October 2018

UTMB NEWSLETTER • OCTOBER 2018

Supporting the road to recovery:

Day in the Life of an inpatient physical therapist

2018 President’s Cabinet Award recipients honored Adapting the Zika vaccine to fight brain cancer School of Health Professions celebrates 50 years

Amy Barrera-Kovach, a licensed medical social worker (LMSW) at UTMB’s Galveston Campus, has been named Social Worker of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers–Texas Chapter. The NASW is the largest member organization of professional social workers in the world and works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards for social workers and to advance sound social policies. Barrera-Kovach was honored Oct. 11 during the opening plenary of the 42nd annual NASW Texas State Conference in Arlington.

UTMB’s Echocardiography Laboratory celebrated the Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month in October. As ultrasound professionals, the team is proud to contribute to the outstanding diagnostic services at UTMB. The laboratory services both inpatients and outpatients at UTMB hospitals in Galveston and League City and performs approximately 12,000 procedures annually, including transthoracic, transesophageal and stress echocardiograms, generating annual revenue of approximately $32 million (FY18). The laboratory has been continuously accredited for the last 15 years and recently renewed accreditation for the sixth time. In addition, the lab’s professionals teach and train sonographers, medical students, medical residents and cardiology fellows, who have maintained a 100-percent pass rate in echocardiography board examinations for the last several years. The lab also offers a unique mini-mester in Pointof-Care Echocardiography to second-year medical students interested in cardiovascular applications of ultrasound. The laboratory, which is staffed by nine technologists, three nurses, two to three fellows on a rotational basis, and nine attending faculty, is recognized for research work in 3D and contrast echocardiography.

Dr. David Herndon has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. Herndon is the Jesse H. Jones Distinguished Chair in Burn Surgery, professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, director of the Institute for Translational Sciences at UTMB and the director of research at the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Galveston. The Academy notes Herndon’s “numerous contributions as a world-leading surgeon-scientist that have improved our understanding of the metabolic effects of burn injury and changed how burned patients are treated.” His groundbreaking burn research programs have been continuously funded for more than 37 years, and he has won numerous awards for his work and leadership since joining UTMB.

UTMB’s Academy of Master Teachers, an honorary service organization that recognizes outstanding educators and provides development opportunities to faculty, has inducted its newest members. Congratulations to new AMT members Dennis Bente, DVM, PhD, associate professor, Microbiology and Immunology; Marci Contreras, MPAS, PA-C, assistant professor, Physician Assistant Studies; Aakash Gajjar, MD, assistant professor, Surgery; Derek Neal, MD, assistant professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; and Clifford Snyder, BSEd, MPAS, clinical specialist, Surgery.

Bente

Contreras

Gajjar

Neal

Snyder

Dr. Gordon Klein, a senior scientist and adjunct professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation at UTMB, has been elected to the 2018 class of fellows of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR). During his 40-year career, Dr. Klein identified and studied aluminum toxicity to bone and the musculoskeletal effects of burn injuries, primarily at the Shriners Hospital for Children–Galveston. ASBMR is the leading professional, scientific and medical society established to bring together clinical and experimental scientists involved in the study of bone and mineral metabolism.

OCTOBER 2018

impact

From the President Welcome to the latest issue of Impact.

I’d like to start by congratulating each of you for your efforts in helping UTMB be named a winner of the prestigious 2018 Vizient Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Award.

OC TOBER 2 0 1 8

We are one of 11 academic health science centers in the U.S. to be honored, and this marks the second year in a row that our university has received this national recognition for providing superior patient care in our hospitals, as measured by the Vizient Quality and Accountability Study. This is an outstanding accomplishment and a testament to the value UTMB provides to those we serve.

UTMB earns second straight national award for quality patient care Page 4

In addition, I’m pleased to share the good news that UTMB has signed a lease and taken possession of the hospital facility in Webster that formerly was known as the Bay Area Regional Medical Center.

With this formal agreement in place, we are in the process of commissioning the UTMB Health Clear Lake Campus to join our already established campuses in Galveston, Angleton and League City. This new campus represents a tremendous opportunity for us to fulfill our education, research and patient care missions and gives us even greater ability to provide health care services for one of the fastest growing regions in Texas. While no opening date is set just yet, we intend to see our first patients at the new campus in early 2019.

Day in the Life of an inpatient physical therapist at UTMB

In the meantime, this issue covers a wide range of stories about how employees far and wide are fulfilling our mission. They include:

Page 8

• Our researcher’s efforts in adapting the Zika vaccine to fight brain cancer • A Day in the Life of Christine Lai, an inpatient physical therapist on our Galveston Campus • The Hector P. Garcia Awards Ceremony and Luncheon • The Global Infectious Disease Research Network addressing threats to health around the world • The latest Coaching for Emerging Leaders graduates • President’s Cabinet Award winners • The hidden talent of an extraordinary artist • A summary of recent Pulse videos • Tips for improving women’s health • This month’s trivia question and more

School of Health Professions celebrates 50th anniversary Page 14

As always, send your story ideas, nominees for the Hidden Talents column and trivia answers to the Impact team. And thank you for all you do to serve UTMB and advance our mission.

Hidden Talent: Ocean wildlife and coastal landscape artist

Dr. David L. Callender UTMB President

Page 15

Impact is for and about the people who fulfill 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!

Vice President Marketing & Communications Steve Campbell

ON THE COVER:

Editors Stephen Hadley Shannon Porter Jessica Wyble

Christine Lai, inpatient physical therapist at UTMB, helps jumpstart the recovery and rehabilitation process for countless patients on the Galveston Campus.

Associate Vice President Marketing & Communications Mary Havard

Art Director Mark Navarro

P R INT E D B Y U T MB G R A P H IC D ES IG N & P RIN TIN G S ERVICES

CONTACT US Email: impact.newsletter@utmb.edu Phone: (409) 772-2618 Campus mail route: 0144 U.S. Postal address: UTMB Marketing & Communications

301 University Boulevard

Galveston, TX 77555-0144

B EST CA R E I N AC T I O N

UTMB earns second consecutive national award for quality patient care FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR, UTMB

The Institute of Medicine’s six domains of care— safety, timeliness, effectiveness, efficiency, equity and patient centeredness —are used as a guide to structure the study criteria.

has earned a prestigious national award for providing superior care to patients. Out of 99 participating academic medical centers nationwide, UTMB ranked fourth, earning the 2018 Vizient Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Award.

Rising from ninth place in 2017, UTMB is among a small number of academic medical centers nationwide recognized for demonstrating superior quality and safety performance as measured by the Vizient Quality and Accountability Study, which has been conducted annually since 2005.

UTMB representatives accepting the 2018 Vizient Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Award in Las Vegas, Nevada.

UTMB experienced significant improvement since the implementation of the Best Care initiative in 2016 to deliver quality patient care at every level.

“This award embodies the commitment and spirit of UTMB to always do our best and what is best for our patients.”

“We are thrilled to earn this recognition for a second consecutive year because it recognizes the incredible work of UTMB’s physicians, employees, nurses, staff and administrators who work so diligently every day to ensure that our patients receive the very best care possible,” said Donna K. Sollenberger, executive vice president and chief executive officer, UTMB Health System.

The 2018 Vizient Quality and Accountability Study rankings place UTMB among other top academic medical centers in the nation.

“To be ranked among the best academic medical centers in the nation is an honor and I’m so proud of our employees who every day work diligently to provide the best possible care and service to our patients,” said Dr. David L. Callender, UTMB president. “This award embodies the commitment and spirit of UTMB to always do our best and what is best for our patients.”

4

“This is particularly good news for our patients because the award represents UTMB Health’s commitment to providing access to compassionate, cost-effective, high-quality care—we believe this is what every patient deserves, each and every time,” Sollenberger said.

“For our area businesses and insurers, the award represents the value UTMB Health brings to their employees and enrollees. It is a proud moment for UTMB Health.”

Vizient, the largest member-driven health care performance improvement company in the country, presented the awards on Oct. 4 during their 2018 Clinical Connections Summit held in Las Vegas. n Vizient’s academic medical center winners for 2018 are: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Mayo Clinic—Rochester Rush University Medical Center NYU Langone Medical Center The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston The University of Kansas Health System University of Pennsylvania Health System University of Utah Health Houston Methodist Hospital Memorial Hermann—Texas Medical Center Tufts Medical Center Morristown Medical Center

OCTOBER 2018

impact

RESEARCH

Adapting the Zika vaccine to fight brain cancer

BY DONNA RAMIREZ

UTMB RESEARCHERS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY HARNESSED a Zika virus vaccine under development to target and kill the brain cancer known as glioblastoma.

The Zika virus can cause microcephaly, a condition where the fetal brain doesn’t fully develop when a pregnant woman is infected with the virus.

In contrast, glioblastoma dangerously multiplies brain cells into cancerous tumors. The altered Zika vaccine effectively targeted and destroyed the cancerous brain cells—but not healthy cells—in mice.

“These findings represent major progress toward developing the Zika vaccine as a safe and effective virotherapeutic treatment for human glioblastoma,” said Dr. Pei-Yong Shi, UTMB’s lead investigator and professor in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology.

Glioblastoma is a cancer of the glial cells enmeshed throughout the brain

OCTOBER 2018

These observations led Shi and his colleagues at UTMB and in China to test the safety and effectiveness of UTMB’s potential Zika virus vaccine in treating mice that were given human glioblastoma tumors to see if the virus would infect and kill the glioblastoma stem cells without harming normal brain cells.

It is exciting to turn the “bad” side of the virus into cancer treatment.

Glioblastoma is the deadliest and most common type of brain tumor. Despite surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, glioblastoma has a high rate of recurrence with an average survival of less than two years. The late Sen. John McCain’s battle with glioblastoma has drawn into sharp focus how aggressive this form of brain cancer can be.

impact

that provide structure, nutrition and oxygen for the nerve cells. The tumor recurrence is likely due to cancerous glioblastoma stem cells that hide in brain tissue close to the tumor mass even after surgery. Microcephaly likely develops because Zika virus targets stem cells in the fetal brain.

They found that the Zika vaccine caused no neurological symptoms or behavioral abnormalities while significantly reducing tumor growth and prolonging survival.

“The current study takes advantage of our recently developed Zika vaccine candidate,” Shi said. “We will continue to improve the therapeutic potential of this platform by increasing the safety and increasing the specific cancer-killing activity. It is exciting to turn the “bad” side of the virus into cancer treatment.”

Other UTMB authors include post-doctoral fellows Chao Shan and Xuping Xie. n

5

UT M B NE W S

Connecting cultures through compassionate care 2018 Hector P. Garcia Contest winning essay and abstract announced

BY JESSICA WYBLE

Inclusion. Community. Care.

These were the themes of the day during the recent 22nd annual Dr. Hector P. Garcia, M.D. Awards Ceremony and Luncheon.

Sponsored by UTMB’s Office of the President and the Hispanic Center of Excellence, the program is a UTMB tradition that celebrates the winners of the Hector P. Garcia Cultural Competence Essay and the Hector P. Garcia Abstract Contests, as well as the life and contributions of Dr. Garcia, a 1940 UTMB graduate and trailblazer in the worlds of patient care and civil rights, for whom the awards are named.

same primary language or the same culture, because we did share smiles,” Kordab said in her essay. “Those smiles communicated something much more important between us.

They communicated kindness, and that is something I hope to take with me in my future career, as well.”

Keynote speaker for the program Barbara Canales, a lawyer and politician from Corpus Christi and great niece of Dr. Garcia, echoed the importance of that sentiment as she addressed the crowd.

From left, UTMB President Dr. David Callender, Barbara Canales, Cecilia Garcia-Akers, Sally Kordab, James Akers and Dr. Norma Perez.

Honored at this year’s event, which took place on Sept. 14 on the Galveston Campus, was Sally Kordab, a first-year medical student who, as Garcia did, aspires to use her skills and knowledge as a physician to better treat and care for underserved communities and groups.

“Cultural competency is much more than understanding or speaking another language,” she said. “I think it’s really just basic humanity and kindness. A smile really can change a room.”

Rounding out the day’s festivities was the announcement of the winner of the abstract contest.

School of Medicine students Hayley Rogers, Colt KeoMeir and Chase Ossenkop were awarded a total of $500 for their poster submission entitled “LGBTQI+ Health In her essay, which she read aloud Training in Interprofessional during the celebration, Kordab recounted her experiences From leftt, UTMB President Dr. David Callender, Dr. Norma Perez, Medical Training.” The students Chase Ossenkop, Hayley Rogers, Cecilia Garcia-Akers and James are currently actively involved working in a clinic during a Akers. in UTMB’s Allies in Medicine recent mission trip in Nicaragua. student organization and While she gained a lot of tactical, are passionate about spreading awareness on this topic hands-on experience taking vitals, promoting healthy habits and promoting a more inclusive environment for faculty, to children in the community and tending to general patient students, staff and patients at UTMB and beyond. concerns, the interpersonal experiences she had with the individuals she encountered there taught her so much more. Photos and videos from this year’s event can be viewed at “I realized that it did not matter that we did not share the

6

https://www.utmb.edu/studentservices/hector-p-garcia-award.

OCTOBER 2018

n

impact

GOOD NEW S

Networking to improve global health

BY JESSICA WYBLE

Fast-spreading. Debilitating. Ever-evolving. Infectious diseases know no limits and continue to be a rising threat to global health.

Aiming to get ahead of this dangerous trend and further UTMB’s mission to improve the health of the people of Texas and beyond, UTMB’s Dr. Peter Melby, director of both the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Center for Tropical Diseases, has been working diligently with his colleagues in the Department of Internal Medicine to organize and guide the efforts of the Global Infectious Disease Research Network, an initiative funded by the Office of the Provost.

Originally formed in 2017 during a two-day meeting on UTMB’s Galveston Campus, the group aims to promote collaborative international infectious disease research, while building mutually beneficial, sustainable and synergistic relationships among There were more than 40 attendees at the second Global Infectious Disease investigators. Melby and his colleagues were intentional when setting the ground- Research Network meeting in Medellin, Colombia. work for the group, which has representatives from Colombia, Peru, Mexico, the Walker, as well as international partners Drs. Juan Rodas of Colombia, Hugo LopezU.S. and the Dominican Republic.

Gatell and Ygnacio Martínez-Laguna of Mexico, Karen Mozo of Peru and Daniel “When planning last year’s inaugural meeting, we invited Martiche of the U.S., but the 2018 meeting served as the official leadership transition. people who were from international sites that had some The meeting served as a chance for attendees to discuss and understand that history of partnering with UTMB in the past. We didn’t want the network is a mutually beneficial initiative that will help all institutions and to start from scratch, but instead build on what we were individuals involved, as well as global health as a whole—not just UTMB. already doing,” said Melby. “From those conversations, the group felt like a common strength and interest was in the To further enhance the partnership, the organizing committee paired the recent meetstudy of vector-borne diseases like Zika, chikungunya and ing with a four-day grant writing workshop aimed at building communications skills. dengue fever, so from there we built the network and its focus.” One of the goals of the network is to build the infrastructure and capacity of the Melby To continue and build upon its momentum, the network recently convened in Medellin, partnering sites, which vary in size from large, established universities to smaller Colombia, at the Universidad de Antioquia for its second annual meeting. The group clinical partners who might lack some of the resources and access that others have. used this time to discuss the guidelines for collaborating and sharing information. “The idea behind the workshop is to help our partners strengthen their ability Representatives also worked to elect a steering committee to help guide the group’s to attract research funding that will ultimately strengthen the network and our work, which will include a multi-site research study that will be starting in the coming collaborative efforts,” said Melby. months to investigate the causes of febrile illness in the tropics.

Looking ahead, the network’s focus is preparing for the multi-site study. A third Up until this time, the network was led by a temporary organizing committee that annual meeting is already penciled in for summer 2019, although the location included Melby along with UTMB’s Drs. Patricia Aguilar, Miguel Cabada and David is still to be determined. n

Outreach highlights international scope of care An integral member of the Global Infectious Disease Research Network, Dr. Miguel Cabada, an assistant professor within UTMB’s Infectious Disease division and director of the UPCH-UTMB Collaborative Research Center in Cusco, Peru, has dedicated much of his time over the years to studying the impacts of and exploring potential treatments for infectious parasitic diseases—such as fasciolosis and leishmaniasis—that plague many people in the region.

Treating and diagnosing impoverished children in the area has been at the heart of several of his studies. In recent years, he and his team have taken that work a step further by turning their focus to pregnant women to study the short- and long-term impacts on babies born to mothers battling everything from urinary tract to parasitic infections. In an effort to get ahead of the situation and possibly improve conditions in utero, Cabada’s team partners with members of UTMB’s Maternal and Fetal Medicine group to educate midwives and physicians in the area on the importance of prenatal care and proper use of ultrasound to diagnose conditions that may put the lives of mothers and babies at risk.

At left, Dr. Emily Hadley, with UTMB’s Maternal Fetal Medicine group, guides local health care providers through a diagnostic ultrasound during a recent trip to rural Peru.

impact

OCTOBER 2018

Cabada

Cabada and UTMB Drs. Gayle Olson Koutrouvelis, Mauricio La Rosa, Camille Webb, Emily Hadley and Caroline Marrs made trips—one to Cusco and others to the more rural areas of Peru—in the last year to share lectures and best practices with local health care providers. n —Jessica Wyble

7

A D AY I N T H E L I F E O F A N

8

OCTOBER 2018

impact

inpatient physical therapist

BY JESSICA WYBLE

When Christine Lai thinks back to her first exposure to the world of physical therapy, her grandfather comes to mind.

After having several strokes, he needed the help of trained physical rehabilitation professionals to regain his strength and command of his body. As a child, Lai sometimes accompanied her parents to his therapy sessions, where she witnessed firsthand the integral role the physical therapists played in his recovery.

She remembers being immediately intrigued.

“He went from not being able to move one side of his body to walking out of the clinic,” says Lai. “I remember it was so strange for me at such a young age to watch it all unfold, but it always stuck with me.”

impact

OCTOBER 2018

9

Fast-forward a couple of decades

Beyond the physical part of the job, a lot of what Lai does is educate patients on the benefits of incorporating physical therapy throughout the full recovery process.

and Lai, a UTMB inpatient physical therapist, now helps jumpstart the recovery and rehabilitation process for countless patients who come through the doors of UTMB’s Jennie Sealy “Here in the acute setting, I don’t get to follow my patients for very and John Sealy hospitals every day. long, so I don’t usually get to see them magically walk out of the hospital better than they walked in, although that sometimes This day, like most, Lai arrives 30 minutes before her 8 a.m. shift happens,” says Lai. “I do, however, have the opportunity to change begins to review patient charts and outline her priorities for the their outlook and perspective on how they’re taking care of themday. She has a general routine she likes to follow but stresses selves. When I see the lightbulb go off when I’m teaching them that no two days are the same. something that will carry through, that’s very rewarding to me.”

“I like to do a thorough chart review before hitting the floors,” says Lai, who is currently the primary inpatient physical ther- Lai works hard to educate and inform not only her patients but also care managers, loved ones, residents, nurses and other apist for the Neurology and the Blocker Burn units. “Today I medical professionals. All of her explanations and observations have patients ranging in age from 29 to 80, and they are each are carefully noted in the daily documentation she completes recovering from something a bit different—one has an ankle fracture, one is fresh out of hip-replacement surgery and another for each patient; often, Lai reiterates her recommendations in person to ensure everyone clearly understands her concerns has an arm fracture, just to name a few.” and is on the same page.

Although each patient’s story and needs are different, Lai focuses on two things with everyone she treats—getting them to move The Progression of Care Rounds (POCR) that take place in her units each day offer Lai and the other medical professionals the early and often and educating them on why that’s important. chance to provide each other with the most current information In her role, Lai sees patients in the acute care stage of their regarding their patients. recovery, which is typically the first one to five days following a procedure. During this stage, pain can be at an all-time high The goal of these daily interdisciplinary meetings, a UTMB initiative that formally launched in 2016, is to improve coordination of and many patients tend to want to stay in bed and rest. Lai works care and ensure an appropriate length of stay for each patient to closely with the patients, their caregivers and the other medical support the best possible outcome. Lai comes ready each day to professionals on their care team to emphasize that staying in bed is the opposite of what the patient needs to do to get better. ensure the mobility and rehabilitation component for each patient is thoroughly considered during these conversations.

“If I notice it’s getting close to 11 a.m. and a patient is still in bed, I try to facilitate some sort of movement or positional change According to Starr Stanich, program manager for UTMB Rehabilitation Services, physical therapists are a key part of the POCR because that’s going to promote a faster recovery,” she says. process, which includes discharge planning.

She stresses that no movement is too small or too little to aid in recovery and that sometimes just scooting to the edge of the “From day one, physical therapists are making recommendations to ease the transition to home or to the next level of care,” says Stanich. bed and sitting for a bit can be good progress.

“They’re a very important part of the decision-making team.”

As Lai makes her rounds, she brings along her two essential tools of the trade—a walker and a gait belt—to help get her patients up and moving. It’s quite the load to carry as she rushes back and forth between John Sealy and Jennie Sealy, but Lai has it down to a science—all the while checking her pager each time it buzzes, a frequent occurrence on this day.

While the basic mechanics of what she’s doing stay the same from patient to patient, Lai carefully adapts her approach to best meet each individual’s specific needs, abilities and personality.

“I teach them different leverage points and how to maneuver their bodies in a better way,” says Lai. “Regardless of what brought them into the hospital, it’s something new impacting their body that will affect how they do things.”

Ultimately, her goal is to maximize a patient’s functionality and independence so they don’t have to rely on someone else as much once they’re discharged.

Christine Lai, bottom left, with the team of fellow inpatient physical therapists on UTMB’s Galveston Campus.

10

OCTOBER 2018

impact

From discharge planning and

documentation to basic patient education and interdisciplinary teamwork, Lai has realized that there’s much more to being a physical therapist than she originally believed.

“Physical therapy is not exclusively patient care,” says Lai. “I went into this field thinking it was just going to be the patient and me in a closed-off room with no one watching you help them. But, no, it’s actually the art of teaching and talking to a lot of people.”

As one of 16 full-time inpatient physical therapists on UTMB’s Galveston Campus, Lai touches base with her colleagues daily just after lunch to share good patient outcomes, brainstorm solutions for difficult cases and more. The brief meeting gives Lai and her team the chance to reset and recharge before the afternoon rounds begin.

Once her shift is over at 5 p.m., Lai says she can feel all of the squatting, lifting and bending she did throughout the day.

Lai admits she initially came into her role very timid and shy, but the nature of her work has forced her out of her shell.

“I’m usually pretty beat by the end of the day,” says Lai.

Stanich can attest to the change. She has watched Lai hone her skills and grow into a confident physical therapist during the two years she’s been employed with UTMB.

“I love my patients,” she says. “I strive to treat them all like they’re my family.” n

Despite the aches, Lai loves her job.

In addition to working as part of an interdisciplinary team, Lai also meets regularly with the other inpatient physical therapists providing patient care.

“I went into this field thinking it was just going to be the patient and me in a closed-off room with no one watching you help them. But, no, it’s actually the art of teaching and talking to a lot of people.” impact

OCTOBER 2018

11

LIF E L O NG LE A R NIN G

Coaching for Emerging Leaders program celebrates latest graduates

BY JESSICA WYBLE

Following a successful pilot run in 2017, the Coaching for Emerging Leaders developmental training program graduated its second group of participants Aug. 22.

During the graduation on the Galveston Campus, participants received a certificate of completion and shared their biggest takeaways from the six-month program, which gives high-performing, high-potential UTMB employees the chance to receive one-on-one coaching and mentoring from leaders within the organization.

Jorge De La Garza, senior consultant with UTMB Human Resource’s Talent & Organizational Development, serves as the primary coordinator for the Emerging Leaders program—a dual-effort between his team and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s EMERGE Resource Group.

The name of the program was changed from Coaching for Rising Leaders earlier this year to make it inclusive of participants from the EMERGE group, De La Garza said.

When planning the ceremony, De La Garza invited the graduates and coaches and also the participant’s managers and supervisors.

“We want people to hear firsthand from our participants about how they’ve grown and what they’ve learned over these last few months,” said De La Garza. “Their personal testimonies and experiences help illustrate the value of what we’re doing.”

While the recent graduates’ time with the program may be complete, De La Garza and his team will continue to track their professional journeys and progress.

“We keep an eye on their performance before, during and after the program,” said De La Garza. “It’s a good way to measure growth.”

He added that the graduation ceremony is also a time to thank the various coaches for the time and energy they’ve committed as mentors over the recent months. Coaches also had an opportunity to share some words of wisdom during the event.

As the dust of the last graduation is just beginning to settle, De La Garza and his team are already looking ahead to the future and what that means for the

12

Coaching for Emerging Leaders program.

“We’re working hard to grow and expand this program,” said De La Garza. “I’m excited to bring in the next round of emerging leaders.”

At this year’s ceremony, the following UTMB employees were recognized as graduates of the program: Dena Bannan, administrator, Office of the Provost; Clara Brown, human resources business partner; April Ciccarello, manager, Clinical Community Outreach Program; Lori DeWillis, assistant administrator, School of Medicine; Leti Ford, senior business manager in the School of Health Professions; Stephen Hadley, senior communications specialist in Internal Communications; Robert Hastedt, nursing administrator, Adult Patient Care Services; Leah Jacobs, Institutional Effectiveness analyst; Jeanna C. Leek, senior quality assurance analyst, Regulated Non-clinical Studies; Sherry Marques, Angleton Danbury ICU; Jayco McCowan, training manager, Regulated Non-clinical Studies; Michael Rape, inpatient business manager, Health System; Katherine Rosen, senior business coordinator, School of Nursing; Nate Schueller, quality management specialist; Susan Smith, senior director of Development; and Michelle Thierry, project manager, Health System.

Coaches participating in the program this year included: Celia Bailey-Ochoa, vice president of Finance, Institutional Support; Ashlyn Baker, administrator, Primary Care Services; Dr. Ian Barrett, associate vice president, Human Resources Talent Management; W. Scott Boeh, associate vice president, University Student Services and Registrar; Steve Campbell, vice president, Marketing and Communications; Marcel Blanchard, assistant vice president, Business Operations & Facilities–Utlities Operations; Betsy Clardy, vice president and chief development officer; Craig Elmore, director of Financial Reporting; Philesha Evans, associate vice president, Human Resources Operations and Employee Relations; Kevin Haslam, associate vice president, Alumni Relations and Annual Giving; Scott Hermstein, associate vice president, Faculty Group Practice; Becky Korenek, senior vice president, Strategic and Business Planning; Craig S. Kovacevich, associate vice president, Waiver Operations and Community Health Plans; Dr. Annette Macias-Hoag, vice president, Health System and Service Line Operations; Dr. David Marshall, Health System Chief Nursing and Patient Care Services executive; and Bo Stults, Human Resources business partner. n

OCTOBER 2018

impact

GOOD NEW S

2018

President’s Cabinet Awards Twenty-seven UTMB faculty, staff and students recently received UTMB President’s Cabinet awards for projects that promote outreach, education and improved patient care in the community. This year’s awards program doubled as an anniversary celebration, as 2018 marks the 25th year of the distinctive organization.

Since its founding, the President’s Cabinet has provided more than $6 million in seed grants to more than 150 developing UTMB programs in Galveston County and the surrounding region. For information on the President’s Cabinet, visit https://development.utmb.edu/cabinet-intro

UTMB League City Campus Patient Navigation and Health Resource Center

Realizing UTMB’s Institutional Vision through 100 Kitchen Gardens and Door-to-Door Compost

Sylvia Campbell • Savannah Parks • Lauren Michelle Thierry Patient Navigation and Support Studies show that low-income and elderly patients with complex life-altering health diagnoses often have trouble accessing adequate health care. Some may lack transportation, are unfamiliar with the hospital system, lack insurance or are unable to afford medication. Those barriers ultimately may lead to a poor quality of life and unfavorable health outcomes. In an effort to improve hospital access, the UTMB League City Campus Patient Navigation and Health Resource Center will provide patient education, dedicated navigation team support, community outreach, enhanced communication and increased access to multidisciplinary care.

Victor Sierpina • Anna Fields • Mercedez Hernandez Jessica Stauber • Daniel White Family Medicine Food insecurity is the unreliable access to affordable and nutritious food. Rates of food insecurity in Galveston exceed national and state averages. A partnership between UTMB, UTMB Greenies Gardening Club and Seeding Galveston will work with at-risk residents to build and maintain backyard and neighborhood gardens. The program will also establish a compost pick-up program designed to generate a cost-effective alternative to conventional garden fertilizer.

The Care Closet Rebecca Castro • Savannah Parks Health Resource Center Unexpected health crises often mean patients and their families are unprepared for hospital stays and many find themselves in need of food, clothing, personal hygiene products and laundry services. Through the creation of The Care Closet at the John Sealy Annex, patients will have access to such items and will be provided with information and referrals to community resources. Two adjoining rooms will be dedicated within the hospital for laundry services and food storage. The project will be sustained through partnerships with the Galveston County Food Bank and the Salvation Army of Galveston County.

The Mother and Babies Course Souby George • Sara Nowakowski Obstetrics and Gynecology In an effort to provide mental health treatment for new mothers who may be experiencing perinatal depression, the Mother and Babies Course will launch a new clinical service within UTMB’s pediatric clinics. This course will be facilitated by psychologists, nurses and lactation consultants trained to address issues surrounding motherhood. President’s Cabinet funds will be used to purchase instructor manuals, equipment, supplies and marketing materials.

Disaster Day—Preparing for Community Safety

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: The St. Vincent’s/Luke Society Preventive Dental Health Clinic Collaboration

Kelsie Carpenter • Ashley Kwartler • Kaitlyn McMahon • Shelley Smith Interprofessional Education Disaster Day is a student-led exercise designed to recreate an emergency scenario, in which students and members of the community act as first responders and patients. This simulation aims to prepare health care students for catastrophic events, allows them to practice skills they are learning in class and fosters interprofessional teamwork. This program, in conjunction with the Galveston County Community Emergency Response Team, teaches students to successfully manage disasters while preparing them to act as a community resource. President’s Cabinet funds will be used to purchase simulation and casting/molding supplies and related equipment for a two-year period.

Anthony Nguyen • Jaspreet Sodhi • Jay Truitt • Barbara Slusher Physician Assistant Studies In 2014, the President’s Cabinet supported the creation of St. Vincent’s Dental Clinic for basic dental services to Galveston’s indigent, uninsured and underinsured populations. Since the program’s inception, the clinic has modestly addressed the need for end-stage dental services by treating oral infections through tooth extractions and antibiotics. This new project will expand current services by establishing a new preventive dental health clinic that will offer oral health education, dental exams and cleanings, fluoride varnish and seal applications for adults and children. The goal is to prevent new tooth/oral infections, reduce dental decay, decrease the need for antibiotics and improve overall health.

UTMB Stroke Program— Advanced Stroke Life Support Classes

De-escalation and Response to a Violent Event

Brenda Yanez • Julia Anderson • Jennifer Higgs Georgia Emily Motter • Briana Sowell Hospital Administration Since 2016, more than 100 nurses and emergency medical services staff have attended the Advanced Stroke Life Support (ASLS) class. UTMB is the first academic center in Texas to serve as a training site for this certification. The university has noticed an increase in the number of stroke patients who are brought to the emergency department via EMS rather than a personal vehicle. This might indicate an increased awareness that being transported by ambulance means quicker treatment for stroke patients. Due to the program’s success, President’s Cabinet funds will support training for an additional instructor and educational materials to certify an additional 200 pre-hospital and hospital providers.

impact

OCTOBER 2018

Katherine Golden Beck • Jennifer Bledsoe Ambulatory Services Workplace violence incidents are on the rise and are the fourth-leading cause of occupational injuries in the United States. Employers and employees are ill-prepared and unable to respond swiftly in the aftermath of these events. Experts agree that proper training and access to medical response resources can lead to a reduction in fatalities. This project will work with Galveston Police Department Sgt. Destin Sims and the NEAR program to provide trainings for emergency staff on how to recognize, de-escalate and respond to aggressive behavior. Bleeding management kits will be distributed to 80 UTMB clinics and staff will receive training on how to use the kits and where each should be located within the clinics.

13

E D UC AT I O N

UTMB’s School of Health Professions celebrates 50th anniversary

BY STEPHEN HADLEY

FOR MORE THAN FIVE DECADES, UTMB’S SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS has educated generations of health care professionals who have become leaders in their fields and changed the world through life-altering care and research.

The school, which was founded in 1968 as the School of Allied Health Sciences and was the first of its kind in Texas and the southwestern United States, has graduated more than 12,000 alumni.

“Today, SHP offers multi-level educational programs for a diverse group of students, colleagues and members of the community; facilitates student and faculty involvement in scientific investigation and scholarly activities that advance health care; and encourages service through active participation in professional and community activities,” said Dr. Vicki Freeman, interim dean of the School of Health Professions, during the SHP’s 50th anniversary commemoration event held at the Galveston Island Convention Center on Oct. 20.

Currently, the school has an enrollment of more than 800 students seeking degrees or certificates in 32 academic plans who will eventually enter fields as diverse as occupational therapy, clinical laboratory sciences, respiratory care, physical therapy, rehabilitation services, and nutrition and metabolism among others.

In her remarks during the celebration event, Freeman noted that SHP faculty members are nationally recognized leaders in their field and that the school offers doctoral degrees in Physical and Occupational Therapy and Clinical Laboratory Sciences. In addition, she said the SHP attracts millions of dollars in external support to provide over $300,000 in scholarships a year to students and more than $7 million for faculty research.

“I believe the founders all had the hope that one day in the future the school would be in a nationally elite class,” Freeman added. “I also think that the visionaries who laid the foundation over 50 years ago had faith that outstanding things in the school would happen, and they have.” n See this month’s related trivia question on Page 16

14

OCTOBER 2018

impact

GOOD NEW S

President David Callender launched his “Pulse” video update series in May to keep the UTMB family up-to-date on issues affecting the organization. In September and October those videos covered:

September 7 Details about the collaboration between UTMB and the MD Anderson Cancer Center on the League City Campus.

September 13 An update on where UTMB stands financially at the end of FY18, as well as the upcoming TEAM Awards and merit pay increases.

October 1 The Vizient Connection Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada, where UTMB was vying to be recognized as a five-star academic medical center for the second consecutive year.

October 25 Update on the UTMB Health Clear Lake Campus.

October 30 A congratulations and thank you to employees for their hard work during the recent visit by The Joint Commission.

How to watch the videos: There are multiple ways to access Dr. Callender’s video updates. In addition to the recap in Weekly Relays, you can watch and listen to the videos from https://www.utmb.edu/president/pulse. Please use a modern web browser for the best experience. If you are at a PC without audio or speakers, closed captioning on the videos can be turned “On” and “Off” by clicking the “CC” symbol in the video player tool bar (the symbol displays once you hit “play,” on the right side of the tool bar). Closed captioning is now on by default.

You can also access the transcripts on the Pulse website to read the messages; a transcript accompanies each video. If you are a social media user, the videos (with subtitles) are posted to the UTMB employee Facebook page, I Am UTMB. Facebook will display captions if you mute the sound. n

Name: Ray Cosgrove UTMB Talent: Construction Inspector II, UTMB Design & Construction Hidden Talent: Artist extraordinaire focused on tropical wildlife, landscapes, ocean life and island living A master electrician by trade, Ray has always had a creative side. He went to art school after high school, ran a screen print shop for a few years and created custom T-shirts and stickers showcasing his art. About 12 years ago, he started expanding his portfolio, which now includes acrylic paintings on canvas, wood carvings, murals and custom surfboards and skateboards. One of his latest projects is part of the “Turtles About Town” public art exhibit promoting awareness of the Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle. Ray’s hand-painted, acrylic sprayed and airbrushed turtle, which will be set up at The Bryan Museum in Galveston, depicts the animal in its natural reef habitat as if it is coming up for air, the sun shining on its back.

impact

OCTOBER 2018

15

Tips for women on living a healthy, balanced life

By Maria C. Swartz, PhD, MPH, RD, LD (Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Metabolism) and Avesta Yakob (Master of Science/Dietetic Internship Student in the Department of Nutrition and Metabolism)

Eating a balanced diet is important to provide energy, improve health and decrease risk for certain diseases.

Women have special nutrient needs that change at each stage in life. Therefore, this month, we want to focus on providing healthy eating tips for UTMB’s “wonder women” to help boost their health as they continue to serve our community.

Additional resources are also provided for more detailed information for meeting specific needs.

• Start with a healthy eating plan. Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables to help increase your intake of fiber. Try a variety—fresh, frozen or canned. Just make sure to avoid those with added sugars or salt. If you are interested in following a specific diet plan, try the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. The DASH diet is a balanced eating plan that recommends increasing plant-based foods and decreasing saturated fats and sugar-sweetened beverages.

• Choose healthy fats. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are healthy fats that you can incorporate into your eating plan. Food sources include salmon, trout, tuna, avocados, vegetable oils and nuts. Aim to eat less saturated fat by opting for low-fat or fat-free dairy products, lean sources of meat, and plant-based protein foods such as beans or lentils.

• Vitamin D and calcium are important throughout all stages of life. Eat a variety of calcium-rich foods daily to ensure healthy bones and teeth. Include more milk, yogurt, cheese, sardines, calcium-fortified cereals and juices, or non-dairy milk alternatives such as almond milk. Vitamin D

also works to prevent decreases in bone density.

Many sources of calcium will likely include fortified amounts of vitamin D, but vitamin D can also be found in fatty fish or eggs.

• Don’t forget about iron and folate.

Women have higher iron needs. Choose ironrich foods like red meat, chicken, spinach, and fortified cereals to promote good health and energy levels. Folate is essential for women of childbearing age to decrease the risk of birth defects. Try eating more citrus fruits, leafy greens and fortified cereals.

• Pair eating well with physical activity.

Women are encouraged to participate in at least 150 minutes of physical activity weekly. Meet this recommendation by doing something active, like walking, biking or attending an aerobics class, for at least 30 minutes daily.

This may also help you reach or maintain a healthy weight to decrease your risk for chronic diseases.

Great resources to find more detailed information to meet your specific needs.

1. https://www.eatright.org/food#Nutrition 2. https://www.womenshealth.gov/healthy-eating 3. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/dash-eating-plan 4. http://www.eatingwell.com/article/289979/7-day-healthy-bloodpressure-meal-plan-1200-calories/

UTMB TRIVIA This health care professional never wavered in her passion for reducing people’s pain and restoring mobility.

At one time, she also worked as a chicken farmer and bookseller.

Who was the first director of UTMB’s up-and-coming physical therapy program?

Send your answer to impact. newsletter@utmb.edu and be entered into a drawing to win a UTMB swag bag. Good luck!

Answer to the September trivia question: The bubonic plague was the outbreak that terrorized Galveston in 1920.

Congrats to Jacinta Hammersley, financial analyst II in UTMB Asset Management, who won the September trivia!