AHC News Capsules 11/28/07
November 28, 2007
NEWS CAPSULES
is a biweekly newsletter for faculty, staff, and students of the Academic Health Center. Please send submissions to Jacob Portnoy at port0179@umn.edu.
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Our drive for increased philanthropy has generated news lately – both for the success of efforts to fund the John S. Najarian Surgical Chair in Clinical Transplantation to celebrate his contributions to that field (see below), as well as for efforts to seek significant donors for the Medical School and its priorities.
Funding the mission here at the University has become an increasingly complex and competitive enterprise. Public funds remain critical to our operations – and are declining as a percentage of overall revenues. Sponsored research dollars are now coming through a wider variety of sources – many requiring significant management for potential conflicts. And maintaining clinical income for our health professional schools will require significant investment in infrastructure to remain competitive in the consumer marketplace of health.
That’s why philanthropy becomes increasingly critical as the path to providing the margin of excellence that can distinguish this institution and its health professional schools. As you read stories concerning efforts by the Medical School to seek philanthropic dollars, know that that effort is part of a careful plan to ensure long-term success and strength for the core mission – educating tomorrow’s physicians to improve community health.
– Frank B. Cerra, M.D.
Sr. Vice President for Health Sciences
Najarian Surgical Chair in Clinical Transplantation established
The new chair is named for John S. Najarian, a surgeon and clinical educator who led the department of surgery at the University of Minnesota Medical School for 25 years, ending in 1995. The chair will enable the Department of Surgery to support the research and clinical pursuits of a full-time faculty member in transplantation.
Food, not specific nutrients, may be key to good health
In a recent academic review, David Jacobs, Ph.D. (School of Public Health), has concluded that food, as opposed to specific nutrients, may be key to having a healthy diet. This notion is contrary to popular practice in food industry and government, where marketers and regulators tend to focus on total fat, carbohydrate and protein and on specific vitamins and added supplements in food products, not the food items as a whole. The research is published in last month’s Journal of Nutrition Reviews. For more information, go to: http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/food110607/home.html.
Javon Bea (School of Public Health - MHA ’78), received the 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, on behalf of Mercy Health System in Janesville, WI. Bea is president and chief executive officer of Mercy Health. For more information, go to: http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/2007baldrigerecipients.htm.
Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D., F.A.C.S. (Medical School), has been named to the American College of Surgeons Board of Governors, representing the Society of University Surgeons.
Christine A. Mueller, Ph.D., R.N., B.C., C.N.A.A., and Linda Olson Keller, M.S., A.P.R.N., B.C. (School of Nursing), were inducted as fellows into the American Academy of Nursing at the Academy’s 34th annual conference. For more information, go to: http://www.nursing.umn.edu/News/FAAN_MuellerOKeller.html.
Joanne Disch Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N. (School of Nursing), was awarded the 2007 American Academy of Nursing Presidential Award at the Academy’s annual conference. The award was given in recognition of her creation of the "Raise the Voice," campaign. For more information, go to: http://www.nursing.umn.edu/News/DischPresidentAward.html.
Linda Watson (Health Sciences Libraries), became president of the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) at its annual meeting. AAHSL comprises the libraries serving the accredited U.S. and Canadian medical schools belonging to or affiliated with the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Peg Brown (AHC Office of Facilities), now holds primary responsibility for designing and developing planning and management resources for all service units within the AHC Office of Facilities in addition to her role as manager of AHC classrooms and their technical support.
University launches emergency text messaging service
TXT-U is a newemergency notification text messaging system to keep students, faculty, and staff informed about critical campus safety information. TXT-U is one of many ways the University will provide notification about emergencies to faculty, staff, and students.
For more information and to register your number, go to: http://www.TXT-U.umn.edu.
UnitedHealth Group launches United Minnesota initiative
The ten-year, $100 million initiative designed advance health, education and social well-being in the state through alliances with community organizations that have demonstrated success in improving the quality of life in their communities and the state. The University and Academic Health Center will receive funds but the amount has not been determined. UnitedHealth Group has its headquarters and 20 other facilities in Minnesota. For more information, go to: http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/news/rel2007/1114_united_mn.htm.
2007 Immunization Tour distributes nearly 4000 flu vaccine doses
The Immunization Tour is an interprofessional course for College of Pharmacy and School of Nursing students who conduct flu clinics on campus. These students have received training in setting up a mass immunization clinic along with key public health concepts preventing flu for the University community.
Transplant Tribute
John. S. Najarian will be honored with the establishment of the Najarian Surgical Chair in Clinical Transplantation, 2 - 4 p.m., Nov 30, in 11-157 Phillips-Wagensteen Building. Refreshments will follow. For more information on the Najarian Surgical Chair in Clinical Transplantation, go to: http://www.ahc.umn.edu/news/releases/najarian112706/home.html.
“The Essential Role of Biomedical and Health Informatics in Academic Health Centers: Minnesota Leads the Way”
Senior Vice President for Health Sciences Frank Cerra will welcome Don E. Detmer, M.D., M.A., president and chief executive officer of the American Medical Informatics Association for a presentation on the power and strength of informatics in the health sciences, 4-5 p.m., Dec. 11, in Mayo Memorial Auditorium. A reception will follow.
Surgical research and cancer laboratories open house
Selwyn Vickers, M.D., and Ashok Saluja, Ph.D., will lead tours, 4-6 p.m., Dec. 3, on the 11th floor of Moos Tower. Wine and cheese will be served.
Getting baby boomers engaged for the second half of life
LearningLife is a community designed to help boomers who want to connect, learn, and have fun. Classes, events, seminars, workshops, and online learning communities will focus on three themes; living and working in the second half of life; learning for pleasure and purpose; and legacies. The kick-off event for LearningLife is 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Dec. 1, at the Continuing Education and Conference Center. For more information, go to: http://www.cce.umn.edu/learninglife.
The Pacemaker: Past, Present, and Future
This event, presented by LifeScience Alley and the Department of Surgery, is 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Dec. 13, at Mayo Memorial Auditorium. Topics include history of the battery-powered pacemaker and future trends, technologies, and tools for cardiac resynchronization therapy. Continuing medical education credits are available. For more information or to register, go to: http://www.lifesciencealley.org/programs_events/detail.aspx?id=81.
Call for proposals addressing the broad societal implications of problems in health, environment, or the life sciences
The Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment and the Life Sciences has awards available for graduate and professional students, for individual faculty, and for Consortium members. For more information, go to: http://lifesci.consortium.umn.edu/rfps/.
Help the School of Nursing – go shopping
The School of Nursing Foundation is holding a one-day jewelry sale, 7:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., Dec. 5 in the hallway across from the Outside In cafeteria in the Phillips-Wangensteen Building. Sales from antique and contemporary jewelry will benefit nursing education programs and scholarships. For more information, contact Jane Pederson at: mpeder010@umn.edu.
LECTURES
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“Research documentation in the medical record”
The next Clinical Research Coordinator’s Group meeting is 7:30-9:00 a.m., Dec. 4, in 2-520 Moos Tower. Speakers will be Adrienne Baranauskas, director, Fairview Research Administration, Theresa Nguyen, EHR clinical training analyst, University of Minnesota Physicians, and Cindi Walsh, clinical analyst, Fairview Health Services.
“Postpartum Depression: Recommendations for Screening and Treatment”
The next Powell Center for Women’s Health noontime lecture series will feature Dwenda Gjerdingen, M.D., M.S., Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. The event is 12:15-1:15 p.m., Dec. 6, in 2-137 Jackson Hall.
“Building a Better Baby Business: What's Wrong with the Market for Assisted Reproduction and How to Make it Better”
Deborah Spar, Ph.D., senior associate dean at Harvard Business School, will speak, 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Dec. 12, at Coffman Memorial Union Theater. For more information, go to: http://events.umn.edu/event?event=117629.
“Respiratory Illness in Animal Feeding Operation Workers”
Steven Kirkhorn, M.D., will present on the health effects of workers in confined animal feeding operations, 9:00-10:30 a.m., Dec. 18, at Rice Memorial Hospital in Wilmar. Current research in this area will be discussed as well as appropriate personal protection strategies.
TIME CAPSULE
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Sr. Vice President of Health Sciences Frank Cerra, M.D., and School of Nursing Dean Connie Delaney Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., F.A.C.M.I., sign an affiliation agreement with Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital School of Nursing Dean Rohini Paul, Oct. 24, 2007 in Bangalore, India.
A history of collaborating around the globe
An AHC delegation recently returned from a successful trip to India to plan future partnerships. The University of Minnesota’s health science programs and universities in Asia have had a long history of collaborating. In 1954, the University began such a partnership with Seoul National University to provide technical and advisory support for educational programs and administrative organization in medicine, nursing, public health, and veterinary medicine. Learn more and read a related article by former Medical School Dean N. L. Gault.
AHC News Capsules is a biweekly newsletter for faculty, staff, and students of the Academic Health Center. Please send submissions to Jacob Portnoy at port0179@umn.edu.
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