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Currents Congratulations to Terry Byers, R.N., 10 West, and Elizabeth Cowley of the Institute of Psychiatry for being selected APPLAUSE winners for the fourth quarter of 1999. Their acts of caring and kindness, which are highlighted below, exemplify what the APPLAUSE program is all about. The APPLAUSE program began in 1996 and has been a success, thanks to the great participation of many employees and the APPLAUSE committee. The program recognizes employees who go the extra mile to provide quality service and patient care. Approximately 150 APPLAUSE cards are completed and submitted each month. January 2000 was an exceptional month, with 199 APPLAUSE cards.  Hats off to everyone who has received an award or who has submitted an APPLAUSE card for great work. As communicated in numerous Currents newsletters, the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) and increasing levels of indigent care have adversely affected our financial situation. This fiscal year, the management and financial accountability for Charleston Memorial Hospital (CMH) transferred from the university to the Medical Center. The BBA's reduction in disproportionate share funding has hit CMH particularly hard.  The Medical Center's financial goal is to complete this fiscal year with a positive fund balance.  This will be a challenge.  We cannot count on relief from Washington or the state to fulfill this goal. We need to continue special measures to control costs. The hiring moratorium will remain in place, and we will continue to scrutinize any requests for exceptions. All travel must stop—unless it is absolutely necessary for the operation of the Medical Center. We will continue to reassign CMH employees to various Medical Center departments to align resources with service needs. We are considering other opportunities for significant cost-cutting measures. Our challenge is to reduce costs while continuing to provide the highest quality of care and to preserve employment.  This will require some difficult decision-making. Thank you very much.  W. Stuart Smith Vice President for Clinical Operations and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center Award winners announced for fourth quarter of 1999   Lanie Shuler, administrative resident, presented the A.R.E.A./APPLAUSE awards for the fourth quarter of 1999. The following people received a plaque and a gift certificate: Terry Byers, R.N., 10 West, The wife of a patient who was severely depressed and malnourished recognized Terry for giving the patient a large box of Milk Duds, the only food he wanted. The patient's wife said this small act of kindness reconnected her husband to the real world, a connection that had been missing for many months. Elizabeth Cowley, MUSC Institute of Psychiatry, Many fellow employees recognized Elizabeth for her demonstration of compassion, warmth and caring for patients and family members.  Children especially respond to her caring nature. Elizabeth also was able to get a tiller donated to the IOP to help with a garden program. APPLE Form Susan Carullo, manager of Medical Center Employment, Compensation and Employee Relations, reviewed the new authorization to post positions leading to employment form (APPLE). The APPLE form helps establish uniform procedures for the evaluation and selection of qualified personnel for Medical Center positions. Managers and directors should immediately begin using the form, which is available from the University Press (OTC No. 804251). If you have questions about the form, call Alpa Vyas at 792-0605.