Rheumatology Nurse Consultant Awarded the OBE
Sue Oliver, MS, is an independent nurse consultant in rheumatology in Devon, England. She is also an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. The OBE, as it’s more colloquially called, “recognises distinguished service to the arts and sciences, public services outside the Civil Service and work with charitable and welfare organisations of all kinds,” according to the royal website.
Her career has been distinguished and varied. She started out as a secretary but, after a few years, decided she wanted to become a nurse. Her father didn’t think highly of the idea and said he gave her three months before she’d drop out. “Well, that’s it, isn’t it?” she says, laughing.
She has worked as an independent nurse consultant since 2003 and has been increasingly employed to provide consultancy work in strategic roles that involve healthcare delivery, service redesign and the development of guidelines, standards and competencies. Ms. Oliver is currently the chair of EULAR’s Standing Committee of Health Professionals in Rheumatology.
“I want to make sure rheumatology is at policy-making tables. If you’re not at the table, your voice will not be heard. I recognized early on that you have to be involved in the politics if you want to make changes.”
She believes the OBE gives her more power to make some changes. “It’s a recognition that rheumatology is important and that rheumatology nursing has value. “It’s time for a new focus on rheumatology, as diabetes, respiratory and cardiac have gotten for years.”
Marilyn Tavenner Resigns as CMS Administrator
Marilyn Tavenner, BSN, MHA, announced her resignation as administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in January 2015, effective at the end of February 2015.
The Senate confirmed Ms. Tavenner (97 to 1) in May 2013, making her the first CMS administrator to be confirmed since 2006. [Her predecessor had been a recess appointment.] She had been acting administrator since 2011 and principal deputy administrator prior to that. She began her career as a staff nurse in 1972, rising to president of the Hospital Corporation of America’s Outpatient Services Group, before she became Secretary of Health and Human Resources for the state of Virginia.
During her tenure as administrator, CMS was tasked with implementing insurance reforms and the Health Insurance Marketplaces included in the Affordable Care Act.
Current Principal Deputy Administrator Andy Slavitt has been named the acting administrator upon Tavenner’s exit.
Joanne Jordan Inducted into the American Clinical & Climatological Association
Joanne Jordan, MD, MPH, is a professor of medicine and orthopedics at University of North Carolina’s Thurston Arthritis Research Center and chief of the Division of Rheumatology at UNC.
Dr. Jordan was recently inducted into the American Clinical and Climatological Association (ACCA), one of the oldest and most prestigious associations in academic medicine and research. A group of physicians and scientists organized the ACCA (then called the American Climatological Association) in 1884 to improve medical practice, education and research. Membership is limited to 250 physicians, so being asked to join is an honor offered to few. Members are “outstanding physicians selected on the basis of their leadership, their excellence in their chosen field, their demonstrated high level of integrity and professionalism, and their yearning to nurture a spirit of warmth, diversity and friendship,” in the organization’s own words.
“Being inducted into the ACCA was truly amazing,” says Dr. Jordan. “Reading the history of the organization is like reading the history of medicine, rich as it is with contributions from all walks of medicine throughout good and trying times of our nation. Meeting many of the people who have shaped medical history, medical care, its delivery, medical education and our medical institutions themselves was a great privilege, and an experience I will not forget.”
The unusual name for the organization comes from its original purpose, described at its first meeting in May 1884 as “the study of climate and diseases of the respiratory organs.” Over the years, the organization’s interests have expanded to include all scientific and clinical aspects of medicine.
François E. Wilhelm Named Chief Medical Officer of Immunomedics
François E. Wilhelm, MD, PhD, was named chief medical officer of Immunomedics Inc. in January 2015. Dr. Wilhelm was most recently chief medical officer and senior vice president at Onconova Therapeutics Inc. He received his MD and PhD from the University of Paris.
“François is an industry veteran with 29 years of global clinical experience in large, multinational pharmaceutical companies and small biotech enterprises alike. He brings a significant track record of IND and NDA submissions for oncology and rheumatology agents,” says Cynthia L. Sullivan, president and CEO of Immunomedics.
Dr. Wilhelm says, “I am certainly excited to add to the interesting portfolio of drugs in development for oncology and autoimmune diseases,” in his new position being in charge of clinical development activities.
One of those activities involves, in collaboration with UCB, SA, a biopharma company based in Belgium with offices in 40 countries, Phase III development of epratuzumab, an investigational medicine for the treatment of moderate and severe systemic lupus erythematosus. There were seven presentations on SLE and investigational studies of epratuzumab given at the 2014 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting.
Ann-Marie Lindstrom is an independent writer and editor based in the Tucson, Ariz., area.
