UConn Health

Lakeesha Brown: 2016 Dr. Deckers Award Honoree

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  • The Dr. Peter J. Deckers Employee Appreciation Award finalists from left, Lakeesha Brown, Elizabeth Cwalinski, Ursula Knight, and Carol Schramm. (Photo by Tina Encarnacion)
It’s among the highest honors a UConn Health employee can receive – the Dr. Peter J. Deckers Employee Appreciation Award. Who qualifies as a Deckers Award nominee? An employee who consistently demonstrates passion and commitment, strong leadership, exemplary professional skills, and goes above and beyond to help meet the goals of UConn Health. The award was first presented in 2009 and is named after Dr. Peter Deckers, retired executive vice president for health affairs and dean emeritus of the UConn School of Medicine.

This year’s honoree is Lakeesha Brown, principal labor relations specialist in the Department of Human Resources. Christine Cieplinski, director of labor relations, nominated Lakeesha saying “she sees every work day as an opportunity to positively invest employees in the mission and vision of UConn Health.” Hear what else Christine said about Lakeesha.

The three other finalists for the Deckers Award were:

Elizabeth Cwalinski, Housekeeping Supervisor (Nominated by Cliff Ashton, AVP Facilities Management and Operations)

Ursula Knight, CMHC Nursing Supervisor (Nominated by Connie Weiskopf, Director of Nursing and Patient Care Services, CMHC)

Carol Schramm, Registered Nurse (Nominated by Dr. Thomas Yasuda, Medical Director, Operating Room)

The Deckers Awards and the annual celebration of employee years of service were held Nov. 21 in the Academic Rotunda during a high-energy ceremony emceed by Alexis Crean, organization and staff development specialist in the Department of Human Resources.

Hospital Patients Move in to New Tower

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UConn Health nursing staff wheel a patient into the new hospital tower. (Photo by Janine Gelineau)
UConn Health nursing staff wheel a patient into the new hospital tower. (Photo by Janine Gelineau)

After three years of building and more than 2,000 construction jobs, move-in day arrived at the new UConn John Dempsey Hospital tower Friday morning.

It started at 5:16 a.m. with the opening of the Emergency Department, and an hour later the new ED’s first patient arrived.

Meantime a carefully orchestrated plan to safely move 70 inpatients from the old hospital tower to was underway.

“If we continue at this pace, we’ll be done before 1 o’clock,” said hospital CEO Anne Diamond at about 7:45.

She was right. The last patient was in place shortly after 11:30.

“It was truly an amazing experience,” Diamond says. “We all had opportunities to talk to patients and really see what their reaction was as they moved into the new space, and it has just been so rewarding.”

“This facility is beautiful,” says nurse Sarah Higley, who now works on the 5th floor in the new tower. “The floor is brand new, all the rooms are private, all of the equipment that we have is brand new. Things are going to work a lot better. I was on Surgery 7 for a long time –I worked there as a student, as an aide, and as a nurse – so I’m very familiar with that floor, that floor is my home. And I’m very excited to call this floor my new home.”

UConn Health Chief Nursing Officer Ann Marie Capo delivers a UConn blanket to Myles Connolly, one of 70 patients relocated to the new hospital tower. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)
UConn Health Chief Nursing Officer Ann Marie Capo delivers a UConn blanket to Myles Connolly, one of 70 patients relocated to the new hospital tower. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)

One of the first patients moved to Higley’s floor was Dr. Michael P. Kruger, a graduate of UConn’s orthopedic residency program in the mid-80s.

“At the time, the hospital was state of the art, and I was well aware of the capabilities of it and the niceties of it,” Kruger says. “But now, moving into this facility, going from semi-private to private rooms, it is a big change. Having a facility where you do get the privacy – when doctors come in to talk to me, I don’t have to share the information with the guy next door – it makes a big difference on how I think you recover and how the outcome’s going to be.”

The 11-floor tower has 169 single-occupancy rooms for enhanced privacy and infection control, and features artwork and natural light.

“This building is a lot more conducive to healing,” said nurse Katelyn Putney after checking on a patient who’d recently moved to the new 6th floor. “It’s brighter, with more open space, and the communications systems we now have are more advanced and better for patient care.”

“It looks beautiful, it looks cheerier. It doesn’t look like a hospital,” said patient Jennifer Boutin shortly after being relocated to her room on the 6th floor. “Everything looks so brand new, everything looks great.”

About 90 minutes after the last patient was moved, asked about the hospital’s readiness for a full opening to the public, Diamond said, “100 percent. We’re ready right now.”

UConn Health February 2016 Programs, Events

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FEB2016Here is a list of UConn Health programs scheduled for February and early March 2016. This information will be updated with any additions or other schedule changes. (Updated 2/23)

Free IVF Information Session
Thursday, Feb. 4, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Ave.
Specialists with the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services lead an informational session about current treatments for infertility, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). Each program includes an in-depth explanation of the IVF process, discussion of some of the emotional issues surrounding IVF, and discussion of options for financial planning. Registration is required: 844-467-3483 or www.uconnfertility.com.

Bladder Cancer Support Group
Saturday, Feb. 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.

Nutrition for a Healthy Heart
Wednesday, Feb. 10, 3 to 5 p.m., UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion
The UConn Health’s Healthy Nutrition program invites you on a journey to a lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol and healthier weight. This workshop usually is offered on the first Wednesday of the month. Registration fee is $30. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.

Breast-feeding Class
Thursday, Feb. 11, 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.

Free Lifestyle Medicine Program: “Lowering Your Cholesterol”
Friday, Feb. 12, noon to 1 p.m., YMCA East Side Branch Community Room, 81 South Elm St., Wallingford
Physician assistant Bradley Biskup from UConn Health’s Lifestyle Medicine Program offers ways to lower cholesterol without medication and discusses power foods that fight cholesterol, supplements, and the impact of exercise. Call the YMCA, 203-269-4497, for more information.

Celiac Disease Nutrition Class
Monday, Feb. 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, Feb. 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.

Free IVF Information Session
Thursday, Feb. 18, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Ave.
Specialists with the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services lead an informational session about current treatments for infertility, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). Each program includes an in-depth explanation of the IVF process, discussion of some of the emotional issues surrounding IVF, and discussion of options for financial planning. Registration is required: 844-467-3483 or www.uconnfertility.com.

Infertility Peer Support Group
Thursday, Feb. 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.

Free Hospital Maternity Tours
Saturday, Feb. 20, 2:30 to 3:30 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.

Stroke Survivor Group
Wednesday, Feb. 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.

(Updated time 2/5)
Childbirth Preparation Class
Saturday, Feb. 27, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 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, Feb. 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.

(rescheduled 2/23)
Free Discovery Series: “New Goals for Treating High Blood Pressure”
Tuesday, Feb. 23 March 1, 7 to 9 p.m., UConn Health, Keller Auditorium
Dr. William White, Dr. Meryem Tuncel, Dr. Kai Chen and nurse practitioner Mary Beth Barry will discuss the importance of monitoring your blood pressure, the latest hypertension study on ideal blood pressure levels, and how to prevent complications leading to kidney and heart failure. Register online, for free, at http://discoveryseries.uchc.edu or call 800-535-6232.

Free IVF Information Session
Thursday, March 3, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Ave.
Specialists with the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services lead an informational session about current treatments for infertility, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). Each program includes an in-depth explanation of the IVF process, discussion of some of the emotional issues surrounding IVF, and discussion of options for financial planning. Registration is required: 844-467-3483 or www.uconnfertility.com.

Bladder Cancer Support Group
Saturday, March 5, 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.

Nutrition for a Healthy Heart
Wednesday, March 9, 2 to 4 p.m., UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion
The UConn Health’s Healthy Nutrition program invites you on a journey to a lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol and healthier weight. (This workshop usually is offered on the first Wednesday of the month.) Registration fee is $30. Call 800-535-6232 to register or for more information.

Free Hospital Maternity Tours
Saturday, March 12, 2:30 to 3:30 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 www.uchc.edu/directions/index.html.

Winter Art Exhibits at UConn Health

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December brings three new art exhibits to UConn Health.

Power Boothe"New Work" exhibition is at UConn Health Dec. 7 through March 3.
Power Boothe’s “New Work” exhibition is at UConn Health Dec. 7 through March 3.

Power Boothe, a professor of painting at the University of Hartford’s Hartford Art School, will have his “New Work” exhibition on display in the Celeste LeWitt Gallery in the Food Court Dec. 7 through March 3. It is shown courtesy of the Fred Giampietro Gallery in New Haven.

Boothe, who lives in western Connecticut, has had more than 20 one-person exhibitions in New York City and nationally. The collections at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art and the New Britain Museum of American Art include his work, as do those of the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Modern art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Honors he has received include the Guggenhein Fellowship for Painting, a National Endowment Individual Artist’s Fellowship, and a Pollock/Krasner Fellowship.

John Lo Presti's "Composing the rectangle" exhibition is at UConn Health Dec. 7 through March 3.
John Lo Presti’s “Composing the rectangle” exhibition is at UConn Health Dec. 7 through March 3.

Also on display in the LeWitt Gallery Dec. 7 through March 3 is John LoPresti’s “Composing the rectangle.” LoPresti, of Wethersfield, has been painting for more than 35 years, often inspired by landscapes of his environment and travels throughout New England and Europe.

Many of LoPresti’s pieces originate en plein air (in open air) with charcoal and pastel, leading to oil paintings on canvas. He’s shown a particular fondness for the land and sea of Deer Isle, Maine, and rural Mediterranean Europe.

Charles Reyburn's exhibition "The Seasons" is at UConn Health Dec. 10 through Feb. 29.
Charles Reyburn’s exhibition “The Seasons” is at UConn Health Dec. 10 through Feb. 29.

From Dec. 10 through Feb. 29, New London native Charles Reyburn’s “The Seasons” is on display in the lobby and mezzanine. Reyburn is considered one of the rare en plein air in southeastern Connecticut, working his paintings through elements of nature rather than in a studio. His style has been compared to that of the impressionists of the past, capturing a scene’s essence in a way that allows the viewer’s imagination to work into the painting.

Reyburn attended the Rhode Island School of Design in the late 1970s. His work is included in the Lyman Allyn Art Museum’s collection.

The UConn Health Art Advisory Committee invites viewings from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

UConn Health’s collection of fine art serves to enhance the environment and promote the sense of a caring community for patients, visitors, staff and students. Art is selected, acquired and exhibited by the UConn Health Art Advisory Committee. To view a selection of the permanent collection visit http://auxiliary.uchc.edu/art-collection.

 

Thanksgiving Gift of Footwear, Foot Care at Homeless Shelters

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  • Dr. Lauren Geaney, UConn Health foot and ankle surgeon, helps distribute footwear at the Friendship Service Center on November 24, 2015. Dr. Michael Aronow (back left), formerly of UConn Health and now in private practice, has been the local organizer of the annual "Our Hearts to Your Soles" campaign since 2007. (Chris DeFrancesco/UConn Health Photo)
In what is now a Thanksgiving week tradition, a group of local foot care providers offered free shoes, socks and foot exams at homeless shelters in New Britain Tuesday night.

The volunteers included three from the UConn Musculoskeletal Institute at UConn Health – Dr. Lauren Geaney, cast technician Kathleen York and medical assistant Lori Engengrro – as well as Dr. Michael Aronow, a former UConn Health physician now in private practice. It was Aronow who first got UConn Health involved in the nationwide Our Hearts to Your Soles campaign eight years ago.

At the Friendship Service Center, 28 people received a new pair of shoes or boots and left with a least one pair of socks, and 15 more people received footwear at the Salvation Army. Some also received a free foot exam.

The shoes and boots were donated by Red Wing Shoes, and the socks were provided by Dignity U Wear. Enough shoes, boots and socks were left behind at the two locations to give to at least 100 other people in need in the coming months.

New Clinicians, Researchers at UConn Health

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Meet some more of the clinicians and researchers who recently joined UConn Health.

Dr. David Karimeddini, radiology
Dr. David Karimeddini, radiology

Dr. David Karimeddini leads the nuclear medicine section of the Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Therapeutics. His clinical interests include radiology, nuclear cardiology, thyroid disease and oncology imaging. His training includes a nuclear radiology fellowship at Yale University, a diagnostic radiology residency at Hartford Hospital, and an internship in medicine at UConn Health. His M.D. is from the Temple University School of Medicine. He is board certified in nuclear medicine and diagnostic radiology.
Dr. Keri Discepolo, pediatric dentistry
Dr. Keri Discepolo, pediatric dentistry

Dr. Keri Discepolo is a dentist who is board certified in pediatric dentistry. She sees patients in several locations, including Farmington and West Hartford, and the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Discepolo completed a pediatric dentistry residency at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital, where she remained as a clinical instructor for nearly seven years. Her interests are in infant and adolescent oral health interventions, with a focus in hospital dentistry. She holds a D.D.S. (doctor of dental surgery) from the New York University College of Dentistry and a Master of Public Health from Columbia University.
Dr. Saira Cherian, primary care
Dr. Saira Cherian, primary care

Dr. Saira Cherian is a primary care physician seeing patients in the Outpatient Pavilion. Her clinical interests include preventive medicine and osteopathic medicine, including treatment of back and neck pain. Cherian stayed at UConn Health, joining the faculty after completing an internal medicine residency here. She holds a D.O. from the Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Cherian is board eligible in internal medicine and speaks English, Spanish and Malayalam.
Lyla Natt, family medicine nurse practitioner
Lyla Natt, family medicine nurse practitioner

Lyla Natt is a family medicine nurse practitioner who sees patients in West Hartford. Her experience includes medical-surgical, step down, psychiatry, and long-term care. Other clinical interests include primary and preventive care, diabetes, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In addition to being licensed as an advanced practice registered nurse, Natt holds a Master of Nursing from the Quinnipiac University School of Health Sciences.
Dr. Cristina Sánchez-Torres, psychiatry
Dr. Cristina Sánchez-Torres, psychiatry

Dr. Cristina Sánchez-Torres is now a member of the UConn Health psychiatry faculty, with whom she trained as a fellow in child and adolescent psychiatry. She sees patients in Farmington and West Hartford. Her clinical interests include electroconvulsive therapy, autism, attachment, psychotic disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Sánchez-Torres completed medical school and a psychiatry residency at the University of Puerto Rico before her fellowship at UConn. She is board eligible in both psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry, and speaks English and Spanish.
Kristyn Zajac, psychology research
Kristyn Zajac, psychology research

Kristyn Zajac is a researcher in the Behavioral Cardiovascular Prevention Division of the Calhoun Cardiology Center. She earned a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Delaware, then completed a National Institute of Mental Health-funded postdoctoral research fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina’s National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center. Zajac’s research focuses on the development and evaluation of interventions for substance abuse and mental health disorders among high-risk adolescents and young adults.

 Photos by Janine Gelineau/UConn Health (except Zajac’s, which was submitted)

Veteran’s Day Observance Kicks off ‘40 Days of Thanks’

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  • Robin Frank (right) gives opening remarks at the Student Services Center's Veteran's Day observance on November 10, 2015. (Chris DeFrancesco/UConn Health Photo)
Several dozen students, faculty and staff took time out Tuesday for a Veteran’s Day observance at the Student Services Center.

It was the start of Student Services’ “40 Days of Thanks” campaign, which also includes holiday cards people can sign and send to a member of the military.

“We also are accepting donations for South Park Inn, and we also have a Wall of Thanks,” says Alison Valone Suhocki, assistant registrar and one of the organizers. “Students, faculty, staff can come over and sign on the wall and say what they’re thankful for. It’s really some things to really home in on being thankful for where we are in our lives and for those who have served, and to support those who are serving.”

The celebration included cupcakes—260 of them frosted red, white and blue, arranged to resemble an American flag.

Among the veterans on hand was Suzanne Zimmerman, a receptionist in the UConn School of Dental Medicine, who provided administrative support for a military intelligence unit while stationed in West Germany during the Cold War. She says today’s service members face a different world.

“We’re out there, and this is a time when I wouldn’t want to be out there,” Zimmerman says. “I wouldn’t want my son to be out there, but I give these women and men a lot of credit to be out there.”

Gregory de Gruchy spent four years on active duty with the Marines, including tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan, before finishing his undergraduate studies at UConn. Now in his first year at the UConn School of Medicine, he says his experience helped steer him toward a career in medicine.

“When I was in the military I really realized I wanted to work in health care,” de Gruchy says. “I was involved in my unit in some of the aspects of the stress of deployments. We were a very high-deployment unit and we had to deal with a lot of the issues that come up with that pace of operations.”

UConn Health Welcomes New Physicians

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Meet some of the clinicians who recently joined the UConn Health faculty.

Dr. Matthew Imperioli, neurologist
Dr. Matthew Imperioli, neurologist
 Dr. Matthew Imperioli is a neurologist seeing patients in the UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion. He specializes in neuromuscular medicine and electromyography, and treats variety of neuromuscular disorders and diseases of the peripheral nervous system, including myopathy, myasthenia gravis, and autonomic disorders. Imperioli completed his neurology residency at UConn Health and a fellowship in neuromuscular medicine and electromyography at the University of Michigan Medical Center. His M.D. is from St. George’s University, Grenada.

Dr. Bernardo Rodrigues, neurologist
Dr. Bernardo Rodrigues, neurologist
 Dr. Bernardo Rodrigues is a neurologist with expertise in movement disorders who offers treatment including botulinum toxin (Botox) injections and deep brain stimulation. He also sees patients in the Outpatient Pavilion. Rodrigues is a graduate of the UConn School of Medicine Neurology Residence Program. Before returning to UConn Health, he completed a fellowship in movement disorders at the University of Michigan Medical Center. He holds both an M.D. and a Ph.D. from Federal University of Bahia, Brazil. He is board certified in neurology and speaks English, Portuguese and Spanish.

Dr. Jose Montes-Rivera, neurologist
Dr. Jose Montes-Rivera, neurologist
 Dr. Jose Montes-Rivera is another recent addition to UConn Health’s neurology faculty and is seeing patients in the Outpatient Pavilion. He specializes in general neurology and epilepsy. Montes-Rivera completed a fellowship in neurophysiology and electroencephalogram (EEG) interpretation, as well as his neurology residency, at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. He’s a graduate of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers University.

Dr. Houman Rezaizadeh, gastroenterologist
Dr. Houman Rezaizadeh, gastroenterologist
 Dr. Houman Rezaizadeh is a gastroenterologist seeing patients in the Outpatient Pavilion. His expertise is in Barrett’s esophagus and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Rezaizadeh is specially trained in Barrett’s ablation. He remains at UConn Health, where he completed gastroenterology fellowship following his residency training in internal medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Rezaizadeh earned his M.D. at New Jersey Medical School. He is board certified in internal medicine and board eligible in gastroenterology.

Dr. Mona Shahriari, dermatologist
Dr. Mona Shahriari, dermatologist
 Dr. Mona Shahriari is a UConn-trained dermatologist who sees patients in Farmington, at 21 South Road, and the UConn Health office in Canton, 117 Albany Turnpike. She practices general dermatology and has specialized interests in pediatric dermatology and pigmented lesions. Shahriari earned her M.D. at the UConn School of Medicine and completed a residency in dermatology at UConn Health, including as chief resident her final year. She also completed an internal medicine internship at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. Shahriari is board certified in dermatology, and speaks English and Farsi. She also is associate director of clinical trials at UConn Health.

Dr. Glenn Konopaske, psychiatrist
Dr. Glenn Konopaske, psychiatrist
 Dr. Glenn Konopaske is a psychiatrist with expertise in a variety of psychiatric disorders, especially bipolar disorder. He sees patients in the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program and in the Huntington’s Disease Program, where he’s medical director. He also is medical director of UConn Health’s Partial Hospital and Intensive Outpatient Program. Konopaske graduated from the UConn School of Medicine and from the UConn Health/Institute of Living Adult Psychiatry Residency program, then completed a fellowship in translational neuroscience at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh.Konopaske rejoins UConn Health from MacLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass., where, as a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty, he saw patients in the Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Program and the Clinical Evaluation Center, and conducted NIH-funded research of the biology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He is board certified in psychiatry.

Photos by Janine Gelineau/UConn Health

UConn Observes National Primary Care Week (Updated)

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  • UConn medical student Jeanne Rolle and UConn dental student Lauren Dulieu staff the welcome station at the Mansfield Senior and Wellness Center during a National Primary Care Week community fair. (Nicole Davoren for UConn Health)
Interprofessionality—patient care from a team representing several disciplines working together—is the emphasis of UConn’s observance of National Primary Care Week.

The annual celebration of the contributions of primary care to community health this week included lunch-and-learn sessions, workshops, and community health fairs.

This year provided more than 1,250 student-hours of educational programming. During Wednesday’s community health fairs, 145 students and faculty members served nearly 400 patients.

UConn medical, dental, nursing, and pharmacy students, along with Quinnipiac University physician assistant students, staff the health fairs, offered free blood pressure and blood glucose screenings and providing health education materials covering topics such as oral health, nutrition, medication interaction, heart health and diabetes prevention.

Primary Care Week aims to introduce health professions students to the importance of community-responsive primary care, encourage their collaboration as members of future primary health care teams, and work to reduce problems in health care access experienced by underserved populations.

The lunch-and-learn sessions are now available via Mediasite:

Oct. 27:
http://mediasite.uchc.edu/mediasite41/Play/2834123cd0da404a9ce29a5b7c44dd431d

Oct. 29:
http://mediasite.uchc.edu/mediasite41/Play/34025cc9538a484ca0720c16db1775681d

UConn Primary Care Week Schedule

Saturday, Oct. 24

Retreat in the Berkshires
Presentation: “Revitalizing Underserved Communities: Principles in the Promise Zones” by Gina Federico Muslim, Community Solutions, NE Hartford

Monday, Oct. 26

Primary Care Dinner
Presentation: “The Future of Primary Care is Interprofessional” by Dr. Luis Padilla, Health Resources and National Health Service Corps

Tuesday, Oct. 27

Lunch & Learn Cross-campus Video Session
Presentation: “Interprofessional Team in Action: Suboxone Clinic” with Dr. Marwin Haddad and Interprofessional Provider Team, Community Health Center

Family Medicine Interest Group
Dermatology Hands-on Night at UConn Health

Wednesday, Oct. 28

Community Health Fairs

  • South End Senior Wellness Center, Hartford
  • Hispanic Senior Center, Hartford
  • North End Senior Center, Hartford
  • Community Health Services, Hartford
  • Hartford Public Library
  • New Britain Police Department
  • Mansfield Senior & Wellness Center
  • Mansfield Parks and Recreation
  • Dixwell-Newhallville Senior Center, New Haven
  • United Community & Family Services, Norwich

Thursday, Oct. 29

Lunch & Learn Cross-campus Video Session
Presentation: “Primary Care Practice 2025: A Mad Max World?” with Dr. Robert Zavoski, Connecticut Department of Social Services

Friday, Oct. 30

Interprofessional Educational Deans’ Afternoon

VIDEO: Lifestyle Medicine Patient Loses 160 Pounds

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Melissa Dzierlatka was tired of feeling invisible. Weighing more than 365 pounds, people would rarely look her in the eye when they passed her on the street. Along with her mental health, Melissa’s physical health was suffering. When she was diagnosed as borderline diabetic, she knew things had to change. That’s when she went to see physician assistant Bradley Biskup with Calhoun Cardiology’s Lifestyle Medicine Program. He helped Melissa lose weight, improve her health, and feel like herself again.

–Video produced by Carolyn Pennington