Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and College of Engineering and Computer Science Team Up on Two New Degree Programs
 
June 21, 2021 –  Beginning this fall, Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the College of Engineering and Computer Science will offer two new combined programs in nursing and artificial intelligence and biomedical engineering.  
 
This innovative, forward-looking and convergent curriculum design was conceived by Safiya George, Ph.D., dean, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing; Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean, College of Engineering and Computer Science; Javad Hashemi, Ph.D., associate dean of research, College of Engineering and Computer Science; Karethy Edwards, Dr.PH, APRN, associate dean of academic programs; and Joy Longo, Ph.D., assistant dean, undergraduate programs, both within the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. The need for such a program was recognized through a number of research collaborations and discussions between the two colleges. 
 
“Nurses spend more time with patients in clinical settings than any other health care provider. They are inherently problem-solvers and provide an invaluable perspective in the engineering industry,” said George. “Our joint programs in nursing and engineering are a ‘dynamic duo’ that will build the foundational skills to better position nursing students to participate as future health care innovators and inventors.” 
 
The combined degree programs will provide FAU bachelor’s in nursing (BSN) graduates with a leading edge in artificial intelligence, which includes algorithms, pattern matching, deep learning and cognitive computing to learn how to understand complex data. Artificial intelligence can be applied to almost every field of health care, including drug development, treatment decisions and patient care. Graduates of this new program will be able utilize knowledge to tackle complex problems that would otherwise be difficult or very time-intensive to address without artificial intelligence. FAU BSN graduates who continue on to the master’s in science (MS) in the biomedical engineering program will use engineering principles to define and solve problems in biology, medicine, health care and other fields.  
 
“We anticipate that in the future, health care delivery systems and personnel will rely more on automation and artificial intelligence,” said Batalama. “It is likely that there will be a paradigm shift in the nursing field towards a more targeted, technologically advanced and data-oriented health care delivery system. FAU wishes to be at the forefront of developing the necessary workforce for such a future.” 
 
Details of the program were developed by Mary Ann Leavitt, Ph.D., R.N., an assistant professor in the Christine E. Lynne College of Nursing; Mihaela Cardei, Ph.D., associate dean of graduate programs and a professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science; and Hanqi Zhuang, Ph.D., chair and professor, Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Leavitt is board certified in critical care nursing and heart failure nursing. Her current research interests include transitional care interventions for patients with heart failure to decrease hospital readmissions, and the development of skin-based wearable sensors to alert for heart failure decompensation. Cardei and Zhuang have been leading the educational efforts in artificial intelligence and data science in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, which is housing the first master and certificate programs in artificial intelligence in the state of Florida. 
 
For the “B.S. in Nursing to M.S. in Artificial Intelligence Degree Program,” students will complete a BSN degree first and then continue to complete a master’s in science degree in artificial intelligence within the Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. For the “B.S. in Nursing to M.S. in Biomedical Engineering Degree Program,” students will complete the BSN degree first and then complete the MS in science in biomedical engineering within the Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering. Students will receive their BSN degree from the College of Nursing and their master’s degree from the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Both programs can be completed in approximately five years and provide an attractive way for students to continue their graduate work after completing the undergraduate program.  
 Both combined programs require up to 120 credits in the bachelor’s degree and up to 30 credits in the master’s degree. Students in the programs will take pre-requisite courses while pursuing the bachelor’s degree, ensuring a smooth transition into the artificial intelligence and biomedical engineering programs. The combined programs preserve and enhance the quality of both degrees and are open to Freshman Direct Admit students who have a cumulative FAU GPA of 3.25 or higher. 
Nursing students can apply to the MS program at the end of their junior year in the nursing program, after completing at least 90 credits. Bachelor’s degree students who take graduate courses in the Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science may count up to nine credits of approved graduate coursework toward both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees. 
 
Students must meet the admission criteria for each program to be eligible. They also must complete these pre-requisites for artificial intelligence: methods of calculus; introduction to programming in python; and data structures and algorithm analysis with python, as part of the BSN program. Students must complete these pre-requisites for biomedical engineering: methods of calculus; genetics; introduction to programming in python or introduction to programming in C, also as part of the BSN program. 
 
 
 
 
 
About the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing: 
FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing is nationally and internationally known for its excellence and philosophy of caring science. The College was ranked No.11 nationwide by U.S. News and World Report in 2021 for “Best Online Master’s in Nursing Administration Programs” and No. 32 for the “Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs.” In 2020, FAU graduates earned a 95.9% percent pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®) and 100% AGNP Certification Pass Rate. FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). For more information, visit nursing.fau.edu.
 
 
About FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science:
The FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science is internationally recognized for cutting edge research and education in the areas of computer science and artificial intelligence (AI), computer engineering, electrical engineering, bioengineering, civil, environmental and geomatics engineering, mechanical engineering, and ocean engineering. Research conducted by the faculty and their teams expose students to technology innovations that push the current state-of-the art of the disciplines. The College research efforts are supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Education (DOEd), the State of Florida, and industry. The FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science offers degrees with a modern twist that bear specializations in areas of national priority such as AI, cybersecurity, internet-of-things, transportation and supply chain management, and data science. New degree programs include Masters of Science in AI (first in Florida), Masters of Science in Data Science and Analytics, and the new Professional Masters of Science degree in computer science for working professionals. For more information about the College, please visit eng.fau.edu.  
 
 
 
About Florida Atlantic University: 
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu. 
 
 
 
 


 
Don’t Forgot to Submit a Formal Comment 
Comments on the FY 2022 IPPS and LTCH PPS Proposed Rule are due no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, June 28, 2021. The public can submit comments in several ways:
•By regular mail; 
•By express or overnight mail; or
•Electronically: Through the “submit a comment” instructions on the Federal Register.
 
Please review the proposed rule for specific instructions for each method and submit comments by one method only.
 
More Information on the FY 2022 IPPS and LTCH PPS Proposed Rule
Proposed changes to the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program include, but are not limited to:
•Maintaining a continuous 90-day EHR reporting period for new and returning participants (eligible hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals [CAHs]) in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program for calendar years (CY) 2022 and 2023, and transitioning to a continuous 180-day EHR reporting period beginning in CY 2024 for all new and returning program participants;
•Increasing the available bonus points for the Electronic Prescribing Objective’s Query of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program measure from 5 points to 10 points;
•Updating the Provide Patients Electronic Access to their Health Information measure to require hospitals and CAHs to maintain electronic health information from encounters on or after January 1, 2016;
•Adopting the Health Information Exchange Bi-Directional Exchange measure (worth 40 points) as part of the Health Information Exchange Objective as an alternative to the 2 existing measures;
•Requiring reporting on 4 of the Public Health and Clinical Data Exchange Objective measures: Syndromic Surveillance Reporting; Immunization Registry Reporting; Electronic Case Reporting; and Electronic Reportable Laboratory Result Reporting, which is worth up to 10 points; 
oThe Public Health Registry Reporting and Clinical Data Registry Reporting measures will remain optional and available for a total of 5 bonus points.
•Requiring eligible hospitals and CAHs to attest to having completed an annual assessment via a SAFER Guides measure, under the Protect Patient Health Information objective, beginning January 1, 2022;
•Removing attestation statements 2 and 3 from the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program’s prevention of information blocking requirement;
•Increasing the minimum scoring threshold from 50 points to 60 points;
•Adopting 2 new electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) beginning with the reporting period in CY 2023, and removing 4 eCQMs beginning with the reporting period in CY 2024; and
•Requiring use of the 2015 Edition Cures Update beginning in CY 2023 for all available eCQMs. To learn more about the 2015 Edition Cures Update, please review ONC’s 21st Century Cures Act Final Rule. 
 
For More Information
Review fact sheet on the proposed rule. To view the proposed rule (CMS-1752-P), please visit the Federal Register.
 
 


There is more to screen from during the summer than the sun. The Women’s Health team at Holy Cross Health encourages you to get screened for some of the most preventable forms of cancer. Holy Cross Health will host a free livestreaming Facebook community colon cancer lecture with Dr. Astha Bhatt at 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 24 and a  lung cancer lecture with Dr. Ann Vu at 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 1. Visit facebook.com/holycrossfl to tune in.
 
This is part of an ongoing educational community lecture series covering cancer and other health related topics presented by Holy Cross Health. 
 
Dr. Bhatt is a colorectal surgeon at Holy Cross Health. She is a board certified general surgeon, and completed a fellowship in minimally invasive colorectal surgery. Her focus areas include robotic assisted, colorectal and general surgery. Her office is conveniently located opposite Holy Cross Health, and she also sees patients at the Dorothy Mangurian Comprehensive Women’s Center at Holy Cross Healthplex.
 
Dr. Vu is pulmonologist at Holy Cross Health. She is board certified in pulmonary medicine and has extensive academic experience at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Jackson Memorial Hospital and Mayo Clinic in Rochester. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science from University of Miami and received her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She completed her residency and was chief resident at University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital before moving to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.


June 17 2021 – Furthering the American Medical Association’s (AMA) commitment to racial justice and equity within the medical profession and society as a whole, and building on the recent release of its strategic plan to embed racial justice and advance health equity, the AMA adopted policy during the Special Meeting of its House of Delegates this week aimed at improving the diversity of the physician workforce. The report outlines practices and interventions that can increase racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic diversity among the physician workforce, including targeted recruitment and revised medical school admissions policies, curriculum changes, summer enrichment programs, and comprehensive programs that integrate multiple interventions, such as financial, academic, and social support.
 
The report also identifies institutional and structural factors that interfere with or create attrition on the path to becoming a physician and discusses recommendations to minimize these interferences. Additionally, the report examines the harmful past actions that the medical profession as a whole and organized medicine have perpetrated on communities of color, particularly the role that the Flexner Report of 1910 played in the closure of the majority of Black medical schools at the time and in severely limiting the number of Black physicians.  
 
“Studies show that racial, ethnic and gender diversity among health professionals promotes better access to health care, improves health care quality for underserved populations, and better meets the health care needs of our increasingly diverse population. Yet, our physician workforce does not adequately reflect the actual racial, ethnic or gender makeup of the patients in the communities we serve,” said AMA Board of Trustee Member Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D., M.P.H. “A critical step in moving forward, we must call out the lasting negative impact that the Flexner Report, and other harmful past actions by the medical profession, has had on today’s physician workforce. We must address and reconcile these lasting harms to ensure that future physicians are aware of structural factors that are impeding their patient’s health outcomes, and continue efforts to ensure a diverse physician workforce that meets the needs of our patients.”
 
The new policy calls on the AMA to:
 
•Recognize some people have been historically underrepresented, excluded from, and marginalized in medical education and medicine because of their race, ethnicity, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic origin, and rurality, due to racism and other systems of exclusion and discrimination;
 
•Commit to promoting truth and reconciliation in medical education as it relates to improving equity;
 
•Recognize the harm caused by the Flexner Report to historically Black medical schools, the diversity of the physician workforce, and the outcomes of minoritized and marginalized patient populations; 
 
•Work with appropriate stakeholders to commission and enact the recommendations of a forward-looking, cross-continuum, external study of 21st century medical education focused on reimagining the future of health equity and racial justice in medical education, improving the diversity of the health workforce, and ameliorating inequitable outcomes among minoritized and marginalized patient populations; 
 
•Encourage the development of evidence-informed programs to build role models among academic leadership and faculty for the mentorship of students, residents, and fellows underrepresented in medicine and in specific specialties;
 
•Encourage physicians to engage in their communities to guide, support, and mentor high school and undergraduate students with a calling to medicine;
 
•Encourage medical schools, health care institutions, managed care and other appropriate groups to adopt and utilize activities that bolster efforts to include and support individuals who are underrepresented in medicine by developing policies that articulate the value and importance of diversity as a goal that benefits all participants, cultivating and funding programs that nurture a culture of diversity on campus, and recruiting faculty and staff who share this that goal;
 
•Continue to study and provide recommendations to improve the future of health equity and racial justice in medical education, the diversity of the health workforce, and the outcomes of marginalized patient populations;
 
•Encourage the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Labor to develop policies and initiatives in support of students from marginalized backgrounds that 1) decrease the educational opportunity gap; 2) increase participation in high school Advanced Placement courses; and 3) increase the high school graduation rate;
 
•Advocate for funding to support the creation and sustainability of Historically Black College and University (HBCU), Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), and Tribal College and University (TCU) affiliated medical schools and residency programs, with the goal of achieving a physician workforce that is proportional to the racial, ethnic, and gender composition of the United States population;
 
•Work with appropriate stakeholders to study reforms to mitigate demographic and socioeconomic inequities in the residency and fellowship selection process, including but not limited to the selection and reporting of honor society membership and the use of standardized tools to rank applicants, with report back to the House of Delegates;
 
•Establish a task force to guide organizational transformation within and beyond the AMA toward restorative justice to promote truth, reconciliation, and healing in medicine and medical education.
 
The new policy builds on AMA’s efforts to increase diversity among the physician workforce, including the AMA’s Doctors Back to School program. Launched in 2002, the program encourages Black, Indigenous, and Hispanic/Latinx students to enter health care career pathways. The AMA developed a Doctors Back to School™ Kit to support physicians and medical students who act as role models by visiting elementary and high schools to talk with students about careers in medicine. The program demonstrates to students from groups that have been marginalized that a medical career is well within their reach. The AMA will continue to support policies and programs that will lead to a more diverse physician workforce and improve patient outcomes.
 


 
June 17 2021 – The American Medical Association (AMA) today introduced the 21 members of its Board of Trustees for the coming year following elections held during the Special Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates. 
 
Gerald E. Harmon, M.D., a family medicine physician from Pawleys Island, S.C., was sworn in as the 176th president of the AMA. With Dr. Harmon’s inauguration as AMA president, the office passed from Susan R. Bailey, M.D., an allergist and immunologist from Fort Worth, Texas and the third consecutive women to have held the office of AMA president. With the conclusion of her term as AMA president, Dr. Bailey assumed the office of AMA immediate past president.
 
Jack Resneck Jr., M.D., a dermatologist from San Rafael, Calif., was elected AMA president-elect. Dr. Resneck will become AMA president in June 2022.
 
Bobby Mukkamala, M.D., an otolaryngologist from Flint, Mich., is the new chair of the AMA Board of Trustees, and Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, M.D., an internist from Atlanta, Ga. is the new chair-elect of the Board.
 
The other executive committee members on the Board of Trustees for 2020-2021 are:
•Scott Ferguson, M.D., a diagnostic radiologist from West Memphis, Ark., is secretary.
•Russ Kridel, M.D., a facial plastic surgeon from Houston, Texas, is immediate past chair.
•Bruce A. Scott, M.D., an otolaryngologist from Louisville, Ky., is speaker of the AMA House of Delegates.
 
The new members of the Board of Trustees are:
•Madelyn E. Butler, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist from Tampa, Fla.
•Drayton Charles Harvey, a medical student and Ph.D. candidate at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine.
•Pratistha Koirala, M.D., Ph.D., an obstetrics-gynecology resident and molecular pharmacologist from Danbury, Conn.
 
The serving members of the Board of Trustees are:
•David H. Aizuss, M.D., an ophthalmologist from Encino, Calif.
•Willarda V. Edwards, M.D., M.B.A., an internist from Baltimore, Md.
•Lisa Bohman Egbert, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist from Kettering, Ohio, is the vice speaker of the AMA House of Delegates
•Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D., M.P.H, an anesthesiologist from Milwaukee, Wis.
•Ilse R. Levin, D.O., M.P.H. & T.M., an internist and epidemiologist from Silver Spring, Md.
•Thomas J. Madejski, M.D., a geriatrician and palliative care specialist from Medina, N.Y.
•Mario E. Motta, M.D., a cardiologist from Salem, Mass.
•Harris Pastides, Ph.D., M.P.H., president emeritus and interim president of the University of South Carolina from Folly Beach, S.C., is the public member of the AMA Board 
•Michael Suk, M.D., J.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., an orthopaedic surgeon from Danville, Penn.
•Willie Underwood, III, M.D., M.Sc., M.P.H., a urologist from Buffalo, N.Y.
 
Members of the AMA Board of Trustees are elected by physicians and medical students representing more than 190 state and specialty medical societies who gathered virtually for the Special Meeting of the House of Delegates, the AMA’s policy-making body. The mission of the AMA is the promotion of the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health.