RENOWN NEWSROOM

Pictured left to right: Erin VanKirk, MSN, RN, Renown Health Director of Nursing Education; Mitch Krebs, Program Director at Helmsley Charitable Trust; Dr. Graf, Renown Health CEO; Greg Walaitis Renown Health Chief Development Officer. Renown Health will use the grant to build the Helmsley Simulation and Innovation Center to improve the health system’s training abilities The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has granted $3.1 million to Renown Health for construction of a new simulation and innovation center that will greatly expand the health system’s ability to train healthcare providers throughout northern Nevada. The new center will be named the Helmsley Simulation and Innovation Center. Expected to open in April 2023, the center will feature three simulated patient rooms, classroom space, computer labs and a conference center, allowing trainers to run current and future healthcare professionals through real-life acute, outpatient, telemedicine and specialty care scenarios. The new center will let Renown Health train substantially more nurses, physicians, community clinical partners, medical students and rural providers while improving medical and nursing expertise to support staff throughout northern Nevada. “The Helmsley Charitable Trust is excited to fund this new simulation center, which will provide healthcare professionals across rural Nevada with state-of-the-art training in a variety of situations they’ll encounter,” said Walter Panzirer, a trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust. “The project fits with our goal to level the playing field by giving rural residents access to top-notch healthcare, regardless of their ZIP code.” “Simulation education has become standard practice for many of our healthcare personnel,” said Erin Van Kirk MSN, RN, Director of Nursing Education. “This lab will provide expanded opportunities in a controlled setting where physicians, nurses, and students can gain valuable experience in providing the best care possible.” Renown Health has outgrown its current simulation lab, which opened in 2016 in Renown Regional Medical Center. The new, larger, state-of-the-art simulation and innovation center will increase Renown Health’s training capacity from 1,500 to 2,500 each year. The new facility will be equipped with state-of-the-art simulation mannequins and other equipment that includes a telemetry monitor, IV and epidural equipment, a code cart, a defibrillator, a balloon pump, ventilators and a cooling machine. The center will also support Renown Health’s recently established partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, expanding training modules focused on rural health and virtual care through telemedicine. “The facility will help Renown Health respond to our region’s growing population by allowing us to support the training and competency necessary for our care providers to make a genuine difference in the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve,” said Melodie Osborn, RN, MBA, Chief Nursing Executive at Renown Health. “This generous grant for the new simulation and innovation center from the Helmsley Charitable Trust is truly an investment in the bright future we envision for Renown, our care teams and the community.” About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®. For more information, visit renown.org. About the Helmsley Charitable Trust The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting exceptional efforts in the U.S. and around the world in health and select place-based initiatives. Since beginning active grantmaking in 2008, Helmsley has committed more than $3 billion for a wide range of charitable purposes. Helmsley’s Rural Healthcare Program funds innovative projects that use information technologies to connect rural patients to emergency medical care, bring the latest medical therapies to patients in remote areas, and provide state-of-the-art training for rural hospitals and EMS personnel. To date, this program has awarded more than $500 million to organizations and initiatives in the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Minnesota, Iowa, Montana, and Nevada. For more information, visit helmsleytrust.org.

Read More About Helmsley Charitable Trust Grants $3.1 Million to Renown Health

Three-day medical education conference advances research, education, prevention and treatment. Physicians and medical professionals from throughout the Mountain West will soon be convening in Lake Tahoe to explore emerging treatments, the most recent advances and new clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, stroke and heart disease. Hosted by Renown's Institute for Heart & Vascular Health and the Nevada Academy of Family Physicians, the three-day Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine conference will bring together national experts to explore challenges and solutions to cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. "Our mission is to advance health in America. As Nevada's first integrated health system, with our University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine affiliation, we are advancing health and health care through world-class medical education, clinical research and patient care for our community, our state and our nation," says Anthony D. Slonim, MD, DrPH, President & CEO, Renown Health. "And, we have so much work to do. In 2019, 9.5% of Nevadans reported being told by a health professional that they had angina or coronary heart disease; which is significantly above the national average of 8.4%. As public health and health care providers, we can do more to encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyle habits to keep their heart healthy and help prevent heart disease through the Healthy Nevada Project®, where people can understand their genetic risks at no-cost." "The driving force behind this collaborative event is the shared missions of all our organizations, across the country, to advance progress in cardiovascular research, education, prevention and treatment," says Jayson Morgan, MD, FACC, Director Cardiovascular Services at Renown. "We will be joined by colleagues from Johns Hopkins, Cedars-Sinai, Scripps, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, University of Utah, Medical College of Wisconsin, the Metabolic Institute of America and locally- with experts from Renown's Institute for Heart & Vascular Health/UNR Med, St. Mary's and Barton Health - to discuss contemporary trends in providing excellent cardiovascular care and prevention." New research will be presented each day, including: “Vaping and Electronic Cigarettes – The Hidden Epidemic: What the Clinician Needs to Know” Michael J. Blaha, MD, MPH, FACC, Professor of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Director of Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, Baltimore, MD “Optimizing Glycemic Control in the Inpatient Setting” Kendall M. Rogers, MD, CPE, FACP, SFHM, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Chief, Division of Hospital Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences, Albuquerque, NM “Perioperative Medicine Update”                                                                                                                                                                                             Barbara A. Slawski, MD, MS, SFHM Professor of Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery, Chief, Section of Hospital Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI “Understanding hATTR Amyloidosis: Clinical Presentation and Treatment Landscape” Jignesh K. Patel, MD, PhD, FACC, FRCP, FAST, FAHA, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Medical Director, Heart Transplant Program, Director, Cardiac Amyloid Program, Director, Heart Transplant Research, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA “Coronary Artery Calcium in 2021: Guideline-Endorsed and Ready for Prime Time” “The Evolving Landscape of Obesity Management – A 2021 Update” Ken Fujioka, MD, Director of the Center for Weight Management, Director of the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center, Scripps Clinic, Department of Diabetes and Endocrine, San Diego, CA “The Evolving Landscape of Obesity Management – A 2021 Update” Ken Fujioka, MD, Director of the Center for Weight Management, Director of the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center, Scripps Clinic, Department of Diabetes and Endocrine, San Diego, CA “Management of Atrial Fibrillation: Where We Are; Where We Are Headed” Matthew A. Cain, MD, Electrophysiologist, Renown Institute for Heart & Vascular Health, Renown Medical Group, Reno, NV "The Story of a Murmur” Abhilash Akinapelli, MD, Cardiac Valve & TAVR Program Director, Renown Institute for Heart & Vascular Health, Renown Medical Group, Reno, NV "Update on the Cardiovascular Effects of COVID-19” Siddharth Singh, MD, Assistant Director, Echo Fellowship Training Program, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles, CA “Antibiotic Stewardship: How to Improve Our Prescribing for Now and Later”                                                                                                                            Valerie M. Vaughn, MD, MSc, FACP, FHM, Assistant Professor, Instructional Track Director of Hospital Medicine Research, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT "Emerging Trends in the Clinical Management of VTE”                                                                                                                                                                Victor F. Tapson, MD, FCCP, FRCP, Director, Clinical Research for the Women’s Guild Lung Institute, Director, Venous Thromboembolism & Pulmonary Vascular Disease Research Program, Associate Director, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA “Contemporary Approach to the Management of Diabetes as a Cardiovascular Disease”                                                                                               Yehuda Handelsman, MD, FACP, FNLA, FASPC, MACE, Medical Director & Principal Investigator, Metabolic Institute of America, Tarzana, CA The Arthur J Lurie, MD Memorial Dinner and Keynote Presentation, sponsored by the charitable Renown Foundation and the Lurie Family, is an evening ceremony to honor and memorialize the devotion and innovation of the lake Dr. Arthur J. Lurie, who personified humanitarian, medical and community service. Dr. Lurie devoted modernized heart surgery and was steadfast in his commitment to introduce new and groundbreaking techniques cardiovascular techniques to Nevada. He promoted and inspired life-changing research and advancements in heart surgery, as well as cancer research, until his passing in 1996. Medical professionals are invited to attend the 31st Annual Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine conference will take place at the Resort at Squaw Creek in Olympic Valley, CA from Friday, Nov. 5 through Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. Those interested in registering or learning more may visit www.renown.org/trends. The clinical team at Renown Institute for Heart and Vascular Health is the recipient of a number of national awards for outstanding clinical care and service, including: In U.S. News and World Report Best Hospital rankings for 2021, Renown Regional Medical Center - #1 in the State of Nevada for 2021. No other hospital in Nevada earned recognition from U.S. News. Renown Regional Medical Center is High Performing, its highest rating possible, for Heart Failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Awarded by the American College of Surgeons for the Renown Regional earned America's 100 Best Hospitals for Critical Care Award (2021) for Superior clinical outcomes in treating pulmonary embolism, respiratory system failure, sepsis, and diabetic emergencies. Regional also earned the Pulmonary Care Excellence Award™ (2021), for superior outcomes. Designated Level II Trauma Center. For the 30th year, Renown Regional Medical Center is northern Nevada's only designated level II trauma center. Renown Regional awarded The Get with the Guidelines - Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement award for continually ensuring heart failure patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, as well as AHA's mission: Lifeline Gold Receiving honor for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks. American College of Cardiology's NCDR Chest Pain-MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award. Renown Regional Medical Center is one of only 225 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor. The award recognizes Renown's success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that Renown has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.  To make an appointment with a provider at Renown's Institute for Heart and Vascular Health, request that your primary care provider make a referral. For more information on Renown's Institute for Heart and Vascular Health, visit renown.org/Health-Services/Heart-Care.     About Renown Health Renown Health is a locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. In U.S. News and World Report Best Hospital rankings, Renown Regional Medical Center was listed #1 in the State of Nevada. Renown has a long tradition and commitment to improve the care and the health of our community. For more information, visit renown.org.

Read More About Leading Experts Convene in Tahoe to Focus on Scientific Advancements and the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, the #1 Cause of Death Globally

Protect yourself by obtaining a vaccination against COVID-19 and the Delta strain if you are 12 years or older; seek urgent care if needed The world, the country and our area continue to experience an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations with the highly contagious Delta SARS-CoV-2 virus strain. The Renown Health team continues to safely screen, diagnose and care for patients with respiratory illnesses, including those at risk for COVID-19. Renown continues to use current local and national data, analytics, and public data sets for predictive modeling in service to our community. Renown Health ensures constant readiness by working closely with the Washoe County Health District, the Governor’s office, and is informed by updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When there is heightened concern around an illness, we implement enhanced infection prevention strategies to ensure we are ready with the appropriate supplies and alternate plans should the need arise. Renown Health providers are educated and prepared to quickly and safely screen, diagnose and care for patients with respiratory illness, including COVID-19. Vaccination is the best protection against Delta. “The most important action you can take to protect yourself from the Delta strain and the COVID-19 virus is to get fully vaccinated,” says Brion Hill, MD who practices at the Renown Urgent Care - Los Altos location. “The COVID 19 virus and Delta strain is preventable and controllable through safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, which are free and now widely available in our area. The CDC recommends all people 12 years and older be vaccinated against COVID-19. Recent data show that nearly all COVID-19 deaths are now occurring among unvaccinated individuals.” A list of providers in our area offering vaccines is available at vaccines.gov.” Protecting Yourself, Friends and Family Dr. Hill adds, “You can protect yourself the same way you would protect against other viruses with a few common-sense practices.” Wear a cloth mask or medical procedure mask when in a public setting. For situations when you are in close contact with people who do not live with you, you may want to consider a mask option that provides a higher level of protection (improved fit and/or improved filtration). Wash your hands thoroughly and often. Make sure you are cleaning between your fingers and under your nails. Use alcohol-based sanitizers when soap and water are not available. Use disposable tissues when coughing and sneezing; dispose of carefully and promptly. If tissues are not available, direct your cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm/sleeve. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. Avoid close contact with anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms. Avoid shaking hands, especially with those who appear to be ill. Disinfect shared surfaces. Practice social distancing, 6 feet or more. Stay home when you are sick. If you have fever, cough, gastrointestinal, or respiratory symptoms please call your medical provider and explain your symptoms before coming in to their offices. If you do not have a health care provider, and have medical concerns that are urgent but not life-threatening, visit a Renown Urgent Care physician or healthcare provider. Virtual Urgent Care is available for people for COVID-19 symptoms and Virtual Urgent Care visits are available through MyChart. MyChart is a free, secure online patient portal that allows you to access your Renown Health medical record and manage your health care information. There are 11 conveniently located Renown Urgent Care offices with providers ready to see you 7 days a week. You have the option to book ahead and schedule an appointment at 11 locations near you. How to Get Accurate and Reliable Information: We continue to advise our community regarding the importance of accurate sources of information, and to provide regular updates. For up-to-date information on Renown’s approach to keeping our community safe, visit our website at renown.org.     About Renown Health Renown Health is a locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. Renown is one of the region’s largest private employers with a workforce of more than 7,000. It comprises three acute care hospitals, the region’s only children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, the area’s most comprehensive medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown has a long tradition and commitment to improving the care and the health of our community. For more information, visit renown.org.

Read More About Fighting for Your Health and Safety; As COVID-19 Cases Rise, Renown is Prepared

After administering more than 73,000 dose one and dose two vaccinations to our community, Renown's vaccine team will conclude its efforts at Renown's drive-thru site later this month. Renown Health has been pleased to work with the Washoe County Health District, the state, and the CDC to distribute the limited supplies of COVID-19 vaccines. Leaders of the COVID-19 vaccine taskforce at Renown announced today that Wednesday, May 12, 2021 will be the last day the organization will administer dose one of the COVID-19 vaccine to community members at Renown’s drive-thru clinic.  Renown's vaccine clinic will remain open until all individuals who receive their first dose of the vaccine through Renown have the opportunity to receive their second dose. To date, Renown’s vaccine team has administered more than 73,000 dose 1 and dose 2 vaccinations to medical staff members, Renown employees, students, volunteers and eligible community members. “It has been an honor assisting our local and statewide health partners in the herculean feat of vaccinating the hundreds of thousands of area residents excited to receive the vaccine,” said Tony Slonim, MD, DrPH, President and CEO of Renown Health. “As we conclude our efforts at our drive-thru vaccine clinic, we are glad to continue working closely with our community health leaders and be ready to assist once again should there be a need for our support in the future. We are proud to be part of the solution for our community and pleased to have made a genuine difference in the health and well-being of others throughout this unprecedented time in our history.” “As we look forward to a brighter future beyond the pandemic, we can’t help but reflect on the more than 73,000 vaccine doses our teams administered to our community,” said Melodie Osborn, RN, Chief Nursing and Quality Officer for Health Services at Renown. “From our nurses, pharmacists, security teams, public safety experts and countless volunteer staff, each dose of the vaccine was made possible—rain, snow or shine—by dedicated healthcare champions committed to the health and safety of northern Nevadans.” “We want to offer our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the public for placing their trust in Renown to receive their vaccines, and for their patience and support of this important work,” said Wendy Meyers, Manager of Health and Wellness at Hometown Health. “The masked smiles, emotional tears of gratitude and relief, heartfelt thanks, food deliveries and many other acts of kindness will forever hold a special place in our hearts.” Community members 16+ still interested in receiving the Pfizer vaccine at Renown on May 12 are invited to make an appointment through MyChart; and walk-ins will be accepted from noon to 2 p.m. Minors ages 16 and 17 must be with a parent or guardian to receive the vaccine. For assistance, please call 775-982-2781. To schedule your COVID-19 appointment in Washoe County outside of Renown, please visit covid19washoe.com. Renown will continue providing ongoing updates to help keep our community safe on our website at covid.renown.org.     About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Clinical institutes include; Cancer, Heart and Vascular Heath and Neurosciences. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®. For more information, visit renown.org

Read More About Renown Thanks Community as COVID-19 Drive-Thru Ends

A coalition of 60 top hospitals and healthcare institutions have joined forces in a nationwide campaign to encourage adults to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Led by Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic, the campaign "Get the Vaccine to Save Lives" is designed to reassure the public that vaccines are safe, effective and necessary to achieve herd immunity and return to normal activities. "We're asking people to talk to their healthcare providers if they have questions and then get vaccinated," says Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., Mayo Clinic's president and CEO. "The vaccine is our strongest asset to end the pandemic, and I urge everyone who is eligible to get whichever vaccine you're first offered to save lives." The campaign hopes to reach adults who are hesitant to receive a vaccine, including racial and minority ethnic groups and people living in rural communities. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey published March 30, 17% of the public say they will take a wait-and-see approach before getting it themselves, and another 20% say they will never get a vaccine or will only get it if required to do so for work, school or other activities. This leaves a significant portion of the population at risk of going unvaccinated.  The nationwide campaign includes print and digital advertising, media outreach, social media, an awareness video and an informational website. "The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and highly effective and offers our best hope for beating the disease," said Tom Mihaljevic, M.D., Cleveland Clinic's CEO and president. "We all want to see a return to our pre-COVID routines, when we can once again gather safely with family and friends. To reach that goal, we must improve vaccination rates to achieve herd immunity. Please sign up today because we are all in this together." With vaccine distribution underway, the campaign aims to help Americans feel safe and confident about receiving a vaccine. To achieve herd immunity and help end the pandemic, leading health officials say at least 75% of the population needs to receive a vaccine. Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who have been vaccinated. In addition to Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic, 58 other leading U.S. healthcare institutions have joined the campaign. They include: Advent Health Adventist Health Allegheny Health Network Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Arizona Medical Association Ascension St. Vincent's Atrium Health Banner Health Baptist Health South Florida Baylor Scott & White Health Beaumont Health BJC HealthCare Brooks Rehabilitation Broward Health Centura Health Einstein Healthcare Network Emory Healthcare Essentia Health Hackensack Meridian Honor Health Intermountain Healthcare    Lee Health Mass General Brigham McLaren St. Luke's MedStar Health Memorial Healthcare System Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Mercy Health Michigan Medicine Monument Health NCH Healthcare System Nicklaus Children's Health System North Shore University Health System Northwestern Medicine Norton Healthcare Peace Health Piedmont Healthcare ProMedica Renown Health Rush University Medical Center Chicago Southwestern Health Resources Spectrum Health Summit Health Texas Health          The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and The James Cancer Hospital The Toledo Clinic The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Theda Care UC Health (Cincinnati) UNC Health University Hospitals University of Chicago Medicine University of Iowa Health Care University of Toledo Medical Center UT Southwestern Medical Center Virtua Health Well Span Health Yale New Haven Health   More than 209 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered and 50% of the population age 18 and over has received at least one vaccine dose in the U.S. through April 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 vaccines were evaluated in tens of thousands of participants in clinical trials. The vaccines met the Food and Drug Administration's rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization. Ethos Creative Group of Burlington, North Carolina, created the campaign and donated their services. Facebook, iHeartRadio, Spectrum Reach, The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and YouTube also provided complimentary resources. For more information about the campaign, visit ourshot2savelives.org     About Renown Health  Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Clinical institutes include: Cancer, Heart and Vascular Heath and Neurosciences. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project®. For more information, visit renown.org.

Read More About Leading U.S. Hospitals Team Up To Promote COVID-19 Vaccine

Renown Health's Dr. Christopher Rowan recently joined a distinguished panel of experts on the "Game Changers in Medicine" podcast to discuss the science behind the discovery of warfarin. Renown Health Cardiologist Dr. Christopher Rowan was just featured on an episode of Game Changers in Medicine, a groundbreaking medical history podcast from Dramatic Health about some of the world’s most significant medical discoveries. The episode, Warfarin: How a rat poison became one of the world's most widely prescribed drugs, dives into the fascinating history of Warfarin and its life-saving effects on humans.  During the episode, Dr. Rowan, whose research focus is heart disease and atherosclerosis, is joined by experts Kevin Walters, Historian and Strategic Research Coordinator at the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF); and Ramya M. Rajagopalan, Ph.D. of the Institute for Practical Ethics at UC San Diego. Listen to the episode now or download it wherever you listen to podcasts.  History of Warfarin Warfarin prevents blood clots from forming or expanding. The drug is especially important for individuals who have experienced a heart attack or stroke, or are at risk of experiencing either. However, the backstory of the drug is rather fascinating.  Beginning in the 1920s, an unknown disease was killing cattle throughout the U.S. and Canada. Desperate to find a solution, one farmer drove 200 miles to the University of Wisconsin with a dead cow, bales of spoiled hay and a milk can of unclotted blood in tow. He crossed paths with a scientist, whose team set out to determine the hemorrhagic component of the spoiled hay, resulting in a series of medical discoveries that would revolutionize medicine.  After learning more about Warfarin and how Vitamin K could reverse its blood thinning properties, doctors first prescribed the drug for human use in 1954. It is perhaps most widely known for saving President Dwight D. Eisenhower after he suffered a heart attack in 1955. Today, Warfarin continues to saves millions of lives each year. “Before blood thinners like Warfarin, people would experience strokes, blood clots in their lungs, blood clots in their legs, blood clots in their hearts, along with countless other clotting disorders - these conditions likely cutting their lifespans short,” Dr. Rowan said during the podcast. “Warfarin revolutionized the treatment of patients who suffer from heart attacks and strokes, helping them to live normal and healthy lives. The drug changed medicine forever and helped make incredible innovations such as mechanical heart valves a reality.” Interview Opportunity Dr. Rowan is available for interviews to discuss the importance of this unique medical discovery and the positive impact it has on many of the patients he treats every day. Please email news@renown.org or call 775-691- 7308 to coordinate an interview.      About Renown Health Renown Health is the region’s largest, locally owned and governed, not-for-profit integrated healthcare network serving Nevada, Lake Tahoe and northeast California. With a diverse workforce of more than 7,000 employees, Renown has fostered a longstanding culture of excellence, determination and innovation. The organization comprises a trauma center, two acute care hospitals, a children’s hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, a medical group and urgent care network, and the region’s largest, locally owned not-for-profit insurance company, Hometown Health. Renown’s institute model addresses social determinants of health and includes: Child Health, Behavioral Health & Addiction, Healthy Aging and Health Innovation. Clinical institutes include: Cancer, Heart and Vascular Heath, Neurosciences and Robotic Surgery. Renown is currently enrolling participants in the world’s largest community-based genetic population health study, the Healthy Nevada Project® . For more information, visit renown.org. About Dramatic Health Dramatic Health, a national healthcare video company, is the producer of the six-part podcast series Game Changers in Medicine. The series premiered in July with an episode about Vitamin K and an enterprising Boston house doctor. The August episode showcased the creation of a smallpox vaccine and its parallels to today's urgent search for a COVID-19 vaccine. Game Changers in Medicine ranked #27 in Apple Podcasts: Life Sciences in the United States according to Chartable as of August 21, 2020. Both episodes, a series backgrounder, and additional material about the podcast series are available at www.gamechangersinmedicine.com and can be accessed wherever you listen to podcasts.

Read More About Renown Cardiologist Shares Insight on Warfarin