The document summarizes upcoming events at UChicago Medicine in March 2016, including health seminars, farmers markets, and film screenings. It also provides details on UChicago Medicine's "Get CARE" plan, which proposes expanding facilities and services on the South Side of Chicago to improve access to emergency, trauma, and cancer care. This includes restoring 188 hospital beds and redeveloping a hospital into a cancer treatment facility. The plan aims to address capacity issues and reduce health disparities in the community.

1. APRIL 2014
AT THE
A publication of the University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences FEBRUARY — MARCH 2016
FOREFRONT
Next Up
NOTEWORTHY EVENTS
MARCH 5: NINTH ANNUAL IRISH
FEST AND SODA BREAD CONTEST,
benefit for Comer Children’s Hospital,
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Square Celt Ale
House & Grill, 39 Orland Square Drive,
Orland Park, $5 donation at door.
Family fun, live auction, raffles, and
soda bread contest. All proceeds
benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor and
Spinal Cord Tumor Program in memory
of Charles “Chuck” Rubin, MD.
MARCH 5: WVON COMMUNITY
HEALTH FOCUS HOUR will spotlight
National Colorectal Cancer Awareness
Month from 1 to 2 p.m. on 1690AM.
The host is Doriane Miller, MD, director
of the UChicago Medicine Center for
Community Health and Vitality.
MARCH 9: THE WOMEN’S HEALTH
FRIENDS & FAMILY PROGRAM PRES-
ENTS It Takes a Team: Our Multimodal
Approach to Managing Pelvic Pain.
UChicago Medicine experts share how
we evaluate and treat chronic pain with
a combination of nerve blocks, physical
therapy, medication, hormone treat-
ments and/or minimally invasive sur-
gery. Noon to 1:30 p.m. in Room M-137.
Lunch is provided; please register online
at uchospitals.edu/PelvicPainSemi-
nar2016. Registration closes at 5 p.m.
March 8.
MARCH 12: 61ST STREET FARMERS
MARKET, SOUTH SIDE. In March and
April, the Market goes indoors at the
Experimental Station from 9 a.m. to
2 p.m. Entry is on 6100 S. Blackstone
Avenue. The South Side Diabetes Project
hosts tours and community members
explain how to create healthy meals
using a wide variety of produce.
MARCH 14: REEL TALK LUNCH AND
LEARN SERIES presents When the
Bough Breaks, a short film exploring
the socioeconomic differences behind
premature births. Noon in Room M-137
followed by a discussion.
MARCH 21: THE NEW OUTPATIENT
INFUSION CENTER is scheduled to
open on the sixth floor of the Duchossois
Center for Advanced Medicine.
MARCH 24: DIVERSITY DIALOGUE
brown bag lunch series, Religion and
its Influence on Care-Seeking Behaviors
of Muslim-American Women. Noon
to 1 p.m. in Room J-103. Please RSVP
at Ext. 4-4017 or diversityoffice.bsd.
uchicago.edu.
COMMUNITY CORNER
Urban Health Initiative on the air
The University of Chicago Medicine is
one step closer to dramatically increasing
access to needed care in our community.
The historic “Get CARE” plan also is
expected to create more than 1,000
permanent positions and 400 construction
jobs on the South Side.
UChicago Medicine is seeking state
approval to “reduce the disparities that exist
in access to critical care on the South Side
and address the severe capacity constraints
our medical center faces,” said Sharon
O’Keefe, president of the University of
Chicago Medical Center. “For 310 days
last year, our hospital was so full that we
were forced to turn some patients away;
while others endured longer-than-acceptable
wait times. We must address these capacity
constraints to provide the care our
community and patients need.”
Under the $269 million Get CARE
(Community, Access, Reliability, Excel-
lence) plan, submitted February 16 to
the Illinois Health Facilities and Services
Review Board (IHFSRB) for approval,
UChicago Medicine is seeking to:
• Relocate and expand the adult emergency
department in close proximity to the
Center for Care and Discovery, which
will reduce wait times and serve more
patients.
• Establish a Level 1 adult trauma center on
the Hyde Park medical campus, which
will join the existing pediatric trauma
service and Burn and Complex Wound
Center.
• Redevelop Bernard A. Mitchell Hospital
into a facility dedicated to cancer, which
disproportionately affects South Side
residents. This will allow relocation of
patients with cancer to a dedicated hospital
and make more rooms available in the
CCD for patients undergoing surgery and
other lifesaving procedures.
To support these expansions in emer-
gency, trauma and complex-care services,
UChicago Medicine is proposing to
restore 188 inpatient beds that would
return the hospital to its size during the
late 1970s.
This bed request will help address
capacity issues that have been limiting
patients’ access to care and straining the
network of providers since ambulances
are often diverted elsewhere and com-
munity hospitals are unable to transfer
patients in need of complex care to
UChicago Medicine.
In spite of the constraints, the Medical
Center maintains a 90 percent occupancy
rate, one of the highest in the state.
The plan has already received community
support, said Kenneth S. Polonsky, MD,
TRACEY ROBINSON-ENGLISH
EDITOR
TRACEY ROBINSON-ENGLISH
EDITOR
Bold new plan pushes to bring life-changing care
and economic boost to the South Side
In the cozy WVON radio studios on the South Side, Doriane Miller,
MD, doubled as a talk show host fielding a lively exchange between
callers and subject-matter experts about a topic that is getting more
attention these days in the African-American community — mental
health and resiliency.
“We have very few public forums to have real-time discussions of
these issues,” Miller said. “There is something to be said for having
that live public forum where people can talk with experts and get
that kind of exchange.
“Many people calling in aren’t people writing to the editor of the
Chicago Sun-Times or the Chicago Tribune,” she said. “They may
not have access to social media. This is another way of providing a
message and offering a dialog about real-time issues.”
From 1 to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, WVON’s Community Health
Focus Hour on 1690AM puts the spotlight on health issues
impacting the African-American community, ranging from
discussions on asthma to sexually transmitted diseases to colon
cancer prevention. The show is a partnership between the radio
station and UChicago Medicine’s Urban Health Initiative
(UHI) and its Office of Community Affairs.
Besides Miller, other hosts on rotation include Susan Peters,
manager with the Office of Community Affairs, and Carl West,
CEO of Truth B Told News Service. They collaborate with a strong
network of community partners to identify issues on the hearts and
minds of the community.
“The violence in our community is a key concern,” Peters said.
“They want answers to deal with their health impacted by the
violence they experience … Children are hurting and need ways
to deal with their pain.”
Miller echoed Peters’ comments. “People are concerned about
the toll that these issues of violence are having on their children.
We need to think about what we as parents, schools and civic
organizations can do to provide them with conflict resolution
and healing to process events so there are not negative outcomes,”
she said.
The hour-long show often sparks accompanying community
forums and events to dive deeper into topics and offer families
positive ways to cope. “Not only do we get callers, we get people
who want to continue the discussion,” Miller said. “People often say
they heard about a topic or forum on the show. That feels good to
know you are getting the message out.”
THIS IS A PROPOSED RENDERING OF EXPANDED FACILITIES INCLUDED IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
MEDICINE’S GET CARE PLAN. SUBMITTED TO THE ILLINOIS HEALTH FACILITIES AND SERVICES REVIEW
BOARD. THE PROPOSAL INCLUDES REDEVELOPING MITCHELL HOSPITAL (PICTURED, SOUTHWEST VIEW)
INTO A FACILITY DEDICATED TO TREATING PATIENTS WITH CANCER. THIS RENDERING IS MERELY
CONCEPTUAL AND MEANT TO GIVE A GENERAL IMPRESSION OF THE VISION OF THE PROJECT. NO
ARCHITECT HAS BEEN CHOSEN, AND THESE PLANS HAVE NOT BEEN FINALIZED.
THE URBAN HEALTH INITIATIVE TACKLES HEALTH ISSUES IMPACTING OUR
COMMUNITY ON WVON 1 TO 2 P.M. SATURDAYS ON 1690AM. FROM LEFT,
PRISCILLA MINENGER, OWNER OF P.R MINENGER, LLC, DORIANE MILLER,
MD, HOST, AND BRADLEY C. STOLBACH, PHD, BOTH OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE. PHOTO BY GREG BAKER
Dean of the Biological Sciences Division
and Pritzker School of Medicine and
executive vice president for Medical Affairs.
He added that employees can play a role in
raising awareness of the plan among their
friends, colleagues and neighbors.
“We have plenty of work ahead of us
to make Get CARE a reality,” Polonsky
said.
We’ve got heart! See Heart Month photos on page 3.

2. Equal opportunity danger:
Colorectal cancer
EDWIN CHANDRASEKAR
CORRESPONDENT
Colorectal cancer is the second leading
cause of death and the third most com-
mon cancer in our nation. It also affects
men and women of all races and ethnici-
ties. Colorectal cancer is, without a doubt,
an equal opportunity danger.
“Traditionally, lack of insurance has been
a key barrier to cancer screening for adults,”
said Karen Kim, MD, professor of medicine
and director of the University of Chicago’s
Center for Asian Health Equity. “However,
the Affordable Care Act now provides oppor-
tunities to increase participation in colorectal
screening. Yet many people who currently
have health insurance and regular access to
medical care are still not being screened.”
Funded by a five-year cooperative grant
from the CDC, Kim is leading the Cook
County Cancer Alliance to Reignite and
Enhance Screening (CARES), with a
goal to systematically increase colorectal
screening rates among Asian, African
American and Hispanic minorities.
“These minority groups experience
colorectal cancer screening rates under
50 percent, which is well short of the
Healthy People 2020 goal of 70.5 percent,”
she said. “Barriers such as lack of
knowledge, not receiving a provider’s
recommendation to be screened, and
transportation are major obstacles.”
The CARES team at University of
Chicago is working to reverse the stub-
born disparities that affect minorities
by analyzing gaps in the continuum
of care through data-sharing of electronic
health records. The team is working
with a consortium of federally qualified
health centers (Miles Square Clinic,
Asian Human Services and Heartland
Health Centers) reaching more than
50,000 patients across Cook County.
“We believe community sector
partners can effectively work together
with public health agencies to increase
colorectal cancer screening and
eliminate racial and ethnic disparities,”
Kim said. “For the large and diverse
urban population in Cook County, the
coalition model that we have created
with CARES will be instrumental to
generating valuable lessons through
identifying trends, assessing our specific
assets, anticipating challenges and
creating synergies.”
• HEALTH DISPARITIES
ADVANCING OUR MISSIONS
• CARE WHERE YOU WORK
Ablation therapy restores
employee’s racing heart
to a regular rhythm
ANNE STEIN
STAFF WRITER
Bob Bjorvik was just sitting in his room
in the University of Chicago Medicine’s
Bernard A. Mitchell Hospital, looking
forward to going home following a minor
surgical procedure, when a nurse rushed
in asking if he was OK.
Bjorvik, who had a cardiac monitor,
replied that he was fine. “But your heart
is racing,” the nurse said.
The longtime UChicago Medicine
employee turned out to have atrial fibril-
lation, or AFib, the most common type of
abnormal heart rhythm. Erratic electrical
impulses that start in the upper chambers
of the heart cause the heart to beat too fast,
resulting in lower blood flow and higher
risk for clots, stroke or heart failure.
“I didn’t know there was anything
wrong with me,” said Bjorvik, 60,
executive administrator for the UChicago
Medicine Department of Pathology and
executive director of clinical laboratories.
“The irregular beat wasn’t constant and
I didn’t feel bad.”
Bjorvik was referred to Joshua Moss,
MD, director of the Complex Ablation
Service. Moss diagnosed him with atrial
fibrillation and atrial flutter, a similar type
of rapid electrical activity in the heart.
The two discussed Bjorvik’s options.
UChicago Medicine offers the full range
of treatments to restore the heart to a
normal rhythm, including medication,
pacemakers, cardioversion — a short
electrical shock to the chest that helps
reset the heart to a normal rhythm —
and ablation therapy.
“Our team has the expertise to manage
the most complicated arrhythmias, and
some of the most advanced tools and tech-
niques available anywhere,” Moss said.
They decided on radiofrequency cath-
eter ablation, an aggressive therapy that
is highly effective. During the procedure,
a catheter is threaded through the groin
to the part of the heart that is the source
of the arrhythmia. High-frequency radio
waves create lesions on the abnormal heart
tissue, blocking the pathway of erratic im-
pulses and restoring normal heart rhythm.
Bjorvik was back at work a few days
later and has had no symptoms since.
“It was pretty amazing,” he said.
“It’s wonderful that employees have
access to world-class care here at the
Medical Center,” Bjorvik said. “You don’t
have to look elsewhere for whatever issue
you might have.
“I’m very grateful that University of
Chicago Medicine provides such great
health care insurance so I can afford to get
the best care. And it’s interesting to bump
into your caregiver in the hall; I just saw
Dr. Moss and he asked me how I was
doing. He’s such a nice person.”
• WOMEN’S HEALTH
A nurturing haven for
mothers and newborns
DAVID DODD
STAFF WRITER
The University of Chicago Medicine’s
new Family Birth Center Mother and
Baby Care opens this week, providing
a setting that encourages a warm bond
between mother and newborn.
“We wanted to create a warm and
soothing environment for new mothers
to nurture their newborns,” said Kate
Jones, executive director of Women’s
Care Services. “The rooms are designed
to accommodate the entire family and
to allow mother and baby to feel
comfortable while in our care.”
Located on the third floor of the
Bernard R. Mitchell Hospital, the
21,000-square-foot unit features
32 private rooms, a new family waiting
room and a reception area. The spacious,
light-filled rooms are decorated in soft,
warm hues.
The unit was established to provide
a state-of-the-art setting for mothers
to nurture their newborns, as well as a
recovery center for women with complex
medical conditions.
Technology upgrades were an integral
part of the renovation. UChicago Med-
icine’s Chicago Biomedicine Informa-
tion Services (CBIS) and Information
Technology Services (ITS) departments
partnered with women’s care services to
install systems such as nurse call, Cisco
phones, and other wireless
internet connections to meet patient
needs and to ensure operational
efficiency.
“Technology is an important aspect
of how we deliver care to patients,”
Jones said. “It was imperative for this
unit to be compliant with the hospital
technology standards and ensure all of
our care providers have access to these
technologies, as this directly impacts a
patient’s experience.”
New mothers will also have access to
the GetWellNetwork, an interactive
learning tool on inpatient room
televisions that is designed to empower
patients to participate in their care.
FEBRUARY — MARCH 2016
JASON KEELER, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, AND
KAREN STRATTON, RN, PHD, VICE PRESIDENT
OF WOMEN’S AND CHILDREN’S SERVICES,
CUT THE RIBBON FEBRUARY 26 IN THE NEW
FAMILY BIRTH CENTER MOTHER AND BABY
CARE UNIT IN MITCHELL HOSPITAL. PHOTO BY
ROBERT KOZLOFF
BOB BJORVIK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
CLINICAL LABORATORIES, APPRECIATES THE
WORLD-CLASS CARE HE ENJOYS AS A UNI-
VERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE EMPLOYEE.
PHOTO BY ROBERT KOZLOFF
• RESEARCH
Should all adults be
screened for depression?
KEVIN JIANG
STAFF WRITER
For an estimated 16 million adults in the
U.S. who experience episodes of depression,
feelings of sadness, anxiety or helplessness
become long-term symptoms that can
interfere with life and the ability to enjoy
once-pleasurable activities.
A wealth of evidence suggests that early
detection, when combined with appropriate
treatment, can reduce or eliminate symptoms
of depression. Based on that evidence, a
recent report issued by the U.S. Preventive
Services Task Force recommended screening
for depression in the general adult population,
especially pregnant or postpartum women.
We spoke with Pooja Dave, PhD, inte-
grated primary care postdoctoral fellow with
the department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Neuroscience, about these recommendations.
Should all adults be screened for
depression?
Early detection and intervention are
effective in reducing depression, and the
benefits of this recommendation have
minimal to no risks for patients. It’s fully
consistent with the literature and speaks
to the importance of improved screening
for depression and access to care.
How exactly will this help?
Patients are often more comfortable
talking to their primary care doctors about
depression before they consult with mental
health professional. However, primary care
physicians are not often extensively trained
in biopsychosocial considerations.
Standard screening measures allow them
to better detect depression and decrease
the risk of a missed diagnosis. While
screening doesn’t provide information for
more detailed diagnoses, it can identify
individuals who are at risk and may need
more specialized mental health services.
What should women know about this
report?
Pregnant and postpartum women are
especially vulnerable patient populations.
They should not feel shy about discussing
symptoms of depression with their
physicians. There are some very effective
and, more importantly, safe pharmacological
interventions available. Non-pharmacological
approaches such as cognitive-behavioral
therapies have also been shown to be quite
effective.
Are there any possible negative
consequences?
There is the potential for over-diagnosis
of depression, which may increase inap-
propriate referrals and patient confusion.
But integrated care models are addressing
this issue by including mental health
professionals as part of the medical team.
This also has the added benefit of reducing
stigma toward mental health diagnoses
and increase the likelihood that patients
will follow through with specialty mental
health care if needed.
KAREN KIM, MD, DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF CHICAGO’S CENTER FOR ASIAN HEALTH
EQUITY, LEADS A TOWN HALL DISCUSSION ON
COLORECTAL CANCER AND SCREENING
OPTIONS. PHOTO BY MATT JOHNSON
“We wanted to create a warm and
soothing environment for new
mothers to nurture their newborns.”
— Kate Jones, executive director of
Women’s Care Services
NEW FEDERAL GUIDELINES RECOMMEND
SCREENING FOR DEPRESSION IN THE GENERAL
ADULT POPULATION.

3. The warmth and positive energy of Brenna
Kane, PharmD, BCPS, a transplant phar-
macist for kidney and pancreas patients,
brings a ray of hope to patients coping
with critical illnesses. “Brenna is extremely
smart, knowledgeable and a pleasure to
work with. She goes far beyond what’s
required to make sure the patient is pre-
pared,” said Alexandra Grange, pre-kid-
ney/pancreas transplant coordinator and
living donor coordinator. At any given
moment, Brenna is on the front lines with
patients explaining their medications and
the proper regimen to maintain health
before and after a transplant. “She is a
fabulous educator who insures that her
patients understand the who, what and
why of their medicines,” Grange said. “We
are lucky to have such a strong team mem-
ber who advocates for our patients’ needs.”
“I enjoy working with transplant patients
through the continuum of care and seeing
them through the process,” Kane said. “I
like working together with the whole team
to work in the best interest of patients and
establishing those relationships.
“I like being a connecting link between
the patient and the care team in inpatient
and outpatient settings to optimize med-
ication therapy throughout the transition
of care,” she added. “It is a unique role the
pharmacist can have.”
FEBRUARY — MARCH 2016
Our Mission: To provide superior health care in a compassionate manner, ever mindful of each patient’s dignity and
individuality. To accomplish our mission, we call upon the skills and expertise of all who work together to advance
medical innovation, serve the health needs of the community, and further the knowledge of those dedicated
to caring.
CHILD’S PLAY REINFORCES CREATIVITY
AND FOCUS, AS STAFF MEMBERS LEARNED
DURING A 30-MINUTE COLORING BREAK
FEBRUARY 5 OFF GOLDBLATT LOBBY.
SPONSORED BY THE 2016 TOTAL WELLNESS
CHALLENGE, “ADULT RECESS” INVITED
EMPLOYEES TO RECHARGE BY COLORING,
DANCING, PLAYING PICTIONARY AND OTHER
GAMES.
AT THE SCENE — EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS
PHOTOBYASHLEYHEHER
PHOTOPROVIDED
PHOTOBYJULIEKOSINKSI
THE MAKING A DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY TEAM
AND PATIENT EXPERIENCE AND ENGAGEMENT
PROGRAM SURPRISED THE DCAM OR STAFF
FEBRUARY 3 WITH COOKIES, BROWNIES AND
RECOGNITION FOR THEIR EXCELLENT WORK AND
DEDICATION. DCAM AMBULATORY SURGERY’S
PATIENT SATISFACTION SCORES (THROUGH
DECEMBER 31) ACHIEVED THE “STRETCH” OR
MAXIMUM TARGET, THROUGH THEIR CONTINUOUS
FOCUS ON IMPROVEMENT.
PHOTOPROVIDED—APOLLOHOSPITALS
MOHAN S. GUNDETI, MD, CENTER, DIRECTOR OF
PEDIATRIC UROLOGY AT COMER CHILDREN’S
HOSPITAL, WAS LEAD GUEST FACULTY FOR A
FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND WORKSHOP ON PEDIATRIC
ROBOTIC UROLOGY HOSTED BY APOLLO HOS-
PITALS, ONE OF ASIA’S LARGEST HEALTH CARE
PROVIDERS. THE TWO-DAY LIVE SURGICAL
WORKSHOP IN JANUARY ATTRACTED MORE
THAN 100 PEDIATRIC SURGEONS FROM ACROSS
INDIA FOR TRAINING.
VICTORY! THE 5SW NURSES ACCEPT THE
COVETED MITCHELL CUP ON JANUARY 29
FROM HOSPITAL EXECUTIVES AND NURSE
MANAGERS. THE 5SE AND 5SW NURSING
TEAMS HAVE A FRIENDLY RIVALRY OVER
THE NEAR-REPLICA OF THE STANLEY CUP,
A QUARTERLY TROPHY PRESENTED TO THE
STAFF WITH THE HIGHEST COMPLIANCE RATE
FOR EDUCATING CARDIAC PATIENTS.
BRENNA KANE, PHARMD, BCPS,
GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND TO
EDUCATE TRANSPLANT PATIENTS
ABOUT THEIR MEDICATIONS.
PHOTO BY JULIE KOSINSKI
We’ve got heart
And we wore it on our sleeves during
American Heart Month. Some of the
highlights: University of Chicago
Medicine leaders helping raise awareness
at the Go Red for Women luncheon, our
nurses checking shoppers’ blood pressure
at Macy’s, newborns looking impossibly
cute in hand-knit red caps, and a heart
transplant recipient playing the piano in
the Sky Lobby. Even Remoc wore red.
Go to the University of Chicago
Medicine Facebook page to
hear patient Moshe Einav play the
piano and see other photos from
Heart Month.
A caring heart
1. UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE LEADERS AT THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION’S GO RED FOR WOMEN LUNCHEON, FROM LEFT: MARCO
CAPICCHIONI, VICE PRESIDENT OF FACILITIES, PLANNING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, DAVID RUDD, DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY
COMMUNICATIONS, SHARON O’KEEFE, PRESIDENT, UCMC AND JASON KEELER, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, UCMC. UCHICAGO MEDICINE WAS A
LOCAL SPONSOR. 2. PRESIDENT SHARON O’KEEFE AND JAMES LIAO, MD, CHIEF OF CARDIOLOGY, ACCEPT A CHECK TO FUND RESEARCH HERE
FROM THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION. 3. A NEWBORN IN COMER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL’S NURSERY SNUGGLES IN A RED CAP. RED HATS WERE
KNITTED FOR ALL BABIES BORN IN FEBRUARY BY AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEERS. 4. REMOC NEEDED A RED HAT, TOO, SO ASSOCIATE
GENERAL COUNSEL JANE MCATEE MADE ONE. 5. A UCHICAGO MEDICINE NURSE CHECKS BLOOD PRESSURE AT A MACY’S HEART MONTH EVENT.
6. MOSHE EINAV, WHO RECEIVED A HEART TRANSPLANT IN EARLY FEBRUARY, PLAYS THE PIANO IN THE CCD SKY LOBBY FOR MEMBERS OF HIS
CARE TEAM, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS SON ON SAX. PHOTOS BY ASHLEY M. HEHER, KEVIN JIANG, MICHAEL SATALIC, DAVID RUDD AND MATT WOOD
A Bear hug for
Comer kids
FORMER CHICAGO BEARS RUNNING BACK MATT FORTE,
CENTER, TEAMED UP WITH ATIA’S PROJECT LADYBUG
FUND AND PUNKY’S PIZZA FOR A VISIT TO PATIENTS AT
COMER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL ON FEB. 3. FORTE SIGNED
AUTOGRAPHS AND POSED FOR PHOTOS WHILE HANDING
OUT DOLLS, TOY FOOTBALLS, JERSEYS, BOOKS, AND
OTHER BEARS GEAR — ALONG WITH SLICES OF PIZZA —
TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ON COMER 6. IN JANUARY,
ATIA’S PROJECT LADYBUG FUND PRESENTED COMER
CHILDREN’S WITH A $50,000 CHECK FOR PEDIATRIC
CANCER RESEARCH.
PHOTOBYASHLEYHEHER
2
3 5 64
1
Dancing through life Enhancing the
patient experienceDANCERS AMONG US, BY JORDAN
MATTER, USES THE BODY MOVES
OF DANCERS TO CAPTURE STORY-
TELLING AND THE PASSION OF THE
HUMAN SPIRIT. THE PHOTO COLLEC-
TION OPENED FEBRUARY 18 IN THE
DCAM SKY BRIDGE. IT’S PRESENTED
BY UCHICAGO MEDICINE’S HEALING
ARTS PROGRAM, WHICH BRINGS FINE
ARTS TO OUR MEDICAL CAMPUS TO
SHARE WITH PATIENTS, VISITORS AND
THE COMMUNITY. “OFFERING THE
RESTORATIVE QUALITIES OF THE
ARTS WHEN THEY MAY BE NEEDED
THE MOST, OUR ARTS PROGRAM
WORKS TO SUPPORT THE EXCELLENT
PATIENT CARE AT UCHICAGO
MEDICINE THROUGH THE POWER OF
VISUAL AND MUSICAL ARTS,” SAID
MONICA HORK, THE PROGRAM’S
COORDINATOR.
TWO PATIENTS AND THEIR CARE
TEAMS SHARED THEIR EXPERI-
ENCES WITH MORE THAN 140
ATTENDEES AT THE MAKING A
DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY BEST
PRACTICES FORUM FEBRUARY 8.
PRIMARY CARE GROUP PATIENT
GLORIA HAIRSTON (WITH FLOW-
ERS) WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A
SECOND-YEAR INTERNAL MED-
ICINE RESIDENT, TWO PATIENT
SERVICES REPRESENTATIVES, A
MEDICAL ASSISTANT, A PRACTICE
SUPERVISOR, AND A GUEST SER-
VICES AMBASSADOR. SHE SAID
EVERYONE AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF CHICAGO MEDICINE MAKES
HER FEEL WELCOME AND THAT
SHE IS VALUED AND SPECIAL.

4. Bicycle advocate pedals for a cause
RCTP reaches milestone with new EPIC clinical research module
I am keeping my son on
track for graduation this
year. My resolution is to
become more financially
stable and healthier
[and make sure my
son graduates].
Constance Lenard
Patient Services
coordinator
I’m staying on track to
keep healthy and in shape.
Serafin Saceda, BSN, RN
I’m sticking to my
resolution to be healthier.
Tommy Cole
Public Safety coordinator
I’m 75 per cent on track
with my resolution to
be more proactive and
procrastinate less.
Jillian Vilimas, BSN, RN
EMPLOYEE EXPRESS
NEWS IN BRIEF
BEYOND THE FOREFRONT: PETER TAYLOR
System engineer Peter Taylor takes to the
city’s bike trails with the goal of increasing
access to bike riding in diverse Chicago
neighborhoods.
“We live in a community of obesity and
diabetes,” the University of Chicago Med-
icine employee said. “A lot of that would
be solved if more of us would get on our
bikes. If people would ride their bikes to
support local businesses, it would benefit
the local economy.”
The trail advocate’s work — notably
with the Active Transportation Alliance
to raise awareness of the Major Taylor
Bicycle Trail on the South Side — recent-
ly earned the long-time cyclist a Public
Service Award at the non-profit’s 30th
anniversary soiree.
The trail is named after Marshall
“Major” Taylor, a champion African-
American cyclist in the late 19th and early
20th centuries. His namesake trail winds
through the Dan Ryan Woods and
Beverly and Morgan Park neighborhoods.
The other Taylor — no relation — is
gaining traction to address the disparities
in bike routes in South and West Side
neighborhoods. According to the web site
peopleforbikes.org, it’s no secret that
North Side routes out of the Loop form
a more connected network of trails while
South and West Side improvements are
more dispersed.
Taylor, a representative of Friends of
the Major Taylor Trail and other cycling
groups, calls upon Chicago to prioritize
the need for an equity agenda and balanced
trail system citywide.
“We envision predominately black
South Side and West Side neighborhoods
that are healthier, safer, more economical-
ly thriving, and more socially cohesive
as a result of greater bike-ability in these
neighborhoods contributing to improving
the condition of our communities,”
Bike Equity Chicago said in a written
statement.
But Taylor acknowledges that making
these advances is an uphill ride. Require-
ments include a major capital investment
in the city’s infrastructure, bike-trans-
portation education programs, protected
bike lanes, bike share stations and bike
racks in diverse communities. Chicagoans
also must embrace healthier lifestyles and
lobby for change in their neighborhoods,
he said.
Biking is a win-win proposition on
many fronts, he added. “It’s not a kid
thing. It’s efficient transport. It’s freedom
and exercise. When I was a kid, you had
a bicycle before a car. It opened up the
whole city to me,” he said.
FEBRUARY — MARCH 2016
TRACEY ROBINSON-ENGLISH
EDITOR
Read At The Forefront on the intranet, too!
Are you keeping your New Year’s
resolutions? What are they?
STREETTALK
AROUND THE MEDICAL CAMPUS
PHOTOS BY JERKELL TAYLOR
PETER TAYLOR, WHO JOINED THE UNIVERSITY
OF CHICAGO MEDICINE AS A LAB TECH IN
1983 AND THEN SWITCHED TO INFORMATION
SYSTEMS, OWNS FIVE BIKES INCLUDING THIS
RECUMBENT MODEL. HE IS PLANNING TO
ADVANCE FROM 50- TO 60-MILE SPINS TO A
“CENTURY,” A 100-MILER. PHOTO PROVIDED
Armed intruder drill scheduled
As the Medical Center continues to ensure
that we are ready to sustain critical
operations during emergencies, an armed
intruder drill will be conducted in late
April. During the drill, staff, patients and
visitors will hear “Code Silver” over the PA system. At that time,
staff will be required to activate their unit’s lockdown procedures
and move to their shelter-in-place location where they will be
asked questions from on-site Medical Center evaluators. Staff
will be available to inform patients and visitors that a drill is
occurring and that at no time will patient safety be compromised.
Leaders in each department and unit will:
• Identify shelter-in-place locations at each unit
• Review armed intruder policy and responsibilities when in the
“active” and “inactive” shooter areas with employees
• Certify that each department is ready for this type of an event
More details on the drill will be provided after the next
Leadership Forum on March 15.
SecurityTalk: Mobile devices
It’s important to protect mobile devices and the
information on them from hackers. The good
news is it’s not difficult. Here are tips from
University of Chicago Medicine Information
Security risk experts:
Password protect your mobile device. You should enable
passwords, PINs or fingerprint scans to lock your mobile devices.
To ensure encryption is effective, a password or PIN is critical.
Make sure you can remotely lock and wipe your mobile
device. For iPhones and iPads, you can remotely lock and wipe
your device through iCloud using the free “Find my Phone”
feature. For Android devices, this can be done through Android
Device Manager if the device is set up with your Google account.
Make sure all important data from your devices are backed up
and encrypted.
Encrypt your mobile device. Encryption stores data in an
unreadable, seemingly scrambled form for anyone who has access
to your device without the password. Your device uses your PIN
or password to decrypt your data, making it available to you
without you even knowing it. If someone doesn’t know the
encryption PIN or password, they can’t access your data.
Affordable Care Act: New IRS form
New reporting requirements went into effect in
2016 to enforce the employer and individual
mandate of the Affordable Care Act. What you
need to know:
• The new 1095-C will be mailed to your home
address by March 31, 2016.
• Individuals do not need this form to file their taxes. You can
check the box on your 2015 individual income tax return if
you (and your spouse and dependents, if any) had coverage
for the entire year.
• If a third-party tax return preparer requests additional evidence
to confirm coverage, employees may obtain this information by
providing any of the following documents:
– Final 2015 pay stub
– Form W-2 showing you were covered by UCMC
• When employees receive their 1095-C, they should confirm
that the information on it is accurate. If any of the information
is incorrect, they should call HR Shared Services at
773-702-2355.
• Everyone who receives this form should retain it with their
other important tax records.
Correction: A story in the January-February issue incorrectly stated the number of imaging rooms in the new Heart and
Vascular Imaging Center. The state-of-the-art facility has 16 imaging rooms.
The University of Chicago Medicine’s
Revenue Cycle Transformation Program
(RCTP) team, in coordination with the
Office of Clinical Research (OCR), in
mid-February rolled out the research
module of EPIC, the hospital’s electronic
health records system, which will inform
medical providers of a patient’s participa-
tion in a clinical trial.
More than 700 active clinical trials
managed by UChicago Medicine will be
imported into the EPIC system, and each
participating patient will be linked to
their trial. Medical providers and all EPIC
users will be able to easily see the patient’s
association with the trial.
“This new functionality in EPIC will
help us to continue to provide the best
care for our patients in enrolled in clinical
trials,” said Bethany Martell, executive
director of the Office of Clinical Research.
“Medical providers can now have a more
informed dialogue with patients about
clinical trial or study involvement.”
Launching the research module in
EPIC is a huge milestone for RCTP, an
internal review and evaluation of processes
and technologies to improve organization
efficiency and patient experience.
“Research studies and clinical trials are
an imperative for our organization to stay
at the forefront of medicine,” said Charlie
Brown, vice president of revenue cycle.
These RCTP initiatives will significantly
augment the organization’s methods for
tracking studies and supporting the pro-
viders and patients participating in them.”
UChicago Medicine is a world-
renowned industry leader in research,
committed to advancing the knowledge
about numerous diseases and disorders
in addition to providing patients with
an opportunity to access innovative
treatments and therapies.
DAVID DODD
STAFF WRITER
“When I was a kid, you
had a bicycle before a car.
It opened up the whole
city to me.”
— Peter Taylor, systems engineer