Solution

“Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” ~ General Colin Powell

 

October 5, 2012

 

University Health Care Foundation Scholarship Advances Health Care Workforce Development for Augusta … We Value Our Partners …

Drs. Paul Wallach, Sally Atherton, Ms. Linda DeVaughn and I were privileged to attend the Daniel B. Sullivan, MD Scholarship lunch with Mr. Jim Davis, CEO University Hospital and Ms. Laurie Ott, VP for Development, University Health Care System, and President, University Health Care Foundation and alongside other University Hospital leaders. Dr. Sullivan served as chief of Surgery at University Hospital for 17 years and was also instrumental in founding the Harry E. Jernigan Cancer Center, St. Joseph Hospice, and the Georgia Radiation Therapy Center. Medical student recipients of the Sullivan scholarship were: Aimee Baer; Amanda Barrett; Desiree Brooks; John Henderson; Caitlin Hester; Lisa Hunt; Nathan Kincaid; Scott McCorvey; Jeffery Mills; Matthew West. We thank Mr. Davis, Ms. Ott, and the selection committee for the privilege to have our medical students recognized alongside a special cadre of University Hospital’s stellar nurses and in honoring Dr. Sullivan who was a great leader in our community. We value our relationship with University Hospital.

 

Congratulations … Section of Experimental Medicine Outshined Them All …

Please join us as we congratulate the following Experimental Medicine members on receiving awards and honors at the recent American Heart Association Meeting of the Council for High Blood Pressure Research and Council on the Kidney: Poster Presentation Awards – Carmen de Miguel and Joshua Speed, post-doctoral fellows; New Investigator Awards – Paul O’Connor, Assistant Professor and Dao Ho, post-doctoral fellow; Trainee Advocacy Committee New Investigator Travel Award – Ashlee Tipton, PhD student, Research Scientist Named Fellow, AHA – Analia Loria, Assistant Research Scientist and Erika Boesen, Research Scientist; Top Reviewer Award – Dr. David Pollock.

 

Congratulations … Contributions to Cardiovascular Research Honored …

Please join us also as we congratulate Dr. Clinton Webb, Chair Physiology as the 2012 recipient of the International Society of Hypertension AstraZeneca Award for scientific contributions to improving hypertension treatment. Dr. Webb is also an ambassador for the International Advisory Board.

 

Congratulations … SPRINT Trial Enrolls 100th Study Patient …

We congratulate Drs. Laura Mulloy and Matt Diamond on the enrollment of the 100th patient in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) study which is a federally funded study to determine if a lower blood pressure reduces the progression of kidney disease (http://news.georgiahealth.edu/archives/3592). This is a huge accomplishment for our site in the study.

 

2012 Medical Scholars Research Day … Posters Highlighted …

This year’s Medical Scholars Research Day was a fantastic event. Many thanks to Drs. Richard Cameron and Kathy McKie as co-directors and the Medical Scholars Program Committee, chaired by Dr. Donna Londino, for their time and commitment in making this a success. We also want to thank our faculty who dedicated their time and expertise to our students as their advisors. Like last year, we want to highlight some of the posters that were presented during the 2012 Medical Scholars Research Day. Student Harshang Patel (Class of 2015) with Advisor, Dr. Jay Hegde (Vision Discovery Institute) presented the poster “Functional testing of stereopsis in patients with age-related macular degeneration”. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) on depth perception, specifically stereopsis since spared 3-D vision functionalities could potentially be used for developing rehabilitative treatments. Although stereoptic performance varied a great deal among AMD patients, stereopsis was spared in many patients. The presenters concluded that while treatments for AMD are currently limited, additional characterization of depth perception is worthwhile as it may provide evidence for new rehabilitative treatments. Very good work! More to follow …

 

Office of Management and Budget … Chilling Recent Report …

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently issued a report mandated by the Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012 (STA) (http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/legislative_reports/stareport.pdf). The sequestration in January would result in a 9.4% reduction in non-exempt defense discretionary funding and 8.2% reduction in non-exempt nondefense funding as well as 2.0% cuts to Medicare with Medicaid being exempt from the cuts. Over $30.711 billion in discretionary budget funding would be subject to the 8.2% sequester ($2.518 million) for NIH. Although the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the VA Health Administration are exempt from the sequestration, the impact of these measures upon healthcare could be substantial if realized.

 

Our Thanks … A Successful Day for Career Advancement … Supporting Our Colleagues …

Many thanks to Dr. Chris White and our faculty and staff who made this year’s CD-101 (Career Development) day such as success. Dr. White has overseen this initiative for the past 7 years and this year was well-attended and best received. In addition to many leaders providing key information about institutional resources to support faculty research and educational scholarships, attendees received lots of practical advice on career advancement, promotion and tenure considerations, seeking out mentors, time management, and balancing the many commitments as one’s academic career unfolds. Supporting our junior faculty is one of the best investments we can make.

 

Leadership Development Opportunity … Tune In …

You are welcome to ‘tune in’ to an AAMC-sponsored webinar, “The People Make the Place: Leveraging Your Most Valuable Strategic Resource,” which will be held on Wednesday, October 10, 2-3:30pm to discuss innovative approaches in attracting, engaging, and retaining the high quality workforce needed to ensure academic health centers are successful. To sign up contact facultyforward@aamc.org.

 

Upcoming Dates and Events …
Month of October – Breast Cancer Awareness Month – Show your support – Wear pink on Fridays

 

Month of October – Patient and Family Centered Care Month – http://www.mcghealth.org/patient-family-centered-care/GhsuContentPage.aspx?nd=2857

Themes of the month are: Week 1 Embrace; Week 2 Respect and Dignity; Week 3 Information Sharing; Week 4 Collaboration; Week 5 Participation. October 17th – Leaders will be serving meals in the Terrace Dining Room, October 26th – Block Party with Congressman Barrow.

 

October 3rd – 7th – 5th Annual Westobou Festival (http://westoboufestival.com/) “Come. Explore. Connect with the unexpected.”

 

Until October 15th – National Hispanic Heritage Month … Check out http://www.georgiahealth.edu/diversity/hispanic-month/ for all the events

October 15th – November 9th – Open Enrollment with a Benefit Fair on October 24th beginning at 10 am in the Terrace Dining.

 

October 15th – Next Presidential Consolidation Open Forum – 12 noon ASU’s Maxwell Performing Arts Center and 3 pm in GHSU’s Lee Auditorium http://asughsu.org/archives/786

 

October 18th – Alumni Reception in Savannah

 

October 19th – 21th – MAG 158th House of Delegates Meeting, Savannah, Georgia

 

October 24th – Annual Practice Opportunity Medical Fair, Alumni Center, 11 am – 2 pm, marys@georgiahealth.edu or hwalp@georgiahealth.edu sponsored by GME and The Georgia Board for Physician Workforce. Representatives from several communities and physician recruiters from hospitals throughout Georgia will be available to discuss practice opportunities with Interns, Residents, and Fellows.

 

October 25th – Hallelujah for Health Benefit, 7 pm Kroc Center, Admission Free – The goal of this event is to raise funds for projects and operations of the CSRA Partnership for Community Health

 

October 29th – 2nd Annual Augusta Research Symposium (in partnership with Augusta Warrior Project, Charlie Norwood Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center) “Advances in Warrior Care: An Integrated Approach” Kroc Community Center, Beginning at 7:30 am. For more information and to register, visit http://www.georgiahealth.edu/research/warriorcare/register.html.

 

November 2nd – Go Casual for Kids Day. Swap out your traditional work or class attire in favor of a more casual look and help raise funds for kids! Print and complete the Go Casual Order Form 2012 attached here and send with your payment no later than September 26, 2012 or online athttp://giving.gru.edu/GoCasual. Shirts will be available for pick up in the CMC lobby on October 18th and 19th.

 

November 2nd – 7th – Association of American Medical Colleges Annual Meeting, San Francisco

 

November 11th – Veterans Day
November 12th – 17th – Coinciding with Veterans’ Day, AAMC has designated November 12-17 as Joining Forces Wellness Week. The cornerstone event will be a daily Webinar series on military health issues – see link for schedule and topics. Contact Anita Navarro (anavarro@aamc.org)
I hope you get the chance to enjoy the Westobou Festival. We attended a spectacular concert by Janelle Monáe last night. There’s still lots of great acts left to take in … Enjoy!

 

Many thanks for your leadership.

Warm Regards,