Checkup

Making Rounds

Stroke care program recertified

The Joint Commission recertified St. Luke's Hospital's stroke care program as a Primary Stroke Center after an on-site review conducted last month. The surveyor who conducted the review commented, "Collaboration between the disciplines of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Emergency Medicine and Interventional Radiology is evident. The Emergency Department Medical Director is committed to the delivery of excellent stroke care... The Neuroscience Program is one of the four cornerstones of St Luke's Hospital. Much effort has been put into the development of stroke education for stroke team members as well as staff nurses."

The stroke program at St. Luke's started in 2003 with the mission to provide the best care to every patient through clinical practice, research and education. The stroke center was initially certified by the Joint Commission in December 2004. The program includes a multidisciplinary team of physicians from emergency medicine, neurology, neurosurgery and interventional radiology as well as nursing and rehabilitation services, pharmacy, radiology and social work. The program participates in numerous clinical trials in stroke prevention, treatment and genetics and is associated with Mayo Clinic's neurology residency program.

Mayo's a great place to work

For the fourth consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine has named Mayo Clinic one of the "100 Best Companies toWork For" in America. Mayo ranked 62 among the top 100 companies and 18 among the 39 large employers in Fortune's survey. The magazine's overall list was published in the Jan. 22 edition.

"These acknowledgments are always gratifying," says Dr.George B. Bartley, CEO of Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, "but we welcome this recognition because it focuses on two subjects that matter to us greatly — the people of MayoClinic and the work environment that encourages them to flourish."

Worldwide genetic link for Parkinson's disease identified

Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville and the National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei have discovered what to date appears to be the most common genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease worldwide. They believe the majority of people carrying this genetic mutation descend from a common ancestor about 4,800 years ago. Ethnic Chinese individuals carrying a mutation researchers identified in the LRRK2 gene are over two times more likely to develop the disease than non-carriers.Given the population of China and the number of ethnic Chinese worldwide, this mutation may predispose more people to developing Parkinson's disease than any other genetic factor. However, researchers say not everyone with the mutation develops the disease, and in those who do, other genetic and environmental factors are probably in play.

Mayo Clinic neuroscientist Matthew Farrer, Ph.D., lead author on the study, says this discovery is a small part of the ongoing genetic revolution in medicine. "Seemingly sporadic Parkinson's disease may be a familial disorder, and we're finding that the genetic risk factors for Parkinson's disease are population specific," he says.

The group published their study in Parkinsonism and Related Disorders in January.

Mayo Clinic Health Forum

The Mayo Clinic Health Forum offers educational seminars that provide medical information to our community. Mayo Clinic physicians share their expertise on a variety of health-related topics, and they are available after their presentations to answer questions one-on-one. The seminars are free, open to the public and usually held in Kinne Auditorium on the clinic campus. Please call (904) 953-0770 or visit our web site for dates and times of upcoming forums.