Dear colleague: 

Last Wednesday, UCHealth unveiled a new logo and several services that are designed to change the interaction between the health system and its patients and their families. UCHealth said it was updating its website, rolling out a new mobile app, and announcing a partnership with Uber to provide patients with easier transportation options. The improvements also include virtual visits, online scheduling and more transparency of medical record information. In announcing the changes, UCHealth President and CEO Liz Concordia said: “Health care remains a step behind many other industries when it comes to putting people – our patients – first.  We must adapt and innovate to improve this experience. Anyone can shop online, message with customer service representatives, compare goods with other stores, and pay for those products at 1 a.m., all from the comfort of their homes. Health care must innovate to match these expectations and improve the experience of our patients and their families.” 

The School of Medicine last Thursday evening hosted the fourth annual Minority Scholars Second Look Reception at the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library in Denver. This year’s event attracted a record turnout of more than 100 attendees and the atmosphere among trainees and recruits was positive and energetic. Programs represented included Emergency Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medicine and Pediatrics. This event is critical to our efforts to recruit a talented, diverse class of residents to our Graduate Medical Education program. I would like to thank those who joined us, including Elbra Wedgeworth, chief government and community relations officer at Denver Health, Mario Harding, MHA, associate chief operating officer at Denver Health, Sasha Andrews, MD, representing the Mile High Medical Society, and Brandi Freeman, MD, representing UCOLORES. I am confident that we can offer an excellent and welcoming environment for these recruits and I want to thank everyone who organized the event. 

The School’s Academy of Medical Educators hosted its fifth annual Education Scholarship & Innovation Symposium last Tuesday, Jan. 31, featuring a keynote address by Jed Gonzalo, MD, assistant professor of medicine and public health sciences at the Penn State University College of Medicine. The fifth anniversary marked the highest number of peer-reviewed posters and oral presentations, with 59 oral and poster presenters and five poster award winners. Our Academy of Medical Educators offers an opportunity for students, residents, faculty and others on campus to think, talk and learn about teaching and strive always to improve the quality of our educational programming. Congratulations to the nine graduates of the Academy’s Teaching Certificate Program and the 15 graduates of the Teaching Scholars Program, who were also recognized at the symposium. 

The Colorado Clinical & Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) last week emailed a survey to about 1,100 faculty users of CCTSI-funded resources (Clinical Translational Research Centers, Technology Cores, Biostatics Core, etc.) asking for publications and grants information associated with use of the resources. The information is used in the CCTSI annual progress report to National Institutes of Health. I encourage everyone to respond to the survey with the information relevant to your projects. The CCTSI is a valuable institutional resource and we want to do our best to ensure its continued funding. If you know you are a CCTSI user but have not seen the survey, please check your “junk” or “clutter” folders to see if it went there instead of your inbox. 

The Physical Therapy Program has published an online newsletter that recaps the accomplishments of faculty, staff, students and the overall program in 2016. A key milestone was the graduation of the first class to complete the new physical therapy curriculum, which includes a yearlong internship. The newsletter also reports that Physical Therapy Program’s scholarship and endowment funds reached $1 million due to the efforts of the program’s Scholarship and Endowment Advisory Board and with significant contributions from alumni and community partners. 

Thomas Jansson, MD, PhD, vice chair of research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and chief of the Division of Reproductive Sciences, has been named the recipient of the President’s Achievement Award from the Society for Reproductive Investigation. The annual award recognizes investigators who have made outstanding contributions and show continuing promise of productivity. Thomas will receive the award at society’s annual meeting in March. Congratulations. 

The Provost’s Office has issued a call for nominations for the Joseph Addison Sewall Award and the Florence Rena Sabin Award. These awards will be presented at this year’s Anschutz Medical Campus commencement ceremony on Friday, May 26, 8:30 a.m. The Joseph Addison Sewall Award is given in the name of the first President of the University of Colorado. The award is given to a current or former member of the faculty or staff of the Anschutz Medical Campus who has made exceptional contributions of leadership and vision to the health sciences at the Anschutz Medical Campus and/or the 9th and Colorado campus.  A letter of nomination and at least two letters of support must accompany the nomination. The Florence Rena Sabin Award is given in Dr. Florence Sabin’s memory.  She was an extraordinary researcher in neuroanatomy and made significant contributions in the area of public health. The award is given to an alumnus of a University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus program in the health sciences or to an individual outside of the institution who has made an exceptional contribution to the institution or to the health of the citizens of the State of Colorado.  A letter of nomination and at least two letters of support must accompany the nomination. Completed nominations and support packets should be sent to Beth Otis, Executive Assistant, Re: Annual Sewall and Sabin Awards, Campus Box A095, 13001 E. 17th Place, Aurora, CO 80045. If you have question, contact Beth at 303-724-8071 or email beth.otis@ucdenver.edu. Nominations and support letters are due Friday, March 3. 

Have a good week,

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