e-Update
February 26, 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
THIS WEEK'S NEWS
--Jeff Newton Appointed Assistant Vice President for Medical Development
--New PET Scanner at UM/Sylvester Offers State-of-the-Art Diagnostic
Capabilities
--MR Center Honored with Accreditation from American College of Radiology
--UM Studies of Lou Gehrig's Disease Are Focus of Recent Miami Herald
Article
--Visit Athealth.com for In-Depth Interview on Drug Abuse with Dr. Howard
Liddle
--Contact Controller's Office if You Conduct Business with U.S. Department
of Defense
--Upcoming Calendar Events
JEFF NEWTON IS NAMED HEAD OF MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS
Jeff Newton, interim
assistant vice president for development and alumni relations for the
past year, has been appointed to the position permanently. He has worked
for the University of Miami since 1993, most recently serving as assistant
vice president for development and alumni relations on the Coral Gables
campus. Prior to joining the University, he held positions at Johns
Hopkins University and Rhode Island College. Newton's responsibilities
at the School of Medicine include fund-raising, corporate and foundation
giving, planned giving, and alumni relations.
UM/SYLVESTER PHYSICIANS
ADD POWERFUL NEW WEAPON TO DIAGNOSE AND TREAT CANCER
UM/Sylvester has
added a new weapon to its cancer-fighting arsenal. Positron Emission
Tomography (PET) possesses unique imaging capabilities to diagnose different
types of cancer and provides insight that helps physicians determine
the most effective therapy. While other diagnostic imaging modalities
like X-ray, CT, or MRI visualize structural anatomy, PET visualizes
the metabolic abnormalities of cancer before any structural damage is
evident and remains positive until effective treatment destroys the
cancer. With one scan, physicians can determine whether a mass on a
CT, for example, is cancerous or not and can also identify whether the
cancer has spread to other areas of the body. PET also helps physicians
monitor the effectiveness of chemotherapy or radiation treatments and
alter the course of treatment quickly if needed. UM/Sylvester will hold
an open house for the PET scanner on March 22, Sylvester Conference
Room 1301. Call 305-243-4302 to RSVP.
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI MR
CENTER RECEIVES ACR ACCREDITATION
The American College
of Radiology (ACR) has awarded The University of Miami MR Center a three-year
term of accreditation for magnetic resonance imaging. A facility is
granted accreditation for the achievement of high practice standards
once a comprehensive evaluation of the facility has been completed.
The quality of work being performed as well as the qualifications of
the personnel involved are the criteria used in the accreditation process.
With more than 200 MR scanners in local hospitals and outpatient centers,
South Florida has the highest concentration of MR facilities in the
country, yet only 15% of these facilities have been awarded ACR accreditation.
The UM MR Center is proud to join this select group of accredited facilities.
STATE TO PROVIDE GRANT
FUNDING FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS STUDYING TOBACCO-RELATED DISEASES
The Florida Biomedical
Research Program has made $6.8 million available for grant funding on
biomedical research programs. Research grants funded through this program
must address the prevention, diagnosis, and/or treatment of tobacco-related
diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and pulmonary
disease. The maximum grant award is $200,000 annually. Investigator-Initiated
Research Projects that are hypothesis driven and fully developed with
promising preliminary studies or supporting data will be funded for
a maximum duration of 25 months, along with New Investigator Research
Projects conducted by individuals who have not previously received national
research awards (similar to the National Institutes of Health K grants).
These projects also must be developed with supporting data and these
new investigators should be under the mentorship of a senior investigator.
They will be funded for a maximum of 37 months. Call for Grant Applications
and application forms are available through February 28, and proposals
are due March 23. For more information and application forms, call the
Office of Research Administration at 305-243-6232.
MIAMI HERALD ARTICLE SHOWS
PERSONAL SIDE OF FIGHTING LOU GEHRIG'S DISEASE
A recent Miami Herald
article follows patients at the UM Kessenich Family MDA ALS Center,
chronicling their fights with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), better
known as Lou Gehrig's disease. ALS is a neurological condition.in which
the brain's motor neurons that control voluntary movement are destroyed,
resulting in muscle weakness and degeneration. Jeffrey Rothstein, M.D.,
vice chairman of the Department of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University
School of Medicine, a pioneer in ALS treatment research, visited the
medical campus last Thursday to accept the Lois Pope LIFE International
Research Award in recognition of his work in the fight against the disease.
For more about Dr. Rothstein's work and his recent award, look for the
upcoming March issue of your campus newsletter, Medical Center Update.
To read the full Herald article on ALS, visit http://www.miami.com/herald/content/features/health/digdocs/078274.htm.
DR. HOWARD LIDDLE DISCUSSES
TEENS AND DRUG ABUSE IN ON-LINE INTERVIEW
In an in-depth interview
with Athealth.com, Howard Liddle, Ed.D., professor in the Department
of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and director of the Center for
Treatment Research on Adolescent Drug Abuse, shares his insights in
assessing and treating adolescent substance abuse. He also offers clinical
strategies to facilitate treatment. To read the full interview, visit
http://www.athealth.com/Practitioner/particles/interview_HowardLiddle.html.
ARE YOU DOING BUSINESS
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE?
The Department of
Defense and all of its agencies (Army, Navy, Air Force, etc.) require
that the University be registered and obtain a CCR number prior to issuing
a payment for services. The Controller's Office has obtained three CCR
numbers, one each for the medical, marine, and Coral Gables campuses.
If your department needs a CCR to conduct business with the Department
of Defense or any of its agencies, please contact Sue Koger in the Controller's
Office at skoger@miami.edu or
305-284-2375.
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!
EMPLOYER SUPPORT SOLUTIONS VISITS CAMPUS TO DISCUSS RETIREMENT PLAN ISSUES
Charles Cosonas
and Wil Hartshorn of Employer Support Solutions, formerly known as Progressions,
will be on campus to discuss "Making Important Decisions at Retirement-Retirement
Plan Distributions." Learn more about tax consequences regarding lump
sum distributions. The lecture will be held at the Professional Development
and Training Office, 155 Dominion Parking Garage, February 28, 9 to
10 a.m. Seating is limited, so call 305-243-3090 to reserve your space.
WATCH THE MEN'S BASKETBALL
TEAM TAKE ON THE UCONN HUSKIES THIS WEEK
The Hurricanes men's
basketball team takes on West Virginia University on February 28,7 p.m.,
at the Miami Arena. Be sure to mark your calendar and buy your tickets
to this Big East Conference match-up. For tickets call 800-GO-CANES,
or stop by the Hecht Athletic Center on the Coral Gables campus.
NURSING OPEN HOUSE TO BE
HELD AT UM/SYLVESTER
There will be a
Nursing Open House on March 1, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sylvester Comprehensive
Cancer Center, conference room 1301. Please bring your resume, licensures,
and certifications.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
OFFERS SEMINAR ON LOSS AND GRIEF
Your Employee Assistance
Program invites you to attend "Grieving: Helping Oneself, Helping Others,"
March 1, 2 to 4 p.m., Dominion Parking Garage, Suite 155. This seminar
will explore the issues of loss and grief that all people face throughout
their lives and will also be looking at how co-workers and supervisors
interact with a colleague who has suffered a loss. For more information
or to register, call Dr. Sally Philips at 305-284-6604.
REGISTER NOW FOR INTENSIVE
GERIATRIC TRAINING CONFERENCE
The Miami Geriatric
Education Center is offering Psychologists an opportunity to earn 20
Continuing Medical Education credits. The offered course is part B of
the Intensive Geriatric Training 2000 Conference to be held March 1
- 3. The cost of the psychology module is $125. University of Miami
and JMH employees are offered reduced prices, and group rates are available
for three or more. For more information or to register, call Miami Geriatric
Education Center at 305-243-6270.
REGISTER NOW FOR CONFERENCE
ON CLINICAL ETHICS: DEBATES, DECISIONS, SOLUTIONS
The Ninth Annual
UM Conference on Clinical Ethics will be held March 2 at the Airport
Sheraton Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale. This program will help participants
identify ethical challenges and issues in clinical practice, end-of-life
care, health law, and the role of institutional ethics committees. Faculty
may be eligible for tuition remission and students can attend at no
charge. For more information or to register, call the Division of CME
at 305-243-6716 or visit http://cme.med.miami.edu.
CELEBRATE EMPLOYEE DAY
AS 'CANES TAKE ON BIG EAST RIVAL VILLANOVA
Hurricane fans:
the men's basketball team takes on Villanova in their final Big East
matchup of the year on March 3rd. Tip-off is at noon. All employees
will receive free admission and may purchase additional tickets for
friends and family for just $1. Be sure to catch the last home game
of the year. Ticket Sales Representatives will be on hand at the medical
campus February 27 and March 1, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in front of
the Au Bon Pan Restaurant. Tickets also can be purchased at the Hecht
Athletic Center on the Coral Gables campus, or call 1-800-GO-CANES.
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE SPONSORS
PROGRAM ON INFECTIONS IN THE OUTPATIENT SETTING
"Serious Infections
in the Outpatient Setting," will present up-to-date information on the
management of serious infections which primary caregivers may encounter,
March 9 - 10, at the Hyatt Regency Miami. This course will include lectures
on Diagnosis and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Infectious
Diseases in the Traveler, and The Patient with Pneumonia. The program
has been approved for nine continuing education or consultant pharmacist
credits by the Florida Board of Pharmacy and the American Council on
Pharmaceutical Education. Course tuition is $35.00. For more information,
contact the Division of Continuing Medical Education at 305-243-6716
or visit http://cme.med.miami.edu.
DR. CAMILLO RICORDI IS
FEATURED LECTURER AT DIABETES HEALTH-EXPO
More than 300 exhibitors
with products and services to help people with diabetes and leading
experts in the field will gather for the Diabetes Health-Expo, March
16 - 18, at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Special classes on exercise,
cooking, stress-management, creating a healthy lifestyle, and free health
screenings will be offered. For more information call 877-633-EXPO,
or visit http://www.diabeteswellness.org
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