Dear colleague: 

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus on February 13 honored the Sissel and Findlow families for their generous support that completed funding for an endowed chair at the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes. The reception, held at the Barbara Davis Center, offered us an opportunity to thank the Sissels and Findlows and to explain how their support helps our University stay at the forefront of research and clinical care for people with diabetes. For CU, this gift contributes to our recruitment of Lori Sussel, PhD, professor of pediatrics and director of basic and translational research at the Barbara Davis Center. Lori’s lab is one of the world leaders in understanding the networks that regulate development, differentiation and function of the pancreas. Lori had been an associate professor here before moving to Columbia University Medical Center in 2007. We are grateful for the gift from the Sissels and Findlows and we look forward to continued breakthroughs from Lori and her team.

Last week, the University Police announced security enhancements on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus that are intended improve the ability to respond in cases of emergencies. More than 60 rooms in the Education I and II buildings have received security upgrades that include installing at least one panic button to be used in the event of an active harmer on campus. These rooms also have been equipped with frosted windows, blue strobe lights, and emergency trauma kits with supplies for controlling extreme bleeding. While our campus security always is working to protect us, we are too often reminded by events across the country that such precautions are still necessary to provide an extra measure of safety. In announcing the installation of this equipment, University Police Chief Randy Repola said it is to be used only in response to an imminent threat. For campus police assistance, members of the campus community should call 303-724-4444. 

UCHealth has named Dan Rieber as chief financial officer. He has been serving as interim CFO since last fall. Rieber earned a Masters of Business Administration from Regis University, a Bachelors of Business Administration from Iowa State University, and he is a certified public accountant. Rieber replaces Anthony DeFurio, who resigned to join Carolinas HealthCare System. 

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, partnering with the University of Colorado Hospital, will host a 9HealthFair on Saturday, April 21, from 8 a.m. until noon. Volunteers are needed to help draw blood, conduct health screenings, welcome and register participants, and provide health education information. Details and sign-up is online for medical volunteers  and non-medical volunteers. 

The University of Colorado announced that CU employees who are paid monthly will now receive their June paychecks on the final business day in June rather than on the first business day in July. The change was announced in an alert by the state controller who said the pay date shift in state law no longer applies to institutions of higher education. The pay date shift was implemented in 2003 when state officials balanced the state budget by moving a payday from one fiscal year to the next. 

The National Jewish Health annual gala, the Beaux Arts Ball, was held last Saturday at the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center. This year’s theme was Bollywood. The event always attracts a large and enthusiastic crowd to benefit the important work of National Jewish Health, where we have faculty conducting research and providing care. 

A reminder to all faculty physicians who are eligible to vote in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings that now is the time to cast your ballot. To be eligible, you needed to be registered with Doximitybefore December 1. While the U.S. News rankings take several factors into account, one of the key measures is a hospital’s reputation in 16 specialties. The voting system is structured so that faculty can only vote in their own specialty, so participating is one key way of ensuring that your expertise is properly recognized in the rankings. The 16 specialty categories considered by U.S. News are: Cancer; Cardiology and Heart Surgery; Endocrinology; Gastroenterology; Geriatrics; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Nephrology; Neurology and Neurological Surgery; Ophthalmology; Orthopedics; Otolaryngology; Psychiatry; Pulmonary Disease; Rehabilitation; Rheumatology; and Urology. If you were registered with Doximity and practice in the named fields, you should have received an email with a link to vote. In some cases, those emails may have gone to junk or clutter email folders, so this is a reminder to check those files. The University of Colorado Hospital was ranked No. 15 overall on the 2017-2018 U.S. News Best Hospitals Honor Roll, so your participation in this poll is crucial in maintaining the recognition of our partner hospital as one of the best in the nation. 

Another ballot for rating physicians is also open: 5280 magazine is currently conducting its annual Top Doctors ballot through Friday, March 16. Each year, the magazine polls Denver-area doctors for the physicians they trust most and then prints the results in its August issue. Typically, about half of the physicians on the list are CU School of Medicine faculty members. Every eligible physician who lives and/or practices in Adams, Denver, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Boulder, Jefferson, and Douglas counties can log in to vote. You’ll need your physician license number and a valid email address. The ballot can be found at vote.5280.com. 

Have a good week, 

John J. Reilly, Jr., MD
Richard D. Krugman Endowed Chair
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and
Dean, School of Medicine