Meet the Doctors

Phillip Factor, DO, Chief

Dr. Phillip Factor

Chief of the Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Division, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York

Dr. Factor is Chief of the Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Division at Beth Israel Hospital. Dr. Factor is an active critical care clinician and researcher who specializes in the treatment of acute respiratory failure and management of intensive care units (ICU). Dr. Factor completed his bachelor's degree in chemistry at Indiana University and received his DO degree from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. He served as a resident and chief resident in medicine at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago. He then did a clinical and research fellowship at the University of Chicago and served as a senior staff fellow in the pulmonary branch of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the NIH from 1992-1993.

Dr. Factor's has held faculty positions at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine (1988-89), the University of Illinois Abraham Lincoln College of Medicine at Chicago (1993-99), the Northwester University Feinberg School of Medicine 1999-2003), and the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (2003-3009). As Chair of the Pulmonary Division at Beth Israel Hospital Dr. Factor has been nominated to be professor of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Dr. Factor is an established researcher with a sustained history of extra-mural funding of his work in the area of acute lung injury, lung epithelial G-protein coupled receptors, and the effects of diesel exhaust on airway b-adrenergic receptors. This work has resulted in 77 abstracts that have been presented at international meetings, 63 peer-reviewed publications, 14 book chapters, and a book on gene therapy for acute and acquired diseases.

Dr. Factor is a career medical educator who has taught critical care to hundreds of medicine, anesthesia, and surgery residents. He has trained more than 50 pulmonary and critical care fellows, 70% of whom have remained in academic medicine. He is the recipient of teaching awards and has been a member of housestaff education and evaluation committees at all of the institutions where he has worked.

Dr. Factor is a member of the American Thoracic Society, the American College of Chest Physicians, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He is active with the ATS critical care assembly and has served on the program committees of the critical care assembly and respiratory cell and molecular biology assemblies. He is a reviewer for 21 international journals and has been a study section member grant review panels for the NIH and the American Lung Association.

Representative Publications:

Basic/Translational Studies:

  1. Factor, P., F. Saldias, K. Ridge, V. Dumasius, J. Zabner, H.A. Jaffe, G. Blanco, M. Barnard, R. Mercer, R. Perrin, and J.I. Sznajder. Augmentation of lung liquid clearance via adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of the Na,K-ATPase b? subunit. J. Clin. Invest. 102:1421-1430, 1998.
  2. Factor, P., V. Dumasius, F. Saldias and J.I. Sznajder. Adenoviral-mediated overexpression of the Na,K-ATPase ?1 subunit gene increases lung edema clearance and improves survival from acute hyperoxic lung injury. Chest 116:S24-25, 1999.
  3. Factor, P., V. Dumasius, F. Saldias, L.S. Brown, and J.I. Sznajder. Adenoviral-mediated transfer of a Na,K-ATPase ?1 subunit gene improves alveolar fluid clearance and survival in hyperoxic rats. Hum Gene Ther. 26:2231-2242, 2000.
  4. Factor, P., K. Ridge, J. Alverdy, and J.I. Sznajder. Continuous enteral nutrition attenuates pulmonary edema in hyperoxic rats. J Appl Phys. 89:1759-65, 2000.
  5. Thome, U., L. Chen, P. Factor, J.I. Sznajder, V. Dumasius, B. Freeman and S. Matalon. Mitigation of oxidant injury to active sodium transport in rat fetal ATII cells by Na,K-ATPase gene transfer. Am J Resp Cell Mol Biol. 24:245-252, 2001.
  6. Factor, P. Gene therapy for acute diseases. Mol Ther. 4:515-524, 2001.
  7. Dumasius, V., J.I. Sznajder, Z. Azzam, J. Boja, G. Mutlu, M. Maron, and Factor, P. ?2-adrenergic receptor overexpression increases alveolar fluid clearance and responsiveness to endogenous catecholamines in rats. Circ Res. 89:907-914, 2001.
  8. Factor, P., Z. Azzam, J.I. Sznajder, and V. Dumasius. Enhancement of alveolar epithelial b2-adrenergic receptor function via gene transfer. Chest. 121:45S-46S, 2002.
  9. Factor, P., M. Mendez, G.M. Mutlu, and V. Dumasius. Acute hyperoxic lung injury does not impede adenoviral-mediated alveolar gene transfer. Am J Resp Crit Care Med. 165:521-526, 2002.
  10. Azzam, Z., V. Dumasius, F. Saldias, Y. Adir, J.I. Sznajder, and P. Factor. Na,K-ATPase overexpression improves alveolar fluid clearance in a rat model of elevated left atrial pressure. Circulation. 105:497-501, 2002.
  11. Weiss, D.J., G. Multu, L. Bonneau, M. Mendez, Y. Wang, V. Dumasius, and P. Factor. Comparison of surfactant and perflurocarbon liquid enhanced adenovirus mediated gene transfer in normal rat lung. Mol Ther, 6:43-49, 2002.
  12. Dumasius, V., M. Mendez, G. Mutlu, and P. Factor. Acute lung injury does not impair adenoviral-mediated gene transfer to the alveolar epithelium. Chest. 121:33S-34S, 2002.
  13. Factor, P., Y. Adir, G.M. Mutlu, J. Burhop, and V. Dumasius. Effects of b2-adrenergic receptor overexpression on alveolar epithelial active transport. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 110:S242-6, 2002.
  14. Dumasius, V., M. Jameel, J. Burhop, F.J. Meng, L.C. Welch, G.M. Mutlu, and P. Factor. In vivo timing of onset of transgene expression following adenoviral-mediated gene transfer. Virology, 308:243-249, 2003.
  15. Ridge K.M., W. Olivera, F. Saldias, Z. Azzam, S. Horowitz, D.H. Rutschman, P. Factor, and J.I. Sznajder. Localization and role of Na,K-ATPase ?2 isoform in rat alveolar epithelium. Circ. Res., 92:453-60, 2003.
  16. Richard, J.C., Z. Zhou, D.E. Pond, C.S. Dence, P. Factor, P.N. Reynolds, G. D. Luker, V. Sharma, T. Ferkol, D. Piwnica-Worms, and D.P. Schuster. Imaging pulmonary gene expression with positron emission tomography (PET). Am J Resp Crit Care Med., 167:1257-63, 2003.
  17. Richard, J.C, P. Factor, L. Welch, and D.P. Schuster. Imaging the spatial distribution of transgene expression in the lungs with positron emission tomography. Gene Ther., 10:2074-80, 2003.
  18. Adir, Y., P. Factor, V. Dumasius, K.M. Ridge, and J.I. Sznajder. Na,K-ATPase gene transfer increases liquid clearance during ventilation-induced lung injury. Am J Resp Crit Care Med, 168:1445-48, 2003.
  19. Richard J.C., P. Factor, T. Ferkol, D.E. Ponde, Z. Zhou, and D.P. Schuster. Repetitive imaging of reporter gene expression in the lung. Mol Imaging, 2:342-9, 2003.
  20. Adir, Y., Z.S. Azzam, E. Lecuona, S. Leal, L. Pesce, V. Dumasius, A.M. Bertorello, P. Factor, J.B. Young, K.M. Ridge and J.I. Sznajder. Augmentation of endogenous dopamine production increases Na,K-ATPase and lung liquid clearance. Am J Resp Crit Care Med, 169:757-63 2004.
  21. Richard JC, Z. Zhou, D.L. Chen, M.A. Mintun, D. Piwnica-Worms, P. Factor, D.E. Ponde, and D.P. Schuster. Quantitation of pulmonary gene expression with PET imaging. J Nucl Med. 45:644-54, 2004.
  22. Mutlu, G.M., V. Dumasius, J. Burhop, P.J. McShane, F.J. Meng, L. Welch, A. Dumasius, N. Mohebahmadi, K. Hardiman, S. Matalon, S. Hollenberg, and P. Factor. Upregulation of alveolar epithelial active Na+ transport is dependent on ?2-adrenergic receptor signaling. Circ Res., 94:1091-1100, 2004.
  23. Factor, P., A. Akhmedov, and G.M. Mutlu. Potential genetic therapies for acute lung injury. Cur Gene Ther. 4:487-95, 2004.
  24. Mutlu, G.M, W.J. Koch, and P. Factor. Alveolar epithelial ?2-adrenergic receptors: Their role in regulation of alveolar active Na+ transport. Am J Resp Crit Care Med. 170:1270-5, 2004.
  25. Swystun, V., L. Chen, P. Factor, B. Siroky, P.D. Bell, and S. Matalon. Apical trypsin increases ion transport and resistance by a phospholipase C dependent rise of Ca2+. Am J Phys Lung Cell Mol Physiol., 288:L820-30, 2005.
  26. Dharmarajan S, M. Hayama, J. Kozlowski, T. Ishiyama, M. Okazaki, P. Factor, G.A. Patterson, and D.P. Schuster. In vivo molecular imaging characterizes pulmonary gene expression during experimental lung transplantation. Am J Transplant. 5:1216-25, 2005.
  27. Factor, P., Y. Adir, M. Jameel, A.T. Akhmedov, L. Welch, V. Dumasius, F.J. Meng, J. Zabner, J.I. Sznajder, and G,M. Mutlu. Interdependency of ?-adrenergic receptors and CFTR in regulation of alveolar active Na+ transport. Circ Res. 96:999-1005, 2005.
  28. Azzam, Z.S., Y. Adir, L. Welch, J. Chen, J. Winaver, P. Factor, N. Krivoy, A. Hoffman, J.I. Sznajder, and Z. Abassi. Alveolar fluid reabsorption is increased in rats with compensated heart failure. Am J Physiol Lung. 291:L1094-100, 2006.
  29. Factor, P., G.M. Mutlu, L. Chen, J. Mohamed, A.T. Akhmedov, F.J. Meng, T. Jilling, E. R. Lewis, M.D. Johnson, D. Kass, J.M. Martino, A. Bellmeyer, J.S. Albazi, C. Emala, H.T. Lee, L.G. Dobbs, and S. Matalon. Adenosine regulation of alveolar fluid clearance. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 104:4083-8, 2007.
  30. Davis, I.C., A. Xu, J.A. Fortenberry, J.M. Hickman-Davis, E. Sorscher, P. Factor, W.M. Sullender, and S. Matalon. Respiratory syncytial virus induces insensitivity to beta-adrenergic agonists. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Bio, 293:L281-9, 2007.
  31. Adir, Y. J.I. Sznajder1, L.C. Welch, P. Factor, V. Dumasius, and K.M. Ridge. Overexpression of the Na,K-ATPase a2 subunit improves lung liquid clearance during ventilation-induced lung injury. Am J Physiol. 294:L1233-7, 2008.
  32. Adir, Y., P. Factor, E. Lecuona V. Dumasius, H. Cajigas, J.B. Young, D. Rutschman, K.M. Ridge and J.I. Sznajder. Overexpression of dopaminergic-D1 receptor gene increases alveolar fluid reabsorption in rats. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 294:L1233-7, 2008.
  33. Oldenburg PJ, T.A. Wyatt TA, P. Factor, and J.H. Sisson. Alcohol Feeding Blocks Methacholine-induced Airway Responsiveness in Mice. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 296:L109-14, 2009.

Scientific Reviews:

  1. Factor, P. The role and regulation of Na,K-ATPase in the lung. Cell Mol Biol. 47:348-361, 2001.
  2. Sznajder, J.I., Factor, P., and D. Ingbar. Lung edema clearance: Role of Na,K-ATPase. J. Appl Physiol. 93:1860-6, 2002.
  3. Mutlu, G.M and P. Factor. Alveolar Epithelial b2-Adrenergic Receptors. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 38:127-34, 2008.

Clinical Studies/Case Reports:

  1. Brochard, L., F. Roudot-Thoraval, E. Roupie, C. Delclaux, J. Chastre, E. Fernandez-Mondejar, E. Clementi, J. Mancebo, P. Factor, D. Matamis, M. Ranieri, L. Blanch, G. Rodi, H. Mentec, D. Dreyfus, A. Torres, C. Brun-Buisson, M. Tobin, F. Lemaire, and the multicenter trial group on tidal volume reduction. Tidal volume reduction for the prevention of ventilator-induced lung injury in the adult respiratory distress syndrome. Am J Resp Crit Care Med. 158:1831-8, 1998.
  2. Factor, P. In consultation: mechanical ventilation of patients with ARDS and obstructive lung disease. J. Crit. Ill. 14:422, 1999.
  3. Mutlu, G. and P. Factor. Complications of mechanical ventilation. Resp Care Clin North Amer. 6:213-252, 2000.
  4. Mutlu, G., E.A. Mutlu, and P. Factor. Gastrointestinal complications of mechanical ventilation. Chest. 119:1222-41, 2001.
  5. Mutlu, G.M. and P. Factor. In consultation: Gastrointestinal complications associated with mechanical ventilation. J Crit Ill. 17: 93, 2002.
  6. Mutlu, G.M., and P. Factor. Acute onset quadriplegia, respiratory failure and ventricular tachycardia in a 21 year-old man following a soccer match. Chest. 121:2036-2039, 2002.
  7. Mutlu, G.M., P. Factor, D.E. Schwartz, and J.I. Sznajder. Severe status asthmaticus: Management with permissive hypercapnia and inhalation anesthesia. Crit Care Med. 30:477-480, 2002.
  8. Mutlu, G.M., Oh, K., and P. Factor. An unresponsive biochemistry professor in the bathtub. Chest, 122:1073-6, 2002.
  9. Mutlu GM, Factor P, Schwartz D, Sznajder JI. Ventilating asthmatics using intensive care ventilators. Crit Care Med. 31:665-6, 2003.
  10. Mutlu, G.M. and P. Factor. Vasopressin for the management of septic shock. Int Care Med., 30:1276-91, 2004.
  11. .Mutlu, G.M., T. Kuzniar, and P. Factor. A 41-year-old man with altered mental status and acute flaccid paralysis. Chest, 127:391-4, 2005.
  12. Mutlu, M. and P. Factor. Pulmonary Tumor Embolism of Unknown Origin. Mayo Clin Proc. 81:721-22, 2006.
  13. Jelic, S., JA Cunningham, and P. Factor. Clinical review: airway hygiene in the intensive care unit. Crit Care. 2008;12(2):209-14, 2008.

Book Chapters:

  1. Factor, P. and J.I. Sznajder. Intravascular cannulation. In: Wood, L.D.H., Hall, J.B., Schmidt, G. eds. Principles of Critical Care Medicine, J.B. Lipincott, Phildelphia, Pa. 1991.
  2. Factor, P. Cardiovascular surgery. In: Wood, L.D.H., Hall, J.B., Schmidt, G. eds. Principles of Critical Care Medicine: Companion text, J.B. Lipincott, Phildelphia, Pa. 1993.
  3. Factor, P. Intravascular cannulation. In: Wood, L.D.H., Hall, J.B., Schmidt, G. eds. Principles of Critical Care Medicine: Companion text, J.B. Lipincott, Phildelphia, Pa. 1993.
  4. Factor, P. Oncologic emergencies. In: Wood, L.D.H., Hall, J.B., Schmidt, G. eds. Principles of Critical Care Medicine: Companion text, J.B. Lipincott, Phildelphia, Pa. 1993.
  5. Factor, P., D. Ciccolella, and J.I. Sznajder. Fluid balance and renal function in ARDS. In: Haslett, C., Evans, T. Eds. Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Chapman and Hall, London, England, 1996.
  6. Christan, J., and P. Factor. Respiratory physiology and pathophysiology. In: Weinberg, G., ed. Anesthesiology, A Scientific Approach. New York, 1996.
  7. Sznajder, J.I., P. Factor, and A. Zucker. Acute lung injury. In: Garrard, C., Foex, P., Westaby, S., eds. Principles and Practice of Critical Care. Blackwell Scientific, London, 1997.
  8. Ridge, K., W. Olivera, S. Horowitz, D. Rutschman, P. Factor, and J.I. Sznajder. Role of the Na,K-ATPase a2 subunit in lung liquid clearance. In: Matalon, S., and Sznajder. J.I., eds. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Management. Plenum, NY. 1998.
  9. Factor, P. Gene therapy for the acute respiratory distress syndrome. In: Matalon, S., and Sznajder. J.I., eds. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Management. Plenum, NY, pp. 69-72, 1998.
  10. Factor, P. Vascular Cannulation. In: Wood, L.D.H., Hall, J.B., Schmidt, G. eds. Principles of Critical Care Medicine: Companion text, 2e, J.B. Lipincott, Philadelphia, pp. 21-37. 1999.
  11. Factor, P. Overexpression of transport genes: Methods for studying and modulating alveolar solute movement. In: P. Byron, ed. Respiratory drug delivery 7. Serentec Press. Raleigh, pp. 25-32, 2000.
  12. Factor, P. and H. Lum. Maintenance of alveolar epithelial and endothelial function via gene transfer. In: Factor, P. ed. Gene Therapy for Acute and Acquired Conditions. Kluwer Academic Publishers. Norwell, MA. 2001.
  13. Factor, P., and J.I. Sznajder. Gene therapy for acute lung injury. In: Matalon, S., and Sznajder. J.I., eds. Etiology and Treatment of Acute Lung Injury: From Bench to Bedside. IOS Press BV, Amsterdam, pp. 93-102, 2001.
  14. Mutlu G.M. and P. Factor. Gene therapy of VILI. In: Ventilator-induced lung injury. Eds., D Dreyfuss, R Hubmayr, G Saumon. Taylor and Francis, New York, NY, 2006; 711-719.
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Roxana Sulica, MD

Dr. Roxana Sulica

Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Program,Assistant Professor of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Dr. Sulica received her medical degree from the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, Romania. She received her internal medicine training at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York. Dr. Sulica completed a Fellowship in Pulmonary Critical Care and a Clinical and Research Fellowship in Pulmonary Hypertension at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, New York.

She has authored numerous papers in the area of pulmonary hypertension and presented at a variety of seminars, conferences, symposia, and grand rounds activities. Dr. Sulica has served on the editorial board of the journal Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension, as well as a reviewer for numerous scientific journals, including Chest, Critical Care Medicine, and Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine. She currently serves as Principal Investigator in several international, multicenter trials examining novel treatments for pulmonary hypertension.

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Arthur Sung, MD

Director of Interventional Pulmonology

Dr. Sung received a BS from University of California, San Diego and an MD from New York Medical College. Dr. Sung completed fellowships in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Stanford University Medical Center and in Interventional Pulmonology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA training with Armin Ernst, MD and Kevin Kovitz, MD.

Dr. Sung is board certified in Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Disease and is an internationally recognized expert in interventional pulmonology.

Dr. Sung has been recognized for medical care provided to victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and was honored at the 8th Annual Leadership Development Program for Academic Physicians, American College of Chest Physicians in October 2007. Dr. Sung is a member of the American Thoracic Society, the American College of Chest Physicians, and the American Association of Bronchology.

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Vicky Seelall, MD

Dr. Vicky Seelall

Director of Sleep Medicine, Associate Fellowship Program Director, Assistant Professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Vicky H. Seelall, MD, FCCP is the Director of Sleep Medicine and the Associate Fellowship Program Director in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center. Dr. Seelall oversees the daily operations of the sleep laboratory, as well as evaluating and treating sleep patients. Her clinical interests include the diagnosis, treatment and management of all sleep disorders.

Her research interests include CPAP compliance for which she has received a grant from the American Lung Association of NY. In addition, she is interested in obstructive sleep apnea, sleep deprivation and aging as well as sleep and the intensive care unit. She has presented her research at international conferences such as ATS and Sleep. She has also published papers and written book chapters on various topics regarding Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine.

Dr. Seelall is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care Medicine and Sleep Medicine. She is also a member of the American Thoracic Society, Society of Critical Care, American College of Chest Physicians and the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

Dr. Seelall attended medical school at New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY. Afterwards, Dr. Seelall completed her residency and chief residency in Internal Medicine at St. Luke’s – Roosevelt Hospital/University Hospital – Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. She followed this with fellowships in Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at NYU School of Medicine.

GRANTS

  1. 2007 – 2008 American Lung Association of NY. Principal Investigator. Effect of Nasal Resistance on delivered Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

PUBLICATIONS

  1. 2010 Rhinomanometry and Acoustic Rhinometry and Directly Measured Upper Airway Resistance Awake and Asleep. Masdeu M, Seelall, V, Patel A , Ayappa, I, Rapoport, D. Submitted to the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
  2. 2010 Night to Night Variability in Unattended Sleep Study Home Monitoring. Seelall V, Ayappa I , Rapoport D. Manuscript in progress.
  3. 2007 Validation of a Self-applied Unattended Monitor for Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB). Ayappa I, Norman B, Seelall V, Rapoport D. J Clin Sleep Med. 2008 February 15; 4(1): 26–37.
  4. 2007 Immune Subversion in the Human Response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis Antigens following BCG-vaccination or TB-infection. Ching E, Meyer DA, Ketner DS, Doshi A, Eridon J, Seelall V, Raju B, Rom WN, Tse D. The Journal of Experimental Medicine.

PRESENTATIONS

  1. 2007 Variability and Position in Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) during Limited Home and Lab Studies. Seelall V, Ayappa I, Norman R, Burschtin O, Rapoport D. Associated Professional Sleep Societies 2007.

ABSTRACTS

  1. 2009 Masdeu M, Patel A, Seelall V, Ayappa I, Rapoport D. Reduction in expiratory mask pressure during CPAP does not transmit to the Upper Airway (UA). Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2009; 179:A5400. Oral Presentation: American Thoracic Society (ATS) annual conference, San Diego, CA, May 2009|.
  2. 2005 Differences in the Antigenic Profile of the Human Immune Response to M. tuberculosis with BCG Vaccination and Active Pulmonary Disease. Seelall V, Ching E, Meyer DA, Ketner DS, Raju B, Rom WN, Tse D. American Thoracic Society A449.
  3. 2003 Critical Care in Sickle Cell Disease. Zuriqat MA, Munir AA, Seelall V, Shapiro J. American Thoracic Society A251.
  4. 2001 Outcome of the Very Elderly Patients Admitted to Critical Care Units. Critical Care Medicine: Dec 2001; 29(12s): A128. Shibli M, Hajal R, Seelall V, Fox M, Homel P, Shapiro JM, Khouli H.
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Samuel Acquah, MD

Dr. Samuel Acquah

Director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit, Assistant Professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Samuel Acquah, MD, FCCP is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine and currently serves as the Director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit, the Director of Endobronchial Ultrasound and is the Physician Leader of the Rapid Response Team.

Dr. Samuel Acquah completed his residency in internal Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center, NY in 1994 and went on to do a fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Beth Israel, NY which he completed in 1997. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care Medicine and has been with the Division since January of 1998 after working for the Health and Hospitals Corporation at Metropolitan Hospital.

Dr. Acquah is interested in a wide range of pulmonary diseases and has a busy outpatient practice caring for patients with asthma, COPD, chronic cough and Interstitial Lung diseases. He has a special interest in sarcoidosis, collagen-vascular lung diseases, pleural diseases, and lung cancer. Dr. Acquah is part of the Multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Program in collaboration with Thoracic surgery, Oncology and Radiation Oncology.

Dr. Acquah is renowned as an Advanced Bronchoscopist specializing in the use of Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS). He was one of the first pulmonologist to do EBUS and has personally done over 300 of these procedures. In addition, he has trained several physicians who have started their own EBUS programs. He regularly uses EBUS for the non-invasive staging of the mediastinum and for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis and lymphoma. The use of EBUS in these patients has allowed them to be spared the traditionally used surgical procedure of mediastinoscopy.

Dr Acquah is also expert in the use of pleural ultrasonography and the management of pleural diseases using pleural biopsy, pleurodesis and the insertion of indwelling pleural catheters (PleuRx).

As the director of the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Beth Israel, he has a special interest in developing ICU protocols to improve patient care by ICU and to eliminate hospital acquired infections.

Dr. Acquah also serves as the leader of the Rapid Response Team that is used to bring critical care to the bedside of patients who manifest a rapid decline in their medical condition. He is expert at advanced airway management and critical care ultrasonography. Dr. Acquah has done more than 100 percutaneous tracheostomies and has trained many physicians in the technique.

Dr. Samuel Acquah research interests include using EBUS in staging lung cancer and for the diagnosis of enlarged lymph nodes in a variety of diseases.

Dr. Acquah has several publications in peer reviewed journals and is a member of the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Thoracic Society, and the Society for Critical Care Medicine.

ABSTRACTS:

  1. Acquah S, Villamena PC, Soliman A, Rosen MJ: Are chest radiographs necessary after thoracentesis? Chest 1995;108:190S

ACCP MEETING PRESENTATIONS:

  1. Inflammatory pseudotumor associated with Mycobacterium-avium complex infection Vanessa Ribauldo MD, S Acquah MD.
  2. A patient presenting with lung cavities, endobronchial nodules, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, microthrombi and a positive C-ANCA. Louis Eisen MD, S Acquah MD.

ORIGINAL ARTICLES:

  1. Wong M MD, Dayrit F MD, Acquah S MD, Mayo P MD; Comparison of High Dose Inhaled Flunisolide to Systemic Corticosteroids in Severe Adult Asthma Chest 122(4):1208-1213 Oct 2002
  2. A Hedge MD, Lewis Eisen, MD, Samuel Acquah, MD, Paul Mayo, MD outcome of BVM ventilation performed by Medical housestaff trained using a computerized patient simulator with scenario based training during emergency endotracheal intubation Chest 2007
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Hayley Gershengorn, MD

Hayley Gershengorn, MD is an intensivist and pulmonary physician at Beth Israel Medical Center. She received her BA in Applied Mathematics from Harvard College and her MD from Harvard Medical School. Dr. Gershengorn completed her fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University Medical Center following her training in Internal Medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Medicine and board eligible in Critical Care Medicine. She is a member of the American Thoracic Society and the American College of Chest Physicians. In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Gershengorn is interested in improving healthcare delivery through rigorous study and implementation of best-practices. She is experienced in utilizing large datasets to better understand and improve hospital operations and quality of patient care.

Scientific Publications

  1. Blower S, Wald A, Gershengorn H, Wang F, Corey L. Targeting virological core groups: a new paradigm for controlling herpes simplex virus type 2 epidemics. J Infect Dis. 2004 Nov 1; 190(9):1610-7.
  2. Gershengorn HB, Darby G, Blower SM. Predicting the emergence of drug-resistant HSV-2: new predictions. BMC Infect Dis. 2003 Mar 24; 3:1.
  3. Velasco-Hernandez JX, Gershengorn HB, Blower SM. Could widespread use of combination antiretroviral therapy eradicate HIV epidemics? Lancet Infect Dis. 2002 Aug; 2(8):487-93.
  4. Klerman EB, Gershengorn HB, Duffy JF, Kronauer RE. Comparisons of the variability of three markers of the human circadian pacemaker. J Biol Rhythms. 2002 Apr; 17(2):181-93.
  5. Blower SM, Aschenbach AN, Gershengorn HB, Kahn JO. Predicting the unpredictable: transmission of drug-resistant HIV. Nature Medicine. 2001 Sep; 7(9):1016-20.
  6. Gershengorn HB, Blower SM. Impact of antivirals and emergence of drug resistance: HSV-2 epidemic control. AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2000 Mar; 14(3):133-42.
  7. Blower SM, Gershengorn HB, Grant RM. A tale of two futures: HIV and antiretroviral therapy in San Francisco. Science. 2000 Jan 28; 287(5453):650-4.
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Patricia Villamena

Dr. Patricia Villamena

Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, Attending Physician

Dr. Villamena has been repeatedly selected as one of the "Top Doctors in New York" by the Castle Connolly Guide and cited as one of the Top 5% of New York City physicians,and given the title of "Super Doctor". Her area of interest in Pulmonary Diseases include asthma, emphysema, interstitial lung disease, pleural disease and lung cancer. She is widely known for her active involvement in the multi-disciplinary approach to lung cancer, working closely with the Division of Oncology's Lung Cancer Center in the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of patients with lung cancer.

She has been the Director of Bronchoscopy for many years and has extensive experience and expertise in fiberoptic bronchoscopy, lung biopsy, thoracentesis, and pleural drainage devices.

She has been an active member of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Program here at Beth Israel and has been responsible for the training of many fellows over the past 20+ years.

Her telephone number for appointments is 212 420 2377

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Pierre Kory, MPA, MD

Dr. Pierre Kory

Director of Simulation Training, Assistant Professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Dr. Pierre Kory, MPA, MD joined the Beth Israel Department of Medicine in 2008 as an Attending Physician in the Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division. Dr. Kory completed his fellowship training in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center and his residency training in Internal Medicine at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City. Prior to becoming a physician, Dr. Kory received a Masters degree in Health Policy and Administration from the New York University Robert Wagner School of Public Service and subsequently worked for two years as a Project Director in Immunization Policy projects funded by the Centers for Disease Control and the NYC Department of Health.

Dr. Kory has gained national recognition for his expertise in several areas:

Therapeutic Hypothermia

Dr. Kory's work on the development and application of therapeutic hypothermia in post-cardiac arrest patients has led to the publication of several abstracts and recent submission of several manuscripts to leading academic journals. He has been an invited lecturer at several national and regional conferences, including a highlight session speaker at the American College of Chest Physicians Annual Conference over the past two years. He is currently the Principal Investigator of one of the first historical controlled trials of hypothermia use after in-hospital cardiac arrest.

Critical Care Ultrasonography

Dr. Kory has been a key faculty member for the American College of Chest Physicians National courses on Critical Care Ultrasonography, and has traveled nationally lecturing on multiple subjects within this area. He has recently co-developed the first certification exam for critical care physicians for critical care ultrasonography. He is one of only a handful of critical care physicians in the country who has passed the National Board of Echocardiography Certification exam.

Simulation Training

Dr. Kory is Acting Director of Simulation Training, a rapidly growing area of medical education using computerized patient simulators. He recently designed and helped build a $100,000 Simulation Training Center at Beth Israel Medical Center and has developed and run many training programs teaching critical skills to Internal Medicine housestaff as well as Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellows. He was the lead author of an article that was published in the November 2007 issue of CHEST and was selected as the "Feature Article" that month.

Interventional Pulmonology

Dr. Kory has been an active partner of the Dr. Samuel Acquah, the Director of Endobronchial Ultrasound at Beth Israel. He receives many referrals for pre-operative lung cancer staging as well as mediastinal lymph node sampling for a variety of conditions.

Dr. Kory's interests in Pulmonary Medicine include non-invasive lung cancer diagnosis and staging using Endobronchial Ultrasound, smoking cessation techniques, as well as the treatment of COPD and chronic cough.

Publications

Textbook Chapters

  1. Kory P, Kaplan AE. Venous Ultrasonography. Handbook of Critical Care and Emergency Ultrasound Feller-Kopman D, Moore C, Carmody K. McGraw Hill, 2009
  2. Kaplan AE, Kory P. Use of Ultrasonography for the Diagnosis of Venous Thromboembolic Disease. Clinical Chest Ultrasound: from the ICU to the Bronchoscopy suite. Bolliger CT et al. Progress in Respiratory Research, Volume 37, 2009
  3. Kory P, Mayo PH. Transesophageal Echocardiography, Technique, Orientation, and Views. Found in Critical Care Ultrasonography, Mayo P. Mcgraw Hill, 2009
  4. Foley M, Kory P, Fairbrother G. "Evaluation of Hope for a Million Kids Immunization Event in New York City: Process, Outcome, and Costs". Community Based Prevention-Programs that Work, Brownson R et al. Aspen Publishers 1999.

Journal Articles

  1. Mayo PH, Hegde A, Eisen LA, Kory P et al. Results of a Program to Improve the Quality of Emergency Endotracheal Intubation. Crit Care Med, 2009 (under Review)
  2. Kory P, Adachi M, Ribaudo V, Eisen LA, Mayo PH. Initial Airway Management of Senior Residents: Comparison of Simulation Training compared with Traditional Training. Chest 2007; 132:1927-1931
  3. Fairbrother G, Siegel M, Kory P, Hanson K, Butts GC. Impact of Financial Incentives and Feedback on Neighborhood Physicians in New York City. Journal of Ambulatory Pediatrics, 2001;1:206-212.
  4. Hanson KL, Fairbrother G, Kory P, Butts GC, Friedman S. The transition from Medicaid fee-for-service to managed care among private practitioners in New York City: effect on immunization and screening rates. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 1998 Mar;2(1):5-14.
  5. Foley M, Kory P, Fairbrother G. Evaluation of Hope for a Million Kids Immunization Event in New York City: Process, Outcome, and Costs. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 1998 Jul;4(4):97-105.

Abstracts

  1. Eisen L, et al Kory P. Performance of Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellows in Maternal Arrest. Society for Simulation in HealthCare Annual Meeting Phoenix, AZ 2009
  2. Eisen L et al, Kory P . Performance of Intensivists in Managing Maternal Arrest Scenario. Society for Simulation in HealthCare Annual Meeting, Phoenix, AZ 2009
  3. Kory P, Pellecchia C, Koenig S, Shiloh A et al. Accuracy of Critical Care Physicians in the Ultrasound Diagnosis of Deep Venous Thrombosis in the ICU. Slide Presentation, Annual Meeting of the ACCP, 2009
  4. Mathew J, Kory P, Fukunaga M, Pellecchia C et al. Outcomes of Mild Therapeutic Hypothermia in In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Patients. Slide Presentation, Annual Meeting of the ACCP, 2009
  5. Kory P, Fukunaga M, Weiner J, Mathew J et al. Safety of Mild Therapeutic Hypothermia after In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest". Poster Presentation, Annual Meeting of the ACCP, 2009
  6. Eisen LA, Kory P, Malik A, Yunen J, Ardilles E, Kline M, Mayo P. Training and Assessment of Fellows in Critical Care Ultrasonography: A New Paradigm. Abstract Accepted for Slide Presentation at Annual Meeting of the ACCP 2008.
  7. Koenig S, Kory P, Lakticova V, Chandra S, et al. Simultaneous training in initial airway management and chest compressions using simulation based technology improves house staff competency over that learned in ACLS. Slide Presentation, Annual Meeting of the ACCP, 2008
  8. Greenstein Y, Lakticova V, Kory P, Mayo PH. Adequate Chest Compressions: Are Gender and Duration of Compression Important Variables? Slide Presentation, Annual Meeting of the ACCP 2008.
  9. Kory P, Mayo PH. "Mild Therapeutic Hypothermia; a Rapid, Inexpensive Technique for the ICU". Slide Presentation for Critical Care; Triage. Annual Meeting of the ACCP 2007.
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Albert Miller, MD

Dr. Albert Miller

Director of the Pulmonary Function Laboratory

Dr. Albert Miller joined Beth Israel in 2009 as the Director of the Pulmonary Function Laboratory. Long one of the most recognized names in Pulmonary and Occupational Medicine, he is an internationally recognized expert in many areas of Pulmonary Medicine, including Cardiorespiratory Physiology, Clinical Pulmonary Function, Incremental Exercise tests, Environmental and Occupational Lung Diseases, Asbestosis and Asbestos-related Diseases, Sarcoidosis, World Trade Center Respiratory Disorders, Respiratory Epidemiology, Reference standards, Forensic Pulmonology, Disability Evaluation, and the Interactions between Science and Law.

His contribution to the literature and body of knowledge in many of the above areas are vast, having authored and co-authored 10 textbooks, over 100 peer-reviewed articles, multiple textbook chapters, invited topic reviews, and abstracts and presentations too numerous to list here. Below is a selection of his most referenced papers and textbooks.

SELECTION OF TEXTBOOKS AND PAPERS

MOST POPULAR TEXTBOOKS

  1. Miller A, (editor) Pulmonary Function Tests in Clinical and Occupational Lung Disease. Grune & Stratton, Orlando, 482 pp, 1986.
  2. Miller A, (editor) Pulmonary Function Tests: A Guide for the Student and House Officer.  Grune & Stratton, Orlando, 275 pp, 1987.

MOST REFERENCED PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES

  1. Rom WN, Miller A: Unexpected longevity inpatients with severe kyphoscoliosis. Thorax 33: 106-110, 1978.
  2. Miller A, Chuang MT, Warshaw R, Smith H Jr., Selikoff IJ: Clinical validation of automated spirometry used in surveys of large occupational groups: Comparison with conventional water spirometry. Arch Environ Health 34: 266-273, 1979.
  3. Miller A, Elliot JC, Thornton JC, Warshaw R, Geiger M, Anderson H, Selikoff IJ: Comparison of Spirometry performed on the same subjects by two teams using similar instruments: An investigation of variability in prevalence of impairment. Environ Research 21: 229-234, 1980.
  4. Miller A, Thornton JC: The interpretation of Spirometric measurements in epidemiological surveys. Environ Research 23: 444-468, 1980.
  5. Miller A: The vanishing lung syndrome associated with pulmonary Sarcoidosis. Brit J Dis Chest 75: 209-214, 1981.
  6. Miller A, Einstein K, Thornton J, Teirstein AS, Siltzbach LE: Physiologic classification and staging of Sarcoidosis, in Eighth International Conference on Sarcoidosis and other Granulomatous Disease.  Williams WJ and Davies BH, editors, Alpha Omega Publishing Ltd., Cardiff, pp 331-336, 1980.
  7. Miller A, Teirstein AS, Selikoff IJ: Ventilatory failure due to asbestos pleurisy.  Am J Med 75: 911-919, 1983.
  8. Montner P, Miller A, Calhoun F: Tracheal diameter as a predictor of pulmonary function. Lung 162: 115-121, 1984.
  9. Miller A, Thornton JC, Warshaw R, Bernstein J, Teirstein AS, Selikoff IJ: Mean an instantaneous expiratory flows, FVC and FEV1: Prediction equations for non-smokers and smokers from a random sample of Michigan, a large industrial state.  Bull Physiopath Resp. 22: 589-597, 1986
  10. Miller A, Thornton JC, Anderson HA, Selikoff IJ: Prevalence of clinical respiratory abnormalities by sex and smoking history in a representative sample of the adult population of Michigan. Chest 94: 1187-1194, 1988.
  11. Miller A: Chronic pleuritic pain in four patients with asbestos induced pleural fibrosis. Br I Industr Med 47:147-153, 1990.
  12. Miller A: A simple Spiro metric clue to asthma: Airways obstruction suggested by negative or reduced forced expiratory reserve volume despite normal FEVI/FVC ratio. Mt Sinai J Med 57:85-92, 1990.
  13. Miller A, Warshaw R, Thornton JC: Prevalence of spirometric abnormalities in a representative sample of the population of Michigan. Am J Industr Med 19:473 - 486, 1991.
  14. Miller A, Lilis R, Godblod J, Chan E, Selikoff U: Relationship of pulmonary function to radiographic interstitial fibrosis in 2611 long-term asbestos insulators: An assessment of the ILO profusion score. Amer Rev Respir Dis 145:263-270, 1992.
  15. Lilis R, Miller A, Godblod J, Chan E, Benkert S, Wu X, Selikoff IJ: Comparative quantative evaluation of pleural fibrosis and its effects on pulmonary function in two large asbestos exposed occupational groups-insulators and sheet metalworkers. Environ Res 59:49-66, 1992.
  16. Kilburn KH, Warshaw RH, Thornton JC, Thornton K, Miller A: Predictive equations for total lung capacity and residual volume calculated from radiographs in a random sample of the Michigan population, Thorax 49:519-523, 1992.
  17. Miller A, Miller JA: Diffuse pleural thickening superimposed on circumscribed pleural thickening related to asbestos. Am J Industr Med 23:859-872, 1993.
  18. Miller A, Bhuptani A, Sloane MF, Brown LK, Teirstein AS: Cardiorespiratory responses to incremental exercise in patients with asbestos - related pleural thickening and normal or slightly abnormal lung function. CHEST 103:1045-1050, 1993.
  19. Miller A, Lilis R, Godblod J, Chan E, Wu X, Selikoff IJ: Spirometric impairments in long term insulators: Relationships to duration of exposure, smoking and radiographic abnormalities.CHEST 105:175-182, 1994.
  20. Brown LK, Miller A Pilipski M, Lau T: Forced mid‑expiratory time: Reference values and the effect of cigarette smoking. Lung 173: 35-46, 1995.
  21. Zimmerman MI, Miller A, Brown LK, Bhuptani A, Sloane MF, Teirstein AS. Estimated versus actual versus values for dead space tidal volume ratios during incremental exercise in patients for dyspnea. CHEST 106:131-136, 1995.
  22. Miller A, Brown LK, Sloane MF, Bhuptani A, Teirstein AS: Cardio respiratory response to incremental exercise in sarcoidosis patients with normal spirometry. CHEST 107: 323-329,1995,
  23. Rosen MJ, Lou Y, Kvale PA, Rao AV, Jordan MC, Miller A, Glassroth J, Reichrnan LB,Wallace JM, Hopewell PC: Pulmonary Function tests in HIV infected persons without AIDS. Am J Resp Crit Care Med 152:738-745, 1995
  24. Miller A, Lilis R, Godbold J, Wu X.  Relationship of Spirometric Function to radiographic interstitial fibrosis I two large work forces exposed to asbestos: An evaluation of the ILO profusion score.  Occ Environ Med 53: 808-812, 1996.
  25. Brown LK, Miller A, Bhuptani A, Sloane MF, Zimmerman MI, Schilero G, Eng CM, Desnick RJ.  Pulmonary involvement in Fabry disease.  AM J Resp Crit Care Med 155: 1004-1010, 1997.
  26. Sadeh JS, Miller A, Kukin ML.  Non-invasive measurement of cardiac output by an acetylene uptake technique and simultaneous comparison with thermodilution in ICU patients.  CHEST 111: 295-1300, 1997.
  27. Miller A, Brown LK, Pastores GM, Desnick RJ.  Pulmonary involvement in Type 1 Gaucher Disease: Functional and exercise findings in patients with and without clinical interstitial lung disease.  Clin Genetics 63:368-376, 2003.
  28. Miller A, Markowitz S, Manowitz A, Miller JA.  Lung cancer screening using low-dose high-         resolution CT Scanning in a high-risk workforce: 3500 nuclear fuel workers in three US States.      CHEST 125:152S-153S, 2004.
  29. Guidotti TL, Miller A, Christiani D, Wagner G, Balmes J, Harber P, Brodkin CA, Rom W, Hillerdal      G, Harbut M, Green FHY.  Diagnosis and initial management of non-malignant diseases due to asbestos.  Official Statement of the American Thoracic Society.  Am J Resp Crit Care Med 170:691-715, 2004.
  30. Miller A.  Mesothelioma in household contacts of Asbestos-Exposed Workers: 32 U.S. Cases since 1990.  AmJ Ind Med 47:458-462, 2005.
  31. Mann JM, Sha KK, Kline G, Breuer F, Miller A.  World Trade Center Dyspnea: Bronchiolitis   obliterans with functional improvement: A Case Report.  AmJ Ind Med 48 225, 2005.
  32. Guidotti, TL, Miller A, Christiani D, Wagner G, Balmes J, Harber P, Brodkin CA, Rom W, Hillerdal G, Harbut M, Green FHY.  Nonmalignant asbestos-related disease: Diagnosis and  early management. Clin Pulm Med, 14:82-92, 2007.
  33. Miller A, Palecki A. Restrictive impairment in patients with asthma. Resp Med, 101:272-276, 2007.
  34. Markowitz, SB, Miller A, Miller J, Manowitz A, Kieding S, Sider L, Morabia A.  Ability of low-dose helical computed tomography to distinguish between benign and malignant non-calcified lung nodules.  Chest, 131:1028-1034, 2007.

Earl Hayes, MD

Dr. Earl Hayes

Dr. Hayes received a BA in marketing from the University of South Florida and an MS in Clinical Psychology from Barry University. He obtained his DO degree from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine where he received several awards including his class humanitarian awards and the Dean's award for outstanding accomplishments for providing medical care to underserved populations in Guatemala.

Dr. Hayes completed his internal medicine residency at Yale University in New Haven, CT. During his residency he completed and published data regarding the incidence of psychiatric disorders in next-of-kin of patients who die in the ICU. After his residency, Dr. Hayes completed a critical care medicine fellowship at St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan.

Dr. Hayes has a long-standing interest in palliative care and is a member of the Beth Israel hospital Palliative Care and Hospice Service and has served as a Hospice Medical Director with the Continuum Health Partners Network.

Dr. Hayes is board certified in internal medicine and critical care medicine and is board eligible for palliative care medicine. Dr. Hayes currently attends in the Beth Israel Medical ICU and is director of the nocturnal critical care program. He also serves as a liason between the Beth Israel Palliative Care Program and Critical Care Medicine.

Education and training:

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Peer Reviewed Publications:

  1. Mark D. Siegel, MD, FCCP; Earle Hayes, DO, MS; Lauren C. Vanderwerker, PhD; Diane B. Loseth, RN, MSN, APRN, BC-PCM; Holly G. Prigerson, PhD. Psychiatric Illness in the next of kin of patients who die in the intensive care unit. Critical Care Medicine, 2008 , 36 (6), 1722-1728.
  2. E. Hayes, DO, MS and D.P. Sulmasy, OFM, PhD, MD: E. Hayes Site Primary Investigator: Conflicus International Study, St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan one of 12 US sites; December 2006: A One day Prevalence Study on ICU-Conflicts
  3. E. Hayes DO, MS, M. Astiz, MD and D. P. Sulmasy OFM, PhD, MD: Patient, Physician and Surrogate variables associated with a Surrogate’s decision to make a patient DNR, 2006-2007

Abstracts

  1. E. Hayes, and M. Siegel. American Thoracic Society National Conference, 2004. Prevalence of and associated risk factors for Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder and Complicated Grief, in family members listed as next of kin of patients who die in the MICU
  2. E. Hayes, M. Astiz, and D. P. Sulmasy.  Peter Cyrus-Rizzo III Scientific Seminar, St. Vincent's Hospital Manhattan. June 2007.  Patient, Physician and Surrogate Variables Associated with Decision-Making in the ICU.
  3. E. Hayes, and Bentley, C. Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Conference,
    2001.  A Cultural and Medical Learning Experience: Medical Missions to Guatemala 2000/2001
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