Lurie Center for Autism Welcomes New Director
In October 2011, Christopher J. McDougle, MD, became director of the Lurie Center for Autism at Massachusetts General Hospital and MassGeneral Hospital for Children. Dr. McDougle is also the nominated incumbent Nancy Lurie Marks Professor in the Field of Autism at Harvard Medical School.
Cancer Screening Improved Through Detailed Family Histories
A recent study concluded that family history can significantly affect the course of action for cancer screenings such as mammograms and colonoscopies. “We wanted to find out whether changes in a person’s family history of cancer, over time, would affect the screening schedule and tests recommended by standard guidelines,” says Dianne Finkelstein, PhD, of the Massachusetts General Hospital Biostatistics Center. “The results of our study could guide how often healthcare providers should update their patients’ family histories.”
Mass General Returns to Haiti
Mass General sent a group of healthcare professionals to Haiti in the aftermath of the January, 2010 earthquake. In July, a team of six Mass General clinicians returned to the island to help in the battle against cholera stemming from the earthquake. Although cholera cases had slowed, the number of Haitians affected was on the rise this summer, and the many challenges faced by the country both before and after the earthquake increased the impact of cholera.
Online Toolkit a Valuable Resource for Physicians, Military Children and Families
The new “Toolkit for the Well-Child Screening of Military Children” will help pediatricians and other healthcare professionals identify and address the signs of deployment-related stress among children in families of military members. The online resource is made available as a public service of the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program and the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project (MCPAP).
Mass General Ranks No. 2 in National “Best Hospitals” List
Mass General moved up one spot from 2010 to rank No. 2, its highest ranking to date, on the 2011–12 U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll in the annual “Best Hospitals” guide. Mass General is ranked first in the Boston metro area.
