Kinney Drugs to host Pfizer bivalent Covid booster and flu vaccination clinics at Upstate Dec. 9 and 16 

Kinney Drugs will host Pfizer bivalent Covid booster and flu vaccination clinics at two Upstate locations Dec. 9 and 16. The clinics are open to those with a valid Upstate ID. The schedule is as follows: 

• Dec. 9 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Performance Center on the 11^th floor of Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. Appointments: https://kinneydrugs.as.me/UpstateClinicDowntown
• Dec. 16 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Community Room at Upstate Community Hospital. Appointments: https://kinneydrugs.as.me/UpstateCommunityClinic

Upstate staff and students are asked to send photo proof of vaccination documents in a secure message via the Employee/Student Health portal to update vaccination records: https://eshportal.upstate.edu. Proof may also be emailed to ESHealth@Upstate.edu.

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Bioethics and Humanities seminar is Dec. 12

Upstate’s Center for Bioethics and Humanities will host a seminar on the intersection of bioethics and health services research with guest speaker Sydney Axon, PhD, RN, Yale University, Dec. 12 from noon to 1 p.m. in 4507 Setnor Hall. For more information and a link to join by Zoom, email Andrea at chiaraan@upstate.edu.

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Productivity Enhancement Program for state employees is open now through Dec. 12

The Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) is open now through Dec. 12 for New York state-eligible CSEA, PEF, UUP represented and MC affiliated employees. PEP allows eligible employees to exchange previously accrued annual leave (vacation and/or personal leave) in return for a credit to be applied toward their employee share NYSHIP premiums on a biweekly basis for 2023. This credit cannot be applied to the employer share of NYSHIP premiums. For more information, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/hr/intra/benefits/pep.php. Enrollment closes Dec. 12. 

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Flex Spending Account Program is open now through Dec. 12

The 2023 Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Program open enrollment period for New York state employees is open now through Dec. 12. To be eligible to enroll in the Flexible Spending Account Program, state employees must be annual salaried, work at least half time, meet the eligibility criteria for enrollment in the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP), and be expected to be employed for the entire 2023 calendar year. For more information, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/hr/intra/benefits/changing_options_state.php

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Advanced Practice Grand Rounds is Dec. 13

Kaylin Brainerd, NP, will present Palliative Care and Lung Cancer Dec. 13 from noon to 1 p.m. via WebEx. CME credit will be available for participants. To join, visit: https://upstate.webex.com/upstate/j.php?MTID=m81b85818ce9c6e58e0c5453a2816b1cb. For more information, email Sarah Dickes at dickess@upstate.edu. 

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Moderna bivalent Covid booster clinic is Dec. 13

Employee/Student Health will host a Moderna bivalent Covid booster clinic Dec. 13 from 8 a.m. to noon, and again from 12:30 to 4 p.m. in the Performance Center at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. Appointments are required via the Employee/Student Health portal: https://eshportal.upstate.edu/. Moderna bivalent boosters are also available at Employee/Student Health offices on both campuses.

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Women and stroke seminar is Dec. 13

Upstate Stroke Center’s Michelle Vallelunga, MS, RN, CNRN, SCRN, will discuss stroke risk factors that are unique for women of all ages Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. via Zoom. Participants will learn how to recognize common and uncommon symptoms of stroke. The HealthLink seminar is live, free and open to the public. To register, visit: https://upstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUpcuiurDIiGNZSend9Drs5HtTBlbcMbVrb

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Upstate offers entrance to Lights on the Lake Dec. 13

As an official sponsor of this year’s Light on the Lake, Upstate is providing complimentary entrance to Lights on the Lake for individuals with an Upstate ID Tuesday, Dec. 13. Only one vehicle entrance per individual. Lights on the Lake is a two-mile drive-thru show featuring towering holiday displays, larger-than life Land of Oz, a twinkling fantasy forest, colorful section arches, memorable animated scenes and a fairy tale magic grand finale. Lights on the Lake hours are 5 to 10 p.m. at Onondaga Lake Parkway, Liverpool. A valid Upstate ID is required.

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Schwartz Rounds is Dec. 13

Schwartz Rounds will be held Tuesday, Dec. 13 at noon via Zoom. Annemarie Cristino of Upstate’s Employee Assistance Program will present Remembering a Great Day at Work, Celebrating Small Victories and Telling Light-Hearted Stories: In My Life, I’ve Loved Them All. To join, visit: https://upstate.zoom.us/j/97567513245?pwd=UFk1cFQ2dThiYzl1ZGdONXAzNzhldz09 or go to https://upstate.zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID: 975 6751 3245 and password: 1234. All staff are welcome. One hour of CME/CE will be given to participants. For more information, email Chaplain Brigid Dunn at dunnbrig@upstate.edu.

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Easy for You is Dec. 13

Easy for You, Upstate's tobacco treatment program, will be held Tuesday, Dec. 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in 7335B Upstate University Hospital. Everyone with a valid Upstate ID is welcome to receive help quitting tobacco, chew, and vape. Free nicotine replacement therapy is available. For more information, contact Theresa Hankin or Carolyn Walczyk at 315-464-3519 or walczykc@upstate.edu. 

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President Dewan to host holiday gathering Dec. 14

Upstate President Mantosh Dewan will host a holiday gathering Wednesday, Dec. 14 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the ninth-floor cafeteria of Weiskotten Hall. The Upstate community is welcome to attend.

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Transgender care education is Dec. 14

The Upstate Primary Care Task Force will offer education for all primary care providers on transgender care in the primary care setting Wednesday, Dec 14 from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. via WebEx. Rachel Hopkins, MD, associate professor of medicine and director of Upstate’s Pituitary and Transgender Program, will present with a Q and A to follow. To join, visit: https://upstate.webex.com/upstate/j.php?MTID=mda0ec5c20c45baf351a4bcbced1a8a1e.

Past presentations (managing seizures, gout, tinnitus, new developments in monitoring type 2 diabetes, and more) are accessible on the Primary Care Task Force web page, here: https://www.upstate.edu/primary-care/task-force.php.

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Volunteers sought for event Dec. 14

Volunteers are sought to prepare and serve a meal Dec. 14 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Sarah’s Guest House, Upstate’s 2022 Your Cause partner. To volunteer, email Susan Bland at BlandMeS@Upstate.edu or Kelly Dolan at DolanK@Upstate.edu.

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Holiday Toy Drive runs now through Dec. 14

The College of Health Professions will collect new, unwrapped toys for the Salvation Army Christmas Bureau. Donation boxes are located on the first and second floors of the Academic Building. For more information, email Christina Dickerson at DickersonC@Upstate.edu.

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Community Giving Campaign ePledge closes Dec. 15 

Those who donate to the Community Giving Campaign by Thursday, Dec. 15 will have their names added to the final roster of donors on display throughout Upstate. To ePledge via self-serve, visit: https://selfserve.upstate.edu/ais/applications/marketing/sefa/epledge/

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Hockey Fights Cancer Night is Dec. 16

The Syracuse Crunch will host Hockey Fights Cancer Night to benefit Upstate Cancer Center Friday, Dec. 16. Visit the Upstate Cancer Center information table on the concourse for screening information and giveaways. Fans will have the opportunity to display the names of family and friends who have fought cancer on two signs at the game. To submit a name by Dec. 7 at noon, visit: https://syracusecrunch.com/sb_output.aspx?form=91

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Nursing Grand Rounds is Dec. 20

Jessica Dow and Cheryl Waldron will present Pressure Injury: Prevention, Assessment and Treatment Dec. 20 at 1:30 p.m. via WebEx. The presentation will be recorded for later viewing via Brightspace. Registration is not required. 1.0 contact hour will be awarded by ICNE. Meeting number: 2306 584 2126 Password: Jsbjusgc523 https://upstate.webex.com/upstate/j.php?MTID=m6d3c4dfe60c0ce669a3631084b033214. For more information, email Holly Briere at BriereH@Upstate.edu.

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2023 New York state option transfer period closes Dec. 30 

The New York state option transfer period closes Dec. 30. Updated rates are now available.

Employees participating in the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) will receive a rates and deadlines publication to home addresses from the Department of Civil Service Employee Benefits Division. The rates will be reflected beginning in check dated Jan. 4, 2023. 

No action is required for those keeping their current health insurance option, if individuals still qualify for that plan. 

To make a change by Dec. 30, submit a signed health insurance transaction form PS-404 to the Upstate HR-Benefits Office, second floor Jacobsen Hall, or fax the completed form to 315-464-4390. For Community, send to Community HR office, first floor, or fax to 315-492-5275.

Selecting a health insurance plan is an important personal decision. Consider family lifestyle, health, budget and benefit preferences. Think about what health care might be required during the next year. The changes for 2023 will be effective Jan. 5, 2023. If changing to a new option, most deduction changes will be effective later in January 2023 and will include retroactive adjustments in a future paycheck. For more information, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/hr/intra/benefits/changing_options_state.php.

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Global Health seeks volunteers

Upstate’s Institute for Global Health seeks volunteers to help advance the development of an investigational flu vaccine using mRNA technology. Participants should be 18 to 49 years old and have not received a flu vaccine in the last six months. For more information, call 315-464-9869 or email trials@upstate.edu.

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Advocates for Upstate seek donations for year-end campaign

Advocates for Upstate are encouraging donations to their 2022 Year-End campaign to benefit its departmental grants program. All donors will be entered into a drawing to be held Jan. 6 for a package of gift cards worth a minimum of $250. Grant recipients last year included the Children of Adult Patients Program. It helps adult burn patients stay connected with young children in their families through a recorded message placed into a stuffed animal or by providing a book to help them understand and cope with their family members’ injuries. Another grant helps the Spiritual Care department buy Bibles, Qurans, and other religious items that can comfort patients, but can’t be paid for with state funds. 100 percent of your donations will be distributed in grants in support of Upstate patients, staff, and volunteers. See all our current grant recipients. For more information, call Jonathan Adler at 315-464-5610.

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Team captains sought for Heart Walk 2023

Team captains are sought for the 2023 Heart Walk, to be held April 16. Upstate has been a top team for the past 25 years. For more information and to sign up, visit: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7110174/Heart-Walk-2023

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Human Resources offices relocate to Carrier Circle

The Human Resources department will begin moving some of its offices to a location off Carrier Circle. This is the same location that houses Upstate’s Health Link/Oasis program. This move is necessary to make room for clinical associates to be located on campus in HR’s current Jacobsen Hall site. The move is expected to be completed by Dec. 9. As always, the Human Resources staff will be available, by phone, e-mail, virtual or on-campus meetings. The HR directory can be found at https://www.upstate.edu/hr/intra/directory/index.php. Meetings and appointments will also be held at the new location following the move.  

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The Informed Patient podcast 

The Informed Patient features interviews on stroke risks for women, life after cancer treatment and vaccine trials to battle the dengue virus.  

• Nurse Michelle Vallelunga, data coordinator for the Upstate Stroke Program, tells about stroke risks, focusing on risks for women.  
• Susan Tiffany, an oncology nurse at the Upstate Cancer Center describes cancer survivorship, or life after cancer treatment, and what that entails.
• Researcher Adam Waickman, PhD, talks about Upstate’s role in clinical trials of medications or vaccines to protect against the dengue virus, and how to volunteer.

The Informed Patient podcast and HealthLink on Air radio show are produced by Upstate Marketing and University Communications. The Informed Patient interviews are available through various podcast platforms, and HealthLink on Air is broadcast on WRVO Public Media at 6 a.m. Sundays. Audio and transcripts of the podcasts and the radio shows are also available at www.upstate.edu/informed