July2017

SON July 2017
STAFF
July celebrates the
New Staff arrivals: following:
Kayla New – Lubbock – Scholarships
Ana Fuentes – NP - ACHC July 11 - Slurpee Day or 7-11's Birthday
Veronica Torres - PSS - WC
July 26 - Aunts and Uncles Day
Glad to have you in the School of Nursing!
www.Brownielocks.com
Departures:
Santos Contreras Shared Governance
Anastasia Knuckles
Esterrita Castro http://www.ttuhsc.edu/son/shared-governance/

Staff Council Members:
Chair – Rita Robison

Chair-Elect – Allison Pritchard
Secretary – Cheryl Wright

Parliamentarian – Ava Walker
Stacie Alvarez – Abilene
Cindy Shumard – Odessa
Tonia Borrego - Odessa

Elizabeth Martinez – Student Affairs
Khadija Bakrim – IT

Brenda Stone – Lubbock
Michelle Hunter – Lubbock
Kayla Talbott – Lubbock

Pam Gandy - Lubbock
Donna Balko - Lubbock
Matt Pierce -Lubbock
Tiffany Hager - Lubbock
Mikel Coale - Lubbock

Now taking nominations for our Summer 2017

semester STAFF WINNER.
Faculty and Staff are encouraged to nominate.

Next winner announced in August

Follow link (or copy and paste into your browser) below to make your nomination.

http://nursing.ttuhsc.edu/ofm/view.php?id=86602

If you would like to see something in the

newsletter, please send to:

https://nursing.ttuhsc.edu/ofm/view.php?id=110
188

We want input!!!

Annual Rising SON
WINNER

Phillip Crawford

Thank you Phillip for
all you do for the

TTUHSC School of Nursing

Have a chance to present or want to
attend a conference?

Staff Council is here to help
financially.

Click on the link below and complete
the form. Staff Council will review and

help where we can.

Staff Development Funding

To date we have supported
staff with over $12k for Staff

Development

Shared Governance

Our next opportunity, refresher, new to the
process…

July 11th at 12:00
2C155

Thank you Pat Francis-Johnson for taking the time
to fill us in!!

We offer these via ZOOM as well.
If you would like to attend please email at:
[email protected] and let us know.

Lunch provided
It’s been said…”now I get it”…”now how do I get

involved?”

School of Nursing has a data team.
Contact us for assistance with your data needs!

Our email address is: [email protected]

Online data request form can be found on the SON
Faculty/Staff Page

https://nursing.ttuhsc.edu/ofm/view.php?id=126423

We are currently 87% compliant in our Safety Refresher Courses for
FY2017 and I want to say a big Thank You to the ones who have completed
their training to make this possible. If you haven’t you still have time.

Just a reminder for the employees that are here in Lubbock we have
pamphlets and signature sheets available, which are stationed at Cynthia
Urive office, the Dean’s Suite, or if you prefer you can do them online. For
those of you who are not in Lubbock courses will need to be done online,
unless you are going to be in Lubbock before August 31 pamphlets and
signature sheets are available.

“Let’s get to 100% before August the 1st”

Thank you again,

Patricia Warnock

Safety Officer

Happy Birthday to all our July Birthday babies.
We hope your birthday is all you want and you

enjoy YOUR celebration!

*********************************************************************************
Did you know that YOU can attend or call into, any or all Staff Council
meetings? All it takes is an RSVP to let us know you’ll be joining us.

As a guest you will be a non-voting attendee but we would love to have
you join us, give us input and learn what we do.
Next Staff Council meeting – July 20th at 12:00pm, via ZOOM. Please let us
know if you would like to attend and we’ll send you the link.

RSVP to: [email protected]

Below is the link to the Staff Council Website.

Here you will find your council members,
agendas, policy links and

what it is that Staff Council is charged with as well
as the link to the Shared Governance page.

http://www.ttuhsc.edu/son/shared-governance/staff.aspx

Have you been thinking about joining a task force?
If you want to sign up for a Task Force and haven’t yet please let us know.

Those include the following:
Newsletter
Research
QI Process
Staff Awards
Staff Policies

Staff Development
Miscellaneous

ANNNNND we’re off…to bigger things. Below, Dr. Evans joins others in the
ground breaking for the new additions at the Lubbock HSC campus.



Donna Balko Emilie Johnston Kyle Chapman

Congratulations to Donna Balko, Emilie Johnston and Kyle
Chapman in winning the President’s Distinguished Staff Awards.

Thank you for your contributions and dedication to the
School of Nursing.

The Distinguished Staff Awards program recognizes and supports the
achievements of Texas Tech University and Texas Tech University System.

Christie Hust

Diabetes Educator and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at the Larry Combest
Community Health and Wellness Center. I graduated May 13th with her
Master of Public Health from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. My thesis focused on patients
at the LCCHWC and why they are not receiving their cancer screenings. My
research will help the LCCHWC create plans to address the issues found and
increase cancer screenings at the Center.

This is a picture of me, my husband, and my gorgeous grandson who all
celebrated the day with me along with all my other family. My future plans
are to stay at LCCHWC and use the skills I learned to better serve the people
who come to our Center. I want to thank Linda McMurry for allowing me the
opportunity to expand my horizons and the encouragement she provided.

• Friday, August 11th, 6:00 p.m. (United Arena)
• Saturday, December 16th, 6:30 p.m. (United Arena)

(note Dec. date change)
Volunteers will be needed!
Yes you will be paid for the overtime or you can work time out

with your supervisor.
Your help and time is appreciated!
Combest, Abilene, Odessa, Lubbock folks we need your help …
we have a good time and this is why we do what we do.

Please contact Kayla Talbott if you are available to help!!
[email protected]

Staff Council Updates

• Save The Date:
Staff Retreat, Oct 5th
International Cultural Center
601 Indiana Ave (EAST across the street

from HSC/UMC)
8am-1pm

•
Task Forces have begun meeting!!!

Get ready for 2017 Summer Enrollment

Last reminder!!!!

It’s not too early to start thinking about your health insurance and other benefits.
Summer Enrollment for employees is just around the corner.
Our TTUHSC two-week period will be noted in your Personal Enrollment Benefits
Package from July 2-15, that ERS will mail to you this summer. This 2 week window
is when you can make changes to your benefit elections.
No benefits changes? No worries. You won’t need to do anything and your benefit
elections won’t change. We still encourage your participation in our HSC Summer
Enrollment Fair. Watch the announcements for more information to come.
If you do want to make changes during Summer Enrollment, you can:

1. Sign into your ERS account online;
2. Contact your benefits coordinator or human resources department; or
3. Call ERS at (877) 275-4377 (toll-free), 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989.

Important information about the HealthSelect transition TO
Blue Cross and Blue Shield

On September 1, 2017, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) will replace
UnitedHealthcare as the plan administrator for HealthSelectSM of Texas and Consumer
Directed HealthSelectSM.

Contact information during the transition

Until August 31, 2017, employees should continue to use their current ID cards and call the
current HealthSelect Customer Service line at (866) 336-9371 (TTY: 711) for information about
their coverage.

In August, BCBSTX will mail a welcome packet and new medical ID cards to all HealthSelect
of Texas and Consumer Directed Health Select participants. Participants will also receive a
separate ID card from OptumRx, the plan administrator for pharmacy benefits.

BCBSTX will not have access to individual claims information until September 1, 2017.
Enrollment information will not be available until after Summer Enrollment.

In the months leading up to the transition, BCBSTX will send letters and make telephone calls
to participants who may be affected by certain changes. For example, participants whose PCP
may no longer be in the network after September 1, 2017 will receive a notification letter and
may receive a follow-up phone call. Please let your employees know they should answer or
return phone calls if they are contacted by a BCBSTX representative.

New website and customer care center will provide general information

Beginning May 23, employees will be able to visit the BCBSTX Health Select website at
www.bcbstx.com/hs or call a Personal Health Assistant toll-free at (800) 252-8039, Monday -
Friday 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. CT or Saturday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. CT.

Participants can:

• Get general information about plan benefits and what to expect.
• Use the Provider Search Tool to find out if their current PCP or other providers will be in

the BCBSTX HealthSelect network after September 1.
• Get help finding an in-network PCP or specialist if their current provider will no longer

be in the network.
• Nominate a provider to be added to the HealthSelect network.

Participants who are currently in the second or third trimester of pregnancy or are
receiving care for a chronic illness or an acute medical condition may be able to continue to
receive health care services for a limited time from their current provider after September 1,
2017, even if the provider will no longer be in the HealthSelect network. The participant
needs to fill out and submit a Transition of Care form to BCBSTX. For more information,
they should visit www.bcbstx.com/hs or call a BCBSTX Personal Health Assistant toll-free
at (800) 252-8039 beginning May 23, 2017.

Continuation of current programs
Real Appeal, an online weight loss program, will continue to be available to eligible
HealthSelect participants after September 1, 2017. Naturally Slim, a different online weight loss
program, will also be offered as an option to eligible participants.

Virtual Visits allows participants to consult with a real-time licensed physician from a
computer, tablet, or smart phone using secure online audio and video technology. It will still be
a HealthSelect benefit after the transition to BCBSTX. Beginning September 1, there will no
longer be a copayment for HealthSelect of Texas participants who use a network Virtual Visits
provider. The current $10 copay per visit for this benefit will continue through August 31.

Information about the transition will be provided regularly in future editions of Update-Express.
Be sure to look for new details!

August 4 – Human Trafficking Symposium
August 25 – Mental Health Symposium

September 26- Kids First! Child Abuse Conference
(by Hendrick Medical Center in Public Health Building)

November 3 – IPE Fall Symposium

TRIVIA Question -

When did the Fourth of July become a paid federal holiday?
Be the first with the correct answer at:
[email protected]

As an incentive for better healthcare practices,
children will be given age appropriate books at each of

their well child check-ups.
First box of books to go:

Easy criteria:

NEW BOOKS for Newborn through 18 years of age

“This is a great opportunity for the Larry Combest Community Health and Wellness Center
and SON—I am so excited about the potential for faculty and staff to do this together”.
Emily Merrill

While you are out and about, grab a book(s)!!
If mailing, send to: Allison Pritchard

Boxes will be decorated and placed in the
Student Affairs atrium and the Deans Suite.

Shared Governance Lunch and Learn
Larry Combest Center - 45 attended!!!!

Thank you Pat Francis-Johnson for
your leadership and time.

Staff are becoming more aware of
what Shared Governance is all
about.





Congratulations
to

Stephanie
Jones Ramirez

and Steve
Ramirez