UMass FMCH Tuesday Talk - February 27, 2024/RESEARCH

Welcome to the FMCH Tuesday Talk. Please continue to send us your announcements, celebrations, and accomplishments to [email protected]

Table of Contents

Message From the Chair

Upcoming Events

Focus of the Week – Research

Announcements

Frankly Speaking Podcast

Clinical Services Spotlight

Message From the Chair

 Diane McKee, MD, MS


Please mark your calendars and plan to join us on March 6th at 6:00pm as we celebrate Lucy Candib’s latest book, Family Doctors Say GoodbyeWe are pleased that both Lucy and her co-author/editor, Will Miller, Chair Emeritus of Family Medicine at Lehigh Valley, will host a discussion about transitions across the careers of clinicians. The event is being held in partnership with the medical school library, on campus in the Lazarre Conference room (next to the med school library). Snacks and drinks will be included. Please RSVP for the event HERE. See flyer for additional information.

Upcoming Events


FMCH Grand Rounds

Tuesday, February 27th, 12:00 - 1:00pmFrancesco Aiello, MD, MBA, FSVS, FACS, presents, "Adding Value to Your RVUs: 2024 Billing and Coding Update".

Meeting ID: 191 986 273 Passcode: FMCH

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/191986273?pwd=NEtlZmNkdWlSUGwyeTJQU3dCeUs1QT09

Focus of the Week - Research

Suzanne Mitchell, MD, MS, Director, Research


A new vendor has been identified for research participant payments called DASH Solutions. Please refer to the new job aids on the Cost Analysis & Compliance page for more information. CAC is also hosting office hours on Mondays at 11am and Wednesdays at 10am for the foreseeable future. Sign up here: 

https://umassmed.sharepoint.com/sites/gca.

The next Research Administration Update meeting hosted by the Office of Sponsored Programs will be held on Thursday, March 14th at 1:00pm. Meeting details and past presentations are available for review here. The February meeting covered: award transfers for outgoing and incoming PIs, carryover requests, participant payments, and NIH closeout reporting requirements.


Research Funding announcements and other research news from GCA are available via their newsletter here: [GCA%20Newsletter_26February2024.pdf]GCA Newsletter_26February2024.pdf


Important Meeting Dates

Our FMCH research-in-progress meetings are held monthly on the 2nd Friday of each month at 10:00am. These small group meetings are designed for research faculty to discuss any part of their research (final results not required) and gather feedback from colleagues.

  •  On Friday, March 22nd, we will have an extended IN PERSON gathering from 9am-12pm. Save the date and RSVP if you haven’t already! Note: this will replace the previously scheduled March 8th date. 
  • Would you like to present on March 22nd or at upcoming meeting? We are still looking for presenters. Please sign up if you haven’t already. This is research in progress; a finished product is not required, and all project ideas are welcome.     


A reminder that the FMCH research forum is scheduled on the 3rd Friday of each month at 12:00pm noon. These meetings are open to all faculty, staff, and students.  

  • Join us for the next forum meeting on Friday, March 15th at 12:00pm noon. 
  • Have a suggestion for a future speaker? Contact us!

 

For scheduling questions, contact [email protected] and 

[email protected].

 

For additional information about the above meetings or to highlight any funding news in a future newsletter, please reach out to [email protected].

Announcements


Last call to request a student to work with you over the summer through the UMass Chan OUME Summer Assistantship. Reach out to Heather-Lyn Haley immediately for more information. Faculty-student matches must be submitted to OUME by February 29th. 


Clinician burnout is an epidemic in healthcare, CIPC is proud to announce two initiatives: a free webinar and a 5-session CME risk management course.

  • Restoring Balance Webinar: March 1st at 12:00pm (ET), is a free webinar as we delve into revisiting core values and exploring practical strategies to reduce burnout. Save me a seat!
  • Restoring Balance CourseLearn more about our five-session course and the experts that will provide an in-depth exploration. Learn more!


Register now for the Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester Annual Meeting, Thursday, March 21st, 4:00-6:00pm. In person at Worcester Community Action Council, 18 Chestnut Street, or via zoom.  

Please welcome Shannon McCleery, a new Behavioral Health (Primary Care Psychology and Medical Education) fellow, who will start in the department on July 22nd, 2024. She will be based at the Fitchburg Family Practice. Shannon earned her BA in Psychology from Rutgers University. She completed her MS and is currently finishing her PsyD in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University New England. Shannon's dissertation was titled The Impact of Workplace Support and Job Control on Burnout in Nurses. She is completing her predoctoral internship at AllCare Medical Centers through the Centerstone Consortium in Bradenton, FL.

UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center is hosting a Teddy Bear Clinic on

May 18th, 2024. This year’s Teddy Bear Clinic is sure to be an exciting adventure that kids will love. Not only will they get to learn more about the doctor's office but also meet some educational professionals who will help teach them about proper hygiene and healthy habits. If you are interested in hosting a booth, please fill out the form here: https://forms.office.com/r/QhusB1NXCw. Please note, all booth volunteers who are not already UMass Memorial employees will need to be onboarded by our volunteer services group and will need to be pre-registered with UMass Chan to be on site. If you have any questions or would like to talk more about the Teddy Bear Clinic, please feel free to reach out to [email protected]

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: Uncover a simple, 10-second intervention-the 1-legged stance test-for predicting the risk of falling in adults. Join us as we discuss how this swift assessment can help identify patients who are prone to falls, fractures, and increased mortality. This episode brings you a practical tool to enhance patient assessments and tailor interventions, contributing to a more proactive and personalized approach to care. Guest: Jillian Joseph, MPAS, PA-C, presents: "Be a Flamingo: 1-Legged Stance Test Predicts Risks" - Frankly Speaking Ep 369.

Clinical Services Spotlight:

Josephine Fowler, MD, MBA, Vice Chair of Clinical Services

AI in Healthcare Check out this brief article about AI in Health Care from the NE Journal. https://ai.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/AIp2400036


Norovirus

  • Cases are increasing in the region.
  • Symptoms include sudden illness, projectile vomiting, and watery diarrhea.
  • Other symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, headaches, and stomach pains.
  • Handwashing is key to reducing spread.


Flu

  • In Worcester County, influenza cases are trending upward while RSV and COVID cases are decreasing.


COVID-19 US

  • Overall, COVID percent positivity appears to be trending downward in the US.
  • Deaths also appear to be trending downwards.


COVID-19 MA

  • Over the last week, there were 1,976 confirmed new COVID cases.
  • There have been 84,150 confirmed cases this season.
  • There have been 12 confirmed COVID-19 deaths reported this week and 792 this season.


COVID-19 UMMMC

  • The current 7-day positivity rate is 5.8%.
  • The seven-day average of COVID deaths is 19 with 68% being fully vaccinated.
  • Cases in-house are also trending downward.

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.

Yoga Classes with Dr. Liz Erban



New members always welcome. 

Please join us at 6:30-7:30am for a gentle awakening yoga session led by the talented

Liz Erban. All are welcome. 

Happy third year anniversary to the yoga class.  

https://umassmed.zoom.us/j/91343267992?pwd=ZHF3NHVrVlR1MVdMV09HSE5lTzdsQT09

Past editions of the Tuesday Talk Newsletter are available at 

https://www.umassmed.edu/fmch/ under Resources.