzio has co-led Group Health’s patient-centered care interest group since 2012, and she is a member of the Health Care Systems Research Network’s patient engagement in research workgroup. She earned a master’s degree in public health at the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health in 2001.

GHRI Clinical Associate Dr. Jane Dimer among Seattle’s ‘top docs’

Five Group Health physicians were recently recognized on Seattle magazine’s 2016 Top Doctors list, including GHRI Clinical Associate Jane Dimer, MD. A specialist in obstetrics and gynecology at Group Health’s Capitol Hill Campus, Dr. Dimer was also featured in the magazine’s Doctor Spotlight 2016. In her role as a clinical associate, Dr. Dimer has been actively involved in several GHRI studies on women’s health.

Joining Dr. Dimer on the 2016 top docs list are:

• Ilan Zawadzki, MD, Nephrology,  Capitol Hill Campus
• Brian Ito, MD, Neurology, Bellevue Medical Center
• William Butler, MD, Allergy & Immunology, Capitol Hill Campus
• Robert Nohle, MD, Pediatrics, Redmond Medical Center

Dr. Wernli presents on breast cancer screening intervals at ASPO

At the 40th annual meeting of the American Society of Preventive Onology (ASPO), held March 12-15 in Columbus, Ohio, GHRI Assistant Investigator Karen Wernli, PhD, reported on how breast cancer screening intervals have changed since the United States Preventive Services Task Force updated its screening guidelines in 2009. Dr. Wernli’s talk was one of 16 top-ranked abstracts selected for presentation at the meeting and publication in the March 2016 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

The abstract describes changes in breast cancer screening intervals that occurred after the USPSTF recommended biennial mammography screening for women aged 50–74 years and shared-decision making for women aged 40–49 years. Contrary to expectations, screening intervals decreased across most age groups. Dr. Wernli’s co-authors are GHRI Biostatistician Robert Arao, MPH; former GHRI Investigator Rebecca Hubbard, PhD; and several colleagues from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium.

Washington Colorectal Cancer Roundtable hears from Dr. Green

On March 25, GHRI Associate Investigator Beverly Green, MD, MPH, gave an invited presentation at the Washington Colorectal Cancer Roundtable. Held in SeaTac, Wash., the event featured research, success stories, and breakout sessions on evidence-based interventions with the potential to improve colorectal cancer screening rates across the state. Dr. Green, who is also a family physician at Group Health, gave a talk entitled “What works to increase colorectal cancer screening long-term and in disparity populations? Lessons from our research and the literature.” The roundtable was hosted by the American Cancer Society and the Washington State Department of Health.