Pediatric News
Updates from the Department of Pediatrics
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Kari Simonsen, MD, chair, UNMC Department of Pediatrics |
Department of Pediatrics Chair Update:
Kari Simonsen, MD
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Spring is on the way! As we near the one-year anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's an opportunity to reflect on how much has changed, how our lives have been impacted, and the long-term shifts that will stay with us beyond the pandemic. It's also a time to look forward to the upcoming year--setting goals and plans.
We'll be doing so formally with our ADIS reviews over the next few weeks. Please make sure that you use the ADIS exercise to consider your personal 2020 accomplishments, goals and intentions as we set our course in 2021. We are also continuing the edits and revisions for the Enterprise Strategic Plan, Department Plan and Division Plans, and can align our personal goals within the broader mission. This work helps us focus, and stay the course when things challenge and change us. I look forward to meeting with the Chiefs to learn about all of your accomplishments and goals, and to discuss ways to steward our resources to support the mission and bring about growth in our department.
More broadly, I don't think we'll experience a singular ending of the COVID-19 pandemic in the same way we recall the beginning. However, just as the spring begins with warmer winds and melting snow, then suddenly seems to burst across the landscape with green trees, grass and flowers, I imagine that we'll emerge from the pandemic in a bit the same way, first timidly and then rushing forth. I encourage you to consider carefully how you'll spend your time and focus your efforts as the year progresses, and I look forward to hearing of your ongoing successes. Thanks for all you do!
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Our Successes:
Department Celebrations
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The Department of Pediatrics shares accomplishments, publications and appointments. |
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Pictured from left to right: Beatrice Egboh, MD, Howard Needelman, MD, Bill Bishop MSN, APRN-NP, Jessica Miller, Cindy Ellis, MD, (not pictured Terri Mathews, PhD). |
Department Update:
Developmental Pediatrics Transitioning Offices
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Developmental/Behavioral Pediatrics will be moving its academic offices and clinical services from the Munroe-Meyer Institute to Children’s Hospital & Medical Center on April 1, 2021. Drs. Cindy Ellis and Howard Needelman have been faculty in the division since 1998 and represent two of the three board certified Developmental/Behavioral Pediatricians in Nebraska. The team also includes Terri Mathews, PhD, APRN-NP, a clinical child psychologist and pediatric/psychiatric nurse practitioner, Bill Bishop, MSN, APRN-NP, a pediatric nurse practitioner and Jessica Miller, office associate. Carey Wheelhouse, PA-C, is a physician assistant joining the practice this spring.
The division provides initial consultations for diagnostic evaluations, assessments and ongoing follow-up services for children, adolescents and young adults with a range of developmental, emotional and/or behavioral conditions and children with special health care needs. Their on-site and telemedicine clinics serve patients in the metro Omaha area as well as Fremont, Norfolk, North Platte, Scottsbluff and Rushville, Nebraska. The team has expertise in neurodevelopmental disabilities, high-risk neonatal follow-up, mental health disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), psychopharmacology and combined medical/behavioral management.
The Developmental Pediatrics providers participate in interdisciplinary teams and work collaboratively in teaching and patient care, understanding and interpreting evaluations by other professionals and incorporating these evaluations in the decision making process. Some of their interdisciplinary clinics include the Neonatal Follow-Up “TIPS” Clinics, Outstate Specialty Clinics for Children and Youth, Autism Spectrum Disorders Management Clinic, Adult Behavior Medicine Clinic and the Multidisciplinary Autism Diagnostic Clinic.
The division participates in numerous educational and research activities. The Developmental/Behavioral Pediatric Fellowship was approved in 2018, and our first fellow, Beatrice Egboh, MD, is currently in her second year of the three-year fellowship. In addition, pediatric and family medicine residents, psychiatric nurse practitioner students as well as child psychiatry fellows have clinical rotations in their division. The HRSA/MCH-funded Nebraska Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Interdisciplinary Training Program is also based in their division. Research interests include outcomes of high-risk neonates and children with complex congenital heart disease, evidence based treatments for ASD and industry sponsored drug studies.
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CHRI Pediatric Academic Workshop:
Conclusion & Highlights
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CHRI Pediatric Academic Workshop offered on Feb. 19-20, 2021, focused on building knowledge and skills in health communication and advocacy. Faculty members who were featured included:
- Chad Abresch, PhD, launched the workshop in conjunction with Children’s Grand Rounds and provided a breakout session on health equity and justice
- Arwa Nasir, MBBS, provided an engaging presentation on authoring children’s books
- Deb Tomek, MD, FAAP, served as a panelist during a discussion on child advocacy
Other topics covered included data visualization, effective presentation skills and social media. The next workshop will be in August 2021, and its theme will be centered around grant writing.
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Faculty Meeting Follow-Up:
MMI Collaboration & Interprofessional Academy of Educators
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As mentioned in the February faculty meeting, if you would like to see about a collaboration with MMI please email Dr. Karoly Mirnics or Dr. Amy Nordness with any questions and comments.
Also, if you would like to learn more about the Interprofessional Academy of Educators, an organization by educators for educators, and how to join, please click the link below.
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Faculty & Staff Reminder:
Additional Consideration for Annual Performance Evaluation
H. Dele Davies, Senior Vice Chancellor, Jeffrey P. Gold, Chancellor
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Comprehensive annual performance evaluations are taking place, and UNMC wants to be sensitive to the effects the pandemic has had on many of you, professionally as well as personally. With that in mind, we hope to honor both the needs of the university reporting requirements, while being sensitive to the needs of the individuals that make up this exceptional university.
You may wish to document the impacts you are experiencing or have experienced due to COVID-19 as it pertains to your Annual Performance Evaluation.
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Faculty & Staff Reminder:
2021 Annual Disclosure Questionnaire Deadline Approaching
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The 2021 Annual Disclosure of Financial Interest Questionnaire is due by March 31, 2021. The UNMC Compliance Department is sending out reminders with direct links to login and complete. To access the disclosure form, UNMC employees will use your UNMC Net ID and password. To log into the COI Smart web site, please click below link. From the
COI-Smart Announcements page, click on the button to Access Your Questionnaire(s).
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Take A.C.T.I.O.N. Against Microaggressions |
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UNMC wants to foster a diverse and inclusive environment where all faculty, fellows, residents, students and staff feel welcomed, respected and valued. This A.C.T.I.O.N. flyer is designed to raise awareness on microaggressions and serve as a tool to report instances that UNMC employees and/or students have witnessed and/or experienced. The different teams listed on the flyer who receive these reports will take every one of them very seriously. The goal is to provide support to those who have been affected and address the incidents as they are identified in a way to improve campus climate. |
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Call for Physician Participation in Survey on COVID-19 Vaccine |
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Faculty physicians in the Department of Pediatrics are invited to participate in an IRB approved research study that aims to assess pediatric provider perceptions on the COVID-19 vaccine. The aim is to identify vaccine information sources, physician confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine and how physicians counsel patients and families receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. This study should take 5-10 minutes of your time. Please click link below to access the survey. |
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Staff Milestones:
Recent Service Anniversaries
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Congratulations to those celebrating recent work anniversaries. We wish you all the best for continued success! |
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Years of Service:
Lauren Maskin, MD - 9 years
Hana Niebur, MD - 6 years
Edward Siefker, BS - 5 years
Jill Fahner, BS - 5 years
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Tieshi Li, PhD - 2 years
Kara Biven, MD - 1 year
Amy Pinkall, MD - 1 year
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CHRI Pediatric Research Seminar:
Beyond MYCN in Neuroblastoma: In Search of Novel Druggable Targets
Speaker: Janina Baranowska-Kortylewicz, PhD | March 19, 2021, noon | Zoom |
CHRI Pediatric Cancer Research Group Mini Research Summit
CHRI Pediatric Research Forum
The forum is open for submission for both research abstracts and/or posters (due April 15, 2021). Medicinal Musings creative submissions are open as well - please visit the link below for more information.
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Department of Pediatrics Meeting: February |
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If you missed the Department of Pediatrics General Faculty meeting on Thursday, Feb. 25, please view the recording. Note: you must be logged into your Children's account to access the recording as it is saved on the shared drive. On your desktop, follow this path to view the recording: Q:\General Faculty Meetings\UNMC General Faculty Meeting
2-25-21
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University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics
982155 Nebraska Medicine
Omaha, NE 68198-2155
402-559-6400
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