Page 11 - May 2019 with HCHeroes

Let’s Connect: Automated Technology Senses

SFHEF Spotlight How Parkinson’s Patients

Respond to Medication

Physicians Transitioning Careers Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive neurological disorder
affecting approximately 6 million people globally and is expected to double by
Benefit from SFHEF Support 2040. PD leads to disabling motor features including tremor, reduced speed,
and gait/balance impairment leading to falls, as well as non-motor symptoms
such as cognitive impairment and sleep and speech disorders.
BY VANESSA ORR One of the most prevalent complications in PD patients is medication ON
and OFF motor fluctuations, which occur in 50 percent of patients diagnosed
The South Florida Healthcare Executive within three to five years and 80 percent diagnosed within 10 years. The onset
Forum, Inc. (SFHEF) is an international of these motor fluctuations is a critical point in managing the disease because
professional society of more than 30,000 it requires ongoing adjustments in treatment such as changing the frequency
healthcare executives who lead hospitals, and dosage of medication or changing parameters for deep brain stimulation.
healthcare systems and other healthcare Currently, PD motor fluctuations are addressed with brief clinical examina-
organizations. While its members come tions or appropriate history-taking and patient self-reports, which rely on
from many different backgrounds, board extensive patient education. Even then, self-reports can be unreliable and
member-at-large Simone Fearon, MD, clinical examinations may not be practical, especially in rural areas. Patients
would like to see more participation from often require frequent follow-up visits with their neurologist.
physicians, whom she believes could bene- Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and
fit from the support that the group offers. Computer Science have developed an innovative way to automatically and
“I joined the organization after returning reliably detect and monitor medication ON and OFF states in PD patients.
to school to work on my MBA,” explained Dr. Simone Fearon They have combined an algorithm and sensor-based system that detects ON
the noninvasive cardiologist, who for the and OFF state patterns in PD patients using two wearable motion sensors
past eight years has served as co-founder, ber of SFHEF gives her insight into what is placed on the patient’s most affected wrist and ankle.
chief operating officer and senior consult- required of healthcare executives as she For the study, published in the journal Medical Engineering and Physics,
ant cardiologist for Florida Heart and considers transitioning into a new role. these sensors collected movement signals while patients performed seven
Vascular Consultants in Miami and Fort “As I’m nearing the completion of my daily living activities such as walking or getting dressed in their medication
Lauderdale. “I was exploring the idea of MBA, I’m looking forward to taking on the ON and OFF phases. The algorithm was trained using approximately 15 per-
taking on a more administrative-type role, challenges of medicine from a different cent of the data from four activities and tested on the remaining data. Data
and was looking for organizations that sup- platform,” she explained. “I’m learning from the two sensors provided objective measures instead of a patient diary or
ported hospital and other healthcare lead- more about the opportunities available as I self-report.
ers. The South Florida Healthcare begin to shift my practice style, which was Results of the study reveal that the algorithm was able to detect the
Executive Forum dominates in that area. previously 100 percent clinical, to one that response to medication during the subjects’ daily routine activities with an
“Their role is to help promote excellence is more of a hybrid role that includes hos- average of 90.5 percent accuracy, 94.2 percent sensitivity, and 85.4 percent
in healthcare, and they accomplish this by pital administration.” specificity.
providing educational opportunities for Dr. Fearon believes that physicians, as
professional development as well as net- well as other healthcare professionals, can
working events for healthcare executives benefit from the educational opportunities
and potential healthcare leaders,” she and networking that SFHEF provides.
added. “For what they do, they’re not just “While I didn’t know much about the
a leader in South Florida, but beyond, and organization before I began working
this was really attractive to me.” toward my master’s degree, I’ve since real-
Dr. Fearon specializes in general, non- ized the benefits of the organization and
invasive cardiology consultation, cardiac joined the board to take on the role of
imaging, preventive cardiology and well- physician champion so that I could edu-
ness and women’s cardiology. She received cate other physicians about the types of
her medical degree from the University of support SFHEF offers,” she said. “Our goal
the West Indies and completed her post- is to increase physician participation on a
doctoral training with an internship and much larger scale.
residency in internal medicine, and a fel- “It’s been a challenge, but we’re getting
lowship in cardiovascular diseases at there,” she added. “I think the biggest rea-
Lenox-Hill Hospital, New York. In addition son for low physician engagement is really
to being a member of SFHEF and the a lack of awareness of the organization and
American College of Healthcare Exec utives its numerous benefits relevant to the differ-
(ACHE), she is a member of the American ent phases of their careers.”

College of Cardiology and the American To learn more about the South Florida
Society of Echocardiography. Healthcare Executive Forum,
According to Dr. Fearon, being a mem- visit www.sfhef.org.

At Rogers Beha viorall Health, our mmen tall health experts
provide patients with specialized, eevidence-based,
bilinguall treatment with demonstra ated outcomes.
Reach out today, and together we can help our patients
g/Miami | 305 929 0
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not only face their challenges, we c can rise above them. rogersbh hor.org/Miami | 305-929-0600
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