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Medicine & Meaning Looking for 55-Word Stories!

Following the example of University of Washington, UAMS is making our Medicine and Meaning page a place to share our collective stories as we TOGETHER go through this strange time. These emotions of fear, anxiety, frustration but also of collegiality, courage and hope, have the potential to enhance our sense of belonging to a great healthcare institution. Knowing that others are going through similar emotions and share our humanity is helpful and can have a significant and lasting positive effect for all.

The rules, as stated in the 2000 JAMA article by Sheetz and Fry are as follows: to tell— preferably in 55 words exactly—a story that helps us to understand, or to appreciate, something about a patient or about the practice of medicine. Pieces may be shared anonymously.

If you are interested in sharing a short reflection (55 words or fewer – poetry or prose or mix) about how the COVID-19 outbreak has impacted you to understand, appreciate, or process something about the impact, response, or practice of medicine and healthcare at this moment, email your 55-word text to medicineandmeaning@uams.edu.

We invite ALL members of the UAMS team to contribute across all professions and roles.

Congratulations to the 2018 Summer PFCC Triple Aim Project Proposal Winners!

We had  nine teams competing and the scores were so close we had a tie for 3rd place!
Everyone did an amazing job with their projects and we are proud to be a part of the Patient-and Family-Centered Care summer program.

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1st Place
Group 8: Smoking Tobacco Prevention Initiative among Adolescents

Team members (in no particular order):
Meghan Ayers (MPH)
Bailey Lessenberry (CRC)
Lesly Ramos (DH)
Holly Rega (DH)
Estefania Vazquez-Rodriguez (DH)
Haylie Worthington (CRC)

Team Facilitator: Shannon Turley

Winners can pick up their certificates in the IPE office! 
RAHN 1210 (across from parking deck 2, next to the revolving doors.)

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2nd Place
Team 6 – “Train and Be Trained”


Group members (in no particular order):
Michaela Kinley (DH)
Addyson Renee Hipps (DH)
Neha Sharma (COP)
Katherine Montgomery (MHA)
Tiffany Hogue (DH)
Haley Hawthorne (CRC)

Team Facilitator: Jennifer Grimmett Stane

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TIED for 3rd Place
Group 2: Ask Me About DTB

Team members (in no particular order):
Tracie French Cash (DH)
Brittany Clark (DH)
Heather Clemons (DH)
Elisandra Bueno (CRC)
Raleigh Thomas (CRC)
Nkeseobong Essien (COP)

Team Facilitator: Tonya Cook

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TIED for 3rd Place
Group 1: Education of UAMS FMC Staff and Providers Regarding Health Concerns of the LGBTQ Community

Team members are (in no particular order):
Na’Tasha Allen (CRC)
Kristen Aldridge-Knowles (DH)
Jocelyne Benitez (DH)
Michelle Brooks (DH)
Bethany Thomas (DH)

Team Facilitator: Erna Boone

Proposals Now Accepted for Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Small Grants (Updated 11/07/17)

 (UPDATED 11/07/17)

For Inside UAMS announcements, etc.

Deadline Extended for Interprofessional Education Small Grants Program

The deadline for proposals to be submitted for the small grant program sponsored by the UAMS Office of Interprofessional Education has been extended to Monday, Nov. 27. The new submission deadline for the grant program, designed to promote interprofessional collaborative practice initiatives, is 5 p.m., Nov. 27, 2017.

Program Goal:

Promote the scholarship of interprofessional collaboration and practice in the areas of clinical care

The project requesting support may include, but is not limited to, a focus on:

  1. The impact of interprofessional practice on (for example):
  • Patient outcomes
  • Patient safety
  • Patient experience
  • Cost-effectiveness of health care

Or

  1. Research on interprofessional practices (i.e., development/validation of interprofessional practice assessment measures)

Award:
Multiple grants will be awarded. Grants will range from $5,000 to $15,000.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • The Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PIs and other investigators may be faculty, postdocs, graduate students, or clinical staff — but must be affiliated with UAMS (faculty or staff must be UAMS employees; graduate students must be enrolled in UAMS Graduate School).
  • The investigator team must have an interprofessional composition. “Interprofessional” is defined as the representation of two or more professions (e.g., nurse and physician, pharmacist and physician assistant).
  • In addition to including investigators representing multiple professions, the proposed project should aim to establish a relationship between interprofessional practice and outcomes.
  • Scholarly work that establishes baseline data or demonstrates strong potential for obtaining additional funding will be viewed favorably.

Application Process:
Include abbreviated curriculum vitae (or NIH Biosketch) of all investigators
Include letter(s) of support from the supervisor of the PI and Co-PI (if applicable)

Maximum of five pages including:

  1. Specific Aims
  2. Significance and Innovation
  3. Rationale for the interprofessional team’s composition, along with roles and responsibilities for each project team member
  4. A description of how an interprofessional team is required for project design and implementation
  5. How the project addresses one or more elements of the Triple Aim (improved patient experience, improved population health or reduced cost for care)
  6. Rationale and Approach (including methods, outcome measures, data analysis plans, and project evaluation)
  7. A plan to evaluate the project’s outcomes and the function of the interprofessional team
  8. Plan for dissemination of results (presentation of work at a relevant national meeting and/or publication is required)
  9. References cited will not count as part of the page limit
  10. Timeline (including a progress report at six months and project completion within 12 months after receiving funds/IRB approval)
  11. IRB approval (if available). Note that IRB approval is required before funding can be awarded.
  12. Budget (may include salary support, travel to present at a professional meeting, supplies, participant fees, IRB fee, and other expenses needed to conduct the work.) Entire awarded amount will be transferred after receipt of IRB approval.

ALL MATERIALS MUST BE COMBINED AND SUBMITTED IN A SINGLE PDF DOCUMENT.

For questions about this grant program, please contact the Office of Interprofessional Education, ipe@uams.edu  or call (501)686-5686.

Deadline: 5 p.m., Nov. 27, 2017
Submit completed application packet as a single PDF file to: provost@uams.edu.

Story by Jon C. Parham

IPE’s very own Dr. Jaffar is this weeks Team UAMS winner!

(From the insideUAMS page)

Muhammad Jaffar

Posted: Monday, April 17, 2017

jaffar

Meet Muhammad Jaffar, Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Director Interprofessional Collaborative Practice.

Muhammad has been with UAMS since 1996 and joined as faculty in 1998.

Jaffar said his commitment to the patient and family focus is part of why he loves UAMS. Their similar core values, caring staff and opportunity to advance are what makes UAMS more than just a hospital.

“UAMS has given me a great sense of purpose in my life,” said Jaffar.

IPE Grant Assists Increased Hand Hygiene Compliance Education and Training at UAMS

In Spring 2017, the Office of Interprofessional Education (IPE) awarded a $6,000 grant to Jennifer Hunt, MD, Chair of the UAMS Pathology Department Chair, for her submission, “An Innovative, Interprofessional Education and Training Platform to Increase Hand Hygiene Compliance at UAMS.”

The week-long event ran from March 27-31, 2017 with tables set up across the campus. Activities included breakfast, drawings for door prizes, and handouts such as hand sanitizer and stress balls. Employees were asked to sign hand washing pledge boards, promising to keep patients safe utilizing proper hand hygiene methods.

Interprofessional educators, including nurses, medical students, physicians, and volunteers, spent time with UAMS employees teaching proper hand washing techniques and awareness of hand hygiene concerns.

Germs show up clearly under a black light. Photo courtesy of: Kate Franks

Viewing their hands under a black light, employees were shocked to discover how many germs were transferred from a simple hand shake.

Educators also emphasized the importance of washing fingertips and under the nails, as these are high bacteria collection areas.

“We are thrilled with the success of our first-ever Hand Hygiene Week.  The event could not have been possible without our amazing interprofessional volunteers and without the IPE grant funding supporting some of the costs.” said Dr. Hunt. “And, the best part is that we are not even close to finished!  The next phase of our program will be even more exciting. Watch for our launch of the interprofessional education program in the next few weeks.”

If you would like to learn more about the IPE Grant program email: ipe@uams.edu

Connie Cavanaugh demonstrates to Natasha Wilson how to properly scrub your hands to get rid of dirt around finger nails. Photo courtesy of: Kate Franks

 

IPE Office Awards Inaugural Small Grants to Promote Collaborative Practice

From the Academic Affairs newsletter – spring 2017

The Office of Interprofessional Education (IPE) recently awarded five grants totaling just over $36,000 in its inaugural IPE Small Grant Program.

The IPE office established the program to promote interprofessional education and collaborative practice at UAMS. The call for submissions in fall 2016 asked for proposals that stimulated scholarship of interprofessional collaboration, in areas of clinical care, education or research.

A panel that included the provost, the three IPE directors, the chair of the IPE Research Subcommittee and additional faculty members representing the UAMS Integrated Clinical Enterprise (ICE) reviewed the submissions. The grants were announced in January.

Grant awards (and principal investigators) for submissions focused on collaborative practice included:

  • An Innovative, Interprofessional Education and Training Platform to Increase Hand Hygiene Compliance at UAMS, PI: Jennifer Hunt, M.D. ($6,000)
  • Geriatrics-Focused Interprofessional Training (G-FIT) in the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH), PI: Paula Podrazik, M.D. ($10,900)
  • Syphilis Testing Result Education and Counseling Simulation, PI: Letycia Catalina Núñez Argote, M.P.H., CPH, MLS ($5,800)

Grant awards (and principal investigators) for submissions focused on interprofessional education included:

  • Interprofessional education curriculum development to enhance communication skills among health professionals interacting with transgender and gender nonconforming patients, clients and community members, PI: Julie Ginn Moretz ($10,900)
  • Research Advocacy Simulation — A learning activity that highlights the role of basic science research in UAMS’ mission of advancing knowledge in areas of human health and disease and translating and accelerating discoveries into health improvements, PI: Mari Davidson, Ph.D. ($2,500)

The Office of Interprofessional Education intends to make the grant program yearly, with another call for submissions anticipated this fall.

UAMS Ahead of the curve: Interprofessional leaders from UAMS attend Collaborating Across Borders

CAB TeamThe Office of Interprofessional Education sponsored a team of seven leaders from UAMS to attend the Collaborating Across Borders Conference (CAB-V) in Roanoke, VA from September 29th – October 2nd. CAB-V is the fifth joint conference that links the United States and Canada around the key themes of interprofessional education and collaborative practice. CAB-V focused on interprofessional education, practice, leadership and policy in a North American context. The conference featured best practices, showcased evidence-based outcomes, and provided a venue for scholarly dialogue and productive networking. The conference theme, The Interprofessional Journey: Advancing Integration and Impact, reflected on the importance of these key concepts as they play a role in the preparation of future health professionals.

The three-fold purpose of sending such a large team from UAMS to CAB-V was met and were as follows:  (1) systematically identify specific innovations learned at CAB-V to implement at UAMS; (2) benchmark the current progress of the Office of IPE efforts against National exemplars; and (3) expand the network of potential collaborative relationships with additional Universities.

Each UAMS team member has shared their reflections below on how attending CAB-V impacted them specifically.

[blockquote cite=”Pearl McElfish, Office of IPE Scholarship & Research Chair, Associate Professor, UAMS College of Medicine, Director Office Community Health and Research” type=”left”]“The Collaborating across borders conference was inspiring. It is amazing to see the IPE movement includes so many Academic health Centers with health care providers and faculty committed to patient centered care.”[/blockquote]

[blockquote cite=”Dr. Kathryn Neill, Office of IPE Curriculum Evaluation & Implementation Team Chair, Interim Dean, College of Pharmacy” type=”left”]“CAB-V has provided an opportunity to foster IPE/IPC planning through networking with colleagues from an array of backgrounds unlike any other meeting I’ve experienced. This meeting has far exceeded my expectations. We realized that our Triple Aim Curricular framework at UAMS is consistent with National exemplars, and we returned with countless ideas to innovate within our approved structure. ”[/blockquote]

[blockquote cite=”Brigitte Grant, Office of IPE Development Team Chair, Associate Vice Chancellor for Development” type=”left”]“The opportunity to interact with partners like George Thibault, MD of The Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation was incredible! I was so impressed with the Foundation’s depth of investment in the “Triple Aim.”  Financial support is just the tip of the iceberg, the Macy Foundation is a strategic advocate and international leader in achieving better patient outcomes, at the lowest cost while improving health for all of us.  It was vital for UAMS to be at the table for CAB-V.”[/blockquote]

[blockquote cite=”Ashley Castleberry, Office of IPE Faculty Development Team Alternate Chair, Director of Assessment College of Pharmacy” type=”left”]“After seeing what other schools are doing with IPE, I get excited about the innovative things we are doing and plan to do at UAMS. We are in a great place and I look forward to sharing what our school is doing at future CAB conferences. During this conference, I learned just how exciting and important our work in IPE is to students, faculty, and patients. IPE is making a difference in healthcare and I am thankful to be a part of the movement at UAMS.”[/blockquote]

[blockquote cite=”Mark Jansen, Office of IPE Collaborative Practice Alternate Chair, Primary Medical Director for the Center for Healthcare Enhancement and Development” type=”left”]“I understand from having been in the private side of rural care delivery that the system is strained and non-sustainable.  With my exposure to IPE through CAB-V, I see potential solutions to the problem of delivering complex care to the citizens of our state utilizing the skill sets of the entire team.  No Doctor is an island!”[/blockquote]

[blockquote cite=”Christina Trimble, Office of IPE Program Manager” type=”left”]“As a communications professional, a look through the lens of educators and health care professionals offers an understanding of where innovative digital communications can help bridge the gap between professions and heighten engagement in our quest for health care transformation.  IPE is the model, but effective communication is the tool needed to lead the way.  CAB was vital for IPE “Team” UAMS, it will enable us to continue to launch IPE forward in creative and innovative ways.”[/blockquote]

[blockquote cite=”Lee Wilbur, Office of IPE Director” type=”left”]“Once again I remain humbled.  Our team at UAMS is simply amazing!  For three straight days, our team was creating new collaborations, collecting ideas to strengthen IPE at UAMS, and reflecting how far ahead of the innovation curve we are at UAMS.  This is simply one more of many experiences affirming that the future of UAMS is very, very bright.”[/blockquote]

Checkout CABV

 

Progress is Sprouting up for the Interprofessional Fresh Food Coalition

August 27 sproutsThe Interprofessional Fresh Food Coalition began in the spring of 2015, when a group of students started bringing fresh produce to the patients at the 12th Street Health and Wellness Center. On six different clinic nights over the summer of 2015, 12th Street patients were able to take a bag of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cabbage and more home with them after receiving medical care at the Center. The Central Arkansas Library System generously donated the produce from their teaching garden at the Children’s Library. Jon Bierman, the gardener at the Children’s Library, has supplied more than just vegetables — he also has been a great source of expertise, encouragement and enthusiasm for IFFC students.

Also during the spring of 2015, IFFC students received a grant from the UAMS College of Pharmacy’s Women’s Giving Circle. The $500 grant paid for building supplies for a garden box on campus. Cheri Goforth, the UAMS Director of Campus Life and Student Support Services, and Penny Talbert, the UAMS Grounds Manager, graciously allowed IFFC to locate their garden on the south side of the South Dorm.

Sept 4th - 2In late July and early August, student volunteers built the 30′ x 4′ x 2′ box and filled it with soil. In late August, with seeds supplied by Jon at CALS, student volunteers planted a fall garden. Fall crops at the UAMS garden include carrots, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, lettuce, radishes, cilantro, spinach, and basil.

Melissa Clark, Pharm.D., MPH, is the IFFC faculty adviser. Any student can join the IFFC by signing up at this link:

https://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/ap?ap=1873403773

If you are interested in learning more about the IFFC, you can contact Erin Puryear at epuryear@uams.edu.