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DOMCOMM
Department of Medicine | March 25, 2022
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Colleagues and fellow Department members,
I hope this message finds you all well as spring approaches. Longer days and warmer weather are finally on the horizon!
I would like to acknowledge that March 30 is National Doctors Day. Established in 1933, this day is used to recognize the incredible work of physicians and their contributions to the communities they live in. I would like to thank everyone who is recognized on this day for their outstanding performance and courage, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your passion and leadership are an integral part of our community and we are proud to call you our colleagues.
I look forward to our continued success as we progress further into the year. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication!
Sincerely,
Dave
David D. McManus, MD ScM
Richard M. Haidack Professor and Chair, Department of Medicine
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and UMassMemorial Health
Editor-in-Chief, Cardiovascular Digital Health Journal
Sierra Williams, Executive Assistant, Sierra.Williams@umassmed.edu; 774-455-4840)
Linda Gallagher, Executive Assistant, Linda.Gallagher2@umassmed.edu; 774-455-4840)
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Congratulations to the GI team who will be presenting their abstracts at this year’s Digestive Disease Week (DDW) conference, taking place both in person and virtually in San Diego, California. Presenting faculty include David Cave and Neil Marya. Faculty co-authors include Jeanmarie Houghton and Christopher Marshall. Fellows presenting include Prashant Rau, with co-authors Ahmed Adbelfattah, Dimitri Belkin, Zachary Devore, Mark Hanscom, Peter Sullivan, Arslan Talat,
from GI and Courtney Stead from Internal medicine.
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| Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | | | |
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Diversity and Inclusion Office hosts discussion on implicit bias in health care disparities
Khiara M. Bridges, JD, PhD, professor of law at UC Berkeley School of Law, presented the talk “Explaining Racial Disparities in Health: The Limitations of Implicit Bias,” on Wednesday, March 16, as the guest speaker for the Diversity and Inclusion Office Centering the Margins series.
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Foundations Workshops at UMass Chan
UMass Chan Medical School is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable learning and work environment. The Diversity and Inclusion Office's training program conducts high-impact diversity, equity and inclusion workshops that utilize innovative instructional design to support DEI professional development and capacity-building efforts across UMass Chan Medical School. The foundations workshops are intended for staff, faculty and learners of all levels to provide a foundation in DEI to support building more advanced skills.
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Equitable and Inclusive Search Processes
In this workshop you will learn to identify how unconscious bias and groupthink may impact search processes, describe at least three ways to mitigate bias within the recruitment cycle, and apply standardized interview questions and holistic review to promote inclusion.
March 28, 12:30 p.m.
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Inclusive Communication: The Language of Belonging
In this interactive virtual workshop, we will review common terminology and concepts used in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and examine how we can promote inclusion and belonging through intentional language and communication.
April 5, noon
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Registration is Open for the AAMC Minority Faculty Leadership Development Seminar
2022 Minority Faculty Leadership Development Seminar
June 16-19, 2022
Omni La Mansion del Rio
San Antonio, Texas
Register
Good news! You can now register for the AAMC Minority Faculty Leadership Development Seminar and we are excited to invite you to join us in person June 16-19 in San Antonio, Texas. With a focus of enhancing the career growth of a new generation of diverse leaders, the AAMC has designed a unique development opportunity for racial and ethnic minorities and underrepresented populations in academic medicine.
Plan to reconnect with colleagues from across the nation to engage in two-days of skill building, developing real world experiences that will help you chart your future career path. This seminar is ideal for early career racial and ethnic minority faculty who aspire to leadership positions in academic medicine.
Who Should Attend
Early career racial and ethnic minority faculty who aspire to leadership positions in academic medicine.
- Senior clinical and research fellows
- Instructors
- Assistant professors
- MD, MD/PhDs and PhDs
- Post-doctoral researcher
Key Objectives
- Identify professional development goals, design a career path, and gain the tools on how to get there
- Understand the realities of advancement in academic medicine through the exploration of the requirements for appointment, promotion, and tenure
- Develop key professional competencies in academic and organizational leadership
- Expand your network of colleagues and role models
We encourage you to register now as this seminar is one of our most popular. Of the 2021 participants, 95% felt that the seminar activities were an effective way to gain the skills and knowledge needed to navigate their careers. Additionally, 92% indicated that they were confident that lessons from the seminar would help advance their careers as leaders in academic medicine. As a reminder, you must be affiliated with an AAMC member institution, a non-profit medical education or professional organization, or a college or university to attend an AAMC meeting. Please note that commercial representatives are not permitted to register.
Questions?
Program: Chantel Fuqua, minfac@aamc.org
Conference Logistics: Ebony Thomas-Blackmon, ethomasblackmon@org
Conference Registration: Debra Hollins, dhollins@aamc.org
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Department Ambulatory Working Group (DAWG) | |
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Bruce Weinstein, MD | Senior Ambulatory Medical Director, Co-Lead
Christine Vallee | Senior Director, Co-Lead
Stephen Krinzman, MD | Ambulatory Specialty Director
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DAWG 2.0 GOALS
Promote and advance a shared vision of excellence in the DOM Ambulatory practices
Maintain focus on top priorities (DOM, Med Center) while allowing members to propose topics of general interest
Facilitate discussion and group problem solving
Increase alignment and coordination between DOM and Medical Center
Emphasis on actionable issues, follow up and results
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DAWG presentations have included team (provider-medical assistant) based efforts to workflows and patient care. The presentation on medical assistant communication to patients to mitigate provider lateness was one such example. A separate in basket workgroup has been focusing on team based solutions to creating letters for patients: how providers, administrative assistants, medical assistants, with teaching, preparation and coordination, can produce a letter on behalf of a patient very efficiently. The workflows are being developed for letter requests that come through a clinic visit and requests that come outside of a visit. The larger principle being explored is how we can best build upon this model of team based work to develop other collaborative efforts to help tame the in basket. | |
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Documenting COVID-19 Infections in Epic
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UMass Chan and Moderna to study cytomegalovirus transmission
in young children
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Researchers at UMass Chan Medical School will collaborate with Moderna, Inc. on a comprehensive study of cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission in group childcare, education and household settings.
The study will be led by Laura Gibson, MD, associate professor of medicine. Dr. Gibson has extensive expertise in congenital CMV infection, including studies of T-cell responses to CMV in children.
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UMass Chan looks to fill hundreds of jobs through March 30 Career Fair
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UMass Chan Medical School has approximately 600 employment opportunities, most new positions added due to growth across the institution. To help fill these positions, the Human Resources Department is holding a Career Fair on Wednesday, March 30, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Beechwood Hotel, at 363 Plantation Street, across from the Medical School. Those interested in attending are encouraged to preregister and bring their résumés. Free parking is available. | |
Match Day 2022 a joyous celebration at UMass Chan Medical School
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Match Day on Friday, March 18, was a beautiful spring-like day in Worcester, especially at UMass Chan Medical School where warm smiles and congratulations filled the air. For the first time since 2019, students about to graduate from the T.H. Chan School of Medicine were able to gather with family, friends and faculty at a schoolwide, in-person celebration to learn where they will begin their careers as doctors. | |
| Department of Medicine Grand Rounds | | |
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March 31, 2022
12 – 1 p.m.
“Novel Biomarkers for Phenotyping Clinical Acute Kidney Injury”
Chirag Parikh, MD, PhD
Director, Division of Nephrology
Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Division of Cardiovascular and Clinical Epidemiology
Adjunct Professor, the Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research
Johns Hopkins University
Streamed Remotely via Zoom
Register in advance for this webinar:
(OBJECTIVES)
- Understand the limitations of serum creatinine and current definitions of AKI
- To evaluate novel biomarkers of Acute Kidney Injury
- To explore opportunities for clinical phenotyping of Acute Kidney Injury to advance precision medicine initiative
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Howe Lecture
April 7, 2022
12 – 1 p.m.
As2.2102 Auditorium
“Hospital at Home: Considering the New Interface of Medicine, Technology, Humanity and Ethics in the Hospital at Home Care Model”
Constantinos Michaelidis, MD, MBA, MS
Medical Director, Hospital at Home, UMMH
Faculty, Program in Digital Medicine
David Clive, MD
Professor Emeritus of Medicine, UMMS
Jessica Boatman, MD
Geriatrician and Virtual Home Hospitalist
Eric Thibodeau, BSN, RN
Staff RN, UMMH HaH Program
UMass Memorial Medical Center
Streamed Remotely via Zoom
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://umassmed.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qsBdErX1SjSiyUobQFnGQA
(OBJECTIVES)
- Understand the risks of hospitalization in the elder cohort
- Understand the current state of the UMMH Hospital at Home Program
- Understand and explore key ethical issues in hospital at home that emerge as they relate to patient autonomy, shared decision making, technology
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| Department of Medicine Research Seminars | | |
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Department of Medicine
PDM Special Seminar
Biqi Wang, PhD
Research Scientist
Department of Biostatistics
Boston University School of Public Health
“Utilizing multiple data resources to identify the risk factors of cardiometabolic diseases”
Tuesday March 29, 2022
1-2 PM
Zoom Details
https://umassmed.zoom.us/j/99905724710?pwd=M3l5TW5PRURtNzA3aVpCcUdRbWxGZz09
Meeting ID: 999 0572 4710
Passcode: 923955
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Department of Medicine Virtual Lecture Series
Winter/Spring 2022
Craig N. Morrell DVM, PhD
Professor and Interim Director
Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute
University of Rochester School of Medicine
“TBA”
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android:
https://umassmed.zoom.us/j/98886238432?pwd=bWlSbnpoSjR1TVZaMmMzV1FyUEYzdz09
Password: 403629
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SAVE THE DATE
27th Annual
UMass Chan Medical School Research Retreat
November 3rd & 4th, 2022
Tentatively Scheduled at the UMass Amherst Conference Center
We cordially invite you to attend the UMMS 27th Annual Research Retreat, November 3-4, 2022.
The retreat is tentatively scheduled for the UMass Amherst Conference Center and will feature talks from new UMMS faculty.
Registration details for the Research Retreat, the agenda and information about the poster session will be posted on the CCTS website as we get closer to the event.
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Campus Shuttles Returning to Full Capacity
As a result of a sustained downward trend in the COVID positivity rate, the campus shuttles will be returning to full capacity beginning Monday, March 21.
Masks will continue to be required on the shuttles.
Infection Control will continue to monitor COVID positivity rates to determine if changes to shuttle capacity need to be made in the future.
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New COVID-19 Masking and Testing Guidance
For two years, we have anticipated a time when we would, based upon the public health and scientific data relative to COVID-19 infections, be able to lift most of the pandemic-related restrictions at UMass Chan. We have now reached the point at which it is reasonable to transition to what state health and education officials deem “near normal” conditions, which allow for us to continue to advance our work and learning while maintaining a safe, flexible and effective learning and working environment. Updated guidance from the CDC last week provides the basis for changes to our campus practices, including changes to masking and testing requirements.
The COVID-19 vaccine requirement will remain in place at UMass Chan. However, our masking and surveillance testing requirements are being discontinued. Specifically:
Masking
Effective March 1, masks are optional indoors in medical school buildings for everyone who is fully vaccinated.
Anyone with an approved medical or religious exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine requirement must continue to wear a surgical mask, covering your mouth and nose, at all times while indoors.
Masking is recommended for people with certain medical conditions that put them at high risk, and for anyone who lives with others who may be at high risk.
Importantly, the mask mandate at UMass Memorial and other clinical facilities remains in effect and it is imperative that all staff and students continue to obey facility-specific rules. Residents and fellows should seek direction from their program directors.
COVID-19 Surveillance Testing
Effective March 1, surveillance testing for anyone coming to campus one day a week or more is optional. All UMass Chan surveillance testing sites, including the testing center in the Faculty Conference Room, will close after March 11.
If you have COVID-19 symptoms or test positive, do not come to campus and call Employee Health Services (508-793-6400) or Student Health Services (508-334-2818) for further instructions. See the attached document for additional information.
All other COVID-19 restrictions are discontinued, including gathering, visitor, food and travel restrictions detailed in the Feb. 7 memo. Please be advised that visitors and vendors to campus must continue to be registered in the SV3 visitor management system.
In closing, it is critical that we maintain high standards of courtesy, civility, and respect for others throughout our campus community. This entails understanding that our individual efforts impact the safety of all, and that even if your own risk of COVID-19 infection is low, we cannot tell by looking at someone if they are immunocompromised and perhaps at higher risk of disease or may have suffered personal loss or trauma due to the pandemic.
We will continue to be guided by the science and will review all COVID-19 protocols as needed. The latest information is available at https://umassmed.edu/coronavirus/. In addition, everyone is invited to join the upcoming UMass Chan Town Hall, on March 1 at 1 p.m. for more information about COVID-19 guidance and other important campus initiatives.
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New ID badges for everyone at UMass Chan Medical School:
UMass Chan is initiating the process of issuing new ID badges to all employees, residents and students. The new badges reflect our new name and will help improve campus security.
Employees in each department will be notified when it is their turn to schedule an appointment to visit the UMass Chan Parking Office, located in the Michaelson Conference Room on the first level of the Lazare Research Building. Walk-ins cannot be accommodated. Each appointment is expected to take 10 minutes or less, and will consist of four steps:
- A new ID photo will be taken;
- Employees will be asked to update their information (address, phone, and their vehicle’s make, model and license plate number);
- The old ID badge will be surrendered to the Parking Office, deactivated, and recycled; and
- A new ID badge will be issued.
Employees who are working remotely may wait until they return to campus to schedule an appointment for a new badge.
Employees located at South Street have the option of scheduling an appointment at the University campus Parking Office, as detailed above, or they may choose to send an email to parking@umassmed.edu with a new photo and the requested information (address, phone and vehicle information). New badges will then be produced and delivered on a weekly basis to the South Street campus, where employees may turn in their old badges and obtain their new badges by visiting the security desk located in the main lobby. Employees based at South Street should not email the Parking Office until they receive an email prompting them to do so.
We anticipate this project will take several months and appreciate your patience and cooperation.
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| UMass Memorial Health Updates | | |
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Supporting Ukraine and Our Caregivers
As Russian forces continue their brutal attack on Ukraine – forcing millions of Ukrainian refugees to flee their homes for safety in neighboring nations – our UMass Memorial Health caregivers are doing what caregivers do: find ways to help.
At UMass Memorial Medical Center, an effort led by John Broach, MD, MPH, MBA, FACEP, Director, Emergency Medicine, with UMass Chan Medical Student Paramesh Karandikar and the Medical School’s chapter of Stop the Bleed and its Crisis and Emergency Preparedness Committee, is underway. Needed medical supplies are being gathered to be shipped next week to Ukraine through Razom for Ukraine, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the people of Ukraine. Supplies include personal protective equipment; wound dressings and suture materials; infusion, hemostatic and anesthetic materials; operating room supplies and medications; lab and diagnostic equipment; generators and more. Similar efforts are being organized at UMass Memorial Health – Harrington with its medical supply company, Claflin, to gather and provide thousands of emergency medical and surgical supplies including bandages and other wound care materials, IV catheters, masks, tourniquets and more. Additionally, last week Gwyn Gable, a Harrington caregiver with Ukrainian family, arranged for two dozen cases of maximum barrier kits to be flown to Poland and driven to the border. That’s just the start. We will continue to bring you information about more efforts as they mobilize.
How to Help: Trusted Relief Organizations to Support Ukraine
When there’s a need, our caregivers are compelled to step up to help. For the many UMass Memorial Health caregivers who have expressed interest in supporting the people of Ukraine, we have identified the following trusted relief funds and organizations.
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Save the Children – Ukrainian Crisis Relief Fund: This London-based organization is currently working in refugee camps in Poland and Romania distributing food, water and hygiene kits to refugees arriving at the Romania-Ukraine border and in reception centers. Their Child Protection services include targeted support for unaccompanied and separated children, psychosocial support and access to legal services. Learn more about the Save the Children – Ukrainian Crisis Relief Fund.
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International Committee for the Red Cross: Working closely with the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, this Switzerland-based organization provides: emergency assistance such as food, water and other essential items; support for hospitals and primary health care facilities with medical equipment and emergency preparedness; repair of water stations/damaged homes; and reunification of families separated by the conflict. Learn more about the International Committee for the Red Cross.
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Médecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders: Based in Switzerland, Doctors without Borders is mobilizing to set up emergency response activities with teams in eastern Europe. They are working as emergency response, providing surgical care, emergency medicine and mental health support for displaced people. In addition, they are shipping surgical kits, trauma kits and basic necessities for intensive care units, emergency rooms and surgical operating theaters for use in hospitals in Kyiv and for distribution to other towns further east.
How to Support Our Caregivers
As the heartbreaking news and images of violence and destruction continue to come out of Ukraine, this is a difficult time for many of our caregivers, especially those from Ukraine, Russia or other European nations. Please take this opportunity to care for each other, lean on each other and take advantage of resources that are available to help. In addition, our Optum Employee Assistance Program offers the following that may be helpful to you:
We sincerely hope we see an end to this senseless violence soon. Until then, we appreciate all you do to extend a helping hand to those impacted by this crisis abroad and here at home. Stay informed of the latest information on how to help, resources and support services on the new Ukraine Support and Resources Hub page.
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Relaxation of COVID Safety Protocols and COVID-19 Boosters
Now that the number of COVID-19 cases have declined significantly, I have some good news to share about relaxing some of our COVID safety protocols and policies, based on the latest guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH).
Masks Optional in Non-Clinical Areas: Any clinical or non-clinical caregiver who has completed their initial COVID vaccination course may remove their masks if they feel comfortable doing so in any non-clinical area that is restricted from patient access. Below are some examples of non-clinical areas in which it is ok to take off your mask and examples of patient-accessible areas where masks are still required. This is great news and another sign that we are resuming almost-normal operations. I do, however, want to emphasize that taking off your mask is optional. If you feel more comfortable (and safe) keeping your mask on, please do so. These masks have become such an important part of our lives these last two years – almost like an article of clothing you put on in the morning – so some may prefer to continue wearing them. Those who choose to go maskless, please respect your colleague’s choice to wear a mask. And for any caregiver who is immunocompromised or has family/household members who are, please feel free to continue wearing your mask as there still is some evidence of COVID-19 still circulating in the community.
Unvaccinated Caregivers with Medical or Religious Exemptions: For any caregiver who is exempted from the COVID-19 vaccine requirement and are on accommodations, they must still wear their N95 mask at all times, unless they are alone in a room with the door closed.
Social Distancing: Maintaining six feet of social distancing is no longer required. However, we still encourage all clinical and non-clinical staff to maintain social distancing through the environmental controls we’ve put in place, such as plexiglass barriers, and wall and floor signage.
Eating: In any non-clinical area that is restricted from patient access, such as an employee break room, or a resident conference room, there is no social distancing requirement when vaccinated caregivers are eating. Unvaccinated caregivers who are on accommodations still must eat alone. Areas that are patient-accessible, like the main hospital cafeterias, still require social distancing.
Eye Protection: Clinical staff no longer need to wear eye protection for all patient care encounters. Only those who are caring for a COVID-19 positive patient, a Patient Under Investigation or a patient undergoing an aerosol generating procedure must wear eye protection.
Visitors, Vendors and Guests: Each of our system entity hospitals have revised their patient visitor policies, so please continue to abide by these policies for patient visits. All patient visitors must remain masked at all times. Vendors or guests visiting non-clinical areas are required to be vaccinated, so masks are optional for them.
Employee Self-Reporting (ESR) Tool: Even though we are relaxing some of our COVID safety protocols, all caregivers are still required to use the ESR tool daily to report their symptom status. This is still a requirement dictated by DPH.
Non-Clinical Areas Where Vaccinated Staff May Take Off Masks: These are areas that patients/families do not have access to enter
- Break rooms
- Kitchens
- Staff conference rooms
- Administrative areas in which patients/families are restricted from entering
- Buildings or floors that are limited to Administrative/Corporate Services staff
Hospital Areas Where All Staff Must Continue Wearing Masks: These are non-clinical areas in our hospital settings that patients/families still may enter
- Hallways
- Lobbies
- Clinics
- Cafeterias
- Elevators
- Stairwells
Revised Policy: An updated Personal Protective Equipment Policy will be posted on the Hub in the near future.
COVID-19 Booster Vaccinations: While we still encourage all of our caregivers to receive the COVID-19 booster as soon as they are eligible to do so, we are not requiring the booster at this time. However, we may change to the COVID-19 booster being a condition of employment under one of these circumstances:
- If Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) require health care organizations to do so (as they did with the initial vaccine)
- If an updated booster vaccine becomes available
- If another COVID-19 surge is likely to occur in our region
In Closing: I sincerely hope we can keep these COVID-19 safety protocols relaxed as they allow us to have some level of pre-COVID normalcy. But if we see an increase in COVID-19 spreading in our region and DPH changes back to restrictive guidance, we will need to go back to PPE requirements. In the meantime, please enjoy these small glimpses of freedom as we welcome the spring-like weather.
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Please Submit Your COVID-19 Booster Status | |
To better understand the need for more booster clinics and to comply with a federal regulation that requires us to document and report on the booster status of all health care workers, we are asking all caregivers who received a booster shot outside of UMass Memorial Health to submit appropriate documentation. Please submit a picture of your vaccination card to the following inbox, depending on the entity where you work: | |
In the next few days, this message will be translated into Albanian, Portuguese, Spanish and Twi. You will be able to find those translations on the Hub soon. | |
Kronos Update: Pay Corrections, Pay Advancement Program, Paid Time Off Requests | |
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Our outstanding payroll team continues to work every day to make corrections on the approximately 24,000 incidents that have been submitted so far. With additional parts of our Kronos environment being returned to us, we continue to look for different methods to make these corrections faster but it will still take us months to complete them all.
How can you help?
The most important thing each of you can do to help is to make sure your time is accurately entered for current pay cycles. We receive about 150 new pay discrepancies in each week’s pay cycle and correcting these discrepancies takes time away from the team making corrections that were due to the outage. Please submit corrections from current period pay cycles via the check discrepancy form. Please do not submit those corrections to the Kronos Incident site.
If you have a pay discrepancy from the Kronos outage incident, either an underpayment or overpayment, please log these incidents as soon as possible. While we remain focused on those that have been underpaid, we will eventually correct those that have been overpaid. If you have been holding off on submitting an incident, please do not wait any longer. Please submit any pay discrepancies related to the Kronos outage using either of the two methods listed below:
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PREFERRED METHOD - Fill out the Kronos Incident Help Desk Form. You don’t need to be logged in to the UMass Memorial network to access this. Using this form will enable us to respond more quickly to your issue, (providing more detail is better for problem resolution).
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If you can’t access the form, you can still email kronosincident@umassmemorial.org or call 508-334-1500. In both cases, you must leave your full name, employee ID number, manager’s name and an explanation of your pay discrepancy.
Pay Advancement Request Window Opens Monday, March 7
The next cycle of temporary pay advances for those caregivers who have experienced a financial hardship from being significantly underpaid or not paid at all due to the Kronos outage will be March 7 to March 11, with payments beginning the week of March 14. Caregivers wishing to access this program should fill out the Kronos Advance Form. You don’t need to be logged in to the UMass Memorial network to access this. Using this form will enable us to process your request more quickly.
Currently, we expect to begin recoupment of these advances, including advances from the first two cycles, in April 2022.
Paid Time Off – Requests and Balances
We currently don’t have the Kronos functionality to correct Paid Time Off (PTO) balances. Our IS teams are still working with Kronos to repair this important function. Until then, no caregiver will be denied time off because of a negative balance. Once we can get the PTO function back to normal, it will take an additional two to six months to correct each and every PTO balance for all of our caregivers.
We understand the frustration you may be feeling due to the Kronos outage. Thank you for your continued patience and willingness to help us resolve issues related to the outage as soon as possible. We remain committed to ensuring that all caregivers will be paid for every hour worked and to correcting all PTO accruals. We continue to ask for your patience as we work through each caregiver’s unique circumstances to make corrections.
Additional Resources
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Updated Mask Guidance:
The CDC updated its guidance on mask and respirator use (Types of Masks and Respirators | CDC) on January 14,2022. Based on this guidance, caregivers may choose to wear an N95 instead of a procedure/surgical mask according to our PPE policy. If a caregiver chooses to wear an N95 voluntarily, you must read the following guidance from OSHA on voluntary use. Please note that this does not mean that the use of a surgical mask is unsafe. Please refer to the Hub for advice on how to ensure a well-fitting mask. If a caregiver chooses to use an N95, please adhere to the following:
- Caregivers should adhere to extended use of the N95 – this means that they should use one N95 mask per day.
- You should replace your N95 if it becomes damaged or soiled.
- You may use your N95 as extended use across multiple patient encounters. For caregivers caring for multiple PUI or COVID-19 positive patients, we recommended extended use of N95 with or without a surgical mask over the N95. Please note gloves and gown must be exchanged after each patient encounter. For caregivers seeing a single patient on PUI or COVID-19 positive patients, we recommend that you obtain a new respirator after the patient encounter.
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Unless you have been instructed to get fit-tested, you do not need a medical clearance or fit testing prior to using an N95 for general use. If you need further instructions on donning an N95, please see the tip sheet 2010-133.pdf (cdc.gov) and video Respirator Safety - YouTube.
- Both medical clearance and fit-testing is required for use of an N95 respirator to provide care to a patient who is on Airborne/Strict Airborne precautions or is having an aerosol generating procedure done. You must obtain a new respirator after each patient encounter.
- Caregivers should obtain an N95 in their work area. If an area does not have N95 respirators, they can be ordered through PMM.
In accordance with DPH guidance, caregivers may NOT use KN95 in the healthcare setting.
Regardless of whether a caregiver uses a surgical mask or N95, everyone should remember the following:
- As with all guidance, this is subject to change pending evolving guidance and our internal supply levels.
- Eye protection is still paramount to decreasing the risk of transmission of COVID-19. They should be used for all patient encounters.
- Eating and drinking with others remains one of the highest risk activities for transmitting COVID-19.
- Social distancing is still important and protective.
- Visitors wearing an N95 or KN95 may be directed to wear the UMMH-supplied surgical mask over their own mask.
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Physician Recruiter
Position Summary:
This position reports to the Manager Physician Recruitment and is responsible for filling the physician staffing needs of UMass Memorial Medical Group, member hospitals and community-based physician practices. This position is responsible for sourcing qualified physicians nationally through utilization of multiple networks such as on-line computer databases, literature searches and responses to advertisement in appropriate professional journals. This position will establish relationships with internal and external resident program heads nationally to identify and recruit potential candidates.
Full Announcement
Physician Recruitment Coordinator (Department of Medicine)
This position performs a variety of duties to support the Physician Recruitment Team. Responsibilities include assisting with recruitment initiatives, projects and programs, sourcing candidates, building pipelines of potential candidates, coordinating recruitment campaigns in Jobvite, posting jobs on external sites, attending job fairs and working collaboratively with the Physician Recruitment Team to maximize efficiencies and ensure compliance within the department.
Full Announcement
Interstitial (ISC) course Co-leader
We seek a co-leader for the Interstitial (ISC) course which is a year-long, longitudinal series of seven required 1-day programs and events scheduled at intervals during the Core Clinical Experiences year (CCE). Content areas are threaded in small aliquots throughout the year to foster spiral learning. Each content area is broadly significant to medical education/medical practice and is often under-represented in clinical education. In AY21-22, ISC topics include: Caring for People with Disabilities; Criminal Justice and Health; Oral Health; Military Service (Veteran’s) Health; US Healthcare Policy; Patient Safety and Quality Improvement; Trauma Informed Care; Informatics; Caring for LGBTQIA+ People; and Disaster Management. PURCH students are integrated into all ISC days and GSN students are integrated into some of the ISC days, as permitted by the academic calendar.
The ISC will sunset in two years (AY 24-25) as content will be integrated into the new Vista clerkship curriculum. The FTE equivalent is .05, which is rolled into the educational effort model currently. Opportunities exist for co-leaders to participate in that planning and apply for new leadership roles in the future.
Please reach out to Melissa Fischer (melissa.fischer@umassmed.edu) with any questions or suggestions.
Digital medicine fellowship
The UMASS Chan School of Medicine is advertising for candidates for our Digital Medicine Fellowship. This full-time academic fellowship, established in 2020, combines training in digital health, research methods, an editorial position at a digital medicine health journal, informatics coursework, and in-depth research opportunities. This non-ACGME fellowship can be combined with part-time clinical practice as an academic clinician within the Department of Medicine. Interested applicants should contact Dr. David McManus at David.mcmanus@umassmed.edu by 4/1/22.
Life Sciences Cluster Hire: From Bench to Community
The University of Massachusetts Chan School of Medicine (UMass Chan) is seeking applicants for a faculty cluster hire comprised of 9 tenure track positions at the assistant or early associate professor level. This faculty cluster will support our institutional mission to advance the health and wellness of our diverse communities throughout Massachusetts and across the world by leading and innovating in education, research, health care delivery and public service, in accordance with our strategic plan (IMPACT 2025).
Immunology/Infectious Disease Cluster: Investigators across UMass Chan are leveraging state of the art technologies to understand the initiation, regulation and resolution of inflammatory responses in infection, inflammation and autoimmunity. Collectively, using basic, translational, and clinical research these groups aim to devise new approaches for diagnosing and treating human disease through a deeper understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating the innate and adaptive immune response.
Full Announcement
Medical Education Track Mentors
The Internal Medicine Residency is looking for faculty who are interested in serving as longitudinal mentors for Internal Medicine residents enrolled in our new Medical Education Track. The Med Ed Track within the residency program will allow residents who are interested in careers as clinician-educators to advance their knowledge and skills in medical education and scholarship. Eight to ten residents will be accepted into this program during middle of their intern year and remain in the program for the duration of their residency training. Each resident will be required to develop and pursue their own scholarly projects in medical education, with the goal of presentation at national conferences and publication. In addition, residents will participate in monthly didactic seminars on educational topics as well as other teaching opportunities.
Each resident will be assigned a faculty mentor. It will be the responsibility of the mentor to meet at least monthly with the resident regarding their scholarly project. If interested, faculty may also have opportunity to provide didactic sessions on educational topics.
Any faculty interested in participating and becoming a mentor, please contact us at scott.kopec@umassmemorial.org or laura.hallett@umassmemorial.org
Research Track Mentors
The Internal Medicine Residency is looking for research faculty who are interested in servicing as longitudinal research mentors for Internal Medicine Residency enrolled in our new Research Track. The Research Track within the residency program will allow residents who are interested in careers as physician-scientist to advance their knowledge and skills in both clinical and basic science research. Eight to ten residents will be accepted into this program during middle of their intern year and remain in the program for the duration of their residency training. Each resident will be required to develop and pursue their own research projects resulting in presentation at National Conferences and publication. In addition, residents will participate in monthly seminars on research topics coupled with the ability to share updates on projects.
Each resident will be assigned a faculty mentor. It will be the responsibility of the mentor to meet at least monthly with the resident, attend seminars, facilitate one of the quarterly group meetings, and, and, of course, mentor the resident during the whole process.
Any faculty interested in participating and becoming a mentor, please contact us at scott.kopec@umassmemorial.org or lara.kovell@umassmemorial.org
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Faculty Quality Collaboration Session - Open Opportunity
Please contact Mitchell Gitkind at mitchell.gitkind@umassmemorial.org if you are looking for yellow belt level training and are interested in joining the Faculty Quality Collaborative Session on April 1, 2022.
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Professional Staff Development: Realize Your Full Potential at UMass Chan | |
Human Resources is excited to offer UMass Chan employees the following Professional Staff Development courses: "Preparing for Your Performance Appraisal," "Building Star Power at UMass Chan," and "Kicking Your Performance to the Next Level."
See details below of our upcoming course offerings and access course registrations to enroll today!
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Preparing for Your Performance Appraisal
In this 60-minute seminar, you will gain a better understanding of the following:
· Ways to have an effective and engaging evaluation;
· Understand key elements that contribute to an effective performance appraisal;
· How to address difficult conversations that may occur during the performance appraisal.
e: live Zoom meeting
Audience: UMass Chan employees
Venue: Live Zoom meeting
Instructor:
Jeffrey L. Carson
Assistant Vice Chancellor
Human Resources Administration
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Building Star Power at UMass Chan
In this session, you will develop an understanding of the following:
· Key attributes and qualities required on the road to Stardom
· The positive impact of achieving stardom status
· Strategies to turn your boss into your biggest advocate
· Method to move from a “can do, will do” person
· Way to become a Swiss Army Knife
Seminar Quiz: We would like to invite you to take a brief quiz. Before you attend the Building Star Power at UMass Chan live Zoom seminar, we would like to know more about you. We will discuss the aggregate data at the live Zoom session. Click here to access the course quiz.
Audience: UMass Chan employees
Venue: Live Zoom meeting
Instructor:
Brenda Jack, LL.M., Ph.D.
HR Training Manager / Instructor
HR Learning & Development
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Kicking Your Work Performance to the Next Level
In this session, you will:
· Explore practical approaches to analyze problem areas, develop creative solutions, and create change to propel your performance up to the next level;
· Participate in case studies and real-life examples to transform from good to great;
· Gain a better understanding of the inhibitors to effective work performance, the change model for improving work performance, and the benefits of being a top-notch performer.
Audience: UMass Chan employees
Venue: Live Zoom meeting
Instructor:
Brenda Jack, LL.M., Ph.D.
HR Training Manager / Instructor
HR Learning & Development
| Professional Staff Development Program |  | |
The Professional Staff Development Program launched in January as an instructor-led comprehensive professional development experience is designed specifically for UMass Chan staff.
The series is part of the investment in a staff member's future at UMass Chan by providing opportunities for professional development in and beyond their current role and job description. The courses and activities offered can improve specific skills, enrich the work experience, increase job satisfaction and/or stimulate individual career progress.
The new professional development courses below were rolled out in January with new ones to be added each month:
- Building Star Power at UMass Chan
- Effective Self-Management
New professional development courses for February and March are:
- Competency Model: Application of the UMass Chan Core Competencies
- Emotional Intelligence
- Kicking your Work Performance to the Next Level
- Preparing for Your Annual Performance Review
- Replacing Conflict with Collaboration
Learn More
See the "Professional Staff" buttons below to access the program website and calendar to begin today!
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For Managers
Manage and Lead at UMass Chan Program
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The person most influential in the motivation and engagement of the members of each UMass Chan department is its Team Leader/Manager. “Manage and Lead at UMass Chan” is an intensive multi-tiered training program with four training modules that are taught by UMass Chan subject matter experts:
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HIRE - Creating Functional Competency Based Job Descriptions, The UMass Chan Full Cycle Recruiting & Hiring Process, Diversity in Hiring, Behavioral & Competency Based Interviewing, The Key to Effective Departmental Onboarding and Retaining New Staff, Compensation Philosophy & Practice
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COMPLY - Legal and Compliance Issues, Understanding FMLA, PFMLA, ADA, etc., Overview of Visa Categories and Working with Immigration Services, Labor Relations for Managers
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MANAGE - Managing Your Team's Stress, Managing the Team to Goals, Understand Employee Turnover and Talent Retention, Review the Succession Planning Process, Change Management, Staff Professional Development, Conflict Management, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Employee Relations, Office of Well-Being
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DEVELOP - Coaching, Developing, Motivating, Communicating and Leading Employees, Emotional Intelligence, Inspirational Leadership
Courses
There are 17 core courses that are offered on a monthly and quarterly basis.
· Change Management
· Coaching for Problem Solving Using the A3 Methodology
· Compensation Structure and Practice (Offered Quarterly)
· Crucial Conversation
· Employee Relations (Offered Quarterly)
· Employee Turnover and Talent Retention
· Fair, Square and Legal Interview (Offered Quarterly)
· Flex the Mindset
· Fully Cycle Recruitment and Hiring
· Immigration Services (Offered Quarterly)
· Innovation Stations: Empowering Employee Innovation Through an Idea Sharing
System
· Labor Relations (Offered Quarterly)
· Office of Well-Being / Wellness Program & Employee Assistance Program
· Staff Professional Development
· Strategic Alignment: Enabling your Employees to Impact the Organization's
Strategic Priorities
· Succession Planning
· Visualizing Data: Transforming Information into Insight
Program Enrollment
Since November 2021, enrollment in the Manage and Lead program is as follows:
· 187 managers have participated in the program
· 75 managers in the pipeline to attend sessions in the coming weeks
Learn More
Learn more and access the Manage and Lead program website below!
| New Manager Onboarding Program |  | |
The relationship with an employee's direct manager is one of the most critical factors in motivation, success, and engagement. To assist our UMass Chan leaders and managers in providing inspirational leadership; promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion; and empowering and growing their employees, the HR L&D Team launched a new competency-based learning experience. Launch on October 4, 2021; the learning experience is primarily for first-time and newly hired UMass Chan leaders and managers aligned with the People Strategy.
Key UMass Chan subject matter experts from HR, Payroll and Budget, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, IT and the Office of Well-Being worked to develop the program for new managers that focuses on:
- the required skills, competencies and knowledge necessary to be an inspirational leader
- an overview of UMass Chan policies and practices to ensure a smooth transition into their new role
- an understanding of our workplace and organizational culture
- the expectation that they will assist us in driving diversity and fostering an inclusive environment
- their role in promoting civility, respect, justice and equity and empowering and developing their staff
Individuals in the role of manager for the first time in their career will also take the 3-part "First Time Manager Essentials" course. This course focuses on topics such as "Buddy to Boss," communication skills, delegation, setting expectations, emotional intelligence, and others. All sessions are offered live monthly via zoom and will also be in person at a date to be announced.
Sixteen (16) courses are offered monthly. Click on the "New Manager Onboarding course descriptions" button below to see a course topic list, course descriptions, and instructors. Click on the "New Manager Onboarding website" button below to learn more about the program structure.
Program Enrollment
Since October 2021, enrollment in the New Manager Onboarding program is as follows:
· 55 managers have participated in the program
27 managers in the pipeline to attend sessions in the coming weeks
Learn More
Learn more and access the New Manager Onboarding program website below!
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| Research Resources and Funding | | |
Promote Heart Health with these free resources | |
Funding Awards/Opportunities | | | |
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Department of Medicine
UMass Memorial Health|UMass Chan Medical School, University Campus,
Worcester, MA 01655
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