UChicago Medicine moves up to No. 4 in Illinois on U.S. News’ best hospitals list

The University of Chicago Medicine moved up to No. 4 in both Chicago and Illinois in U.S. News & World Report’s list of best hospitals in the country. Last year, the academic health system was ranked 7th and 8th in the city and state, respectively. U.S. News  released results for 2018-19 after analyzing data from nearly 5,000 medical centers across the country and surveying more than 30,000 physicians. The results include rankings by region and in 16 adult specialties. These adult specialties were recognized by U.S. News: Cancer, No. 33 Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, No. 47 Urology, No. 45 Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, … Read More

Medicaid expansion leads to greater access to diabetes medications

Prescriptions for diabetes medications increased in the first two years after states expanded eligibility for Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act, compared to states that didn’t expand Medicaid. In 2014 and 2015, 29 states and the District of Columbia expanded eligibility for Medicaid among low-income adults. In a new study published in the August issue of Health Affairs, researchers from the University of Chicago and the University of Southern California (USC) analyzed data on more than 96 million prescriptions filled using Medicaid insurance between 2008 and 2015 to see the impact of expansion on access to diabetes medications. … Read More

An unexpected success for cancer immunotherapy treating prostate cancer

In 2009, at the age of 75, Ralph Stuart was diagnosed with prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. Because of his age, and a previous diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, his doctors “just kind of left it alone,” according to Stuart’s wife, Austine.That could be a reasonable approach for an older man with a slow-growing disease. Mr. Stuart’s cancer didn’t immediately progress. It was there, but did not seem to be growing much, if at all. By the time he reached his early 80s, however, it gradually became clear the cancer was progressing. “To make … Read More

Pulmonologist helps create new robotic device to detect lung cancer earlier than ever before

Facing a glowing screen and with a small, thumb-controlled device in hand, pulmonologist and advanced bronchoscopist D. Kyle Hogarth, MD, FCCP, looks like he could be playing a video game. Instead, he’s inside a room at the University of Chicago Medicine, guiding a new robotic device deeper into the lungs than most physicians have ever gone before. Hogarth is an expert in advanced bronchoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure that lets physicians see inside a person’s airways with the help of a small camera (or scope) attached to a long tube that’s inserted through the mouth. For years, he’d been frustrated by … Read More

Funmi Olopade, MD – Named to Illinois Order of Lincoln

Olufunmilayo Olopade, M.D., has been named one of six Illinoisans who will receive the 2019 Order of Lincoln. The award is the state’s highest honor for professional accomplishments and public service. Gov. Bruce Rauner announced the recipients on Thursday, July 12. Dr. Olopade, the Walter L. Palmer Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine and Human Genetics, Associate Dean for Global Health, and Director of the Center for Clinical Cancer Genetics, came to the University of Chicago Medicine in 1987 and quickly built a reputation as an expert on cancer risk assessment and individualized treatment for the most aggressive forms of breast cancer, … Read More

University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center status renewed

The National Cancer Institute (NCI), the U.S. federal government’s principal agency that funds cancer research, has renewed the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center’s designation as a comprehensive cancer center. The designation recognizes the center’s distinction as a center of research excellence in basic, clinical and population sciences, as well as a valued community and regional resource for cancer information, cancer education and cancer outreach. More

Expensive new forms of insulin perform no better than human insulin for Type 2 diabetes

For most people with Type 2 diabetes, treatment begins by making lifestyle changes like diet and exercise and taking medications, such as Metformin, that lower the amount of extra sugar in the blood. But 14 to 25 percent of people with Type 2 diabetes need insulin injections to control their blood sugars. For decades, these people were prescribed a synthetic form of human insulin, but in the 2000s, newer insulin analogs began to become more widespread. These modified versions of insulin are longer-acting and are supposed to limit the risk of low blood sugars at night. Unfortunately, they are also … Read More

Keyoumars Soltani, MD Receives Named Professorship

President Robert Zimmer has named Keyoumars Soltani, MD as the Allan L. Lorincz Professor effective July 1, 2018. Dr. Soltani, Professor of Medicine (Section of Dermatology) is an authority on the treatment of skin cancers, cutaneous surgical procedures, graft-versus-host disease and blistering conditions who has served the Department of Medicine, Biological Sciences Division and the University of Chicago with distinction and dedication for nearly 50 years. Dr. Soltani earned his MD in 1965 from the University of Tehran, followed by a residency in 1971 at Temple University, and research fellowship training at the University of Chicago. In 1972 he was … Read More

2018 Department of Medicine Award Recipients

At the 13th annual Department of Medicine Awards Ceremony held on June 19, 2018 , the nineteen faculty were recognized for their contributions to the Department of Medicine’s educational, clinical and research missions over the past academic year.  The awards were presented by Dr. Everett E. Vokes with assistance from the vice chairs for clinical operations, research , education and faculty development, Drs. Matthew Sorrentino, Julian Solway, John McConville and Deborah Burnet, respectively. Special Awards: Leif B. Sorensen,MD,PhD Faculty Research Award: Yun Fang, PhD (Pulmonary/Critical Care) Arthur Rubenstein,MD Faculty Mentorship Award: Vineet Arora,MD (General Internal Medicine) Diversity Award: Milda Saunders,MD (General Internal Medicine) Clinical … Read More