North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition

N E W S VOL. 7, NO.4

President’s Perspectives . . . . . . . .John Barnard, MD • President, North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

WINTER 2007

Table of Contents

Dear NASPGHAN Colleagues: This is the final installment of my newsletter communications to the NASPGHAN membership about our strategic plan. As a reminder, the three components of the plan are Research,Education and Quality. Previous newsletters covered Research and Quality and can be found in the Members Section of theNASPGHAN web site. Herein, I will focus on the componentof the plan dedicated to Education.

Prior NASPGHAN surveys have emphasized the key importanceof education activities to the membership, especially the Journaland the Annual Meeting and Postgraduate Course. In fact, theseare ranked highest in importance among all activities upon whichour organization embarks. Thus, it is not surprising that advancingeducation is an important part of our strategy. Clearly the field ofpediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition is a rapidlyevolving discipline and engaging our trainees and work force inlifelong learning is a constant opportunity and challenge forNASPGHAN.

The key tactics relating to advancing education are:

�Develop an overarching education strategic plan;�Increase the quality of the NASPGHAN

Postgraduate Course and Annual Meeting;�Develop and deliver a career development curriculum,

beginning with fellowship training and extending throughout the duration of professional life;

�Increase NASPGHAN web-site utilization and recognition with emphasis on education; and

�Prioritize and develop outstanding patient education materials.

NASPGHAN members may note that a key education strategicpriority is to develop an overarching education strategic plan.On the surface, this appears to be rather circular. However, it was the considered opinion of the strategic planning group thatstate-of-the-art principles and practice of adult education is beyondthe usual skill set of most NASPGHAN members (unlike researchand quality of care). Hence, we will briefly engage a consultant to assist us in planning how we might advance education for themembership.

In the meantime, we plan to embark on several tactics to increasethe diversity and frequency of NASPGHAN educational offerings.These include regional workshops (two regional billing and codingworkshops were held late in 2007). An initiative to podcast selectedJournal content is also underway.

You are encouraged to contribute innovative ideas about howNASPGHAN can improve its mission in the area of education.We need your constructive input and your best ideas. Please contact the National Office, your elected Council members, or me at: john.barnard@nationwidechildrens.org

Best Regards,

John Barnard, MDPresident, NASPGHANColumbus, Ohio

" The hardest conviction to get into the mind of a beginner isthat the education upon which he is engaged is not a collegecourse, not a medical course, but a life course, for which thework of a few years under teachers is but a preparation."

~William Osler

2 . . . . Secretary Treasurer’s Report 3 . . . . CDHNF President’s Report6 . . . . 2007 Annual Meeting Photographs 8 . . . . Committee Reports 9 . . . . ABP Liaison Report 10 . . . . Meetings of Interest / Important Dates & Deadlines /

AAP Corner / New Members

11 . . . . NASPGHAN Co-sponsored Symposia13 . . . . NASPGHAN 1st Year Fellows /

2008 Murray Davidson Award – Call for Nominations 14 . . . . Billing & Coding 16 . . . . Advocacy Update17 . . . . Classifieds

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Secretary–Treasurer’s Report . . . . . Dear Colleagues and Friends:

It was good to see so many of you again at our recent meeting in Salt Lake City. We had another highly successful meeting with record attendance at our Single Topic Symposium and Postgraduate Course. Thescience was excellent, the social interaction was wonderful, and it appears from verbal feedback most of the attendees came away satisfied with their experience. Our thanks go to all the organizers for arrangingthe educational program and to the many presenters for sharing their expertise. We also owe a great debtof gratitude to the National Office staff, Margaret Stallings, Sandy Fasold and Kim Rose, for all the hard work they put into ensuring that everything runs smoothly and that our needs are met.

As I stated at the business luncheon, NASPGHAN’s finances remain sound and we are on track to meet budget for the year 2007. The Finance Committee will soon start planning our strategy to meet the budget challenges we will face in 2008. Next year NASPGHAN will not hold our traditional annualmeeting as the “World Congress 3” is scheduled to take place in August. The annual meeting is a majorsource of NASPGHAN’s income revenue so we will need to find alternative means of generating incomein 2008. A number of options are being considered and I am confident the Finance Committee will meet the challenge.

This year there was some overlap between the NASPGHAN meeting and the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics which was held in San Francisco from October 27–30. Despite this, it was really gratifying to see that a number of our NASPGHAN members willingly gave of their timeto serve as faculty members at the AAP meeting. Past President Phil Sherman was featured prominently and spoke on the topic of probiotics at both the plenary session and during two seminars. There was a lotof interest in his topic and he was featured in press and AAP news releases. His two seminars were so wellattended there was not sufficient seating to accommodate all the participants. Sue Moyer and MichellePietzak were co-presenters at two seminars on “What GI Tests are Ready for Prime Time”. Michelle also presented two sessions on Celiac Disease. Bob Cannon spoke on “What’s New and Hot in Pediatric Gastroenterology” at the section meeting. Early feed back from the attendees at these events has once againbeen extremely positive and GI topics appear to be very popular among pediatricians. The faculty that I have spoken to always relate that they find talking to their generalist colleagues at the AAP annual meeting to be a very rewarding experience. I would strongly encourage any NASPGHAN member who has an interest in education to come forward and identify themselves if they would like to be consideredas a speaker at future AAP meetings. The AAP is always looking for good faculty for the many CME programs they run throughout the year. Those who might be interested are encouraged to contact Mel Heyman who is currently the Chair of the Section on Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutritionwithin the Academy.

In closing, I wish all our members a wonderful festive season and much happiness in the New Year.

Regards,

Ivor Hill, MDSecretary-Treasurer

CDHNFPresident’s Report . . .William F. Balistreri, MD, PresidentChildrens Digestive Health & Nutrition Foundation

2007 RESEARCH AWARDS

�George Ferry Young Investigator AwardROHIT KOHLI, MD Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH EFFECT OF ILEAL TRANSPOSITION ON THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF NUTRITION ASSOCIATED HEPATIC STEATOSIS

George Ferry, MD, Rohit Kohli, MD & William Balistreri, MD

�CDHNF Young Investigator Development Awards

1. EDDA FIEBIGER, MD Children’s Hospital, BostonSTUDIES ON THE ROLE OF MAST CELLS IN EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS

William Balistreri, MD & Edda Fiebiger, PhD

2. VALERIE MCLIN, MD Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TXTHE ROLE OF Wnt SIGNALING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OFTHE VISCERAL MESODERM AND GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT

�CDHNF/TAP Innovative Research Award DAVID RUDNICK, MD Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MOA SYSTEMS BIOLOGY APPROACH TO ANALYSIS OFMECHANISMS OF LIVER REGENERATION

William Balistreri, MD, David Rudnick, MD, PhD & John Barnard, MD

�CDHNF/Nestlé Nutrition Award for Young InvestigatorsMIRIAM VOS, MD Emory University, Atlanta, GAEFFECTS OF DIETARY FRUCTOSE REDUCTION IN CHILDREN WITH HEPATIC STEATOSIS

William Balistreri, MD, Miriam Vos, MD & John Barnard, MD

�CDHNF/Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America IBD Grant for New InvestigatorsZILI ZHANG, MD Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OROX40 AND TH17 CELL ACTIVATION IN INFLAMMATORYBOWEL DISEASE

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NASPGHAN 2007 Annual Meeting and Postgraduate CourseSalt Lake City, UT • Awards Ceremony – October 19, 2007

NASPGHAN Distinguished Service Award

Presented to Susan Henning, PhD by Carlos Lifschitz, MD

The NASPGHAN Distinguished Service Award is presentedto an individual to recognize excellence and service to the fieldof pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition byachieving national and/or international recognition in theirfield.

Harry Shwachman Award

Presented to Emanuel Lebenthal, MD by Leo Heitlinger, MD

The Shwachman Award is given by NASPGHAN to a person who hasmade major, life long scientific or educational contributions to the field of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology or nutrition in North America.The award is designed to preferentially honor a member of NASPGHANfor his/her achievements in the field.

Carlos Lifschitz, MD, Susan Henning, PhD & John Barnard, MD

John Barnard, MD, Emanuel Lebenthal, MD & Leo Heitlinger, MD

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Abstract Awards�Fellow Research Awards (2)

1. ILANA SHARON FORTGANG, MD Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TNPRESENCE OF TNFR PROTECTS FROM NEOPLASTIC TRANSFORMATION FOLLOWING CHRONIC EXPERIMENTAL COLITIS

2. KEITH J. BREGLIO, MD Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY SIGNALING VIA THE TOLL-RECEPTOR ASSOCIATED ACTIVATOR OF INTERFERON (TRIF) PATHWAY PROTECTS FROMTHE DEVELOPMENT OF COLITIS IN A MURINE MODEL OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

�Young Faculty Investigator Award

JOSHUA FRIEDMAN, MD The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

MICRORNA-223 IS REQUIRED FOR VERTEBRATE HEPATOBILIARY DEVELOPMENT

�Young Faculty Clinical Investigator Award

STEPHEN GUTHERY, MD University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

YOUNG AGE OF IBD ONSET INCREASES THE RISK OF IBD TO RELATIVES: ANALYSIS INCLUDING 367 LARGE UTAH PEDIGREES

William Balistreri, MD, Joshua Friedman, MD & John Barnard, MD

D. Brent Polk, MD, Stephen Guthery, MD & John Barnard, MD

Miriam Davis, RN & John Barnard, MD

NASPGHAN Endoscopy Prize

MIRIAM DAVIS, RN Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN

BIOMARKERS OF TISSUE INFLAMMATION IN EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS (EE)

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NASPGHAN 2007 ANNUAL MEETING!Salt Lake City, Utah

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Committee Reports...ENDOSCOPY & PROCEDURES COMMITTEE

Chair: Jenifer Lightdale, MD

The Endoscopy and Procedures Committee continues to expand uponits numerous activities, thanks in large part to Chris Liacouras, MD –the outgoing Committee Chair. In particular, collaboration betweenNASPGHAN and the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) is focused on advancing the field of pediatric endoscopy on a number of fronts, both old and new. As has becomea NASPGHAN fall meeting tradition, the ASGE/NASPGHANVideo Learning Center was coordinated by a Fellow Member of theCommittee (Murali Jatla) and was well utilized by NASPGHANmembers during the Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City. The E&PCommittee also continues to work with ASGE to review endoscopyrelated abstracts for Digestive Disease Week, and to plan pediatricendoscopy research fora in San Diego. We wish to encourage allNASPGHAN members to submit endoscopy specific abstracts toDDW, as pediatric specific investigation is well received by our adultcolleagues, and always welcomed by pediatric gastroenterologists attending the meeting. New this year is a plan to develop hands-onpediatric endoscopy courses at the ASGE Interactive Technologyand Training Center in Oak Brook, Illinois.

The E&P Committee will continue to work with the Journal ofPediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition to publish the Image of the Month. In a separate initiative, the E&P Committee haspledged to increase the number and variety of endoscopic imagescatalogued in a Digital Internet Library on the new NASPGHANwebsite. We’d like to encourage all members to visit this part ofthe website and utilize these images, which may be helpful for individual review or for teaching presentations. We’d also like to invite members to submit their own excellent and intriguing endoscopic pictures to the website, as well as good teaching cases,as the E&P Committee is extremely interested in expanding the virtual endoscopic educational opportunities afforded by theNASPGHAN website.

Finally, the E&P Committee would like to congratulate MiriamDavis, RN – a medical student in Indiana and winner of this year’sNASPGHAN Endoscopy Prize for her research abstract entitled“Biomarkers of Tissue Inflammation in Eosinophilic Esophagitis.”Ms. Davis was the recipient of a $500 award, and presented herwork on identifying potential biomarkers for EE in the first Plenary Session of the Annual Meeting. The E&P Committee remains committed to supporting Endoscopy Awards – both at the Fall Meeting and at DDW– and encourages all NASPGHANmembers to compete!

RESEARCH COMMITTEE

Chair: D. Brent Polk, MD

Fourteen members of the committee met at NASPGHAN 2007in Salt Lake City to review the progress on Action Plans and planfor the coming year. The committee will be seeking suggestions for invited speakers and possible thematic development with the Research Interest Group (RIG). The committee reviewed 21 grant applications for CDHNF this year. All agreed the process was fair and transparent with significant improvementsmade this year and some potential changes for 2008.

We sought volunteers from the committee to participate in the Annual NASPGHAN-Mead Johnson Fellows ResearchConference, which will be March 27–30, 2008 in Scottsdale, AZ.We reviewed activities of the past year and plans for the comingyear for each of the subcommittees including the Annual MeetingProgram, CDHNF and other Grant Reviews, promotion of theRIG, and the 3rd year fellows conference. We also discusseddeveloping approaches to meet the strategic goals ofNASPGHAN to:

�Increase the number and dollar amount of NASPGHAN and CDHNF-sponsored grants.

�Develop tactics to nurture, strengthen, support and increase research networks and multi-institutional studies in our discipline.

�Escalate research liaison activities with our peer professional organizations and partners in industry.

�Increase advocacy activities related to research, including consideration of updating the pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition research agenda.

�Intensify mentoring activities relating to research and academic careers within NASPGHAN. The RIG and grant review subcommittees will be taking the charge in developing proposals for each area.

We thanked David Mack, Thomas Sferra, Aliye Uc and MonicaGarin-Laflam for their tremendous service to NASPGHANthrough work on the Grant Review, RIG and 3rd year fellow’s conference subcommittees. We also welcomed enthusiastic new members Sohail Husain, Sonia Michail, Hayat Mousa, Ernest Seidman and Edwin de Zoeten.

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American Board ofPediatrics(ABP)Liaison Report . . . This liaison report will focus on Part Three of the requirementsfor Maintenance of Certification (PMCP-S) in pediatricgastroenterology. By way of review, the four parts of there-certification process are listed below. The rationale for thedecision by the Board to institute a secure examination for recertification (Part Three) was discussed in a previousnewsletter. This report will review the process for developing,approving and “testing” questions for the secure examination.

Part One: Evidence of Professional StandingValid, unrestricted medical license

Part Two: Evidence of Lifelong Learning and Self-AssessmentContinuing education

Part Three: Evidence of Cognitive ExpertiseSecure examination

Part Four: Evidence of Satisfactory Performance in PracticeComponent A: interpersonal communication skills and professionalism Component B: quality improvement strategies

�Who writes the questions? Although the majority of questions for the examinations are developed by members of the GI Subboard, anyone who is certified may submit a question for consideration.

�Examination content outline:The content outline is composed of content specification statements (CSSs) and serves as the examination blueprint. The outline was developed and is periodically reviewed and updated by the Subboard. The content statements drivethe question-writing assignments in order to develop a pool of questions from which to select for a given examination. The outline is available on the ABP website: (www.abp.org)and search “subspecialty content outline”.

�Question format:Questions are written as single-best-answer multiple choice questions which are widely used in the testing industry and well-suited to evaluate clinical decision-making. The majorityof questions are patient-based and begin with a clinical “stem”(patient-based scenario).

�Process for writing questions: The majority of questions follow a specific template which includes the clinical stem followed by the specific question to be answered. Five possible answers are given including the correct one as well as distracters, or incorrect options.

�Process for reviewing and editing questions:New questions are assigned both a primary and secondary reviewer on the Subboard. At the annual Subboard meeting, the primary reviewer recommends accepting, editing or discarding the question. The secondary reviewer ensures additional validation of relevance and accuracy. Acceptedquestions are then edited by the test development editorial staff and reviewed again by the Medical Editor. The questionsare then presented one more time at the Subboard meeting for final approval before they are included in the examinationitem pool. All questions in the approved item pool are reviewed periodically for currency and accuracy.

�Selecting questions for the examination: Items are selected for inclusion in a given examination according to the examination blueprint or content outline which dictates the percent of items from each content category that will appear on the examination. Questions are selected from the pool by the Subboard Chair and reviewed by an additional member of the Subboard as well as by the Medical Editor.

�Scoring examinations: The number of questions answered correctly determines an individual’s score. It is important to keep in mind that there is no penalty for guessing; therefore answering every question is encouraged. The minimum passing score reflects a standard developed by the ABP prior to administering the test.

�Quality control analysis: Following completion of the examination, staff psychome-tricians conduct several quality control activities to verify that the exam was statistically and psychometrically valid. Potentially flawed questions are identified and reviewed individually and may be removed from the examination prior to calculating the final score.

Take home points:�Anyone who is certified may write and submit questions for

consideration.�Questions go through a thorough review process before

inclusion in the item pool for examinations� The performance of individual questions on each examination

is evaluated prior to final scoring of an examination.

This process is detailed further on the ABP website (www.abp.org)and search “test development”. In the next addition of theNewsletter, review of Maintenance of Certification will concludewith Part Four: Evidence of Satisfactory Performance in Practice.As always, I would encourage members to review the informationfor Maintenance of Certification on the ABP website. Theprocess is currently being highlighted on the American Boardof Pediatrics Home page where a more detailed special editionnewsletter is available to view or download.

Respectfully submitted,

M. Susan Moyer, MD Chair, GI SubboardAmerican Board of Pediatrics

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�American Academy of Pediatrics CornerIt was a great honor to present the 2007 Murray Davidson Award to Dr. Michael Farrell for his outstanding contributions to our subspecialty. Thank you to all who attended the NASPGHANAwards Ceremony last month. Congratulationsagain to Dr. Farrell for his all of his achievements.While on this topic, we are already soliciting nominationsfor next year’s AAP Murray Davidson Award. Specifically,this award recognizes an outstanding clinician and educator(primary) and scientist (secondary) who has made a significant contribution(s) to the field of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition. Nominations must be inwriting and should be limited to one per nominator. Thenomination should include a CV, a letter of nomination,and two (no more) letters of support. These are due inthe AAP Office no later than March 10, 2008. Send all nominations to the attention of:Debra Burrowes, ManagerDivision of Technical and Medical ServicesAmerican Academy of Pediatrics141 Northwest Point BoulevardElk Grove Village, Illinois 60007-1098Our Section is beginning several projects to develop clinicalstatements for publication in AAP News and/or Pediatricson subjects pertinent to pediatricians. Topics that havebeen proposed include Constipation, Celiac Disease, Gastroesophageal Reflux, Foreign Bodies, Cyclic Vomiting,and Chronic Abdominal Pain. If anyone has a strong desire to participate in one of these, please contact DebraBurrowes or me. Please join our Section and participate in these and otheractivities that help educate the pediatric community on issues pertinent to our field.I wish all of you a happy and healthy Holiday season andlook forward to an exciting year ahead.Mel Heyman, MDChair, AAP Section on Gastroenterology and Nutrition E-Mail: mheyman@peds.ucsf.edu

� JANUARY 17–20, 20081st Year Fellows ConferenceFort Lauderdale, FL

�MARCH 27–30, 20083rd Year Fellows ConferenceScottsdale, AZ

�APRIL 10–13, 20082nd Year Fellows ConferenceScottsdale, AZ

Important Dates & Deadlines

Meetings of Interest . . . . .

PEDIATRIC ACADEMIC SOCIETIES (PAS) ANNUAL MEETING

• Date: May 2–8, 2008• Location: Honolulu, Hawaii• Contact: www.pas-meeting.org

DIGESTIVE DISEASE WEEK (DDW)

• Date: May 17–22, 2008• Location: San Diego, CA• Contact: www.ddw.org

WORLD CONGRESS OF PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY,

HEPATOLOGY & NUTRITION

• Date: August 16 –20, 2008• Location: Mabu Hotel & Resort, and Bourbon Hotel &

Tower, Iguassu Falls, Brazil• Contact: www.wcpghan2008.com

Welcome New NASPGHAN Members

Christophe Faure, MD Holger Willenbring, MD, PhD

Jorge A. Rosario, MDRavi Berry, MD Vita Goei, MD

Roland C. Guevarra, MD

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NASPGHAN Co-sponsored SymposiaPediatric Academic Societies’ Annual Meeting

May 2–8, 2008 • Honolulu, HawaiiSaturday, May 3, 2008

�7:00am–9:00am FOOD LABELING AND THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF FOOD ALLERGY PAS/ASPR/NASPGHAN TOPIC SYMPOSIUM CHAIRS: Akihiro Morikawa, Gunma University, Japan;

and John A. Kerner, Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA �Nutrition Strategies in Preventing Allergies in the First Year of Life �Epidemiology of Food Allergy and Food-Dependent Exercise-Induced Anaphylaxis in Japan �Food Labeling in Japan and Food Allergen Purification �Food Allergy and Food Labeling in Korea

Sponsored jointly by the Asian Society for Pediatric Research; the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; and the Pediatric Academic Societies

�11:30am–1:30pm PROBIOTICS AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS OF PROBIOTICS AND THE BASIC BACKGROUNDS PAS/ASPR/JPS/NASPGHAN TOPIC SYMPOSIUMCHAIRS: Josef Neu, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL;

and Yuichiro Yamashiro, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan �Environmental Challenges to Intestinal Microbes in the Neonate �Intestinal Microbial-Mucosa Interactions and Intestinal Diseases �Intestinal Microbes, Pathogenesis of Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases �Prevention of MRSA Infection by Synbiotics

Sponsored jointly by the Asian Society for Pediatric Research; the Japan Pediatric Society; the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the Pediatric Academic Societies

Sunday, May 4, 2008

�1:15pm–3:15pm FOOD ALLERGIES AND ALLERGIC BOWEL DISEASEPAS/NASPGHAN TOPIC SYMPOSIUMCHAIRS: Leo Heitlinger, St. Luke’s Hospital, Bethlehem, PA;

and B U.K. Li, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI�Food Allergy: Overview of Pathophysiology, Testing and Treatment �Food Anaphylaxis: Management Issues �Spectrum of Allergic Bowel Disorders�Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Mechanisms and Management

Sponsored jointly by the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; and the Pediatric Academic Societies

�3:30pm–5:30pm METABOLIC SYNDROME: WHERE IS THE INITIAL LESION? PAS/ASPR/LWPES/NASPGHAN TOPIC SYMPOSIUM

CHAIRS: Takehiko Ohzeki, Hamamatsu University, Hamamatsu, Japan;and Robert Lustig, University of California, San Francisco, CA�Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Japanese Children and Adolescents �Glucocorticoids and the Metabolic Syndrome �Adiponectin and the Metabolic Syndrome �Environmental Factors and the Metabolic Syndrome

Sponsored jointly by the Asian Society for Pediatric Research; the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society; the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; and the Pediatric Academic Societies

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Monday, May 5, 2008

�8:00am–10:00am INTESTINAL MICROBIOME AND ITS RELATION TO NEONATAL ANDCHILDHOOD HEALTH AND DISEASEPAS/NASPGHAN STATE OF THE ART PLENARYCHAIRS: B Li, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI;

and John N. Udall, West Virginia University, Charleston, WV�Intestinal Microbiome and its acquisition in newborns

David Relman, Stanford University, CA�Microorganisms, evolution and disorders of immunoreglation

Graham Rock, University College London (UCL), England

�2:00pm–4:00pm EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES DUE TO RESISTANT PATHOGENS: IMPACT ON CLINICAL PRACTICEPAS/NASPGHAN/PIDS TOPIC SYMPOSIUM CHAIRS: Tina Tan, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; and Stephen I. Pelton, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA

�Non Vaccine Serotype Pneumococcal Disease in Children: Perspective and Challenges �Serious Invasive Infections Caused by CA-MRSA �Emerging Issues in Pediatric Enteric Disease: Peanut Butter, Produce and (Kiddie) Pools �Ethical Issues in Preventing Spread of International Infections

Sponsored jointly by the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society; and the Pediatric Academic Societies

�2:15pm–4:15pm VITAMIN D: IT’S NOT JUST FOR BONES ANYMOREPAS/ASPN/LWPES/NASPGHAN TOPIC SYMPOSIUMCHAIRS: Russell Chesney, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN;

and Pisit (Duke) Pitukcheewanont, Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, CA�Vitamin D and the Metabolic Syndrome �Vitamin D Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes �Vitamin D and Cancer

Sponsored jointly by the American Society of Pediatric Nephrology; the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society; the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; and the Pediatric Academic Societies

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

�9:15am–11:15am STRATEGIES FOR EARLY NUTRITION IN PRETERM INFANTS: EARLY AGGRESSIVE PARENTERALAND ENTERAL NUTRITION IN PRETERM INFANTS—DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?PAS/NASPGHAN HOT TOPICCHAIRS: Richard J. Schanler, Schneider Children's Hospital at North Shore, North Shore University Hospital,

Manhasset, NY; and Brenda B. Poindexter, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN�Mothers' Own Milk or Donor Milk: Are They Equivalent? �What Is The Role of the Gut in Improving Outcomes in Low Birth Weight Infants? �Early Parenteral Nutrition Strategies in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants �Do Early Nutritional Strategies in Very Preterm Neonates Make a Difference Long Term?

Sponsored jointly by the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the Pediatric Academic Societies

�11:30am–1:30pm PEDIATRIC SOLID ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION: IMPACT OF DONATION AND ALLOCATION ON OUTCOME PAS/ASPN/NASPGHAN TOPIC SYMPOSIUM CHAIRS: Sue McDiarmid, University of California, Los Angeles, CA:

and William Harmon, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA �Introduction: Donation and Allocation: The Scope of the Problem in 2008 �Donation After Cardiac Death: Implications for Pediatrics and Protocol Development �Donation, Allocation, and Renal Transplantation �Donation, Allocation, and Lung Transplantation �Donation, Allocation, and Cardiac Transplantation �Donation, Allocation, and Liver and Intestine Transplantation

Sponsored jointly by the Asian Society for Pediatric Research; the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society; the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition; and the Pediatric Academic Societies

2008 MURRAY DAVIDSON AWARD / Call for Nominations – March 10, 2008Since its establishment in 1989, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Murray Davidson Award recognizes an outstanding clinician and educator(primary) and scientist (secondary) who has made a significant contribution(s) to the field of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition. Current members of the AAP Section on Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Executive Committee are ineligible to be nominated for this award.We are requesting nominations from pediatric gastroenterologists and other interested persons for this prestigious award. Nominations must be in writing and should be limited to one per nominator. The nomination should include a CV, a letter of nomination, and two (no more) letters of support.These are due in the AAP Office no later than March 10, 2008. Send all nominations to the attention of:

Debra Burrowes, ManagerDivision of Technical and Medical ServicesAmerican Academy of Pediatrics141 Northwest Point BoulevardElk Grove Village, Illinois 60007-1098

The Academy appreciates your effort to assist in the appropriate selection of a deserving person for this award. The selection of the Award recipient is madeby the Section on Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition’s Executive Committee and approved by the Board of Directors.

The Murray Davidson Award provides an honorarium of $1,000, a round trip tourist class airfare and two days lodging for the recipient to attend theNASPGHAN Annual Meeting.

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Maher Al Hatlani, MDWajeeh Al-Dekhail, MDChandran Paul Alexander, MDNaim Alkhouri, MDNikki Allmendinger, MDFatma Al-Madhaki, MDEyad Mahmoud Altamimi, MDRana Ammoury, MDHaikaeli Andrew, MDAli Asery, MDChristina Bales, MDDavid Baum, MDWilliam E Bennett, MDSilvana Bonilla, MDBrendan M Boyle, MDDavid Brumbaugh, MDShelya Calderon, MDJorge Arturo Chavez Saenz, MDEric Chiou, MDAshish Chogle, MD, MPHAndrew Chu MDJustin DeVito, DOMolly C Dienhart, MDSharon D'Mello, MDAri Dorros, MDMichael Dougherty, MDChristian P Farrington, MDYonathan Fuchs, MDJudy Fuentebella, MDKriston A Ganguli, MDJennifer Garcia, MDJose Garza, MDRoberto A Gomez- Suarez, MD

Jeannette Gonzalez, DOKiranmai Gorla, MDAakash Goyal, MDUgur Halac, MDLana Hattar, MDJeff Ho, DOEvelyn Hsu, MDM Kyle Jensen, MDPunit Jhaveri, MDJeff Kantor, MDChristine Karwowski, MDBrent Keith, MDAnil Kesavan, MDEmily Kevan, MDHamid Khour, MDKelly King, MDCrystal Knight, MDAnjuli Kumar, MDJames Lamphear, MD, PhDUlises Leal Quiroga, MDMelissa Leyva, MDQuin Liu, MDAdriana Argentina Magallanes Oropeza, MDHusam Mallah, MDAndrea Martinez, MDRuby Mehta, MDSeema Mehta, MDAminu Mohammed, MDChristopher J Moran, MDCade Nylund, MDChee (Keith) Ooi, MDJ Antonio Orozco Barrios, MDJuan Ossa, MD

Stephanie Page, MDBharami Pandrangi, MDAnup Patel, MDSaurabh D Patel, MD, PhDUma Phatak, MDNeeraj Raghunath, MDCharina Ramirez, MDBram Raphael, MDNorelle Rizkalla-Reilly, MDCynthia Marisol Rodriguez Trevino, MDMichelle Rook, MDEitan Rubinstein, MDArturo Salas, MDCarmen Alicia Sanchez Ramirez, MDAhmed Sarkhy MBBS, FRCPCRebecca Scherr, MDMehul K Sheth, DOMichelle Sicard, MDAnees Siddiqui, MDLeah Siebold, MDJared Silverstein, MDMiriam Sosa Arce, MDMonica Edith Tijerina Trevino, MDChristine E Waasdorp, MDPrateek D Wali, MDRitu Walia, MDJessica Wen, MDK Lynette Whitfield, MDAsha Willis, MDJiliu Xu, MDSharmila Zawahir, MDNaamah Zitomersky, MD

NASPGHAN 1st Year Fellows

1993 Barbara S Kirschner, MD, FAAP1994 Arnold Silverman, MD, FAAP1995 Emanuel Lebenthal, MD, FAAP1996 Robert Suskind, MD, FAAP1997 James P Keating, MD, FAAP

1998 John B Watkins, MD, FAAP1999 William F Balistreri, MD, FAAP2000 W Allan Walker, MD, FAAP2001 Richard Grand, MD, FAAP2002 Marvin E Ament, MD, FAAP

2003 William K Schubert, MD, FAAP2004 William J Klish, MD, FAAP2005 Joseph F Fitzgerald, MD, FAAP2006 George Ferry, MD, FAAP2007 Michael Farrell, MD, FAAP

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS – Section on Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition

Past Murray Davidson Award Recipients

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Billing &Coding . . . Provided by Kathleen A. Mueller, RN, CPC, CCS-P, CCCHealthcare Consultant in association with McVey Associates, Inc.

2008 UPDATE: GOOD OR BAD NEWSWell, we again are faced with a reduction in the Medicare fee schedule.This time around the fee schedule would be reduced by 10% unlessCongress steps in to save the day again. The RVU(s) (relative valueunits) were released on November 27, 2007, in the Federal Register.RVU’s are just one part of the fee schedule and when multiplied by aconversion factor make up the fee schedule. Should the cuts takeplace, the conversion factor will be somewhere about $35.00 perRVU as compared to the current conversion factor of $37.90. Sincethe majority of patients seen by pediatric specialty groups are not covered by Medicare, this means it won’t impact those practices, right?Wrong! Most practices, both hospital and private, have negotiatedcontracts based upon the Medicare fee schedule so if that goes downso does your commercial payments. It is not too late to voice yourcomplaints. Contact your congressmen and voice your concerns.

2008 CPT CODES2008 brings a very small amount of changes that will affectgastroenterology. Codes describing non-endoscopic gastrostomyand enterostomy procedures under fluoroscopic guidance were created for use primarily by interventional radiologists. However,there may be indications for use by gastroenterology but only fornon-endoscopic techniques.

Telephone codes have been created for both non-physician andphysician use and will replace the old codes. These codes are veryspecific and will require specific spreadsheets for documentation.Based upon the Federal Register, these codes are payable but only tothe physician. Look very closely when you read the CPT description.The calls are usually for unrelated medical conditions and were designed more for the pediatrician or primary care physician. Thereis also a new code for online communication that was not awardedany RVU’s and would be paid upon carrier determination.

New codes have also been created for team conferences both withand without the patient present. The old codes have been deleted.All were awarded RVU’s, but are considered bundled on the sameday as another office visit.

(continued)

49440 New Code: Insertion of gastrostomy tube, percutaneous, under fluoroscopic guidance including contrast injection(s), image documentation and report

49441 New Code: Insertion of duodenostomy or jejunostomy tube, percutaneous, under fluoroscopic guidance including contrast injection(s), image documentation and report

49442 New Code: Insertion of cecostomy or other colonic tube, percutaneous, under fluoroscopic guidance including contrast injection(s), image documentation and report

49446 New Code: Conversion of gastrostomy tube to gastro-jejunostomy tube, percutaneous, under fluoroscopic guidance including contrast injection(s), image documentation and report

49450 New Code: Replacement of gastrostomy or cecostomy (or other colonic) tube, percutaneous, under fluoroscopic guidance including contrast injection(s), image documentation and report

49451 New Code: Replacement of duodenostomy or jejunostomy tube, percutaneous, under fluoroscopic guidance including contrast injection(s), image documentation and report

49452 New Code: Replacement of gastro-jejunostomy tube, percutaneous, under fluoroscopic guidance including contrast injection(s), image documentation and report

49460 New Code: Mechanical removal of obstructive material from gastrostomy, duodenostomy, jejunostomy, gastro-jejunostomy, or cecostomy (or other colonic) tube, any method, under fluoroscopic guidance including contrast injection(s), if performed, image documentation and report

49465 New Code: Contrast injection(s) for radiological evaluation of existing gastrostomy, duodenostomy, jejunostomy, gastro-jejunostomy, or cecostomy (or other colonic) tube, from a percutaneous approach including image documentation and report

96125 New Code: Standardized cognitive performance testing (e.g., Ross Information Processing Assessment) per hour of a qualified health care professionals time, both face-to-face time administering tests to the patient and time interpreting these test results and preparing the report

98966 New Code: Telephone assessment and management service provided by a qualified nonphysician health care professional to an established patient, parent, or guardian not originating from a related assessment and management service provided within the previous seven days nor leading to an assessment and management service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 5-10 minutes of medical discussion

98967 New Code: Telephone assessment and management service provided by a qualified nonphysician health care professional to an established patient, parent, or guardian not originating from a related assessment and management service provided within the previous seven days nor leading to an assessment and management service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 11-20 minutes of medical discussion

98968 New Code: Telephone assessment and management service provided by a qualified nonphysician health care professional to an established patient, parent, or guardian not originating from a related assessment and management service provided within the previous seven days nor leading to an assessment and management service or procedure

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98969 New Code: Online assessment and management service provided by a qualified nonphysician health care professional to an established patient, guardian, or health care provider not originating from a related assessment and management service provided within the previous 7 days, using the Internet or similar electronic communications network

99361 Deleted: Medical conference by a physician with interdisciplinary team of health professionals or representatives of community agencies to coordinate activities of patient care (patient not present); approximately 30 minutes

99362 Deleted: Medical conference by a physician with interdisciplinary team of health professionals or representatives of community agencies to coordinate activities of patient care (patient not present); approximately 60 minutes

99366 New Code: Medical team conference with interdisciplinary team of health care professionals, face-to-face with patient and/or family, 30 minutes or more, participation by nonphysician qualified health care professional

99367 New Code: Medical team conference with interdisciplinary team of health care professionals, patient and/or family notpresent, 30 minutes or more; participation by physician

99368 New Code: Medical team conference with interdisciplinary team of health care professionals, patient and/or family not present, 30 minutes or more; participation by nonphysician qualified health care professional

99371 Deleted: Telephone call by a physician to patient or for consultation or medical management or for coordinating medical management with other health care professionals (e.g., nurses, therapists, social workers, nutritionists, physicians, pharmacists); simple or brief (e.g., to report on tests and/or laboratory results, to clarify or alter previous instructions, to integrate new information from other health professionals into the medical treatment plan, or to adjust therapy)

99372 Deleted: Telephone call by a physician to patient or for consultation or medical management or for coordinating medical management with other health care professionals (e.g., nurses, therapists, social workers, nutritionists, physicians,pharmacists); intermediate (e.g., to provide advice to an established patient on a new problem, to initiate therapy that can be handled by telephone, to discuss test results in detail, to coordinate medical management of a new problem in an established patient, to discuss and evaluate new information and details, or to initiate new plan of care)

99373 Deleted: Telephone call by a physician to patient or for consultation or medical management or for coordinating medical management with other health care professionals (e.g., nurses, therapists, social workers, nutritionists, physicians, pharmacists); complex or lengthy (e.g., lengthy counseling session with anxious or distraught patient, detailed or prolonged discussion with family members regarding seriously ill patient, lengthy communication necessary to coordinate complex services of several different health professionals working on different aspects of the total patient care plan)

99441 New Code: Telephone evaluation and management service provided by a physician to an established patient, parent, or guardiannot originating from a related E/M service provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 5-10 minutes of medical discussion

99442 New Code: Telephone evaluation and management service provided by a physician to an established patient, parent, or guardiannot originating from a related E/M service provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 11-20 minutes of medical discussion

99443 New Code: Telephone evaluation and management service provided by a physician to an established patient, parent, or guardian not originating from a related E/M service provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 21-30 minutes of medical discussion

99444 New Code: Online evaluation and management service provided by a physician to an established patient, guardian, or health care provider not originating from a related E/M service provided within the previous 7 days, using the Internet or similar electronic communications network

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSDue to the length of the 2008 CPT update, there will be an abbreviated Q&A column this issue.

Question: A baby has been in the NICU for over two months. Can you bill another consult on the same baby during the sameadmission for a reconsult?Answer: When the CMS policy on consultations was revised on December 20, 2005, and became effective on January 17, 2006, thisissue was addressed. It specifically states that in order to bill anotherconsultation, the patient would have to be discharged in order to bill another consult. Since the majority of payers follow this same policy, the only code that can be billed would be a follow-up in patient visit based upon documentation and medical necessity.

Question: How do we bill a cecostomy tube insertion by way ofcolonoscopy?Answer: Even though there were new codes assigned for cecostomyperfluoro, we didn’t get codes for endoscopic placement for these tubes. The only thing billable would be 45378 for the colonoscopy and44799 for the unlisted procedure of the intestine for the cecostomyplacement.

Question: Can we charge observation discharge following EGD or other outpatient procedures?Answer: The routine care of the patient either before or after a procedure is included in the RVU’s for the procedure so the dischargewould not be separately payable. However, if the patient had been admitted to observation the day before, then a discharge could be billedon the day of endoscopy with the 25 modifier.

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Advocacy Update. . .Congress returned to Washington on December 3 following a two-week Thanksgiving break to try to address considerable unfinished business. Priority issues that required lawmakers’attention included reauthorization of theState Children’s Health Insurance Program(SCHIP) and completion of fiscal year2008 appropriations bills, including theLabor-HHS-Education measure.

Despite strong efforts to reach a compromise, negotiators wereunable to agree on legislation to reauthorize SCHIP before recessing for Thanksgiving. President Bush has vetoed two versions of the bill (H.R. 976, H.R. 3963) and the House hasfailed to override those vetoes. Bush opposes much of the policyin the SCHIP bill, and its funding mechanism, a 61 cent perpack increase in the federal cigarette tax. Lawmakers approved acontinuing resolution (CR) that temporarily funded SCHIPand other federal programs through December 14. This CR replaced an earlier one that expired on November 16. SomeHouse Democrats have proposed extending funding for theprogram until the end of FY 2008 on Sept. 30, but even that extension may run into trouble over basic policy disputes withthe White House.

On November 13, as promised, President Bush vetoed the Labor-HHS-Education bill (H.R. 3043) because it exceededhis spending request by nearly $10 billion. The House narrowlyfailed to override the veto.

Despite the fact that Republicans are now the minority partyin Congress and the President is nearing the end of his term, his use of the veto has stymied Congressional Democrats andkept them from achieving the major part of the agenda they laid out when they took control after the last election. ManyNASPGHAN priorities have been caught up in this conflictand action on them delayed as a result.

On November 15, the House of Representatives failed to overridePresident Bush's veto of the FY 2008 Labor-HHS-EducationAppropriations bill (H.R. 3043). The 277-141 tally fell just 2votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to override theveto. A total of 51 Republicans voted to override; no Democratvoted to sustain the veto. NASPGHAN had joined with manyother organizations to support the override because of the impact on NIH funding if the bill were not enacted.

President Bush had vetoed the Labor-HHS-Education bill on November 13, saying it was too expensive and had too many earmarks. He had repeatedly said he would veto any appropriations bill that exceeded his budget proposals. H.R.3043 was $9.8 billion over the President’s request. Efforts tofind a compromise continue, but progress has been slow at thetime this article was written.

Under the measure, funding for the National Institutes of Healthwould increase by $1.1 billion or 3.8% over the FY 2007 level,for a total of $30 billion in FY 2008. The agency, like manyothers, is now operating under a continuing resolution that effectively limits spending to current levels. This stalemate may continue into 2008, frustrating the agency’s ability tolaunch new initiatives.

The situation in Congress is not made easier by the active Presidential campaigning that has been going on for months. With early primaries in 2008, the campaign for the nominationhas been pushed back into the First Session. Normally electionyear politics don’t really play a role until the election year, butthis campaign has been different. Also, a number of Republicanmembers, such as Minority Whip Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)have announced their retirements, setting off a scramble athome to get nominations for these offices as well.

This does not bode well for important Congressional action inthe coming year. Both parties will be looking to score politicalpoints, not pass legislation that would allow either side to claimcredit. This reduces Congress to months of debate withoutprogress and oversight of the Administration’s past and presentactions. People are also leaving the Administration as it nears itsend, so decision making slows as key positions are either open orfilled by “acting” managers who see no reward in bold action.

For NASPGHAN and many other interest groups, this means that 2008 will be a year to build toward action in a new Congress and with a new Administration in 2009. The newAdvocacy Committee will be refining the Congressional agenda throughout the coming year. While every effort will be made to find success on issues in 2008, such as the IBD legislation, a realistic assessment of the political climate says that chances for success will be limited.

Many political pundits predict a Democratic sweep in the 2008 elections with increased margins of control in the House and Senate and a Democratic President. If these predictions are accurate, it may be easier to get traction onNASPGHAN priorities in 2009. If the pundits are wrong,then political gridlock may again be the tone for the next Congress.

RANDOLPH FENNINGERPresident, MARC Associates

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Classifieds . . . .

• Alaska –Quality of Medicine. Quality of Life. You’llfind both with Providence Health & Servicesin breathtaking Anchorage, Alaska! A BE/BCpediatric gastroenterologist is needed to joina thriving practice. The candidate will practiceat The Children’s Hospital at Providence on thecampus of Providence Alaska Medical Center.Facilities include a 38-bed Level III NICU, a10-bed PICU, and outpatient subspecialtyclinics serving all pediatric age groups.

Providence Alaska Medical Center has a100-year history and is the only tertiarymedical center serving the state. Alaska offers exciting outdoor activities and richcultural experiences. Excellent benefit package and competitive compensation are available. Come and join our team!

Providence Health & Services operates hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities in five western states. Visit us online to learn more about physician opportunities: www.providence.org/physicianopportunities.

Physicians interested in the Anchorage opportunity, please send CV/references to: Rachelle DaughertyPhone: 503-216-5457Toll-Free: 1-866-504-8178 E-Mail: rachelle.daugherty@providence.org

• Colorado –Located in the heart of Denver, Colorado,Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center(P/SL) is a tertiary/quarternary care center

licensed for 687 beds. P/SL is rated a Top100 U.S. hospital by Solucient, the nation’sleading source of healthcare business information and clinical and financial analysis. Presbyterian/St. Luke’s serves aseven-state region, including Colorado,Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, SouthDakota, Utah, and Wyoming. With morethan 80 specialties and staffed by nearly1,600 employees – and over 1,000 affiliatedmedical staff – P/SL is a leader in caring for high-acuity fetal, neonatal, pediatric and adult patients. P/SL also features Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Mother and ChildHospital, a “hospital within a hospital”which will expand to a free-standing facilityin 2008. Mother and Child offers patientsand their families all the advantages of alarge specialty medical center, while providing all the specialized services of achildren’s hospital. Mother and Child alsoprovides Colorado’s largest NeonatalIntensive Care Unit, board certified neonatologists and pediatric intensivists on campus 24/7, and its team handles more high-risk and high acuity fetal,neonatal and pediatric patients than any hospital in the Rocky Mountain west area.

With the support of P/SL, Colorado’s premier Pediatric Gastroenterology Group is seeking a fifth physician for its clinical private practice located at P/SL. The group also offers outreach to front-rangecommunities. This position comes with full hospital support, including incomeguarantee, overhead and full benefits.

Call today for more details: Kathleen Kyer, ManagerPediatric Subspecialty Recruitment Phone: 888-933-1433 E-Mail: Kathleen.Kyer@HCAHealthcare.com

• Florida –The Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology atMiami Children’s Hospital has an immediateopening for a Board Certified or Board Eligible pediatric gastroenterologist. Bilingualcandidates are preferred. Candidates shouldalso have excellent people, clinical, and endoscopic skills. Teaching duties will include medical students and residents.

Having our practice on campus at MiamiChildren’s Hospital has made it one of themost diverse practices in south Florida.

Candidates will be joining one of the busiest two physicians’ practices in the area.A state-of-the-art four-room endoscopy facility will be completed to service the increasing needs of the community. MiamiChildren’s Hospital has been voted one ofthe best children’s hospitals in the Southeastwith over 260 beds and full subspecialtymedical and surgical support.

A competitive starting salary and excellentbenefit package will be offered. Togetherwith the opportunity of living in one of the most vibrant and beautiful cities in the country make this offer very inviting.

Send inquiries, CVs, and letters of interest to:William Muinos, MD3200 S.W. 60th CtSuite 204Miami, FL 33155Phone: 305-661-3171Fax: 305-662-5882E-Mail: armuinos@aol.com

• Georgia –The Department of Pediatrics at The MedicalCollege of Georgia is seeking a third pediatricgastroenterologist. The candidate must be board certified/eligible in pediatricgastroenterology. Requirements for this

position include strong clinical/proceduralskills and commitment to teaching in an academic setting. Scope of directing a fellowship program is available. Excellent resources for clinical, laboratory and/orcollaborative research are available and willbe strongly encouraged. Academic rank will be commensurate with experience.Compensations and benefits are highly competitive.

Augusta is an excellent place to live with greatweather and outdoor and cultural activities.It is within easy reach of large and mediumsize metropolitan cities, beaches and mountains. The Medical College ofGeorgia is a premier teaching institute of thestate with clinical and basic science wings.The Department of Pediatrics is housed in a separate Children’s Hospital with a full complement of sub specialties. The Department of Pediatrics Gastroenterologysection has two physicians and one nursepractitioner, along with nurses and researchassistants dedicated to the section. TheMedical College of Georgia is an Equal

• To post your ad, contact Kim Rose at: krose@naspghan.org or 215-233-0808. The deadline for the next newsletter is February 1, 2008

QUARTERLY EMPLOYMENT ADS =$200 per quarter. This includes one printad in one quarterly newsletter and oneonline ad (NASPGHAN website) for 3 months.

ANNUAL EMPLOYMENT ADS =$750 for 12 months. This includes one printad in four quarterly newsletters and oneonline ad (NASPGHAN website) for12 months.

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Opportunity and Equal Access employer.Minority, women and foreign medical graduates are encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted till the position is filled.

Please apply to: William P. Kanto, Jr., MDChairman, Pediatric GI Search CommitteeThe Medical College of GeorgiaDepartment of Pediatrics1446 Harper Street, BT-1850Augusta, GA 30912Phone: 706-721-3466 Fax: 706-721-7311 E-Mail: KANTO@mcg.edu

• Hawaii –Kapi’olani Medical Specialists and The JohnA. Burns School of Medicine are seeking apediatric gastroenterology candidate who isinterested in clinical care and participationin research and teaching activities.

The applicant should be a Board Eligible/Certified pediatric gastroenterologist. The position sought is at the Assistant orAssociate Professor level. Current facultymembers and fellows in their final year oftraining are strongly encouraged to apply.

The individual would be a faculty memberat the John A. Burns School of Medicineand Kapi’olani Medical Specialists, a multi-specialty group of academic physicians thatprovide service to Kapi’olani Medical Centerfor Women and Children, the major tertiarywomen and children’s hospital in the stateand Pacific Basin. Competitive salary andbenefits.

Inquiries may be directed to:Debbie Gaynor, Physician ServicesKapi`olani Medical Center for Women and Children Executive Suite1319 Punahou StreetHonolulu, HI 96826Phone: 808-983-6931E-Mail: Debbieg@kapiolani.org

• Iowa –The Children’s Center Pediatric SubspecialtyClinic and Dr. Daniel Di Meo at MercyMedical Center-Des Moines seek a BC/BEPediatric Gastroenterologist for a thriving

established practice in the nation’s heartland.We can offer you an excellent compensationpackage with flexible practice options andtremendous upside potential.

Mercy Medical Center-Des Moines, thelargest “system” in the Catholic Health Initiatives family, has over 900 beds in our 3 metro Hospitals. Our flagship Mercy features:

• 24/7 Children’s Emergency Center• 40-bed Level-Three NICU • Six Full-Time Neonatologists• 24-bed Pediatric Med/Surg Unit• 8-bed PICU• Full-time compliment of Pediatric Sub

specialists including Pediatric Surgery• Residency Programs in General Surgery

and Family Practice • Iowa’s busiest birthing center

(set state record in 2006)• Level Two and Iowa’s most active

Emergency Department• Home of the Iowa Inflammatory Bowel

Disease Center

Mercy’s affiliate network includes:• 14 rural Hospitals• 15 metro area FP and Urgent Care Clinics• 5 metro area Pediatric Clinics

The Des Moines metropolitan area is hometo over 400,000 and offers affordable housing,safe neighborhoods, nationally ranked schoolsand abundant recreational opportunities. Tolearn more about the area try the followingweb sites: (www.seedesmoines.com) or(www.desmoinesmetro.com)

We invite you to take a closer look at Mercy by viewing our web site (www.mercydesmoines.org) orcontact me for more information.

Contact:Roger McMahonDirector, Physician Employment ServicesMercy Medical Center-Des MoinesPhone: 515.643.8323Fax: 515.643.8831E-Mail: rmcmahon@mercydesmoines.org

• Louisiana –Women’s and Children’s Hospital inLafayette, Louisiana seeks a pediatricgastroenterologist for our community.

This is a solo practice opportunity with office space on the campus of WCH thatwould share call with another pediatric GIin the community. Our draw population isapproximately 600,000. We can offer a netincome guarantee, sign-on bonus, relocationand more. WCH is a regional referral center for high-risk OB patients, pediatrics,and neonates. We recently completed a $60-million dollar expansion project and are recruiting a number of specialists due to explosive growth.

Please forward your CV or call: Kathleen Kyer Phone: 888-933-1433E-Mail: kathleen.kyer@hcahealthcare.com

• Louisiana –The Department of Pediatrics, Division ofPediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology andNutrition at Louisiana State UniversityHealth Sciences Center and Children’s Hospital of New Orleans, LA, is seeking aBC/BE pediatric gastroenterologist at theAssistant or Associate Professor level. Applicants must be board eligible/board certified at start date. The candidate wouldjoin three other faculty members. Interest in inflammatory bowel disease is desirable.

Research opportunities are available at theResearch Institute for Children, theLouisiana State University Health SciencesCenter and the Clinical Trials Center atChildren’s Hospital. Current research focuseson intestinal inflammation in children and issupported by the T.G.and Doris SolomonFamily Chair.

Children’s Hospital of New Orleans is theonly full-service, freestanding hospital forchildren in Louisiana and a pediatric teachinghospital for the Louisiana State University.It serves the entire Gulf South region. TheDivision of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition is the largest inthe region, active in clinical care, clinical research, basic research, and education. It offers an ACGME-accredited GI subspecialty training program currently with two filled fellowship positions. Clinical support staff is excellent.

Children’s Hospital of New Orleans is locatedin the lively uptown area and sustained nodamage from hurricane Katrina. Despite areasof extensive damage, New Orleans continues

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to be one of the most fascinating cities in the nation with many attractions, includingjazz, fine dining, the Louisiana PhilharmonicOrchestra, New Orleans Opera, and Mardi Gras.

Candidates requesting J1-visa waiver will beconsidered. LSUHSC is an AA/EOE.

Interested candidates should send curriculum vitae and the names and addresses of at least three references to: Ricardo Sorensen, MDProfessor of PediatricsChairman, Department of PediatricsChildren’s HospitalNew Orleans, LA 70118Phone: 504-896-9589Fax: 504-894-9311E-Mail: rsoren@lsuhsc.edu

• Maryland –The Division of Pediatric Gastroenterologyand Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics,Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, seeks two to three full-timeBC/BE Pediatric Gastroenterologists fortenure-track positions at either the Assistantor Associate Professor level. We are lookingfor individuals with outstanding clinical andprocedural skills, a commitment to education,and clinical, translational or laboratory research interests in gastroenterology, andparticularly, nutrition and hepatology. JohnsHopkins Hospital is a dynamic institutionthat has topped U.S. News & World Report'sannual rankings of American hospitals for15 years in a row.

Baltimore, established in 1729, is Maryland'slargest city and a top tourist destination.From its famous Inner Harbor to its thrivingbusiness district to its renowned academiccenters to its charming neighborhoods, Baltimore has a vast array of metropolitanattractions.

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicineis an affirmative action, equal opportunityemployer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Interested applications should send or e-mailletters of interest and curriculum vitae to:Maria Oliva-Hemker, MDPediatric Gastroenterology and NutritionBrady 320600 N. Wolfe Street

Baltimore, MD 21287-2631Phone: 410-955-8765E-Mail: moliva@jhmi.edu

• Massachusetts –The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts Medical Schooland UMass Memorial Children's MedicalCenter is seeking a Director for the Divisionof Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.This candidate should be Board Certified inPediatrics with fellowship training and boardcertification in Pediatric Gastroenterologyand Nutrition. Demonstrated strong leadership skills, excellence in clinical careand teaching, and a commitment towards research/scholarly activity. The UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center is theonly tertiary care program for children inCentral Massachusetts. The combination of a major academic medical center with adiverse community one hour from Bostonand rich in cultural offerings providesfor a high quality of life. Salary is highlycompetitive and benefits are excellent.

Send curriculum vitae to:Marianne E. Felice, MDProfessor & Chair, Department of PediatricsUMass Memorial Health55 Lake Avenue North, Room S5-866Worcester, MA 01655Phone: 508-856-3199Fax: 508-856-1540E-Mail: FeliceM@ummhc.org

• Massachusetts –The Department of Pediatrics at the Universityof Massachusetts Medical School and UMassMemorial Children's Medical Center is seekinga third faculty member who is Board Certifiedin Pediatrics, with fellowship training in Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutritionand board eligibility or certification. In addition, applicants should have a stronginterest in clinical care, teaching and research.Responsibilities include inpatient and outpatient clinical care, limited outreachservices to nearby areas, teaching medicalstudents, pediatric residents and other postgraduate students, and initiation/continuationof research. Applicants will be considered for

academic faculty appointment at the Assistantor Associate Professor level, dependent uponexperience. The Division currently consistsof two faculty members, an experiencedphysician assistant, a senior clinical/researchnurse, and three Pediatric Dieticians, but active recruitment of a Chief and anotherfaculty member are ongoing. The UmassMemorial Children's Medical Center is theonly tertiary care program for children inCentral Massachusetts. The combination of a major academic medical center with adiverse community one hour from Bostonand rich in cultural offerings provides for ahigh quality of life. Salary is competitive and benefits are excellent.

Send curriculum vitae to:Marianne E. Felice, MDProfessor & Chair, Department of PediatricsUMass Memorial Health55 Lake Avenue North, Room S5-866Worcester, MA 01655Phone: 508-856-3199Fax: 508-856-1540E-Mail: FeliceM@ummhc.org

• Michigan –The Division of Pediatric Gastroenterologyseeks to add a third and fourth physician, including a Division Chief, to its growing,clinically-focused practice at Helen DeVosChildren’s Hospital in Grand Rapids,Michigan. The well-established Divisioncurrently includes two board certified physicians, three nurse practitioners, twoRNs, one LPN, one dietician and one socialworker. The practice provides inpatient and outpatient consultations for children with a variety of gastrointestinal disorders.Responsibilities include sharing clinical duties and teaching with opportunities forclinical research available. The positionsoffer competitive salary and benefits including relocation allowance. Faculty appointments are available through Michigan State University College ofHuman Medicine.

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is a 174-bedregional children’s tertiary referral center located on the main campus of SpectrumHealth’s 500-bed Butterworth Hospital indowntown Grand Rapids. Construction of anew 200-bed, 14-story, 440,000-square-foot

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children’s hospital is underway and continuestoward completion in 2010. As the region’slargest children’s hospital serving nearly1 million children in a 37-county area, morethan 150 pediatric specialists practice in 40pediatric specialties. Our children’s hospitalincludes a 16-bed PCCU, a level III-CNICU, an ECMO program, and on-siteMRI and Pediatric Radiologists. A newfour-year Michigan State University medical school facility opens in 2010 acrossthe street from the new children’s hospital.

Grand Rapids, Michigan’s second largest city,has a metropolitan population of 750,000.Known for being safe and clean, the city offersmajor arts and cultural events, museums and aworld-class botanical garden. A short drivefrom downtown you can enjoy the spectacularLake Michigan beaches and beach towns.

Please send CV or contact:Diana Dieckman, Physician RecruitmentHelen DeVos Children’s HospitalPhone: 800-788-8410Fax: 616-774-7471E-Mail: diana.dieckman@devoschildrens.org

• Missouri –Saint Louis University is seeking faculty candidates to join an active division of Pediatric Gastroenterologists, clinical PNP,dedicated GI clinical nurses and dedicatedprocedure staff. The division has busy outpatient and inpatient services based atCardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center, a 165 bed, free-standing children’shospital affiliated with the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. The divisionserves an active liver transplant program, anutritional support team, a multidisciplinaryobesity clinic, and interacts with the CF center. Pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology also has ongoing, NIH-fundedclinical and basic science research projectswithin the division, and a working relationshipwith the St. Louis University School of PublicHealth. Close clinical and research ties aremaintained with the St. Louis UniversityLiver Center. Excellent opportunities forteaching in both didactic and clinical settingsare available at the medical student and post-graduate levels. Candidates must beBC/BE in Pediatric Gastroenterology. Theinstitution is open to working with many

types of foreign visa holders, as well as greencard holders and US citizens.

Saint Louis University is a Catholic, Jesuitinstitution dedicated to student learning, research, health care, and service. Saint LouisUniversity is an Affirmative Action, EqualOpportunity Employer, and encouragesnominations of, and applications fromwomen and minorities.

Interested candidates must submit a coverletter, application, and current CV to:http://jobs.slu.edu

Other correspondence regarding this position can be sent to:Jeffrey Teckman, MDDirector, Division of GastroenterologyDepartment of PediatricsSaint Louis University School of Medicine1465 S. Grand Blvd.Saint Louis, MO 63104Phone: 314-577-5647Fax: 314-268-2775E-Mail: teckmanj@slu.edu

• New Mexico –The University of New Mexico Children’sHospital is recruiting a fourth Pediatric Gastroenterologist. Rank is dependent onqualifications and experience. The candidatemust be BE/BC in Pediatric Gastroenterology.Candidate must be authorized to work inthe United States, plus be able to obtain aNew Mexico license. Experience and desireto practice clinical gastroenterology and astrong commitment to teaching residents andmedical students is preferred. Opportunitiesfor research are available. We are the largestPediatric Gastroenterology group for the stateand our clinical practice is quite varied andchallenging. Our division currently includesthree gastroenterologists, one P.A., two nursesand an administrative assistant. New Mexicoprovides a fantastic opportunity for outdooractivities and offers a beautiful environmentfor you and your family. For best consideration,applications must be received by December15th, 2007; however, position will remainopen until filled.

New Mexico law requires all applicantsworking with children must be willing to havea criminal record check prior to acceptanceof position. EEO/AA.

Inquire and/or send CV, a signed letter ofinterest, and three reference letters to:

Ed Rose, MDChief of GastroenterologyDepartment of PediatricsUniversity of New Mexico Children’s Hospital ACC 3W2211 Lomas Blvd. N.E.Albuquerque, NM 87131Phone: 505-272-0337Fax: 505-272-6845E-Mail: erose@salud.unm.edu

• New York –Women and Children's Hospital of Buffaloinvites applications for two academic clinicalpediatric gastroenterologists to join four full-time faculty in an academic practice witha strong research component. Women andChildren's Hospital of Buffalo is a freestandinghospital for children in New York State andis the pediatric teaching hospital for the StateUniversity of New York at Buffalo MedicalSchool. It has 313 beds, 18 PICU beds and 64 NICU beds. A recently revitalized Digestive Disease and Nutrition Center iscontinuing Women and Children's Hospital'slong tradition of strength in the care of children with gastrointestinal disorders.The Center is active in clinical care, clinicalresearch, basic research and has an active fellowship program. Opportunities in allthese areas are available. The applicant must be board eligible or board certified inPediatric GI and would have the academicrank consistent with qualifications.

Buffalo is a wonderful place to live. It has excellent schools, many outstanding culturalattractions such as the Buffalo PhilharmonicOrchestra and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.It is close to fabulous outdoor activities suchas sailing, hiking and skiing.

The State University of New York at Buffalois an equal opportunity affirmative actionemployer/recruiter. Women and minoritiesare encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates should contact:Dr. Robert Baker or Dr. Susan BakerDigestive Disease and Nutrition CenterChildren's Hospital of Buffalo219 Bryant St.Buffalo, NY 14222Phone: 716-878-7793 E-Mail: rbaker@upa.chob.edu orsbaker@upa.chob.edu

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• Nova Scotia, Canada –The Division of Gastroenterology & Nutrition in the Department of Pediatrics at Dalhousie University and IWK HealthCentre is recruiting a qualified pediatric gastroenterologist to join the Division.The ideal candidate will be an academic gastroenterologist with clinical and procedural skills to support both outpatientand inpatient consultative services. Thereare opportunities to develop or build onareas of the candidate’s interest in research or teaching.

The Department has a competitive AcademicFunding Plan (AFP) with paid vacation and generous financial support for CME.Protected research and/or education timeare included and supported with appropriateremuneration.

Call and service would be shared with thetwo current pediatric gastroenterologists.The GI physicians are supported by astrong interdisciplinary team including 3.0FTE nurses, 2.0 FTE dieticians, dedicated psychologists and social workers. The gastroenterologists in the Division each have0.5 FTE academic administrative support.

The IWK Health Centre is the tertiary pediatric and women’s Health Centre for the three maritime provinces of Nova Scotia,New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island,with a combined population of over 1.8 million.

Halifax, with a metropolitan population ofover 300,000 is a lively harbor city. It has athriving arts and music scene. It is the businessand economic centre in maritime Canada.Many of the physicians live within walkingdistance of the hospital and downtown Halifax. There also are many opportunitiesfor outdoor activities like sailing, kayakingand hiking. Dalhousie University, AtlanticCanada’s leading research university, offers arange of collaborative research and teachingpossibilities.

Dalhousie University is an employment equity affirmative action employer.

Interested individuals should contact: Anthony Otley, MDHead, Division of GI & NutritionIWK Health Centre5850 University AvenueHalifax, NS B3K 6R8Phone: 902-470-8225

E-Mail: arotley@dal.ca You may also visit the Department and Division webpage at:http://pediatrics.medicine.dal.ca

• Ohio –The Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s (CCHMC) Divisionof Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (GI) is seeking two hospitalistswho are BE/BC in general pediatrics for ourinpatient service. A team player with strongpediatric skills and an interest in caring for complex GI patients is essential. Prior advanced training or experience in pediatricGI is not required. Clinical responsibilitiesinclude working alongside the GI residentteam as the primary physicians for patientsadmitted to the inpatient service. Hospitalistswill also work closely in a collegial academicenvironment with our GI fellows (4/year),clinical faculty (19) and inpatient nursepractitioner. Coverage will occur in ten-hourshifts during the afternoon and evening,leaving ample time for vacation and time off. It is our expectation that a hospitalistwould augment clinical care, teaching andincreased reliability of the GI team/nursingunit. The Division of GI at CCHMC seeksto advance medical treatment and diseaseprevention through excellent patient care,ground-breaking basic and clinical researchin pediatric digestive diseases, and our commitment to teaching. Our vision is to maintain a strong, nationally-recognizedprogram at the forefront in clinical practice,research, and education.

Salary range for these positions is $140,000 -$145,000. Cincinnati Children’s Hospitaloffers an excellent benefit package, includinghealth, dental, generous PTO allowance, andrelocation assistance. Women and minoritiesare encouraged to apply. CCHMC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer.

Note: Ohio Medical License required; USCitizen or appropriate visa status.

Interested candidates should forward a current copy of their CV to the attention of: Teresa Heckenmueller, Business DirectorGastroenterology, Hepatology and NutritionE-Mail: Teresa.Heckenmueller@cchmc.org

• Oklahoma –The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma Health SciencesCenter seeks a board certified/board eligiblePediatric Gastroenterologist with experiencein research, patient care, and academic programs. The position is tenure-track and will be filled at the Associate Professoror Professor level. The successful candidatewill join three pediatric gastroenterologistsand one nurse practitioner in a busy academicclinical setting with clinical responsibilitiesfor patient care and will engage in the teachingand supervision of students and residents.Up to 80 percent protected time will be provided to establish a research programwith the expectation that independent extramural funding will support the research in due time.

The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center includes 7 colleges and 17other institutions and serves as the state’sprincipal medical education and research facility. The Department of Pediatrics iscomposed of 16 sections and more than 100faculty members and is based at Children’sHospital at OU Medical Center, which isthe only comprehensive tertiary and quaternary health care facility in the statededicated to the care of children. OU Medical Center is operated by HospitalCorporation of America and together theyhave invested $180 million in the last threeyears in construction and improvements.

Many of our physicians live in the nearbysuburb of Edmond, ranked by CNN andMoney Magazine as one of the best citiesand best places to live in America. All three of Edmond’s high schools were on the2006 list of America’s Best High Schools byNewsweek. In addition, Oklahoma has oneof the lowest cost of living indexes and thefourth lowest tax burden in the nation.

Contact for more information or submityour CV to:Kathleen Kyer, ManagerPediatric Subspecialty RecruitmentHospital Corporation of America (HCA)Phone: 888-933-1433E-Mail: kathleen.kyer@hcahealthcare.com

• Pennsylvania –St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, in Philadelphia, PA is a world-renowned

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170-bed pediatric hospital and Level ITrauma Center. The hospital offers a fullrange of medical specialties in urgent andsurgical care for the communities we serve andeducation and specialization opportunities forour physicians. We are proud of our heritageas the fourth oldest full-service hospital fullydedicated to the care of children.

THE OPPORTUNITY: We’re currentlyseeking a BC/BE Fellowship-trained PediatricGastroenterologist to add to our staff. You’ll be involved in inpatient consultationand outpatient care of children with various gastrointestinal diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption,hepatobiliary disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, and other disorders affectingchildren ages 0-18 years. Faculty membersare full-time academic members of the Department of Pediatrics, Drexel UniversityCollege of Medicine, and are actively involvedin the education of medical students, residentsand fellows. Exciting opportunities exist forclinical research.

THE FACILITY: At St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, the journey to healingbegins with one child. From the tiniest infantto the teenager on the brink of adulthood,each child who takes that path here, alongwith his or her family, is guided by caring;compassionate advocates every step of theway. When children come through ourdoors, they enter a medical world dedicatedto them -- physically, emotionally and everyother way that matters. We're here becausewe want the best for the children we serve.

We are an equal opportunity employer. Tofind out more about this opportunity or St.Christopher’s Hospital for Children and allwe have to offer, contact:Debbie Schneider,Physician RecruiterPhone: 215-427-5864E-Mail: debbie.schneider@tenethealth.com

• Texas –The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Centerat San Antonio is seeking two additional pediatric gastroenterologists and a mid-levelprovider (nurse practitioner or physician assistant) to join a division engaged in diverseclinical and academic practice including anactive liver transplant program. The physicianappointments will be at the rank of Assistant

or Associate level depending on qualificationsand experience and the mid-level providerappointment will be appointed as a FacultyAssociate. Qualified physician candidatesmust be board certified/board eligible in pediatric gastroenterology and eligible foran unrestricted Texas medical license. Livertransplant emphasis would be helpful, but notrequired. Qualified mid-level provider candidates must have completed an accreditedtraining program in physician assistant studiesor in a nurse practitioner curriculum andmust possess a Texas license as an advancednurse practitioner or physician assistant. Experience in pediatrics required.

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. All faculty appointmentsare designated as security sensitive positions.

Contact:Deborah A. Neigut, MDAssociate Professor & ChiefDivision of Pediatric Gastroenterology & NutritionThe University of Texas Health ScienceCenter at San Antonio7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC 7807San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900

• Utah –The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Utah School of Medicine isseeking two pediatric gastroenterologists, atthe Assistant, Associate Professor, or Professor level. Board certification in Pediatrics andBC/BE in Pediatric Gastroenterology aremandatory. Excellent procedural and clinicalskills are required. Salaries are competitive,and the quality of benefits surpass mostavailable in private practice.

Whether in a research or clinical role, ourdivision values individual contributionequally, and offers unique opportunities forprofessional development. Several academicroles are available, including a clinicalscholar and a clinical track position. The expectations of these positions are clearly defined and readily available.

Clinical activities are carried out at PrimaryChildren's Medical Center, a 232-bed hospitalthat is consistently ranked among the topchildren's hospitals in the United States.This is a freestanding children’s hospital

located on the Medical Center campus.Plans are underway for an expansion to 320beds within the next five-six years. PrimaryChildren's service area includes the states of Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada andMontana. This area encompasses about400,000 square miles.

Please see our full web advertisement at:http://www.ped.utah.edu/FACRecruit/gastro/giad.htm

The University of Utah is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from minorities and womenand provides reasonable accommodations to the known disabilities of applicants andemployees.

Contact: 801-662-2913, or forward CV to:Linda Book, MDChief, Division of Gastroenterology and NutritionUniversity of Utah100 North Medical DriveSalt Lake City, UT 84113E-Mail: linda.book@intermountainmail.org

• West Virginia –West Virginia University School of Medicine,Department of Pediatrics is seeking an academic physician to join the section of Pediatric Gastroenterology. Applicants mustbe fellowship trained and Board Certified/Eligible in Pediatric Gastroenterology. Theideal candidate will be primarily involved withclinical services, but ample opportunitiesexist in both clinical and basic research.

The Pediatrics department maintains a stellar outreach program supporting pediatric gastroenterology services as well as collaboration with the adult digestive disease section. Faculty physicians also have direct access to highly advanced technological resources and comprehensivepediatric services.

WVU faculty enjoy the benefits of a premier tertiary referral center for the state of West Virginia, affiliation with WVUHospitals, Inc., cutting edge technology, and a collaborative academic atmosphereconducive to professional growth.

Morgantown, West Virginia, recentlyranked by Forbes as one of the Best SmallMetros in America, is located just over anhour south of Pittsburgh, PA and just three

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and one-half hours from Washington, DCand Baltimore, MD. Morgantown offers culturally diverse, large-city amenities in a safe, family setting. There is an excellentschool system and an abundance of recreational opportunities.

West Virginia University is an AffirmativeAction/Equal Opportunity employer.

Title and academic rank will be commensurate with experience. The position will remain open until filled.

If you are interested in more details regarding this opening, please contact:Larry Rhodes, MDSearch Committee Chairc/o Laura BlakeDirector, Physician RecruitmentPhone: 304-293-6135Fax: 304-293-0230Email: blakel@wvuh.com

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