Pediatrics Flyer
The official newsletter of the Department of Pediatrics
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FROM THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR
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Hello everyone, I wanted to share a bit about the “promises” that we’ve been hearing about. The Cambridge dictionary defines a promise as “a statement that you will certainly do something.” In our University of Utah Department of Pediatrics, there are two promises of which we need to be aware because they significantly impact the work that we do and how we do it. The first is well known to many of us because of its multi-color presence on several of our bulletin boards: the U of U’s PROMISE behavioral standards that we applaud our colleagues for exemplifying. The second promise we may not be as aware of, but it’s one that we’ll get very familiar with over the coming months and years: Intermountain’s Primary Promise, namely the 500 million dollar, multifaceted, region-and-generation-spanning plan “to build a model health system for children to serve the Intermountain West.” Let’s take a more detailed look at each.
U Health PROMISE Behavioral Standards
The PROMISE behavioral standards comprise seven characteristics, each represented by a letter and color in the word promise:
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Each of these standards was identified as important by our fellow U of U employees and is rooted in our U Health system’s core values of compassion, trust, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, diversity, integrity, and quality. Like many of you, I enjoy reading the posted index cards on which our Department of Pediatrics’ team members recognize each other for exhibiting these various PROMISE standards. With the institution of the department newsletter, team members can now also
submit recognition of team members electronically
and have their comments published in the newsletter. It’s really affirming to read about how those among us take these standards seriously and then take the time to write about someone who demonstrates one of these standards in their daily work. I encourage everyone to take a few minutes to read some of the kudos next time you are near one of the bulletin boards and when the monthly newsletter comes out. Getting back to the definition of a promise, when we conduct ourselves according to these PROMISE standards, it’s our way to “certainly do” our work guided by these important core values.
Intermountain Primary Promise
The Intermountain Primary Promise is a plan that has three broad areas of activity, along with nine very specific focus areas, all designed to improve the health and wellbeing of the children and families that we serve. The very specific promise is “to build the nation’s model health system for children.” This is a noble and, quite frankly, an enormous goal! It makes sense that such a big undertaking will likely be a bit complicated, and as such, it will take a few paragraphs to explain. So please take the time to read the text below since this promise will change the way we do our work for decades to come.
As the University of Utah’s Department of Pediatrics, we seek to collaborate with other university departments and other organizations that provide care to children, e.g., Dermatology, Surgery, and Primary Children’s Hospital, to undertake a series of efforts to carry out our duty and responsibility to improve the health and wellbeing of children in our five-state, 400,000 square mile service area. The three broad areas of activity within the Primary Promise plan can be described as:
- Radically strengthen care at Primary Children’s Hospital,
- Extend excellence everywhere so that families across the Intermountain West can access the very best care, and
- Reach beyond our walls in innovative ways to keep children healthy and safe (and out of the hospital!).
Radically Strengthen Care at Primary Children’s Hospital
There are four specific focus areas that underpin the effort to radically strengthen care at Primary Children’s Hospital, the first two of which involve the massive renovation we are seeing happen at Primary’s right now: 1) reconstruction of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to provide a new, modern NICU that incorporates all of the current environmental standards for a state-of-the-art Level 4 NICU; 2) remodeling of the Cancer Center to provide our patients with an ideal healing environment, private rooms, and play spaces with natural light; 3) an expanded Fetal Center that will provide treatment for high-risk pregnancies and will be the only facility in the Intermountain West able to detect and offer surgical repair of birth defects prior to delivery; and 4) enhanced support for the Center for Personalized Medicine to develop cutting-edge research and treatment programs for diseases once thought incurable.
Extend Excellence Everywhere Across the Intermountain West
As for extending excellence everywhere, there are two specific focus areas. The first you’ve likely heard about: the design and construction of a new 33,000 square foot Primary Children’s-Lehi campus. We expect to see this new hospital and medical office building open in the middle of 2023, so needless to say, a great deal of planning is happening right now! The second focus area involves enhancing our ability to provide telemedicine and digital health services throughout our region so that all children in the Intermountain West can have access to the “right care, at the right time, in the right place” which is usually as close to their home as possible.
Reach Beyond Our Walls in Innovative Ways
Finally, in thinking about reaching beyond our walls, there are three specifics. The first involves an expansion of a wide range of behavioral health services to confront head-on the well documented mental and behavioral health needs of our region’s children and adolescents. The second focus area is on social determinants of health and seeks to create strong partnerships with schools and community groups so that those who have experienced trauma and adversity in their lives can get the support and care they need to decrease their risk and to thrive. The final focus area is the teen-to-adult health care transition for children who reach adulthood with previously life-threatening conditions and aims to equip these teens with the skills and resources they need to manage their condition and live healthy lives while getting care in the adult health care environment.
Again, reflecting back to the definition of a promise, the Primary Promise is to “certainly do” nine specific things that will significantly enhance our ability to provide care and service to the children in the Intermountain West.
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Thank you for taking the time to read about two of the many “promises” that relate to us in the Department of Pediatrics. My promise is to write a smaller blurb next time for the Pediatrics Flyer!
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DEPARTMENT CHAIR'S SUGGESTION BOX
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Dr. Giardino wants to hear from you!
If you have any ideas or concerns you'd like to share with Dr. Giardino, please submit your comments to his suggestion box. The link can be found on the department intranet home page, or click the box below.
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Suggestion Box Updates
Comment received
: "
I really appreciate that the department has added internal department position postings to the Peds Intranet. I have worked here for several years, and I didn't know postings could be internal to the department until about a year ago. I had thought any departmental positions would be accessible on the internal University postings through CIS. I think adding this level of transparency will be beneficial to staff morale. Even if there is often a candidate in mind for a posted position, this will reduce some of the feelings of secrecy that can surround position changes. Thanks for making this change!"
Response:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Internal postings are one of the ways in which we are striving to increase transparency and communication throughout the department. We're glad the new process is appreciated.
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We'd like to introduce a new segment of the monthly newsletter that we hope will foster a greater sense of connection and community within our large department. Each month, we'll be getting to know one faculty member and one staff member through a series of fun interview questions. This month we're starting with our fearless leader, Angelo Giardino. For future issues, we'll be choosing those we feature at random, so it may be your turn next month!
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1.
When did you join the Department of Pediatrics?
I joined the Department of Pediatrics on Monday June 4, 2018… I flew in to Salt Lake City with my wife Eileen on Sunday afternoon, June 3, and after we arrived, we had dinner at Brio, and fortunately my belongings were actually in my apartment when we got the key that evening!
2.
What does a typical day look like for you?
A
typical “great day in Utah” has me at work before 7:00, cup of coffee in hand, umpteen meetings, walking around to bump into people and then home for dinner and a long walk around downtown or to City Creek Canyon.
3.
What's your favorite part of your job?
Interacting with the faculty and staff in the Department of Peds throughout the day, every day, and being inspired by how balanced, creative, and genuinely positive the vast majority of them are whenever I get the chance to speak to them!
4.
If you could snap your fingers and become an expert in one thing, what would it be?
How to get people at all levels of the organization to see the possibility in a situation rather than seeing limited options.
5.
What is your favorite way to decompress after work?
I have fallen in love with walking around Memory Grove and City Creek Canyon since it's only 5 minutes from our condo… the sheer natural beauty of that place is just awe inspiring, and it never gets old.
6.
What’s the most interesting/weirdest job you’ve ever had?
When I was in college, to make extra money I ran the dorm’s refrigerator rental program as well as the weekly bed-linen exchange service…. You don’t mess around with folks' refrigerators or their access to clean sheets and pillowcases!
7.
What is something you learned in the last week?
Josh Bonkowsky taught me a new word, “in silico,” which means “related to a computer or a computer simulation”…who knew?
8.
Do you collect anything? If so, what?
It will come as no surprise that I collect books!! In addition, I have about ten old heavy typewriters in my storage unit.
9. What are you currently reading/watching/listening to?
I'm reading two books: the first was given to me by Dr. Fadi Asfour and is titled "Humble Leadership," and the other was given to me by Dr. Chuck Norlin and is titled, "Dream Hoarders." I really like non-fiction books. Now contrast that with my favorite TV show, TLC's "90 Day Fianc
é
."
10.
What do you consider your superpower?
Not sure I have any superpowers, but I’d like to think I’m in training for a “bridge-building” superpower where we figure out how to work together between and across programs and organizations to achieve bigger and better services for the children and families we serve.
11.
What is your guilty pleasure?
I waste a lot of valuable time watching reality shows on MTV and TLC.
12.
What is something that might surprise us about you?
Every other year or so, I buy a subscription to Brides magazine! I so enjoyed planning our wedding that I enjoy reading and seeing all of the new venues, invitation styles, color palates, and of course all of the new apparel for the wedding parties.
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Welcome to the Team!
To see the new faculty and staff who joined us in February, click
here
.
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Lindsay Browning – Promoted from Administrative Assistant to Administrative Program Coordinator for Nephrology, Rheumatology, and Allergy/Immunology
Jade Chapman – Promoted from HIM Lead to HIM/Referrals Supervisor for Clinical Enterprise
Lori Cole – Transitioned from the Referrals team to the HIM team for Clinical Enterprise
Elizabeth Larned – Promoted from Clinical Study Assistant to Study Coordinator for the Clinical Trials Office
Bergen Lindauer
– Promoted from Clinical Research Coordinator to Research Manager for Cardiology
Thomas May – Promoted from Clinical Study Assistant to Study Coordinator for the Clinical Trials Office
Beatriz Maynez – Transitioned from the HIM team to Quality Assurance Analyst for Clinical Enterprise
Megan McPharlin
– Promoted from Executive Secretary to Administrative Assistant for Clinical Pharmacology
Ashly Medlyn
– Promoted from Administrative Assistant to Administrative Program Coordinator for Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine
Jared Olney
– Promoted from Financial Analyst to Financial Management Analyst for Department Administration
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Division of General Pediatrics Recognizes Employees for Years of Service
General Pediatrics is proud to recognize Gabriele Baraghoshi, Mindy Tueller, Shambre Murray, and Coral Nolen for their years of service to the University of Utah. We are honored to have them in our division and appreciate their loyalty and dedication to the University of Utah Department of Pediatrics! Congratulations, and THANK YOU!
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Gabi Baraghoshi
Quality Improvement Specialist
30 years of service
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Mindy Tueller
Medical Home Portal Manager
30 years of service
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Shambre Murray
South Main Clinic
Patient Financial Advocate
10 years of service
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Coral Nolen
Administrative Assistant to Division Chief
5 years of service
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Utah Medical Cannabis Program
On March 2, the next phase of the Utah Medical Cannabis Program began, and select medical cannabis pharmacies in Utah were approved to open their doors. To obtain cannabis in Utah, patients (or their guardians/caregivers) will need a medical cannabis card issued by the UDOH, and their physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse must be registered as a Qualified Medical Provider (QMP) through UDOH's electronic verification system (EVS). For patients under 21, the state Compassionate Use Board must review and approve recommendations for medical cannabis. Three members of our department–Dr. Angelo Giardino (Chair), Dr. Colleen Marty (Inpatient Medicine/ Palliative Care), and Dr. Nicholas Whipple (Hematology/Oncology)–are members of the board.
The
U Health Pulse website provides up-to-date information regarding the Utah Medical Cannabis Program, including FAQs and clinical information for U of U Health providers, where to register as a QMP, qualifications that must be met before issuing a recommendation for medical cannabis, cannabis interactions, and discussion points for medical cannabis conversations. Dr. Karen Buchi,
Vice-Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Chief of the Division of General Pediatrics,
is the chair of the university's Medical Marijuana Task Force and helps ensure the information on the
Pulse site
is accurate and current.
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Introducing Our New Staff Wellness Champions
As many of you know, the department has a team of wellness champions for faculty–Dr. Joan Sheetz, Dr. Eric Glissmeyer, and Dr. Fadi Asfour–in conjunction with the Thriving in Pediatrics program. We have now put together a team for staff as well. Leigh Fredericks, Ashly Medlyn, and Ashley Sacharny are our new Staff Wellness Champions. They are currently working on new initiatives designed to foster a culture of health and wellbeing for Department of Pediatrics staff. Stay tuned for details to come, and feel free to reach out to our new wellness champions if you have ideas on how to bolster the wellness of our staff members.
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New Process for Calling Radiologists at PCH/Eccles
PCH has established a radiology services assistant team (RSA) to answer and direct calls to the radiologists. Flyers with the new number have been posted in the hospital and outpatient clinics. The old phone numbers in the radiologist reading room will automatically forward calls to the RSA for a little while until they are ultimately deactivated. We encourage you to begin using the new phone number. The numbers to the techs in the different modalities (CT, X-Ray, MRI, etc.) are NOT impacted by this change.
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2
020 Clear the Air Challenge Results
The 2020 Clear the Air Challenge was held during the month of February. The Clear the Air Challenge is an annual month-long competition to reduce vehicle emissions by choosing alternative methods of transportation and
TravelWise strategies. By driving less and driving smarter, we can help improve air quality, reduce traffic congestion, and conserve energy in Utah. Out of a hundred participating networks,
UofU Health Commuters came in 3rd place, with 57.7 tons in CO2 reduction. Congratulations and good job to those who participated!
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Single-Occupant Trips Eliminated
97,528
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Distance Saved
1,596,444.5 miles
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Calories Burned
1.9 Million
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- For more information or to register for the 2021 Clean the Air Challenge, click here.
- Click here for details on the eight TravelWise strategies for improving your commute while also improving Utah's air.
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Ashly Medlyn (Pediatric Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine) participated in the Clear the Air Challenge and was the top prize winner on Bike to the U Day. She received two mountain bike rentals from Outdoor Adventures. Way to go, Ashly!
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Recognize Someone for a Job Well Done!
The department has a new online tool you can use to show appreciation for other members of Pediatrics and recognize them for exemplifying the PROMISE behavior standards: People Centered, Respect, Ownership, Making a Difference, Innovation, Safety, and Excellence.
Recognitions will be published in an upcoming issue of the newsletter.
Please note:
if a submitter's name is not given, we will not publish the comment.
However, the submitter's name will remain anonymous in the newsletter.
The link to the recognition form can be found on the department intranet home page, or click the box below.
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This Month's Recognition
Amy Amann –
Cardiology
Recognized for Making a Difference
"
Amy is one of the strongest, brightest people that I know. She is hardworking with eye single to what is best for her division and the department. I am impressed by all that she accomplishes, and she continues to be one of my role models in our department. Thanks for being you, Amy!"
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What Intermountain Healthcare's Model Health System Means to Utah Kids
U of U Health Launches Fast DNA Testing to Speed Care of Critically-ill Babies
Nearly half of all newborns treated in NICUs are suspected of having some sort of genetic disorder, but genomic sequencing and analysis to determine what those disorders are and whether they are treatable
isn't routinely conducted on these infants. As a result, many children go undiagnosed for years. With the launch of this new project, U of U Hospital and Primary Children's Hospital are now part of a small group of hospitals worldwide to use
rapid whole genome sequencing (rWGS) to identify genetic mutations in newborns.
Read more...
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H
and Washing: The Best Way to Protect Yourself from Illness
Currently, the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses is to wash your hands frequently. Dr. Carole Stipelman (Division of General Pediatrics) explains when you should wash your hands and how to do it correctly.
Read more...
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Learning to Be Mindful and Present in Most Moments
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When life gets busy, it’s easy to forget what keeps us grounded and therefore more satisfied with life. Dr. Sydney Ryan (Pediatric Emergency Medicine) reflects on the importance of making time for yourself and prioritizing what is important for you. She explains simple, deliberate actions that have made a difference in her work and her life.
Read her Accelerate article here.
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Mindfulness in Medicine Course
U of U Health offers a free Mindfulness in Medicine course, held on various dates throughout the year, to MDs, APCs, and RNs. Mindful Practice® programs were created by the University of Rochester Medical School to help advance the quality of health care, improve provider relationships with patients and colleagues, and enhance self-awareness, wellness, and resilience of health professionals. Participants have shown improvements in burnout scores, presence, attentiveness, and curiosity, allowing for greater awareness and insight into their work. Dr. David Sandweiss from the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine leads the course, and participants can earn up to 7.0 CME credits. For more information or to register,
click here
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PROMISE STANDARD OF THE MONTH
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In order to advance our goal of being recognized as a world-class institution, University of Utah Health has developed behavior standards for employees to use to guide their actions and measure their performance. The behaviors that exemplify each of the standards directly relate to U of U Health's core values of compassion, trust, collaboration, responsibility, diversity, integrity, and quality. We highlight a standard each month to remind us of our individual responsibility to meet and uphold these benchmarks.
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S is for Safety
With the current outbreak of COVID-19, our patients’ and our own safety is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. While many of the divisions are currently writing up action plans on the way each will handle COVID-19’s potential impact on clinics and office operations and their approach to preventing the spread of the virus within our community, we can each do our part by washing our hands frequently, following travel guidelines, and limiting large gatherings.
But Safety is a U Health behavior standard even in the absence of an outbreak. There is necessarily much emphasis on safety in connection to direct patient care, yet it’s important to remember that we all have a responsibility to help ensure the safety of our coworkers, ourselves, the university’s technology systems, and our patients’ information even if we don’t work with patients personally. There are many ways that everyone in Pediatrics can implement the PROMISE Standard of Safety.
Patient Privacy
The fact that we protect our patients’ personal information and health history is an act of Safety. When we follow HIPAA privacy rules by not leaving PHI in printers, meeting rooms, or other public places, we are upholding our commitment to keep our patients safe. For further reading:
Protecting Yourself and Others from Injury
- Look where you're going whenever you're walking around the office. Don't focus on your mobile phone while walking.
- Immediately wipe up or notify someone of spilled beverages, water tracked in by wet shoes, or drippings from umbrellas.
- Use good driving habits when traveling between locations on campus.
- Get up and stretch or walk around periodically to promote circulation.
Technology and Internet Health and Safety
- Never open emails sent by an unspecified sender or a sender you are unsure about. They may contain viruses that could infect your work computer.
- Don't send money or personal information (such as credit card numbers and social security number) to anyone via email.
- Staring at a computer for long periods can impact your eye health. Give yourself a break every so often to prevent your eyes from becoming too dry and avoiding strain.
- The light from your computer can impact your circadian rhythm and cause sleep related issues. Try to dim your computer screen light as much as you can and be sure to get some fresh air and natural sunlight every day.
Prioritizing Your Health
Many people feel pressure to keep working even when they are sick. They may do so to avoid getting behind on work even though it can take them longer to recover if they do continue working.
- If you are sick, the best thing you can do for your body is to stay home and rest. You're likely to get better more quickly if you give yourself a break and focus on recovering.
- Wash your hands often.
- Keep hand sanitizer at your desk and use it after touching communal doors or being in shared spaces.
- Try not to come in close contact with anyone who is under the weather.
- Be sure you get your flu shot every year.
For further reading:
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Pediatrics Flyer
committee members: Brandy Harman (Chair), Amy Amann, Pamela Carpenter, Leigh Fredericks, Melanie Gauci, Ashly Medlyn, and Colby Townsend
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