GME Times
The UIC Graduate Medical Education Newsletter
May 2008
Vol. 5, No. 11
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GME Resident HotLine - 312-996-8662
Confidentiality is Assured

If you have an issue relating to your residency program that you don't feel comfortable discussing with your chief resident or program director, call the GME Resident HotLine. Your  message will be received only by Cathy Canfield-Jepson, the Director of Graduate Medical Education, and Dr. L. J. Sandlow, the College of Medicine Senior Associate Dean for Educational Affairs. Confidentiality is assured.



  
In Brief
•   GME Resident HotLine: 312-996-8662
•   Core Curriculum: PGY1 Teaching Skills Workshops
•   Past Due:  Compulsory NetLearning & HIPAA Modules
•   Past Due:  Mandatory TB Surveillance
  
Inside
•   GME Core Curriculum
•   General Requirements for 2007-2008
•   Highlighting GME 109: Fundamentals of Medical and Health Care Information Systems
•   Highlighting GME 110: First Steps in Research Design
•   Leaving Resident/Fellows:
•   Checklist 2008
•   Procedure 2008
•   Graduate Medical Education Committee Resident Representatives Election 2008
•   2008 Benefit Choice 1 and Benefit Choice 2 Enrollment Periods

  
Core Curriculum:  PGY1 Teaching Skills Workshops
To fulfill mandatory first-year Core Curriculum requirements, PGY1 residents must complete a total of three Teaching Skills workshops including the workshop presented at GME New Resident Orientation last June or at GME Mid-Year New Resident Orientation in January 2008. The following workshops are still available:
•   Teaching in Small Groups:   Wednesday, May 14, 3:30 - 5:00 PM
•   Teaching through Lectures:  Wednesday, May 21, 3:30 - 5:00 PM
If you have not met this compulsory requirement, email faculty_dev_dme@uic.edu as soon as possible to register.

  
Past Due:  Compulsory NetLearning & HIPAA Modules
If you have not completed ALL your compulsory NetLearning and HIPAA modules for this academic year, login immediately. Select “NetLearning” from the GME Office homepage or from the “Quick Links” section on the Medical Center homepage.

  
Past Due:  Mandatory TB Surveillance
If you have not yet fulfilled this annual or biannual mandatory requirement in April 2008, contact your program coordinator or University Health Services immediately.

  
Core Curriculum General Requirements for All Residents and Fellows 2007-2008
When did you begin your current training program?
Prior to June 1, 2007
On or After June 1, 2007
If you began your residency or fellowship prior to June 1, 2007 and your program does not have specific and/or additional module requirements, you may choose modules according to your own interests to complete four modules per year or a total of 10 modules for a three-year or longer program. If you began your residency or fellowship program on or after June 1, 2007 and your program does not have additional module requirements, you must first complete GME Module 114, “Introduction to the General Competencies,” followed by the required modules (101, 103, 106, 107, 111 and 115 in any order,) to complete four modules per year or a total of 10 modules for a three-year or longer program.
For both options, please note: Always check with your program director to find out if your program has additional and/or program-specific requirements.

  
Highlighting GME 109: Fundamentals of Medical and Health Care Information Systems
Module Description:
This module provides a basic orientation to medical and health information systems and their uses in medical practice and health care management. Mainframe and desktop software and user skills critical to medical practice and information retrieval via the internet and other institutional systems are examined and practice exercises provided. The sources and contents of major databases on health services utilization, mortality and morbidity, and health resources are examined.
Educational Objectives:
•   Enter and retrieve information from a mainframe health information system required for the administrative and clinical functions of practicing physicians
•   Effectively use desktop, laptop and handheld PCs as interactive data manipulation devices for medical practice
•   Understand the theory and functioning of computers and their uses in medical practice
•   Evaluate health and medical information systems for management and clinical decision functions
•   Value the use of the internet and web-based information resources to enhance clinical and administrative decision-making in medical practice and medical research
ACGME/ABMS Competencies Addressed in GME 109
Patient Care:
•   Gather essential and accurate patient information
•   Make informed decisions about diagnostic and therapeutic interventions based on patient information and preferences, up-to-date scientific evidence, and clinical judgment
•   Use information technology to support patient care decisions and patient education
•   Provide health care services aimed at preventing health problems or maintaining health
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement:
•   Obtain and use information about their own population of patients and the larger population from which their patients are drawn

  
Highlighting GME 110: First Steps in Research Design
Module Description:
The first module in research design provides the resident or fellow with a review of several key concepts and strategies essential to the development of a research study. A good understanding of these basic concepts is essential whether you will use them to plan a research study of your own or to evaluate research activities reported by others in your field.
Educational Objectives:
•   Write and recognize quality research questions
•   Write and recognize operational definitions
•   Identify and classify study variables and relationships
•   Determine the appropriateness of research designs
•   Describe the significance of validity and reliability
ACGME/ABMS Competencies Addressed in GME 110
Patient Care:
•   Make informed decisions about diagnostic and therapeutic interventions based on patient information and preferences, up-to-date scientific evidence, and clinical judgment
Medical Knowledge:
•   Demonstrate an investigatory and analytic thinking approach to clinical situations
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement:
•   Locate, appraise, and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to their patients’ health problems
•   Apply knowledge of study designs and statistical methods to the appraisal of clinical studies and other information on diagnostic and therapeutic effectiveness
•   Use information technology to manage information, access online medical information, and support their own education

  
2008 Benefit Choice 1 and Benefit Choice 2 Enrollment Periods
The State of Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) has announced that there will be two Benefit Choice periods this year. The Benefit Choice 1 Enrollment period is being held from Thursday, May 1 through Saturday, May 31, 2008. All residents and fellows, except those insured through CampusCare, will receive a copy of the FY09 Benefit Choice 1 booklet sent directly to their homes. Please Note: The Benefit Choice 1 booklet contains a paper Election form developed by CMS to be used by State employees. DO NOT USE THIS PAPER ELECTION FORM.  You must make your elections through the Net-driven Employee Self-Service and Information Environment (NESSIE.) By accessing the “Benefit Choice” option in NESSIE (http://nessie.uihr.uillinois.edu,) you can make your benefit changes online.  If you need assistance, select the Help link which appears on every screen for answers to common questions as well as phone numbers to call for assistance.
CMS began mailing the booklets last week. The booklet is also available online at the “Benefit Choice” option in NESSIE. During this first enrollment period you may change your State of Illinois health and life plan enrollments, opt into or opt out of the State group health insurance plan (if you have other non-state group coverage), opt into or opt out of the dental plan, and/or enroll or re-enroll in Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs.)  You may also add (documentation is required) or drop dependents and same-sex domestic partners.  Changes will become effective on July 1, 2008.
The dates for the Benefit Choice 2 Enrollment period will be announced after CMS and American Federation of State, County, & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) contract negotiations are completed. At that time, CMS will announce benefit coverage changes, premium changes, effective dates and any other special items of interest related to the new contract. During the Benefit Choice 2 Enrollment period, you will again be able to make all the benefit changes described above, with the exception of FSAs (see below.)
New FY09 Life insurance premium rates have been finalized and are included in the Benefit Choice 1 booklet.  Spouse and child life premiums will be reduced. All current (FY08) health plans will again be available for this upcoming year beginning July 1, 2008. However, the new FY09 Health and Dental premium rates are unknown at this time. Therefore, effective July 1, 2008, temporarily, the current (FY08) Health and Dental premiums will continue.
FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS (MCAP/DCAP) ENROLLMENT AND RE-ENROLLMENT
Again this year, you will use NESSIE to enroll or re-enroll in flexible spending accounts. If you are participating in one of the flexible spending accounts now, CMS has already sent an FSA letter to your home reminding you about the program for next year. The two types of FSAs, Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP) and Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP), will be handled differently during the two Benefit Choice periods.
During the Benefit Choice 1 Enrollment period, you may enroll in the MCAP and/or the DCAP. Enrollments become effective on July 1, 2008. During the Benefit Choice 2 Enrollment period, you may enroll in the MCAP and you may increase or decrease your Benefit Choice 1 MCAP enrollment, but you cannot terminate a Benefit Choice 1 MCAP enrollment. However, during the Benefit Choice 2 Enrollment period, no enrollments, changes or terminations to DCAP FSAs will be allowed.
Please note that the optional EZ REIMBURSE Card is available to you for a $20 annual fee. If you are currently using the EZ REIMBURSE Card and you want to use it again in FY09, do not destroy your card.  You will be able to continue using it.
If you want to participate again or participate in a flexible spending account for the first time, you will need to enroll through NESSIE. RE-ENROLLMENT IN FSAs IS NOT AUTOMATIC.
BENEFIT ENROLLMENT CHANGES
•   IF YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY INSURANCE PLAN CHANGES, YOU DON'T NEED TO DO ANYTHING.
•   IF YOU WANT TO MAKE  ANY MEMBER OR DEPENDENT HEALTH OR LIFE PLAN CHANGES OR ENROLL/RE-ENROLL IN AN FSA, YOU MUST USE NESSIE TO MAKE THOSE ENROLLMENT CHANGES. The URL for NESSIE is: http://nessie.uihr.uillinois.edu
Beginning May 1, 2008, the Benefit Choice option can be found under the “Benefits” tab in NESSIE. NESSIE can be used to make changes until midnight Saturday, May 31, 2008.  Intermittent outages of NESSIE may occur during the Benefit Choice period due to Banner maintenance. Any outages will be posted on the NESSIE home page.
IMPORTANT!! PLEASE NOTE:  The State of Illinois Department of Central Management Services does not permit the Benefits Service Center to accept  Benefit Choice 1 changes submitted after May 31, 2008. The Benefits Service Center Offices will close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 30, 2008, but NESSIE may be used until midnight Saturday, May 31, 2008.
CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions about your benefit plans or your options at this time, please contact your campus Benefits Service Center or send e-mail to:  benefits@uillinois.edu
•   The Benefits Service Center in Chicago may be reached by phone at 312-996-6471
•   Dependent Documentation can be faxed to 217-244-3135