We recently shared the exciting news that UTMB earned an “A” grade for the second consecutive reporting period from the Leapfrog Group for our accomplishments in reducing errors, infections and accidents that can harm patients.
Your hard work and dedication to providing Best Care is paying off for our patients. Receiving an “A” grade—not once but twice—shows that we are consistently providing high-quality care and are committed to being a leader in this new era of health care. You can read more about this outstanding achievement in the Working Wonders section of this issue.
With the 2018 hurricane season almost upon us, Dr. Gulshan Sharma, our institutional emergency preparedness officer, and I sent out a global email to share general information on how UTMB prepares for and communicates during emergencies, as well as a list of actions you can take now to be ready at work and at home. Please take a moment to review the message, and remember to complete the required 2018 Emergency Classification and Acknowledgement Form. You can also go to www.utmb.edu/emergency_plan to view materials from the recent UTMB Emergency Preparedness Meeting.
As part of your preparation efforts, please see the article on our UTMB Alerts mass notification system on page 5. All faculty, staff and students are automatically enrolled in the system with their university phone and email. But we’re working to get more people to include their mobile number in their profile. The article discusses how you can update your profile to ensure you receive UTMB Alerts texts or mobile calls for the most rapid notification of an emergency.
Among the other stories included in this issue of Impact:
A day in the life of Angela McDowell, UTMB’s sustainability coordinator
A profile of Dr. Stephanie Zepeda, associate vice president for Pharmacy Services
A Best Care in Action segment highlighting UTMB’s Imaging Stewardship team and their focus on patient safety and addressing overutilization
An article showing how UTMB’s Administrative Information Systems team collaborated with other departments to perform software upgrades in-house to save $1 million
Coverage of the 2018 School of Nursing commencement, including how several graduates are “keeping it in the family”
A new segment highlighting “hidden talents” among our employees
Tips for recognizing and responding to the signs of stroke, by Brenda Yanez, stroke coordinator
A “UTMB Trivia” history question to test your knowledge and enter your name for a chance to win a UTMB swag bag
Numerous accomplishments and kudos in the Working Wonders column and throughout the newsletter
If you have ideas for future issues of the newsletter, let the Impact team know. Thank you!
Dr. David L. Callender
UTMB President