KUMC announces new health initiative

Kansas City, Kan. — Officials at the Kansas University Medical Center have announced the formation of a Center for Healthcare Informatics.

The center will work to integrate health care information and discovery in all fields of medicine taught at the center. It will use data to analyze such health care issues as medical error, inefficiencies, labor shortages and increasing costs.

Helen Connors, associate dean of academic affairs at the School of Nursing, will serve as executive director. The center is an effort of the KU schools of nursing, allied health, medicine and pharmacy. Cerner Corp. also is involved in the project.

CASA receives grant

The Kansas Health Foundation has given Douglas County CASA Inc. a $9,058.75 recognition grant.

The grants are awarded twice a year and are designed to support grassroots organizations across the state that promote health care in Kansas. They are awarded in three categories, children’s health, leadership and public health.

CASA will use the grant to finance a staff increase to train more community volunteers. The volunteers serve as advocates in court for abused or neglected children of Douglas County.

The Kansas Health Foundation is a Wichita-based philanthropy. For more information about the foundation or its grants, visit www. kansashealth .org.