November 5, 1999

Vincent Club symposium
The Vincent Club's fall medical symposium will be Nov. 8, 9:30 am in the O'Keeffe Auditorium. Topics will include weight relationship to pregnancy, led by Maria Mascola, MD, MPH, of Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology; ovarian cancer, led by Arlan F. Fuller, MD, chief of the Vincent Gynecologic Oncology Division; and end-of-life concerns for the patient and caregiver, led by Edwin H. Cassem, MD, chief of MGH Psychiatry. This annual event is co-sponsored by the Vincent Hospital Board of Managers and the Vincent Club.

Ethics forum series
The MGH Ethics Task Force will host an interactive panel discussion "Disclosing errors: Do patients have the right to know?" Nov. 10, 4:30 to 6 pm in the Ether Dome. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call Sandy Dodge at 6-3370.

MGH Cancer Center HOPES seminars
The MGH Cancer Center HOPES Program (Helping Our Patients/ Families through Education and Support) will present educational seminars for patients, families and MGHers. HOPES is a new program being offered by the Cancer Center to help those affected by cancer learn about the disease. On Nov. 8 "What to Expect After TRAM Flap Reconstruction" will be offered, noon to 1 pm. Drop-in yoga will be offered Nov. 11 and 18, noon to 1 pm. All seminars are held in the Cancer Resource Room, Cox 1. For more information, call 4-1822.

Support Service Grant Program
A total of 67 educational grants from the Support Service Grant Program were awarded last winter and summer. Because of the overwhelming popularity of the program, no additional grants will be awarded until next spring. Support Service employees who are interested in this grant program should watch for application announcements in April and May. The selection committee anticipates a mid-June application deadline for the fall 2000 semester.

Asthma support group
Partners is sponsoring an asthma support group, Nov. 17, 5 to 6:30 pm at BWH, Tower 4A. The topic will be "Evaluating Alternative Asthma Therapies." For information, call 732-7420.

Tax forms for foreign nationals
Foreign nationals with J-1 or F-1 visas who wish to claim exemption from federal taxes for the year 2000 under an existing tax treaty between the United States and their country of residence will be contacted by the Payroll Office in December to complete IRS form 8233 and an affidavit. These documents will be available in the Payroll offices located at Clinics 117 and CNY Building 149, second floor.

Petition for health care access law
The Committee to Defend Health Care, comprised of Massachusetts health care providers, is supporting an effort that would protect rights of patients, promote access to quality health care and impose a moratorium on for-profit conversion of hospitals, insurers or HMOs. For this initiative to become a law, a petition must be signed to place it on the November 2000 ballot. MGHers are invited to drop by an information table located outside the MGH parking garage on the corner of North Grove and Parkman streets Nov. 5 and 12, noon to 4 pm, to get more information about this initiative or to sign the petition. For more information, call 4-6967.

Memorial service for Richard J. Kettell
Richard J. Kettell, a former MGH employee, died Sept. 21. A memorial service will be held Nov. 10, at noon in Bulfinch 225A.