2009 Coding update free for office managers
Dayton Children’s is holding an office manager’s forum on January 22, 2009 from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. This event will cover the 2009 updates in general coding, as well as Medicare/Medicaid and commercial pay issues, presented by Diane Zucker, Med, CCS-P. We are pleased to offer the course free of charge to our referring physician offices, and lunch will be provided. CEUs from the American Academy of Professional Coders are available. For more information, or to register for the office manager forum, call 937-641-3618 or email alterm@childrensdayton.org.

Pertussis Alert
The Southwest Ohio Public Health Region reports that since October the number of pertussis cases in Southwest Ohio has risen substantially. So far this year, almost 200 cases have been reported which is more than three times the total cases for 2007. Most of these cases have been reported since September among school age children. While most local health jurisdictions have had cases reported, the largest rates and numbers of cases have been in Clermont, Hamilton and Warren Counties. Warren County has experienced an outbreak in local schools, and Dayton Children’s has also seen positives from Clark County and southern Montgomery County. The laboratory at Dayton Children’s offers pertussis PCR testing with next-day results Monday through Friday. We also provide flocked swabs for specimen collection and courier service. For more information on specimen supplies and courier services, call Lisa Henderson at 937-641-3117. For information on pertussis testing, contact Mike Brandon at 937-641-5100.

Vandalia Testing Center now open
Dayton Children's Outpatient Testing Center - Vandalia is now open. The outpatient testing center is conveniently located at 810 Falls Creek Drive, Suite A, off the Northwoods Boulevard exit off I-75 and offers walk-in basic x-ray, EKGs and laboratory services, and ultrasound and echocardiograms by appointment.

Dayton Children's welcomes new physicians


Pramoda Muniyappa, MD, joined the department of gastroenterology on December 1. Dr. Muniyappa joins us after completing a fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. She is board certified in pediatrics and has special interest in feeding disorders, celiac disease and formula intolerance.

 David Knierim, MD, will join the department of neurosurgery at Dayton Children’s on February 15, 2009. Dr. Kneirim joins us from Genesis Health Care System in Zanesville, Ohio. He completed a fellowship in pediatric neurological surgery at the University of Toronto, The Hospital for Sick Children, in Toronto, Ontario, and is board certified in neurological surgery. With the addition of Dr. Kneirim, the department of neurosurgery at Dayton Children’s will now have two neurosurgeons and one pediatric nurse practitioner.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Muniyappa and Dr. Knierim.

Grand rounds online now more convenient
For your convenience, you are now able to submit your grand rounds post-tests and evaluations entirely online – they no longer require a fax machine. There are now 21 sessions available through grand rounds online. This program allows physicians, nurses and other health care providers to watch recorded grand rounds sessions from their home or office computer at their convenience. New sessions are added each month.  To view a session click here. For questions or feedback about our grand rounds online program, contact Moira Alter at 937-641-3618.