Above: Architectural renderings of the Main Lobby renovations.
Main Lobby Renderings
August 24, 2016
UConn Health September 2016 Programs, Events
August 23, 2016
Here is a list of UConn Health programs scheduled for September and early October 2016. This information will be updated with any additions or other schedule changes.
Bladder Cancer Support Group
Saturday, Sept. 3, 2 to 3 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
Patients, family members and caregivers (not limited to UConn Health patients) are invited to join others whose lives have been touched by bladder cancer. This support group, established in partnership with the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, usually meets on the first Saturday of the month and is the only group of its kind in New England. Call 888-901-BCAN for more information.
New 6-week “Ready to Lose” Weight Management Program Starts
Tuesday, Sept. 13, 5 to 6 p.m., UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion, 2nd floor east
The introductory session is followed by five weekly sessions through Tuesday, Oct. 18, that include a weigh-in, discussion of progress, and a timely nutrition topic such as eating out strategies, cooking light and right, emotional eating, exercise and activity, and smart shopping. Registration fee is $70, $50 for past participants. Call 800-535-6232 for more information.
Living With Heart Disease Support Group
Thursday, Sept. 15, 11 a.m. to noon, UConn Health, Katz Conference Room (C-2116)
Patients with heart disease, along with their families and caregivers, meet on the third Thursday of the month to discuss post-diagnosis topics such as prevention and wellness, social and emotional support, heath-healthy recipes, and coping strategies and resources. Call 860-679-3633 to learn more.
Infertility Peer Support Group
Thursday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m., Center for Advanced Reproductive Services, 2 Batterson Park Road, Farmington.
The Greater Hartford chapter of RESOLVE, a national nonprofit resource for those facing the challenges of infertility, offers support, information and confidential, informal, peer-led discussions on the third Thursday of the month. To learn more or to check for weather-related cancellation, call 860-523-8337.
Free Hospital Maternity Tours
Saturday, Sept. 17, 2:30 p.m., UConn Health, Main Lobby
A representative will guide you through labor and delivery, postpartum, and the nursery at John Dempsey Hospital. Children and grandparents are welcome. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.
Celiac Disease Nutrition Class
Monday, Sept. 19, 8 to 9 a.m., UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion
A registered dietitian leads a discussion for those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. This program now is scheduled to meet the third Monday of the month. Fee is $20. Call 800-535-6232 or 860-679-7692 to register or for more information.
Childbirth Preparation Class
Saturday, Sept. 24, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
This one-day class covers anatomy and physiology of pregnancy and labor, emotions of pregnancy, nutrition, fetal growth and development, comfort measures for labor, working with unexpected events in labor, cesarean delivery, and practice of relaxation and breathing techniques for labor. Class size is limited to eight couples. Remember to bring two pillows and wear comfortable clothing. Light snack is provided. Fee is $100. Call 800-535-6232 or 860-679-7692 to register or for more information.
Free Workshop: “Things to Consider Before Joining a Research Study”
Monday, Sept. 26, 5 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
The UConn Health Human Subjects Protection Office offers an educational session about the rights and responsibilities of participants in research projects on the last Monday of the month. Registration is required: 860-679-8802 or cagganello@uchc.edu.
Stroke Survivor Group
Wednesday, Sept. 28, noon to 1 p.m., UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion, 3rd floor
The UConn Health Stroke Center invites stroke survivors, families and caregivers to a monthly group meeting to discuss topics such as prevention, coping methods, support systems, rehabilitation tips, resources, and promoting independence. The Stroke Survivor Group generally meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Call 860-679-4846 for more information.
Free Discovery Series: “Heart Attack 911”
Wednesday, Sept. 28, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Ave.
During this program, UConn Health experts Dr. Christopher Pickett and Dr. Richard Kamin are going to take you inside the body during a heart attack. You will learn to recognize the signs and symptoms, what do when someone is having a heart attack, and learn about the latest lifesaving advances and treatments. Register online, for free, at bit.ly/UCHdisc or call 800-535-6232.
Breast-feeding Class
Wednesday, Sept. 28, 7 to 9 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
A certified lactation consultant leads a discussion of topics including the benefits of breast-feeding, how to get started, and how the rest of the family can help the breast-feeding mother as well as how to continue breast-feeding and working. Fee is $25 per couple. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.
Bladder Cancer Support Group
Saturday, Oct. 1, 2 to 3 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
Patients, family members and caregivers (not limited to UConn Health patients) are invited to join others whose lives have been touched by bladder cancer. This support group, established in partnership with the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, usually meets on the first Saturday of the month and is the only group of its kind in New England. Call 888-901-BCAN for more information.
Free Hospital Maternity Tours
Saturday, Oct. 8, 2:30 p.m., UConn Health, Main Lobby
A representative will guide you through labor and delivery, postpartum, and the nursery at John Dempsey Hospital. Children and grandparents are welcome. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.
Directions to UConn Health are available at http://bit.ly/get2uch.
Our People Make Possible Happen
August 18, 2016
Thursday, August 11 was the 60th wedding anniversary for Mr. and Mrs. Dixon…but the couple thought a celebration did not look possible and would have to wait because Mr. Dixon was a “visitor” here.
Then came the staff of the University Tower’s 5th floor. They got busy, called in help, and the party was on.
Food and Nutrition Services delivered individually made meals on white china and wine glasses for their sodas. Sounds of their wedding song – “Sunrise, Sunset” by Perry Como – filled the room.
A magical anniversary for the Dixon’s brought a tear to everyone’s eye….including the newlyweds.
Help Name Our TUGs!
August 3, 2016
Starting this fall, our new “TUG” robots will be roaming the floors of UConn John Dempsey Hospital, transporting prescription medications from the pharmacy to our medical teams.
This is where you come in—our four new friends need names! Submit your TUG name below, along with your name and email. Submissions are due by September 9. Winners will be announced on Facebook.
In the meantime, the pharmacy folks are busy preparing for the TUGS’ first day and that includes making sure the robots know where they’re going (and don’t run into anything along the way). Watch the video to see how it’s done.
Applause for the PAWS Winners
July 28, 2016
Human Resources and the Pride In People committee at UConn Health hosted an awards reception today for the July PAWS winners. The celebration honors employees who consistently perform above and beyond the expectations of their job and exhibit the following attributes: part of a team; awesome attitude; wonderful work ethic; and superior service.
Kidd Collins……………………………………………… CMHC – Hartford / Mental Health
Margaret Cummings…………………………………. UMG – General Medicine
Jessica Demarest……………………………………… Intermediate Unit
Sarah Higley……………………………………………. Surgery/Orthopaedics Unit
Michelle Masters……………………………………… Intermediate Unit
Carol Wiediger…………………………………………. CMHC – Hartford / Mental Health
Vincent Williams………………………………………. Orthopaedic Surgery
The team award went to the Medical 3 Unit Staff.
UConn HealthONE: ‘Getting Into the Weeds’
As healthcare providers, the work is complex – links in a chain, each important, each small detail impacts everything after. It’s the people on the front line, in the middle of any care delivery process that know this best. The next step in our HealthONE journey is right around the corner. In August and September, the team will hold 264 ‘workflow sessions’ with the people directly involved in each key process so we can, if you will….get into the weeds, look under rocks, consider the details and the options as we build our electronic medical record (EMR).
It is a lot of sessions, but we do a lot of work — complex, interdependent work, right?
Each invite session includes the primary stakeholders of a given process…or step in that process. Each session builds upon the previous work with a goal to have a workflow and process design that reflects our experience, our reality, the capability of the Epic tool and the future state we envision.
So why should you care?
If you are invited, you are clearly not alone — you are an important link in the chain, without you the chain holds nothing. Not invited — you may think you’re lucky, you may question why not — either way you should know who is representing your work and make sure they understand the one, deep, hidden process clue only you hold. And, if nothing else, understand and appreciate the complexity of working toward our objective — one record, one place, one reason…you.
All UConn HealthONE information, documents, governance and education are now available on the project website, accessible by the icon on the top bar of the UConn Health Express. Check back often, and remember, in some way, this takes all of us to succeed.
Broadcast Message to Retire August 8
Monday, August 8, the UConn Health daily Broadcast Message email, and the system that supports it will be ‘retiring.’ In its place, a new format and new name – UConn Health Lifeline.
The new UConn Health Lifeline will continue to consolidate internal announcements, however, in a more useful and user-friendly way. “It is no less information, but it is a modernization of look and employing an already existing online tool that is more efficient and really tailored toward the end-user,” says UConn Health Chief Communications Officer Chris Hyers.
The new Lifeline is coordinated by UConn Health Marketing and Multimedia Services with great support from University Information Technology Services (UITS). As a “self-service portal,” gone will be the days of emailing information. Now, users will self-submit using an online submission form which allows for a preview of the announcement and editing before and after final submission. Lifeline will be distributed on weekday mornings. To be considered for inclusion, announcements must be submitted at least two days prior.
What you will see as a reader is an expanded list of categories; such as Human Resources and Benefits; Lectures and Presentations; Research, Funding, and Awards; Student Activities, and more. This will make it easier for you to find the information of interest to you, click the link and learn more. Lifeline is designed as a companion resource to “The Pulse,” UConn Health Express, and events.uconn.edu.
Check out what you need to know on UConn Health Express for more details and guidance on how, when, and where to submit.
Send questions or comments regarding the new UConn Health Lifeline to uconnhealthlifeline@uchc.edu.
Lafreniere to Focus on Clinical Practice
We shared the news late last week that Dr. Denis Lafreniere has decided to step out of his role as the Medical Director of UConn Medical Group (UMG) to spend more time in his clinical practice of Otolaryngology. He will also continue to serve as both an Associate Dean for the School of Medicine and Division Chief of Otolaryngology. Denis has been a tireless leader for UMG and accomplished much. In a letter to colleagues, Denis wrote of his four-year tenure, “I am proud to say that we have seen significant change in UMG – our expansion into the Outpatient Pavilion and satellite clinics in Storrs, Canton and Southington. UMG has consistently seen more patients each year and expanded our primary care base, most recently with a new Family Medicine clinic.”
Going forward we will be replacing the UMG Medical Director role with a UMG Chief Executive Officer (UMG CEO) position. Toward this end we have opened a national search for an MD with business credentials and experience, who will have a full-time focus on operational and strategic leadership of the faculty practice. Denis will continue in his Medical Director role until the UMG CEO is hired.
Those who know Denis won’t be surprised that although he is stepping away from his role as UMG Medical Director, he will still be very busy on behalf of UMG. In addition to the roles already mentioned, he will continue to have involvement in the Clinical Council, the roll out of UConn Health ONE and the PTN project. In addition, he has agreed to spend 10 percent of his time serving in the role of “UMG Physician Liaison” which will support the efforts of the new UMG CEO. As Denis wrote in his letter, “Although I will miss working with all of you as the Medical Director, I truly believe this is the right time for me to focus more on my primary passion – otolaryngology – while still contributing to the School of Medicine and helping UMG and its new leader when that person is selected. Fortunately, in the role of UMG Physician Liaison I will still serve on the UMG senior leadership team and therefore will interact with all of you frequently on the journey ahead.”
Andrew Agwunobi, M.D., M.B.A.
Chief Executive Officer, UConn Health
Executive Vice President for Health Affairs
Main Lobby Closure to Impact Foot, Bus Traffic
July 21, 2016
UPDATE: The closing of the main lobby and opening of the academic entrance, originally scheduled for Monday, July 25, has been postponed, with further information to come next week. Therefore, the changes to Shuttle Routes 3 and 4 and the Storrs Shuttle, also scheduled to take place Monday, will be postponed until further notice.
Starting this weekend, the main lobby area of the main building will be under construction for the next several months. This is to allow renovations that will grow and modernize the lobby as well as the dental clinics and the Calhoun Cardiology Center.
The front entrance to the building will remain open with a detour around the construction Foot traffic will flow to the left and let out in the hallway that runs along the windows to the center courtyard. The lobby elevators will continue to function, but only serve Floors G, M and 1.
For employees that use the main entrance to get to and from their jobs, please note that it may be quicker for you to use Garage 2. Garage 2 is for employees only and has a dedicated entrance on the bottom floor of the garage. The employee entrance will bring you to the University Tower and you can access the Connecticut Tower by following the signs, which lead you through Radiology.
With this also comes changes to the campus shuttle services. Starting Monday, July 25, two of the campus shuttle routes will discontinue service to the main entrance. The Munson Road shuttle (Route 3) will go back to stopping at the academic entrance, also scheduled to be re-open by Monday, and the 400 Farmington Ave. shuttle (Route 4) will pick up and drop off at the University Tower instead of the main entrance. All campus shuttle maps and schedules are available at health.uconn.edu/park/shuttle-bus-service. CT Transit and CT Fastrak routes are not changing.
UConn Health August 2016 Programs, Events
July 12, 2016
Here is a list of UConn Health programs scheduled for August and early September 2016. This information will be updated with any additions or other schedule changes. (Updated 7/21)
(Rescheduled 7/21)
Breast-feeding Class
Wednesday, July 27, Aug. 3, 7 to 9 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
A certified lactation consultant leads a discussion of topics including the benefits of breast-feeding, how to get started, and how the rest of the family can help the breast-feeding mother as well as how to continue breast-feeding and working. Fee is $25 per couple. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.
Bladder Cancer Support Group
Saturday, Aug. 6, 2 to 3 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
Patients, family members and caregivers (not limited to UConn Health patients) are invited to join others whose lives have been touched by bladder cancer. This support group, established in partnership with the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, usually meets on the first Saturday of the month and is the only group of its kind in New England. Call 888-901-BCAN for more information.
Free Hospital Maternity Tours
Saturday, Aug. 6, 2:30 p.m., UConn Health, Main Lobby
A representative will guide you through labor and delivery, postpartum, and the nursery at John Dempsey Hospital. Children and grandparents are welcome. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.
Celiac Disease Nutrition Class
Monday, Aug. 15, 8 to 9 a.m., UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion
A registered dietitian leads a discussion for those with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. This program now is scheduled to meet the third Monday of the month. Fee is $20. Call 800-535-6232 or 860-679-7692 to register or for more information.
Free Cosmetology Services for Cancer Survivors
Monday, Aug. 15, 1 to 3 p.m., UConn Health, Outpatient Pavilion, 4th floor
“Look Good…Feel Better” is a free program to help improve the self-image and self-esteem of women experiencing appearance-related side effects from cancer treatment. During this hands-on workshop, a trained volunteer certified cosmetologist will offer self-help instruction and education on hairstyling and coping with hair loss, skin care, makeup and nail care. Wigs, turbans and scarves will also be discussed. Classes are offered every other month and are not limited to UConn Health patients. Registration is required: call 800-227-2345 with your name, program date, phone number, and skin color. Kits are available in Light, Medium, Dark and Extra Dark.
Breast-feeding Class
Wednesday, Aug. 17, 7 to 9 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
A certified lactation consultant leads a discussion of topics including the benefits of breast-feeding, how to get started, and how the rest of the family can help the breast-feeding mother as well as how to continue breast-feeding and working. Fee is $25 per couple. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.
Infertility Peer Support Group
Thursday, Aug. 18, 7 p.m., Center for Advanced Reproductive Services, 2 Batterson Park Road, Farmington.
The Greater Hartford chapter of RESOLVE, a national nonprofit resource for those facing the challenges of infertility, offers support, information and confidential, informal, peer-led discussions on the third Thursday of the month. To learn more or to check for weather-related cancellation, call 860-523-8337.
Childbirth Preparation Class
Saturday, Aug. 20, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
This one-day class covers anatomy and physiology of pregnancy and labor, emotions of pregnancy, nutrition, fetal growth and development, comfort measures for labor, working with unexpected events in labor, cesarean delivery, and practice of relaxation and breathing techniques for labor. Class size is limited to eight couples. Remember to bring two pillows and wear comfortable clothing. Light snack is provided. Fee is $100. Call 800-535-6232 or 860-679-7692 to register or for more information.
Stroke Survivor Group
Wednesday, Aug. 24, noon to 1 p.m., UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion, 3rd floor
The UConn Health Stroke Center invites stroke survivors, families and caregivers to a monthly group meeting to discuss topics such as prevention, coping methods, support systems, rehabilitation tips, resources, and promoting independence. The Stroke Survivor Group generally meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Call 860-679-4846 for more information.
Free Hospital Maternity Tours
Saturday, Aug. 27, 2:30 p.m., UConn Health, Main Lobby
A representative will guide you through labor and delivery, postpartum, and the nursery at John Dempsey Hospital. Children and grandparents are welcome. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.
Free Workshop: “Things to Consider Before Joining a Research Study”
Monday, Aug. 29, 5 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
The UConn Health Human Subjects Protection Office offers an educational session about the rights and responsibilities of participants in research projects on the last Monday of the month. Registration is required: 860-679-8802 or cagganello@uchc.edu.
Bladder Cancer Support Group
Saturday, Sept. 3, 2 to 3 p.m., UConn Health, Onyiuke Dining Room
Patients, family members and caregivers (not limited to UConn Health patients) are invited to join others whose lives have been touched by bladder cancer. This support group, established in partnership with the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, usually meets on the first Saturday of the month and is the only group of its kind in New England. Call 888-901-BCAN for more information.
New 6-week “Ready to Lose” Weight Management Program Starts
Tuesday, Sept. 13, 5 to 6 p.m., UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion, 2nd floor east
The introductory session is followed by five weekly sessions through Tuesday, Oct. 18, that include a weigh-in, discussion of progress, and a timely nutrition topic such as eating out strategies, cooking light and right, emotional eating, exercise and activity, and smart shopping. Registration fee is $70, $50 for past participants. Call 800-535-6232 for more information.
Living With Heart Disease Support Group
Thursday, Sept. 15, 11 a.m. to noon, UConn Health, Katz Conference Room (C-2116)
Patients with heart disease, along with their families and caregivers, meet on the third Thursday of the month to discuss post-diagnosis topics such as prevention and wellness, social and emotional support, heath-healthy recipes, and coping strategies and resources. Call 860-679-3633 to learn more.
Infertility Peer Support Group
Thursday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m., Center for Advanced Reproductive Services, 2 Batterson Park Road, Farmington.
The Greater Hartford chapter of RESOLVE, a national nonprofit resource for those facing the challenges of infertility, offers support, information and confidential, informal, peer-led discussions on the third Thursday of the month. To learn more or to check for weather-related cancellation, call 860-523-8337.
Directions to UConn Health are available at health.uconn.edu/plan-your-visit/locations-and-directions/farmingtonmain-campus.