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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation Honors University Researchers for Improving Health and Medical Care in Michigan

Posted on: Thursday, 17 January 2008, 09:01 CST

DETROIT, Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Michigan State University, University of Michigan and Wayne State University are the winners of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation's 2007 McDevitt Excellence in Research Awards for Michigan-based physicians and doctoral-level researchers.

"The McDevitt award is named in honor of our late chairman and visionary health care leader, Frank J. McDevitt, D.O. We honor Michigan researchers with this award for their contributions to improving health and medical care," said Ira Strumwasser, executive director and CEO of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation.

The foundation awards four McDevitt awards of $10,000 each annually in the areas of clinical, health policy or health services research. Awards are to be used for further research.

This year's award winners are: -- Mei-Wei Chang, R.N., assistant professor in the College of Nursing Research Center at Michigan State University, for her research on nutrition. Chang studied a specific population of people at risk for poor nutrition and obesity: young mothers with lower income and education levels. She discovered different behaviors regarding high-fat food intake among normal weight mothers and obese mothers, and created a set of strategies to help make positive changes encouraging weight loss for the entire population. -- Scott Compton, assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Wayne State University, for his clinical research on emergency medics' experience with family members during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The American Heart Association recommends that, whenever possible, family members should have the option to remain with their loved ones during CPR. Compton's research concluded that bereavement support and death notification skills should be addressed in paramedic training, and medical facilities should have support services for family members of CPR patients. -- Andrew Haig, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Michigan Medical School, for his clinical research on electromyography and back pain. Haig led a spinal stenosis study and found that EMG can accurately diagnosis debilitating and serious spinal disorders. The American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine has described his finding in the field as the "dawn of a new era." -- Allison B. Rosen, M.D., assistant professor at the University of Michigan Medical School and School of Public Health, for her policy research on medications. Rosen found that if medicines that help prevent heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure are offered without out-of-pocket costs to elderly diabetic patients, their quality of life and life expectancy would improve. Rosen's research also showed that providing medication without out-of-pocket costs also helps elderly diabetic patients avoid hospital stays and medical treatment, resulting in significant savings for Medicare. Rosen's research has helped policymakers develop cost effective strategies for treating diabetes as well as other chronic conditions facing the elderly.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation is dedicated to improving the health of Michigan residents by supporting health care research and innovative health programs. The foundation's grant programs are conducted in Michigan by Michigan-based researchers and nonprofit community health care organizations.

Over the past 25 years, the BCBSM Foundation has contributed approximately $20 million in grants for research and $5 million for community health programs. This funding has resulted in enhancements to quality, patient safety and access to care for the people of Michigan. The foundation also supports efforts to control the rising costs of health care through research, demonstration and evaluation projects.

The BCBSM Foundation is the philanthropic affiliate of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The foundation is a 501( c )(3) nonprofit organization and an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, visit bcbsm.com/foundation.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

CONTACT: Helen Stojic, +1-313-225-8113, or Andrea Pietrowsky,+1-313-225-5643, both of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Web site: http://www.bcbsm.com/http://bcbsm.com/foundation

Source: PRNewswire

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