Department of Pediatrics News

During this unprecedented time, it is important that we recognize the amazing efforts of so many of our faculty, trainees and staff. As we’ve confronted this pandemic, all of you have made countless acts of volunteerism and sacrifice – THANK YOU. I am proud of the way our Department and our colleagues at Children’s Colorado Hospitals and across the Anschutz Medical campus have rallied to support each other.

Here are the people, as recognized by their peers, who are going above and beyond in their efforts to combat the pandemic and continue to foster our unrivaled culture of collaboration. Here are this week’s “Coronavirus Heroes.”

Behavioral Health Team (pictured from left to right) – Sarah Burgamy, PsyD, Senior Clinical Instructor; Laura Ellison, LCSW, Instructor; Jonna Finocchio, LCSW, Instructor; Clio Pitula, PhD, Assistant Clinical Professor; Diane Reichmuth, PsyD, Psychologist; Abby Simon, LCSW, Instructor; Amanda Woodbury, MA, Instructor

Nominated by Adolescent Medicine, BC4U, and TRUE Clinics

Why the Behavioral Health Team?

“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” –Phil Jackson, former NBA player, coach and executive

Our behavioral health team is awesome every day, but during this time of great change and stress, it is nothing short of a band of superheroes. In our adolescent population, issues of depression and anxiety are very prevalent during so-called normal times, but during the pandemic, these issues are exacerbated with prolonged time at home away from social groups, extra time with family, and “nowhere to go and no way to get away.”

The team has taken the changes in stride and excelled in the telehealth venue, allowing them to not miss any opportunities to check in with patients sometimes more than once a week when needed. The overall health benefits are profound, and we recognize the true efforts that the team has given to following up with patients, making them feel at ease, and improving their overall well-being and health in the process. Our collective clinics (Ado Med Clinic, BC4U, and TRUE) cannot begin to express how much every behavioral health team member means.  Each of you is special, and we know how lucky we are. Thank you.

Margret Bock, MD, Assistant Professor (Section of Nephrology)

Nominated by Bradley Dixon

Why Margret?

Margret has nearly single-handedly transformed the ambulatory practice of the Section of Nephrology into a telehealth-based practice in her role as Clinical Medical Director – a model of practice that Nephrology had been relatively slow to implement prior to the pandemic. She did so by piloting the care model herself and applying her experience in an improvement cycle to the rest of the faculty in our section.

Ellen Burke, PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist; Christine MacBrayne, PharmD, MSCS, Clinical Pharmacist Specialist; Sarah Parker, MD, Professor; Amy Taylor, PhD, Research Project Manager(Section of Infectious Diseases, Research Institute, and Pharmacy)

Nominated by Betsy McFarland and Sarah Parker

Why Ellen, Christine, Sarah, and Amy?

From Sarah Parker:

We have sought compassionate use medications for some of our patients severely ill with coronavirus. Amy Taylor (Project Manager), Christine MacBrayne (ID and Stewardship) and Ellen Burke (Investigational Drugs Services) have worked tirelessly and at all hours to help with paperwork, legal and IRB approvals, drug files, and general coordination. Thank you!

From Betsy McFarland: 

This team of Sarah, Amy, Christine and Ellen went to great lengths to secure the investigational drug remdesivir on an emergency IND (compassionate use) for a patient with severe COVID-19. This was the first patient at CHCO to receive this medication, and there were many steps that needed to be completed in order to get the necessary approvals to have the medication shipped and administered.  The team worked on this all through the weekend and late into the evenings. They demonstrated great commitment and dedication to the care of this patient, and they were forging new ground and smoothing the path for the next patients for whom we need this investigation treatment.