The Week Ahead - Admin

All Employees Must Get The Flu Vaccination by Oct. 30

For the safety and health of our patients and teammates, BMC requires universal staff influenza vaccination each year as recommended by the CDC and Massachusetts State Department of Public Health. As we continue to be in the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual flu vaccine is particularly important in mitigating the impact of seasonal illness, keeping our teams and patients healthy, and conserving important hospital resources. This year’s influenza vaccination period will run through Friday, October 30.

All staff members, including those working off-site (at-home, out-of-state, and off-campus), are required to receive their annual flu vaccine to maintain work eligibility. For your convenience, vaccination events will take place at several locations across campus, including Menino, FGH, Shapiro, and the DOB. There will also be roving carts with evening, night, and weekend hours.

To get your flu shot ON-campus:

• Visit the Working Well Employee Health Portal to electronically view and sign the influenza consent form prior to attending an on-campus vaccination event
• Stop by a scheduled vaccination event for your flu vaccine and your sticker. The vaccination cart will be available on evenings and weekends. The full schedule of vaccination events is available on the Annual Flu Compliance page on the Hub.

Click here to see this week's flu vaccination schedule in our lobbies. If you prefer to get your flu shot from an OFF-campus provider, visit the Working Well Employee Health Portal to upload influenza vaccination receipts.  You can also use the portal to upload required supporting medical or religious documentation to decline vaccination for review and approval by the WWC.

The Working Well Employee Health Portal also gives you access to real-time health compliance updates and tools. Please feel free to email or call us at 617-638-8400 with any questions.

Infor Support and Instructor-Led Training Classes Available

Now that Infor is live, it’s essential that everyone takes advantage of the support and training resources available to become more capable and comfortable in Infor.

Instructor-led virtual classes are only available for a few more weeks. There are still openings in these classes. Please take advantage of them while they’re available by signing up in Workday today.

Infor training enrollment and class descriptions are available in Workday, and instructor-led classed continue through October and early November.

If you’re unable to attend or prefer to learn on your own, e-Learning classes are available and will stay available for reference, refreshers, and new employees.

Visit the Hub for more information on training and Infor resource and support links.

BMC Launches Charity License Plate to Stop Hunger Now

BMC, in partnership with The Greater Boston Food Bank, has launched a charity license plate to end hunger in Massachusetts. Thousands of our neighbors across Massachusetts are food insecure, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made the need for food assistance more widespread and critical than ever. With the purchase of a Stop Hunger Now license plate, you can help provide access to nutritious food for those in need in Massachusetts.

Get your plate today at www.stophungerma.org.
 

Children's HealthWatch's virtual town hall: Barriers To Health Care and Equity for Children and Families During COVID-19

Due to the pandemic, millions have lost their jobs and subsequently their health care coverage at a time when access to comprehensive, quality health care services is critically important for promoting and maintaining health, preventing and managing disease, and reducing unnecessary disability and premature death.

Come learn in Children's HealthWatch's virtual town hall on Thursday, October 15 from noon - 1:15 p.m. about the barriers and special challenges to health care access for BIPOC and immigrant communities in the context of COVID-19, and what key policy changes and actions we must take now to create health and racial equity in the health care system for all children and families. This is part of our year long series on equity, why it matters, and what a truly equitable society would look like.

Please register here.

Webinar: The Science Behind Sleep and Anxiety

Are you struggling with your sleep, worrying a little more, or feeling anxious, especially during these difficult times? If so, you are not alone. We've heard a lot about how to safeguard our physical health (washing our hands, social distancing, etc.), but there has been little evidence-based advice on how to protect our mental health. 
 
In this webinar on Tuesday, October 20, from 1 - 2 p.m., you will not only learn how sleep and worry/anxiety are highly related (and vastly overlapping), but the practical tools and evidence-based techniques to help cope effectively during uncertain times. We will also provide a brief overview of Sleepio and Daylight, two digital programs available at BMC, for those who need further support.
 
Register for the webinar here.
 

Why Pronouns Matter: A Virtual Discussion with Dr. Carl Streed

Please join BU Graduate Medical Sciences on Wednesday, October 21, from 4 – 5 p.m. as GMS celebrates International Pronouns Day.

International Pronouns Day seeks to make respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns commonplace. We will host a virtual discussion on “Why Pronouns Matter” with Dr. Carl Streed, Assistant Professor of Medicine at BUSM and Research Lead for the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery at Boston Medical Center.

Click here to RSVP.

Information Blocking Info Session

Join Chief Medical Information Officer, Rebecca Mishuris, MD and the patient experience coaches to learn more about CMS new Information Blocking regulation and have an opportunity to ask questions on:

• Thursday, October 22, Noon - 1 p.m. (Zoom link)
• Thursday, October 29, 4 - 5 p.m. (Zoom link)

Join BMC in Honoring Gloria and Emilio Estefan at Fall Fête

Join us in honoring special guests and Cuban refugees Gloria and Emilio Estefan at this year’s virtual Fall Fête on Thursday, October 29 at 6 p.m. The annual event raises funds for essential services for refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers in our community. Be our guest for a fun-filled night to celebrate the courage of our newest neighbors who are receiving care and support at BMC. For more information, visit our website or email [email protected].
 

Discussion with Camara Phyllis Jones, MD, MPH, PhD

Please join us for a conversation with Camara Phyllis Jones, MD, MPH, PhD, moderated by Dr. Thea James, on Thursday, November 5, from noon - 1:30 p.m. 

Dr. Jones is a family physician and epidemiologist whose work focuses on naming, measuring, and addressing the impacts of racism on the health and well-being of the nation.

She is a former president of the American Public Health Association and was the 2019-2020 Evelyn Green Davis Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. She has taught at the Harvard School of Public Health, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Rollins School of Public Health and served as a medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Her allegories on "race" and racism illuminate topics that are otherwise difficult for many Americans to understand or discuss. Recognizing that racism saps the strength of the whole society through the waste of human resources, she aims to mobilize and engage all Americans in a National Campaign Against Racism.

Register here.

 RSVP for 4th annual Mobile & Electronic Health Symposium

Featured Speakers:
"Challenges in Developing Online Learning Algorithms to Dynamically Personalize Mobile Health Interventions"
Susan Murphy, PhD, Professor of Statistics, Radcliffe Alumnae Professor, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University Professor of Computer Science, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

“Making Digital Mental Health Work in the Real World”
David C. Mohr, PhD, Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine, Director, Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies (CBITs), Northwestern University

Following the Keynote talks, an Industry Panel will be participating in discussion and Q&A. Click here to RSVP and receive the Zoom link.

Children's HealthWatch's 3rd Annual Virtual Fall Celebration With Keynote Speech by Rep. Ayanna Pressley

Join Children's HealthWatch's 3rd Annual Virtual Fall Celebration on Monday, November 16th, from 7-8 p.m. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, who represents the 7th District of Massachusetts, will give the keynote speech and will be presented with this year's Children's HealthWatch Champion Award. 

This year's celebration, Wealth Equity is Health Equity: Improving Child and Family Health through Income Supports, will focus on the importance of income supports and asset building that help financially stabilize families and address racial income disparities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Register here.

BMC Open Enrollment: Attend a live webinar

BMC’s Open Enrollment will take place from November 1 – November 23.  All benefits eligible employees will receive a packet in the mail at the end of October that highlights your 2021 benefit options and the various resources that will be available to support you during Open Enrollment, including live webinars and a resource center on the Hub. Benefits vendors will be hosting webinars throughout Open Enrollment, join in to learn about your benefit options and ask your questions. Recordings of the webinars will be posted on the Hub if you’re unable to attend live. 

National Retirement Security Week 2020

Knowing what to do about your retirement savings can be tough these days. Here are 3 steps you can take now to help you get through current times while moving toward the future you want.

• Get a savings checkup—Find out where you stand and receive an action plan to help keep you moving toward your longer-term goals.
• Stay prepared for the unknown—Build up an emergency fund to help cover unforeseen expenses and protect your savings.
• See what lifetime income could mean for you—Find out how much guaranteed income you could have later by choosing lifetime income options now.

 Go to TIAA.org/NRSW2020 for tools to help with these steps, or sign up for a 1:1 Retirement Advice Session by calling TIAA at 800-410-6649. 

Circles Halloween Guide

Circles has put together some ideas and reminders for Halloween 2020, which is sure to be unlike any we’ve experienced before. Whether you’re looking for costume ideas, want to create your own Trunk-or-treat event, or want some more ideas to get into the Halloween spirit, be sure to check with your city or town for allowable practices on Halloween night before making your plans. You can contact Circles directly for assistance with any Halloween related needs! 

View the guide here.  Place a request by calling 877-231-0456, emailing [email protected], or going to members.circles.com/bmc and registering with code “circlesBMC”.
 

Unsure if it’s Cold, flu or COVID-19? Use Doctor on Demand

The symptoms of a cold, flu or COVID-19 are very similar. If you’re unsure about your symptoms, or you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, Doctor on Demand’s board-certified physicians are here for you 24/7. They can assess your symptoms and determine the next steps. They can even help you find a COVID-19 testing location near you.

While the cost is typically a $5 copay, it is being waived during the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for more information on how to access Doctor on Demand. 

BMC Open Enrollment is Coming: November 1 - 23

The BMC Open Enrollment period begins Sunday, November 1 and ends Monday, November 23, 2020. A home mailing will be sent to all benefit-eligible employees at the end of October with detailed information. This is the one time a year you can make changes to your flex benefits, unless you experience a qualifying event, such as change in marital status, during the year. 

The Open Enrollment election is accessed through your Workday inbox and you should review your benefit elections, covered dependents, and pricing for next year. Anyone participating in Flexible Spending Accounts will need to re-enroll.  All other benefits carry-over from year to year. Webinars will take place throughout Open Enrollment for you to learn more about your 2021 benefit options. 

Join Team BMC in Crushing Substance Abuse with Mike’s 5K

Team BMC is once again participating in the fourth annual Mike’s 5K to Crush Substance Abuse! This year’s virtual race will take place anywhere, anytime between October 17 and October 25. Please note, fundraising is not required, although encouraged.

Round up your friends and family and walk or run 5K to raise funds and awareness for the Grayken Center for Addiction at BMC. Click here to join Team BMC for Mike’s 5K! We look forward to seeing you virtually this October!

Questions? Contact us at [email protected]
 

Join Team BMC in the 2021 Winter Walk presented by BMC and BMCHP

Join Team BMC in the 2021 Winter Walk on Sunday, February 7, 2021, presented by BMC and BMCHP (virtual and socially distanced physical options are available). Walkers will raise life-changing funds to benefit to BMC’s most vulnerable patient population, Boston’s unhoused children and adults. The fundraising minimum is $100 either by donation or fundraising. Registration is open now!

Please visit www.teambmc.org for more information on the Winter Walk and other Team BMC events.
 

eMerge (Epic) Upgrade Transparent Lockdown and ATE Preparations

Information Technology Services has started preparations to upgrade the eMERGE system to the latest version on Sunday, October 25. While these preparations are in process, you will notice some features that do not work as usual between Tuesday afternoon, October 20 and Sunday, October 25. These features will work again as expected after the scheduled downtime on Sunday, October 25, 1-5 a.m., is completed. Full information regarding these features can be found here.                         
 
 Overview of impacted features:

1. If you use the "Chart Review" activity to review patient records, you may get an error message if you attempt to apply a filter or change an existing filter on a chart. You can close the error and continue to do your work, but you will not be able to modify the filter until we have completed the upgrade.
    
2. If you have created your own personal "Smartphrases," you will not able to edit these phrases. You also will not be able to create new Smartphrases. For this week, please type whatever text you need directly into you notes. 
    
3. If you attempt to modify your dashboard setting, you will get an error that says "Dashboard personalization changes cannot be made during an upgrade." You can still use your home dashboard and any reports or functionality linked from the dashboard.
    
4. If you try to create a new "Quick Action" or modify an existing one, you will see an error message. However, you can continue to use any “Quick Actions” within your InBasket.
    
5.  If you use a workqueue, you may have filters you have created for that workqueue. You can still work your workqueue during this period, but you will be unable to modify any filters you have applied to the workqueue. You also will not be able to create any new filters.
    
   Further information about the upgrade, including “What’s New to You!” sections and playground materials where you can try out some of the new features can be found on the Epic upgrade Website on the intranet here.
    

At the Elbow (ATE) support will look and feel a bit different for this Epic upgrade, but will be available 24/7 starting October 25 through October 30. ATE support will not be physically on campus, but just a phone call away. There will be dedicated phone lines established for you to call in and ask for assistance in navigating the updated version of Epic. Additional communication with specifics for your area will be coming in the week leading up to October 25.

Please call the Service Desk at 414-4500 if you require any assistance with the above restrictions or any other issues.