Kenneth D. Smith, Ph.D., UTMB's interim director for the Center to Eliminate Health Disparities, has been selected to participate in a
yearlong executive leadership program designed to tackle racial and ethnic disparities in health care. Smith is one of only 60 individuals from 21 health care organizations from around the nation to be selected for the Disparities Leadership Program 2015-2016. The program is led by the Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
Congratulations to the latest winners of the Always Award, given quarterly to recognize units and clinics that have moved their teams closer to always doing the right thing for our patients. Inpatient winner: Unit J5D (Medicine/ Nephrology) was recognized for overall exceptional performance and significant improvement in patient satisfaction measures. Patient comments reflected that the team communicates well and demonstrates compassion, professionalism and courtesy. Ambulatory winner: ENT–Brittany Bay was recognized for its exceptional office staff and how well test results were communicated with patients. Patients have commented that the care team takes time to engage in meaningful conversations about their care plans and that they demonstrate a high level of professionalism.
In May, the UTMB Rapid Response Team made its 5,000th rapid response activation! The team is composed of highly experienced ICU RNs and respiratory therapists who provide rapid, urgent and emergent care to patients to help prevent hospital complications, transfers and codes. Since the program began 10 years ago, the team’s been critical to our emergency response process. Learn more about the team in the May 29 issue of the Health System Friday Focus newsletter.
Congratulations to Yolanda Davila, Ph.D., RN, and Carol Wiggs, Ph.D., RN, CNM! The Academy of Master Teachers is honoring them with Lifetime Achievement Awards this year. They will be recognized at the fall induction of the academy’s new members.
Six SON students, two GSBS students and three SOM students were recently honored as Interprofessional Scholars. Medals were awarded at recent graduation ceremonies for the three schools. SON awardees: Kara Berg, Isabella Dao, Amanda Hancock, Jarrelle Harper-Waldorf, Kristine Nguyen and Grace Tang. GSBS awardees: Alina Bennett and Jacqueline Stout. SOM awardees: Julian Matthew Thomas Jones, DeKrisha Danielle Lew and Brittany Nicole Taute. Interprofessional Scholars in the SHP will be honored at the school's upcoming graduation ceremony.