The USF Physicians Group is the only academic medical center on the west coast of Florida. So when the opportunity to lead USF’s practice plan came up, Jeff Lowenkron, MD, jumped at it. After working for the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group of 1,000 physicians, he considered it a wonderful challenge to help the USF group of more than 400 physicians to function more like an integrated multi-specialty group. Dr. Jeff Lowenkron is the new CEO of the USF Physicians Group. What intrigued him more was the chance to help drive […]

With strategic leadership, the college attained its ambitious five-year goal in two Tampa, FL (Feb. 27, 2012) — The University of South Florida College of Nursing has joined the ranks of the top 25 nursing schools nationwide receiving National Institutes of Health research funding. There are more than 600 colleges of nursing nationwide. The college attracted a record $1.99 million from NIH in 2011* — a 16-percent jump from the $1.71 million received in 2010. That increase propelled USF to a 25th place ranking on the NIH nursing school list, […]

Tampa Bay area media got their first look Wednesday at USF Health’s new Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS), a first-of-its-kind center on a fast track to become a national model for transforming the education, training and assessment of health professionals based on competence. The $38-million three-story facility, which covers a full city block in downtown Tampa, opened for business last week and already has hundreds of bookings for courses and events by learners and stakeholders.  The grand opening ceremony will be held next month. Journalists were greeted […]

The study will be conducted at three community health centers across Florida Tampa, FL (Feb. 8, 2012) — A new $1.2-million federal grant to USF Health will help disseminate evidence-based psychological treatments for anxious children to three community mental health centers across Florida. The three-year grant from the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research will allow University of South Florida pediatric clinical psychologist Dr. Eric Storch and colleagues to test the feasibility and effectiveness of a computer-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy protocol in community mental health centers. The three federally and […]

Kids coached by athletes who share their daily challenges of living with type 1 diabetes  The kids who attended the first annual Sam Fuld USF Diabetes Center Sports Camp this weekend got more than a chance to catch fly balls, practice a tennis swing or hone hoop skills.   Throughout the day the youngsters heard positive messages from the camp coaches, all of whom share their daily challenges of living with type 1 diabetes.  Perhaps none more reassuring than the one emphasized by the  athlete who helped organize the camp, Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Sam Fuld. “I’m a […]

Repeated injections of human umbilical cord blood cells improved motor neuron survival, delayed disease progression, and increased lifespan Tampa, FL (Feb. 3 , 2012) – Repeated, low-dose injections of mononuclear cells derived from human umbilical cord blood (MNC hUCB, tradename: U-CORD-CELL™) have been found effective in protecting motor neuron cells, delaying disease progression and increasing lifespan for mice modeling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, report University of South Florida researchers and colleagues from Saneron CCEL Therapeutics, Inc., and the Ribeirao Preto School of […]

Tampa, FL (Feb. 2, 2012) — USF Health’s Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation doesn’t officially open until Monday. But on Thursday, USF Health hosted its first public event at CAMLS: a visit from U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, in Tampa to tout the benefits of the federal Affordable Care Act.  She was welcomed by USF President Judy Genshaft and City of Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. “This is an amazing university, and this facility will be on the map across the country and across the world,” […]

The Department of Defense grant may lead to better treatments, readjustment skills for veterans Tampa, FL (Jan. 31, 2012) — The University of South Florida has received a $1.57 million U.S. Department of Defense grant to conduct translational research on traumatic brain injury and other battlefield related injuries and diseases. The studies, many in collaboration with James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, are intended to improve the quality of life for military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is known as the signature injury of soldiers […]

Dr. Darrell Kirch’s keynote lecture, 5:30 p.m. this Wednesday, is hosted by USF Health TAMPA, FL (Jan. 16, 2012) – Dr. Darrell G. Kirch, president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges, will deliver a keynote lecture this Wednesday evening, Jan. 18, at USF Health. Dr. Kirch will describe the future academic medical professionals should work towards, as well as the many ways the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine is demonstrating excellence in order to reach this desired state. “Let us judge our success not by rankings, […]

Healthcare reform’s effect on emergency department services could be substantial, researchers say Tampa, FL (Jan. 10, 2012)  — The jury is still out on how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will affect safety-net institutions such as emergency departments, but a new University of South Florida study suggests that growth in Medicaid populations expected under the new health care reform act may aggravate current challenges of providing emergency eye care in Florida. A substantial proportion of emergency department eye care in Florida is reimbursed through Medicaid or paid out of […]