Volume 2 – No. 2
February 2006
DFSM E-Newsletter
Department of Family and Social Medicine
Montefiore Medical Center
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, NY
AECOM  1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY 10461  718-430-2900
MMC  3544 Jerome Ave, Bronx, NY 10467  718-920-4678
We are pleased to present our monthly departmental newsletter. Thank you for your continued support and
contributions. Remember the deadline for submissions is the 20th of each month! We look forward to
hearing from you!
Editors-at-Large:
Mark Polisar, MD
Tami Rivera
Peter Selwyn, MD, MPH
Becky Williams, MD, MHPE
PUBLICATIONS
Gross P. On hold for a decent Medicare drug plan. The Journal News. Original publication: January 15,
2006) http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060115/OPINION03/601150357/1076
Milan F, Parish SJ, Reichgott MJ. A model for educational feedback based on clinical communication skills
strategies: beyond the "feedback sandwich". Teaching and Learning in Medicine 2005; 18(1):42-47.
Shen JM, Blank A, Selwyn PA. Predictors of mortality for patients with advanced disease in an HIV palliative
care program. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2005;40:445-447.
Selwyn PA. Palliative care for patients with HIV/AIDS. J Palliative Med 2005; 8:1248-68.
Williams A, Selwyn PA, Liberti L, Molde S, Njike V, McCorkle R, Zelterman D, Katz D. A randomized trial of
meditation and massage effects on quality of life in people with late-stage disease: a pilot study. J Palliative
Medicine 2005; 8:939-52.
PRESENTATIONS
Younge R. Poster: The New York City E-clinician Project: Using Personal Digital Assistants and Wireless
Internet Access to Support Emergency Preparedness and Enhance Clinical Care in Community Health
Centers. Presented at the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health, National
Leadership Summit on Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health, Washington, DC January 2006.
WELCOMES & FAREWELLS
Welcome! Effective April 17, 2006, Bruce Soloway, M.D. will become the new Vice Chair for the Department
of Family and Social Medicine. Bruce, who is both an AECOM graduate and RPSM alumnus, has done an
outstanding job over many years as Chair of the Department of Family Practice at Bronx Lebanon, and will
bring many unique strengths and talents to this job and to our Department. (See attached memo from Dr.
Peter Selwyn)
Welcome! Effective March 13, 2006, Peter Sherman, M.D. will become the new Director for the Social
Pediatrics Program. Dr. Sherman is currently Director of the Division of Adolescent Medicine at St. Barnabas
Hospital; he was previously Medical Director of the National Children's Health Project Network at the
Children's Health Fund, and prior to that Medical Director of the New York Children's Health Project in
Montefiore's Division of Community Pediatrics. (See attached memo from Dr. Peter Selwyn)
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Welcome! To Joy Wilton as the new secretary in the Department of Family Medicine, Palliative Care
Service. Joy brings with her extensive secretarial and customer service experience and also much
enthusiasm along with great interpersonal, organizational, and technical skills to this position.
CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES
Indian Restaurant Club
Dinner anyone? The third Thursday of each month, this group samples a new Indian Restaurant.
Tentative plan for February is a trip to Pelham. For more information contact Sheena Kumar at (917) 2190163.
Book/Movie Club
From Aisha: The next book (for March) is entitled Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
We are actually going to mix up our gatherings and add a movie in between book club meetings. So I
guess this will now become a movie/book club!! Join us on Tuesday February 21st at 6pm for the showing
of Born Into Brothels. I thought we could make things more interesting by having a popcorn tasting. So
come out and bring your favorite flavor of popcorn!
SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day: Tuesday, February 7, 2006, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, Cherkasky Auditorium
and Tishman A. The Montefiore AIDS Center and Bronx HIV CARE Network present a special day of
learning about HIV/AIDS. Featuring guest speakers and HIV counseling and testing. Refreshments will be
available. For information contact Selma Torres and/or Liz Ruffin at 718-231-3296. View flyer:
http://intranet/newsevents/montetalk/Black_HIV_AIDS_Awarness_2006.pdf
February 9th, 2006, 9-11am, Incarceration and Health in New York City: A Research Collaborative
Bellevue Hospital Center, Dept. of Medicine Conference Room, A611* An initial gathering of area
researchers working on issues related to crime, incarceration, health, and health care. This meeting will
serve as an occasion for networking and collaboration, with the majority of time spent in open-ended,
informal discussion with fellow attendees. Researchers, graduate students, and public health professionals
and clinicians with interests in research on incarceration and health are invited to attend. Formal research
presentations will be limited. Refreshments will be served. With participants at this first session, we will
plan an ongoing series of presentations on research on incarceration and health in New York.
AIDS Care Center at Westchester Medical Center in collaboration with Albany Medical College Division of
HIV Medicine Presents: “Incorporating HIV Prevention into the Medical Care of Persons Living with HIV”
Thursday, February 16, 2006 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY
Target Audience: Medical care providers and persons who deliver prevention messages for HIV-positive
patients
SAVE THE DATE: All Department Retreat on May 16th, 2006, at Mt. St. Vincent College. Additional
information will be available soon.
PERSONAL HAPPENINGS
People in the news…..
Zach Rosen interviewed by Newsweek Online (regarding Emergency
Preparedness) and OK Magazine (two interviews, one regarding Common Cold Myths and Fallacies (to
come out this Wednesday) and the other regarding Flu Season.
Iman Sharif, MD, has been elected as a Fellow by the New York Academy of Medicine.
Paul Meissner, MSPH, has been elected President-elect of the Public Health Association of New York City
(PHANYC).
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MISCELLANEOUS
The Medicare Rights Center ( MRC) has an exciting new initiative called LINCS (Linking Individuals in Need
to Care and Services). Why LINCS? This initiative is about linking low-income people with Medicare to
programs that will reduce their prescription drug costs, by calling 888-RX-LINCS (888-795-4627). Why
now? Medicare began covering prescription drugs in 2006. People with a 2005 monthly income of less than
about $1,300 ($1,700 for couples) may qualify for a program that helps lower Medicare out-of-pocket drug
costs (known as Extra Help). What does LINCS do? LINCS counselors screen clients for Extra Help. LINCS
counselors will complete and submit Extra Help applications for people with Medicare who qualify. Who
does LINCS help? LINCS helps social workers, case managers, senior centers, and people with Medicare.
LINCS counselors are dedicated to this initiative and can help people with Medicare get access to Extra
Help. How to contact LINCS? If you want a LINCS counselor's assistance, call 888-RX-LINCS
(888-795-4627). LINCS (Linking Individuals in Need to Care and Services) is an opportunity provided by the
Medicare Rights Center in collaboration with AARP.
MONTHLY SCHEDULE REMINDERS
All Faculty Administrative meetings for 2006
1:30 to 3:00 p.m., 3544 Jerome Ave, 3rd Floor Conference Room.
Presenters and Topics: TBA
March 7
May 2
July 4
Sept 5
Nov 7
Social Medicine Rounds
Convener: Ramin Asgary, MD
4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., Binswanger at MOSES DIVISION, Lite refreshments will be served.
February 21
Presenter: Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, Director, Earth Institute Columbia University
Topic: The End of Poverty: Treating Global Poverty and Investing in Global Health
March 7
Presenter: Ron Waldman, MD, MPH, Professor, Columbia University
Topic: Pathways to Survival
March 21
Presenter: Jennifer Kasper, MD, MPH, Southwest Emergency Associates
Topic: International Child Health
DFSM Grand Rounds
8:00 - 9:15 a.m., Moses II Conference Room:
February 24
Presenters: Eliana Korin, Dipl. Psic., Victoria Gorski, MD, Mary Duggan, MD
Topic: Motivational Interviewing for Behavior Change
March 24
Presenter: Christine Walsh, MD, Division of Pediatric Cardiology
Topic: Cardiac Evaluation of Newborn Infants
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Palliative Care Grand Rounds
Please note - Palliative Care Grand Rounds will now be held on Friday's from 8:30-9:30 a.m. in the Moses 2
Library (Use the 3400 Bainbridge Entrance)
April 24
Presenter: TBN
Topic: TBA
Psychiatry Grand Rounds
Grand Rounds will take place every week on Thursdays from 10:30AM to 12:00PM at the Cherkasky
Auditorium. Information is posted on the Psychosocial Board on the 3rd Floor.
February 16
Presenter: Mark I. Evans, MD, Mt. Sinai
Topic: The Evolution of Technology in the Treatment of Infertility
February 23
Presenter: John Gartner, Ph.D., John Hopkins University
Topic: The Hypomanic Edge: The Link Between (a little) Craziness and (a lot) of Success in America
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STRESS RELIEVER OF THE MONTH!!
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If you wish to receive a copy of a previously released electronic newsletter, please contact Tami Rivera at
(718) 920-8434 or at the e-mail listed below.
Please send email submissions for upcoming newsletters, by the 20th of each month, to:
Becky Williams
rewillia@montefiore.org
Mark Polisar
mpolisar@montefiore.org
Tami Rivera
tariver@montefiore.org
Peter Selwyn
pselwyn@montefiore.org
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