Provider of the Month

Daniel Letinsky, MD, Newcastle Primary Care | Provider of the Month -December 2021

Congratulations to Daniel Letinsky, MD, a provider in Valley's Newcastle Primary Care Clinic and our December 2021 Provider of the Month! Here's what his coworkers have to say:

"Dr. Letinsky is definitely worthy of the title, Provider of the Month. He is the definition of a caring, compassionate, and dedicated provider. All of his patients have nothing but kind words to say about him. He embodies Valley's mission of caring for his patients like family. His patients and our staff love his Dad jokes."

"He is an amazing doctor and deserves to be recognized for it. He's reliable, hardworking, diverse and takes his patient's care seriously."

"He is very committed to giving care to everyone and makes sure everyone gets the answers they need and are looking for."

Patient comments:

"Dr. Letinsky sincerely listens to my concerns and always follows up with them by offering solutions. I look forward to his Dad jokes. I've never seen him without a smile."

"I feel so lucky to have him as mine and can't imagine anything he could do to improve his level of service—he deserves a raise and a paid vacation to Maui!!"

Publication Authors

William Park, MD, Pulmonology and Critical Care | Randomized Trial of Molnupiravir or Placebo in Patients Hospitalized with Covid-19

Hospitalized Valley patients with COVID-19 were able to participate in the phase 2 study of Merk’s molnupiravir anti-viral treatment through the leadership of Valley’s pulmonary and clinical research teams. Dr. Park participated in the manuscript process and is included among the study’s named authors.The study concluded that hospitalized patients did not demonstrate clinical benefit from molnupiravir treatment. This adds to what was learned from a sister study published the same day in the NEJM where outpatients were treated with the oral antiviral medication within five days of the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. In that study, molnupiravir lowered the risk of hospitalization or death in at-risk, unvaccinated adults with COVID-19. The inpatient study concluded, “The data from this trial, when considered alongside the positive outcomes when the same treatment was given to patients with Covid-19 but treated in an outpatient setting, are consistent with the hypothesis that the delay in initiating treatment relative to symptom onset in this study population accounted for our inability to demonstrate a clear therapeutic benefit.”

David Vossler, MD, Neurology | Treatment of Super-Refractory Status Epilepticus: A Review

Dr. Vossler and colleagues from across the country at the American Epilepsy Society just published a comprehensive review on the treatment of super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE). This is a fairly uncommon disorder, but is one that carries high morbidity and mortality. It is highly resistant to treatment with multiple antiseizure medications, including anesthetizing antiseizure medications like infusions of propofol, midazolam, pentobarbital and ketamine. SRSE is also exceedingly expensive because of the tendency to require weeks or months of treatment in intensive care units. There is currently no consensus worldwide on the best treatments, but neuro-hospitalists and intensive care unit physicians need to be familiar with the available treatment options along with dosing and adverse effects.”

Zeva Herzog, MD, Cascade Primary Care and Kristin Thai, DO, Kent Station Primary Care | Does Inadequate Sleep Increase Obesity Risk in Children?

In an analysis of more than 50 studies involving about 100,000 patients, a link has been found between children who get shorter amounts of sleep and an increased risk of becoming overweight or obese. This review was conducted by family medicine physicians, Dr. Herzog (left photo above) and Dr. Thai (right photo above). The results of their review were published recently in The Journal of Family Practice. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Academy of Pediatric Committee on Nutrition both recognize that sleeping the recommended number of hours was associated with better health outcomes, and that sleeping too few hours increased the risk of various health conditions, including obesity. Studies demonstrate that short sleep duration in pediatric patients is associated with later weight gain. Note that associations do not prove a causal link, and other factors may contribute to both weight gain and poor sleep.