e-Update
April
2, 2001
Weekly News Briefs
e-Update is distributed
weekly to keep faculty and staff at the University of Miami School of Medicine
up-to-date on news at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center.
To submit news for publication, e-mail items to update@med.miami.edu.
THIS WEEK'S NEWS
--Marvin Siegel Honored for Service and Leadership in AAMC Committee
--School of Medicine Scientists Submit Wealth of Applications for Biomedical
Funds
--U.S. Department of Defense Highlights Dr. Bal Lokeshwar's Prostate Cancer
Research
--Accounts Payable and Related Departments Announce New Location
--United HealthCare Sends Updated PPO ID Cards to Members' Home Addresses
--Assertiveness Training Available On-Site from Employee Assistance Program
--Upcoming Calendar Events
AAMC GROUP AWARDS EMERITUS
MEMBERSHIP TO MARVIN SIEGEL FOR LONGTIME SERVICE
In recognition of over 30
years of service to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), Marvin
Siegel, director of administration and finance at the Diabetes Research Institute
and assistant vice president emeritus of medical administration, was awarded
an emeritus membership from the AAMC's Group on Business Affairs (GBA). Siegel
served as the first chairman of the GBA Professional Development Committee and
organized its National Education Program. As the AAMC/GBA national chairman
from 1972 to 73, he represented senior business officers from all of the nation's
medical schools.
MEDICAL SCHOOL RESEARCHERS
APPLY THEMSELVES IN CALL FOR BIOMEDICAL FUNDING APPLICATIONS
The School of Medicine shined
in the recent bid for grant funding from the Florida Biomedical Research Program.
Of 189 applications submitted, 69 came from researchers at the medical school.
Grants funded through this program will support projects that will address the
prevention, diagnosis, and/or treatment of tobacco-related diseases, such as
cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and pulmonary disease. Peer review of
the applications submitted will be conducted May 2 - 5, with awards expected
to be announced June 1.
DR. BAL LOKESHWAR'S PROSTATE
CANCER RESEARCH LAUDED BY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
The U.S. Department of Defense
recently highlighted the contributions of Bal Lokeshwar, Ph.D., associate professor
in the Department of Urology, in the fight against prostate cancer. His research
is detailed in a new booklet entitled, "Intensifying the Fight Against Prostate
Cancer." Dr. Lokeshwar is principal investigator of a project funded by the
U.S. Army Medical Research Command aimed at conducting innovative research on
the prevention and cure of the disease. A current study found that a synthetic
tetracycline (traditionally used as an antibiotic) inhibits the growth of prostate
cancer cells and blocks enzymes needed to clear a path for cell invasion.
TAKE NOTE OF NEW LOCATION
FOR ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, PURCHASING, CONTROLLER, AND SPONSORED PROGRAMS
The Purchasing and Accounts
Payable departments will be closed April 5 and 6 for re-location, opening for
business on April 9. In addition, the Controller and Sponsored Programs offices
will be closed April 6 and 9, re-opening on April 10. New offices for these
departments will be located in the Mental Health Institute Building, 1611 N.W.
12 Avenue, 3rd floor. For issues requiring immediate attention please contact
Carmen Oliva, Purchasing, at 305-376-8176 (pager) or John Dow, Office of the
Controller, 305-736-3292 (pager). For Sponsored Programs, call the Coral Gables
office at 305-284-4877; and for Accounts Payable on the Gables campus, call
305-284-3570.
UPDATED ID CARD FOR PPO
HEALTH PLAN MEMBERS TO BE SENT TO HOME ADDRESS
Attention health plan PPO
members: CoreSource, the health plan's third party administrator, will mail
a new PPO identification card to your home address. The new card reflects a
change in the claims mailing address and toll-free number for benefit verification
and claim status. Send new claims to 6100 Fairview Road, Suite 1000, Charlotte,
NC, 28210-3291.
LEARN TO SAY "NO" AT ASSERTIVENESS
TRAINING OFFERED BY EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Do you have trouble saying,
"no," or experience anxiety at the thought of asserting yourself? Do you ever
get too loud or pushy in an effort to make yourself heard? The Employee Assistance
Program offers "Assertiveness Training" to teach you how to sand up for yourself
without bullying others or letting others bully you. Group seminars are available
and the program will come to you. If you have a group of at least five who want
to participate, call the Employee Assistance Program for further details at
305-284-6604.
QUESTIONS ABOUT MEDICARE
BILLING?
CONTACT THE OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE
Address questions regarding
Medicare billing and compliance to Third Party Reimbursement/Office of Compliance
at 305-243-HELP or 1-877-415-HELP. For more information about the help line
or training programs offered by the compliance office, contact Gemma Romillo
at 305-243-5842.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
PROMOTE CUSTOMER SERVICE THROUGH EXCELLENCE IN TELEPHONE SKILLS
Learn critical techniques
to maximize your skills and help develop or reinforce telephone service excellence
in this workshop sponsored by the Office of Professional Development and Training.
The workshop will be held April 3, 2 to 5 p.m., in the Dominion Parking Garage,
Suite 155. Topics discussed will include departmental standards, greetings,
questioning skills, and message taking. To register, call 305-243-3090 or visit
http://www.miami.edu/development-training.
NEUROLOGY EDUCATION DAY
TO FOCUS ON PRODUCTS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE
Join various vendors and
health organizations to learn about products and services that cater to the
daily living needs of seniors and people with disabilities at the Department
of Neurology's Third Annual Product Education Day. The event will be held April
7, noon to 4 p.m., at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Hall D, 128-131. The
day's activities include educational seminars, product demonstrations, raffles,
and free giveaways. For more information, call 305-243-7400.
LEARN ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT PATENT LAW AT TECH TRANSFER SEMINAR
The Office of Technology
Transfer invites you to attend the "Patent Law & Technology Transfer Seminar,"
April 10, in Bascom Palmer's Retter Auditorium, 11 a.m. to noon. A representative
from the law firm Pillsbury Winthrop, LLP, will address attendees. Space is
limited, so RSVP by April 3 to 305-243-5689.
FIDELITY INVESMENTS ON-HAND
TO ANSWER YOUR FINANCIAL QUESTIONS
A representative from Fidelity
Investments will visit the Professional Development office on the medical campus
to conduct individual financial counseling sessions on April 11 and 12. Topics
addressed will include investing and retirement. To schedule an appointment,
call 800-642-7131.
LEARN HOW TO EFFECTIVELY
MANAGE YOUR TIME AT EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE SEMINAR
Your Employee Assistance
Program is sponsoring a "Time Management" lunchtime seminar. Dr. Herman Vega,
a representative from Care24, will speak at the Office of Professional Development
and Training, Dominion Parking Garage, Suite 155, on April 12. The session will
run from noon to 1 p.m. To register, call 305-284-6604.
MIAMI PROJECT PROFESSOR
DIRECTS CONFERENCE ON SPINAL INJURY PAIN
Robert Yezierski, Ph.D.,
professor at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, is program director of the
third annual International Association for the Study of Pain symposium, "Spinal
Injury Pain: Clinical Characteristics and Experimental Studies," April 16 -
18 in Phoenix. The conference is sponsored by the Division of Continuing Medical
Education and will address basic science and clinical activities of the Spinal
Cord Injury Pain Task Force. For more information, call 305-243-6716.
YOU'RE INVITED TO GOLF
CLASSIC THIS WEEK BENEFITTING TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION
The Transplant Foundation,
Inc., a non-profit organization affiliated with the School of Medicine, invites
you to the Greater Miami and Beaches Hotel Association 14th Annual Senators
Sherman S. Winn and Gwen Margolis Golf Classic. The event will be held April
5 at Don Shula's Hotel and Golf Resort, with registration at noon. The cost
is $150 per participant and includes a day of golf, a cocktail reception, dinner,
and an auction. For more information, call Patricia Houk at 305-243-7591.
PUT ON YOUR WALKING SHOES
AND JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST PARKINSON DISEASE
Join the Parkinson Walk
for Hope and raise money for research efforts at the National Parkinson Foundation.
Every penny collected by walkers goes directly toward finding a cure. The five-mile
walk will start and end in Miami's Bayfront Park on April 28. To register, organize
a team, or volunteer your time, contact Claudia Espinoza at 800-327-4545, extension
2985, or espinoza@parkinson.org.
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