The Road Ahead: UTMB Strategic Vision Now Online

The Office of Strategic Management, in concert with UTMB executive leadership, has been working to identify opportunities to leverage UTMB’s proven strengths that will help ensure a sustainable future for Texas’ first academic health center. As part of the process, university leaders framed the top-tier priorities for the next 18 to 24 months. The three institutional goals they’ve developed represent the shared focus and united efforts to move UTMB as a whole forward, while the mission-area goals provide more detail for each area. Together—and in concert with the effort to rearticulate UTMB’s mission, vision and values statements—they provide a road map for success. Read more about the strategic vision and goals at http://www.utmb.edu/strategic_vision.

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H1N1 Update: Respiratory Protection for Direct Patient Care Workers

With most UTMB direct patient care workers now vaccinated against H1N1 influenza, we have taken a significant step toward safeguarding the health of our patients, visitors and employees. Patient care workers who have not been vaccinated before Dec. 1 will be required to wear a surgical mask when within six feet of any patient.  Read the latest update  to learn more and find out where patient care workers can get the vaccine before the mask policy goes into effect.

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UTMB physicians named as Texas Super Doctors

In a survey of Texas medical professionals, 13 UTMB physicians have been named Texas Super Doctors by Key Professional Media, Inc. and the publishers of Texas Monthly. The Texas Super Doctors from UTMB, as listed in the December 2009 issue of Texas Monthly magazine are: Dr. Thomas A. Blackwell, Dr. Kelly D. Carmichael, Dr. Vincent R. Conti, Dr. Courtney M. Townsend, Dr. Ronald L. Lindsey, Dr. Edward V. Hannigan, Dr. Patricia S. Beach, Dr. Garland D. Anderson, Dr. Sharon S. Raimer, Dr. Jack B. Alperin, Dr. J. Andrew Grant Jr., Dr. Michael T. Breen, Dr. Charles E. L. Brown.

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Clinics score high on patient satisfaction

UTMB clinics helped get Fiscal Year 2010 off to a great start by showing marked improvement in overall patient satisfaction, as measured by Press Ganey surveys. Several clinics achieved the distinction of being ranked in the 85th percentile or above. All are to be congratulated for their ongoing efforts to improve the patient care experience. For more information, read this message from Donna K. Sollenberger, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the UTMB Health System.

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Important H1N1 update for direct patient care workers

Thousands of direct patient care workers have received the H1N1 vaccine already. If your job requires you to provide direct health care, come in contact with bodily fluids, or enter patient rooms or patient care areas, and you haven’t yet been vaccinated, we encourage you to do so by this Friday (Nov. 20). Immunizations are available 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Employee Health Clinic, 6th Floor UHC. Click here for more information on eligibility and answers to frequently asked questions.

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Great American Smokeout

The UTMB Health Promotion Program will sponsor a Great American Smokeout health station from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19 in the Café on the Court. A free cold turkey sandwich, a bottle of water and a piece of fruit will be provided to the first 100 smokers who visit the health station and turn in at least a half pack of cigarettes. Staff will be available to provide encouragement and support, self-help material, tobacco awareness information and carbon monoxide testing.

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SECC update: There is still time to give

As we enter the third week of the 2009-10 SECC campaign, we have already exceeded the half-way point of our monetary goal of $500,000. We would love to see as many of our UTMB employees as possible participate in the campaign — every gift, no matter how large or how small, can make an important difference in someone's life. To see how your department's participation stacks up against others throughout campus, click here. If you have questions regarding SECC, please contact Becky Walsdorf at bwalsdor@utmb.edu or ext. 27834.   

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Seeking broad input on the university’s mission, vision and values

As UTMB turns its focus to the bright future ahead, the Council of Deans, on behalf of the Executive Committee, is seeking broad input on the university’s mission, vision and values statements. The goal is to make UTMB's mission, vision and values statements more compelling and memorable. If you’d like to be part of this important process, please go to http://blog.utmb.edu/missionreview and enter your comments and suggestions 

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Call for nominations: Student Awards in Oslerian Medicine

The McGovern Academy of Oslerian Medicine is accepting nominations for the John P. McGovern Student Awards in Oslerian Medicine. These awards provide monetary support for the education of medical students whose performance and conduct exemplify those ideals of medical practice as promulgated by Sir William Osler. UTMB School of Medicine faculty and students should submit their letters of nomination no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 11. Click here for more information.

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Rose to speak on research networks

The Institute for Translational Sciences is hosting a presentation by Dr. Robert Rose as part of its ongoing “Topics in Translational Research.” The seminar will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the Levin Hall South Auditorium. Rose will present “Finding answers to big questions: Overcoming disciplinary boundaries through research networks.” Rose is clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and executive director of the Mind, Brain, Body and Health Initiative. A reception will follow from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Levin Hall Foyer. For more information about the ITS, visit http://www.its.utmb.edu/.

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Special holiday offers for UTMB employees

See the lights at Moody Gardens or the Houston Rockets and save money this holiday season.  Discount tickets are available to see the Rockets take on the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 25 in the Toyota Center . Click here for ticket information or contact Cathy Veniegas at 713-758-7231 or cathyv@rocketball.com.

 

Discount tickets are available for the Festival of Lights at Moody Gardens which begins on Nov. 14 and for other attractions.  Click here for ticket information, then enter Username: VIP; Password: FOL and Promotional Code: VIPFOL.

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UTMB Screens Adult Visitors

UTMB is currently screening adult visitors to its hospital and emergency room for flu-like symptoms. Only visitors who screen negative for these symptoms will be given a color coded wristband for the day and allowed entry; visitors who screen positive will not be permitted to enter. All employees and students should remind each other that they must go home or stay at home if they have any flu-like symptoms. This policy will remain in effect until the H1N1 and seasonal flu no longer pose a threat to the health of the university’s patients, employees, students and visitors.

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Informing patients about UTMB’s policies

The recently released report, Clearing the Fog, has questioned how local health care providers communicate with un- or underinsured patients about free or discounted care. While it’s true that related policies have been available on UTMB’s website for many years and that signs were posted in key patient care areas prior to Ike, the report does point to the need for greater consistency in signage, particularly after the extensive damage caused by the storm, as well as broader education of staff. To that end, signs informing patients about UTMB’s policies will be placed (or replaced) at all entry points to the hospital and throughout the Health System’s network of clinics (www.utmb.edu/pbsonline). UTMB takes great pride in its long history of caring for society’s most vulnerable. Because the report calls that record into question and alleges that the institution is not complying with state laws, UTMB leadership has also asked Audit Services (which reports to President Callender and, ultimately, UT System, and includes several community members) to review the report and determine if opportunities for enhancement exist.

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New on-line training system now available

The new on-line training system is now available. This system will utilize the training system designed by UTMB Information Services and the course completion system, Blackboard. If you are an employee, student, contractor or volunteer attempting to complete training and have questions, please view the Frequently Asked Questions link for more information or contact the UTMB Help Desk at 409-772-5200 for assistance.

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Employee Advisory Council elections begin Nov. 9

Classified and Administrative & Professional employees are invited to cast their votes for new members of the Employee Advisory Council. The election, which begins Nov. 9 and runs until Dec. 4., will determine five new representatives from four areas of the institution. Voting is open to full-time, benefits-eligible Classified and A&P employees. Voting is online, with employees allowed one vote for a nominee from their university group. Although users will be authenticated using their UTMB usernames and passwords (to ensure one vote per person), an individual’s voting choice will remain confidential. The new members will be announced in December 2009. Please go to http://www.utmb.edu/eac to cast your vote for a candidate to represent your area.

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Island connect offers free service to UTMB employees

UTMB employees can ride FREE between the Mall of the Mainland and UTMB.  In addition to the free service, this Island Connect Park and Ride service made several schedule changes in September to better serve UTMB employees.  The new schedule, effective Sept. 14, includes a new departure time of 5:45 a.m. from the Mall of the Mainland and arrives at UTMB at 6:20 a.m.  Also new is a bus that will depart UTMB at noon and arrive at the mall at 12:50 p.m.  Check out the full schedule.  Best of all, service is FREE through January, 2010. And the Parking Office will hold your parking assignment while you try this new way to get to work.

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Register Now for Fall Faculty Development Day

Register now for Fall Faculty Development Day to be held Dec. 4, 2009.  Hosted by The Academy of Master Teachers, this year’s event features Narrative Writing in Medical Education with Julie Reichert, PhD from the University of New Mexico School in Medicine, as well as the internationally acclaimed cultural competency interactive game BaFa BaFa.  For more information, go to www.utmb.edu/AMT.

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