News on the Go #686, February 3, 2009

Topics at a glance: UT System Wellness Programs & Services ... Exchange 2007 Upgrade ... Parking System Conversion Update ... Last Call: Star Awards ... Library Updates ... School of Public Health Events ... CCTS Lecture Series ... Family Medical Leave Act ... Texas Tuberculosis Researcher Symposiu ... Darwin2009 Houston ... Tax Information Workshop ... Conflict Resolution ... CPR Training/Certification ... Doctors Orchestra of Houston ... Fleming Center Panel Discussion ... 2009 HIPAA / SSN Privacy Training ... President’s Town Hall ... Healthy Kids, Healthy Houston ... iModules Scholarship Program ... UTPD News ... Dental Services ... WorkLife Wellness Tip of the Week

NEW! UT System Wellness Programs & Services

All UT Select insured employees should have received a flyer in the mail this week announcing the new UT System “Living Well” Program that offers new benefits you can access from your computer at home, work, or your web-based mobile device. Some of the new features include:

• Online Personal Health Manager – tools & information to help you lose weight, eat better, get fit, quit smoking or better manage your stress.
• 2nd Annual UT System Physical Activity Challenge Program – encouraging you to exercise 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 6 weeks.
• 100% free colonoscopy preventive coverage.
• 24/7 Nurseline.

For additional one-on-one assistance, call and make an appointment with Wellness Coach Sam Hester, cWC, CPT, LWMC, at 713-500-3327. It’s confidential and free. Visit UT Counseling and Wellness Services for more information on the wellness services provided.

Exchange 2007 Upgrade

Data Center Operations & Services began migrating accounts from Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2007 on Monday, Feb. 2. The migration activity will NOT occur during business hours. Each individual account move will take approximately 10 minutes. During the move period, your e-mail will not be available. See below for the initial migration schedule. After the first few days of the migration, the remainder of the schedule will be sent out.

We recommend you refrain from accessing e-mail the night your account is scheduled for migration. If by chance your account is migrated while you are accessing e-mail, any unsaved messages, tasks, notes, contacts or calendar items you create will be lost.

For more information about the migration, contact Tony.F.Murry@uth.tmc.edu.

MIGRATION SCHEDULE (excludes students and SHIS users)

Here is a little of what Exchange 2007 has to offer:

• New and improved Outlook Web Access
• Increased default mailbox size
• Improved performance and reliability
• Increased search functionality in Outlook Web Access and Outlook
• Ability to check mailbox usage data in Outlook Web Access
• A link to more information about Exchange 2007 features will be sent out at a later date

Parking System Conversion Update

The Texas Medical Center (TMC) has begun their parking equipment conversion. Over the next several weeks and months, those of you who park in a TMC lot or garage will receive a new access card. Some of you have already received your new card.

Your access card will arrive via interoffice mail. We will also be sending all UTHSCH employees and students frequent email updates that will include dates that the conversions will take place at the various TMC lots and garages.

Please remember to keep your old parking card during the transition of the entire campus, as it will be needed when parking on campus at nights and on weekends.

Please see the list below for February conversion dates. We will send more dates for future months as we receive them from TMC.

If you have not received your new parking card, please contact parking@uth.tmc.edu or call Texas Medical Center at 713-747-PARK (7275).

Last Call: Star Awards

The 14th annual Star Awards banquet is around the corner, Wednesday, Feb. 18. If you received an invite and plan on attending the Star Awards banquet, RSVP to Rose.M.Betancourt-Trevino@uth.tmc.edu by Tuesday, Feb. 3.

For more information about the Star Awards, visit Star Awards or contact Rose.M.Betancourt-Trevino@uth.tmc.edu.

HAM-TMC Library Updates

ABCs of DNA: Genetics for Consumers Class

Do you ever wonder what the odds are of you getting the conditions your grandparents had? Check out the class ABCs of DNA: Unraveling the Mystery of Genetics Information for Consumers 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center Library.

To register, visit HAM-TMC Library. This class is part of the Darwin2009 Houston Celebration.

HAM-TMC Library Classes

• Finding Electronic Resources – 5 – 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 3
• PubMed – 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 3
• Excel 2007 Basic – 10 a.m. – noon, Wednesday, Feb. 4
• Excel 2007 Intermediate – 10 a.m. – noon, Wednesday, Feb. 11
• PubMed – 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 17
• PowerPoint 2007 Basic – 10 a.m. – noon Wednesday, Feb. 18
• Excel 2007 Basic – 10 a.m. – noon, Thursday, Feb. 26

All classes are free and offered in the library classroom. Click here to view the complete class schedule and register.

School of Public Health Events

The University of Texas School of Public Health (SPH) Career and Alumni Services offers the following upcoming events:

• Open House: 1:30 – 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 4, SPH Room E201
• Job Opportunities in Research & Grants Management: noon – 1 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 5, SPH Room 102A
• Social Gathering: 5 – 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, SPH Room 102A

For more information, contact Pantheia.Evans@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-9024.

CCTS Lecture Series

The Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences presents the following lecture series, noon – 1 p.m., Thursdays throughout February, in the UT Professional Building, 6410 Fannin, 11th floor. The February schedule includes:

• Feb. 5 – "What the CCTS Can Do For You," presented by Pablo Okhuysen, M.D., Professor, Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases, UT Medical School
• Feb. 12 – “How to Use the CCTS Clinical Research Units,” presented by Pablo Okhuysen, M.D., Professor, Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases, UT Medical School
• Feb. 19 – “Cayuse 424 Solution for Grants.gov” (a web-based application used to submit Grants.gov), presented by Johnna Kincaid, Executive Director, Sponsored Projects Administration, UTHSC-H
• Feb. 26 – “The Nuts and Bolts on How to Prepare Budgets for Clinical Research,” presented by Denee Velazquez, CCTS, CRU

For more information, contact Linda.N.Gilbert@uth.tmc.edu.

Family Medical Leave Act Updates

Human Resource representatives will discuss highlights of 2009 regulatory updates and the new military Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) on the following dates:

• 2:30 – 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 5, University Center Tower, Room 1505 C
• 10 – 11 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, Dental Branch, Room 340

Topics will include new regulations, updated FMLA procedures and revised forms. All employees may attend; supervisors, managers and administrators who process FMLA documents are strongly encouraged to attend. For more information, visit Employee Relations.

Texas Tuberculosis Researcher Symposium

Tuberculosis in Texas is the topic of a joint symposium hosted by The University of Texas Medical School at Houston and the Methodist Hospital Research Institute (TMHRI) Saturday, Feb. 7.

Several Medical School faculty will present at the first Texas Tuberculosis Researcher Symposium, including Robert Hunter, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Chinnaswamy Jagannath, Ph.D., associate professor of pathology; Jeffrey Actor, Ph.D., professor of pathology; and Lisa Armitige, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of internal medicine. James Musser, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pathology at TMHRI, will co-sponsor the event with our faculty at the Medical School.

The purpose of the meeting is to share information on the current status of research and clinical endeavors undertaken to combat tuberculosis across the state. Researchers from UTHSC-Houston, TMHRI, UTHSC-Tyler, Texas A&M University College Station, UTMB, UTHSC-San Antonio, Texas Southern University, UT Southwestern, Baylor, Texas Children’s Hospital, and the Texas Department of Health Services will present and exchange information.

For more information or to register, contact Jeffrey.K.Actor@uth.tmc.edu or Chinnaswamy.Jagannath@uth.tmc.edu.

Darwin2009 Houston

Darwin2009 Houston honors the bicentennial anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species, with a year-long celebration of Darwin’s life and contributions to science. The goal of Darwin2009 Houston is to engage a broad audience in recognizing the importance of the science of evolution, supporting science education and recognizing how science affects life.

Darwin2009 Houston is Saturday, Feb. 7 – Monday, Nov. 30 and includes various events:

• Saturday, Feb. 7 – Darwin Day at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences
• Thursday, Feb. 12 – Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin 200th Birthday Celebration & ABCs of DNA Workshop
• Tuesday, Feb. 24 – Francisco Ayala, Ph.D., Lecture: “Darwin’s Gift to Science and Religion”
• Thursday, Feb. 26 – David Lipman, M.D. Lecture: “The Flu Virus Believes in Evolution”

For a complete list of events and more details, visit Darwin2009 Houston.

Tax Information Workshop

The Office of International Affairs is hosting a Tax Information Workshop 2 – 4 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10, and a repeat session 3 – 5 p.m., Tuesday, March 10, at the School of Public Health Auditorium, Room E-101.

International students and scholars who received any payment for services in the United States during the 2008 calendar year must prepare a US income tax form and submit it to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by midnight, Wednesday, April 15, 2009. This is required even if all, or part of, your US earnings are exempt from tax under a tax treaty with your country. Internationals visitors holding J-1 or F-1 visa status should fill out and submit an IRS Form 8843 even if you received no payment while in the United States.

For more information, visit the Office of International Affairs.

Conflict Resolution: Dealing with Difficult People

Human Resources offers the training class Conflict Resolution: Dealing with Difficult People 9 – 11 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, in UCT 1505c. The easiest way to deal with difficult people is to stay far away from them, which is great advice for those who work alone. However, most people can't avoid such interactions. In this training class you’ll find new and effective techniques for dealing with difficult people, learn techniques for dealing with frustration and anger and develop coping strategies.

To see more classes and register for classes, log on to the Training Resource Center.

CPR Training/ Certification

The University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston Alumni Association is sponsoring CPR training and certification for all healthcare professionals and students, 1 – 4 p.m., Fridays, Feb. 13, March 20 and April 10 at SON room 370. Registration costs $50; only cash or checks are accepted for payment. For more information or registration, e-mail alumni@uth.tmc.edu.

Doctors Orchestra of Houston

The Doctors Orchestra of Houston‘s next concert, “Sounds of Hope” is 5 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 15, at the Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater. Tickets: $10-$20; available at www.DoctorsOrchestraHouston.org or at the door.

The Doctors Orchestra consists of people who work in the health professions, including faculty, residents, students, researchers, therapists and dentists. This program will include the Piano Concerto No. 2 by Rachmaninoff, with the piano solo played by the noted Houston performer, Zoya Shuhatovich, and a choral work, “Sing for the Cure.” The Bayou City Chorale will join with the Doctors Orchestra for the choral work. This concert will benefit the AIDS Foundation of Houston. For more information, visit Doctors Orchestra of Houston.

Fleming Center Panel Discussion: Healthcare Leadership Challenges

The University of Texas School of Public Health’s George McMillan Fleming Center for Healthcare Management will host its third moderated panel discussion from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 17, in the auditorium of the Reuel A. Stallones Building, 1200 Herman Pressler.

Osama Mikhail, Ph.D., senior vice president of Strategic Planning, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, professor of Management and Policy Sciences, and director of the George McMillan Fleming Center for Healthcare Management, The University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston, will moderate “Hospital – Medical Staff Relations: Aligning Interests.” The panel of distinguished speakers will include Marc Boom, M.D., executive vice president, The Methodist Hospital; David Pate, M.D., CEO, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital; and Juanita Romans, CEO, Memorial Hermann – Texas Medical Center.

This presentation is open to anyone interested. For more information, contact Shannon.M.Larson@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-3252.

2009 HIPAA / SSN Privacy Training Compliance Series

The Offices of Legal Affairs and Information Technology launched the 2009 HIPAA / SSN Privacy Training Compliance Series required of all UT Health Science Center at Houston employees. All employees must complete this training by Monday, Feb. 23.

This online training is located within the Training & Resource Center (TRC) and takes approximately two hours to complete. Detailed instructions to access and complete the training are below. You must review the training content and complete the associated assessments in order to receive credit. If you need to request a paper version of this training, please contact Megan Williford in Human Resources at 713-500-3074 or Megan.Williford@uth.tmc.edu.

If you have questions about the HIPAA training content or assessment, please contact the Office of Legal Affairs: Christina Solis, J.D. at 713-500-3305. If you have questions about the SSN training content or assessment, please contact Information Technology: Beverly Moore at 713-500-2251. If you experience technical issues or need help with the TRC please contact: the UT Help Desk at 713-500-4848 or Megan Williford at 713-500-3074, TRCAdmin@uth.tmc.edu.

Instructions for accessing and completing the “2009 HIPAA / SSN Privacy Training Compliance Series”

1. Please visit https://mytrc.uth.tmc.edu and log in using your UT Health Science Center User-ID and password

2. Once logged in to the Training & Resource Center (TRC) you will be on your ‘My TRC’ homepage with your name listed at the top

3. There will be an orange hyper-link for "2009 HIPAA / SSN Privacy Training Compliance Series”listed under Mandatory Training on your homepage

4. Click on the hyper-link and then select the blue button "Take Course” (make sure the take course for credit box remains checked)

5. The first section of the course includes an introduction as well as instructions for completing each section of the course and printing a completion certificate

6. You must receive a green completion check mark next to EVERY section of this online training in order to receive credit and print your completion certificate

7. Make sure to follow the navigation buttons within the training and select the blue RETURN button located at the bottom of the window when completing a specific section

8. Once you have completed the course you may check your status by selecting the link for "My Training Record" located in the left tool-bar of the TRC

President’s Town Hall

Plan to attend the first of the university-wide meetings in the President’s Town Hall Meeting Series noon – 1 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 26, at the auditorium of the UT Medical School (MSB 3.001). Dr. Larry Kaiser will present important issues and address your toughest questions. Beverages and desserts will be served. For more information, contact Rose.M.Betancourt-Trevino@uth.tmc.edu.

Healthy Kids, Healthy Houston

Nancy Correa, MPH, Community Engagement Specialist, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston, and director, CAN DO Houston Initiative, will participate in a panel discussion at the 9th Annual Community Collaborations Luncheon and Forum "Healthy Kids, Healthy Houston" 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Tuesday, March 3, at the Junior League of Houston, 1811 Briar Oaks Lane, Houston, TX 77027.

The 9th Annual Community Collaborations Luncheon and Forum "Healthy Kids, Healthy Houston" is presented by the Community Collaborations Council, whose mission is to inspire and educate the Greater Houston community about issues that impact the lives of children and families.

Luncheon and forum tickets are $25 and may be purchased at The Junior League of Houston, Inc. Space is limited; advance registration is requested by Friday, Feb. 27. For more information about the luncheon and forum, contact Kathleen Brickley at 713-871-6679, diversity@juniorleaguehouston.org.

iModules Scholarship Program

iModules, an online alumni community, will provide individual $2,500 scholarships to five students enrolled in secondary or higher education institutions that are current iModules clients. The iModules Educational Scholarship Program was established in March 2008 and was founded on the belief in assisting students with pursuing their educational goals.

Visit the 2009 iModules Scholarship Program site for more information or to apply. Application deadline is Wednesday, April 15. Winning students will be notified by May 1, 2009.

UTPD News

News and announcements from The University of Texas Police Department can be found on the Workplace page of the intranet. This new section includes safety tips, security reports and crime alerts.

Dental Services

The University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston is currently seeking individuals in need of crowns and bridges to serve as patients for our dental students. All students are closely supervised by fully licensed professors at the Dental Branch. Typical fees are about one-third of the cost normally found in the traditional private practice office.

The only difference is that the procedures performed in an educational setting are not done as swiftly as those in a private dental office. If you are interested in obtaining dental service at a reduced cost please contact Dental.Crowns@uth.tmc.edu.

WorkLife Wellness Tip of the Week

You can be thin outside but fat inside. A recent study showed that 45 percent of the women and 60 percent of the men had excessive levels of internal fat even though they were within normal weight ranges. Individuals, who use diet as their primary form of weight control, rather than exercise, are at increased risk of having these internal fat stores.

Doctors theorize that the location of the fat makes a difference: the closer it is to the deep vital organs, the worse it is for you. This could be due to the fat interrupting the body’s internal communication mechanisms. This could increase thin peoples’ risks for diabetes or other negative health risk factors. The good news is that exercise can help reduce these internal fat deposits. For wellness help, make an appointment with Wellness Coach Sam Hester, cWC, CPT, LWMC, at 713-500-3327.