Issue #711, July 28, 2009

Topics at a glance: Fall 2009 Schedule of Classes ... iPhone Support Coming Soon ... Team CommQuest ... UT Physicians Online Patient Survey ... SPH Continuing Education ... UTHSC-H 17th Annual Scholarship Golf Classic ... Internal Medicine Blackboard Site ... Palliative and Geriatric Medicine Symposium ... Rec Sports ... Academic Technology Classes ... Internal Medicine Grand Rounds ... Printing Services & Quick Copy ... Living Well Health Manager ... Clinical Research Budgeting and Billing Compliance Program ... Burroughs Wellcome Fund Grant Programs ... Family & Community Medicine Grand Rounds ... HAM-TMC Library Updates ... Traffic Alert ... TMC Parking System Conversion Update ... HOOP Updates

Fall 2009 Schedule of Classes

The Fall 2009 Schedule of Classes is currently available at the Registrar’s Office.

• Open registration is through Aug. 28. Payment is due Aug. 28.
• Open registration for DBPG is through Aug. 21. Payment is due Aug. 28.
• DHYG students have been registered by the Office of the Registrar. Payment is due Aug. 14.
• Late registration for GSBS, CLRS, NURS, SHIS and SPH students is Aug. 31 – Sept. 4. ($15 late fee).
• Late registration for DBPG is Aug. 24 – 28. ($15 late fee).

For more information, visit the Registrar’s Office.

iPhone Support Coming Soon

iPhone support is coming soon for UT faculty and staff. If you would like to take a look at comparisons between BlackBerrys and iPhones with regard to UT connectivity, please visit: iPhone Support

Team CommQuest: Week 3

Join the Communications Team as they plunge into health, feet first, kicking and screaming the whole way. Each week, members of Public Affairs’ Team CommQuest will inspire you to get fit or at least get out of the way as they try. This week, Cynthia Johnson gets a grip on diet, exercise and even inner peace.

UT Physicians Online Patient Survey

Share your experience with UT Physicians Clinics using the online patient survey. In order to help better serve patients, UT Physicians invites its patients to participate in an online survey. Using the survey, patients can let UT Physicians know about its performance on various aspects of their medical care experience in UT Physicians clinics.

The survey takes about five minutes to complete and also provides patients the opportunity to offer comments and suggestions. Share your medical care experience by participating in the UT Physicians Online Patient Survey.

For more information, contact Donald.E.Meade@uth.tmc.edu, 832-325-7314.

SPH Continuing Education

The Southwest Center for Occupational & Environmental Health presents its 2009 continuing education schedule :

• When Disaster Strikes : Planning for and responding to disasters, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Aug. 4 – 5.
• Industrial Hygiene Air Sampling , 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Aug. 10 – 13.
• Comprehensive Industrial Hygiene Review , 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Aug. 10 – 14.

For more information, contact Vickie.L.Mason@uth.tmc.edu , 713-500-9451.

UTHSC-H 17th Annual Scholarship Golf Classic

Attention Houston Golfers! The 17th Annual University of Texas Health Science Center Scholarship Golf Classic tees up at 10 a.m., Oct.19, at Palmers Golf Course in The Woodlands. The tournament is open to the public, and this year, features country music star Clay Walker, an old friend and strong supporter of the UT Health Science Center. Plenty of gifts, prizes, food and auction items will be on hand, including a signed guitar donated by Clay Walker.

All proceeds go to fund scholarships for health science center students in all six schools. This year, the goal is 200 golfers and $100,000 in scholarship funds. This year’s co-chairs are Drs. Jerry Wolinsky and Max Buja, along with Mr. Barry Lewis, member of the UT Health Science Center Development Board.

For more information, contact Rose.M.Betancourt-Trevino@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-3209.

Internal Medicine Blackboard Site

The University of Texas Medical School at Houston Internal Medicine Residency Program announces a newly customized Blackboard Web site that offers one stop for locating medical education goals and objectives, announcements, rotation schedules and residency program details, plus links to key medical articles and Web sites.

The newly customized site will continue to expand features and functions throughout the academic year to help IM residents quickly access information. Users may offer anonymous feedback to help improve processes, procedures and overall operations. The Internal Medicine Blackboard Web site may be accessed at Internal Medicine Blackboard.

For more information, contact Harbes.A.Charity@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-6536.

Palliative and Geriatric Medicine Symposium

The First Annual Palliative and Geriatric Medicine Symposium: Touching Lives, Relieving Suffering, will take place from 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Friday, July 31, at LBJ Hospital, UT Annex Auditorium 217. This symposium presents an opportunity for health care professionals to learn about geriatric and palliative medicine clinical issues, and also presents the perspectives of a variety of community and agency leaders who work with older persons and persons needing supportive care.

Speakers include experts in medicine, religion, nursing, social work, case management, protective services and the justice system. This is an exciting opportunity to earn no cost CME and CNE. Breakfast, lunch and other refreshments will be served. Registration fee of $25 in advance, $20 for students and $30 at the door.

For more information, contact Barbara.Reilley@uth.tmc.edu , 713-873-4687.

Rec Sports

Softball League

UT/TMC Fall Co-Ed Softball League registration is now open! Games will be played from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday nights beginning Aug. 17. Cost is $225 for UTHSC-H students and $275 for all others. Registration and payment are due before Aug. 11.

For more information, contact Kelly.McNamara@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-8422.

Academic Technology Classes

Academic Technology will present classes in Adobe Flash in August. The schedule includes:

Flash Intro – 8 – 11:30 a.m., Aug. 14
Flash I – 8 – 11:30 a.m., Aug. 17

Both classes will be held in the HAM-TMC Library's street-level classroom. Attendance in Flash Intro is required for admittance to Flash I. Seating is limited.

To reserve a seat, contact William.C.Daffin@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-3540.

Internal Medicine Grand Rounds

The University of Texas Medical School at Houston presents the Department of Internal Medicine Grand Rounds, noon – 1 p.m., Tuesdays throughout July, in MSB 2.103. The schedule includes:

• July 28 – “Current State of Evidence-Based Medicine,” presented by Donald Molony, M.D., professor of Medicine, Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, UT Medical School at Houston.

All lectures are accredited for CME credit unless otherwise noted.

For more information, contact Vera.S.Jones@uth.tmc.edu.

Printing Services & Quick Copy

The final date for submitting printing service requests to UT-Printing Services for fiscal year 2009 funds will be Aug. 20. The final date for submitting quick copy requests for 2009 funds will be Aug. 24.

For more information, contact Printing & Media Services, 713-500-4888.

Living Well Health Manager - Get a Free Stainless Steel Water Bottle

The UT System has teamed up with WebMD, one of the nation’s most trusted consumer health information Web sites, to create a new online resource available to all UT SELECT members.

This Web site, called the Living Well Health Manager , helps you take charge of your health so you can start feeling and living well using a variety of personalized and powerful tools including the WebMD HealthQuotient (HQ). This health risk assessment helps identify your personal risk factors and provides a plan to reduce them. Complete your HQ by Aug. 14, and receive a free eco-friendly stainless steel water bottle .

Learn how UT staff members are ‘Living Well’ with ‘Up & At ’Em,’ a wellness program. Follow the Team CommQuest blog , only available on the intranet.

For more information, contact Sam.Hester@uth.tmc.edu , 713-500-3013.

Clinical Research Budgeting and Billing Compliance Program

The Clinical Trials Resource Center will host a course in clinical research budgeting and billing from 9 a.m. – noon, Aug. 11, in the UT Professional Building, Room 1100.55, for clinical research investigators, research nurses, coordinators and clinical research administrative and support staff.

The goals of the Clinical Research Budgeting and Billing Compliance program are to simplify and clarify the clinical research billing processes, ensure full cost recovery of clinical research studies and reduce the risks of inappropriately billing patients and/or third parties. Topics will include budget development, utilization of clinical research budget worksheet template, identification of all clinical trials costs and UT research billing account set up.

Participants must register to attend. For more information, contact Kimberly.Wilson@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-7911.

Burroughs Wellcome Fund Grant Programs

Burroughs Wellcome Fund has announced they will not be accepting grant applications for the following programs during the 2009-2010 cycle:

• Clinical Scientist Awards in Translational Research
• Clinical Scientist Awards in Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Scientist Awards in Interfaces in Science
• Career Awards in Biomedical Sciences
• Career Awards for Medical Scientists

The Office of Research will continue to monitor the BWF Web site and will provide additional information regarding future cycles as it becomes available.

For more information, contact Deanne.M.Hernandez@uth.tmc.edu, 713-500-3192.

Family & Community Medicine Grand Rounds

The University of Texas Medical School at Houston presents the Family & Community Medicine Grand Rounds, 1 – 2 p.m., Wednesdays throughout July, in MSB 2.135. The schedule includes:

• July 29 – “Interventional Cardiology,” presented by Richard Smalling, M.D., professor, Jay Brent Sterling Professor and James D. Woods Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine, UT Medical School at Houston.

HAM-TMC Library Updates

Classes

The HAM-TMC Library offers these upcoming classes:

• Excel 2007 Basic – 2 – 4:30 p.m., Aug. 5
• Nursing Online Resources – 10 – 11:30 a.m., Aug. 12
• Excel 2007 Intermediate – 2 – 4 p.m., Aug. 12
• PowerPoint 2007 Basic – 10 a.m. – noon, Aug. 13

All classes are free and offered in the library classroom. View the complete class schedule and register.

Traffic Alert

Texas-Sterling Construction will be closing northbound traffic access to E. Cullen Street between John Freeman Boulevard and Ross Sterling Avenue through Aug. 16. During this time, traffic will be open to southbound traffic only. All northbound traffic on E. Cullen Street will be directed to turn west on John Freeman Boulevard toward Fannin Street and then north to Ross Sterling Avenue. All accesses and driveways on E. Cullen Street will remain open via Ross Sterling Avenue. The contractor will provide all traffic control during the closure.

For more information, contact Texas Medical Center Security, 713-795-0000.

TMC Parking System Conversion Update

TMC is continuing 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. Please see the list below for conversion dates.

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. This has been one of the biggest issues the conversion process has faced.

If your parking area is scheduled for conversion within the next week and you have not received your new parking card, please contact parking@uth.tmc.edu or call the Texas Medical Center at 713-747-7275.

If you have any questions regarding this schedule or the conversion process, contact Eve Grubb at 713-791-6149.

HOOP Updates

Several policies in the Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOOP) have been revised and updated. Please check out HOOP What's New for specifics on new policy changes or the HOOP 2009 What’s New Archive for all 2009 policy changes.

For general HOOP information, visit HOOP online.