Town Hall Replay: Check Out the Speed-Watcher's Guide

If you missed the Sept. 30 town hall, here's your chance to catch up! Visit KnowledgeLink to find time code stamps for leaders and discussion topics, and the embedded town hall video.

Check out the video to see updates on the UVA Health strategic plan and our values, as well as remarks from new leaders. Watch.

Leadership

Moving Forward With Empathy

From UVA Health leadership: “For years, all team members across our health system have come together in shared purpose and in alignment with our ASPIRE values. These values provide a common set of principles for how we interact with our patients and each other. We are writing to share that — within our ASPIRE values — we will be shifting Equity to Empathy. Empathy is organic to our mission of patient care, it is something we are called to demonstrate in our roles, and it is now more important than ever as we navigate our future together.” Read the full message on KnowledgeLink.

Operations

Population Health Program Intake Process

UVA Health’s Population Health team connects patients with services that address barriers to care — such as housing needs, behavioral health challenges, remote patient monitoring, or gaps in follow-up after discharge from the hospital, Emergency Department (ED), or ambulatory appointments.

How to refer a patient | Use the Epic order Population Health Program Intake or complete the flowsheet in the Epic Screening Tool. Briefly describe the concern. A Population Health team member will review the referral and connect the patient to the most appropriate program or service. Tip sheet.

Common referral reasons:

Readmission risk or complex discharge
ED overuse due to unmet social needs.
No established primary care provider or difficulty accessing care.
Social drivers of health concerns — food insecurity, unsafe housing, or language/literacy barriers.

Learn more on the Population Health website.

Human Resources

Benefits Update

Open Enrollment: Oct. 6-17 | Join UVA’s Benefits and Well-Being team Oct. 7 for a one-stop-shop exposition of all your benefits options at UVA. Connect with benefits counselors, financial planners, and retirement vendors to get your questions answered. Learn more.

Happenings

UVA Health Kicks Off Socktober 2025 + New Challenge!

Through Monday, Nov. 3 | Stepping up to meet our 10-year strategic plan goal of cultivating healthy communities and belonging for all — UVA Health launched its annual Socktober initiative on Oct. 1. This year's goal: collecting 20,000 new pairs for unhoused individuals. Team members can drop off new pairs of socks in Socktober bins at:

University Medical Center Cafeteria
Wahoo West Café
OR Cafe Lounge
Food and Nutrition Services ("0" level, University Hospital)
Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center
Good Grain Cafe, Orthopedic Center at Ivy Road
Cafe at 500 Fontaine

Two other ways to participate: the traditional department contest or the new Fill the Bin challenge. Read more about both on Connect. Generate interest: print and hang, or share electronically, a fun sock tracker and horizontal and vertical graphics. Questions? Contact Chadwick French.

Market Square

Weekly, Thursdays in October | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Courtyard at MR5 | Shop for fresh produce, beautiful flowers, unique crafts, and delicious eats from local food trucks. Questions? Contact George Minor, UVA HR, Rewards and Recognition. This week’s vendors include:

It’s Poppin Time (kettle corn)
Tealiscious Cafe (tea)
Racklett on the Run (cheese tots and sandwiches)
Mr. Baker (cakes)
Too Brave Coffee (coffee)
Miss Day Delights (desserts)
Encanto Homestead Farms (veggies and flowers)
RJ Courtney (woodwork)
Little Manila (Filipino food)
Mexican Tacos (tacos)

Serious Play: The Art of Frank Phillips

Through Friday, Nov. 19 | University Hospital Lobby | UVA Health Arts Program is pleased to present “Serious Play: The Art of Frank Phillips.” Pictured: “SPA 4,” acrylic and graphite on paper. Stop by and check it out!

October: Team Member and Health Awareness

To support UVA Health’s mission of transforming health and inspiring hope — each month, we’re recognizing team member and health awareness months, weeks, and days. See the list on Connect.

Micro Health Breaks

Through Friday, Nov. 21 | Join at any time. In just ten minutes, these engaging, virtual sessions offer benefits like improved flexibility, reduced anxiety, enhanced energy, and a stronger mind-body connection — perfect for fitting wellness into your busy day! Learn more.

2025 Michael J. Weber Symposium

Friday, Oct. 3 | 8 a.m.-2 p.m. | Claude Moore Medical Education Building Auditorium | The Michael J. Weber Symposium honors the life and accomplishments of the renowned scientist and UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center Director. This annual symposium brings together internationally renowned cancer researchers and clinicians to present their findings on a timely area of cancer research. The theme for the fifth annual symposium is “Drugging the Undruggable in Cancer.” Registration is free; breakfast and lunch will be provided. Details and registration.

UVA Health NICU Reunion

Saturday, Oct. 4 | 1-4 p.m. | Darden Towe Park | This is a cherished time for UVA Health team members to visit with our NICU graduates and their families. The event will include Moo Thru ice cream; a petting zoo; face painters; balloon animals; games put on by the Western Albemarle High School girls' basketball team; UVA Health therapy dogs; crafting with Bennett's Village; fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars from Albemarle County; NETs truck; Pegasus; photo opportunities and visiting time with Disney princesses; and a photo booth with a professional photographer. Register.

Join FEAP for SPARC of Hope 5K

Saturday, Oct. 18 | 8:30 a.m. | East End Farm (near Zion Crossroads) or virtual | As part of National Suicide Prevention Month, Faculty and Employee Assistance Program (FEAP) invites you to participate in the SPARC (Suicide Prevention Awareness and Resource Council) of Hope 5K — a free, community-wide event focused on hope, healing, and awareness. This year’s walk/run will feature Kevin Berthia as the keynote speaker, sharing his powerful story of resilience. Register as an individual, with family, or as part of a team. Questions? Contact sparchope@gmail.com or UVA FEAP team member Dominique McLaughlin.

Divorce Wellness Group

Start Tuesday, Oct. 21 | This five-week, virtual journey to healing offers a supporting place to learn self-care, build confidence and self-esteem, foster meaningful connections, and develop support networks. Learn more.

Managing Sad Thoughts and Feelings, and the Desire Not to Get Out of Bed

Tuesday, Oct. 28 | noon-1 p.m. | Zoom | Join UVA Commonwealth Professor of Psychology Bethany Teachman to learn how to change negative thinking patterns, reduce the tendency to withdraw when sad, and break big challenges into small, manageable steps. Hoos Well reward-eligible. Learn more and register.

UVA Health Cardiovascular Disease in Women Symposium

Saturday, Nov. 1 | 7 a.m.-4 p.m. | UVA Student Health & Wellness | Register | This educational program addresses critical gaps in clinician awareness and training regarding sex-specific differences in cardiovascular disease, such as SCAD, CMD, and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. It aims to improve the application of guideline-directed therapies and increase the representation of women in cardiovascular clinical trials, thus enhancing evidence-based care. The program will provide education on emerging diagnostic tools, risk stratification, and management strategies tailored to women's cardiovascular health. It also highlights systemic barriers and advocates for multidisciplinary care models to optimize outcomes and promotes increased participation of women in cardiovascular research. To receive 30% off the registration fee, use code CVW30PCT.

Continuing Medical Education: Free Training in LGBTQ+ Patient Centered Care

Deadline: Friday, Dec. 19 | As a participant in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index, UVA Health team members have access to more than 200 free, on-demand, CME-accredited LGBTQ+ training options. These include interactive eLearning courses and webinars (live and recorded) from the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center. To register for courses, use Facility ID: 55856 after clicking here.

All team members have access to participate in these free trainings (don’t forget to use our facility ID!) to improve care provided to patients seeking care at UVA Health. For more information, contact Bizz Glover.

Appreciation

UVA Health Earns Honor for Lending Hands: 2025 United Way Day of Caring, and Awards

United Way of Greater Charlottesville is honoring UVA Health with the 2025 Day of Caring Most Volunteer Teams Promoting Community Wellness Award.

United Way of Greater Charlottesville President and CEO Ravi Cooper presented UVA Health Chief Community Engagement and Health Outcomes Officer Tracy M. Downs, MD, FACS, with the award at the inaugural Day of Caring Volunteer Awards and Reception Sept. 25, 2025, at The Center at Belevdere auditorium.

Dr. Downs pointed out during the acceptance speech that Day of Caring supports UVA Health’s:

Mission of transforming health and inspiring hope.
Unifying vision to transform care, research, education, and engagement with the diverse communities we serve.
Strategic plan initiative of philanthropy and resource stewardship.
Strategic plan goal of cultivating healthy communities and belonging for all — positively impacting health outcomes through community engagement.

He also recited a poem entitled "The Selfless Souls," that, as he described, "beautifully captures the spirit of volunteering, written by an anonymous contributor and featured in a curated collection of poems celebrating volunteers."

Thank you to all who participated! Read more on Connect.

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UVA Health Update | Oct. 1, 2025