e-Update
May 22, 2000
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
--School of Medicine Announces Appointment of First Vice Dean
--Addition of Sales Tax Will Increase Campus Parking Fees
--UM Psychiatrist Cures Fear of Sharks on "Today" Show
--Time Magazine Cites Medical School Doctor for Aging Article
--Mail Services Offers Suggestions for Efficient Delivery
--How Do You and Your Family Prepare for Hurricane Season?
--Make Your Voice Heard about Campus News Publications
--Upcoming Calendar Events
CHAIRMAN OF MEDICINE APPOINTED AS MEDICAL SCHOOL'S FIRST VICE DEAN
Laurence Gardner, M.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Medicine, was recently appointed vice dean of the School of Medicine. This is a new position created to assist with some of the responsibilities of the Office of the Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean. For more information on Dr. Gardner and his new position, look for the upcoming June issue of Medical Center Update.
SALES TAX TO BE ADDED TO CAMPUS PARKING FEES
As of July 1, faculty, staff , and students of the School of Medicine will begin paying Florida state sales tax (six-and-a-half percent) on campus parking spaces. in the past, the school has paid this tax, but it is no longer feasible to do so. Sales tax will be added to the payroll deduction and will begin with the last paycheck in July. Employees may be able to offset transportation costs by carpooling or riding public transportation. For information on such services, call the Civic Center Transportation Management Organization at 305-243-2321. Those parking in the Dominion Tower garage already pay sales tax and will not be affected.
NBC'S "TODAY" CURES SHARK PHOBIA WITH HELP OF SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DOCTOR
Blanche Freund, Ph.D., adjunct associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, helped Ann Curry of NBC's "Today" overcome her fear of sharks, and the story will air May 24 on the show. Dr. Freund treated Curry with a procedure called eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and in-vivo exposure to the ocean, then flew with her to Bimini to swim with large reef sharks at a lab run by Samuel Gruber, Ph.D., professor in the Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. The story is part of a series on phobias which will air throughout the week. "Today" is broadcast on WTVJ/NBC Channel 6 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. For information on treatment of phobias, call Dr. Freund at 305-674-2194.
TIME MAGAZINE ARTICLE ON AGING FEATURES UMSM CHAIRMAN OF PSYCHIATRY
Look for Carl Eisdorfer, M.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, in the May 29 issue of Time magazine in a column on the impact of aging parents on the family. The essay will consider the often strained lines of communication between the aging parent and their caretakers.
MAIL ROOM CALLS FOR CLOSER ATTENTION WHEN ADDRESSING FIRST CLASS MAIL
The mail room of Medical Mail Services receives many pieces of first class mail not properly addressed. This results in delayed delivery. To assure prompt delivery, the mail room staff offers the following tips: Use the medical school's post office box address rather than your office's street address and include campus locator codes. Remove yourself from mailing lists that send you unwanted mail. Make sure your listing in the white pages, yellow pages, and University directory are up-to-date. Finally, update all office supplies which display a mailing address. If you have any questions or need assistance, call Medical Mail Services at 305-324-4024.
MEDICAL CENTER UPDATE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR "WORD ON THE STREET"
With hurricane season just around the corner, we want to know what you and
your family do to get ready and stay safe. The June issue of the employee newsletter
will pose the question "What are you and your family doing to prepare for
hurricane season?" To respond, simply reply to this e-mail or send your
comments to update@med.miami.edu.
Make your voice heard!
GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK: ANSWER OUR READER SURVEY
We want you to give it to us straight! That's right. In order to provide you
with the best mix of news and information, the editors of your campus publications
want to know how we can make Medical Center Update, the monthly newsletter of
the medical center, and "e-Update," the weekly e-mail news service,
your source for news around campus. Simply log on to http://www.med.miami.edu/medical-pr/feedback.html,
print out the reader survey, fill it out, and fax it back to 305-243-5681. As
always, your comments and news items are welcome. Send them to update@med.miami.edu.
Help us serve you better!
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!
UM DOCTOR PARTICIPATES IN WEB CHAT ON PEDIATRIC UROLOGY
Ricardo Gonzalez, M.D., professor and chief of the Division of Pediatric Urology, will discuss pediatric urinary incontinence in an on-line chat on AmericasDoctor.com on May 25 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Those interested in joining this discussion can log on to http://www.AmericasDoctor.com and click on "Upcoming Events." As an AmericasDoctor.com sponsor, the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center has several such chats scheduled on a variety of topics throughout the coming months. Watch e-Update for more announcements on future chat programming.
FINAL HUMAN SUBJECTS CERTIFICATION SEMINAR FOR ACADEMIC YEAR APPROACHES
The final certification seminar for investigators working with human subjects will be held on May 31 at Jackson Memorial Hospital's Diagnostic Treatment Center, Room 259, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. All investigators must attend this session if they have not participated in any previous certification seminars this academic year. Those who fail to attend will not be certified to continue performing current studies or initiate new studies that require approval by the Institutional Review Boards at UM or the VA. For a registration form, contact Mary Palmer at 305-243-2079.
CARDIOVASCULAR CENTER CONDUCTS FREE SCREENINGS AT HEALTH FAIR
The UM Cardiovascular Center will hold free cholesterol screenings during the Women's Health Fair on June 10 from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Jackson's Diagnostic Treatment Center. Registration is required for this event, so call 305-585-7213 to secure your space.
**Note**
If you are experiencing font problems with e-Update, we apologize for
the inconvenience and thank you for your patience. The problem will be corrected
before next week's issue. | 