John Hopkins Medicine: committed to academics and innovation
Johns Hopkins Medicine is one of the leading healthcare systems in the United States.
On April 5th, 2018, two of the most prominent Johns Hopkins Medicine doctors visited Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to share their knowledge with dozens of other doctors, CEOs, business people, and renowned health representatives.
Dr. Ali Bydon, co-Director of Neurosurgery Medical Student Education and professor of Neurosurgery; and Dr. Anthony Nicholas Kalloo, M.D., M.B.B.S., “shared the latest innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of complex medical conditions,” as stated on a press release from April 9th.
What is Johns Hopkins Medicine?
According to the $8 billion integrated global health enterprise, “Johns Hopkins Medicine unites physicians and scientists of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine with the organizations, health professionals and facilities of The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System.”
Their first core value, Excellence & Discovery, matches what many Dominicans perceived last week, on an event hosted at El Embajador Hotel by the following Johns Hopkins Medicine representatives:
Ali Bydon, M.D., a professor of neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
An official bio reads:
“His clinical practice focuses on degenerative disorders of the spine, spinal tumors, and complex reconstruction and restoration of the spine.
His research focuses on spinal biomechanics, spinal disparities, and surgical outcomes. He has co-authored over 140 peer-reviewed manuscripts and numerous book chapters. Dr. Bydon co-authored the largest series in the literature evaluating the best surgical approach to spinal synovial cysts.
Dr. Bydon is a principal investigator of several national, multi-center, prospective clinical trials evaluating long-term patient-reported outcomes following spine surgery.”
Read the full bio of Dr. Ali Bydon.
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
The historical academic institution Dr. Bydon is part of “established the standard for modern medical education at its inception in 1893 by focusing on the interrelationship of learning, research, and patient care”, as visioned by William Osler, regarded as the Father of Modern Medicine.
As Director & Principal Investigator of the Spinal Column Biomechanics and Surgical Outcomes Laboratory at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Ali Bydon has led the following clinical studies:
- National Neurosurgery Quality and Outcomes Database (N2QOD)
- PRO-SAR Spine Registry
- Rare Complications of Cervical Spine Surgery
- The Epidemiology, Process, and Outcomes of Spine Oncology
- ISSG: Radiographic and Clinical Evaluation of Spinal Alignment Following
Cervical Spine Surgery: A Multi-Center Retrospective Study - Long-term outcomes in spinal fusion surgery
His latest academic contribution report is titled: “Risk factors for wound-related reoperations in patients with a metastatic spine tumor,” as published on March 16th at the Journal of Neurosurgery.
Anthony Kalloo, M.D., M.B.B.S., Chief, Division of Gastroenterology, and Hepatology at John Hopkins Medicine.
Dr. Anthony Kalloo’s expertise:
- Abdominal Pain
- Clinical Gastroenterology
- Colon Polyps, Digestive Diseases,
- Gallbladder Disorders
- Gallstones
- Gastroenterology
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Pancreatitis
- Rectal Problem
- Sphincter of Oddi
- Stomach Pain
- Stomach Ulcer
Also, he manages to research the following: Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery, NOTES, pancreatitis, abdominal pain, and sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, which he speaks briefly in the following video.
Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction was one of the topics in Santo Domingo. People who have had their gallbladders removed are most likely to develop sphincter of Oddi dysfunction.
Dr. Kalloo and the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology “aim to advance the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of gastrointestinal and liver disease through patient care, education and research”, as stated on his CV.
Johns Hopkins Hospital
According to their mission statement, “The Johns Hopkins Hospital has been
to lead the world in the diagnosis and treatment of disease and to train tomorrow’s
great physicians, nurses, and scientists. Above all, we aim to provide the highest-quality
healthcare and service to all of our patients.”
High-quality care has been a tradition for Johns Hopkins Hospital. It ranked #1 in the United States for 21 years straight. Their latest number one ranking happened in 2013.
Along with Dr. Bydon, Kalloo shared the latest innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of complex medical conditions.
Johns Hopkins Hospital has over a century-long of medical innovation that dates back to 1889 when they devised landmark surgery for breast cancer.
Johns Hopkins Hospital facts:
- 1,059 patient beds
- More than $450 million in Federal support, largen than counterparts in other U.S. medical schools
- Johns Hopkins is the largest employer in Maryland with over 2,000 full-time attending physicians and a 40K full-time faculty.
Dr. Katherine DeRuggiero, D.N.P., R.N., Vice president of patient services for Johns Hopkins Medicine International. 
The kind 32-year nurse veteran “has an extensive background directing emergency medicine, critical care transport nursing, and disaster team operations.”
On January 13, 2016, Dr. Deruggiero was named Vice President of Patient Services for Johns Hopkins Medicine International.
“Kathy’s expertise, leadership skills, and considerable institutional relationships will continue to serve us well as she takes on this role in a permanent capacity,” said Pamela Paulk, president of Johns Hopkins Medicine International at the time.
Read the press release of Dr. Kathy Deruggiero’s appointment as Vice President of Patient Services.
DeRuggiero holds a joint appointment at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and has published several articles related to operations improvement in emergency medicine. Full bio.
Johns Hopkins Medicine
The Johns Hopkins Hospital, founded in 1889, and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, created four years before, constitute Johns Hopkins Medicine, one of the world’s premier, integrated health systems.
Their nucleus has “six hospitals, four community-based health care and surgery centers, more than 40 primary and specialty care practices throughout the region, and managed care and home care services”.
Dr. DeRuggiero collaborates across Johns Hopkins Medicine International and Johns Hopkins Medicine “to deliver the promise of medicine to our diverse patient populations in the United States and abroad — a model that considers the entire patient journey and ensures holistic, measurable results that last well beyond the immediate visit”.
Johns Hopkins Medicine in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
In our nation’s capital, Dr. DeRuggiero spoke first and gave insights about Johns Hopkins Medicine’s promise of Academic Medicine.
Johns Hopkins Medicine International’s academic medicine is built on medical education, research, and clinical care.
After a brief introduction of Johns Hopkins Hospital accomplishments and national awards, Dr. Bydon’s presentation focused on the neurosurgical spinal center’s following topics, to name just a few:
- Clinical productivity (outpatient visits, OR cases)
- Laminectomy SSI Rate (CY 2005 – 2013 Q3)
- Spinal Fusion SSI Rate (CY 2005 – 2013 Q3)
- Research
- Surgical outcomes lab (clinical studies)
After presenting innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of complex medical conditions, Dr. Anthony Nicholas Kalloo responded questions from the audience and provided a more in-depth analysis of the innovations he explained.
Wrapping up
Johns Hopkins Medicine is a reference in the healthcare industry. Their academic and innovation strategy has favored this magnificent entity as a pioneer in different medical aspects.
We were honored to attend this medical event, for what it represents to the Dominican people.
Furthermore, we are happy to receive Dr. Kathy Deruggiero as a speaker at the 4th International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress in Santo Domingo, this upcoming September.
She is part of the agenda along with other health representatives from top hospitals in the United States, accreditation institutions, second opinion companies, global leaders, and local private and public sector figures.
