Public Health

2024 with a lightbulb instead of a zero

The best of 2024 from Innovation District

2024 with a lightbulb instead of a zero2024 marked another groundbreaking year for Children’s National Hospital, showcasing remarkable advances across the spectrum of pediatric medicine, research and healthcare innovation. From pioneering surgical procedures to breakthrough artificial intelligence applications, the institution continued to push the boundaries of what’s possible in children’s healthcare. Read on for our list of the most popular articles we published on Innovation District in 2024.

1. Prenatal COVID exposure associated with changes in newborn brain

A study led by researchers at Children’s National Hospital showed that babies born during the COVID-19 pandemic have differences in the size of certain structures in the brain, compared to infants born before the pandemic. The findings suggest that exposure to the coronavirus and being pregnant during the pandemic could play a role in shaping infant brain development.
(3 min. read)

2. Children’s National Hospital again ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report

Children’s National Hospital was ranked as a top hospital in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report 2024-25 Best Children’s Hospitals annual rankings. This marks the eighth straight year Children’s National has made the Honor Roll list. The Honor Roll is a distinction awarded to only 10 children’s hospitals nationwide.
(2 min. read)

3. Children’s National performs first ever HIFU procedure on patient with cerebral palsy

In January 2023, a team of multidisciplinary doctors performed the first case in the world of using bilateral high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) pallidotomy on Jesus, a 22-year-old patient with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. The procedure is part of a clinical trial led by Chima Oluigbo, M.D., pediatric neurosurgeon at Children’s National Hospital.
(3 min. read)

4. Novel ultrasound device gets FDA breakthrough designation with Children’s National support

A novel ultrasound device developed by Bloom Standard received the Food and Drug Administration’s valued breakthrough device designation with the help of Children’s National Hospital. The device that enables autonomous, hands-free ultrasound scans to be performed anywhere, by any user.
(2 min. read)

5. First-of-its-kind pilot study on the impacts of Lyme disease in pregnancy and infant development

Understanding the effects of Lyme disease on the developing fetal brain is essential to ensure timely prenatal and postnatal treatments to protect the fetus and newborn. In response to this need, Children’s National Hospital is leading a pilot study to establish the groundwork needed for a larger study to determine the effect of in utero exposure to Lyme disease on pregnancy and early childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes.
(3 min. read)

6. Earliest hybrid HLHS heart surgery kids thrive 5 years later

Five years ago, Cayden was born 6 weeks early weighing less than four pounds and at risk of dying from her critical congenital heart disease. Today, she’s a happy five-year-old. Early diagnosis of her hypoplastic right ventricle, double inlet left ventricle and critical coarctation of the aorta allowed for the team at Children’s National Hospital to create a careful plan for safe delivery and to offer an innovative hybrid HLHS surgical approach at the hospital within 24 hours after she was born.
(1 min. read)

7. Wayne J. Franklin, M.D., F.A.C.C., named senior vice president of the Children’s National Heart Center

Children’s National Hospital appointed Wayne J. Franklin, M.D., F.A.C.C., as the new senior vice president (SVP) of the Children’s National Heart Center. In this role, Dr. Franklin oversees the full spectrum of heart care services including cardiac imaging and diagnostics, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiac anesthesia, cardiac surgery and cardiac intensive care.
(2 min. read)

8. Artificial – and accelerated – intelligence: endless applications to expand health equity

By pioneering artificial intelligence (AI) innovation programs at Children’s National Hospital, Marius George Linguraru, D.Phil., M.A., M.Sc., and the AI experts he leads are ensuring patients and families benefit from a coming wave of technological advances. The team is teaching AI to interpret complex data that could otherwise overwhelm clinicians.
(4 min. read)

9. Evidence review: Maternal mental conditions drive climbing death rate in U.S.

Painting a sobering picture, a research team led by Children’s National Hospital culled years of data demonstrating that maternal mental illness is an under-recognized contributor to the death of new mothers. They called for urgent action to address this public health crisis.
(3 min. read)

10. Nathan Kuppermann, M.D., M.P.H., named chief academic officer and chair of Pediatrics

Children’s National Hospital appointed Nathan Kuppermann, M.D., M.P.H., as its new executive vice president, chief academic officer and chair of Pediatrics. In this role, Dr. Kuppermann oversees research, education and innovation for the Children’s National Research Institute as well as academic and administrative leadership in the Department of Pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Services.
(2 min. read)

11. First global clinical trial achieves promising results for hypochondroplasia

Researchers from Children’s National Hospital presented findings from the first clinical trial of the medication vosoritide for children with hypochondroplasia – a rare genetic growth disorder. During the phase 2 trial, researchers found vosoritide increased the growth rate in children with hypochondroplasia, allowing them to grow on average an extra 1.8 cm per year.
(2 min. read)

12. Pioneering research center aims to revolutionize prenatal and neonatal health

Since its establishment in July 2023, the Center for Prenatal, Neonatal & Maternal Health Research at Children’s National Hospital has gained recognition through high-impact scientific publications, featuring noteworthy studies exploring the early phases of human development.
(3 min. read)

Alda Mizaku

Meet Children’s National’s new Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer

Alda Mizaku

In June, Alda Mizaku, M.S., became the hospital’s first chief data and AI officer.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing healthcare and will shape the future of pediatrics. It can drive efficiency, supercharge research and improve patient outcomes. Harnessing AI safely and ethically takes thoughtful leadership. In June, Alda Mizaku, M.S., became the hospital’s first chief data and AI officer. Previously, she led data engineering and analytics at Mercy Health in St. Louis for 11 years. We asked Mizaku about her work and vision for Children’s National.

Q: What excites you about your new role?

A: I am passionate about the opportunity to leverage technology to create better experiences for children and families. Embracing innovation can help us create more health equity for our community. This is an exciting time in healthcare. I’m committed to leading the way with compassionate and cutting-edge solutions. This includes realizing the full potential of medical data from electronic healthcare records and other sources. AI can help us develop treatment plans tailored specifically for each child. It also can make proactive recommendations to coordinate patient care.

Q: What have you seen AI accomplish in medicine and how do you envision its growth and impact in pediatrics?

A: AI yields helpful insights to understand each patient’s individual needs. It takes complex medical data and makes it more useful. It can help us diagnose disease and improve care coordination for each patient family. AI fits very well into pediatrics because children’s hospitals put a lot of effort into research and development. For example, in rare disease, there’s an emphasis on building models to understand a condition’s genetic composition. AI gives us the opportunity to find solutions and intervene more quickly to change lives. This is the future of pediatric medicine.

Q: How will children’s national use AI to improve patient care?

A: We have been busy creating an enterprise cloud data platform. It will allow us to bring all of the hospital’s data into one place and create one true source of information.
This one-stop shop will make it much easier for our researchers and care providers to access the information they need to make a difference for patients. AI will help with operational efficiencies. It will give us a clearer picture of which units across the institution are busy or have extra capacity. It can recommend ways to eliminate bottlenecks. This reduces wait times and allows us to help more patients.

Q: How can AI help our faculty?

A: The beauty of AI is that it can help faculty focus more on patient care and less on their administrative tasks.
Jessica Herstek, M.D., our chief medical informatics officer, is leading our pilot of an AI-based ambient listening technology that creates notes during patient encounters. The clinician focuses on their patient. Later, they can refine and approve the notes.

Accountability remains important. Just because we’re leveraging technology, it doesn’t remove accountability for staff.
AI assists providers and reinforces their role in care. Medical innovations that leverage AI also can increase their efficiency.
For example, liquid biopsy technologies use AI to study blood samples and detect cancer. This helps patients avoid time-consuming scans and painful traditional biopsies. We can detect disease or its recurrence much earlier in a less invasive way. This enhances care.

Q: What are some challenges we face on the road to implementing AI?

A: Embracing AI systems may involve giving up some comfort in the way that we’ve always done things. It opens up possibilities, but it requires some change. Our challenge is to make sure we have three things in place to create scalable, sustainable solutions. The first is having high-quality, integrated data. The second is collaboration. The third is change management.

We will take an inclusive approach to implementing changes, working side by side with clinical and operational leaders. When we present solutions, it will be collaborative. Comprehensive training also plays a key role. We must address misconceptions about AI’s capabilities and foster a common understanding of its most effective uses.
Our recipe for success will be openness to contributing to better outcomes for our patients.
We need to collect high-quality data consistently across different units. Variations don’t translate well to scalable solutions crucial to generative AI. When we look at the big picture, it’s clear we can come together to provide the best care.

Q: Why is this work important to you?

A: Technology and its capacity to transform lives has always captivated me. Growing up in Albania, my dad led the pharmacy at the local hospital.
Sometimes I would ride in the ambulance when he needed to go to the hospital urgently. I was around 7 years old at the time, and it left a deep impression.
I recognized that each member of the team played a significant role in caring for the patient. This experience inspires my work to this day.

Attendees at the Children's National-Microsoft session

Children’s National and Microsoft unite to reimagine pediatric care with AI

  • Attendees at the Children's National-Microsoft session
  • Attendees at the Children's National-Microsoft session
  • Attendees at the Children's National-Microsoft session
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Children’s National Hospital is teaming up with Microsoft to harness the power of generative AI and revolutionize healthcare solutions. Over the course of an intensive two-day prototype session guided by Microsoft experts, Children’s National developers explored innovative use cases in predictive analytics, decision support, workflow automation, patient engagement and personalized medicine. This collaboration aims to enhance the quality and efficiency of care, ultimately improving outcomes for young patients.

What they’re saying

“We are empowering innovation at Children’s National through the synergy of human creativity and GenAI, we are on a journey to redefine what’s possible in pediatric healthcare,” said Alda Mizaku, VP & chief data and artificial intelligence officer at Children’s National.

“We’re proud to be part of Children’s National’s journey toward building a data-driven, innovative infrastructure. Recent strides, such as launching Children’s AI journey and piloting physician-led AI initiatives, underscore their commitment to delivering exceptional care through cutting-edge Microsoft solutions,” said Tyler Bryson, corporate vice president at Microsoft.

What was developed

Children’s National’s developers created the following GenAI Use Cases for the Rapid Prototype:

  • Use Case 1: Inpatient Stay Insights
    Create personalized summaries of hospital stays using AI. It analyzes clinical records and data to generate narratives for different personas, such as providers, coders, parents, patients and care managers.
  • Use Case 2: Next Best Action
    Proactive care by generating personalized recommendations for a patient’s continued care, streamlining care coordination, improving outcomes and enhancing communication between healthcare providers, care managers and patients.
  • Use Case 3: Beacon – Internal Policies and Procedures
    Beacon, a GenAI-powered assistant that chats with our internal knowledge base. It can answer questions and give information from our policies, procedures, manuals and other content.
  • Use Case 4: Personalized Medication Consultation
    Create a personalized medication consultation, aimed at enhancing the medication alert system through tailored alerts and guidance to providers, while taking into account patient’s clinical data and institutional patterns.

Reflecting on the development of these use cases, Children’s National hospitalist and chief informatics officer Jessica Herstek, M.D., said “We aim to develop scalable and sustainable solutions to everyday challenges in pediatric health care. For this prototype session, we brought together teams from across our organization with clinical, operational, and technical skills to test the possibilities and fallibilities of AI-enabled tools and explore how we can push ourselves and our technology partners to support the needs of our patients and families and the workflows of our doctors and nurses.”

Why is this exciting? What’s next?

Mizaku says this is a pivotal moment in Children’s journey towards revolutionizing pediatric healthcare. As we move forward, we commit to developing generative AI capabilities that are not only scalable and robust but also specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of our young patients. Our focus will be on practical applications that enhance care delivery while also improving efficiencies for our staff and internal teams.

A special thanks to our Microsoft partners: Tyler Bryson, Tyler Flatt, Jordan Lipp, Natalie Pearce, Todd Painter, Paul Fisher and Mahjabin Ahmed.

Children’s National Hospital participants: Catherine Pearcy, Nolen Morton, Brittany Duah, Ann Hoffman, Walter Buckner, Dr. Jessica Herstek, Ranjodh Badh, Geetanjali Vashist, Shivaram Muruga, Dr. Rachel Selekman, Dr. Paul Michel, Dr. Kenneth McKinley, Simmy King, Dr. Mihailo Kaplarevic, Aymen Mehai, Dr. Syed Anwar, Parida Abhijeet, Dr. Xinyang Liu, Andrew Maddox, Amy Quinn, Mike McLaughlin, Samm Sherman, Alda Mizaku, Shannon Cross, Shahzaib Ismail, Aric Campling, Frederick Zilmer, and Johnie Henry.

Emergency department nurse with patient

Investment in pediatric emergency care could save over 2,100 lives annually

Emergency department nurse with patient

By becoming highly “pediatric ready,” emergency departments could prevent the deaths of 2,143 children each year with an annual cost between $0 and $12 per child resident, depending on the state.

In emergencies, children have distinct needs. Yet 83% of emergency departments (EDs) nationwide are not fully prepared to meet them. A new study has found that bridging that gap, known as becoming highly “pediatric ready,” could prevent the deaths of 2,143 children each year with an annual cost between $0 and $12 per child resident, depending on the state.

“Our country can afford it, and we owe it to our children to do it,” says the study’s senior author Nathan Kuppermann, M.D., chair of Pediatrics and chief academic officer at Children’s National Hospital.

The research team – led by Oregon Health & Science University and Children’s National – analyzed data from 4,840 EDs, focusing on 669,019 children at risk for death upon seeking care. Using predictive models, they assessed how every ED achieving high pediatric readiness – defined as scoring at least 88 out of 100 on the National Pediatric Readiness Project assessment – could impact mortality rates.

“The National Pediatric Readiness Project outlines essential pediatric capabilities for EDs, such as the availability of essential pediatric equipment and pediatric-specific training,” says Dr. Kuppermann, an emergency medicine physician. “While a perfect score of 100 is ideal, past research shows a score of 88 or higher can reduce mortality risk by up to 76% for ill children and 60% for injured children.”

Why it matters

In Maryland, an additional cost of $1.10 per child could save 17 pediatric lives annually, adjusted for population size. In Virginia, $2.42 per child could save 29 lives annually, and $1.59 per child in the District of Columbia could save 16 lives annually. The research team said strategies for implementing the findings would require regulation, incentives and policy-based initiatives.

“This study builds on a growing body of research demonstrating that every hospital can and must be ready for children’s emergencies,” says lead author Craig Newgard, M.D., M.P.H., an emergency physician at Oregon Health & Science University. “For the first time, we have comprehensive national and state-by-state data that emphasizes both the urgency and feasibility of this work.”

The patient benefit

Nathan Kuppermann

“Our country can afford it, and we owe it to our children to do it,” says the study’s senior author Nathan Kuppermann, M.D., chair of Pediatrics and chief academic officer at Children’s National Hospital.

By applying the potential reduction in mortality associated with high readiness to the number of children at risk of death, the researchers identified the number of lives that could be saved each year. State-specific estimates, adjusted for population size, ranged from 0 preventable deaths in Delaware to 69 in South Dakota.

“Achieving high readiness levels can be challenging for small emergency departments with fewer resources, typically in more rural areas. The result is significant inequity and large healthcare deserts in pediatric emergency care across the United States,” Dr. Kuppermann says. “Yet we found the cost of elevating care to the highest quartile of pediatric readiness is not very high.”

What’s next

The study authors estimate achieving universal high pediatric readiness across the United States would cost approximately $207 million annually. Per-child costs by state to raise ED readiness from current levels ranged from $0 to $12 per year.

“This research emphasizes the urgent need for widespread investment in pediatric readiness,” says Kate Remick, M.D., co-author and emergency physician with the Dell School of Medicine at the University of Texas at Austin. “The National Pediatric Readiness Project has provided a roadmap for improvement. But we need the full engagement of clinicians, healthcare administrators, policymakers and families to make universal pediatric readiness a reality.”

The study outlines several strategies to improve pediatric emergency care, such as integrating high pediatric readiness into hospital accreditation requirements and incentivizing readiness through performance-based reimbursement models.

This study was funded by a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Emergency Medical Services for Children Targeted Issue grant (H34MC33243-01-01) and an HHS National Institutes of Health (NIH) Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) grant (R24 HD085927). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HHS, HRSA, NIH, or the U.S. Government.

Refinery in Corpus Christi , Texas

Ten sustainable steps to mitigate the climate crisis

Refinery in Corpus Christi , Texas

A new manuscript published in the Cambridge University Press outlines 10 actionable steps that infectious diseases professionals can take to reduce their environmental impact.

The U.S. healthcare sector contributes disproportionately to greenhouse gas emissions. A new manuscript published in the Cambridge University Press outlines 10 actionable steps that infectious diseases professionals can take to reduce their environmental impact, from better waste management to promoting telehealth and advocating for hospital-wide sustainability initiatives.

Shreya Doshi, M.D., pediatric fellow at Children’s National Hospital, shares some key highlights from this manuscript below:

Q: What’s been the hold-up in the field?

A: Despite the healthcare sector’s significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, we are not doing enough as a community, a nation and as an industry. Much more needs to be done, and a lack of awareness is a major barrier. To truly protect children’s health and keep them out of hospitals, we must focus on reducing harm to their environment. Currently, the healthcare industry is responsible for approximately 8.5 percent of total emissions in the U.S.

Q: How will this benefit patients?

A: By adopting sustainable practices, healthcare systems can reduce pollution and its related health effects. Simultaneously, the resource-efficient use of medical supplies and medications can also lead to more cost-effective care without compromising patient safety, ultimately leading to better health outcomes.

Q: How is Children’s National leading in this space? How unique is this work?

A: This work stands out by focusing on simple, actionable steps that everyone can take, while emphasizing the leadership role that infection preventionists, antimicrobial stewards, and other ID professionals can play in advancing healthcare sustainability. We also have a hospital-wide Sustainability Council that fosters interdisciplinary collaboration. To get involved, email Sustainabilitycouncil@childrensnational.org to join!

You can read the full study, 10 sustainable steps infectious disease professionals can take to mitigate the climate crisis, in the Cambridge University Press.

2024-25 US News Badges

Children’s National again ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report

2024-25 US News BadgesChildren’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., was ranked as a top hospital in the nation by the U.S. News & World Report 2024-25 Best Children’s Hospitals annual rankings. This marks the eighth straight year Children’s National has made the Honor Roll list. The Honor Roll is a distinction awarded to only 10 children’s hospitals nationwide.

This year, U.S. News ended ordinal rankings on its Honor Roll. Instead of assigning a numerical rank from 1 to 10, all hospitals on the Honor Roll will be recognized as having attained the highest standards of care in the nation.

In addition, Children’s National tied for #1 pediatric hospital in the Mid-Atlantic region, which includes New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, West Virginia and Virginia. It’s also best in the Mid-Atlantic in Neonatology.

For the fourteenth straight year, Children’s National ranked in 10 specialty services. New this year, U.S. News included behavioral health as a service line in the rankings. Since it’s the first year, there are no ordinal rankings for behavioral health, but the Children’s National program was named one of the top 50 programs in the country.

“In my first year here, I witnessed what makes Children’s National so special — our commitment to collaboration, empowering one another, and charting a bold path forward for pediatric care,” said Michelle Riley-Brown, MHA, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Children’s National. “I’m proud U.S. News again recognized Children’s National as one of the top in the nation and the highest-ranked pediatric hospital in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Together, we’ll continue to push the boundaries of care, research and innovation to make a difference for those who matter most — the kids.”

The annual rankings are the most comprehensive source of quality-related information on U.S. pediatric hospitals and recognizes the nation’s top 50 pediatric hospitals based on a scoring system developed by U.S. News.

“For nearly two decades, U.S. News has published Best Children’s Hospitals to empower the parents and caregivers of children with complex medical needs,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News. “Children’s hospitals appearing on the U.S. News Honor Roll have a track record of delivering unparalleled specialized care.”

The bulk of the score for each specialty service is based on quality and outcomes data. The process includes a survey of relevant specialists across the country, who are asked to list hospitals they believe provide the best care for patients with the most complex conditions.

The Children’s National specialty services that U.S. News ranked in the top 10 nationally are:

The other four specialties ranked among the top 50 are Behavioral Health, Cardiology and Heart Surgery, Pulmonology and Lung Surgery, and Urology.

boy on cot in emergency shelter

New federally supported hub to advance solutions for pediatric health emergencies

boy on cot in emergency shelterClinicians caring for children are often left to rely on off-label devices and medications approved for adults, especially during public health crises, national disasters and other emergencies. To address this critical gap, Children’s National Hospital is launching a 10-year partnership with the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) — valued at $1.5 million per year, with the possibility of an additional funding boost of up to $515 million.

This new pediatric-focused hub will be known as the SPARK Hub — or the Hub for Special Populations Acceleration, Research and Knowledge for Innovations in Pediatrics. It will join a network of four existing BARDA hubs to develop various tools for national health emergencies, including infectious disease outbreaks or chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks. The new opportunity for Children’s National positions the organization as a leader among those working to ensure clinicians and their patients have the resources they need in crises, approved for kids and ready for clinical use.

BARDA is part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which leads the nation’s medical and public health preparedness, response and recovery efforts during disasters and public health emergencies. The new SPARK Hub led by Children’s National seeks to accelerate innovations that can detect, prevent or respond to the medical consequences of a health security threat for children. SPARK’s scope includes drugs, biologics, devices, diagnostics and digital health solutions that improve prevention, readiness and response.

Kolaleh Eskandanian, Ph.D., M.B.A., P.M.P., vice president and chief innovation officer at Children’s National and principal investigator of SPARK Innovations in Pediatrics, said the hospital was honored to take on this role, which “underscores our commitment to advancing the health and safety of children during public health emergencies.”

“To tackle the complex challenges in developing pediatric medical countermeasures, we have assembled an exceptional team of pediatrician-scientists,” Dr. Eskandanian said. “Their expertise will be instrumental as we partner with BARDA on this vital mission, ensuring that our most vulnerable populations receive the care and protection they deserve.”

Children’s National will lead the hub with its SPARK partners: BioHealth Innovation, Consortia for Improving Medicine with Innovation and Technology (CIMIT) at Mass General Brigham, and University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s. Johnson & Johnson Innovation JLABS and BLUE KNIGHT™ join the team as strategic industry partners.

The BARDA Accelerator Network aims to provide comprehensive support to health security innovators, startups and BARDA portfolio companies. Dr. Eskandanian said that innovators have ideas for devices, but they often could benefit from wrap-around support to accelerate their development through technical guidance, business and commercialization expertise, and resources. The network will facilitate the rapid development, evaluation, validation and commercialization of medical countermeasures.

“One of the critical challenges we face in safeguarding our children during public health emergencies is the limited medical countermeasures specifically approved for pediatric use,” Dr. Eskandanian said. “This creates significant ethical, legal and operational dilemmas when considering whether to use untested or off-label options for our youngest and most vulnerable populations.”

Children’s National has in-depth experience leading nonprofit accelerator programs to spur innovation in healthcare. It is currently serving its 11th year as leader of one of five pediatric consortia funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Alliance for Pediatric Device Innovation, which focuses on bringing patients medical devices specifically evaluated and labeled for use in pediatrics.

Children’s National is also one of two leading hospital sites for the Pediatric Pandemic Network (PPN), which aims to empower healthcare systems and communities to provide high-quality, equitable care to children every day and in crises. The Health Resources and Services Administration, a part of HHS, funds the PPN.

Sara Johnson, Ph.D., Desiree de la Torre, M.B.A., M.P.H., and Arethusa Kirk, M.D.

Children’s National summit unites 200+ to bridge health and education

Keynote speaker, Maya Martin Cadogan, executive director, Parents Amplifying Voices in Education (PAVE).

Keynote speaker, Maya Martin Cadogan, executive director, Parents Amplifying Voices in Education (PAVE).

More than 200 attendees from 35 organizations took part in the Children’s National Hospital’s School Health Summit to build strong academic foundations and help launch students into careers. The event, held at the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus, showcased the Children’s National school-friendly health system framework, school health initiatives and partnerships across the Washington, D.C., area and fostered networking and new relationships between the health and education sectors. Over 80 school nurses from Children’s School Services in the District of Columbia attended the event as part of their summer professional development programming.

Summit highlights

Tonya Vidal Kinlow, M.P.A., vice president of Community Engagement, Advocacy & Government Affairs at Children’s National, delivered opening and closing remarks.

“We believe that addressing school attendance and offering career training programs can powerfully impact students’ academic success and build the foundation for healthy, successful lives,” Kinlow said.

The keynote speaker, Maya Martin Cadogan, executive director of Parents Amplifying Voices in Education (PAVE), shared valuable insight on the important role that parents and caregivers have in advocating for their children’s health through collaborations with health and educational systems.

“Our parent leaders are policy experts, fierce advocates and community connectors. We work with schools, elected officials, policymakers and other leaders, including our partners at Children’s National, to advance a parent-led agenda for systems change in our nation’s capital,” said Cadogan.

A panel of experts who provide school-based services around the region discussed challenges and potential solutions for improving healthcare and education in under-resourced communities. A panel on youth engagement and voices in healthcare also discussed strategies to engage youth in healthcare career opportunities.

Sara Johnson, Ph.D., Desiree de la Torre, M.B.A., M.P.H., and Arethusa Kirk, M.D.

Sara Johnson, Ph.D., professor of pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Desiree de la Torre, M.B.A., M.P.H., executive director, Community and Government Affairs, Children’s National and Arethusa Kirk, M.D., pediatrician and vice president, Population Health & Clinical Strategy, United Healthcare.

Panel topics and participants

  • Panel 1 – Innovations addressing chronic absenteeism and increasing access to care
    Moderator:  Arethusa Kirk, M.D., vice president of Population Health & Clinical Strategy at United Healthcare
    Panelists:

    • Andrea Boudreaux, Psy.D., M.P.H., M.A., F.A.C.H.E., executive director at Children’s School Services
    • Desiree de la Torre, M.B.A., M.P.H., executive director of Community and Government Affairs at Children’s National
    • Sara Johnson, Ph.D., pediatrics professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
    • Hope Rhodes, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P., medical director of THEARC at Children’s Nationa
  • Panel 2: Youth engagement across the region
    Moderator: Reneé Roberts-Turner, D.H.A., M.S.N, R.N., N.E.-B.C, C.P.H.Q., executive director of nursing excellence for Child and Family Services at Children’s National
    Panelists:  

    • Andrea Zimmermann, director of the Advanced Technical Center at the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education
    • Darcel Jackson, C.P.X.P., L.S.S.G.B., manager of Patient Experience and Patient and Family Engagement at Children’s National
    • Iana Clarence, M.P.H., former Children’s National intern and public health analyst at the Office of Population Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

As a School-Friendly Health System, Children’s National ensures all children reach optimal health and achieve their full academic potential. Children’s National is committed to addressing school attendance and career training, which can powerfully impact students’ academic success and build the foundation for healthy, successful lives. The health and education sectors must build trusted partnerships and share decision-making with families and schools.

This event was sponsored by the United Health Foundation and Children’s National Child Health Advocacy Institute through the leadership of Kinlow and Nathaniel Beers, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.P.

American Diabetes Association 84th Scientific Sessions logo

Children’s National at ADA 84th Scientific Sessions

American Diabetes Association 84th Scientific Sessions logoThe American Diabetes Association 84th Scientific Sessions were held in Orlando, Florida. The meeting presented an opportunity for researchers and health care professionals to exchange knowledge on the latest scientific advances and breakthroughs in diabetes. Participants included:

Oral Presentations:

Poster Presentations:

Dr. Craig Sable in Uganda

Around the world

Our Global Health Initiative launched in 2016 with the goal of eliminating pediatric health disparities around the world. We aim to address the most pressing pediatric health issues through better care for medically underserved populations. This leadership helps us achieve our mission of caring for all children. A broad range of education and research projects improves health outcomes. They also offer enriching opportunities for experienced faculty and emerging leaders to advance clinical excellence.

Healing hearts in Uganda

Dr. Craig Sable in Uganda

Dr. Craig Sable and team train partners in Uganda.

Craig Sable, M.D., interim chief of Cardiology, improves care for young people with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in Uganda. Donors, including the Karp Family Foundation, Huron Philanthropies, Zachary Blumenfeld Fund and the Wood family, make this possible. RHD affects 50 million people, mostly children, worldwide. It claims 400,000 lives each year.

Dr. Sable and Ugandan partners completed important research showing that early RHD detection, coupled with monthly penicillin treatment, can protect the heart. They are working on practical solutions, such as a new portable device with artificial intelligence (AI) that can easily screen for RHD.

In 2023, Dr. Sable led two missions in Uganda where he and his team did surgeries and special tests for 18 children with RHD. They also taught local doctors new skills to help more kids on their own.

Plastic surgery and reconstructive care in Kenya and Nepal

Each year our Craniofacial & Pediatric Plastic Surgery team, under the leadership of Johnston Family Professor of Pediatric Plastic Surgery and Chief of Pediatric Plastic Surgery Gary Rogers, M.D., J.D., LL.M., M.B.A., M.P.H., provides opportunities for fellows to participate in surgical missions.

In 2024, Perry Bradford, M.D., traveled to the Moi Teaching Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya where she provided patients with burn, pressure wound and cleft reconstruction. She built community connections with the local plastic surgeons and educated registrars and medical students. “This gave me firsthand experience working in a community with limited resources and forced me to be more creative,” Dr. Bradford says. “The experience inspired me to examine what it means to have consistent access to advanced tools and equipment.”

In 2022, a group traveled to Nepal to provide care. Some patients arrived after days of travel by yak or buffalo. One child with a burn injury recovered use of her hand. The team educated local providers to deliver life-changing treatments unavailable in Nepal.

Dr. Tesfaye Zelleke in Ethiopia

Dr. Tesfaye Zelleke, left, and team in Ethopia.

Elevating epilepsy care in Ethiopia

Neurologist Tesfaye Zelleke, M.D., and partners in Ethiopia are seeking to improve the lives of children with epilepsy. The BAND Foundation provides support. Ethiopia has a population of about 120 million yet only a handful of pediatric neurologists.

Dr. Zelleke’s team trained nonspecialist providers to diagnose and treat children in the primary care setting. They also launched a mobile epilepsy clinic to provide community care and build the capacity of local clinicians. In collaboration with advocacy groups, the team educates the public about epilepsy with a goal of reducing stigma.

New hope in Norway

In 2023, our Division of Colorectal & Pelvic Reconstruction shared its expertise with clinicians at Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, in Norway. This effort was a key first step in Oslo becoming the first dedicated colorectal center in Scandinavia.

Marc Levitt, M.D., and team members performed complex surgeries otherwise unavailable for waiting patients. They led an academic conference. They held clinics to educate nurses, reviewed patient records and made care recommendations. Specialized care enabled a young patient with significant bowel difficulties to recover function and lead a normal life.

The team will travel to South Africa, the Czech Republic and Spain in 2024. Donors, including The Dune Road Foundation and Deanna and Howard Bayless, make this work possible.

Improving outcomes for babies in the Congo

AI can be a valuable tool for diagnosing genetic conditions. It detects unique facial patterns that clinicians without genetics training can miss. However, existing facial analysis software struggles in nonwhite populations.

A team led by Marius George Linguraru, D.Phil., M.A., M.Sc., the Connor Family Professor of Research and Innovation and principal investigator in the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, is working to improve the newborn diagnosis rate worldwide. They are testing smartphone software in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Diverse newborn data improves AI’s ability to detect a variety of genetic conditions in more children. Early detection, diagnosis and informed care lead to better health outcomes.

Nephrology care for kids in Jamaica

Dr. Moxey-Mims and team in Jamaica

Jennifer Carver and Dr. Marva Moxey-Mims, center, with staff at Bustamante Children’s Hospital.

Marva Moxey-Mims, M.D., chief of Nephrology, is bringing care to children with kidney disease in Jamaica, with a goal of improving health equity. An International Pediatric Nephrology Association grant helped make it possible.

On a recent trip, Dr. Moxey-Mims and a small team — including Jennifer Carver, RN, CNN, lead peritoneal dialysis nurse at Children’s National, and three pediatric nephrologists from Jamaica — trained nearly 30 nurses from Jamaican hospitals. Nurses received hands-on dialysis education to improve their clinical skills. The team also worked to educate the community in disease awareness and prevention.

Read more stories like this one in the latest issue of Believe magazine.

Drs. Donnelly and Goyal

Inspired to make a change

Drs. Donnelly and Goyal

Drs. Donnelly and Goyal lead our efforts to support survivors of violence with a focus on prevention.

Children’s National Hospital created the Youth Violence Intervention Program in 2022 to build connections with patients and prevent future violence through follow-up support for them and their families.

The team works under the leadership of Katie Donnelly, M.D., M.P.H., the program’s medical director who is an emergency medicine physician. They care for children who are survivors of community violence, including gunshot wounds, stabbings or assaults. The program has cared for about 250 youth to date.

Dr. Donnelly and Monika Goyal, M.D., MSCE, associate division chief of Emergency Medicine and Trauma Services, lead our efforts to support survivors of violence with a focus on prevention. Dr. Goyal leads the Safer through Advocacy, Firearm Education and Research (SAFER) group. It works on a local and national level to reduce firearm injuries and deaths among children.

We spoke Drs. Donnelly and Goyal about their goals and the impact of this work.

The interview is edited for brevity.

What inspired you to launch the youth violence intervention program and SAFER?

Dr. Donnelly: Injury is a part of life, and it is something I can never fully protect any child from. But for me, the toughest cases are those caused by violence, particularly gun violence. We are seeing more kids come in with their second or third injury. Violence is a chronic disease that runs much deeper than a single injury. I wanted to do more to break the cycle and address its root causes, such as disconnection from school, unaddressed emotional trauma and poverty. I researched other hospital-based violence intervention programs and learned about the D.C. Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants. We established the program with funding from that entity.

Dr. Goyal: As we started to hear more about gun violence impacting youth, I felt like I needed to do something. Every time I care for a child in our trauma bay who suffered a gunshot wound, it just takes a piece of me. I co-founded SAFER in 2016 to make our communities safer for children so they can live healthy and fulfilling lives. It began with four physicians and has grown into a multidisciplinary team of more than 40 Children’s National experts who volunteer their time in addition to their regular duties.

What keeps you going when challenges feel insurmountable?

Dr. Donnelly: I try to focus on the kids’ successes. Last year we had several teens in the program enroll in D.C.’s Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program. They were so proud to show off the debit cards they received to process their earnings. I also think about the kids that our team has helped get back into school who are doing well. These successes are things you can’t always measure with graphs or reports. But I hold them close to my heart, and they are all inspiring.

Dr. Goyal: Gun violence has a ripple effect. Even if a child has not personally experienced gun violence, it may still touch their lives. They may have family members, neighbors or friends who are victims. Their neighborhoods may have experienced gun violence, so it impacts a child’s ability to feel safe. It is devastating. Our work through SAFER keeps me going. We are doing this by sharing evidence-based interventions, advocating for policies that protect kids, and educating families about safe firearm storage and use, among other efforts.

What do these efforts mean to you?

Dr. Donnelly: The work we do gets us a seat at the table to impact larger change, and that is gratifying. Children’s National has become the expert on pediatric firearm injuries in the D.C. region, and we work with local governments on gun violence prevention legislation. I also appreciate opportunities to share our knowledge with the community. I recently spoke at a Teach for America conference about how young teachers can talk about gun violence and safety in their classrooms.

Dr. Goyal: There have been so many feelings of helplessness, and we know we can’t make a difference in every child’s or family’s life. But we are committed to tackling this crisis and trying to prevent tragedies from happening again. It is humbling to be part of this work.

How can philanthropy support these programs?

Dr. Donnelly: External support is essential to sustaining the Youth Violence Intervention Program. We are thankful for the government funding to keep this work going, but D.C. has faced budget cuts, so it’s not always guaranteed. Also, most of the critical psychosocial support we provide is not reimbursed by insurance. This includes things like food and housing resources and transportation costs for kids to get to school or medical appointments safely. Philanthropic support would ensure that we can continue this work and expand the program. We need more Violence Intervention specialists and a trauma-focused mental healthcare provider so our patients don’t have to wait for services. There is much more we can do to ensure that families have what they need to thrive.

Dr. Goyal: I agree, there are so many opportunities for growth. We were grateful to receive a generous gift from the Honorable Ann Brown (former commissioner of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) to support some of our prevention efforts. These include expanding screenings in the E.D., developing trainings to help youth de-escalate conflict and advancing research to increase awareness of gun safety. Additional support would allow us to scale and grow our programs so we can make an even bigger impact.

Read more stories like this one in the latest issue of Believe magazine.

abstract illustration of a head and brain

Funding opportunity for medical devices addressing youth substance misuse, addiction

Pediatric medical device grant announcementThe Alliance for Pediatric Device Innovation (APDI), a nonprofit consortium led by Children’s National Hospital and funded through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), today announced a grant opportunity for pediatric medical devices that improve the monitoring, diagnosis or treatment of youth suffering from substance use disorder and addiction. Grants up to $50,000 each are available for pediatric-specific solutions selected by a panel of experts from submitted proposals. Up to $150,000 in grant funds are available for distribution through this program.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that over 3.6 million U.S. youth, ages 12 to 17, used illicit drugs in 2022. In that same period, an average of 22 youth, ages 12 to 18, died weekly from an overdose. Often, these adolescents did not show the expected warning signs before an overdose, such as problems with alcohol, drugs or prior substance use treatment. Of the teens and tweens who fatally overdosed, only 1 in 10 had a history of treatment for a substance use problem, and only 1 in 7 had ever experienced a prior nonfatal overdose.

“Tragically, drug overdose is now the third leading cause of death among adolescents and, to improve outcomes, we need medical technologies that are specifically designed for the youth,” says Kolaleh Eskandanian, Ph.D., M.B.A., vice president and chief innovation officer at Children’s National and APDI principal investigator and program director. “Teens and tweens are such enthusiastic users of technology. We believe that the time is right for new health technology solutions that can save lives and improve the health of our young people.”

APDI’s call for proposals coincides with the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse (NACDA) approval last month of the concept “Promoting Medical Device Development for Youth Affected by Drug Addiction and Substance Misuse,” which describes potential funding opportunities. In anticipation of future federal funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), APDI is providing early support by identifying potential innovations. Along with APDI grant funding, the consortium is providing awardees with support services across all phases of the medical device product lifecycle, including facilitating access to NIDA technical assistance.

Dr. Eskandanian described the kinds of pediatric-focused innovations the grant seeks to attract, which align with NACDA’s listed priorities. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Artificial intelligence-based algorithms that collect, integrate, analyze and visualize various types of data related to the diagnosis or treatment of drug misuse and addiction in youth.
  • Stand-alone or add-on digital therapeutics focused on behavioral health interventions to diagnose, treat, prevent and mitigate drug misuse and addiction.
  • Wearables and connected digital therapeutics at a point-of-need intended to detect, diagnose and treat opioid-induced respiratory depression.
  • Therapeutic devices, such as neuromodulation, intended to improve SUD treatment outcomes and prevent recurrence.

As most medical devices are designed for adults, Dr. Eskandanian notes that this limits usability and acceptance by adolescents. She adds that existing algorithms supporting medical devices are often based on adult data and are not optimized for adolescents, limiting their usefulness.

“Our goal is to bring more effective pediatric medical devices to market to address the alarming rate of harm substance misuse and addiction is creating for young people and their families,” says Dr. Eskandanian. “Since this is an area of focus for NIDA, we see an opportunity to help create a pipeline of qualified companies that can apply for NIDA follow-on funding.”

Interested innovators can learn more and apply for the APDI funding opportunity online at innovate4kids.org. The application deadline is July 30, 2024.

APDI is one of five nonprofit consortia in the FDA’s Pediatric Device Consortia grant program that receives funding to provide a platform of services, expertise and grants to support pediatric innovators in bringing medical devices to the market that specifically address the needs of children. Along with Children’s National, APDI members include Johns Hopkins University, CIMIT at Mass General Brigham, Tufts Medical Center, MedStar Health Research Institute, MedTech Color and OrthoPediatrics Corp.

smoke coming from chimney stacks

Call for action on healthcare sustainability

smoke coming from chimney stacks

New research reveals the U.S. healthcare system’s contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change is disproportionately high and harms the public.

A recent review reveals the U.S. healthcare system’s contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change is disproportionately high and harms the public. The findings are part of a series of articles being co-published by Open Forum Infectious Diseases and the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, which highlight the effect of climate change and air pollution on global health and infectious diseases.

“Our current policies and practices on healthcare waste and emissions do not do justice to the health of the children we want to improve,” said Shreya Doshi, pediatric fellow at Children’s National. “The U.S. contributes to 27% of the global healthcare industry GHG emissions (greater than any other country). Infectious diseases professionals can use their background in antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention and control to lead projects in healthcare sustainability and make a difference.”

Q: How will this work benefit patients?

A: Ultimately, when different specialties and organizations in healthcare make changes to their practices, we will have fewer GHG emissions and a healthier planet for our patients. There is also strong evidence that climate change affects vulnerable communities and countries disproportionately and we hope to change that. We want to provide safe healthcare to children from the current generation without taking away resources from the future generation.

Q: What’s been the hold up in the field?

A: Lack of awareness and time needed for change in practices and policies. For any organization leadership buy-in is needed when it comes to healthcare sustainability. Children’s National actually received a sustainability award two years ago for reducing anesthetic gases.

Q: What did you find that excites you? What are you hoping to discover?

A: There is so much yet to be explored at the intersection of infectious diseases and healthcare sustainability and that’s exciting! No matter what you do within the healthcare field — there is room for improvement and room for reduction in waste and GHG emissions. It is time to reassess and, rethink and innovate our practices. Having collaborators in other specialties who are passionate about the sustainability can help us move the needle faster. Lastly, it is important to know that work in healthcare sustainability has huge cost savings, so it’s a win for the financial health of the institution and for the planet!

You can read the full study, Healthcare Sustainability to Address Climate Change: Call for Action to the Infectious Diseases Community, in the Open Forum Infectious Diseases and the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.

Jennifer Cully

Jennifer Cully, D.M.D, M.Ed., appointed division chief of Oral Health

Jennifer Cully

“I am honored to continue my service to Children’s National by stepping into this leadership role,” said Dr. Cully.

Children’s National Hospital has appointed Jennifer Cully, D.M.D, M.Ed., as division chief of Oral Health.

Dr. Cully is currently a pediatric dentist and director of research for the Division of Oral Health at Children’s National, where she manages the division’s research initiatives. She’s also an associate professor of pediatrics at George Washington University.

“I am honored to continue my service to Children’s National by stepping into this leadership role,” said Dr. Cully.

Dr. Cully earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the College of William & Mary, her Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and received a certificate in pediatric dentistry from Children’s National. She received her master’s on Education from the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Cully is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American College of Dentists and will be inducted as a fellow in the International College of Dentists this fall.

“As a leader in the field of pediatric dentistry, Dr. Cully will play an integral role in helping to advance our comprehensive oral health program,” said Dr. Nathaniel Beers, executive vice president of Community and Population Health.

person circling items on mental health summit agenda

Unique alliance expands access to mental health support for kids

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CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst), one of the largest not-for-profit healthcare organizations in the nation, and Children’s National Hospital, a top-ranked children’s hospital located in Washington, D.C., announced a new alliance that’s taking a unique approach to help address the youth mental health crisis and improve health outcomes.

As part of this alliance, CareFirst has increased the reimbursement for preventive and mental health care for primary care providers who go through specialized mental health training focused on depression, suicide prevention, anxiety, ADHD and eating disorders. The training is offered through the Pediatric Health Network, the clinically integrated network of healthcare providers for Children’s National, to its more than 1,500 members including more than 700 primary care physicians.

In 2021, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory detailing an urgent youth mental health crisis. Unfortunately, access to pediatric mental health care is a national challenge, and for children and families, timely and effective support can be elusive. Empowering primary care providers with specialized training will help break down barriers and reshape care delivery.

“Providers face challenges due to limited resources and insufficient support in addressing pediatric mental health needs. CareFirst’s commitment to increasing reimbursement for mental health care underscores the integral role of primary care providers in this space,” says Nathaniel Beers, M.D., executive vice president for Community and Population Health for Children’s National Hospital. “With these trainings, our providers gain the knowledge, tools and confidence to handle sensitive conversations, offer vital support and make informed referrals when needed.”

The alliance executes a value-based care payment model for the Children’s National network of community physicians, enhancing benefits to offer more value to physicians and patients while aiming to drive improved outcomes, patient experience and coordination in care. By embedding mental health care within the familiar confines of primary care settings, this initiative ensures children receive timely interventions in an environment they trust.

This work to improve access to mental health services is just one part of the broader unique payer-provider alliance between CareFirst and Children’s National to address healthcare disparities and social determinants of health. Targeted pediatric interventions are set upon three pillars:

  • Value-based care
  • Community health initiatives
  • Member benefit enhancements

Each pillar is delivered and informed by experts from both organizations with distinct tactics and funding designed for three key priority health conditions:

  • Behavioral and mental health
  • Diabetes
  • Infant mortality

“As the lines continue to blur between payers and providers, with vertical integration and the reimbursement shift from volume to value, insurers and hospitals need to continue to evolve their relationships with each other,” said Brian Wheeler, executive vice president of Health Services for CareFirst. “This model aims to address the need for affordable healthcare, employing a patient-centric approach that encourages seamless treatment for the patient and provider.”

The next major program in development is focused on improving diabetes care through early diagnosis to lessen vulnerability and severity and improve long-term positive health outcomes.

Community health initiatives will continue to be developed through the Children’s National Child Health Advocacy Institute and Community Health programs with the support of CareFirst’s philanthropic efforts.

2024 Pediatric Academic Societies meeting logo

Children’s National Hospital at the 2024 Pediatric Academic Societies meeting

Children’s National Hospital-affiliated participants will present at this year’s Pediatric Academic Societies meeting. The meeting will take place in Toronto, from May 2-6, 2024. For information on the presentations, please refer to the chart below.

Day Time Presenter(s) Title
5/3/2024 9:00 AM Stacey Stokes, M.D., M.P.H. APA QI: Informatics for Improvers: Leveraging Clinical Decision Support to Propel Data-Driven and Reliable Continuous Improvement
5/3/2024 12:00 PM Rana F. Hamdy, M.D., M.P.H., MSCE A Career in Antimicrobial Stewardship… so Much More to Explore
5/3/2024 12:00 PM Ashima Gulati, M.D., Ph.D., FASN Case Studies in Pediatric Kidney Diseases: Who, When and How to Order Genetic Testing?
5/3/2024 3:45 PM Priti Bhansali, M.D., ME.d. iSPOT an Improvement: Taking Peer Observation and Feedback to the Next Level
5/3/2024 3:45 PM Josepheen De Asis-Cruz, M.D., Ph.D. Maternal psychopathology and SSRI use during pregnancy are associated with altered fetal hippocampal connectivity in utero
5/4/2024 8:00 AM Andrea J. Boudreaux, Psy.D., M.P.H., M.H.A., F.A.C.H.E. A Doctor in the School Nurse’s Office? Bringing a Virtual School Based Program into Practice
5/4/2024 8:00 AM Jessica Hippolyte, M.D., M.P.H. A Practical Approach to a Thorny Issue: Evaluating the Role of Race, Ethnicity, and Ancestry in Clinical Decision-Making
5/4/2024 8:00 AM Ashraf S. Harahsheh, M.D., F.A.A.P., F.A.C.C. Cardiology 1
5/4/2024 8:00 AM Dewesh Agrawal, M.D. Emergency Medicine 1: Quality and Safety
5/4/2024 8:00 AM Lenore Jarvis, M.D., ME.d.
Amanda Stewart, M.D., M.P.H.		 From Bedside to State House: Daily Advocacy
5/4/2024 8:00 AM Aisha Barber, M.D., ME.d. Unionization in Pediatrics: A Pro-Con Debate
5/4/2024 8:45 AM Jillian E. Nickerson, M.D., M.S. Implementation of tele-psychiatry in an urban pediatric satellite emergency department
5/4/2024 9:00 AM Jessica Weisz, M.D. “TEACH”ing: Evaluation of a 3-Year Multimodal Child Poverty Curriculum
5/4/2024 9:00 AM Tameka T. Watson, M.D. Timing of Growth Failure in Very Premature Infants and Implications for Brain Development
5/4/2024 10:00 AM Neha H. Shah, M.D., M.P.H. Subspecialty Networking Breakout: Pediatric Hospital Medicine
5/4/2024 11:00 AM Lee S. Beers, M.D. AAP Presidential Plenary: Emerging Research on the Intersections of Mental Health, Impact of the Pandemic, and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
5/4/2024 11:00 AM Denver Brown, M.D. Implications of SDOH on glomerular disease, hypertension and CKD
5/4/2024 11:15 AM Josepheen De Asis-Cruz, M.D., Ph.D. Associations Between Antenatal Opioid Exposure and Newborn Functional Brain Connectivity
5/4/2024 2:00 PM Ian Chua, M.D., M.H.P.E. Addressing Misinformation & Building Competency for Gender Diverse Patient Care
5/5/2024 8:00 AM Tamara Gayle, M.D., ME.d., M.P.H. APA SIG: Pediatric Hospital Medicine – Creating an Inclusive and Sustainable Workplace
5/5/2024 8:00 AM Suma B. Hoffman, M.D., M.S.
Simranjeet S. Sran, M.E., ME.d., C.H.S.E., F.A.A.P.		 Hands on Workshop: Complex Resuscitations in Neonates and Infants – Managing High Acuity, Low Occurrence (HALO) Events
5/5/2024 8:15 AM Jaytoya Manget, D.N.P., M.S.P.H., F.N.P. Connecting the Dots to Improve Health and Education Equity: Results of A Pilot Program Integrating School Attendance Data into a Pediatric Primary Care
5/5/2024 8:55 AM Aisha Barber, M.D., ME.d. APA Pediatric Hospital Medicine SIG – Creating an Inclusive and Sustainable Workplace
5/5/2024 11:00 AM Nicola Brodie, M.D.
Julie Heier, Ph.D.
Courtney Horton, M.D.
Darcel Jackson, C.P.X.P., L.S.S.G.B.
Emma Whitmyre, Ph.D.		 Challenge Accepted: Integrating Behavioral Health in Primary Care for Children with Medical Complexity and Their Families
5/5/2024 11:00 AM Ian Chua, M.D., M.H.P.E.
Margarita Ramos, M.D., M.S.
Neha H. Shah, M.D., M.P.H.		 Embracing Failure: The Key To Success In Academic Medicine
5/5/2024 11:00 AM Caleb E. Ward, M.B., B.Chir., M.P.H. Emergency Medicine 4
5/5/2024 11:00 AM Dewesh Agrawal, M.D.
Terry Kind, M.D., M.P.H.		 Launching and Landing a Career in Medical Education: From Passion to Profession
5/5/2024 11:00 AM Nathaniel S. Beers, M.D., M.P.A.
Andrea J. Boudreaux, Psy.D., M.P.H., M.H.A., F.A.C.H.E.
Bianca Johnson, M.S.W.
Jaytoya Manget, D.N.P., M.S.P.H., F.N.P.
Jessica Weisz, M.D.		 School Attendance as a Vital Sign: Integrating school attendance into practice to advance health and educational equity
5/5/2024 11:05 AM Sudeepta Basu, M.D. SPR 2023 Bridging to Success Award: GABA-editing spectroscopy for understanding the developing brain in preterm infants.
5/5/2024 2:00 PM Allison M. Jackson, M.D., M.P.H. Child Protective Services Referrals in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence: Clinical Practice, Research, & Advocacy
5/5/2024 2:00 PM Josepheen De Asis-Cruz, M.D., Ph.D. In utero SSRI exposure alters fetal cerebral cortical development and structural brain connectivity
5/5/2024 2:00 PM Jeremy Kern, M.D.
Lydia Lissanu, M.D.
Elana Neshkes, M.D.
Laura A. Nicholson, M.S.N., R.N., C.P.N., C.H.S.E.
Grace Quinn, M.D.
Ariella M. Weinstock, M.D., M.S. Ed		 STRIVE for a restorative de-escalation: Strategies for a TRauma-Informed approach using Verbal and Environmental Skills
5/5/2024 2:45 PM Kristen Sgambat, Ph.D., RD Arterial stiffness, body composition, and perception of racism in pediatric kidney transplant recipients
5/5/2024 2:45 PM Sudeepta Basu, M.D. Cerebellar GABA and Glutamate Concentrations at Term-equivalent age Predicts 18-month Cognitive Deficits in Preterm Infants
5/6/2024 8:00 AM Ian Chua, M.D., M.H.P.E.
Gabrina Dixon, M.D., ME.d.
Tamara Gayle, M.D., ME.d., M.P.H.
Margarita Ramos, M.D., M.S.		 Amplify Your Voice: Media Strategies Beyond Conventional Academic Dissemination
5/6/2024 8:00 AM Stacey Stokes, M.D., M.P.H.
Padma Swamy, M.D., M.P.H.		 APA SIG: Health Informatics and Serving the Underserved Combined – Moving the Needle on Social Needs: From Screening to Data Management and Response
5/6/2024 8:00 AM Deena Berkowitz, M.D., M.P.H. APA Urgent Care SIG: You’re Not Too Busy To Think About Promotion: Leveraging Your Current Scholarly Activities For Academic Advancement
5/6/2024 8:30 AM Padma Swamy, M.D., M.P.H. Screening, data sharing, and resource allocation considerations when developing social needs interventions
5/6/2024 1:00 PM Christina Lindgren, M.D. APA Simulation-based Medical Education (SBME) SIG
5/6/2024 1:00 PM Gabrina Dixon, M.D., ME.d. Creating and Optimizing a Visiting Elective at your Institution for Underrepresented in Medicine (URiM) Students
5/6/2024 1:00 PM Junghoon Kim, Ph.D. Improved prediction of fetal neurobiological features by censoring high-motion frames in fetal functional MRI
5/6/2024 1:05 PM Christina Lindgren, M.D. Introduction to Conceptual Frameworks for Simulation Based Medical Education
5/6/2024 1:10 PM Suma B. Hoffman, M.D., M.S. Small Group Activity: Name That Conceptual Framework
5/6/2024 2:15 PM Margaret Rush, M.D., M.S.H.S. Racial disparities in hospital length of stay for bacterial tracheostomy associated infections

 

Illustration showing phthalate exposure during cardiopulmonary bypass

Pediatric heart patients exposed to plastic chemicals during cardiopulmonary bypass

Children undergoing cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass are exposed to high levels of plastic chemical additives called phthalates, including DEHP, according to the largest single center study to date to measure this exposure. The findings were authored by a multi-disciplinary group from Children’s National Hospital and appear in the journal Transfusion.

What is it?

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is one of the most commonly used plasticizers in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics, making up 40% to 80% of the finished weight of medical-grade tubing and blood storage bags. The study’s primary goal was to quantify three aspects of pediatric cardiac surgery: the phthalate exposure with and without cardiopulmonary bypass (the heart and lung machine), the time it takes for phthalates to clear after surgery and any correlations between higher phthalate exposures and postoperative complications.

The authors suggested that, like infants in the NICU exposed to various medical equipment, children on cardiopulmonary bypass are likely exposed to significant DEHP levels from blood products, bypass circuit components, and endotracheal tubes, potentially impacting postoperative outcomes.

Why does it matter?

Despite daily phthalate exposure in the general population, studies link high phthalate levels to developmental delays in language and motor skills. Phthalates accumulate in the hearts of infants undergoing umbilical catheterizations or blood transfusions. This is worrisome as even low-dose environmental exposure correlates with higher risks of overall and cardiovascular-related mortality.

Knowing these risks exist, it is important to understand these exposures, what causes them and implement measures to mitigate them, safeguarding medically fragile children. Regulatory actions in NICUs have reduced DEHP-containing plastics, yet no such efforts have been made for children on cardiopulmonary bypass.

The study also found some associations between postoperative complications and higher levels of phthalates, especially in younger children. They write, “it is plausible that a combination for risk factors (young age, longer CPB duration, increased phthalate exposure) collectively contribute to these complications.” More research is needed to understand the association and the impact of phthalates on how children recover from surgery.

Children’s National leads the way

The study involved 110 pediatric patients undergoing 122 cardiac surgeries at Children’s National, marking the largest single-center investigation into phthalate exposures in cardiac surgery. Led by a multidisciplinary team, including divisions of Transfusion Medicine and Cardiac Surgery, along with researchers from the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, the study’s findings are some of the first to quantify that pediatric cardiac surgery patients are exposed to greater levels of these phthalate chemicals from plastic medical products, with increasing exposure the longer they require cardiopulmonary bypass. This is especially true when the bypass uses a prime based on red blood cells.

What’s next

The teams are exploring strategies to minimize chemical exposures, such as:

  • Using freshly donated blood products (made possible at Children’s National by the unique on-site Blood Donor Center).
  • Storing blood in DEHP-free storage bags prior to use when possible.
  • Increasing use of cell-saver equipment, which washes red blood cell products and removes extracellular contaminants.
  • At Children’s National, cardiac surgeons prioritize the use of recently collected, washed red blood cells in cardiopulmonary bypass cases, especially for younger and/or smaller patients.

“These exposures will affect patients undergoing pediatric cardiac surgery at any institution,” says first author Devon Guerrelli, M.S. “But we hope understanding what’s causing the exposures will help operating rooms around the United States take immediate small steps, like using washed red blood cells, to begin mitigating these exposures as soon as possible.”

Senior author Nikki Posnack, Ph.D., adds that the implications of phthalates on health are tremendous. “Studies have shown that heightened phthalate exposure increases your risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality,” she said. “Now is the time to support research efforts to understand how plastic chemicals damage the heart and to investigate strategies to reduce their overall impact.”

Read the study:
Prevalence and clinical implications of heightened plastic chemical exposure in pediatric patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass

Nathan Kuppermann, M.D., M.P.H.

Nathan Kuppermann, M.D., M.P.H., named chief academic officer and chair of Pediatrics

Nathan Kuppermann, M.D., M.P.H.

Dr. Kuppermann will oversee research, education and innovation for the Children’s National Research Institute as well as academic and administrative leadership in the Department of Pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Services.

Children’s National Hospital has appointed Nathan Kuppermann, M.D., M.P.H., as its new executive vice president (EVP), chief academic officer (CAO) and chair of Pediatrics. In this role, Dr. Kuppermann will oversee research, education and innovation for the Children’s National Research Institute as well as academic and administrative leadership in the Department of Pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Services. He comes to Children’s National from UC Davis Health and UC Davis School of Medicine in Sacramento, CA, and will start in September.

After a national search, Dr. Kuppermann stood out for his exceptional contributions to clinical and academic research, focusing on pediatric emergency care, and his dedication to mentorship. For the past 18 years he has served as the Bo Tomas Brofeldt endowed chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine and is currently a distinguished professor of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, and the associate dean for Global Health at UC Davis Health.

“I was drawn to Children’s National by its nationally recognized work and dedication to innovation and team science,” says Dr. Kuppermann. “I’m eager to contribute to the remarkable work being done in both the research and education space to continue to improve the understanding, prevention and treatment of childhood diseases.”

Dr. Kuppermann is a pediatric emergency medicine physician and clinical epidemiologist, and a leader in emergency medical services for children, particularly in multicenter research. With more than 300 peer-reviewed research publications to his credit, Dr. Kuppermann has contributed extensively to high-impact journals including the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, BMJ and the Lancet.

“The Children’s National Research Institute is a key part of our health system’s ecosystem – it’s where we nurture innovation and pursue the most promising research,” says Michelle Riley-Brown, MHA, FACHE, president and CEO of Children’s National. “Dr. Kuppermann’s unwavering commitment to excellence in pediatric healthcare, research and innovation set him apart in a competitive field. I am confident he will advance our efforts in making breakthrough discoveries for kids everywhere.”

Dr. Kuppermann received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University, his medical degree from UC San Francisco School of Medicine and his Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard School of Public Health. He completed a pediatrics residency and chief residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and a fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital.

He has been recognized nationally and internationally for his research and mentorship. He was a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar in the U.K. and in 2010 was elected to the National Academy of Medicine. In 2022, he received the Maureen Andrew Mentor Award from the Society for Pediatric Research.

“Dr. Kuppermann’s leadership will undoubtedly propel the hospital’s efforts in advancing pediatric healthcare innovation, reinforcing Children’s National as a top-ranking institution,” says Horacio Rozanski, chair of the Children’s National Board of Directors. “We look forward to the positive impact he will make to the hospital’s overall mission, as well as its research and academic endeavors.”

Meghan Delaney, D.O., M.P.H.

Experts form Blood D.E.S.E.R.T Coalition to address global blood crisis

Meghan Delaney, D.O., M.P.H.

“The world does not have enough blood and the lack of blood is not distributed equally,” said Dr. Delaney. “Poor and rural communities are disproportionately affected with having low access to life-saving blood transfusion.”

Meghan Delaney, D.O., M.P.H., chief of Pathology and Lab Medicine and director of Transfusion Medicine at Children’s National Hospital, is among 17 global experts participating in a new collaborative initiative aimed at tackling the critical challenge of severe blood scarcity in rural areas. The coalition, known as the Blood D.E.S.E.R.T. Coalition, published a paper in Lancet Global Health outlining its recommendations for addressing the immediate need for blood through short-term strategies.

“The world does not have enough blood and the lack of blood is not distributed equally,” said Dr. Delaney. “Poor and rural communities are disproportionately affected with having low access to life-saving blood transfusion. This causes individuals to forego essential medical treatments, facing the consequences of morbidity or mortality, or to travel great distances to reach a facility that can give a blood transfusion. Addressing these disparities in basic healthcare access should be a global concern.”

Read the press release here.

boy giving his teacher a high five

Improving health outcomes by addressing chronic absenteeism

boy giving his teacher a high five

Through CARE program, parents and caregivers have the opportunity to consent to share their child’s attendance information with their child’s healthcare team. The team then provides outreach and medical attention to children who might be missing school.

School absenteeism is a national crisis. Chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more of the school year for excused and/or unexcused absence, is soaring. With rates of chronic absenteeism at 43% in Washington, D.C., and data showing clear connections between academic attainment, graduation rates, long-term health and life expectancy, school absenteeism is a critical health and educational equity issue for children in the nation’s capital.

The big picture

To combat this issue, Children’s National Hospital has partnered with District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and other local partners to develop the Collaborative for Attendance Resources in Education and Health (CARE-H). Funded by the United Health Foundation, CARE-H is a cross-sector, multidisciplinary data-sharing program. Parents and caregivers have the opportunity to consent to share their child’s attendance information with their child’s healthcare team. The team then provides outreach and medical attention to children that might be missing school.

Children’s National Hospital leads the way

Each month, team members from primary care at Children’s National conduct outreach to patients and families who are experiencing barriers to school attendance, and assist families with referrals to primary care, subspecialty, mental health, oral health appointments and other social resources. “We know it is important to help families with the many medical and social barriers that may prevent them from attending school, and as their medical home, we are fortunate to have the ability to connect them with these important resources,” stated Jaytoya Manget, NP, DNP, FNP, Quality Improvement Lead for the CARE-H program at Children’s National.

During the 2022-2023 school year, the team conducted nearly 2,700 minutes of outreach and generated over 70 referrals for medical appointments and social resources. “A more supportive framework and holistic approach around attendance by the schools has helped promote acceptance of the hospital’s outreach, as has the trust its healthcare providers have established with their patients,” said Danielle Dooley, M.D., M.Phil., a pediatrician and medical director of Community Affairs and Population Health at Children’s National.

Children’s National also established a regional learning collaborative, with partners from Trenton, NJ and Delaware who have developed similar attendance data-sharing programs based on the work done by Children’s National. “I hope that through our collaboration, this model can be used to address chronic absenteeism across the nation,” said Dr. Dooley.