UTMB Announcements for 7/28/2017

Effective July 1, 2017 the Badge Office will be open Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm.

Effective July 12, 2017 the Police Administrative Office will be closed the second Wednesday of each month from 3:45pm – 5:00pm.

If you have any questions please, please contact Kim Vaughn – 772-0651.

Using Electronic Medical Records (EMR) in Monitoring and Addressing Health Disparities

Thursday, August 17, 2017

8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Levin Hall Dining Room

Organized by UTMB Center to Eliminate Health Disparities (CEHD)

The conference is designed to provide a platform for exchanging experience of employing electronic medical records (EMR) to address and monitor health disparities in patient populations. UTMB professionals and guest speakers will also be invited to discuss the use of EMR in supporting clinical decision making, enhancing the institutional priority setting process, and informing effective public policies.

No registration fee.  Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Please register before 5:00 p.m. (CST), August 11, 2017

Registration link: https://redcap.utmb.edu/surveys/?s=EL7L9R8878

Pre-Conference survey link: https://redcap.utmb.edu/surveys/?s=D7ATLD8RN7

 CEHD is working to improve quality of care by addressing health and healthcare disparities in UTMB served populations.

Related published works: https://www.utmb.edu/hpla/health-disparities/publications

For additional information please contact: Wei-Chen Lee 

Email: weilee@utmb.edu   Phone: 409-747-2649

The Epic EMR system will be unavailable due to system maintenance on Saturday, July 29th, 2017, from 2:00pm until 4:00pm (1400-1600).  During this time, clicking on the Epic EMR icon will take you to a Read-Only version of Production Epic.

 Any issues during this time period should be directed to the UTMB Service Desk at ishelp@utmb.eduor extension 25200.

REGISTER NOW!  Who Cares for the Health of Migrants?

Conference registration is now open. This two day event will be held on October 11 and 12, 2017 on the UTMB Galveston Campus in Levin Hall.

The conference is jointly organized and co-sponsored by the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF), and Oxfam-America.

Its aim is to consolidate a constructive policy dialogue among relevant stakeholder groups deepening the understanding of the complexity of factors impacting the health of migrants and their navigation of the health system. These stakeholders include immigrant residents, law and policy-makers, government leaders, healthcare professionals, health system administrators, academicians, community-based service providers, and international and multi-lateral organization representatives.

Presentations will include featured US-based and international speakers who will share a combination of stories from the field, policy analysis and research findings.

Registration link: https://www.utmb.edu/migrants/registration

Submit poster or artwork abstract: https://www.utmb.edu/migrants/call-for-abstracts

For more information, visit the conference website:  https://www.utmb.edu/migrants

The Center to Eliminate Health Disparities (CEHD) is a division of the UTMB Office of Health Policy and Legislative Affairs (HPLA). CEHD strives to improve quality of care by addressing health and healthcare disparities in UTMB served populations.  

Please view related published works at https://www.utmb.edu/cehd/resources.

For additional please information contact:

Hani Serag  Email: haserag@utmb.edu Phone: 409-747-2634 or

Shannon Guillot-Wright Email: spguillo@utmb.edu Phone: 409-356-3781

Your mission:

►should you choose to accept it, is to identify and report UTMB faculty showing extraordinary strength and skills in teaching excellence.

►These educators should be immediately reported to the home office of the Academy of Master Teachers.

►Tips will remain anonymous and the Educator of the Month will be selected from the reported faculty. Winners will be duly recognized and rewarded.

REPORT THE FOLLOWING:

WHO: Name of deserving teaching faculty
WHAT: Reason for nomination
WHEN: As identified, an educator will be recognized each month
WHERE: http://www.utmb.edu/AMT

UTMB Voice Operations will be migrating all UTMB voicemail users to a new voicemail system. Voice Operations has identified all active voicemail users and will be sending directed emails with instructions on how to access and setup the new voicemail box. The email will also address the retention of old voicemail messages. Voice Operations will begin the migration process the week of 7/31. Please send any questions or concerns to isvoice.operations@utmb.edu.

USE YOUR SUPERIOR VISION BENEFITS BEFORE THEY EXPIRE AUGUST 31

UTMB Optometrist Dr. Praveena Gupta and Matthew Crookston would like to welcome employees into the Optical Centers in Galveston and Texas City to use their Superior Vision Benefits. The end of this fiscal year is quickly approaching August 31, make sure you schedule your vision exam and use your eyewear benefit before they expire. Please stop by to see our great selection of designer frames including Silhouette, Prada, Coach, Gwen Stefani, Penguin, Zac Posen, Maui Jim, Costa and our latest design Jhane Barnes. Take advantage of special discounts including 20% savings on your out of pocket expense on your frame choice, plus 20% savings on special lens treatments. Call today to schedule your appointment for an eye examination, or bring in your own prescription. Don’t have Superior Vision, not to worry, we have special package prices starting as low as $79.95 for single vision lenses including selected frames and $149.95 for progressive lenses and selected frame.

Galveston – appointments 409-747-5800, question 409-747-5823

Texas City – appointments 409-978-4377, questions 409-978-4315

The deadine to register your faculty or staff organization for academic year 2017 is August 31, 2017.  Forms can be obtained by calling x2-1902 or you may contact me via email at sauresti@utmb.edu and I will send the application, guidelines and The University of Texas System - Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents regarding Registered Organizations.

Could your department benefit from a student worker? If so, UTMB students participate in the Federal Work Study (FWS) program through Enrollment Services. There is no cost to your department.

If you would like to learn more about FWS and get your name on the list to sign up,  please email Crystal Reeves at cmreeves@utmb.edu

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MEDICAL BRANCH AT GALVESTON

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES

Announces – The Final Examination of

Tania Garron

For the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

August 10, 2017

1:30 P.M.

MRB 4.415

TITLE OF DISSERTATION

HUMAN DPP4/CD26 TRANSGENIC MICE AS SURROGATE MODELS FOR MERS

SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE

Chair: Chien-Te Kent Tseng, PhD, Professor, Microbiology and Immunology Graduate Program, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Slobodan Paessler, DVM, PhD, Professor, Experimental Pathology Graduate Program, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Yingzi Cong, PhD, Professor, Microbiology and Immunology Graduate Program, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Chad Mire, PhD, Assistant Professor, Microbiology and Immunology Graduate Program, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Julian Leibowitz, MD, PhD, Professor, Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology Graduate Program, Texas A&M Health Science Center at Bryan, TX

The annual enrollment period for the 2017–2018 benefits plan year is Saturday, July 15, to Monday, July 31. During this period, you may make changes to your benefits elections, add or remove dependents, and/or enroll in a flexible spending account.

To view or update your current coverage, log in to the My UT Benefits online system using the personal identification number provided to you by the UT System Office of Employee Benefits. No action is needed if you do not want to make any changes to your coverage; however, employees interested in a flexible spending account must actively enroll each year.

Your annual enrollment elections and new rate are effective Friday, Sept. 1.

Click here for more annual enrollment information, including an employee resource guide and a benefits cost worksheet.

Spending a lot of time at the doctor?

The Sealy Center for Vaccine Development-Clinical Trials Group is recruiting volunteers

50 years old or older for a Clostridium difficile vaccine clinical trial.

  Participants must be available for about 6 study visits over approximately 12 months.

Reimbursement for time and travel is provided

 Please contact Amy McMahan, LVN at (409)772-5278, (409)772-5409 or anmcmaha@utmb.edu for more information

Students from all UTMB Schools are invited to enter the Hector P. Garcia Cultural Comptence Essay and Abstract Contests:

Deadline to submit essays: August 11, 2017 by 5pm

Deadline to submit abstract (max 275 words): Extended to August 4, 2017 by 5pm

Essays will be judged by members of the Hector P. Garcia Committee and will be evaluated on the writer's personal understanding of cultural competence and how he or she applies it in the delivery of quality health care. The winner of the essay contest will be presented with the award, as well as a $1,000 monetary award, at the annual luncheon held on September 8, 2017. The best abstracts will be invited to submit a poster for a poster session at the luncheon. A winner will be chosen by faculty and awarded $500. Please review the requirements and register on the website: https://www.utmb.edu/studentservices/hector-p-garcia-award

The Hector P. Garcia Committee and the Office of the President invite all faculty, staff, students, and public to attend the Hector P. Garcia Awards Luncheon celebrating the life of Hector P. Garcia, M.D., UTMB alumni, physician, veteran, community leader, and activist, and the winners of the Hector P. Garcia Cultural Competence Essay Contest and the Hector P. Garcia Abstract Contest.

Date: Friday, September 8, 2017, 11:30am to 1:00pm

Location: Levin Hall Dining Room

Guest Speaker: State of Texas Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa - http://www.senate.texas.gov/member.php?d=20

For further information go to: https://www.utmb.edu/studentservices/hector-p-garcia-award

UTMB’s Institutional ADA Office will host a Lunch & Learn on Wednesday, Aug. 9, from 12 to 1 p.m. in the League City Campus Hospital, Room 3.416.

The Lunch & Learn is open to all employees and managers, and it will address:

• Fundamentals of the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008 and related UTMB policies
• Differences between a temporary job modification and permanent job accommodation
• Process for requesting a temporary job modification or permanent job accommodation
• How to complete required documentation

There will also be a question and answer period at the conclusion of the presentation.

To register for the Lunch & Learn, click here. Seating is limited to the first 20 employees who register. Lunch will not be provided; however, employees are welcome to bring their own food items.

For questions or more information, please contact Lela Lockett-Ware at (409) 747-4818 or  lvlocket@utmb.edu.

NOW is the time to act. During open enrollment, you can set aside up to $2600 in the UT Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA)  account to spend towards weight loss services such as gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, gastric balloon, vBloc, or the new medically supervised weight loss program. Please note that there is a $3000 deductible for  weight loss surgery, all other surgery-related costs are covered at 100%. The patient (employee or dependent) must be enrolled in the same UT Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) insurance plan for 3 consecutive years prior to surgery. For more information regarding eligibility and/or services, visit the Center for Obesity and Metabolic Surgery or call 832-505-1500.

The Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology

Proudly Presents an

Oral Qualifying Exam Seminar by

Catherine Sampson

 Graduate Assistant

 “NmUR2 G Protein Signaling and Receptor Regulation in Obesity”

Friday, July 28^th, 2017

9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

BSB Auditorium 2.212

Mentor: Jonathan D. Hommel, Ph.D.

** ORDER UTMB FY 2017-18 CALENDAR/PLANNERS NOW **

End of FY2017 is fast approaching so place your orders now for FY 2017-18 Calendar/Planners. We fulfill requests in the order they are received, so don’t wait if you want to use this year's funds! Order online today at http://arweb7.utmb.edu/PSP/app/PSP_Start.asp  

Wide format printing, posters, banners, signs, brochures, flyers, postcards, mailers, folders—and so much more, in small or large quantities—we do it all.

Starting Thursday, 7/27/2017 at 5:00pm, Today Business Solutions' punchout site will be unavailable due to scheduled maintenance.  The site will be available again Monday, 7/31/2017 at 8:00am.  Please ensure that your orders have been submitted and approved prior to the scheduled maintenance to avoid any possible delays.  Today’s Business Solutions will still be open for ordering through Special Requests.  Please contact Juanita Garcia at 713.691.8508 or juanita@todaysbusinessolutions.com for quotes and additional assistance with your orders.

Research Services (Office of Sponsored Programs, IRB, IACUC, and Office of Clinical Research) will be closed the afternoon of Monday, July 31, 2017, for staff development. Leadership will check email periodically in the event there is an emergency.

Current UTMB Elissa Crew and the office of Community Relations want to make you aware of a unique opportunity to get out, have fun, get fit, meet new friends, and learn new skills aboard the 1877 Tall Ship Elissa.

Join us on deck (or aloft!) to learn the ropes of this historic vessel. Each year her volunteer program not only maintains ELISSA, but actually sails her proudly into the Gulf of Mexico for annual sea trials. This year will be even more amazing with the Galveston Tall Ship Festival in April, followed by a rare opportunity to sail Elissa into the ports of New Orleans and Pensacola with half a dozen other historic tall ships.

Volunteer crew come in all shapes and sizes, from all walks of life, ranging from early teens to post retirement, and is a great family activity!  All Saturday classes are free with a one-time nominal fee for instructional materials. The ELISSA's Seamanship Program is a great opportunity for UTMB employees to get to know each other, help their community preserve a National Historic Landmark, and keep ELISSA sailing! If you have questions or want to see pictures/videos, contact Dylan Lancaster (info below) or the Texas Seaport Museum (409-763-1877).

ORIENTATION
Saturday, July 29, 2017
2:00 - 5:00 p.m. Texas Seaport Museum
Pier 21 (Harborside), No. 8, Galveston, TX 77550

No commitment necessary. Come see what it's all about!