UNMC for the record

Alan Langnas, D.O.

Alan Langnas, D.O., chief of the section of transplantation in the UNMC Department of Surgery and immediate past president of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, co-wrote an editorial for the Aug. 21 edition of The New York Times. Dr. Langnas teamed with Daniel Salomon, M.D., medical director at the Scripps Center for Organ Transplantation and Scripps Research Institute and immediate past president of the American Society of Transplantation, on the editorial, “Remove Disincentives to Organ Donation.” It appeared in the “Room for Debate” forum in the New York Times’ editorial page. It was one of seven editorials exploring different viewpoints in the world of organ transplantation. In their editorial, Drs. Langnas and Salomon indicate that the current U.S. organ donation systems are dysfunctional. They propose initiating an “arc of change” that would remove the financial disincentives of becoming an organ donor by reimbursing living donors for their travel costs for evaluation and donation and possibly extending this over time to include reimbursement for lost wages and long-term health insurance.

Twelve of 23 physicians from across the state who are being recognized as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska’s top network primary care physicians have UNMC ties. The physicians are being recognized for their efforts to improve patient health, provide quality care and lower costs. The physicians awarded are:
Devin Nickol, M.D., UNMC Physicians, Omaha, alum and UNMC faculty; Isaac Berg, M.D., Internal Medical Associates, Grand Island, alum and resident; Vincent Bjorling, M.D., Regional West Physicians Clinic, Scottsbluff, alum and resident; Heather Dews, M.D., Lincoln Pediatric Group, Lincoln, alum; Mary Drey, M.D., Capital Medical Clinic, Lincoln, resident; Michael Donner, M.D., Internal Medical Associates, Grand Island, alum and resident; Michael Feely, M.D., Westroads Medical Group, Omaha, resident; Kristen Fulton, M.D., Alegent Creighton, Omaha, resident; Barbara Gutshall, M.D., Avera Saint Anthony’s Hospital, O’Neill, alum and resident; Michelle Petersen, M.D., Capital City Pediatrics, Lincoln, alum; Gregory Precht, M.D., Saunders Medical Clinic, Ashland, alum; Steven Williams, M.D., Physicians Clinic, Omaha, alum and resident.