2020: News Archive
The most vital IT investments today are the boring ones: Michigan Medicine CIO on remote work, automation, and data analytics
Michigan Medicine CIO Andrew Rosenberg, MD, is focused on finding methods to sustain the unprecedented level of remote work and clinical care during the pandemic while keeping an eye on the data analytics and IT investments the system will need to drive efficiencies and cost-savings in the future.
New MiChart Video Visit Transition Rescheduled for August 20
Effective Thursday, August 20, all MiChart Video Visits will transition to the new Zoom platform. Most of the video visit connection workflow will remain the same: the patient and provider will still connect via the patient portal or MiChart, but when the visit is launched the Zoom app will open in the background to enable to the visit.
ALERT: Update IE and Windows for vulnerabilities
The information below was sent to U-M IT groups on August 12, 2020. It is intended for U-M IT staff who are responsible for university devices or servers running Microsoft Windows, Windows Server, or Internet Explorer 11. It also applies to individuals who use Windows or Internet Explorer on their own computers.
Citrix Receiver upgrade begins Monday, August 17
From Monday, August 17 through August 27 Citrix Receiver (used to access MiChart) will be upgraded to a new version called Citrix Workspace on all Windows Core devices where it is currently installed.
New MiChart Video Visits Starting August 12
Effective Wednesday, August 12, Zoom will be integrated into MiChart Video Visits.
U.S. News & World Report: Michigan Medicine ranked No. 11 in the U.S. and best in Michigan
Five specialties in adult hospitals ranked in national top 10; nationally recognized for multiple services.
Michigan Medicine’s adult hospitals were ranked best in Michigan and 11th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” rankings for 2020-21. This distinguished honor reflects excellence in patient care.
Fall MiChart System Upgrade Coming October 18, 2020
The next MiChart upgrade is planned for Sunday, October 18, 2020. This will be the second planned upgrade for 2020 with a goal to reduce downtime duration and impact to the organization.
Research Computing Package now easier to use
The Research Computing Package (RCP) received some updates for fiscal year 2021 - making it easier than ever to get started with high-performance computing.
Amid restricted visitor policies, Zoom and FaceTime are a lifeline
It goes without saying that COVID-19 changed many things at Michigan Medicine. One major change has been the restricted hospital visitor policy, significantly limiting the number of people and time visitors can spend with a patient. For clinicians, this has upended patient-family communications, typically conducted face-to-face.
ALERT: Apply Microsoft Update for Vulnerability in Windows DNS Server
This information is intended for U-M IT staff who are responsible for Windows Domain Name System (DNS) servers.
NOTICE: Watch for phishing emails impersonating payroll office
A number of people at U-M have reported receiving a phishing email that claims to be from the U-M Payroll Office following up about a payroll error. This is a scam. The emails are not from the Payroll Office.
No U-M "data breach"—U-M user info used on 3rd party sites exposed
A list of U-M usernames and passwords exposed in various past data breaches at non-university sites and services was made publicly available in the last day or so.
NOTICE: Racist emails received at U-M and other universities
Over the weekend (June 20-21, 2020), people at universities across the country, including the University of Michigan, received a racist email that appeared to come from Equity Prime Mortgage, a company based in Atlanta, Georgia. A webform on the company's site was abused in order to send the disturbing emails. The FBI is investigating.
Introducing Dropbox at U-M
A new, cloud-based storage option is available to Michigan Medicine: Dropbox at U-M.
MiChart Upgrade a Success
The latest system upgrade for MiChart, Michigan Medicine's electronic health record, was successfully completed at 3:40 a.m. on Saturday, June 13.
MiChart Upgrade is this Saturday, June 13, 2020
This Saturday, June 13, is the next upgrade for MiChart, the electronic health system for Michigan Medicine. The June upgrade, rescheduled from April, is the first planned upgrade for 2020 with a goal to reduce downtime duration and impact to the organization
"How can we help?" HITS steps up services and support during the pandemic
Fast. Efficient. Innovative. Responsive. All describe how Health Information Technology & Services (HITS) worked behind the scenes to make the immediate and necessary adjustments to accommodate the COVID-19 outbreak.
NOTICE: Increase in emails impersonating U-M deans and other employees
The information below was sent to U-M IT groups through email May 27, 2020. Please share this information with those in your unit as appropriate.
Rescheduled MiChart system upgrade coming June 13: Training materials available
The next MiChart upgrade is planned for Saturday, June 13. The June upgrade, rescheduled from April, is the first planned upgrade for 2020 with a goal to reduce downtime duration and impact to the organization.
NOTICE: Online extortion scams increasing during COVID-19 pandemic
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has seen an increase in online extortion scams, and U-M is experiencing a similar increase.
NOTICE: COVID-19 phishing and scams at U-M
Members of the U-M community are reporting phishing emails related to COVID-19 that appear to come from U-M leaders.
NOTICE: Protect your Zoom meetings against Zoombombing
The information below was sent to U-M IT groups via email on March 31, 2020. It is intended for all members of the university community.
Web browser security update may affect some applications
Most web browsers used by Michigan Medicine will be updating their security to fix vulnerabilities. Please contact your IT Service Provider if you experience any issues with applications that use these browsers.
IA Advisory: Action required to continue accessing applications which use Michigan Medicine SAML/SSO Identity Provider Service before April 21, 2020
Summary: This message is intended for HITS staff whose applications use the Michigan Medicine SAML/SSO Identity Provider service (weblogin.med.umich.edu).
HITS adds Remote Desktop Access, new online “Virtual Assistant” to help remote workers stay connected, productive
Note: For more remote work-related services and support, visit the HITS Tech Guide to Working Remotely.