<b>Leo B. Twiggs, M.D., professor and interim chairman of OB/GYN.</b> <br><br><i>Of all the healthcare systems that my family and I have been through, UM/Sylvester is the best. Less than two weeks after contacting them for a referral, I have been to Dr. Twiggs for an exam, had a follow up procedure and gotten my results back. Everything is fine. <br><br> I can't thank UM/Sylvester or Dr. Twiggs enough. Everything was done in the same building, from exams to lab tests to EKG's to the operation and recovery. Everyone was so kind and helpful. It's a fabulous place.<br></i> -Karen Silliter, patient from Fort Lauderdale<br><br> <i>Have other service stories to share? Please contact Helen Scarr, director of service excellence, at hscarr@med.miami.edu, or call 305-243-7240. </i>

Leo B. Twiggs, M.D., professor and interim chairman of OB/GYN.

Of all the healthcare systems that my family and I have been through, UM/Sylvester is the best. Less than two weeks after contacting them for a referral, I have been to Dr. Twiggs for an exam, had a follow up procedure and gotten my results back. Everything is fine.

I can't thank UM/Sylvester or Dr. Twiggs enough. Everything was done in the same building, from exams to lab tests to EKG's to the operation and recovery. Everyone was so kind and helpful. It's a fabulous place.
-Karen Silliter, patient from Fort Lauderdale

Have other service stories to share? Please contact Helen Scarr, director of service excellence, at hscarr@med.miami.edu, or call 305-243-7240.  

Around Campus
arrow new  View Dean Goldschmidt's Grand Rounds Presentation
arrow new  HIPAA Security Awareness Update
arrow new  Child Car Seat Installation Check
arrow Lincoln Financial Group, Fidelity Investments and TIAA-CREF Visit the Medical Campus
arrow Questions about Compliance? UM Helplines Can Assist You
arrow e-Update Submission Guidelines

Human Subjects Research Opportunities
For information on current Human Subjects Research Opportunities, see the listings below.

Feedback

Faculty and staff submissions should be e-mailed to the Office of Communications, at update@med.miami.edu.


Events
arrowTODAY
  Tuesday, June 27, 2006, noon to 1 p.m.
Human Subjects Research Seminar
arrowUPCOMING
  Wednesday, July 12, 2006 and every other Wednesday thereafter, 1 to 2 p.m.
new  Benefits Orientation Luncheon

Peer Review
PRESENTATIONS
 Paolo Romanelli, M.D.,  assistant professor in the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, was an invited speaker at the XV Jornadas...
e-update.med.miami.edu

Around CampusBack to top
new  View Dean Goldschmidt's Grand Rounds Presentation

Those of you who missed or were unable to access last week's Grand Rounds webcast with Miller School of Medicine Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., will be able to view the presentation on the archives at
http://rm.mededu.miami.edu:8080/ramgen/grandrounds/060621GR.rm.

Other Department of Medicine Grand Rounds presentations can be also seen at www.med.miami.edu/grandrounds/archive.asp.


new  HIPAA Security Awareness Update

Recently the Department of Veterans Affairs reported that a laptop containing the personal information of 26.5 million veterans was stolen from an employee's home. The data included names, social security numbers and dates of birth. The now ex-employee was not authorized to take the data home. This is just the latest in a continuing string of data security breaches. What are the lessons to be learned? The first lesson is that the individual concerned is no longer employed at the VA.

UM employees should not be copying confidential data onto laptops or other portable storage media (such as USB drives and CDs) unless there is an unavoidable need that has been approved by appropriate university management and suitable safeguards have been implemented to protect this data.

To read the complete update, please visit http://med.miami.edu/hipaa/public/x54.xml.

For additional questions related to this or any other HIPAA privacy or security related issue, please contact the Office of HIPAA Privacy and Security at hipaaprivacy@med.miami.edu.


new  Child Car Seat Installation Check

To ensure that your child car seat is installed correctly, a certified child passenger safety technician will be available today (Tuesday) and every other Tuesday thereafter in front of the Mailman Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The service is available to everyone who transports children under the age of 12 in their vehicle. For more information, e-mail gstepanian@um-jmh.org, or call 305-243-3928 to set up an appointment. Priority will be given to those with appointments. The Injury Free Coalition for Kids is a division of Holtz Children's Hospital/ Miller School of Medicine.


Lincoln Financial Group, Fidelity Investments and TIAA-CREF Visit the Medical Campus

A representative from Lincoln Financial Group will be at the medical campus to conduct individual counseling sessions today (Tuesday) from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. To schedule an appointment, contact Theresa Yong at 1-866-772-4163 or tmyong@lnc.com.

A representative from Fidelity Investments will be at the medical campus to conduct individual counseling sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday) and July 26. To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-642-7131.

A representative from TIAA-CREF will be at the medical campus on Thursday to conduct individual counseling sessions. To schedule an appointment, visit http://www.tiaa-cref.com/moc, or call Daphne Georges-Kong at 1-866-842-3357.

All counseling sessions from these organizations will take place in the Human Resources Benefits Office, 901 NW 17th St., suite D.


Questions about Compliance? UM Helplines Can Assist You
  • University Compliance (anonymous hotline): 866-YOURCALL
  • Billing (anonymous hotline): 305-243-HELP or 877-415-HELP
  • Research Integrity and Compliance: 305-243-6415
  • Financial Improprieties: 305-284-2605
  • Privacy Office/HIPAA: 305-243-5000 or 1-866-366-HUSH
  • University Ombudsperson: 305-284-4922

Any University of Miami employee reporting or deciding whether to report activity that may be in violation of a law, rule, or regulation is protected against retaliation by the Whistleblower Protection Statement. For more information, visit the Office of Compliance site.


e-Update Submission Guidelines

  • Please note that submissions are due no later than 5 p.m. Thursday for publication on Tuesday.
  • We are unable to include attachments.
  • Please use URL addresses in your announcements rather than hyperlinks.
  • Event announcements should include the time, date, location, speaker, topic and cost if applicable. All events should have a contact phone number or e-mail address for further information. We will run event announcements for three weeks only.
  • Information must be written in paragraph form. PDFs, Publisher files and flyers are not accepted.
  • Human Subject recruitment announcements must be IRB approved.
  • Events to be listed should be either held on the medical campus, sponsored or hosted by the Miller School of Medicine, or affect all or most of the employees on the medical campus.
  • Please be sure to e-mail items to e-Update at update@med.miami.edu. Submissions to other e-mail addresses run the risk of being missed.


EventsBack to top
Human Subjects Research Seminar
June 27, 2006, noon to 1 p.m., Mailman Center for Child Development, room 3023

Aurea Flores, research pharmacist, will present “Investigational Drugs in Clinical Trials:  The Role of Pharmacy” today (Tuesday) from noon to 1 p.m. in the Mailman Center for Child Development, room 3023. To register, log onto https://netlearning.miami.edu. For more information about this seminar, please e-mail MValero-Martinez@med.miami.edu.


new  Benefits Orientation Luncheon
July 12, 2006, and every other Wednesday thereafter, 1 to 2 p.m., Park Plaza East, Suite L, conference room

Newly-appointed medical faculty are invited to learn about the comprehensive benefits programs during a lunch session hosted by Benefits Administration and Faculty Affairs. Please review the Benefits Administration web site at www.miami.edu/benefits to learn more about the topics to be discussed at the orientation. Luncheons will take place in the conference room in the Medical Human Resources office, Park Plaza East, Suite L, beginning Wednesday, July 12 and every other Wednesday thereafter from 1 to 2 p.m. For additional information, please call Wanda Colón, at 305-284-6835, wcolon@miami.edu. To RSVP for one of the lunch sessions, please call Illene Londono at 305-284-4568, or i.londono@miami.edu.


Peer ReviewBack to top

Presentations

Paolo Romanelli, M.D.,  assistant professor in the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, was an invited speaker at the XV Jornadas de Actualizaciones Terapeuticas Dermatologicas y Esteticas in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dr. Romanelli discussed “New Syndromes in Dermatology-- Importance and Treatment.”
 


Human Subjects ResearchBack to top

Researchers at the MRI Center need healthy subjects for a magnetic resonance imaging study. For more information, please visit http://midas.med.miami.edu/Research/MRStudies.htm.

Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are being recruited for a study of effects of sildenafil on exercise and breathlessness. Participants must have a firm clinical diagnosis of IPF, be 40 to 85 years of age, and not be on medication for IPF. Interested patients or physicians wishing to refer patients should call 305-575-3548, fax 305-575-3126, or e-mail rjackson2@med.miami.edu.

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology is recruiting women for the following clinical research studies:

• A new investigational medication for pelvic pain due to endometriosis. To qualify, you must be between 18 and 45 years of age with regular menstrual periods, have endometriosis diagnosed by a surgical procedure (laparoscopy or laparotomy) within the past five years, have moderate to severe pelvic pain due to endometriosis for at least three months, have not used oral contraceptives for the past 30 days, be sexually active, and have not had a surgical treatment for endometriosis in the past six months. For more information, please contact Marisol Sloane at 305-243-1616, or msloane@med.miami.edu. Visit http://umic.miami.edu/documents/FINAL_BROCHURE2_1.pdf to view the brochure.

• An investigational medication to treat the symptoms of menopause and prevent osteoporosis. To qualify you must be between 40 to 64 years of age, have not had a period for at least six months, and have not had a hysterectomy. Qualified participants will receive free study-related tests and investigational medication, study-related physical and gynecological exams, mammograms and bone density scans, if eligible. Compensation for time and travel is available for qualified participants. Please contact Tilky Lopez-Blanco at 305-243-1616, or tlopez7@med.miami.edu.

• An investigational vaccine for human papillomavirus. Participants should be healthy women over the age of 26 who are not breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant during the next eight months and who will be in the area for the next three years. Qualified participants will receive study related tests, physical and gynecological exams, information on women’s health issues, family planning and compensation for travel and time. Please contact Iliana Rivas at 305-243-5832 for more information.

The Department of Psychology and the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control is conducting a quality of life research intervention with advanced prostate cancer patients. Participants should have Stage III or IV prostate cancer and have recently or currently been treated with hormone therapy. Eligible participants will take part in a ten-week cognitive behavioral stress and affect management program or a health promotions program. Three psychosocial/medical assessments are also required. If you are interested in this study or would like more information, please contact Frank Penedo, Ph.D., at 305-243-3329, or fpenedo@miami.edu.

Daniel Santisteban, Ph.D., of the Center for Family Studies in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is currently conducting a research program that would provide adolescents and/or their family treatment for free. Participants must be 14 to 17 years old, have a parent or legal guardian willing to participate, meet DSM criteria for both substance abuse disorder and borderline personality disorder, and be willing to participate in four separate but paid evaluations. If interested, please contact Henry Calderon, clinical research specialist/assessor, at 305-243-2225, or hcalderon@med.miami.edu for details.

The Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement is conducting research with family caregivers of dementia patients who speak English and are 50 years of age or older. If you are not a caregiver but are interested in participating, you may be able to help as well. Participants will receive basic training on how to use the Internet and will be asked to look for information about care-giving and dementia. If you are interested in being a part of this research study, please call 305-355-9200. You will be paid for your time and effort.

Jennifer B. Marks, M.D., is currently recruiting patients ages 18 through 40 with type 1 diabetes mellitus with a recent diagnosis for participation in a research study to test the safety and effectiveness of an investigational medication. Patients must be taking multiple insulin injections daily and in good health. Those who are interested should contact Rogelio Suarez at 305-243-6573 or rsuarez2@med.miami.edu.

The AIDS Clinical Research Unit, directed by Margaret Fischl, M.D., is recruiting participants for the following studies:

• A phase I IL-7 study (IL-7 is a cytokine that aids T-cell development and improves T-cell survival). Participants must be 18 to 50 years of age, receiving antiretroviral therapy for at least 12 months, have an HIV-1 RNA level less than or equal to 50,000 copies/ml, and have a CD4 cell count of 100 cells/ccm or higher. Participants must be willing to do 12-hour IL-7 blood level monitoring. Up to $200 in food certificates provided.

• An investigational CC-chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) entry inhibitor for patients with HIV. The study will look at single dose, dose escalations of a study drug (0.5 mg, 2.0 mg and 5.0 mg) and a placebo. The study will determine how well the study drug blocks CCR5 receptors and is tolerated. Participants must be 18 and older, not taking antiretroviral therapy for at least three months and have a viral load greater than 5,000 and a CD4 count greater than 250. Must be willing to do six-hour drug level monitoring. Up to $250 provided.

For more information on studies conducted by the AIDS Clinical Research Unit, contact Juan at 305-243-3838 or Leslie at L.Thompson@miami.edu.  

The SPARE Study (Soy Phytoestrogens As Replacement Estrogen) is currently recruiting women 45 to 60 years of age to study the role of soy phytoestrogens given in tablet form to prevent bone loss. Participants will be given a physical exam at study entry, an annual mammogram and bone density test, and will be asked to come for 10 study visits over a period of two years for blood tests and to complete questionnaires about diet, exercise, and well-being. Interested women should contact the SPARE Study Office at 305-243-4330 or via e-mail at aherrin@med.miami.edu.

The University of Miami Skin Research Group, directed by Brian Berman, M.D., Ph.D., is looking for people with acne, atopic dermatitis (eczema), and keloids. Participants should be 18 or older for the acne and keloid studies and ages 2 to 17 for the atopic dermatitis studies. If interested, please contact the research staff at 305-243-5519 or visit our website at www.skininvestigation.com.

Bruce Rubin, M.D., is currently performing a study on trigeminal neuralgia (TN) treatment with subcutaneous injections of BOTOX® to evaluate the effectiveness of treating facial pain associated with TN. Patients must have a diagnosis of TN for more than three months and be at least 18 years of age.
 
Dr. Rubin is also seeking patients for a research study on the treatment of tightness/spasticity in the wrist, fingers, and elbow caused by a stroke while evaluating the effect of BOTOX® on pulmonary functioning. Patients must be 18 years of age, have had a stroke six months ago or longer, have a pulmonary/breathing problem and cannot have used BOTOX® or any other botulinum toxin previously for any condition. Please contact Amy L. Kaye, ARNP, at 305-243-6223 for additional information on either of these studies.

 


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