impact december 2015

UTMB NEWSLETTER • DECEMBER 2015

Inside the Walker Research

Lab

TEAM clinic trains students, provides care

Academy prepares doctors to be future leaders

Spotlight on Business Operations & Facilities VP

d E C E M B E r 2 0 1 5 impact

Josette Armendariz-Batiste has been selected by the American Association of Critical Care nurses as a 2016 Circle of Excellence award winner. the AACn selects only 25 nurses from across the country for this award, which recognizes outstanding caregivers who achieve excellent outcomes in the care of acutely and critically ill patients and their families. Armendariz-Batiste will receive a plaque, a $1,000 honorarium and membership in the Circle of Excellence society.

UtMB President David L. Callender and Dr. Ben Raimer, senior vice president of Health Policy and legislative Affairs, recently presented Doug Matthews, assistant vice president of Government relations, with a U.s. fl ag and two Congressional recognitions for his work on behalf of UtMB and the community to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth held this past summer in Galveston. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United states. dating back to 1865, it was on June 19 that the Union soldiers landed in Galveston with news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved were now free.

UtMB students and faculty were recognized at the annual American society of tropical Medicine and Hygiene (AstMH) meeting in Philadelphia in october. Dr. Lynn Soong, professor of Microbiology and immunology, was elected fellow of the AstMH. Albert Auguste, postdoctoral fellow, was awarded the American Committee for Arthropod-borne Viruses travel award and received the AstMH young investigator Award—Honorable Mention. Jesse Erasmus received the AstMH young investigator Award—first tier Mention. Samantha Nava received the AstMH young investigator Award—Honorable Mention.

staff members in UTMB’s Echocardiography Laboratory celebrated Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month in october. the Echo lab has been at the forefront of technology in ultrasound, performing more than 10,000 procedures a year, including transthoracic, transesophageal and stress echocardiography. Under the direction of the medical director, Dr. Masood Ahmad, the team has performed, presented and published pioneering work in 3-d echocardiography. the lab supports the rapid discharge unit (rdU) in the Emergency department by providing stress echo services on sunday for patients presenting with chest pain. this service has streamlined the disposition of patients from rdU and assisted in selecting appropriate admissions for inpatient care. At the most recent national meeting of the American society of Echocardiography, the team presented “dynamic three dimensional strain during dobutamine stress Echocardiography in detection of ischemia.”

several UtMB Correctional Managed Care employees presented educational sessions at the 2015 national Conference on Correctional Health Care in dallas, oct. 17–21. Dr. Joseph Penn, director of Mental Health services, presented “An in-depth look at nCCHC’s 2015 standards

for Health services in Juvenile facilities,” as well as “Medical Conditions that Present as Psychiatric in nature.” Beverly Sloan, Psyd, senior mental health manager, Estelle Unit, presented “Continual Process improvement: identifying Mental illness at intake.” Cynthia Myers, mental health manager, dominguez Unit, and John Tejada, mental health manager, Connally Unit, presented “Addressing self-injurious and suicidal Behavior through Use of a suicide risk Assessment.” Kelly Naramore, mental health manager, Hodge Unit, presented “Assessing and Addressing the needs of Prison inmates with developmental disabilities.”

Megan Swonke, fi rst-year school of Medicine student, was elected one of two Medical student section region 3 liaisons to the American Medical Association foundation. she will be responsible for region communication and increasing students’ participation in the foundation’s fundraising and community service activities.

Dr. Lynn Soong

Albert Auguste, Samantha Nava and Jesse Erasmus

Physician Leadership AcademyPage 5

DECEMBER 2015

Day in the Life: Walker Research LabPage 8

TEAM ClinicPage 10

Leader Spotlight:Mike ShrinerPage 12

Impact is for and about the people who fulfi ll UTMB’s mission to improve health in Texas and around the world. We hope you enjoy reading this issue. Let us know what you think!

ON THE COVER:The Walker Research Lab and collaborating colleagues. Front row: Dr. Rong Fang, Patricia Valdes and Tais Saito, PhD, DVM. Second row: Claire Smalley, Donald Bouyer, PhD, Nicole Mendell, Vsevolod Popov, PhD, DSc, Jeremy Bechelli, Dr. David Walker, Guang Xu. Not pictured: Dr. Lucas Blanton.

Vice PresidentMarketing & Communicationssteve Campbell

Associate Vice PresidentMarketing & CommunicationsMary Havard

EditorsKristen HensleyKirstiAnn Cliffordstephen Hadley

Art DirectorMark navarro

CONTACT USEmail: [email protected]: (409) 772-2618

Campus mail route: 0144U.S. Postal address: UtMB Marketing & Communications 301 University Boulevard Galveston, tX 77555-0144

PrintEd By UtMB GrAPHiC dEs iGn & Pr int inG sErV iCEs

From the President

As we come to the close of another successful calendar year at UtMB, i’d like to take a moment to wish you and your family a healthy and happy holiday season.

your dedication and commitment to improving the lives of others has made a signifi cant and lasting impact over the past year, and i’m personally grateful for all that you’ve done—and continue to do—to contribute to UtMB’s vital and important mission.

this issue of impact highlights more of the talented people who are making UtMB a success each and every day. Among the many

stories you’ll fi nd in this issue:

• A day in the life of Patricia Valdes, assistant director of the Walker research lab

• dr. Courtney townsend’s and dr. linda Phillips’ election to leadership roles in the prestigious American College of surgeons

• the tEAM clinic where collaboration is the key for providing exemplary patient care

• Physician leadership Academy helping faculty learn new skills they may not have been taught in medical school

• A profi le of Mike shriner, vice president of Business operations and facilities

• dr. Barbara thompson’s leadership in a national family Medicine “Health is Primary” initiative

• the launch of a new, open-access journal called npj Vaccines

• Mental health tips for getting through the holidays by psychiatrist dr. derek neal

• numerous accomplishments and kudos in the Working Wonders column and throughout the newsletter

Enjoy the articles, tell us what you think, and please take time to enjoy your holiday traditions with friends and family. thanks again for all that you do to improve health for the people of texas and around the world.

dr. david l. CallenderUtMB President

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PATIENT CARE

UTMB Family Medicine Chair Dr. Barbara Thompson likes to keep her eye on the future. Although her department recently received the highest level of certifi cation for implementing the Patient-Centered Medical Home model of care, she’s looking ahead—to take a much bigger step that would transform the current health care system, beginning with primary care.

“for years, we’ve been concerned about the American health care system providing the outcomes we want,” said thompson, who has practiced family medicine for more than 40 years. “As a country we spend a huge amount of money on our health care and still rank low in terms of quality. We need to make fundamental changes to the system, such as placing more value on primary care, building community care systems in partnership with patients and reforming payment systems that are focused on delivering fee for service, rather than improving health.”

As the past president of the Association of departments of family Medicine, thompson was invited to participate on a national steering committee for family Medicine for America’s Health (fMA-Health), a new collaboration among the nation’s eight leading family medicine organizations to drive continued improvement of the U.s. health care system and demonstrate the value of primary care.

family medicine leaders recently helped come up with a strategic agenda for fMA-Health’s “Health is Primary” initiative, a three-year communications campaign that includes six main goals:

1. Access. increase patient accessibility to their primary care team, including remote access to patient records, electronic communication with their care team and availability after hours.

2. Engagement. Encourage every practice to have a patient advisory council to facilitate meaningful patient engagement.

3. Transparency. increase transparency in pricing of health care services and educate patients to better understand the cost of care.

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4. Integration. integrate public and mental health into the Patient-Centered Medical Home and add care managers, health coaches and population health professionals to the primary care team.

5. Recruitment. support policies that drive at least 40 percent of medical students toward primary care specialties, with the goal of increasing the number of primary care physicians by at least 52,000 by 2025.

6. Payment. sunset fee-for-service payment in primary care. Work with public and private payers to adopt a uniform and simplifi ed model of comprehensive payment that encourages front-end investment in expanded practice infrastructure and technology, rewards triple Aim goals (better care, better health and lower costs) and supports broad, team-based care. support efforts to drive the department of Health and Human services goal of having 85 percent of Medicare payments tied to quality or value by 2016 and 90 percent by 2018.

“ ... it will take a common vision with those who provide and receive care to change the way health care is delivered in this country.”

UtMB’s family Medicine department, with others including internal Medicine and Pediatrics, is already tackling many of the outlined goals, such as embedding behavioral health professionals in all clinics and increasing access to care by extending hours and providing weekend appointment slots. But thompson said it will take a partnership with patients and communities, along with collaborators in other specialties and health care professions, to truly achieve meaningful change.

“As family physicians, we are rooted in the communities we serve and provide about one-in-fi ve health care visits, an estimated 214 million offi ce visits annually, so it makes sense that we are leaders in this initiative,” said thompson. “But it will take a common vision with those who provide and receive care to change the way health care is delivered in this country.”

For more information on the Health Is Primary campaign, visit www.healthisprimary.org.

impact D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 5

professionalism


Physicians may be experts when it comes to diagnosing and treating patients, but what about skills in management and finance?

After spending years practicing medicine, many physicians find themselves in a role that positions them to be a leader—of a unit, department, division or hospital. However, these leadership roles often require specific skill sets that are not taught in medical school.

that’s where UtMB’s Physician leadership Academy (PlA) comes in.

“there are so many opportunities to lead here at UtMB,” said dr. selwyn rogers, vice president and chief medical officer. “We have nearly 12,000 employees all working toward a shared goal—to work wonders together, but the challenge is how do we do that effectively? the PlA is designed to give people the tools and practical work experience they need to accomplish that goal.”

dr. rex McCallum, vice president and chief physician executive, added that the program helps physician leaders who are facing new challenges in today’s health care environment. “the PlA prepares our leaders to deal with factors such as greater government oversight, increased emphasis on patient-centered care, decreased reimbursement from payers and more competition for health care delivery.”

Among the areas that draw the most interest from physicians is finance.

“Physicians are interested in providing quality care to their patients, but they also are interested in making sure they do it in a practical way,” said faith robin, senior talent and organizational development consultant. “When we brought in revenue-cycle

experts, the physicians had tons of questions—it was their time to ask everything about iCd-10, how claims are paid, and what their impact is, based on how they diagnose and treat. By giving them a broader picture of health care, they felt more confident in their skills to be a leader of a care team.”

dr. Manuela Murray, assistant professor of Pediatrics, graduated from the 13-month program in october.

“the experience i had and the connections i made were amazing,” said Murray. “i recently started a new position as medical director of Pediatric Urgent Care Centers for UtMB, so the PlA was a great opportunity to learn

more about the administrative aspects and everything that happens behind the curtains of the clinic. When i was in medical school, i didn’t really get any training on that, so the program provided the resources i needed to help me do that part of the job better.”

Along with building knowledge about the business side of health care, the PlA offered an assessment portion that helped her build self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Each participant created a development plan and was assigned to an internal coach who provided feedback, advice and direction toward specific personal and professional goals.

“As the final requirement of the PlA, physicians work in teams on capstone projects that have been identified as operational improvement and strategic business priorities,” said ian Barrett, Phd, associate vice president of Human resources. “these projects have the potential to become reality, if approved by executive leadership and appropriated funding.”

Murray and a team of three others presented their project, “optimal Clinic Care team Membership and function” to senior leaders at the program graduation. Her group focused on how to improve patient care surrounding pediatric obesity.

“We created the idea of having a multidisciplinary team—with a physician, nutritionist, psychologist, social worker and exercise specialist—working together to help young patients lose weight and change their lifestyles,” said Murray. “We spend so much money on treating diabetes, sleep apnea and hypertension caused by obesity. if we could prevent them at the front end, it would save a lot of money in the long run.”

the PlA recently launched its fourth year of the program, with 14 more doctors well on their way to joining the ranks as physician leaders. for more information on the PlA, including the nomination and selection process, visit https://hr.utmb.edu/tod/physicianleadership.aspx.

Dr. Manuela Murray, a recent PLA graduate

The PLA Curriculumsince the program started three years ago, 42 UtMB physicians have graduated from the PlA, which is facilitated by UtMB Human resources on behalf of the faculty Group Practice and the chief medical officer. the PlA curriculum covers 12 areas:

• the road Ahead for Physician leadership Academy and self awareness

• Management communication styles• strategy• Capstone project development and

management• leading organizations• Quality and performance improvement,

patient safety and accreditation• Presentation skills• financial planning• diversity and inclusion• recruiting, hiring and on-boarding• Employee law and employee relations• Compensation for staff

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ReseaRcH

UTMB launches new open-access

journal Npj Vaccines

RESEARCH BRIEFS

Compiled from press releases written by Donna Ramirez and Johnston Farrow. Find out more at www.utmb.edu/newsroom.

Ramkumar Menon, PhD, and his team have uncovered a cellular signal in the amniotic fluid around the fetus that builds up when a pregnant woman is about to go into labor. the findings were recently published in Plos one. the team focused their investi-gation on telomeres, which are the parts of the dnA that protect our genetic data while cells are dividing. these telomeres become shorter every time a cell divides, and when they become too short to divide, they are called “senescent.” the researchers investigated whether

the presence of senescent telomere fragments in the amniotic fluid around the fetus is linked with labor status, because it is known that the telomeres continue to get shorter as the pregnancy progresses. the researchers used telomere mimics, resembling those found in amniotic fluid, and conducted cellular analyses. they found more telomere fragments when women were in labor, compared to the end of their pregnancy but not yet in labor. they also found that as the fetus matures in the womb and nears term, placenta and other related tissues also age correspondingly due to telomere fragmentation and eventual loss. these telomere fragments can increase what Menon calls “sterile inflammation,” potentially signaling fetal maturity to trigger the process of labor and eventual delivery. the discovery may contribute to the design of more effective labor assessment, perhaps including preterm birth risk and direct medical interventions for labor induction or prevention.

A recent study conducted by Dr. David McCormick shows that severely obese women who maintained or lost weight during pregnancy had healthier babies and lower health care costs. the study, published in the journal

NaTUre PUBlishiNg groUP aNd UTMB, on behalf of the Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, recently launched a new open-access journal called Npj Vaccines. The new journal will be dedicated to highlighting the most important scientific advances in vaccine research and development.

Editor-in-Chief Alan D. Barrett, PhD, director of UTMB’s Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, said, “We’re very



excited to partner with Nature, and together we plan on publishing significant new advances in vaccine research and development. One of our main goals is to share information that will help researchers who are looking for state-of-the-art research about vaccines. We want to become a prime source of up-to-date information about vaccine development and how vaccines are helping to improve our lives and saving the lives of millions of people around the globe.”

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ReseaRch

Clinical obesity, found that obese mothers experienced more medical problems during pregnancy, higher medical costs and longer lengths of hospital stay compared to non-obese women. yet 26 percent of the obese mothers who maintained or lost weight during pregnancy experienced lower medical costs

and gave birth to healthier infants. the findings are important because, compared with infants of normal-weight mothers, infants of obese mothers experienced more complications such as stillbirth, prematurity, excessively large size and neonatal trauma—and 34 percent of reproductive-aged women living in the U.s. are obese.

Dr. Jordan Terasaki found that when providers were given a structured approach to evaluating and managing stable CoPd patients using informa-

tion embedded into a patient’s electronic medical records during outpatient visits, they provided better advanced-patient assessments and other quali-ty-of-care measures. these findings were recently published in the journal respiratory Medicine. Although CoPd is a medical condition that requires a lifetime of management, barely half of health care providers follow the clinical practice guidelines established on how to evaluate and manage patients with the condition. the research team developed and used an evidence-driven CoPd flowsheet based on clinical practice guidelines that were embedded in a patient’s electronic medical records so that they came up on screen to prompt the provider during CoPd outpatient visits. this system was integrated into the research team’s pulmonary clinic within an academic medical center. in the post-intervention group, researchers found a significant increase in the use of tools to measure the severity of a patient’s CoPd since the last clinic visit, referrals to a pulmonary rehabilitation program, inhaler technique education, use of both short-acting rescue inhalers and long-acting lung medications, and influenza vaccinations.

Dr. Danny O. Jacobs, UTMB executive vice president and provost, and dean of the School of Medicine, said, “I share Dr. Barrett’s enthusiasm and excitement about our new partnership with Nature Publishing Group in recognition of our organizations’ mutual interests and collective expertise. Without a doubt, there is a clear need for a high-impact open-access journal that focuses on

identifying and reporting the most important and significant information on vaccines to control infectious diseases and noninfectious disease in the future.”

Martin Delahunty, Global Head of Partnership Journals at Nature Publishing Group, said, “We want to encourage decision-making about vaccines on the basis of up-to-date scientific research and evidence. The articles from Npj Vaccines will be open access and therefore free to read at the point of publication. They can be read and shared by anyone across the globe, from scientific researchers to clinicians working in remote areas and parents looking for the latest research on vaccinations.”

The journal will publish a variety of research articles on human and veterinary vaccinations, from discovery and basic science to nonclinical development of vaccines, vaccine

formulation, AIDS vaccine, cancer/oncology vaccines, clinical evaluation of vaccines and vaccine safety, to mention just a few.

Each original research article will include a lay summary of the key issues being addressed within the article with the goal of keeping the readership informed of advances in the field of vaccinology.

Given the public health importance of vaccines, in addition to publishing high-quality original research, Npj Vaccines will also publish commentaries, news, research highlights, editorials and correspondence from readers, to provide state-of-the-art information for all of those interested in vaccines.

Visit the website for Npj Vaccines at www.nature.com/npjvaccines.

Alan D. Barrett, PhD

“We want to become a prime source of up-to-date information about vaccine development and how vaccines are helping to improve our lives and saving the lives of millions of people around the globe.”

—Alan D. Barrett


Patricia Valdes isn’t grossed out by ticks—you know, those tiny bugs that burrow in your skin and suck your blood. she’s interested in them and fascinated by the microorganisms they transmit. As the assistant director of the Walker Research Lab at UTMB, she’s dedicated the last 25 years to learning more about the biology of the pathogens that ticks carry.

“When you hear about emerging infectious diseases, that’s what we’re talking about,” said Valdes. “Many of these diseases, such as chikungunya, West Nile encephalitis, some rickettsioses, and Ehrlichiosis are vector-borne, and spread by mosquitoes, fleas and ticks. We are working to understand threats like these and ultimately develop treatments and vaccines for humans and animals. This work has a global impact.”

Valdes, who has a master’s degree in genetics and molecular biology, has worked closely with Dr. David Walker since joining the lab in 1990. Walker is the past chair of the Department of Pathology and currently leads UTMB’s Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases.

I meet up with Valdes at the entrance to UTMB’s Galveston National Laboratory. She patiently waits as I pass through a security checkpoint, then greets me with a warm smile and a pleasant French accent. She explains how her family moved to the U.S. from France when she was 18, and I immediately feel like I’m talking to an old friend—she’s incredibly down-to-earth considering the sterile, scientific environment where she works.



as we make our way to the Walker Lab, Valdes introduces me to each person we see in the hallways, from the engineers who keep the GNL running to neighboring researchers. One person tells me that I will have a good time shadowing Valdes, as she knows how to keep the lab productive yet fun.

Wait! “Ticks” and “fun” can go together? I ask just what “fun” I’m in for and Valdes explains that she is preparing to run an experiment that afternoon. Lucky for me, Valdes doesn’t handle live ticks—she works with their DNA and proteins, so I won’t have to worry about anything crawling on the counter and hitching a ride on my arm.

“Currently, we’re researching a new tick-borne bacterium, Ehrlichia muris-like agent (EMLA), that has infected people in Minnesota and Wisconsin with ehrlichiosis, a disease that causes feverish illness,” said Valdes. “I’ve been characterizing the proteins that have been extracted from EMLA in hopes of discovering what antibodies are needed to neutralize the bacteria.”

A constant humming fills the Walker lab, as sub-zero freezers and refrigerators work full-time to keep organisms and other materials preserved. Valdes keeps the area inviting, with family photos decorating her work space and a colorful lab jacket hanging over her chair.

As she shows me around, I shake hands with a diverse group of Ph.D. students, faculty and visiting faculty from around the world, including China and Brazil. They all tell me about their collaborative research projects as I pretend to understand. I write down key words to look up later and realize that I’ll have to do some research of my own.

I ask Valdes if she ever thought she’d be working so closely with ticks. She laughs, recalling how her two children used to react to her enthusiasm for the small arachnids.

“My kids would get worried when we’d see fliers in a state park visitors center about what to do if you see a tick,” said Valdes.

“I would get all excited and start naming the species pictured in the fliers and my kids would look at me, eyes glazed over and say, ‘Mom, what are you talking about?’”

As we walk up four flights of stairs to get ice for her experiment (exercise is very important to Valdes—in fact, she takes classes at the Alumni Field House with colleagues about four times a week), she explains that her kids have matured since then. Her daughter is even majoring in biochemistry at Louisiana State University and working in a research lab that studies tick-borne diseases.

“One day, my daughter was looking for a paper on Google Scholar and one

of my publications popped up,” said Valdes. “She thought that was really cool. It was strange to have her see me not just as mom, but starting to appreciate what I do at work too.”

While conducting research is Valdes’s favorite aspect of her job, she keeps busy with numerous administrative duties as well. In her role as assistant lab director, she ensures the lab is always running smoothly by training Ph.D. students, making sure materials are stocked and managing the lab’s budget.

“While it’s not all exciting, it has to be done,” said Valdes. “For example, we have a lot of collaborators worldwide who want to send us diagnostic samples —ticks, fleas, mites—so I have to make sure we have all the proper permits from government entities like the CDC and USDA to import and export material.”

Add repairing refrigerators to the list. As we talk about non-research duties, a repairman shows up to inspect one of the lab’s refrigerators that broke a few days earlier. Valdes has no qualms about getting down on her hands and knees to help diagnose the problem.

After a few interruptions, she refocuses on the experiment she’s running for the day, which will use what’s called a gel electrophoresis apparatus to separate molecules (in this case, proteins extracted from tissue culture cells infected with EMLA, an emerging pathogen) based on size. It forms distinct blue bands on a gel that tells the researchers what they’re looking at. Every step she takes is meticulously recorded in a lab notebook.

Valdes says this is just the beginning of a project looking at how the proteins react to certain antibodies, but hopes to eventually see her hard work translated into practical measures that can improve human health.

“The discovery is the most rewarding part—it’s basically gaining knowledge about something that wasn’t previously known, and that’s really exciting.”

“The discovery is the most rewarding part— it’s basically gaining knowledge about something that wasn’t previously known, and that’s really exciting.”


EDUCATION

Every morning at 8 a.m., faculty physicians, rns, residents and medical students gather in a conference room at UtMB’s Community Adult Clinic in texas City to discuss the patients

scheduled for the day.

this is the tEAM (texas Excellence in Academic Medicine) Clinic—and collaboration is evident everywhere. What makes this clinic unique is the education component. opened in August 2014 as a section 1115 Medicaid Waiver project, it’s a patient-centered medical home model that trains medical students and residents.

“We have these bright, talented and partially trained learners who can help deliver care—and they are eager to be more involved,” said dr. steven lieberman, senior dean for school of Medicine Administration, who helped come up with the idea for clinic. “over the last 20 years, the role of students and residents in patient care has been marginalized, and they have become much more observers rather than active participants. that’s not good for their education.”

Under physician supervision, students at the tEAM clinic provide patient care and experience continuity and responsibility. the 2015–2016 class includes 12 medical students, three physician assistant students and four primary care residents who each follow their own panel of patients for at least a year.

“students see patients multiple times over an extended period and establish that intimate physician/patient relationship, which is critical, and students absolutely love this,” said dr. Premal Patel, assistant professor of internal Medicine and medical director of the tEAM clinic.

the clinical outcomes they’ve seen early in the fi rst year, which have focused on diabetes, have far exceeded their targets. Patient satisfaction has also been overwhelmingly positive.

“the patients they see are part of a vulnerable population, so they really benefi t from the intense kind of counseling they get from students and faculty—it’s like there is a core team of people who have surrounded themselves around these patients,” said Patel.

danny linscomb is a patient at the tEAM clinic. He’s gotten to know students, staff and faculty physicians well since fi rst coming to an appointment last december.

“i wasn’t apprehensive knowing students would be working with me. they come in with a fresh mind, eager to do their best and make sure you are feeling your best,” said linscomb. “they even call me between

visits to make sure i’m doing oK and getting the medications i need. When i come into the clinic, i’m always greeted with, ‘Hey, danny!’ it’s not, ‘Who are you?’”

students like fourth-year soM student Hikma Jemal have been working with linscomb continuously over the last year.

“What makes this clinic different from traditional medical school is that i have some patients that i’ve been following for more than a year and i get to see their progress,” said Jemal. “this experience stands out from all the other rotations i’ve done. if students just rotate from place to place each month, they don’t know how their care impacted a patient’s life. But here, you get to see it and you learn from experience.”

Patel hopes the tEAM clinic will increase interest in primary care, as the shortage of primary care providers is expected to worsen as the population ages and grows. Patel and dr. Judy rowen, associate dean for Educational Affairs, developed an educational program for students so they have a half day each month to get together and learn about a topic. the program is called student Continuity of Practice Experience, or sCoPE. it’s been so popular, it has now expanded beyond the tEAM clinic to UtMB family Medicine, st. Vincents and Pediatrics clinics.

“We really want this to be a place where students from all disciplines come together to improve the health and lives of our patients,” said Patel. “the tEAM clinic experience will benefi t students whether they go into primary care or not. By the time they graduate, they are comfortable in an outpatient clinical environment, understand roles and take ownership over their patients. that will serve them well no matter what they decide to do.”

Texas City clinic trains medical students and residents, provides primary care for underservedB y K i r s t i A n n C l i f f o r d

WorKinG As A TEAM

School of Medicine student Hikma Jemal visits with patient Danny Linscomb.


EDUCATION

UTMB’s School of Nursing has a reputation for producing exemplary graduates who excel clinically and professionally. And as the demand for nurses in the health care system continues to grow, UtMB is in a prime position to help meet that demand. in fact, its efforts have been recognized by BestColleges.com, which recently named the school of nursing as the top online Master of science in nursing (Msn) program in the nation.

the recognition was based on the school’s assessment of students, student opinion of the school and student success once enrolled. schools that excelled in all areas ranked the highest in their respective categories.

BestColleges.com praised UtMB’s school of nursing for equipping students with the ability to develop collaborative relationships with colleagues from nursing and other disciplines, preparing them for leadership roles in health care. the site also noted that UtMB’s nursing graduates are prepared to contribute to the improvement of health care and influence health care policy through practice and research.

“this ranking is further evidence of the more than 20 years’ experience we have garnered in online nursing education and a testament to the hard work, dedication and excellence our faculty and students display,” Pamela G. Watson, scd, dean of UtMB’s school of nursing, said. “UtMB was the first in texas to educate master’s degree-prepared nurse practitioners.

We are proud of this legacy and honored to be recognized.”

the Master of science in nursing program offers six specializations: family nurse Practitioner (fnP), Adult Gerontology Primary Care nurse Practitioner (AGPCnP), neonatal nurse Practitioner (nnP), Clinical nurse leader (Cnl), Executive nurse leader (Enl) and nurse Educator (nE).

An online master’s in nursing degree provides an opportunity for nurses to get the education needed to advance their career while continuing to earn an income. Graduates of an online Msn program can work as nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, certified clinical nurse specialists and certified nurse anesthetists.

Generally, those who pursue an Msn already have a bachelor’s degree in nursing. the advanced degree enables students to develop expertise in one area. specifically, the Msn

B y K r i s t E n H E n s l E y

program is for students who have assessed personal career goals and matched them to individual, community and industry needs.

All programs are offered online, and they share seven core courses: foundations of theory and research, Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, informatics/Quality improvementi, Public Policy, Advanced Health Assessment and innovations in Community Health Practice. (the Enl track excludes Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Advanced Health Assessment.)

the school of nursing was established in 1890 as the John sealy training school for nurses. it was the first school of nursing west of the Mississippi and one of the first in the country to join a university when it became part of the medical branch. today, it graduates more than 500 students annually and is the largest of UtMB’s four schools.

Joint Commission 2015The long-awaited Joint Commission surveyors, seven in all, visited UTMB Nov. 2–6. They reviewed John Sealy Hospital, Angleton Danbury Campus, many of the off-island clinics, all of the island clinics, the Clinical Services Wing, John Sealy Annex and Hospital Galveston. In every instance, the surveyors commented on how engaged our staff were, how knowledgeable and competent everyone is, and how welcomed they felt. Thank you to all who rounded with the surveyors every day, to the physicians and staff who were part of rounding and formal interviews, to those who ensured the facilities were clean and ready to be surveyed, and those who worked so hard behind the scenes.

Pictured: Joint Commission surveyor dr. dennis frank, center, shares examples of “best practices” with dr. selwyn rogers, vice president and chief medical officer; Margaret foreman, director of Medical staff services; dr. susan McCammon, co-director of the Center for Cancers of the Head and neck; dr. Alvah Cass, professor and vice chair of family Medicine; and dr. Mary Munn, director of Ultrasound and Prenatal diagnosis.


LEADER SPOTLIGHT

What does the Road Ahead look like for you?for the services we provide at UtMB, the road Ahead must adapt to delivering services at multiple sites with consistent quality. that will mean we need to better define the services needed by our customers. We’ll also need to focus on making sure our workforce has multiple skill sets to address a broader array of customer needs. on the personal front, the road Ahead for me includes higher delegation of duties at UtMB and getting more time with family. Hard work alone will not allow us to meet goals—we need to approach them with a balanced plan of sweat, creativity and personal downtime.

UTMB is growing at an astronomical rate with the new Jennie Sealy Hospital nearing completion, as well as campuses and clinics on the mainland popping up. What are some of the biggest challenges you face when it comes to managing the institution’s growth? our biggest issue will be recruiting and retaining human talent. With a major portion of our workforce due to retire in the next

few years, we have a need to pass on institutional knowledge and to grow into new services for our varied customers and technologies.

You’ve been at UTMB since 1993—did you ever dream we’d be where we are today?no. i am a planner by nature and my plan was to be at UtMB for five to seven years and then move on to another academic medical center. then i met my wife Beth and found a great church. the “adjustment” to my plan was made easy since UtMB is a great place to work and Galveston is a great place to live. the challenges that have continued to come at us have kept my interest high and have allowed for a very fulfilling professional experience.

What do you enjoy most about your job? i tell people that i have the best job at UtMB. the role oversees infrastructure and services that are critical to our daily operational success and at the same time includes interaction with our faculty and staff to understand the needs of new programs and the development of strategic plans for each of our missions. if i need to get away

from my desk, i can simply take a walk around campus and most people think i am working!

What do you like to do when you’re not at work? Beth and i enjoy walking a great deal. We try to get out there every day and sometimes twice! i find it a great time to share issues and get some fresh air since most of my workday in spent inside. i also enjoy reading and am currently reading the biography of John Adams.

What is the one thing most people don’t know about you?that even though i spend my day in meetings, i am an introvert and that it takes a huge amount of my energy to be with groups (hence the walking and reading when i get home).

What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but have not done yet? i have been blessed to be able to travel and see a fair amount of the world with some early help from the U.s. Marine Corps and lately with the encouragement of my co-traveler Beth! My goal is more about time—time to enjoy the families of our grown children who stretch from florida to nebraska to texas. And time to take the grandkids on some outings.

Mike shriner joined UTMB in 1993 and is the vice president of Business Operations and Facilities. In his role, he oversees more than 400 employees working in various support areas, including Property Services, Design and Construction Services, Supply Chain, Campus Planning, Real Estate, Utilities, Environmental Health and Safety, Institutional Emergency Preparedness and Auxiliary Services. He also serves as UTMB’s responsible officer for federally restricted research activities and security of radioactive materials.

Prior to UTMB, Shriner served as the campus architect for the University of Nebraska Medical Center and directed major facilities projects for the clinical programs and the Epply Cancer Institute.

Shriner is a licensed architect and graduated from the University of Nebraska with degrees from the College of Engineering and College of Architecture, as well as an MBA.

“If I need to get away from my desk, I can simply take a walk around campus and most people think I am working!”

spotlight on Mike shriner, Business operations & Facilitiesspotlight on Mike shriner, Business operations & Facilities

Mike Shriner and his wife, Beth

impact d E C E M B E r 2 0 1 5 13

PEOPLE

dr. linda G. Phillips, chief of Plastic surgery, has been elected a member of the Board of regents of the American College of surgeons.

the Board of regents formulates policy and directs the affairs of the ACs. it has 23

members, 22 of whom are elected by the Board of Governors for three-year terms. the 23rd regent is the president of the ACs. regents may serve three consecutive three-year terms. the

Board of regents is assisted in its work by numerous committees, councils and advisory groups.

Phillips specializes in the healing of diffi cult wounds, body contouring after massive weight loss, reconstructive and aesthetic breast surgery, as well as cosmetic facial and body contouring.

throughout her career, Phillips has received a number of accolades. she is regularly included on the list of Best doctors in America, the Guide to America’s top surgeons and texas super doctors. she was honored with the “young at Heart” award from the American society of Plastic surgeons for her membership, and the distinguished service Award from the Plastic surgery foundation. she is the past chair of the American Board of Plastic surgery and the residency review Committee for Plastic surgery, as well as the past president of the Plastic surgery foundation, among other organizations.

she was certifi ed by the American Board of surgery in 1984 and the American Board of Plastic surgery in 1986. she joined UtMB in 1988.

Dr. Courtney M. Townsend Jr., the Robertson-Poth Distinguished Chair in General Surgery, was named the president-elect of the American College of Surgeons at its recent 2015 clinical conference in Chicago.

Th e ACS is a scientifi c and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. With more than 80,000 members, it is the largest organization of surgeons in the world.

“Being selected by my colleagues in the American College of Surgeons to serve as president-elect is one of the highest honors I could receive,” said Townsend. “I look forward to leading the organization and representing all its members.”

UTMB President David L. Callender said he is extraordinarily proud of Townsend and this well-deserved honor. “He not only represents the best of UTMB, but he also is considered among the best in his profession,” Callender said.

Townsend has held many leadership roles in ACS, including secretary, chairman of the ACS Board of Governors and a member of the board’s executive committee.

Townsend has served as editor-in-chief of the “Sabiston Textbook of Surgery: Th e Biological Basis of Modern Surgical Practice” since 2000 and was also the editor of “Surgical Oncology.” He has served on the editorial board of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, the journal Surgery and the American Journal of Surgery.

He is a UTMB alumnus and joined UTMB as an associate professor in the Department of Surgery in 1978.

Phillips elected to Board of Regents

“Being selected by my colleagues in the American College of Surgeons to serve as president-elect is one of the highest honors I could receive.”

- dr. Courtney M. townsend Jr.

Townsend namedACS President

American College of SurgeonsInspiring Quality: Highest Standards, Better Outcomes

Dr. Courtney M. Townsend Jr. has held many leadership roles in the American College of Surgeons, including secretary, chairman of its Board of Governors and a member of the board’s executive committee.


RESEARCH

It’s estimated that more than a quarter of children witness domestic violence

between their parents and that at least as many experience emotional or psychological abuse during childhood. In addition, 25 percent of youth will be a victim of teen dating violence.

Th at’s why it’s critical for kids— especially during their teenage years —to be taught healthy relationship skills, and what healthy and unhealthy relationships look like, according to Jeff Temple, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Temple said one avenue for teaching teens how to build and maintain healthy relationships, deal with peer pressure and resolve confl icts free of violence is the Fourth R program. Th e Fourth R, which was developed by Canadian psychologist David A. Wolfe and his team, is taught in thousands of classrooms as part of the school health curricula across Canada.

Now, thanks to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarding UTMB a $1.05 million grant to study the program’s implementation, Fourth R is being deployed in classrooms throughout the Houston area, which represents one of the fi rst organized eff orts to bring the program to the U.S.

Th e study will help researchers determine the program’s “real-world”

WHAT YOU CAN DOtemple says schools listen to parents. so, lobbying your children’s school or school district to have healthy relationship programming is a good fi rst step in getting this type of curriculum into a local classroom.

for more information on the fourth r program, visit https://youthrelationships.org.

LEARNINGTO RELATEImplementation study of the Fourth R program aims to help area schools improve installation of vital relationship lessons

B y s t E P H E n H A d l E y

“... we can prevent dating violence, bullying and sexual harassment all because of lessons in the classrooms. That’s my goal.”

- Jeff temple, Phd

eff ectiveness in promoting healthy relationships.

Temple, who is the principal investigator for the study, said the results would be used to apply the program across the U.S.

“Schools have a pretty good grasp on how to teach students math, English, reading, science and social studies,” said Temple, who is also the vice president of the Galveston Independent School District school board. “We also now have a better grasp on how to teach healthy relationships. However, we’re not doing it, which is kind of surprising since that’s the foundation for everything in life.”

Th e goal, Temple said, is to teach teens how to be in a healthy relationship, how to avoid being in an unhealthy

relationship, how to resolve confl icts without violence, and how to trust, respect and love.

“If we build that foundation, we make better people, we make better learners,” he said. “And we can prevent dating violence, bullying and sexual harassment all because of lessons within the classroom. Th at’s my goal.”

Temple said he believes teaching relationship skills should mirror how schools teach the traditional core subjects.

Th e Fourth R program follows that premise, hence the name. Similar to teaching the traditional “Reading, (w)Rriting and (a)Rithmetic,” the Fourth “R” uses guided lessons, role-playing exercises and homework to build healthy relationship skills.

An additional benefi t of the program—especially from the perspective of cash-strapped school districts—is that Fourth R integrates easily into the existing state and federal criteria for health education in the schools.

“Th is isn’t an add-on program where districts have to spend extra money to implement it,” said Temple. “Th at makes it attractive because the teachers who are already working in the classroom are the ones who will be teaching the lessons.”

impact d E C E M B E r 2 0 1 5 15

PEOPLE

UTMB’s Employee Advisory Council, a peer-elected group that serves to enhance communication for all Classifi ed,

Administrative and Professional (A&P), and non-teaching positions, held elections in November.

Members are elected for three-year terms from four widely grouped areas within UTMB: Academic Enterprise, Correctional Managed Care, Hospitals and Clinics, and Institutional Support.

Th e following employees were elected to represent their respective entity:

• academic enterprise: Bryan Hoynacke, Student Life Offi ce

• Correctional Managed Care: Pinkee Patel, Beaumont Complex

• hospitals and Clinics: Jill Bryant-Bova, Quality Management

• institutional support: Leslie Blacketer, Alumni Field House

Th e EAC serves as a focus group/advisory panel by providing a feedback loop on broad issues and potential new programs that can

impact employees. Elections are held each year to replace members who have served their commitment to the council. Th anks go to the following EAC members whose terms have ended: Neal Cooper (Institutional Support), Jacqueline Pope (Hospitals and Clinics) and Kelley Prevou (Academic Enterprise). Offi cers will be elected in January.

For more information about the EAC, please visit http://blogs.utmb.edu/eac.

THE UTMB POLICE DEPARTMENT recently was named the Pacesetter Police department of the year.

the Pacesetter Award is presented to the police department within the University of texas system that demonstrated a strong and professional commitment to public safety and contemporary policing over the past year and, in doing so, set an example for other institution police departments to follow.

the award was presented to UtMB Police Chief tom Engells at the University of texas system police chiefs’ annual conference recently held in new Braunfels, texas.

“We serve one of the fi nest academic institutions in the country, providing a nationally recognized police organization,” said Engells. “it is a true honor for the department to receive the Pacesetter Award since it comes from our colleagues within the Ut system.”

Engells noted that UtMB presents unique challenges when it comes to law enforcement. Home to the Galveston national laboratory, the facility requires multiple security measures.

in addition, the fact that UtMB has campuses or clinics in several counties can also be challenging.

With its staff of 126, the UtMB Police department is focused on professional policing and is dedicated to providing safe and secure environments for higher education, research and health care.

Ut system includes 575 offi cers in all, making it the third largest state law enforcement agency in texas.

Some of the UTMB police staff members with the Pacesetter Award are, from left, Sgt. Noel Layer, Sgt. Oliver Scott, Sgt. Shawn Carr, Chief Thomas Engells, Offi cer Laura Barret, Offi cer James Carr and Sgt. James Price.

UTMB Police Department receives Pacesetter Award

New members elected to EAC

Leslie Blacketer

Bryan Hoynacke

Jill Bryant-Bova

Pinkee Patel

d E C E M B E r 2 0 1 5 impact

PARTING SHOT

Seven ways to beat the bah humbugsBy Dr. Derek Neal, assistant professor, UTMB Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

For many people, the holidays are not only a happy and joyous time reuniting with family and friends—they can also trigger stress and depression. If you have the holiday blues, the following tips may help lift your spirits.

1. Manage your expectations. there is so much pressure to create the “perfect” holiday. such a concept does not exist, so having that expectation sets you up for failure. try to be reasonable and fl exible with your goal setting as you plan.

2. Accept your feelings. Although the holidays can be a celebratory time, sometimes they can also remind us of those we have lost or of those we can’t be close to. it is oK to feel sad in these situations. forcing happiness can lead to guilt and more sadness. Accept your feelings and take time to express them.

3. Establish boundaries. Be mindful of when you are feeling overwhelmed. remember that saying “no” is oK. Knowing your limitations and establishing boundaries with others can go a long way toward preventing resentment. this also applies to fi nancial boundaries. set a budget for gift buying and stick to it.

4. Plan ahead. Allow enough time for errands (shopping, cleaning, organizing, cooking, etc.). last-minute scrambling can worsen the stress. don’t

be afraid to ask for help either. letting others share the load decreases stress on everyone.

5. Take time out. Plan multiple breaks during the day, even if they are as brief as 5-10 minutes. Meditation, deep breathing or brief

power naps are good options. Just remember to keep any naps to around 30 minutes or less.

6. Focus on physical health. the temptation to overindulge with food and drink is high during the holidays. Practicing moderation with diet will help build resiliency toward stress. Mild to moderate exercise 30 minutes a

day for most days of the week is also helpful, especially if outdoors. Exposure to the sun can help counter

stress and depression.

7. Seek help if needed. you may fi nd that, despite your efforts, you still experience strong negative emotions such as depression, irritability and fatigue. if these symptoms are starting to affect the way you normally function, it may be time to contact your doctor or mental health professional.

Holiday lighting ceremonyUTMB celebrated its annual holiday lighting ceremony on Dec. 2, in front of John Sealy Hospital on the Galveston Campus. Guests enjoyed the lights, music, cider, hot chocolate and had an opportunity to refl ect on the tremendous accomplishments of the past year and look ahead to a new year full of promise.

impact december 2015

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