HealthLink on GI issues is March 7

Jeffrey Albright, MD, will discuss the most common types of stomach issues, treatments, and nutritional guidelines for prevention today, March 7 from 6 to 7 p.m. via WebEx. Dr. Albright will also discuss in-person and at-home options for colon cancer screening. To register, visit: https://upstate.webex.com/weblink/register/rf187f7e9fb8e6e4ce536ee90011743c8.

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Lori’s Gift Shop hours for March 7, 8

Lori’s Gift Shop in the main lobby of Upstate University Hospital will be open March 7 and 8 from 3 to 7 p.m. The gift shop will return to regular hours March 9. Regular hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more on the gift shop, including how to place an order for flowers to be delivered to patients, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/hospital/visitor/gift-shop.php.

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College of Nursing to host virtual open houses are March 7, 10, 11, 12

Upstate’s College of Nursing will host virtual open houses March 7 at 6 p.m., March 10 at 3 p.m., March 11 at 10 a.m., and March 12 at 10 a.m. To register, visit: https://engage.upstate.edu/portal/virtual-events.

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Cardiology Grand Rounds is March 8 

Rita A. Jermyn, MD, FACC, St. Francis Hospital, will present Contemporary Diagnosis and Management of Cardiac Amyloidosis Friday, March 8 from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. via WebEx. To join, visit: https://upstate.webex.com/upstate/j.php?MTID=m23d3a248df43274c7b61aa6d5bc9b94e (Meeting number:  2312 568 5554 Meeting password: Cardiology1). One AMA PRA credit is available to participants. Presentation is open to MDs, residents, fellows, Pas, NPs, RNs, and the public. Questions? Email Lisa Carroll at [email protected].

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HealthLink on tremors is March 12

Johnathan Miller, MD, will discuss medical conditions that can cause tremors, treatment strategies, and deep brain stimulation surgery Tuesday, March 12 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. via WebEx. To register, visit: https://upstate.webex.com/weblink/register/r931ce34f4e11a6facb52d6567b16507d.

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Emergency Medicine Grand Rounds is March 13

William Meurer, MD, University of Michigan, will present What’s Cooler than Being Cool? The ICECAP Trial in 2024 Wednesday, March 13 from 1 to 2 p.m. at EMSTAT, 550 E. Genesee St. The event will also be available via Zoom. Meurer is principle investigator for the Influence of Cooling Duration on Efficacy in Cardiac Arrest Patients (ICECAP) trial. Upstate is a participant in this SIREN multi-center, NIH-funded study. The Upstate community is welcome. To join via Zoom, visit: https://upstate.zoom.us/j/93163933149?pwd=ZFhIMmJIZE56LzlRQWNvdzBTRUFwZz09. Questions? Call Lauren Pacelli at 315-464-6201.

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RD Lives are March 13, 20, 27

Community dates are March 12, 19, 26

To celebrate National Nutrition Month in March and National Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist Day, join RD Live every Wednesday in March from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Café 750 on the second floor of Upstate University Hospital.

RD Live will also be held Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the cafeteria at Community.

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Yoga for All is March 13 and 29

Yoga for All sessions will be held March 13 and 29. Sessions are facilitated by Upstate clinicians trained in Trauma Adapted Yoga, a form of yoga based on trauma research, evidence-based yoga therapy and body-based methods with gentle exercises for self-management of common symptoms and reactions. No experience is necessary and all are welcome. Questions? Email [email protected]. The schedule is as follows:

• March 13 from 12 to 12:45 p.m. in Community Hospital Classroom A/B 
• March 29 from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. in 9405 A/B Upstate University Hospital and Hybrid Virtual

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World Kidney Day is March 14

In celebration of World Kidney Day, Upstate Transplant Center will provide information on kidney health March 14 from 9 a.m. to noon outside Café 750 on the second floor of Upstate University Hospital. World Kidney Day focuses on raising awareness about kidney disease, the importance of overall kidney health, and early detection to reduce the impact of kidney disease. Questions? Email Linda Curry at [email protected].

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37^th annual Dearing Writing Award Competition submissions due March 18

Submissions are sought for the 37^th annual Dearing Writing Award Competition by March 18. Fiction, memoir, poetry are all welcome. For full submission details, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/bioethics/writing-awards/dearinghome.php. Questions? Email [email protected].

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23^rd annual Contemporary Issues in Emergency Medicine is March 20

The 23^rd annual Contemporary Issues in Emergency Medicine will be held March 20 at the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel and Conference Center. To register for Highlights of 2023-2024 Academic Year: Emergency Medicine at its Best, visit: https://www.eventsquid.com/event/22941. Questions? Email Rosemarie More at [email protected].

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Well NYS Everyday webinar is March 20

The Well NYS Everyday webinar on smart and fearless shopping will be held March 20 at noon. The challenge is to shop and make your meals instead of dining out. To join, visit: https://meetny.webex.com/weblink/register/reec163abb1a34320ea44cb9b765557b8. For more information on this initiative and to sign-up to receive the Well NYS Daily To-Do Challenge by email every day, please visit: https://oer.ny.gov/wellnys-everyday. For more information, email Christine Podolak at [email protected].

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Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month information table is March 21

Katie Krawczyk, MA, RDN, CNSC, Upstate Cancer Center registered dietitian, and the We Matter team will host an information table March 21 from 10 a.m. to noon in the lobby of Upstate Cancer Center. Healthy snacks and information about colorectal cancer screening and risk reduction will be available. The event is open to everyone. For more information, email Chris Benton at [email protected].

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Journal Club focus is Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) Bill March 21

Bioethics and Humanities Journal Club will be held March 21 at noon via WebEx. Ed McArdle, JD, assistant professor at the Center for Bioethics and Humanities, will present: Should New York Approve a Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) Bill? What Would This Mean for Clinicians if MAiD Does Become Law in New York? The link to join is: https://upstate.webex.com/upstate/j.php?MTID=m90c3ac65f148b76473016255dfdc1bfd

Although MAiD has been legal in Oregon for twenty-five years and has since been legalized in nine more states and the District of Columbia, it remains controversial. In New York, MAiD bills have languished in the state legislature for nearly a decade now, but this year may be different. There are now 85 legislators signed on as co-sponsors of the bill. Further, the New York State Bar Association has weighed in with a comprehensive report recommending that a MAiD bill be passed. MAiD proponents are optimistic that legalization of MAiD is near in New York. What do you think about MAiD? And if a MAiD bill does become law, what does that mean for clinicians?

The first article selected for this month’s journal club is told from the standpoint of a terminally ill patient who lives in New Jersey, a state that has legalized MAiD: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/02/18/medical-aid-in-dying-details/

The second article discusses a study of clinicians in Vermont, a state that legalized MAiD in 2013. Vermont clinicians expressed many concerns with its rollout, including legal, administrative, clinical and practical questions about how it worked, that made it difficult for clinicians to incorporate MAiD into their practices as an option for patients. Can we do better in New York? Read here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6445925/

The New York State Bar Association MAiD Task Force report recommending enactment of a MAiD law in New York can be found here: https://nysba.org/app/uploads/2024/01/USE-THIS-ONE-Task-Force-on-MAID-Final-Report.pdf

Questions? Email Kathleen Szczech at [email protected].

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Ninth annual Pedaling 4 Paige is March 23

The ninth annual Pedaling 4 Paige will be held Saturday, March 23 from 9 a.m. to noon virtually and at Elevate Fitness in Dewitt. To join the Upstate Cancer Center team, Pedaling Petunias, visit: https://runsignup.com/Race/91272/Donate/7bfCaWW1JadpjIGF. Proceeds benefit Paige’s Butterfly Run and pediatric cancer efforts in Central New York. Questions? Email Chris Benton at [email protected].

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Flex Spending Account deadline is March 31 

Those enrolled in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA-Health and Dependent Care) in 2023, have until March 31, 2024 to submit any expenses incurred in 2023 for reimbursement: https://goer.ny.gov/program-information. Participants will be able to use up to $610 of monies remaining in the 2023 Health Care Spending Account toward eligible expenses incurred during the 2024 calendar year, as long as the account has been open as of Dec. 31, 2023. In addition, participants will now be able to use the remaining balance in the 2023 Dependent Care Advantage Account toward eligible expenses between Jan. 1 to March 15, 2024. Claims must be submitted by the March 31 deadline.

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Nominations for the President's Employee Recognition Awards due April 1

President's Employee Recognition Award nominations are sought through April 1. Information and nomination form available at: www.upstate.edu/pera. Questions? Email Megan Chase at [email protected].

The six award categories are:

• Outstanding Contribution of the Year
• Community Service of the Year 
• Team of the Year
• Leader of the Year
• Employee of the Year
• Provider of the Year

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Cystic Fibrosis Clinic Teaching Day is April 5

Registration required by March 15

Upstate’s Cystic Fibrosis Clinic Teaching Day will be held April 5 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Rosamond Gifford Zoo. A virtual attendance option will be provided. Speakers include Lisa Greene, MA, CFLE, parent of two adult children with cystic fibrosis, and Kim Reno, ACSW, LISW-S, Senior manager of health systems innovation and navigation at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The event will also feature a panel of pediatric and adult providers, prizes and a sit-down meal. R.S.V.P. by March 15. For more information, email [email protected].

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Neuro Research Day is April 5

Neuro Research Day will be held April 5 from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. in 2231 Weiskotten Hall. Speakers include:

• 10:45 a.m. William Zeiger, MD, PhD, assistant professor at University of California-Los Angeles, will present "Mechanisms of circuit plasticity in the healthy and injured somatosensory cortex”
• 11:55 a.m. Bradley Lega, MD, associate professor at University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center, will present “Multimodal characterization of human episodic memory circuits”
• 3 p.m. Monica Vetter, PhD, professor and chair of Neurobiology at University of Utah, will present “Pathways for generation and elimination of retinal neurons”

The full schedule is online: https://www.upstate.edu/neurosurgery/research/research-day.php. Questions? Email Lisa Grace at [email protected].

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Upstate Concussion Center symposium is April 15 

The fifth annual Upstate Concussion Center symposium will be held Monday, April 15 from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at the Institute for Human Performance. Updated Guidelines for Managing Students and Athletes Following Concussion will teach best practices for assessing and managing students and athletes following injury using the most up-to-date consensus statement recommendations. For more information, visit: https://calendar.upstate.edu/event/updated-guidelines-for-managing-students-and-athletes-following-concussion/.

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Upstate Healthcare Exploration Camp is April 25 and 26

The 2024 Upstate Healthcare Exploration Camp will be held Thursday, April 25 and Friday, April 26 at Community. Applications will be accepted until 4 p.m. March 15. Space is limited. Campers will be selected through an application and essay vetting process. Unfortunately, not all who apply can be invited to attend. For more information on the event and the application process, visit: https://www.upstate.edu/volunteers/exploration-camp.php.  

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Sarcoidosis Support Group is April 30 

Upstate’s Sarcoidosis Support Group will meet Tuesday, April 30 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the fifth-floor classroom at Upstate Health Care Center. The meeting is hosted by Upstate’s Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Division. To register, email Shania Edwards-King at [email protected].

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International travel with Upstate cellular devices

When preparing to travel internationally with an Upstate device, use the SUNY Upstate Cellular Order Form to request adding international services to your line/device. Include travel dates and destinations. Submit international travel requests at least two weeks prior to departure.

Note that usage on cruise lines is generally not included as a part of international feature packages and usage while on board can be very expensive. Travelers using a cruise line should be sure to include that information in the comments section at the bottom of the form. Include the cruise line name and name of the ship. Additional notes on travel plans can be added in the comments section at the bottom of the form.

Once a request has been approved, the Wireless Business Group (WBG) will process it and add the appropriate features. WBG may offer options, depending upon your expected use. Once completed, WBG will contact travelers directly to confirm the addition of the requested features.

It is important to remember to add international services to Upstate devices before travel to help limit roaming charges. Without the right international features, the expense for voice, text and data usage can be significant.  

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March is National Social Work Month

The social work profession is an essential piece of the Upstate community that supports the diverse psychosocial needs of patients across the healthcare continuum. Upstate employees over 75 licensed mastered social workers at Upstate University Hospital, Upstate Community Campus, Golisano Children’s Hospital and multiple ambulatory and specialty clinics. Social workers are uniquely qualified to help individuals, families, communities, and even the larger society, including advocating when regulations and laws must be changed in order to help people who need it. Social workers enter the profession because they truly want to help others. Help celebrate the profession of social work by thanking an Upstate social worker this month.

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The Informed Patient podcast

The Informed Patient podcast recently featured interviews with these specialists about biomarker testing for cancer; shingles; and traveling in outer space.

• How to restore and maintain proper breathing for people with sleep apnea is explained by sleep specialist Ryan Butzko, MD, as he describes treatments such as a CPAP machine.
• How robots assist surgeons, and what the machines may be doing in future operations, is discussed by urologist Seetharam Bhat, MBBS.
• AEDs will be required for youth sports programs under a new state law. How these machines work, and what to expect, are the focus of emergency physicians Christian Knutsen, MD, and Guillermo Negrete, MD.

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, including YouTube. 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 upstate.edu/informed. To suggest an Upstate expert or topic for a possible podcast, email Amber Smith at[email protected].