New orthopedic oncology and bone tumor care program under way |
|
|
Children’s Minnesota has launched an orthopedic oncology program specializing in diagnosing and surgically treating cancerous and non-cancerous soft tissue and bone tumors in children, teens and young adults. The program is co-directed by Emily Greengard, MD, and Colin Anderson, MD. Dr. Greengard is the solid tumor team lead and medical director of oncology at Children’s Minnesota. Dr. Anderson, an Allina Health employee, contracts with Children’s Minnesota to provide orthopedic surgical services. He has a specialized interest in pediatric orthopedic oncology cases.
“The orthopedic oncology program collaborates with physical therapy, occupational therapy, pathology, radiology and radiation oncology to ensure these patients receive top-notch multidisciplinary care,” said Dr. Greengard.
Added Dr. Anderson, “Our main goals of care include limb preservation, restoration of function and improvement in quality of life while treating these neoplasms.”
Health providers should be aware of the red flags of pediatric sarcomas, said Dr. Greengard. “These include any lump or bump that is deep, new or getting larger —whether or not it hurts (because not all sarcomas are painful), pain that is not explained by injury or excessive activity, pain that occurs at night or that persists when resting the sore area and pain that does not resolve on its own within a few weeks.”
Learn more about the cancer and blood disorders program.
To refer a patient, contact Children’s Minnesota Physician Access at 866-755-2121.
|
|
|
Children’s Minnesota offers Level I pediatric trauma care — and innovative research |
|
|
The Children’s Minnesota Hospital in Minneapolis is widely respected for offering the area’s only Level I pediatric trauma center in a hospital dedicated only to kids. The Children’s Minnesota Hospital in St. Paul, which is designated as a Level 4 trauma center, also offers some of the region’s finest pediatric emergency and trauma care. In 2024, the two campuses admitted 825 patients for trauma care — the highest number in its 11 years of having a verified Level I pediatric trauma center.
|
The pediatric emergency and trauma teams at Children’s Minnesota also conduct innovative research. Our kid experts regularly collaborate in multicenter research studies with institutions across the U.S. and Canada. They are part of important research networks, including the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Collaborative Research Committee, the Pediatric Emergency Research Network, the Minnesota Electronic Health Record Consortium and PEDSNet. Importantly, for over 35 years the emergency department has trained the next generation of pediatric researchers through the pediatric emergency medicine fellowship program.
With a strong focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, many of the studies conducted in the emergency department are geared toward improving access and outcomes for all children and families who seek medical care at Children’s Minnesota. Currently, Children’s Minnesota is participating in five open trials. Eligible children could be part of one of these ongoing studies.
Learn more about emergency medicine research at Children’s Minnesota.
|
|
|
Spina bifida clinic adds new services and enhanced coordinated care |
|
|
The spina bifida clinic at Children’s Minnesota is renowned for offering comprehensive, coordinated care for patients from diagnosis up to age 21. In the last year, the spina bifida clinic has introduced several new programs for patients.
New offerings include a complex bowel disorder program for individuals with neurogenic bowel issues and a mobility program that features consultations from physiatry, pediatrics, gait physical therapy and orthopedics. The spina bifida clinic also will soon open an outpatient botulinum toxin program for patients struggling with high tone in their muscles causing issues with their gait or function.
|
|
|
“Because these are patients will need multiple specialists throughout their lifetime, we have also begun assessing readiness for transition, and ability to be independent with managing one’s own treatments for our older patients,” said Stella Evans, MD, complex care pediatrician at Children’s Minnesota and medical director of the spina bifida clinic.
|
| |
|
“What makes our clinic unique is our focus on delivering care in ways that make sense for our patients, from before a child is born all the way to their transition into adulthood and out of pediatric medical care,” said Dr. Evans. “Not only do we have a superb team of specialists within the clinic, but we are also continuously coordinating with specialists at other organizations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas, from physical and occupational therapy to orthopedic surgery to wound care clinics.”
Read more about the spina bifida clinic at Children’s Minnesota here.
|
|
|
Unique neonatal monitoring program helps preterm babies go home sooner |
Preterm babies who are gradually learning to feed, but are otherwise healthy, are eligible for The Kid Experts® At Home, a monitoring program within the neonatology program at Children’s Minnesota. Babies have a nasogastric (NG) tube when discharged and will continue with a combination of oral and tube feedings.
|
|
|
“We developed this program to be an option for families whose neonate remains hospitalized solely working on being able to take all feedings by mouth but would otherwise be ready for discharge home,” said Heidi Kamrath, DO, neonatal outpatient clinical services medical director. “The overall goal is to get our neonatal patients home with their families sooner than could otherwise be achieved.”
Families receive a weighing scale and secure access to an app for the caregivers’ tablet or smartphone to input information about the baby for the neonatal team. The caregivers are trained by the Children’s Minnesota neonatal team on proper NG position, oral feeding techniques, CPR and use of the app.
|
| |
|
“Families seem to feel well-supported when they chose to discharge with The Kid Experts® At Home program, enjoy increased confidence in supporting their child’s feeding progression and express thanks for an earlier discharge,” said Dr. Kamrath.
Launched in 2021, The Kid Experts® At Home is the only program of its kind in Minnesota. To date, 181 patients have completed the program. The Kid Experts® At Home is available at all three of Children’s Minnesota’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) locations. Read more about the program here.
|
|
|
Share the knowledge
If you find this newsletter valuable, we invite you to send this email to your colleagues so that they can learn about what's happening at Children's Minnesota. If this email was forwarded to you, we encourage you to sign up for the Children's Minnesota Clinician Digest.
|
| Talking Pediatrics podcast
Join us as we bring intriguing stories and relevant pediatric health care information and partner with you in the care of your patients.
Listen to the previously recorded Talking Pediatrics episode: Talking Pediatrics Trailblazers: Dr. Emily Chapman
|
Hear from a kid expert
Health care organizations and other allied health professionals can hear directly from Children’s Minnesota’s physicians and other providers about the latest in pediatric research, clinical procedures and innovations, and more through our Kid Experts On Demand program. To get started, submit a request.
|
|
|
Children's Minnesota Physician Access |
24/7 access to referrals, consults and admissions.
|
| |
|
This email was sent to email.
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.
This email was sent by:
5901 Lincoln Drive | Edina, MN 55436 US
If you prefer not to receive messages at this email address, click here to unsubscribe.
|
|
|
|
