By Cheryl Powell
Beacon Journal medical writer
POSTED: 06:44 p.m. EDT, Apr 19, 2010
The newest leaders of a regional medical research and development partnership agree that patients are at the heart of their efforts.
The Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron last week announced the appointment of three vice presidents to oversee the areas of medical device development, simulation training and outreach to the medically underserved.
''It's patient-centered innovation here,'' said Brian L. Davis, vice president of the institute's Medical Device Development Center. ''The focus is on things that are important to patients.''
The vice presidents will help coordinate initiatives among the five operating partners: Akron Children's Hospital, Akron General Health System, the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy, Summa Health System and the University of Akron.
On Monday, the three new leaders shared their thoughts about the institute's future plans.
Brian L. Davis
Davis, 49, previously served as vice chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and director of Medical Device Solutions at the Cleveland Clinic, where he worked for 18 years.
During his time at the Cleveland Clinic, he said, he became aware of the polymer expertise in the Akron area. Polymers have many potential applications for use in medical devices.
Davis said the region's polymer expertise, combined with the institute's focus on helping patients, attracted him to the job.
Davis is working with the partners to secure more funding to pay for prototype development and testing of potential new products, particularly in the areas of wound healing, orthopedics and novel applications for biomaterials.
He said he's also developing an international competition that will encourage middle school and high school students to develop medical devices.
The center is hiring two engineers, with more staff to join as the institute grows.
For now, the medical device center's staff is housed in the downtown Akron Global Business Accelerator on South Main Street. Eventually, the center and other portions of the BioInnovation Institute will be headquartered in a location to be selected.
Dr. Michael Holder
Holder is the vice president of the Center for Simulation and Integrated Healthcare Education, which is developing simulation-based education and training programs.
Holder, 40, has been involved with the institute since its inception, having previously served as director of medical education at Akron Children's Hospital.
He said he envisions the center as a place where medical professionals will train together to ''impact patient care and safety.''
''The sad truth is, we train in silos,'' he said. ''That's how nurses train. That's how physicians train. That just isn't going to work. It leads to communications problems.''
He's working on developing a pilot training program for pediatric trauma that brings together EMS workers with staff from community hospitals throughout the region and Akron Children's Hospital.
The training center also will be able to test medical products developed through the medical device center on robotic patients, Holder said.
''We're looking at setting ourselves up to be globally distinct in what we do,'' he said.'' . . . It's just plain cool to see people coming together and focusing on a problem and an opportunity and making a strong commitment to getting things done.''
Janine E. Janosky
Janosky is vice president of the Center for Community Health Improvement, which focuses on coordinating better care provided outside the hospital setting, particularly for underserved populations.
Janosky, 50, most recently served as the vice provost for research at Central Michigan University.
She also previously worked at the University of Pittsburgh, where she helped develop and lead a similar program, called the Center for Primary Care Community Based Research.
The BioInnovation Institute's center will bring the Akron-area partners together with private-practice physicians and clinics to look for ways to improve quality of care and preventive medicine, she said.
An initial project is exploring ways to improve communication between doctors and patients.
Janosky said she's also meeting with area churches, minority groups, free and low-cost medical clinics and others to find ways to improve the quality of life for residents in the region.
''The partnerships that have been originated and been facilitated are unique,'' she said.
Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or chpowell@thebeaconjournal.com.
