This year’s USF Health Research Day set new records as more participants than ever filled the USF Tampa campus Marshall Student Center on March 3 to showcase the best of their scientific work.

The 33^rd USF Health Research Day included 457 research poster presentations by students, postdocs, residents, faculty, and staff across all health disciplines. Research Day is the largest research-oriented event of its kind at USF and remains the largest celebration of health sciences research collaboration across all four USF Health colleges (medicine, nursing, public health and pharmacy) as well as with colleagues in other USF colleges, including social work and engineering.

From left, Dr. Charles Lockwood, Dr. Kim Orth, Rhea Law, and Dr. Steve Liggett.

Research Day kicked off with the Annual Roy H. Behnke, MD, Distinguished Lectureship featuring speaker Kim Orth, PhD, professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Orth’s presentation was titled “Black Spot, Black Death, Black Pearl: Tales of Bacterial Effectors” – click here for more about Dr. Orth and her work.

Dr. Kim Orth.

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Tampa General Hospital, the primary teaching hospital for USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, was the presenting sponsor for USF Health Research Day 2023.

Following Dr. Orth’s presentation was the judging of work. Judges reviewed the posters that lined the Marshall Center Ballroom, asking the students for more detail and clarifications about their research projects. Presentations ranged from pilot, preliminary, empirical and case studies to system reviews and reviews of literature or charts.

Following the 13^th Annual Joseph Krzanowski Invited Oral Presenters by select students representing medicine, nursing, public health, and pharmacy, Research Day culminated with an Awards Ceremony in the Oval Theatre announcing the winners in 29 competitive categories – including 18 monetary awards totaling $8,600.

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For the list of Research Day 2023 award winners, click here.

For the list of Research Day judges and sponsors, click here.

More photos

Photos by Freddie Coleman, video by Allison Long, USF Health Communications

The Department of Internal Medicine room at the Gallery of Specialties.

Expert physicians, professors, department chairs and division chiefs from the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine came to the downtown campus Sept. 14 to speak to students about their specialties during the first ever Gallery of Specialties.

The round-robin style event, organized by the Department of Medical Education, was the first full-student event held in the downtown campus since it opened in 2019.  Students had the option to visit three of the specialties, sit in on their information sessions and participate in a question and answer session.

Haywood Brown, MD, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and vice dean of Faculty Affairs, speaking with second-year medical student Janae Cornwall.

“This event represents everything we wanted to do with this building,” said Bryan Bognar, MD, MPH, FACP, vice dean and chair of the MCOM Department of Medical Education. “The ability to flex the space, create intimate settings for the doctors to speak to students, and have all the students be here at one time is truly beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.”

Across the four-year medical school journey, each student will narrow down what they plan to specialize in, and eventually apply for residencies in that specialty.   The event offered students an inside look at what it takes to be competitive in certain specialties, what it takes to be successful in their specialties, and with whom they will likely be working if they decide to pursue residencies at USF Health.

Summer Decker, PhD, Morsani College of Medicine professor and director of 3D Clinical Applications for the USF Health Department of Radiology speaking with two medical students interested in pursuing radiology as a specialty.

Some USF Health leaders, experts, and world-renowned doctors took time out of their schedules to pass on their knowledge and passion for their specialties, including Charles Lockwood, MD, MHCM, USF Health executive vice president, MCOM dean and international expert in obstetrics and gynecology..

“This is a great event.  They are getting to meet the experts, ask questions they wouldn’t normally get to ask, and truly get an in-depth understanding of how to navigate applying for residencies in the specialties,” Dr. Lockwood said.

One student described the event as “It was an opportunity to reaffirm or reconsider the specialty I want to pursue. I know what I want to do and this was an opportunity to address some misconceptions and ask more in-depth questions so I have a clearer picture of what it takes to be a successful doctor in this specialty.”

Patricia Emmanuel, MD, chair of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics explainsher specialty to students during the Gallery of Specialties event.

“It’s great that so many leaders, division chiefs and chairs showed up to this,” said Haywood Brown, MD,  USF Health Faculty and Academic Affairs senior associate vice president,  Morsani College of Medicine associate dean of diversity, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology professor.  “This is the true testament to how invested they are in helping our medical students succeed.  Additionally, it’s great to figuratively ‘take off the executive leader hat’ and just speak to students about our specialties.  Before I became an executive, I was, and still am, a passionate OBGYN.”

Full list of specialties and representatives from the event:

Anesthesiology: Jason Hall, Stephanie Lewis, Nan Schwann, Jeffrey Weiss, Peter Wu

Dermatology: Cynthia Bartus, Basil Cherpelis, James Grichnick, Joshua Levin

Diagnostic Radiology: Summer Decker, Krishna Nallamshetty

Emergency Medicine: David Burmeister, Mama Greenberg, Enola Okonkwo, Shawn Quinn, Andrew Thomas

Family Medicine: Eric Coris, Eduardo Gonzalez, Drew Keister, Elizabeth Lawrence, Oliver Oyama, Sassnk Peramsetty, Kira Zwygart

General Surgery: Swaroop Bommareddi, Lucian Lozonchi, Michael Pasquale, Daniel Relles, Adham Saad, Murray Shames, Jason Weinberger

Internal Medicine: Brian Costello, Aryanna Jordan, Vandin Lalldass, Jose Lezama, Michelle Ouelette, Asa Oxner, Harold Paul

Interventional Radiology: Cliff Davis, Glenn Hoots, Jamil Shaikh

Med Peds:  Erika Abel, Patricia Emmanuel

Neurosurgery:  Walter Jean

Neurology: Alfred Frontera, Clifton Gooch, Milind Kothari, Megan Leary

OB/GYN: Christina Black, Amy Brown, Haywood Brown, Charles Lockwood, Catherine Lynch, Bri Anne McKeon, Stephanie Lynch

Ophthalmology: Swetangi Bhaleeya, Mitchell Drucker, John Jarstad, Masayuki Kazahaya, Mamta Patel

Otolaryngology/ENT: Kestutis Boyev, Mathew Mifsud, Tapan Padhya, Arjun Parasher, Abhay Sharma

Pathology: Anne Champeaux, Nicole Riddle

Pediatrics: Stephen Ford, Nathan Hagstrom, Kristen Pendergast, Meridith Plant, Kris Rooney

Plastic Surgery: Michael Harrington, Robert Murphy, Randolph Wojcik

PM&R: Clifton Gooch, Kristopher Kaleibe, Marissa McCarthy, Jeffrey Radecki

Psychiatry: Glenn Catalano, Daniel Fallon, Zeeshad Javid, Edward Norris, Deborah Sanchez

Radiation-Oncology: Jessica Frakes, Dennis Sopka

Radiology: Devang Gor, Errin Hoffman

Urology: Rafael Carrion, Justin Parker, Trushar Patel

Vascular Surgery: Mila Ju, Desiree Picone

More photos from the event: 

Story and Photos by Freddie Coleman, USF Health Communications and Marketing

Dear Faculty, Staff, Residents and Students:

In the past few weeks much has been made of the SARS-CoV-2 South African (B.1.1.529) variant. Cable news and social media have exaggerated potential risks causing global stock markets to swoon and prompting much anxiety.  However, in my opinion, the greatest threat of this variant is not illness but its potential to take our focus away from the real public health challenge – the current Delta variant which continues its relentless onslaught fueled by unfounded, irrational vaccine hesitancy and lethal misinformation. The B.1.1.529 variant was first detected in South Africa where it has quickly become the dominant strain of the virus. It has now been identified in about 45 countries and 20 states.  It contains over 50 mutations compared with the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. These mutations include sequences found in endemic coronaviruses causing many common colds. And although B.1.1.529 appears more transmissible than the now dominant Delta variant, it seems to have lower virulence. In fact, to date all cases have been mild to moderate and there have been no fatalities. While that may change, particularly as older, obese, and medically complicated and unvaccinated patients become infected, it is welcome news.

I have been predicting for some time that the COVID-19 pandemic would end with a “whimper and not a bang” as the virus gradually mutates into a form consistent with the coronaviruses that cause a quarter of common colds (see my March 2021 Tampa Bay Times Editorial). From an evolutionary perspective, the most “successful” virus is one that was easily transmissible, generates mild symptoms and does not kill its host.  This is why there are many, many more common colds than deadly Ebola, MERS or SARS-CoV-1 infections.  In fact, one only has to look at the incredible efficiency of the common cold to appreciate that this phenotype is the logical endpoint of mutation-driven viral natural selection.

So while much data needs to be collected to confirm this hypothesis, in the interim, the single most effective tool we have to ensure the public’s health, a vibrant economy and our collective sanity is multi-dose COVID-19 vaccination. So if you haven’t been vaccinated – do it now, and, if you qualify, get your booster shot.  In other words, do what USF Health has done so well over the past two years – follow the science, use common sense and keep calm and carry on.

Sincerely,

Charly

Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM
Senior Vice President, USF Health
Dean, Morsani College of Medicine

Dear Faculty, Staff, Residents and Students:

Twenty years ago, I was finishing a meeting in my office at Bellevue Hospital in lower Manhattan when a nurse told me that “a small plane had hit one of the World Trade Towers.”  I went to a nearby patient family lounge where the staff were intently watching a TV showing smoke coming from the first Tower. It was clear to me from the extensive damage visible that this was not caused by a small plane, this as I watched a second jet hit the adjacent Tower. So began a horrific day that would take the lives of two of my patients’ husbands, a friend and America’s sense of invulnerability.

The horrifying images of September 11 have now been deeply seared into our collective memory. And although Americans under 20 cannot remember a time when our nation was not at war, most of us will never forget how we felt that day in 2001.  We each seem to have our own stories of when we learned our nation was attacked and how the proceeding events left a lasting impact on ourselves, our families, our friends, and our nation. I am still haunted by the pictures of hundreds of missing people taped to the gate outside of Bellevue. We will also not forget how for a brief time, our country came together in an incredible display of unity, grief, patriotism, and strength to honor those who lost their lives and to demonstrate our resolve to the entire world.

September 11, 2001, was followed by long and costly wars, and perhaps all of us had moments when we pondered if and when America’s incredible investment of treasure, blood and tears would end.  Twenty years is a long time to wonder if your nation is doing the right thing, and it may be many decades more before we can fully comprehend how America has changed, and whether for the better or worse or both.  But until then, there are a few things in which we can take comfort: we can remember a clear blue-sky day in September when our nation rediscovered heroes, sacrifice, and the price of freedom. We can take comfort in the notion that we have since helped thousands of people escape oppressive regimes and gain access to freedom, education, and opportunity. We can note with pride that by rebuilding the World Trade Center, repairing the Pentagon, and fortifying our points of vulnerability, we have shown the world that terrorism never really achieves anything beyond the misery it creates in the moment.

But we have also learned a great many difficult lessons that must never be forgotten. We have learned that even great powers like America can be humbled, and that our nation’s military must never be what defines us but must always be at the ready to protect the ideals that distinguish us.  And perhaps most importantly, we’ve learned that democracy and liberty are very fragile gifts that must be vigilantly guarded and permanently nurtured.  It takes more than slogans and weapons to build an enduring democracy, but it takes no more than these to destroy one if people lack civility toward each other, mistrust their institutions, and fail to develop a common higher moral purpose.

While the chaotic retreat from Afghanistan and discord at home over implementation of basic public health measures have caused a few of us to despair, I remain optimistic about our future. America has always had to struggle to attain the heights of its promise.  But in the decisive hours, when the world has need for great feats and great heroes, we can be justifiably proud that our nation has always come together and risen to the ready. Twenty years after 9/11, I believe this still rings true and that the best of America is yet to come.

Sincerely,

Charly

Charles J. Lockwood, MD, MHCM
Senior Vice President, USF Health
Dean, Morsani College of Medicine

In the video above, USF Health leaders and frontline workers look back on the successes, challenges and emotions they experienced while dealing with an incredibly challenging year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Their stories include developing testing supplies now used around the world, creating programs aimed at treating vulnerable populations and helping rapidly develop and roll out vaccines against the disease, which Dr. Charles Lockwood, MD, Dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine said “rivals the moon landing.”

USF Health College of Nursing vice dean Denise Maguire, PhD, administers a vaccine shot.

The new organization is on target for an October 2021 launch, and will form one of the largest academic medical groups in the state of Florida.

Tampa, FL (July 16, 2021) – Tampa General Hospital and the University of South Florida are progressing with their new enhanced affiliation, defining a name and beginning a national search for the new organization’s first leader. The milestones keep the October 2021 start date on target and are in sync with overall transition planning that has taken place since announcing the broadened affiliation last summer.

Now branded as the University of South Florida Tampa General Physicians, the new organization creates a combined management services organization with more than 800 health care providers under a unified management structure, becoming one of the largest academic medical groups in the state of Florida. This united group strengthens the long-standing relationship between TGH and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, the leading academic medical center on the West Coast of Florida.

“These latest steps in our transition plan reflect the tremendous excitement and momentum for the October 2021 launch of the new enhanced affiliation between the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital,” said USF President Steven Currall. “Defining the affiliation’s identity and beginning the leadership search are vital milestones in our rigorous process to assure the balance and protections for both organizations.”

The new nonprofit organization was created by joining the administrative infrastructure of Tampa General Medical Group (TGMG) and the USF Health physician faculty practice group. Once fully launched in October, the organization will provide unified management and support structure for physicians employed by both USF Health and TGMG, allowing for more coordinated care and increased patient access to the kind of world-class, specialized care typically found only at academic medical centers. The new organization also promotes coordinated and strategic planning, investment, and joint accountability across both organizations’ shared clinical, research, and teaching efforts.

“Patients will experience the best of both worlds as we come together as one united physicians group,” said John Couris, Tampa General president and CEO. “TGH, USF and our private practice physicians have always had the most success when working together to improve health in Tampa Bay. Now that we are more closely strategically aligned, we can create a powerhouse that delivers world-class health care on the west coast of Florida.”

“This enhanced affiliation will have a lasting impact on Tampa Bay, bringing the highest quality care to our region,” said Dr. Charles J. Lockwood, senior vice president of USF Health and dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “USF Health and Tampa General Hospital have enjoyed a longstanding and fruitful relationship, and as the only Academic Medical Center on the west coast of Florida, we provide cutting-edge treatments and pioneer life-changing research discoveries. By combining our world-class resources and providers, this medical group will deliver unrivaled advanced care to patients and families across the state.”

The alliance will benefit patients by elevating and enhancing the growth of West Florida’s leading academic medical center. Academic medical centers provide cutting-edge specialized care for the most complex and challenging illnesses and conditions, as well as provide patients with access to innovative research and clinical trials and train the next generation of health care professionals.

University of South Florida Tampa General Physicians will provide practice infrastructure, clinical management, and related operational and administrative support services. About 1,400 team members at TGH and USF will become employees of the new organization.

The new group also will benefit the private practice physicians on staff at Tampa General Hospital by offering purchased services and management services through the new company.

“Our private practice physicians are an integral partner to Tampa General Hospital and USF Health, and we are pleased that creating University of South Florida Tampa General Physicians will provide them the opportunity to participate in this partnership in a way that benefits their practices as well,” Couris said.

The University of South Florida Foundation today announced a $1.8 million estate gift to USF Health that will fund a women’s heart health professorship, dermatology research endowment and caregiver education programs at the Byrd Alzheimer’s Center.

Community volunteer and USF Health patient Bruce Mackey made the gift in honor of his doctors Guilherme Oliveira and Basil Cherpelis.

“As a dedicated patient advocate, Bruce Mackey understands the importance of innovation to discover emerging treatments and improve quality of life,” USF President Steve Currall said. “We are grateful for his generous estate gift, which will support the work of our physician scientists to advance health, society and biomedical science in the Tampa Bay region, the state of Florida and beyond.”

An octogenarian, Mackey logs hundreds of volunteer hours annually for Moffitt Cancer Center, and he credits his vibrancy to working with people — especially patients. He tasks his doctors with the assignment of helping him keep up that pace: “I’m still running around like a 60-year-old, so let’s keep that going.”

Mr. Bruce Mackey (seated at left) joins USF Health Senior Vice President and Morsani College of Medicine Dean Dr. Charles Lockwood (seated at right) in signing a $1.8 million estate gift agreement that will support several USF Health programs, including women’s heart health/cardiology, dermatology, and Alzheimer’s caregiver education. Standing from left are Dr. Guilherme Oliveira, director of USF Health Cardiology; Dr. Basil Cherpelis, director of USF Health Mohs Surgery in Dermatology; and Dr. Gopal Thinakaran, CEO of the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Center and Research Institute.

“It’s exciting to see the lasting impact Mr. Mackey is making across so many areas of medicine — cardiology, dermatology and neurology,” said Dr. Charles Lockwood, USF Health senior vice president and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine.

Mackey notes that he has lived the American dream, the grandson of immigrants who was raised in Nebraska. He and his wife, Loyce, met on a blind date, and the couple each built successful careers over the course of their 55-year marriage. Loyce conquered battles with melanoma and metastatic breast cancer, returning to her full life of social activities and tennis. Eight years after her last radiation treatments ended, a fall led to painful injuries that ultimately took her life.

In her final days, Loyce encouraged Bruce to spend the rest of his life volunteering for the cancer center that gave her the best care. He followed her wishes, relocating to Tampa Bay and serving on several patient advocacy boards and programs.

Mackey now wishes to expand his volunteer and philanthropic support to USF Health.

“Loyce and I didn’t have children, so at first we left our estate to a combination of national health organizations,” said Mackey. “But now I want to know more directly where the money is going. Giving locally to the researchers and programs at USF Health will make a greater impact.”

“We’re thrilled to help donors like Mr. Mackey build an incredible legacy through the world-class research and programs happening right here in Tampa Bay,” said USF Foundation CEO Jay Stroman. “Bruce and Loyce Mackey will be forever connected to the scientific discoveries made and the patients served through their generosity.”

Mackey’s gift will fund the Bruce E. and Loyce A. Mackey Professorship in Women’s Heart Health, which will fund a physician scientist who will lead a new women’s heart clinic at USF. “Not enough research dollars are going to women’s heart health,” said Mackey.

Since Mackey has lost family members to Alzheimer’s disease, part of his gift will also support caregiver education programs at the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Center. The new fund will be used to expand workshops and support groups, create educational videos, launch a podcast series, and develop an online library of resources for caregivers of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.

Cherpelis, a Mohs surgery expert and residency program director for USF Health Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, was Mackey’s first connection to USF. The Bruce E. and Loyce A. Mackey Endowed Fund for Skin Cancer Research will help fund innovations in immunostain testing and research that may lead to more accurate removal of skin tumors and other cancer cells.

Click here for Match Day 2021 results.

About 170 senior medical students from the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine were successfully matched today and learned where they will spend their residency training after graduation from medical school in May.

Called Match Day, the annual event is held at all medical schools across the country to reveal where senior medical students will spend their residencies, the next step in their medical education – which can last from three to seven years, depending on the specialty.

After a cancellation last year due to COVID-19, this year’s Match Day for USF Health students returned to a format more like those in years past, with mostly in-person presentations of sealed envelopes and students announcing and celebrating their matches with classmates. This hybrid approach included some students streaming in virtually to share their matches with classmates.

At the in-person event, held outdoors at the downtown Tampa restaurant Ulele, public health measures were followed: the senior medical students remained socially distant, wore masks and, as health care providers in training with direct patient interaction, had already been vaccinated against COVID-19.

But some traditions remained on pause, like including friends and family at the event. To help keep them connected, the event was live-streamed so relations across the globe could see matches unfold.

Kicking of the program was U.S. Representative Kathy Castor, who offered good wishes in a prerecorded message shown to all in attendance and across the live-stream.

“From Washington DC, a big shout out and congratulations to everyone who is matching today,” Rep. Castor said. “Congratulations USF College of Medicine and all the fantastic folks who are on the way to their residencies. I know how important it is to have residency slots across the state of Florida. We’re behind. So, wherever you match, just know we want you to return to the Tampa Bay area, return to the state of Florida to practice medicine and serve your neighbors. And you can count on me here in Congress to work to expand the number of residency slots so future graduates can match and serve in the state of Florida. Go Bulls!”

Then came in-person congratulations from Charles Lockwood, MD, senior vice president for USF Health and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine.

“It’s incredibly thrilling to me to be at this live event,” Dr. Lockwood said. “You’re an amazing group of people who have put up with a year that is unlike any in our history. I thank you for your patience, your tenacity, and your grit. This was an incredibly complex year, from an educational standpoint, and was emotionally draining on all of us. We’re all a little better, as physicians, for it. We dealt with a planetary pandemic, the likes of which we haven’t seen for over a hundred years, and came through it, particularly this state, incredibly well. We’re not done yet, but we’re close. So, it’s great to see you off to your residencies and the next phase of your careers. Congratulations, thank you all, and good luck.”

And then the matches began!

The national match process is handled through the National Residency Match Program (NRMP). In the months leading up to Match Day, students apply and interview for residency slots with institutions across the country, and then rank their preferences. Match Day, which begins at noon (ET), is when students learn which residency programs chose them and where they will train for the next three to seven years.

This year’s NRMP’s main match was the largest in NRMP history: a record-high 48,700 applicants submitted program choices for 38,106 positions, an increase of 3,741 (8.3%) applicants over 2020 (the largest single-year bump in recorded history).

For this year’s Match Day, the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Class of 2021 includes 171 senior students, of which 46 are in the SELECT MD program, who have spent the past two years in clinical rotations in Allentown, PA.

Stats: From the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Class of 2021: 171 students matched; 37 students (22%) are staying at USF; 79 (46%) are staying in Florida; and 57 students (33%) chose primary care as their specialty (internal medicine, family medicine, and pediatrics). Click here for more details about the nationwide Match from the National Residency Match Program.

Photos by Allison Long, video by Torie Doll, USF Health Communications and Marketing

What a year!

We may be trying to close this year out as quickly as possible, but a quick look back at some of our top stories is a must!

It may surprise you – they weren’t all related to COVID-19! Here are our Top 10 Stories of 2020, for both the USF Health News site and via social media (USF Health Facebook), ranked starting at No. 1. And also check out the top stories for USF (more…).

Take a look!

Top USF Health Online Stories*

1: The new Morsani College of Medicine + Heart Institute opens in downtown Tampa!

2: Christian Bréchot’s COVID-19 blog

3. COVID Q&A with Dr. Michael Teng

4. USF Health team invents 3D printed nasal swab to impact worldwide ability to test for COVID-19

5. Patients of TGH, USF Health have greater access to their medical records as part of Cures Act

6. USF Health, TGH selected to participate in COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial

Tampa General Hospital Exterior with USF Medical Building taken from Davis Islands bridge at dusk

7. USF Health leads in COVID-19 clinical trials

8. TGH/USF Health sign enhanced affiliation agreement

9. ICU bed shortage predicted as COVID-19 surges

10. Match Day 2020

*Page views on the USF Health News WordPress site as determined by Google Analytics

Top Social Media Stories**

1. USF Health virologist Michael Teng: Coronavirus Q&A

2. Tampa General Hospital, University of South Florida Strengthen Affiliation

3. USF Health rapidly expands telehealth to keep patients connected to medical specialists

4. We Must Lead The Way, by Dr. Charles Lockwood

5. USF Health Pediatric Pulmonology Becomes a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation-Accredited Core Center

6. USF Nurse Educator Helps Husband Survive COVID-19

7. USF Health accelerates COVID-19 research projects

8. USF Health takes COVID-19 testing to local Hillsborough County neighborhoods

9. Tie: Lung Transplant Team Led By Dr. Kapilkumar Patel, Recognized As Culture Champions

9. Tie: New USF Analysis Predicts a Serious Hospital Bed Shortage in Hillsborough County in the Absence of Social Distancing

10. Second Quarter 2020 Earn Press Ganey Awards

**Based on Facebook page views

USF Health and TGH patients will provide more complete medical records through the MyChart patient portal in advance of a new federal rule change.

Tampa, FL (Nov. 9, 2020) –Tampa General Hospital and USF Health are now giving patients easier access to their clinical notes, lab results, imaging results and much more via the MyChart patient portal in anticipation of the ONC Cures Act Final Rule (21st Century Cures Act). These changes will give patients greater and faster access to their health information and empower them to be in charge of their health data.

Patients of USF Health and Tampa General Hospital will have this expanded access through their MyChart patient portal accounts.

“This is good news for our patients,” said Mark Moseley, MD, MHA, CPE, FACEP, chief clinical officer and associate vice president for USF Health. “It allows patients to be engaged with their own health care, and access to their medical records is critical to doing that.  While we have always provided our patients with access to lab and test results, we now provide more complete records, including completed notes, and are providing it faster than we have in the past.”

The goal is to provide patients with this greater access in a more automated manner using the Epic MyChart portal and smartphone app, with careful checks and balances in place to assure timely and accurate release of medical information.

“Studies show that when patients have more information available, they are more likely to take action to improve their health,” said Laura Haubner, MD, interim chief medical officer at Tampa General. “We’re pleased to be able to improve access for our patients and help empower them with more knowledge about their own health care.”

This change expands the types of medical records patients receive to include sections of the medical records referred to as notes. This can include notes from consultations, discharge summaries, history and physicals, procedures, and progress notes, as well as imaging narratives, laboratory report narratives, and pathology report narratives.

“Open notes will allow us to partner with our patients in truly unique ways,” said Nishit Patel, MD, associate professor in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and chief medical informatics officer for USF Health and Tampa General Hospital. “With this new effort, notes will evolve from being tools that just document a visit into critical resources that patients can reference after an appointment to help them better understand their diagnosis and treatment plan. Patients can also more easily engage their loved ones to help them achieve their health care goals. The note becomes the ultimate after-visit summary.”

Tampa General Hospital and USF Health began releasing via MyChart expanded clinical documentation related to visits with either organization on Nov. 2, the original implementation date planned for the federal rule change. Once physicians complete the notes and documentation associated with USF Health appointments, TGMG appointments or TGH inpatient care, those details will automatically be sent to the patient’s MyChart account. This more complete documentation will include lab results, imaging results, and pathology results, along with completed notes related to visits with USF Health or Tampa General providers. There is no charge for the release of records within MyChart.

The federal rule change has now been delayed until April 2021, but TGH and USF Health were prepared for the original Nov. 2 implementation date and proceeded with plans to implement the change on this date.