Current News
AACPDM Remembers Dr. Plews-Ogan
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Plews-Ogan, a valued AACPDM member, colleague and friend.
We would like to share portions of the “In Memoriam: Celebrating the Life of Jim Plews-Ogan, MD” from UVA. Please also access the full notice here.
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of James (Jim) Plews-Ogan, MD, who retired from the Department of Pediatrics as Associate Professor in the Division of General Pediatrics on February 28th, 2022, after 10 years of dedicated service.
Dr. Plews-Ogan joined us in 2012 with a groundbreaking vision: to start a program of home care delivery for medically complex children. This innovative idea led to the creation of By Your Side, a remarkable practice that quickly garnered national attention for its unique care model. Under Jim’s careful financial and operational guidance, By Your Side flourished, becoming a flagship service for the UVA Children’s Hospital. Jim and his colleagues presented nationally, published results, and passionately advocated for the children and families who needed them most. His ability to meet clinical and academic aspirations in a fiscally workable manner with minimal disruption was truly extraordinary.
In addition to his work with By Your Side, Jim’s national presence as an innovator led him to be selected as the chair of the Complex Care Committee with the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine.
Jim also served as the inaugural Chief Medical Officer for the VA-wide Clinically Integrated Network, Fortify Children’s Health. Fortify, the nation’s first pediatric clinically integrated network launched as a joint venture between two academic medical systems, presented unique challenges. Dr. Plews-Ogan’s innovative and calm leadership was essential to its success, ensuring that both physicians and non-physician providers had a strong voice.
Jim’s tenure in the Department of Pediatrics was marked by remarkable accomplishments, but perhaps his most significant achievement was how he faced his battle with ALS with grace and determination. Diagnosed with ALS at UVA Neurology in November of 2021, Jim’s journey with the disease began with subtle weakness in his left hand. Demonstrating his characteristic resilience and proactive spirit, Jim quickly laid plans to combat the disease. This led to the creation of The Hummingbird Fund in April 2022. The fund’s kickoff event in Charlottesville brought together Jim’s family, friends, patients, neurologists at UVA, a local live band, and featured an ice bucket dousing. The event was a resounding success, raising nearly $150,000 immediately. This marked the beginning of Jim’s post-retirement focus on ALS advocacy.
Jim’s ability to turn personal adversity into a cause for greater good is a testament to his character and leadership. His dedication to helping medically complex children through the By Your Side program and his pioneering work with the VA-wide Clinically Integrated Network, Fortify Children’s Health, already established his legacy as an innovator and leader in pediatric care. However, his courage in facing ALS and his efforts to raise awareness and funds for the disease underscore his extraordinary commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.
Please join us in remembering Dr. Plews-Ogan. You can view his foundation, here: Hummingbird Fund
The AACPDM releases revised “Cerebral Palsy and Dystonia” Care Pathway
For Immediate Release:
Milwaukee, WI., May 2, 2024 – The American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) is pleased to announce the recently revised “Cerebral Palsy and Dystonia” Care Pathway – Clinical Practice Guideline now available for public access on the AACPDM website.
This Care Pathway focuses on pharmacological and neurosurgical interventions intended for individuals of all ages with cerebral palsy (CP) and dystonia who experience stiff dystonic postures, hypertonia, and slow involuntary movements that cause interference.
Lead author, Darcy Fehlings, MD, MSc, FRCPC, states, “An international team of experts in dystonia management came together to evaluate all the evidence and make practical recommendations on management options. A highlight of the effort was working in partnership with a group of individuals with lived experience with dystonia and CP to ensure recommendations considered this important stakeholder perspective.” Dr. Fehlings is a Developmental Paediatrician from Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Department of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto, ON, Canada.
“Dystonia is very common in the patients we serve, and the identification and treatment is critical. This Care Pathway will be beneficial to medical providers and serves as an informed guideline to help their recommendations and patient care,” stated M. Wade Shrader, MD, AACPDM President 2023-24, and Chief, Division of Cerebral Palsy, Nemours Children’s Health – Delaware, A.I. duPont Campus.
A complete list of co-authors can be found here. The clinical practice guideline is published in the Journal of Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology (DMCN) under the title, “Pharmacological and neurosurgical management of cerebral palsy and dystonia: Clinical practice guideline update” and is available through open access here.
ABOUT CARE PATHWAYS:
Care Pathways are clinical recommendations for the health care of individuals with childhood-onset disabilities. Practice recommendations provided by Care Pathways are based on the best available evidence from high-quality systematic reviews. Recommendations are graded for their probable accuracy (i.e., quality) and the confidence with which they can be used (i.e., strength) for the purpose of making clinical decisions. The systematic processes used in the decisions and judgments involved with the development of the clinical recommendations made by Care Pathways are transparent and explicitly described.
ABOUT AACPDM:
The American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) is a group of more than 1,100 healthcare professionals committed to improving the health and quality of life for individuals with cerebral palsy and other childhood-onset disabilities. What sets AACPDM apart is the collaborative approach of its members, who work together to create a global network that delivers the best possible outcomes for patients. Among our members are pediatricians, neurologists, surgeons, physiatrists, therapists, nurses, special educators, engineers, and scientists.
The mission of the AACPDM is:
Empowering and supporting a collaborative multidisciplinary community that
- provides accessible and robust scientific education for health professionals and researchers
- fosters innovative research as well as its dissemination and implementation
- advocates for equitable access to evidence-based and patient-centered care
Learn more about our Academy by visiting www.aacpdm.org.
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The AACPDM Thanks Outgoing Board Members
AACPDM Thanks Dr. Susan Sienko for Serving on the Board of Directors
AACPDM Thanks Dr. Mary Jo Cooley Hidecker for Serving as Director at Large
AACPDM Thanks Dr. Paige Church for Serving as Director at Large