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briefsS U N YRespiratory Care offers Flower SaleCelebrate RespiratoryCare Week by purchasingflowers to be delivered during the week of Sept. 10.Proceeds from the sale willbenefit the Central NewYork Chapter forRespiratory Care. Theselection and pricesinclude: one dozen roses(red, pink, yellow, orpeach) 15; 1/2 dozenmixed carnations 4; onedozen mixed carnations 7;ten-stem bunch ofAlstromerias (pink lily) 10.Contact Sheila Young at464-6873 or Youngsa@upstate.edu by Friday,Sept. 1 for more information.Upstate Runners capture awards atChase Corporate ChallengeNinety-five Upstateemployees participated inthe Chase CorporateChallenge 3.5 milewalk/run held on theOnondaga Lake Parkway.The 2000 SyracuseCorporate Challengeattracted a record 7,500participants from nearly300 companies. Specialthanks to team captainsZanette Howe and MaryEmanuelli of Upstate’sMarketing division, fororganizing Upstate’s participation in the event.The team of Dr. TimDamron, Orthopedics; Dr.Charles Bradshaw,Neurology; Karen Kemmis,PM&R; and CassandraCrane, IMT easily outpaced the other coed teamsin capturing the 2000Chase CorporateChallenge. The combinedteam time of 83:02 wasover six minutes faster4than the nearest challengers, and good enoughfor second best time of allU.S. teams in this year’scompetition. Dr. Damronled all Upstate finishers,followed by Dr. Bradshaw.Karen Kemmis was the topUpstate female finisher, andthe second overall femalefinisher for the second consecutive year. Next up forthe coed team is the ChaseCorporate ChallengeChampionships in NewYork on Oct. 7.The women’s team ofAnne Haley, IMT;AnnetteSherwood,NutritionalServices; andKathleen Iacuone,MedBest, captured third placein the Women’steam competition.U p s t a t eM e d i c a lU n i v e r s i t yCollege of Health Professionsreceives high ratingsIn 1999, the State University of New York (SUNY) conducted its first survey of alumni to determine how graduates viewed their undergraduate experience. According toits dean, Hugh Bonner, PhD, the College of HealthProfessions of SUNY Upstate Medical University scorednumber one among the seven specialized colleges(Downstate, ESF, Farmingdale, Maritime, Optometry, andUtica/Rome) in the overall rating which includes academicclimate, faculty, cooperative activities, and the generalundergraduate experience. The college ranked number twoof the 29 four-year state operated colleges.Located in Silverman Hall, the College of HealthProfessions offers degree programs in seven disciplines. It isan upper-division transfer college for students who havehad a minimum of two years of college experience, primarily in math, the sciences and humanities. Nearly 100 percent of the college’s graduates find jobs in their chosen profession or go on to graduate school.(Above): The Corporate Challenge wasdelayed by wind and rain. A few teammembers took shelter in the SodexhoMarriott truck. The race continued asthe storm cleared.(left: from left are: Cassandra, Crane(IMT), Karen Kemmis (PM&R), Dr.Charles Bradshaw (Neurology), KathleenIacuone (MedBest), Anne Haley (IMT),and Annette Sherwood (Food andNutritional Services.) Not photographed:Dr. Tim Damron (Orthopedics).

S U N YC.A.B. Notes Mark your calendarfor Upstate MedicalUniversity’s first ComedyHour of the fall semesterfeaturing the comedic talents of Marsha Warfield.The event will be heldFriday, Sept. 8 at 5:30 p.m.in the Campus ActivitiesBuilding. For more information call Marsha at 4648829. The Campus ActivitiesGoverning Board and theOffice of Campus Activitiesare offering the followingupcoming trips, ticketoffers and events. Thereare a limited number oftickets and seats availablefor all trips. The programschedule includes:U p s t a t eM e d i c a l SU Season FootballTickets. Currently availablefor purchase for Upstatestudents and CAB members. Season tickets includetickets to six home gamesand are on sale for 115per seat. Famous Artist BroadwayTheatre Series Tickets.Season tickets are currentlysold out for the 2000-2001Famous Artists BroadwayTheatre series, but CABwill purchase additionaltickets to two of the shows:Rent (3/1); Les Miserables(4/5). Mark your calendars forthe following fall excursions open to all membersof the Upstate community. Seneca Lake Wine Tour(9/16). Packages includeround trip bus transporta-U n i v e r s i t ytion, visits to five wineries,lunch and four souvenirwine glasses. Price are 25per person for Upstate students and CAB membersand 35 for all others. Toronto Day Trip (10/7).Packages include round triptransportation and a continental breakfast on thebus. Prices are 30 forUpstate students and CABmembers and 40 for allothers. Keuka Lake HolidayWine Trip (11/5 - note datechange). Packages include aday of tastings and holidayfoods at the Keuka Lakewineries, round trip transportation and lunch, souvenir glass and ice bucket.Prices are 30 individualand 55 couple for Upstatestudents and CAB mem-Nuclear Medicine offers new imaging technique fordetection of acute venous thrombosis in lower extremitiesIn September, UpstateMedical University’s division of Nuclear Medicinewill offer a new imagingtechnique for the detectionof acute venous thrombosis(DVT) in the lower extremities. The technique uses aTechnetium labeled imaging agent (AcuTect )which is injected intravenously. Its approved andprime use is for scintigraphic imaging of patientswho have signs and symptoms of acute venousthrombosis, particularly ofthe lower limb(s).AcuTect is reported asbeing superior in its accuracy to detect acute clotUPSTATEupdatethan ultrasound, particularly below the knee. Thestudy is noninvasive andpain-free and should beconsidered before contrastvenography. AcuTect willnot detect the presence ofchronic or organizedthrombus. Its use in thediagnosis of pulmonaryemboli is not yet confirmed.A thrombus is a bloodclot that forms in a vessel,frequently a vein, andremains there. Anembolism is a clot thattravels from the site whereit formed to another location in the body. The clinical sequelae of thrombiand emboli can be veryserious and even life threatening.It is estimated thatapproximately 4 millionprocedures are performedannually worldwide todiagnose venous thrombosis. Patients requiring thistype of diagnostic study aretypically individuals whoare sedentary because ofpoor physical condition orare confined to bed aftersurgery. Patients at greatestrisk are those that havehad surgery on their lowerlimbs or pelvis.briefsbers. Non member pricesare 40 individual and 65couple. New York CityOvernight Holiday Trip(11/18 and 11/19). Thistrip is currently sold out.Individuals who would liketo place their name on awaiting list for availablespots, should call Marshain the Office of CampusActivities at 464 8829. Holiday Shopping at theFinger Lakes Outlets(12/2). Packages includeround trip transportationand refreshments on thebus. Prices are 5 forUpstate students and CABmembers and 10 all others.Register today for thediscounted defensivedriving courseNYSUT/UUP will offera discounted defensive driving course, Mondays,Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 from4:30 to 7:30 p.m. inUniversity Hospital, Room6500. The fee is 30 perperson. Call RonaldDaloia at 464-6134 formore information or toregister.5

briefsS U N YU p s t a t eM e d i c a lU n i v e r s i t yImproving Disability Access on our Web SitesThe Web Group atUpstate’s EducationalCommunications (Ed Com)has been working to ensurethat Upstate’s institutionalname appears correctly onall websites and that allUpstate web-sites provideuniversal access to personswith disabilities, the latterbeing a mandate from NewYork State to all of itsstate agencies.Ed Com is well into theprocess of providing universal access to personswith disabilities onUpstate’s “official” websitein order to meet the stateimposed deadline of Sept.31. However, Ed Com’sWeb Group needs the helpof everyone on campuswho has created and/orwho are managing campusweb sites. Please review thefollowing information toensure that these sites aremore accessible to allscreen readers.Guidelines for ImprovingWWW Access for Peoplewith Disabilities: Images and Animation:Use the “alt” attribute todescribe thefunction ofeach visual. ImageMaps— Useclient side MAPand text forhot spots. Hyper textlinks: Use textthat makessense whenread out ofcontext. Forexample, avoid “clickhere.” Page organization: Useheadings, lists and consistent structure. Use CSSfor layout and stylewhere possible. Graphs and Charts:Summarize or use the“longdesc” attribute. Frames: Use “NOFRAMES”and meaningful titles. Tables—make line-by-linereading sensible.Summarize. Check your work.Validate. Use tools, checklists, and guidelines at:http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENTKeep in mind that thework you do for this initiative will serve the dual purpose of preparing yourpages for unencumbereduse by non-graphic computers and cell phones as well.For more information,contact Carol Ceraldi, webdesigner, at 464-7931(phone) or ceraldic@upstate.edu (e-mail).Update on the 2001 New York State Flex Spending Accounts Health Care Spending Account (HCSAccount) is anew flexible spending account program that gives Stateemployees the opportunity to pay for unreimbursed medical expenses on a pre-tax basis. Individuals can set aside 150 to 3,000 annually in pre-tax salary to pay for healthrelated expenses that are not reimbursed by health insurance. Medically necessary medical, dental, prescription,vision and hearing expenses for enrollees and their dependents are eligible for reimbursement.To be eligible to enroll in the Health Care SpendingAccount, individuals must be a permanent employee, workat least half time and meet the eligibility criteria for enrollment in the New York State Health Insurance Program. The Dependent Care Advantage Account(DCAAccount) is a flexible spending account program thatgives State employees the opportunity to pay for child care,elder care, or other dependent care expenses on a pre-taxbasis.6Individuals who would like to participate for the year2001, must enroll before Nov. 17. Current participantsmust re-enroll in order to continue their benefits in 2001(re-enrollment material will be sent out directly by FringeBenefits Management Company).The open enrollment period for the HCSAccount andthe DCAAccount is Oct. 16 to Nov. 17.Individuals will receive an informational flyer thatincludes a postcard via interoffice mail. Return the preaddressed postcard to Fringe Benefits Management Companyto receive a 2001 Flex Spending Account Enrollment Kit.Additional information relating to the HCSAccount orthe DCAAccount is available by calling the FSAHotline at1-800-358-7202.(NOTE: Employees of the Research Foundation ofState University of New York are not eligible for this benefit.)

S U N YU p s t a t eM e d i c a lU n i v e r s i t ybriefsCentral New York Region Skins Game a success!!More than 4,000 Central New Yorkers participated in Upstate MedicalUniversity Foundation’s 2nd Annual Central New York Region Skins Game. Theevent was held June 20 at the Green Lakes State Park Golf Course. The SkinsGame, featuring golf pros Gary Player, Chi Chi Rodriquez, Tom Scherrer andJoey Sindelar, raised 120,000 for medical, education and research programs atUpstate Medical University and University Hospital.Special thanks are extended to the 250 volunteers who helped to make theevent a success!1231) Volunteers are a key component of the Skins Game’s success. In additionto 70 on-course marshals, over 150 additional volunteers helped duringand after the event. Photographed is volunteer coordinator JoAnn Shupesharing a laugh with golfing legend Chi Chi Rodriguez.2) Pro golfers Joey Sindelar, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Tom Scherrer, Gary Player.3) Advisory committee members included these people who met early inthe morning before the VIP Corporate Breakfast to help. They are (from left)co-chair Don Denton, Dr. Chung T. Chung, co-chair Dr. Andy Palmer, SalBellavia, Tom Scherrer, Eve Pollock, Jerry Pollock, Jack Estabrook, Dr.Berkeley Brandt, Judith Sayles, Dr. Gregory Eastwood, Matthew Harmand,and Dr. Bill Harmand. Missing from the photo are Alfred Audi, BillBrowning, Billy Dutch, Chuck Harty, Billy Jackson, Gary MacLachlan, TomOwens, Howard Quoss, Theresa Underwood, Dean Vlassis and Dodie Vlassis.454) Player and Rodriguez entertain onlookers after Rodriguez makes a birdieputt from 12 feet on the fourth hole, stealing a “skin” from Tom Scherrer.5) Volunteers(from left) Linda Venditti, administrative assistant for theAlumni Associations for the Schools of Nursing and Health Professions, andformer Upstate employee Lori Riedl of Citadel Communications.6) Skins Game Advisory Committee co-chairs Dr. Andy Palmer, noted handsurgeon and interim chair of the Upstate Department of Orthopedic Surgery,and Don Denton, managing partner of Hancock & Estabrook law firm andchair of the Upstate Foundation Board of Directors, pose with Skins Gamewinner Tom Scherrer and a check for 100,000 in “winnings” for theUpstate Foundation. The final tally for the day showed Scherrer with 59,000 in “skins,” Sindelar with 37,500, Rodriguez with 2,000 andPlayer at 1,000. The golfers each played for an appearance fee and donated their Skins winnings back to the Foundation.6UPSTATEupdate7

briefsS U N YU p s t a t eClinical Decision Support Systems istopic of program, Sept. 7Stanley L. Pestotnikwill present“Implementing ClinicalDecision Support Systemsto Improve the Safety ofPatient Care,” Thursday,Sept. 7 in the WeiskottenHall Medical AlumniAuditorium. Pestotnik,president and chief executive officer of TheraDoc,Inc. in Salt Lake City, isnationally recognized forhis work on streamlining Stanley L. Pestotniktherapeutic decision supof clinical decision supportport and its impact onsystems in improving thepatient care outcomes.quality and safety ofRegistration and refreshpatient care.ments will take place at 6It is hosted by Upstatep.m.; the lecture will beMedical University’sheld from 6:25 to 8:30Department of Pharmacyp.m. Coffee and desert willServices in collaborationfollow.with Upstate MedicalThe goal of the proUniversity’s Section ofgram is to provide aClinical Pharmacology,greater understanding ofDepartment of Medicinethe role of clinical decisionInstitute for Continuingsupport systems (CDSS) inNursing Education and theimproving the quality andCentral New York Societysafety of patient care.of Health SystemThe program isPharmacists.approved for 2.0There are no fees assoContinuing Medicalciated with this program asEducation contact hoursit is a community outreachfor physicians and for 2.5program of UpstateContinuing EducationMedical University.Units contact hours forTo register, callnurses and pharmacists. ItEducational Supportwill provide a greaterServices at 464-5463 byunderstanding of the roleSept. 3.8M e d i c a lU n i v e r s i t yCommon Errors in CHUA ProtocolSubmissions is topic of forum onSept. 20Dr. Robert Quinn will address “Common Errors inCHUA Protocol Submissions, in a forum to be heldWednesday, Sept. 20 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the WeiskottenHall Medical Alumni Auditorium. Dr. Quinn is director ofUpstate’s Laboratory Animal Resources. The forum willaddress several aspects of the application form that commonlyresult in approval delays as well as provide a question/answer period to address individual concerns. Contact theCHUA office at 464-6563 for more information.Let’s Not Meet by Accident receives 31,000 grant from the New YorkState Department of HealthThe “Let’s Not Meet ByAccident” program atUniversity Hospital hasreceived a 31,000 grantfrom the New York StateDepartment of Health tocontinue its efforts to educate teenage drivers aboutthe grim reality of combining drinking and driving.Teenager drivers have ahigher risk of fatal crashesthan older drivers at allalcohol levels. According toone National Institute onAlcohol Abuse andAlcoholism (NIAAA) supported study, combiningclassroom and communityinterventions to preventalcohol use by young adolescents reduced the onsetof alcohol use by 28 percent.Let’s Not Meet ByAccident brings studentsinto University Hospital fora 2 1/2 hour program thatexposes them to paramedics and to the traumaresuscitation process.Nurses and paramedicswho are confronted dailywith the tragic aftermathof drinking and drivingtalk to students and attestto the fact that alcohol anddrugs are a factor in 70percent of all traffic deathsin the U.S.The “Lets Not Meet ByAccident” programreceived a Certificate ofSpecial Recognition in1998 and the NormaCoburn award in 1999from the OnondagaCounty Traffic SafetyAdvisory Board. TheCoburn award recognizesorganizations which havedemonstrated a commitment to enhancing trafficsafety and have also consistently contributed organizational and/or personalresources which haveimpacted positively on thecommunity.Since 1997 the programhas reached more than5,000 students.

S U N YU p s t a t eM e d i c a lU n i v e r s i t ybriefsA Retirement Incentive Program for 2000 is approved.The New York State Legislature passed and the Governorsigned legislation authorizing a 2000 Retirement IncentiveProgram for eligible employees of the State of New York.The SUNY Board of Trustees approved a resolution forState University participation in the 2000 RetirementIncentive Program.To be eligible, State employees must be: at least age 50 with 10 or more years of service crediton the effective date of retirement, or at least age 55 withfive or more years of service if a member of the Employees’Retirement System or Teachers’ Retirement System; continuously in active service (includes a paid leave ofabsence or a leave without pay of not more than 12 weeks)from Feb. 1, 2000 to the date immediately prior to thecommencement date of the Open Period; and in a targeted position.Letters were mailed to those employees who, based onSUNY Upstate Medical University records, may be eligiblefor the 2000 Retirement Incentive Program. Employees ofthe Research Foundation of State University of New Yorkare not eligible for the 2000 Retirement Incentive Program.The Open Period established for the SUNY UpstateMedical University is Oct. 2, 2000 through Dec. 30, 2000.Eligible employees who wish to participate in theRetirement Incentive Program must: select their preferred retirement date that falls withinthe Open Period; file a “Request to Retire Under the 2000 RetirementIncentive Program” form with the Human ResourcesDepartment no later than 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2000; submit an incentive election form to the Human ResourcesDepartment no later than 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 8, 2000; and if a member of the New York State Employee’sRetirement System or the New York State Teachers’Retirement System, a service retirement application must befiled with the applicable retirement system no later than 14days prior to their effective date of retirement.Some of the key features of the 2000 RetirementIncentive Program are: For eligible employees who are members of theEmployees’ Retirement System (ERS) or Teachers’Retirement System (TRS), one month of additional retirement service credit will be provided for each year of serviceup to a maximum of thirty-six months of additional credit.NOTE: An early retirement benefit reduction may applydepending on your age, tier and years of service. The additional incentive credit noted above can insome instances be used to qualify for an improved benefit.For example, members ca

SUNY Upstate Medical University Community Fall Faculty Convocation set for Sept. 13 For health information, physician referral, and Upstate Medical University services, call Health Connections at 464-8668 UPST A T E In the Calendar Emergency Medicine Grand Rounds. 9/13. 11 a.m. to noon. Health Sciences Library, Room 318. See Upstate Calendar .