Dear Colleagues,

As we enter a new calendar year, it is with great pride that I look back on all that we have accomplished in 2018. According to US News and World Report’s 2018 rankings, we are ranked #2 in the nation in Gynecology and #4 in Women’s Health Education! This is a clear attestation to the quality and dedication of our faculty, staff, fellows, residents, and students.

We have so much to celebrate as our faculty, residents, and fellows continue to win awards and are recognized for their outstanding teaching, research and patient care. Most notably I want to acknowledge Halley Crissman for winning the 2018 Hope Award. This award is given for going above and beyond in patient-centered care. Halley and her team developed an amazing set of videos to enhance the care of transgender patients that will have an impact for years to come.

We began the year by defining our new Mission: Improving the Health and Well Being of Women everywhere through Clinical Excellence, Compassionate inclusive care, Discovery, Innovation and Education. We also pledged to live our Core Values: Excellence, Inclusivity, Innovation, Integrity, Respect, Teamwork and Wellness. 

To fulfill our aspirations, there has been significant work by so many. Here are a few of our accomplishments to date:

  1. The fifth floor has been remodeled with beautiful new offices for the residents and Women’s Health faculty. The fourth floor was painted for the first time in at least 25 years! The remodeling in Von Voigtlander clinic is almost complete and will offer a beautiful work area with windows for hallway D.
  2. Lisa Harris, M.D., Ph.D. was named the Associate Chair for Faculty Development and Faculty Life. This is a new position created to help mentor faculty and provide vision and oversight for faculty well-being and promotion.
  3. The support staff is being realigned to match the needs of the department and faculty. Project support and “who does what for whom” should all be easier soon.
  4. All of the department ACUs are or will be undergoing culture surveys and workflow assessments. We have so many experienced nurses, clerks, MAs and, physicians. We need to elevate their voices and work together to improve patient flows, job satisfaction, and efficiencies.
  5. The OB Redesign project is underway with the hope of smoothing the workload in L and D, having high-risk pregnancies cared for more efficiently by our MFM doctors, and improving the 24/7 coverage of the ED. This is a monumental change and one that is impacting 75% of the faculty (MFM, WH and GYN Divisions) as well as fellows and residents. We will continually assess how the new system is working and make adjustments as needed.
  6. A new Women’s Leadership Board was created in December to help build philanthropy, champion women’s health, and create a community of strong women to be our voice outside the University. The mission is to help raise funds to support innovation, new patient care models and research in areas not easily funded.

There is a lot going on and a challenge for the new year will be communication. I hope this newsletter can help keep us all informed of the latest projects, celebrations, new department members and more. As we begin a new calendar year, we will continue to focus on what is important for our patients, faculty, learners, and staff: Living our values, creating the culture where we can all grow and thrive, clear expectations and shared goals.

Happy New Year!
Associate Chair for Faculty Development & Faculty Life: Lisa Harris, MD, PhD

Role of the Associate Chair:
The Associate Chair for Faculty Development is responsible for facilitating the development, improvement and oversight of programs and initiatives designed to enhance the professional and academic potential of faculty and staff. Areas of focus include, but are not limited to: diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), mentorship, career pathways, wellness / burnout as well as improving the environment by enriching faculty and staff autonomy, mastery and purpose.

Congratulations, Dr. Harris!
OB Redesign: An Update

Why/Why Now?:
  • To manage higher volume, higher acuity, and increased fetal surgery and FDC activity
  • To provide greater attention to patient safety during high volume periods
  • To improve communication and care
  • To maintain balance between learner education and patient care
  • To accommodate newly defined clinical FTE clinical care expectations for faculty- will be tracking shifts in L&D, core, continuity clinic, OR time, ambulatory sessions.

What's New?:
  • The names of services will be changing:
  • UMOG > OB-Blue
  • Women's Health > OB-Wolverine
  • MFM > OB-Maize
  • We will have a new algorithm for how patients are distributed
Compensation Task Force: Coming Soon!

Task Force Goals:

  1. Establish a compensation program that is equitable, transparent, easily understood and affordable.
  2. Establish an incentive program that aligns Department/Institutional goals and objectives.
  3. Determine percent of salary at risk based on productivity measures and other factors.
  4. Align the Ob/Gyn compensation program with Medical School compensation guidelines.  

Meet the Task Force:
  • Kevin Reynolds, GYO Division, Chair
  • Erica Marsh, REI Division
  • Hope Haefner, Gyn Division
  • Suzie As-Sanie, Gyn Division
  • Lori Day, MFM Division
  • Rosalyn Maben-Feaster, WH Division
  • Jennifer Collin, WH Division
  • Maya Hammoud, Associate Chair for Education
  • Vanessa Dalton, Associate Chair for Research
  • Lisa Harris, Associate Chair for Faculty Affairs
  • Carrie Barroso, Administration
  • Amy Kaufman Eddy, Administration
  • Jane Juckno, Administrative Support

We Need You!: As the Task Force creates a plan to address these goals, we'll be reaching out to talk with divisions and sending surveys to get your feedback. We appreciate your participation and input.
Dr. Mmeje & Co-authors Featured on Michigan Radio
Faster treatment for partners could reduce rates of STD...

Rates of sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise, but many doctors aren't aware of one of the most effective tools for fighting these infections. When a patient comes in for treatment of gonorrhea or chlamydia, their doctor can prescribe...

Read more
www.michiganradio.org
New Study by Dr. Lindsay Admon & Dr. Vanessa Dalton Featured on NPR

Check them out on NPR News. Navigate to the 7 pm podcast from 10-10-2018 and listen for them around the 3:30 mark!

Tumbarello recognized by the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS)

Julie Tumbarello, OBGYN Research Manager, received the Robin Haff Research Award. Julie was chosen for her demonstrated commitment and sustained contribution to female pelvic floor disorders research.
Dr. Hope Haefner received the 2018 Dean’s Outstanding Clinician Award
The Dean’s Awards Program recognizes Medical School faculty and staff who demonstrate exceptional accomplishment in the areas of teaching, research, clinical care, community service, innovation and administration.
Drs. Angela Pitts & Melissa Brackmann Recipients of
Edward Dunster Fellowship Research Awards

  • 2017-2018: Dr. Angela Pitts was provided with an $8,000 award to support her research project entitled, "Fetal Activity During Maternal Sleep."

  • 2018-2019: Dr. Melissa Brackmann was provided with an $8,000 award to support her research project entitled, "MR lymphangiography mapping of lymphatic disruption in gynecological oncology patients with lower extremity lymphedema: a feasibility study."
Dr. Timothy Johnson awarded the 2018 Allan Rosenfield Award for Lifetime Contributions to International Family Planning
The American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) gives this award yearly to individuals who have made valuable contributions to international family planning through their research, writing, teaching, institutional leadership and/or policy contributions.  
Dr. John DeLancey awarded the 2018 Jack Robertson Lifetime Achievement Award
The American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) presents this award periodically to an individual who has had a lifetime of outstanding achievements in the field of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery and has served as a role model through service, basic or clinical research and teaching. 
New OBGYN Faculty Members:

  • Christine Pennesi, MD, Clinical Lecturer, Pediatric Adolescent Gynecology
  • Kathryn Huber-Keener, MD, Clinical Lecturer, Breast Diseases
  • Kendall Griffith, MD, Clinical Lecturer, Minimally Invasive Surgery
  • Sheila Flaum, DO, Clinical Lecturer, Family Planning
  • Lindsay Admon, MD, Assistant Professor, Women's Health
  • Kathryn Welch, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Women's Health
  • Madeline Edwards, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Women's Health
  • Lauren Owens, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor, Women's Health
  • Jean Hansen, DO, Clinical Assistant Professor, Gynecologic Oncology
  • Alex Peahl, MD, Clinical Lecturer, National Clinical Scholars Program
  • Danica Aquino, MD, Clinical Instructor, Women's Health
  • Courtney Townsel, MD, MSc, Clinical Assistant Professor, Maternal Fetal Medicine
  • Adam Baruch, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Women's Health
New OBGYN Staff Members:

  • Marisa Wetmore, MPP, Program Manager for Communications & Policy Initiatives
  • Ronald Schindler, Research Lab Tech
  • Hsing-Hsiang Huang, PhD, Statistician
  • Sarah Goldstein, Administrative Assistant
  • Rachel Hershock, Clinical Subjects Coordinator
  • Alexandra Thomason, Clinical Subjects Coordinator
  • Brittany Loder, Clinical Subjects Coordinator
  • Arthi Ramakrishnan, MS, CCRP, Project Manager
  • Zach Bouwhuis, Administrative Manager
Sexual Harassment in the Academy 2018 Panel Discussion Series

Did you miss last month's panel discussion on sexual harassment in medicine? Check out the recording!
Tag Days Department Challenge: Winners!!

The OBGYN department raised over $6,000 and won the Galens Tag Days Department Challenge for the second year in a row.

Way to go!!
Active U 2019: Register by Jan 7th!

Active U 2019 is quickly approaching, and you are invited to join the department team – The Gyno-Mites!


To join our team in this 12-week physical activity challenge, search for The Gyno-Mites under the Michigan Medicine One division.

Questions? Reach out to our team leaders, Sarah Block  & Vanessa Aron !
We hope you enjoyed our first OBGYN Department Newsletter!
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