NewsLink, Oct. 9, 2020
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Coronavirus & Flu Information

Access2Health in Harris County

In partnership with Harris County Precinct 2, Baylor Global Health is deploying its portable SmartPods to offer care, starting with COVID-19 testing, to local neighborhoods that not only have limited access to healthcare facilities, but are also affected by natural disasters. Read more in the Houston Chronicle. Pictured here are Dr. Paul Klotman, Dr. Sharmila Anandasabapathy and Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia outside the pod in the Aldine area.

Drive-through flu shots

Flu shots continue to be offered across campus through the Occupational Health Program, but that's not the only place you can get vaccinated! BCM employees and trainees who are Baylor Medicine patients can get a drive-through flu shot on the McNair Campus tomorrow, Oct. 10, 9 a.m. – noon and 1 – 4 p.m. That's right, you don't even have to get out of your car, but you do have to make an appointment – call your physician's office to schedule your drive-through flu shot. Wherever you get your flu shot, you must attest through a mobile or web app by Nov. 30, in accordance with Baylor policy.

Awards and Recognitions

Kirk earns Fasser Visionary Award

Susan Kirk, PA-C, assistant professor of hematology/oncology at Baylor and Texas Children's Cancer Center, is the 2020 recipient of the Carl E. Fasser Visionary Leadership Award. Named for the longtime director of the Physician Assistant Program at Baylor, the award recognizes excellence by a physician assistant in education, research, clinical practice and service. The award was announced during National PA week, Oct. 6 – 12.

Events

Early voting in the Texas Medical Center!

Early voting will be offered on the TMC Campus this year for the first time, for Harris County voters only, at the John P. McGovern Commons, 6550 Bertner Ave. Remember to bring an approved ID and face mask.

• Tuesday, Oct. 13 – Saturday, Oct. 17: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
  
• Sunday, Oct. 18: noon – 7 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 19 – Saturday, Oct. 24: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 25: noon – 7 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 26: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 27 – Thursday, Oct. 29: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 29, 7 a.m. – Friday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. (open 36 hours)

Zoom session on email security

Educate yourself this Cyber Security Month at "What's in Your Inbox," a talk by BCM Information Security Officer Jeff Pounds, Oct. 14 at noon. This session will look at how criminals can access your email, provide examples of phishing campaigns that compromised BCM security and offer information on protecting your email and BCM security enhancements that will be coming soon! Register to attend; BCM BeWell points available.

Upcoming primary care conferences

• PrimaryCareNOW, presented by Pri-Med in collaboration with Baylor faculty, Oct. 15 – 16, with sessions covering Alzheimer's care, back pain, cancer screening and more, as well as a COVID-19 panel discussion. Fulfill your Texas CME requirements by earning up to 13 CME credits. Register here.
• Fall 2020 Primary Care Update, from the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Oct. 17, offering evidence-based information on health topics from COVID-19 to cardiac care. Provides up to 7 CME credits. Register here.

Writing workshop on 'Words, Love & Healing'

BCM alum Dr. H. David Watts, a gastroenterologist and award-winning poet and author, will lead a writing workshop, "Words, Love and Healing," Oct. 16, 8:30 a.m., part of Pediatrics Grand Rounds with the Texas Children's Hospital Medical Humanities Program. Attend via Zoom (Passcode: 202047). Email medicalhumanities@texaschildrens.org for more information.

Virtual BCM Wellness Walk

The annual student-organized BCM Wellness 5K Race/Walk is going virtual on Oct. 17. Proceeds support Grants for Leadership Opportunities in Wellness (GLOW) that fund healthcare outreach initiatives in our community. Sign up now!

Hepatocellular cancer research symposium

Baylor's Texas Collaborative Center for Hepatocellular Cancer is hosting a virtual research symposium on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event, led by center director and chair of medicine Dr. Hashem El-Serag, will feature liver cancer research from scientists across Texas. The symposium is free to attend, but registration is required. RSVP to the event.

Participate in virtual global conference!

Abstracts are being accepted through Oct. 23 for the 2021 Consortium of Universities for Global Health virtual conference. Proposals for panel discussions also are being accepted, through Oct. 16. Scheduled for March 1 – 11, the conference will address critical gaps in global health and development. Learn more.

College News

Baylor celebrates diversity!

As the College closes out Diversity Week, Oct. 5 – 9, watch this video to see how clinicians, trainees and staff value the diversity of Baylor. You can also see diversity on display by inputting your place of birth on a digital map and viewing where others were born – a truly global community. See digital map instructions and more on Diversity Week on the BCM intranet.

Clinical news: Education on new E&M guidelines

The compliance office in conjunction with department leadership will provide education to all faculty who bill Office/Outpatient E&M services 99201-99205 and 99211-99215. The E&M guidelines will change, effective Jan. 1, 2021, and this mandatory education must be completed by Dec. 31. Providers who fail to complete may lose billing privileges. Education options include a one-hour Zoom session that will be scheduled by department or an online module in SuccessFactors. Look for more information from your department leadership.

HR news: Attend a benefits meeting during OE

The 2021 Benefits Open Enrollment period continues through Oct. 19. Changes and/or elections will be effective Jan. 1, 2021. Sign up for a Benefits Open Enrollment meeting to review changes to 2021 benefits, view the information in the virtual fair, or schedule a consultation with a benefits rep. Questions? Email ask-insurance@bcm.edu or call 713-798-1500.

Faculty in the News

Dr. Eric Storch talked about the Coping with COVID program with the Houston Chronicle. Check out this and all of Baylor's news media mentions, including extensive COVID-19 coverage, in this week's Faculty in the News, and follow BCMHouston_News on Twitter to keep up with our experts in the media. Interested in science news? Read the latest in From the Labs.

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