It has been a busy year at The University Hospital, from the area's first laparoscopic radical, nerve sparing prostatectomy (a new procedure used to remove cancerous prostate tumor glands) to the development of new heart failure treatment procedures (thanks to the discovery by one of our physicians of the two genes which predispose individuals to heart failure), to the accreditation of one of the first four cerebrovascular fellowships ever through The Neuroscience Institute. The University Hospital staff and physicians have been working hard to make advances in health care. As the region's only tertiary, academic medical center, The University Hospital offers patients these and more innovative treatments and technologies. Most of the physicians at The University Hospital are also professors with University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, which ranked as one of the top 50 medical schools in the country, according to the 2003 US News and World Report medical school rankings.

The University Hospital has continued its mission and support to the community, not only through medical advancements, but also by working to provide health care to all citizens through the multi-million dollar expansion of the outpatient clinics, health screenings at the Black Family Reunion, the Deaf Health Fair and numerous other health fairs and health care forums to address health issues such as the plight of Americans who lack health insurance. University Hospital's mission to serve the aged, indigent and orphaned has expanded over the past 180 years to include all citizens. The hospital currently serves 90 percent of patients below the poverty level in Hamilton County.

The following pages highlight the increased capabilities of The University Hospital over the past year and the continued quality services provided by one of "America's Best Hospitals."

July
The University Hospital places three of its patient care programs among the nation's best in the 2002 U.S. News & World Report annual guide to "America's Best Hospitals." The University Hospital received rankings in the categories of Ear, Nose and Throat (20), Hormonal Disorders (48) and Respiratory (36). The U.S. News & World Report 2002 "America's Best Hospitals" rankings access care for 17 specialties at hospitals nationwide.

A three-year agreement is reached between The Registered Nurses Association and The University Hospital covering all wages and conditions of employment for 900.

August
The University Hospital as part of the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati is proud to be a co-sponsor of the health pavilion at the 14th Annual National Council of Negro Women's Midwest Regional Black Family Reunion Celebration at Sawyer Point. The hospital provides health and wellness screenings and information each year to the 100,000 individuals who participate in the event. Working with the American Cancer Society, the Barrett Cancer Center at The University Hospital also offers on-site prostate screenings.

The University Hospital is the first hospital in the Tristate to begin implanting a new type of pacemaker system. Abdul Haji, M.D., Director of the Electrophysiology Lab at The University Hospital, was the first to implant the new INSIGNIA pacemaker, which has an improved shape, size, processing speed and recording ability over other pacemakers.

The partnership between the Cincinnati Police and The University Hospital Mobile Crisis Team expands to Cincinnati Police District Five. The program consists of a Mobile Crisis Team therapist stationed at Districts One and Five to assist the police in working with mentally ill individuals.

September
Experts at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at The University Hospital have provided care for more than 5,000 sick and tiny babies during the past 11 years. On Saturday, October 12, many of those children and their families reunited with the nurses, doctors, staff and volunteers who cared for them while they were patients in the NICU. The NICU at The University Hospital is the area's first Level-III Perinatal Research and Treatment Center (the top designation in the field).

The University Hospital is recognized by the Ohio Hospital Association for its excellent pollution prevention program. University pledged to eliminate all mercury use and continues many other recycling programs.

October
Researchers Stephen B. Liggett, MD, Professor of Medicine and Molecular Genetics and Lynne Wagoner, MD, Director of Cardiovascular Services at University Hospital, are the principal investigators of the paper entitled "Synergistic Polymorphisms of beta-1 and alpha 2-C Adrenergic Receptors and the Risk of Congestive Heart Failure," which demonstrates for the first time that a predisposition to heart failure in African-Americans can be predicted by the identification of two mutated genes found in an individual's own DNA. The research was conducted within the Heart Failure and Transplantation Program at The University Hospital directed by Wagoner. The researchers found that people with variations in two receptor genes, that control heart contractility, are 10 times more likely to develop heart failure. The finding was most apparent in African-Americans, who have a relatively high incidence of these variants.

The University Hospital hosts a grand opening of its new outpatient clinics located in the Hoxworth Center, 3130 Highland Avenue. Approximately $3.78 million was allocated to construct the new 32,000 square foot office space for the four medical practices that are housed in the new area and to install new state-of-the-art equipment. It has been The University Hospital's mission to serve the city's residents including the aged, indigent and orphaned since it opened in 1823. With the passing of the Health and Hospital levy in 1966, The University Hospital extended this mission to include care for all residents of Hamilton County.

Solucient, a leading health care information content company, names The University Hospital among the 100 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals in the nation. Solucient produces the yearly 100 Top Hospitals: Benchmarks for Success study, used by hospitals across the country as a target for performance. This marks the third time The University Hospital has been named to the list.

November
Surgeons at The University Hospital successfully performed the area's first laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, a new procedure used to remove cancerous prostate gland tumors. The procedure was performed on a 58-year-old patient by University Hospital surgeons, Safwat Zaki, M.D., and Joseph Buell, M.D. The procedure is currently only available in a few centers worldwide.

The November 2002 issue of Cincinnati Magazine listed the 197 top physicians in Cincinnati. Sixty-eight of the physicians listed are on staff at The University Hospital.

The University Hospital is re-verified by The American College of Surgeons National Committee on Trauma as meeting the requirements as an adult Level I Trauma Center. The University Hospital and Children's Hospital Medical Center are currently the only verified Level I Trauma Centers in Hamilton County. This is the third consecutive re-verification received by the hospital. University Hospital also hosts the annual Scott Frame Trauma Care Memorial Symposium for health care workers who provide care for trauma patients.

December
The Neuroscience Institute, University of Cincinnati Department of Neurosurgery and the Mayfield Clinic & Spine Institute receive accreditation on one of the first four cerebrovascular surgery fellowship ever, accredited by the Society of Neurological Surgeons. The accredited fellowship will raise the standard for neurosurgical performance at The University Hospital and will help to bring the nation's best fellowship candidates to UC, The Neuroscience Institute and Mayfield. Neurosurgeons treat more than 300 such cases at University Hospital each year.

The University Hospital celebrates the 35-year anniversary of the establishment of the Israel Penn International Transplant Tumor Registry (IPITTR), formerly known as the Cincinnati Transplant Tumor Registry. The IPITTR remains the largest, most comprehensive transplant tumor registry in the world. The registry's goal is to provide scientific data to allow optimal treatment and prevention of cancer in transplant patients.

January
The Health Alliance transplant programs' 150th laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) for transplantation is successfully performed at The University Hospital. Kidney donors experience much less pain and discomfort with the laparoscopic procedure, experience shorter hospital stays and are able return to work more quickly. Since 1998, University has been performing 100 percent of living related kidney donors laparoscopically.

The University Hospital, in conjunction with the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and the Baptist Ministers Conference of Greater Cincinnati and Vicinity, honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by sponsoring a memorial march and wreath laying ceremony.

February
The Barrett Center has been chosen as one of the sites for a nationwide study of the effectiveness of digital mammography. The Digital Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (DMIST) is sponsored by the American College of Radiology Imaging Network and funded by a grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The aim of the study is to compare digital mammography to traditional, standard film mammography.

The University Hospital holds "A Celebration of Hope," a ceremony to honor those who have suffered from heart failure, on Friday, Feb. 14. "A Celebration of Hope" is part of University Hospital's weeklong celebration of National Heart Failure Awareness Week. This special week is a part of a national campaign to educate Americans about heart failure, encourage early diagnosis and help patients discover available treatments.

The University Hospital celebrates and promotes organ donation and transplantation within the African-American community with a special celebration. Greater Cincinnati has an African-American population of approximately 12 percent, yet 26 percent of all patients waiting for an organ transplant in Cincinnati are African-American. It is important that African-American families strongly consider organ donation because matching organs between members of the same racial group enhances successful transplantation.

As part of a clinical trial, UC Surgeons at The University Hospital are the first in the region to perform a new experimental procedure called Isolated Hepatic Perfusion (IHP) for the treatment of liver cancer. The UC surgical team is the only team in the United States conducting the trial procedure outside of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) clinical trials, designed to treat patients diagnosed with more than three cancerous lesions in their liver and those who have exhausted all other treatment options.

A new 1300-car employee garage is constructed and opened at University Hospital. It is the first time The University Hospital has had its own parking.

March
The Deaf Health Fair Council (DHFC) presents a free workshop sponsored by University Hospital to help educate deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals about preventing health-related problems. More than 400 attendees came to the event this year.

The Health Alliance and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine hold a town hall meeting to discuss "Caring for the Underinsured: Successes, Threats and Gaps." The town hall meeting and health fair are part of a national campaign to raise awareness of the plight of millions of Americans who lack health insurance. In Greater Cincinnati, approximately 10 percent of adults are uninsured.

The Neuroscience Institute presents a free symposium, Innovations in Diagnosis and Treatment, featuring experts who will present a case-based program to guide clinicians in the current use of antiepileptic drugs and other treatments for seizures, headaches and psychiatric conditions.

April
To increase community awareness about organ donation and the Ohio Organ Donor Registry for Organ Donation Awareness Month, James Hurst, M.D., Senior Vice President of The University Hospital, and other employees sign-up for the Ohio Organ Donor registry. This new registry provides that a valid declaration of a gift of organs made before an individual's death prevails over any contrary desires of the donor's family

Two University Hospital nurses were named Florence Nightingale Award finalists. The Florence Nightingale Awards are awarded to nurses who demonstrate excellence in direct patient care.

May
High school students interested in health care careers are invited to attend Health Care High School Student Career Night, hosted by The University Hospital. Students interested in pursuing a career in health care are given the chance to explore specialized areas of health care within a hospital setting and speak to experts in the field.

The University Hospital Nurse-Midwifery Associates become the first practice in the Greater Cincinnati area to implement a new approach to prenatal care called Centering Pregnancy. In this group setting, teens have the opportunity to learn more about healthy pregnancy and birth, while helping and supporting each other. The Teen Pregnancy Care Center at The University Hospital has provided care to pregnant and parenting adolescents for almost 20 years.

The University Hospital awards six associates and one program the Hospital Hero Awards. The Hospital Hero Awards are the highest honor for any employee at The University Hospital. The Award represents the excellence in care that these employees provide and that is strived for at The University Hospital.

June
The University Hospital is recognized by the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA) for outstanding efforts to keep employees safe. Thirty-seven of the 117 hospitals in Ohio are being recognized for their superior safety records. Hospitals were divided into nine groups based on the number of employees. The University Hospital (2501-4000 employee group) is top in their category for lowest injury rate.

Dr. Thomas Tomsick, director of neuroradiology, and Dr. Andrew Ringer, neurosurgeon, are among a select group of physicians nationwide who are authorized to treat wide-necked brain aneurysms with the Neuroform Microdelivery Stent.

The Health Alliance Mobile Care Service, the Tristate's first provider of inter-hospital mobile intensive care, celebrates 20 years of providing ground critical care services to residents in southwest Ohio, southeast Indiana and beyond. Since 1983, Alliance Mobile Care has grown from a single ambulance to a fleet of 13 and has increased the number of runs it makes each year by 500 percent. Alliance Medical Transport Service, which also includes University Air Care, is the second transport service in the nation to receive accreditation in four levels of medical transport from the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS). CAMTS accreditation is the highest standard by which medical transport services can be measured.

The University Hospital's Barrett Cancer Center Hematology/Oncology Division and The University of Cincinnati Medical Center present the third annual Lung Cancer Symposium on June 14. The symposium covers the most up-to-date methods of screening and therapies for lung cancer and mesothelioma.

People
Associates: 3,638
Volunteers: 184
Volunteer Hours: 38,429
Attending/Active Medical Staff: 1,068
Residents and Clinical Fellows: 523
Accredited Residency Training Programs: 53

Patient Visits and Outreach
Admissions: 24,887
Patient Days: 126,155
Average Stay: 5.1 days
Babies Delivered: 2,104
Hospital Outpatient Visits: 312,895
Emergency Department Visits: 85,850
University Air Care Flights: 1,217
University Mobile Care Runs: 7,624

Procedures
Heart Transplants: 15
Liver Transplants: 60
Kidney; Kidney/Pancreas Transplants: 62
Kidney Dialysis Treatments: 5,628
Lab Procedures: 1,353,998
Radiology Procedures: 220,000
Prescriptions Filled: 4,168,571
Units of Blood Used: 50,028

Surgical Procedures
Inpatient: 6,589
Outpatient: 5,524

Miscellaneous
Registered Beds: 665
Intensive Care Beds: 60
Medical Surgical Beds: 208
Obstetrical Beds: 29
Neonatal Intensive Care Beds: 44
Bassinets: 40
Psychiatric Beds: 68
Pounds of Laundry: 2,694,991
Meals Served: 1,001,088

234 Goodman Street
Cincinnati, OH 45219
513-584-1000
www.UniversityHospitalCincinnati.com