Author Archives: Kim Morris

Faculty from the division of hospital medicine were well represented at the recent Society of Hospital Medicine’s Annual Meeting. Ria Dancel, MD, associate professor of medicine and pediatrics, was invited to participate in a debate about the growth of virtual medicine technology, and whether the trend is positive or negative...

Christopher Jensen, MD, a hematology-oncology fellow, with Katherine “Alex” Despotes, MD, and Benjamin DeMarco, MD, fellows in the division of pulmonary and critical care medicine, recently published “We Usually Don’t Vote on Intubation” in the Chest Journal. Their essay tells the story of a patient who requested the opportunity to...

Jared Lowe, MD, assistant professor in the UNC Palliative Care Program has been appointed Medical Director of UNC Hospice. Margaret Drickamer, MD, who previously served in this role, will become Assistant Medical Director and continue as a Hospice attending physician. “We are thankful for Margaret’s outstanding leadership,” said Laura Hanson,...

Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (MRM) recently highlighted research by Scott Donaldson, MD, professor of medicine, and Jennifer Goralski, MD, assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics, from the division of pulmonary and critical care medicine. Their paper “Comparison of single breath hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI with dynamic 19F MRI in cystic fibrosis...

An increasing focus on high-value care and the implications around length of stay (LOS) has the potential to profoundly impact both patients and hospital systems. As hospitals face lower patient capacities and increasing costs, studies show an understanding of the factors that contribute to LOS can improve the management of...

July Observances July 4: Independence Day (also known as the Fourth of July), is a US federal holiday that celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The original 13 American colonies declared independence from Britain and established themselves as a new nation known as the United...

Dietary supplements do not do much to help people lose weight—that’s the verdict from a large new review led by John A. Batsis, MD, associate professor of medicine in the division of geriatric medicine and Gillings School of Global Public Health, in report from Gizmodo. The review found little high-quality...

A fourth COVID-19 vaccine potentially on its way was developed and tested in the Triangle. It’s a North Carolina success story but the current vaccines are a success story for the country. “Just look at the numbers,” said David Wohl, MD, professor of medicine in the division infectious diseases, in...

Neither North Carolina nor the rest of the United States will meet President Biden’s goal of having 70 percent of adults at least partially vaccinated by the Fourth of July. “There are many different issues with vaccine hesitancy,” explained David Weber, MD, professor of medicine in the division of infectious...

Subhashini Sellers, MD, MSc, assistant professor in the division of pulmonary diseases and critical care medicine, was featured in an NBC news story recognizing a new milestone in the fight against COVID-19 as hospitals nationwide report fewer new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. “I feel like I can allow myself to...

Although Americans spend billions on them, published research shows a lack of strong evidence that dietary supplements and alternative therapies help adults lose weight, according to a new study published in Obesity, the flagship journal of The Obesity Society (TOS). Led by John Batsis, MD, researchers completed a comprehensive review...

WTVD news reports health officials are working to improve the vaccination rate among youth in North Carolina. According to the latest data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, four percent of doses being doled out are going to kids ages 12-17 and seven percent of the...