ASH News Daily - Saturday, December 10, 2011 - (Page B-4)

Page B–4 ® ASH NewS DAily Saturday, December 10, 2011 ASH News Daily Staff Editor Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd Mayo Clinic Arizona Managing Editor Karen Learner Editorial Assistant Tiffany Reid Director of Communications Jenifer Hamilton Production Coordinators Tim Mercer Jenn Waters CustomNEWS, Inc. Advertising Representative Kevin Dunn Cunningham Associates ASH Announces 2011 Visitor Training Program Award Winners he Visitor Training Program (VTP) continues to attract excellent candidates from various parts of the developing world to engage in up to 12 weeks of training with an ASH member on a specific topic in hematology. This year, 11 trainees have been selected to receive targeted training that will address specific needs in their respective countries, thus acquiring skills and techniques that they can then apply at their home institutions. The ultimate goal of the VTP is to build hematology capacity in developing countries. This year, with trainees from Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Iraq, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, and Uruguay, the program will be delivering hematologic expertise to diverse parts of the developing world. The scope of VTP proposals was quite broad, from requests for training in basic clinical skills such as evaluating blood cell morphology of peripheral blood and bone marrow smears to seeking more sophisticated molecular biology skills in the laboratory. The strength of a candidate’s proposal lies in its potential to equip the trainee with the appropriate skills he/she will need to translate the training into capacity building for his/her home institution. The 2011 award recipients exemplify this dynamic. T The information contained in ASH News Daily is provided solely for educational purposes. A diversity of opinions exists in the field of hematology, and the articles in this publication are often intended to inform readers about more than one point of view. These articles are not comprehensive and should not be used as a substitute for traditional sources of hematology information, traditional diagnostic and treatment information, or the individual judgment of health-care providers. The views expressed in ASH News Daily do not necessarily represent ASH’s views, and their inclusion in this publication should not be interpreted as an endorsement by ASH. ASH is not responsible for any inaccurate or inappropriate use of the information, publications, products, or services discussed or advertised within. ©2011 by the American Society of Hematology All materials contained in this newspaper are protected by copyright laws and may not be used, reproduced, or otherwise exploited in any manner without the express prior permission of ASH News Daily. Contributing authors have declared any financial interest in a product or in potentially competing products, regardless of the dollar amount. Any such financial interest is noted with the author byline. Dr. Dina Yassin from Cairo, Egypt, for instance, will be receiving training on gene sequencing and analysis to improve the evaluation and treatment of pediatric leukemia in Egypt. She will spend six weeks with ASH member Dr. Lia Gore at the University of Colorado Cancer Center to acquire the skills she will need to better combat these diseases at the Children’s Cancer Hospital of Egypt. Dr. Rafil Yaqo from Duhok University in northern Iraq will spend 12 weeks with Dr. Aliyah Sohani in the Department of Pathology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He will study the latest developments in the diagnostics of malignant lymphomas, allowing him to set up a malignant lymphoma study group on the epidemiology and pathogenesis of these disorders in his home country. Dr. Lallindra Viranjan Gooneratne from Sri Lanka will be spending eight weeks at King’s College Hospital in London, England, under the mentorship of Dr. Stephen Devereux to expand her skills in flow cytometry to include areas that are not currently practiced at her home institution. Other recipients of the award will pursue training that has a practical application to broader programs that are already making a positive impact in the developing world. In 2011, proposals from two South American trainees highlight the synergistic link between the VTP and another ASH program, the International Consortium on Acute Leukemia (ICAL). Dr. Ana Ilda Ayala Lugo from Paraguay and Dr. Ninoska Rojas Soto from Peru will be training under the mentorship of Dr. Eduardo Rego in São Paolo, Brazil, to prepare for their countries’ involvement in the ICAL. Dr. Lugo will receive training in immunofluorescence with anti-PML, RT-PCR, qRT-PCR, and FISH diagnostic and disease monitoring with emphasis on acute promyelocytic leukemia. Dr. Soto will be obtaining training in data banking and management of APL cases in Peru. Each of the trainees will work with the host mentor and a member of the ASH International Members Committee who personally assist the trainee with the development of his/her program and with implementation of the acquired expertise at his/her home institution following the conclusion of the training. To learn more about this ASH program, stop by the Global Desk at the ASH booth (#1315) or contact ASH staff at globalprograms@hematology.org. Also, visit the ASH website at www.hematology.org/Awards/ Visitor-Training-Program/2196.aspx. How to Prepare Your Practice for ACOs And Other Payment and Health Reforms T onight’s Practice Forum will address how to prepare your practice for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and other payment and health reforms. This event is scheduled to take place from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the Manchester Grand Hyatt, Randall Ballroom DE. There are many challenges facing hematology practices today, and it is difficult to keep up with the continuously evolving environment as health reform unfolds, limits on reimbursement continue to grow, and new policies are implemented. Join your colleagues to hear the latest updates on health reforms and to learn how to navigate through this challenging era. The session will begin with an overview of the latest federal legislative and regulatory highlights by Mila Becker, Esq., senior director of ASH Government Relations and Practice, and Ellen Riker, government relations consultant from ASH Practice Forum 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Manchester Grand Hyatt, Randall Ballroom DE Practice Forum Reception 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. Manchester Grand Hyatt, Randall Ballroom A Cavarocchi, Ruscio, Dennis Associates in Washington, DC. This will be followed by presentations of specific innovations that successful hematology practices have deployed by Neil M. Barth, MD, of Newport Pacific Medical Associates, an integrated practice of three physicians in Newport Beach, CA, and John David Sprandio, MD, of Consultants in Medical Oncology and Hematology, a comprehensive practice of nine physicians in Drexel Hill, PA. Drs. Barth and Sprandio will share an insiders’ perspective on strategies to adapt to changes in healthcare delivery systems, while ensur- ing quality of care. The session will conclude with a questionand-answer session. A special reception for practitioners will follow the Practice Forum, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Manchester Grand Hyatt, Randall Ballroom A. This reception provides an opportunity for participants to network and talk directly with members of the ASH Committee on Practice to express issues of concern, learn more about the Society’s practice-related initiatives, and share personal experiences. Beverages and hors d’oeuvres will be provided. http://www.hematology.org/Awards/Visitor-Training-Program/2196.aspx http://www.hematology.org/Awards/ http://www.hematology.org/Awards/Visitor-Training-Program/2196.aspx

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ASH News Daily - Saturday, December 10, 2011

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