UMass FMCH Tuesday Talk - August 29, 2023/DIVERSITY | |
Welcome to the FMCH Tuesday Talk. Please continue to send us your announcements, celebrations, and accomplishments to FMCHtuesdaytalk@umassmed.edu. | |
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Table of Contents
Message From The Chair
Focus of the Week – Diversity
Announcements
Department Member Recognition
Frankly Speaking Podcast
Clinical Services Spotlight
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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
M. Diane McKee, MD, MS
I hope everyone has been able to spend some time enjoying the end of summer. As we plan for Fall, please mark your calendars and plan to attend our Annual Awards Ceremony, which will return to an in-person reception to be held on October 24th at 6pm in the Faculty Conference Room at the University Campus. In addition to presenting our usual awards to outstanding faculty recipients, we will dedicate a portion of the program to honoring the legacy of Judy Savageau. Of course, we will continue to monitor COVID-19 rates and related policies, and if we must, we will change the program to virtual.
And speaking of COVID-19, as rates have continued to rise in recent weeks, UMass Memorial Health is now again requiring masking in all clinical areas. Masks will not be required for common areas (e.g. cafeteria) at this time, however, they are strongly encouraged given the increased spread of the virus. Mask use is also encouraged for patients and visitors, but it is not required at this time. Please be mindful and stay well.
There will not be an edition of Tuesday Talk next week. Enjoy the Labor Day weekend!
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Focus of the Week - Diversity
Jennifer Bradford, MD, MPH
Director, Diversity and Inclusion
Drs. Jennifer Bradford and Heather-Lyn Haley were invited to speak at University of New England College of Medicine in Biddeford, ME on August 14th, 2023. Their lecture on “Race, Power and Privilege in Clinic and Community” was presented live to an active and engaged audience of all 179 students from the first-year class.
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Please join us on Tuesday, September 19th, 12 noon – 1pm, for our Family Medicine and Community Health Grand Rounds, to attend our 25th annual Putterman Lecture, being presented by Tochi Iroku-Malize, MD, MPH, MBA. Her lecture topic will be on “Walking in Their Shoes – My Journey as a Patient Searching for Equity”. This is a hybrid event. The presentation will take place at the UMass Chan Medical School in the Albert Sherman Center Auditorium AS2.2102 or via Zoom. For further details, please use this link to view the flyer for this event, Steven L. Putterman, MD Memorial Lecture - Tap here to view. We look forward to seeing everyone.
A vigil honoring International Overdose Awareness Day will be held in Worcester on Thursday, August 31st behind City Hall, with remarks from civic leadership and families, music, and a candle-lighting ceremony in honor of those who have died. Local organizations will be on hand to share information and support services starting at 4pm Following the vigil at 5pm, participants are invited to process to Winslow and Pleasant Peace Park at 374 Pleasant St., for a brief ceremony at the City Overdose Memorial.
The Worcester Multicultural Community Health Fair
Promoting Healing, Hope and Health Equity will be held in Fuller Family Park (104 Murray Ave., behind the Main Street YMCA) on Saturday, September 9th from 9am-2pm. You can register as a vendor, sponsor or volunteer, or visit the park for family fun activities including dance, food, and access to resources.
For Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration, the Diversity and Inclusion Office welcomes Maria Juncos-Gautier, PhD, who is passionate about working with underprivileged and marginalized communities in urban areas, especially Latino communities. As executive director of the Latino Education Institute at Worcester State University, Dr. Juncos-Gautier will discuss her devotion to improving the academic achievement and well-being of Latino students and their families from the City of Worcester, September 26th at noon. Register here.
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Hepatitis C and General Hepatology Project ECHO
(Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes)
You are invited to join an exciting virtual collaborative learning opportunity which will allow you to build expertise in the evaluation and management of patients living with chronic
Hepatitis C. (see attached brochure and curriculum schedule)
What? Hepatitis C ECHO, a virtual case-based tele-mentoring educational model
Who? Primary care interdisciplinary team members (providers, nurses, social workers, community health workers, patient navigators, etc.)
Why? Tele-mentoring model that links specialists to primary care providers (PCPs) via video conferencing from any computer; Case based, iterative learning facilitated by specialists and related experts; through guided practice, PCPs become proficient in specialty care
When? A new cohort begins Friday, September 8th, 2023, 12:30 - 1:30pm ~ with 10 sessions held bi-monthly.
Register Today!
Funding Opportunity: The Blue Cross Shields of MA Foundation Special Initiatives
grant program provides organizations with a one-time grant of up to $50,000 to pilot or launch a new project over a one-year period which empowers communities to advance health equity. Visit their website for more details:
https://www.bluecrossmafoundation.org/grant/special-initiatives.
Applications are due September 11th, 2023.
Pilot Project Award - Call for Applications
The UMass Chan Ambulatory Research Consortium (ARC, UMass ARC website) is a collaboration of the Departments of Family Medicine and Community Health, Medicine and Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, and the UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS). The goal of the PBRN is to accelerate health services research and improvement science and to serve as a learning laboratory for discovery that improves the delivery and outcomes of ambulatory care.
Letters of Intent (LOI) are due on September 22nd.
We welcome submissions for pilot project awards (up to $25,000 for 1 year).
Faculty Resource Fair
The Office of Faculty Affairs is holding a Faculty Resource Fair on September 28th from 11:30am-1:30pm in the school lobby, please see details [here].
Teaching of Tomorrow (TOT) is a nationally recognized and highly acclaimed faculty development program that focuses on building and refining foundational skills for effective clinical teaching in inpatient and ambulatory settings. Preceptors from any specialty and discipline will enhance their clinical teaching skills through discourse and practice. Workshop dates are November 17-18, 2023, and March 8-9, 2024, and will be held at the Hotel Northampton. Participants must attend all four days. See the brochure for details and
register at https://umassmed.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0GUbJ2w3HifJC8S.
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Department Member Recognition
Congratulation to Hilda Alers for winning the 2023 It’s All About Balance Award, given by the GME office in recognition of her ability to see the big picture while managing competing priorities and doing what it takes to get the job done to support the learners and family medicine team. Way to go Hilda!
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Thank you to Nick Hajj who led, and to past/current residents William Brown, Robin Christian, Sonia Marcello, and Sara Rogerson and Bob Baldor from Baystate for supporting the recruitment session for MassAHEC Rural and Urban Health Scholars. It was a colorful, informative, and fun evening on basic Wound Care! | |
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Frankly Speaking Podcast
A weekly Podcast series covering newsworthy topics in primary care medicine.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frankly-speaking-about-family-medicine/id1194659367.
Please join us for an overview: In this episode, we take a look at a study exploring the effects on children's activity levels when their parents reduce smartphone use. Listen in as we discuss compelling findings that shed light on the connection, and come away with guidance on how to navigate the evolving digital landscape to promote healthier, more active lifestyles among children. Guest: Robert A. Baldor, MD, FAAFP, presents: "Screens Off, Play On: How Parental Phone Use Shapes Kids' Physical Activity" - Frankly Speaking Ep 343.
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Clinical Services Spotlight:
Josephine Fowler, MD, MBA, Vice Chair of Clinical Services
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COVID-19 US
- COVID infection is increasing across the country.
- On Friday, August 4th, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) withdrew its requirement regarding COVID-19 vaccination of healthcare staff in healthcare facilities that participate in Medicare and Medicaid – this includes UMass Memorial Health.
- The CDC has labeled variant B.2.86 as the predominant COVID variant.
- COVID deaths in the US went up 8.3% in the last week.
- COVID hospitalizations in the US have increased with more than 10,000 admissions in the last week (increased 14.3%).
COVID-19 MA
- There were 2,048 new COVID cases in MA during the last 7 days as of August 24th, 2023.
- To date, MA has had more than 2 million documented cases.
- The 7-day average of percent positivity was 10.83%.
- On August 10th, 2023, there were 105 patients primarily hospitalized for COVID-19 and 300 COVID positive patients hospitalized.
- There were 17 newly confirmed deaths during the 7 days.
COVID-19 UMMMC
- As of August 27th, 2023, 7-day positivity rate is 9.6%.
- On August 27th, 2023, there were 21 COVID-positive patients in-house (57% fully vaccinated).
- 48 percent of the patients with COVID-19 have primary COVID.
- Masking is required in all clinical areas.
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Wellness Resources
The Caring for the Caregiver Program provides resources such as the Caregiver Support Line (508-334-HELP) and The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which offers a variety of services and supports (including virtual peer support and wellness tips. EAP can be accessed at 866-263-3525, or www.LiveandWorkWell.com, [company code: UmassMemorial].
More information is available on the Caring for the Caregiver page.
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