Monkeypox, FDA Ruling on Hearing Aids, Celebrating Our New Professionals: Week of August 19, 2022

 

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning on this beautiful, summer day in Elkins Park. I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome all our new and returning students to campus. As I noted during my remarks on Tuesday, for our new students, this week begins your transition from being an undergraduate to becoming a healthcare professional. With that comes increased responsibility to serve others with cultural humility and a commitment to excellence in all you do. We are all extremely excited to advance your professional formation.

Here are some other areas of interest:

WHITE COAT CEREMONY: Today’s White Coat ceremonies (yes, there are three of them!) celebrate your first professional milestone while at Salus, moving from layperson to healthcare professional. I know that our guest speaker, Dr. Bill Roberts, senior vice president of Academic Operations at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) in Bethesda, Maryland will energize and inspire you with his comments. Read more about Dr. Roberts here. Because we are conducting the ceremony indoors, in an academic setting, we will follow Salus masking guidelines remaining masked during the ceremony. These guidelines have served us well throughout the pandemic, and we want to continue to keep everyone healthy and safe. I look forward to seeing many of you at the Hafter Center later today.

MONKEYPOX VIRUS: As you may know, there has been a significant increase in Monkeypox viral cases nationally and in our own region. While we have not seen cases on campus, it is important to remain vigilant, nonetheless. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published guidelines for healthcare professionals and isolation and infection control that I strongly encourage you to become familiar with. The virus is spread through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact, including:

• Direct contact with monkeypox rash, scabs, or body fluids from a person with monkeypox.
• Touching objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox.
• Contact with respiratory secretions.

If you think you may have been exposed to Monkeypox, contact your primary care provider and get tested. Do not come to campus or clinic.

HELPING US HELP CHILDREN: Helping children has always been a key component of the American Heritage Credit Union’s mission. And now, the financial institution is helping Salus University continue its work for children in need. The credit union has donated $25,000 to keep the University’s Big Red Bus (BRB) on the road. Read more here.

CPPD SCHEDULE CHANGES: Please note that the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) schedule will change Aug. 22 and then again on Aug. 29. These schedule changes are posted on our webpage here. CPPD is returning to in person sessions beginning (partially) the week of Aug. 22 and then daily beginning Aug. 29. Virtual appointments remain available.

FINAL THOUGHTS: In response to the Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aid Act of 2017, this week the Food and Drug Administration issued their final rule establishing the new device category of OTC hearing aids for use by adults in an effort to reduce the cost of the devices and expand availability.

Effective 17 October 2022, OTC hearing aids may be purchased in person, by mail, or online without a requirement to involve licensed healthcare professionals, such as physicians, audiologists, or hearing instrument specialists. From a pure public health perspective, this ruling expands hearing aid access and utilization in patients who need but were reluctant to obtain hearing aids due to cost. This particularly impacts low-income individuals, and others for whom hearing aid access is especially burdensome.

For the practicing professional, we recognize that this ruling would cause a disruption in service models that have a high dependence on devices. While the purchase of OTC hearing aids will not require the services of hearing care professionals, the consensus of our experts in the Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) is that the FDA is NOT suggesting professional services provided by audiologists are unimportant or not valuable. The FDA recommends consumers consult with professionals in several circumstances, including the diagnosis of hearing impairment and in the fitting and continued use of OTC hearing aids. That said, while potentially a very beneficial public health initiative, this ruling also has inherent risks associated with it that could, in certain cases, put patients at risk if they don’t seek appropriate professional consultation to rule out underlying causes for their hearing loss.

Salus University’s OCA audiology programs were developed on a biomedical sciences model that prepares our students to practice at the top of their license with the broadest scope of practice ranging from diagnostics to rehabilitation, not reliant solely on selling hearing aids.

As most of our professions are regulated on both the federal and state levels, I cannot stress enough the importance of political advocacy. Our faculty and alumni work within state and national professional organizations in various capacities, to further the audiology profession much like our other professions at Salus do. They also hold several leadership positions within various professional organizations that influence the future of audiology education and practice. While we cannot do this alone as an institution of higher learning, it is imperative to closely watch how this ruling affects patient outcomes in the future and continue our commitment to active political advocacy and education of decision makers moving forward. As you prepare for the weekend, COVID cases remain moderately high, so please remain vigilant and follow CDC masking guidelines. Stay safe, keep hydrated, have some fun and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Welcoming Our Entering Class: Week of August 12, 2022

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning from Elkins Park where the weather finally has gotten a little cooler! We are thrilled to welcome our entering class next week and to open our new Orthotics and Prosthetics lab on Monday!  

Here are a few items of interest: 

NEW O&P LAB: The result of a lot of hard work and planning is finally here. Please join us at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 15 for the ribbon-cutting and opening of our new Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) lab. The event will include a tour of our Activities of Daily Living Lab. Both are located on the fourth floor of the West building of our Elkins Park campus. To RSVP for the ceremony, click here. To read more about the new O&P lab, click here.

LIGHTHOUSE AWARD WINNER: Kovin Naidoo, BSc, BOptom, MPH, OD ‘95, PhD, DHL (Hon), Global Head: Advocacy and Partnerships, OneSight EssilorLuxxotica Foundation, has been selected as the Lighthouse Award recipient for our 15th annual “Looking Out For Kids” charity fundraiser. Check out the story on Dr. Naidoo here.

SUMMER ART EXHIBIT: We are excited to showcase the work of the Montgomery County Guild of Professional Artists (MCGOPA) in our D’Arrigo Family Gallery at the Hafter Student Community Center on our Elkins Park campus of Salus. Click here for more information.

THE PATH TO AN OT CAREER: Upon graduation, Alexis Long ’23 OT, hopes to pursue a career in pediatric care. But just like her undergraduate career, where she was open to any and all opportunities, the unexpected twists and turns in her academic journey have made Alexis eager to see where her Occupational Therapy career takes her. Read more here.

MONTCLAIR VISITORS IMPRESSED: A group from Montclair State University in New Jersey visited Salus University recently to tour the campus and hear more about the various health science programs Salus offers. And, many of them came away impressed with what they saw and now considering Salus as a graduate school option. Read more about their experience here.

WHITE COAT CEREMONIES: Next week we’ll recognize our students with White Coat ceremonies for all three colleges. This annual ceremony represents the transition from student to professional in training as first-year students receive the symbol of their profession – the white coat. Recipients from all of the University’s clinical specialties -- Optometry, Audiology, Physician Assistant Studies, Occupational Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology and for the very first time, Orthotics and Prosthetics degree programs, will be honored. Look for stories and photos of the events on our website.

ERRATA: Apologies to Dr. Radhika Aravamudhan and the OCA staff, where we mistakenly labeled the Osborne College of Audiology - PCA – We all know it is OCA!

FINAL THOUGHTS: As I noted earlier, next week will be a busy week on campus because it’s Orientation Week, when our new students have the opportunity to meet representatives from our Salus student service departments, clinical facilities and external organizations providing helpful resources to them during their time at the University. We’ll also acknowledge all who helped bring our new Orthotics and Prosthetics program to life. Please try to participate in as many of these events as you can.

As we start this new, exciting and hopefully, normal school year, please keep in mind: we’re all in this together. For our students, our sole mission is to ensure your success as you learn and embrace your new professions. To our world-class faculty and staff, thank you for all you do every day to prepare and support our students. As everyone gets ready for the upcoming week, please be mindful of your physical and mental health and what you will do to protect and enhance both.

Have a great weekend - the weather should be perfect! Be safe, continue to follow CDC masking guidelines, wash your hands frequently and socially distance when you can. I look forward to welcoming all to our SALUS STRONG campus next week!

Mike

A Missed Opportunity to Curtail Monkeypox: Week of August 5, 2022

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning on a cloudy, summer day in Elkins Park. Our students are preparing to take final exams, and many are getting ready to depart for their clinical rotations. It’s an exciting time!

Here are some other areas of interest:

SEP BACK IN-PERSON: The Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University concluded its annual Robert E. Horne Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) in July with a celebratory closing event. SEP provides underrepresented students of color within the Doctor of Optometry program a jumpstart into the academic year. To read more about this year’s program, click here.

SPACERS PRESIDENT’S GOALS: Our latest podcast features a conversation with Carolyn Pijanowski, '24MS VRT, '24O&M, who is also the president of SPACERS, a student organization that promotes the blindness and low vision profession. She talks to us about the organization's goals and projects for this upcoming school year. To listen, click here.

FACULTY FOCUS ON DR. A.: Our Faculty Focus features Radhika Aravamudhan, PhD, dean of our Osborne College of Audiology (PCA) at Salus University. Dr. Aravamudhan believes the most important role of an administrator at any institution is to serve and build relationships amongst the various constituents. To read more, click here.

WHITE COAT CEREMONY: This year’s White Coat ceremony will again be held on campus, in the Hafter Student Center, with three separate ceremonies scheduled to keep the crowds down on Friday, 19 August. Our guest speaker is Rear Admiral William Roberts, Medical Corps, United States Navy (retired). Bill is an emergency room physician with a broad background in military medicine, business administration, public health and higher education. He recently completed his tenure as the acting President of the Uniformed Services University (USU) in Bethesda, Maryland and currently serves on the leadership team at USU. I have known Bill for many years and am excited for him to share his insights with us all.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Once considered a relatively obscure virus endemic to Africa, Orthopoxvirus monkeypox has emerged as a significant threat to global health, infecting more than 20,000 people in 75 countries and prompting the World Health Organization to declare a worldwide health emergency. (New York Times) The virus is spread through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact, including:

• Direct contact with monkeypox rash, scabs, or body fluids from a person with monkeypox.
• Touching objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox.
• Contact with respiratory secretions.

Given the factors above, it is extremely important to destigmatize the infection, which is being mischaracterized as a malady centered on gay men, simply because they comprise the majority of documented cases.

Source: New York Times

As we watch cases increase across the country, it appears we have learned little from our experience with COVID and the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 80’s and 90’s. When cases of monkeypox first emerged in the U.S., the nation’s public health system had the opportunity to significantly curtail, if not totally eliminate, the threat of the disease through judicious distribution of tests and vaccine, all which are readily available in stockpiles around the country. Even as the government recently declared the monkeypox outbreak a national public health emergency, until now, it has been administratively cumbersome for providers to order tests and access vaccines. According to the CDC, there are almost 7000 cases in the U.S. Locally, 173 are reported in Pennsylvania. As of yesterday, over 200 cases are being reported daily in the U.S. (see NYT chart below)

As healthcare providers, it is important for us to recognize and treat the signs and symptoms of Monkeypox, but just as important, to learn and apply past lessons learned to better protect all. The American public health system is fragmented and not as effective as it should be. When given the opportunity to address this, none of us should refrain from sharing our thoughts and opinions on how to improve the system.

As you prepare for the weekend, please keep in mind that COVID cases remain moderately high, so it is important to remain vigilant and follow CDC masking guidelines. If you suspect you’ve been exposed to monkeypox, please check with your primary care provider to determine the best course of action. At the very least, insist on being tested.

Stay safe, keep hydrated and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike