UMass FMCH Tuesday Talk - January 6, 2026/CLINICAL | | |
Table of Contents
Message From the Chair
Upcoming Events
Focus of the Week - Clinical
Announcements
Department Member Recognition
Frankly Speaking Podcast
Resources
| | |
Message From the Chair
M. Diane McKee, MD, MS, UMass Memorial Ledwith Chair in Family & Community Medicine
Welcome to 2026! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season filled with family and friends, and time to rest and recharge. And as always, we are grateful to those who covered our various services.
As we look ahead, we know there will continue to be challenges at many levels. We will persist, consistent with our values, drawing on our discipline’s roots in advocacy. We will continue to teach and provide outstanding care through challenging times, guided by our commitment to our patients and their families and to the communities where they live and work.
Happy New Year and best wishes to each of you!
| | |
Upcoming Events
FMCH Grand Rounds
Tuesday, January 6th, 12:00 - 1:00pm, "Radiology Ordering for the Family Physician: Selecting the Right Radiologic Exam", presented by Elisabeth Garwood, MD, Debajyoti Saha, MD, Nadezhda Lushina, MD and David Bass, MD.
Meeting ID: 191 986 273
Passcode: FMCH
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/191986273?pwd=NEtlZmNkdWlSUGwyeTJQU3dCeUs1QT09
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Grand Rounds
Thursday, January 8th, 12:00 - 1:00pm, "Exciting Developments in Positron Emission Tomography for Oncology, Neurology, and Even Psychiatry", presented by Robert Innis, MD, PhD.
Meeting ID: 818 349 233
Passcode: PsychGR1
https://umassmed.zoom.us/j/818349233?pwd=VVRDNUxZZmF4K3NqNXppTHJiVmNSUT09
| | |
Focus of the Week - Diversity
Josephine Fowler, MD, MBA, Vice Chair of Clinical Services
Updates in Healthcare 2026- Be Informed.
New Immunization Changes in 2026:
In 2026, the CDC revised the U.S. childhood immunization schedule, removing universal recommendations for rotavirus, influenza, meningococcal disease, and hepatitis A vaccines.
- These vaccines are now placed under a “shared clinical decision-making” framework, encouraging parents to consult with healthcare providers based on individual risk.
- The changes were approved by CDC Acting Director Jim O’Neill without the agency’s usual external expert review and reflect a broader effort to reduce the number of vaccines routinely recommended for all children.
Major changes to the U.S. childhood immunization schedule were announced Monday by federal health officials, reducing the number of diseases covered by routine vaccination from 17 to 11, according to reporting from The New York Times. Public health experts say the shift marks a significant break from the evidence‑based process that has guided federal vaccine policy for decades.
Although states ultimately determine their own school vaccination requirements, CDC recommendations heavily shape state regulations, clinical practice, and insurance coverage. Experts noted that while earlier adjustments under the current administration targeted individual vaccines, the latest revisions fundamentally alter the overall structure of childhood immunization guidance.
The updated schedule, which takes effect immediately, and was issued by Jim O’Neill, the acting director of the CDC.
CDC Acts on Presidential Memorandum to Update Childhood Immunization Schedule | CDC Newsroom
CDC Adopts Individual-Based Decision-Making for Hepatitis B Immunization for Infants Born to Women Who Test Negative for Hepatitis B Virus | CDC Newsroom
State of Health in Massachusetts
Massachusetts consistently ranks among the healthiest states in the nation, reflecting strong healthcare infrastructure, high insurance coverage, and robust public health systems. Residents experience a higher life expectancy than the national average, supported by widespread access to preventive and specialty care.
The Commonwealth has achieved near-universal health insurance coverage, yet cost-related barriers to care persist for some residents. While overall health outcomes are favorable, chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease remain prevalent, particularly in communities facing economic and social challenges.
- Behavioral health and substance use continue to pose significant public health concerns.
- Although progress has been made in tobacco cessation and overdose prevention, opioid use disorder and mental health conditions remain leading contributors to morbidity and mortality.
Health inequities persist across racial, ethnic, geographic, and socioeconomic lines.
- Differences in life expectancy, chronic disease burden, maternal outcomes, and access to care highlight the ongoing impact of social determinants of health, including housing instability, food insecurity, education, and income.
Overall, Massachusetts demonstrates strong population health outcomes, yet continued investment in health equity, prevention, and community-based interventions is essential to ensure that all residents benefit equally from the state’s healthcare and public health advancements. Please note: Massachusetts has not adopted the CDC’s scaled-back vaccine recommendations and is maintaining its own evidence-based guidance.
What About Worcester?
In Worcester, these challenges are more pronounced due to higher levels of economic insecurity, housing instability, and racial and ethnic diversity.
- Worcester residents experience higher rates of chronic disease, mental health needs, and substance use, alongside barriers to timely and affordable care.
- Immigrant and historically marginalized communities face disproportionate health burdens driven by social determinants such as food insecurity, transportation limitations, and language access.
How do we communicate this with patients?
“Some vaccines are no longer on the universal schedule, but they’re still available and still recommended for many children depending on their health, exposures, and family preferences. Our role is to help you make the best decision for your child’s situation.”
“This vaccine is no longer in the universal category, but it remains safe, effective, and recommended for many children depending on their risk. Based on your child’s situation—[daycare, travel, chronic condition]—they may still benefit. We are here to can walk you through the risks and benefits so you can make an informed choice that aligns with your goals.”
In 2026, our department will continue to forge ahead to address health equity and improve health outcomes for all. As we select and work on system and department metrics, we look forward to sharing this information with you throughout the year. If you have unique projects or site level initiatives you want to share, please share with us throughout the year.
| | |
Announcements
Welcome to these new hires over the past several months:
Ailie Tan, MD, hospitalist, Briana Linney, Research Coordinator II and Aarsh Zadaphiya, Research Coordinator I, both working with Dr. Suzanne Mitchell and Barbara Delacruz, and Efrosini (Effie) Konomi, PA-C, working at Barre. This is our weekly internal newsletter and you will also receive Family Medicine Moments, a weekly reflective newsletter. Welcome!
CIPC with psychologists Jenna Mullarkey and Brian Stran-Joy are addressing Annual Behavioral Health Wellness Exams as a tool for early identification, prevention, and whole-person care in an upcoming free webinar on Wednesday, January 7th at 1pm.
Register here https://umassmed.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3IutgkYw4XiHaBg
Summer Community Health Assistantship
If you would like a rising 1st year medical student to work with you on a community health or research project, project summaries are due February 2nd here . Students will apply by March 31st and be matched by April 15th. The students will receive a small stipend to work during June and July for four weeks. If your project/grant can provide the stipend, then more students can be involved. Linda Cragin will coordinate the community health projects this year, contact her at Linda.Cragin@umassmed.edu.
Med Moth
Add to your calendar - Med Moth, January 15th, 5:30 pm (Albert Sherman Center Multi-Purpose Room/Cafeteria). Med Moth is also looking for speakers at this upcoming event. Med Moth is an event based on the Moth Story Hour where 6-8 members of the UMass Community (SOM, GSN, and GSBS) share stories for 5-10 minutes each. Past talks have been humerus or serious about the speaker's journey into medicine, meaningful patient encounters, or other experiences that have shaped one's personal or professional identity in health care. Those interested in sharing a story can contact event organizer, Maddie Mulkern (madeline.mulkern2@umassmed.edu). Talks do not need to be scripted or pre-approved.
Advanced Massachusetts Tuberculosis Infection ECHO
Open to Massachusetts primary care team members including clinicians, nurses, care managers, community health workers, peer navigators, pharmacists, social workers! Course starts January 15th, 2026!! Interested in being able to test and treat your patients for TB infection within the primary care setting and manage some of the more nuanced scenarios? Beginners and more advanced participants welcome! All participants will receive introductory materials prior to the start of the eight-session virtual and interactive course. You can receive up to 8 CME credits, and the course is free. Please see the attached flyer for details and register here.
SAVE THE DATE: Warren Ferguson Annual Community Health Professorship Grand Rounds – will be April 7th - Etel Haxhiaj, former Worcester City Councilor and housing advocate will be this year’s visiting professor.
| | |
Department Member Recognition
Each year, Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP) recognizes the primary care practices that rank highest on our annual statewide Patient Experience Survey through an awards program we call the “MHQP Patient Experience Awards.” This year Hahnemann Family Health Center is being recognized for the MQHP Patient Experience Award for Patient-Clinician Communication (adult care).
Congratulations to Philip Day, who has been approved by HRSA as the program director/PI for MassAHEC and James Laford, approved as the evaluator for the grant. The medical school has received AHEC grant funding continuously since 1977.
Ginny Van Duyne and Worcester FM Residency are pleased to announce the new WFMR Chief Residents and Schedulers for AY27:
Barre FHC: Noah Welker, MD (Chief) and Tony Hu, DO (Scheduler)
Queen St: Tesa Danusantoso, MD (Chief)
Hahnemann FHC: Alicia Ding, DO (Chief) and Lauren McKenna, MD (Scheduler)
A big THANK YOU to our outgoing Chief Residents and schedulers for all of your hard work this past year!
Barre FHC: Matt Morrow, DO (Chief) and Lindsay (Donahue) Callahan, DO (Scheduler)
Queen St: Zoë Onion, MD (Chief)
Hahnemann FHC: Ope Olukorede, MD (Chief) and Tamika Isaac, DO (Scheduler)
| | |
Frankly Speaking Podcast
Please join us for a weekly Podcast series. Concerns over eating carbohydrate-rich potatoes have been raised over the last decade with numerous studies suggesting worrisome effects on health. Tune in as we unpack findings from a large study that examined the relationship between potato intake and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), helping you apply evolving nutrition science to patient counseling. Guest: Robert A. Baldor, MD, FAAFP, presents, "Potatoes and T2DM Risk: Which Preparations Made the Cut?". Frankly Speaking Episode #466. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/frankly-speaking-about-family-medicine/id1194659367
| | Please help us continue gathering information about instances of racism, bias, and microaggressions experienced by our learners, faculty, and staff. We encourage everyone to use our support tool using the QR code, which takes approximately five minutes to complete. | | | | | |
