June 9, 2000

HOPES seminars
The MGH Cancer Center HOPES (Helping Our Patients/ Families through Education and Support) program presents educational seminars for patients, families and MGHers. "Eating Easy when You're Feeling Queasy: Nutritional Management of Nausea and Vomiting," facilitated by Jill Oravitz, RD, of MGH Food and Nutrition Services, will be offered June 13. "Feeling Stressed? Some Simple Steps to Relax," facilitated by Vicki Cotton, MSW, of MGH Social Services, will be offered June 14. All seminars are held noon to 1 pm in the Cancer Resource Room, Cox 1. For more information, call 4-1822.

Work/life seminar about eldercare
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) will offer "Eldercare, Practical Solutions and Communication Tips for Caregivers" June 15, noon to 1 pm in the Wellman Conference Room. The speaker, Barbara Moscowitz, LICSW, of MGH Senior Health, will address the challenges of communicating with parents and relatives in need of care. Participants may bring a lunch. For more information, call the EAP at 6-6976.

Clinical Research Program seminar series
The Clinical Research Program will sponsor "Genetics Research 101 — What Clinical Research Coordinators Should Know" June 21, 11:45 am to 1 pm in the Wellman 101 Conference Room. Laura Duprat, RN, MS, MPH, senior manager for Human Genetics at Millennium Predictive Medicine, will present an overview of the genetics field, including its current status, its impact on health care and its application to research coordinators' responsibilities in conducting clinical studies. This lecture qualifies for 1.2 CEUs for registered nurses. Dessert and beverages will be served. To register, call 6-1669 by June 19.

Device regulation and reimbursement forum
The Center for Innovative Minimally Invasive Therapies (CIMIT) will host a forum about device regulation and reimbursement June 13, 2 to 4 pm in the Wellman Conference Room. Hugh Hill, MD, JD, of the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) and acting director of the Coverage and Analysis Group, will be the guest speaker. For more information, call 4-9227 or send e-mail to msage@partners.org.

Task force distributes information about health care proxies
To raise awareness among doctors and clinicians about the importance of filling out health care proxies, the Patient Care Services Ethics in Clinical Practice Committee is distributing packets about the process. Health care proxies are legal documents that allow a person to delegate health care decisions to a trusted individual in the event that he or she is unable to make or communicate those decisions. Packets with information and the proxy forms are available through the Office of Patient Advocacy by calling 6-3370.