Category: Uncategorized

Spotlight: Barbara Harrison

Barbara Harrison has worked in the UNMC Department of Psychiatry for the last 23 years. Along with her role as a medical scheduler, she also helps organize the annual July picnic and the fall event at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch. What is your role in the Department of Psychiatry? My title/job is Medical scheduler. When I […]

Oct 31, 2019

Emerson co-authors article on eliminating waiting lists

Maggie Emerson, Advanced Practice Practitioners (APPs) Lead for the Department of Psychiatry, co-authored a journal entry on “How a Health Center Eliminated the Waiting List for Psychiatric Services.” Emerson wrote the article with Shannon Kinnan, M.D., John Kern, M.D., and Anna Ratzliff, M.D. The article appears on Psychiatryonline.com. “Improving access to psychiatric care is a […]

Oct 28, 2019

Psychiatry Department receives high marks from Joint Commission

On Oct. 11, Nebraska Medicine, including the Department of Psychiatry, earned Behavioral Health Care Accreditation from the Joint Commission. On Aug. 14, members of the Joint Commission visited the Department of Psychiatry, and a site visitor conducted a detailed review of five cases encompassing the Intensive Outpatient Program and Poynter Hall.  In addition, the visitor […]

Oct 28, 2019

Fighting stigma and building a career treating substance use disorders

When Alëna A. Balasanova, M.D., began her psychiatry residency at Boston University, she encountered patients with SUD the way all too many people do—with judgment: “I wanted to treat patients with depression and anxiety—I didn’t sign up to treat people with a drug addiction, I held some very stigmatizing beliefs.” Over the course of her […]

Oct 10, 2019

Spotlight: Emily Guthrie

Emily was born and raised in Omaha. She graduated from Xenon International with a degree in Cosmetology. Emily joined the Intensive Outpatient Program in 2018 as the IOP’s first medical receptionist. Why did you choose to work for the Department of Psychiatry? I chose to work for psychiatry when my previous employer closed their Omaha […]

Sep 13, 2019

Dr. Sheritta Strong set to receive 2019 College of Medicine Early Career Achievement Award

Dr. Sheritta Strong has been honored with the 2019 College of Medicine Early Career Achievement Award. The award is given by the UNMC College of Medicine Alumni Council to an alumnus who has demonstrated marked achievement and contributions to the field of medicine in the first twenty years of his or her career. Dr. Strong […]

Sep 13, 2019

Dr. Sharon Hammer honored by the State of Nebraska

This summer, Sharon Hammer, M.D. was honored by Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts for her excellence and innovation in delivering services to Nebraska Medicaid recipients. Gov. Ricketts named Dr. Hammer as one of three recipients of the inaugural Nebraska Medicaid Provider Award. Dr. Hammer was recognized for the establishment of the state’s first psychiatric service line […]

Sep 13, 2019

Department stays ahead of new BH trends

The Department of Psychiatry continues to look at new ways to increase patient access to quality care. Dr. David Cates, Vice-Chair for Clinical Services in the Department of Psychiatry, says there are a lot of national trends that predict more patients needing psychiatric care. Dr. Cates said SG2, a national healthcare consulting group, published a […]

Sep 13, 2019

Psychiatry Department supports Out of the Darkness walk

More than a dozen Department of Psychiatry staff members walked together on Sept. 8 to raise awareness and funds that allow the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to invest in new research, create educational programs, advocate for public policy, and support survivors of suicide loss. Nearly 6,000 people participated in the Out of the […]

Sep 13, 2019

Dr. Howard Liu co-authors paper on social media

Department of Psychiatry Chair Dr. Howard Liu has co-authored a paper to show how social media skills can increase professional development in psychiatry and medicine. Dr. Liu (Twitter handle: @DrHowardLiu) has long had a substantial presence on social media sites like Twitter and professional networking sites like LinkedIn. Currently, Dr. Liu has nearly 10,000 followers […]

Aug 15, 2019