Rumor
Mill separates fact from fiction
Gil's Grill
Rumor: I keep hearing that the Mustard
Seed restaurant is going to take over operations at the old Gil's Grill
in the Harper Student Center. What's the status of a new food service opening
there?
Truth: The Mustard Seed at Gills Grill
opened July 8 and will be serving breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m., and
lunch from 11 to 3 p.m.
UMA Conversion
Rumor: I have been told that the reason
the financial counselors (FC) are not part of the conversion is because
they work for doctors. Schedulers also work for the doctors. Unlike FC's
who actually work with the patients, and or parents first hand, we
do not. also I have been told that our years of service with UMA do not
count for anything, that those years are lost. How true is this?
Truth: The conversion or transfer of UMA
Ambulatory Care employees to the Medical University Hospital Authority
is required under new provider-based regulations issued by the Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) (HCFA's) regional office. Provider-based
status has been an important part of the provision of outpatient services
provided by hospitals.
Designation of an entity as provider-based as opposed to “freestanding”
allows the entity to appropriately allocate costs and bill for services
where more than one type of provider activity is taking place with the
same entity. Essentially, by designating our Ambulatory Care Clinics as
provider-based, physicians are able to bill for the professional services
they provided while the Hospital Authoirty can bill for the technical fee,
allowing recovery of the diagnostic services as well as overhead assoicated
with the clinics. If we don't meet the requirements outlined in the
new regulations, we will not be able to bill for all services provided.
The Hospital Authority currently funds the Ambulatory Care Clinic operations
which includes approximately 475 employees who work in support of the outpatient
clinic system. The provisions of this special arrangement are outlined
in the Ambulatory Care Agreement which is essentially a management services
agreement between the Hospital Authority and University Medical Associates
for managing the operation of our outpatient clinics.
While the schedulers are funded by the Hospital Authority, the financial
counselors are funded through the UMA and, therefore, are not subject to
the new Federal regulations. In regard to the years of service with the
UMA, they do count toward retirement and PTO accrual.
Special sessions have been conducted for all of our Ambulatory Care
employees affected by this transition and a full explanation of policies
pertaining to employment, compensation, leave, retirement, health benefits,
performance management, grievance procedure and other policies has been
provided. Individual sessions have been scheduled for employees who have
needed assistance in planning for this transition. Special measures were
taken concerning retirement. Among other things, Ambulatory Care employees
who were required to transfer will be 100 percent vested, regardless of
years of service, in their current plan.
A number of benefits briefings have been conducted to familiarize concerned
employees with the new retirement options available and individual meetings
with benefits staff can be arranged by contacting Katy Kuder or Janet Browning
of the Medical Center Human Resources office.
Also, the “Blue Book” that summarizes human resource issues including
benefits matters is available to all employees.
Pay Raises
Rumor: We have heard that there will be
no more merit raises for employees. Also, that we will not receive a cost
of living raise this year. How will we receive raises, or will we ever
receive another one?
Truth: The FY 2002-2003 Appropriations
Act did not include an employee pay plan that provided for either cost
of living increases and/or merit raises this fiscal year. Legislators determine
and must authorize such increases for State employees each fiscal year.
State agencies will be officially notified next June (2003) of the probability
of any cost of living or merit adjustments for the next Fiscal Year (2003-2004).
This fiscal year, employees may still receive salary increases, if
appropriate and approved through appropriate administrative channels, as
the result of a promotion, reclassification, or in-band increase for exceptional
performance, additional knowledge/skills or additional duties. However,
the ongoing state budget challenges make current fiscal year pay
adjustments most difficult.
Parking
Rumor: I was wondering why so many of
our employees have handicapped parking hang tags in their cars and park
at meters all day long? It seems that if we have this many employees with
special needs we should try to make more handicapped spots available to
them.
Truth: Because many of the vehicles displaying
handicap placards are parked oncity streets for six to eight hours during
the normal workdays at meters in the immediate MUSC neighborhoods, it is
reasonable to assume that many of these vehicles are driven by MUSC employees
and students. It has been brought to our attention that two types of individuals
make up this group: 1) legitimately handicapped individuals who are parking
legally on handicap placards issued in their names, and 2) individuals
who are not handicapped and are illegally using handicap placards issued
to someone else. The city police has jurisdiction over these streets and
is responsible for enforcing the appropriate laws. We have been told that
the number of those illegally parked each day could be substantial, but
we have no way to verify this as fact. When a handicapped permit is displayed
on a vehicle parked at a city meter, the parker is not required to put
money in the meter. This is state law. When you consider also the convenient
location of such spaces, the motivation for some to abuse the system becomes
apparent.
The major remedy for this type of abuse is vigilant enforcement of rules
by the city with the large fines levied on those illegially using handicapped
permits.
In non-public, reserved parking operations where a monthly fee is charged,
such as the MUSC employee and student reserved parking systems, handicapped
and temporarily disabled individuals are accommodated; but they are required
to pay the same fee as those paid by non-handicapped users.
Handicapped individuals who do not wish to or cannot afford to pay for
parking have the option of parking in a marked handicap space in the university's
free parking system and utilizing MUSC's transit service which is accessible
to those with mobility impairments.
Parking Management has provided parking for hundreds of handicapped
and temporarily disabled individuals over the years, and currently has
more than 120 registered in the reserved and commuter parking systems.
The university offers parking services to handicapped employees and students
upon notification by the individual that special accommodations are requested
and upon presentation of appropriate supporting documentation.
The location of individual parking assignments is made based on
the handicapped or disabled employee's needs and limitations. The availability
of this assistance is published in the MUSC Parking and Traffic Rules and
Regulations.
Robots
Rumor: Do those lab robots really save
the hospital money? Would it not be cheaper to hire someone to run blood
products between floors?
Truth: The two robots function seven days
per week, 24 hours per day. The annual cost of the robots is less than
that of hiring a minimum of five to six people whose lunch breaks and paid
time off would have to be covered by having nurses or laboratory technologists
transport the products.
Both of these groups of health care professionals already are experiencing
serious staffing shortages. More than a year ago, we began the process
of installing "secure send" software for tube stations throughout the medical
center that enables blood products to be sent to nursing units via the
tube system safely and rapidly. This project should be completed in less
than two years. At that time, the robots will be discontinued.
Hollings Pile Driving
Rumor: Does anyone know how long the pile
driving to build the new Hollings Cancer Center will last? No one seems
to know, and it affects a lot of people (Hollings, Quadrangle, part of
the hospital).
Truth: The current HCC pile driving schedule
indicates completion of the work on Aug. 15. Adverse weather or other technical
issues could extend that schedule, but we do not anticipate any such delays
as of this writing.
Raises
Rumor: The answer to the question related
to cost of living and merit raises only pertains to state employees
and not the Hospital Authtority employees who are receiving merit
increases as was recently announced. Is this correct?
Truth: You are correct. The response pertained
only to state employees.
Background Checks
Rumor: Volunteer services requires that
all interested parties undergo a police background check. In contrast,
this is not required for employees or students. Why is this so, especially
since staff and students have access to such sensitive information (e.g.,
confidential patient records)?
Truth: Currently the Medical Center Security Department makes arrangements
for background checks for all Medcial Center employees and volunteers.
The university has given consideration to conducting background checks
on students and faculty but to date no final decision has been made. While
physicians are not currently subject to the same type background checks
as Medical Center employees, the credentialing process is exhaustive and
among other things includes a review of work history, licensure status,
board certification and any professional discilinary action.
4 Eye Observation Unit
Rumor: Will the 4 Eye Observation Unit
be relocating to 2 East, become a Medical Surgical Unit, and operate on
weekends?
Truth: Discussions are occurring about
how to best utilize the 2 East space once the flooring project is completed.
We look forward to the increased capacity that 2 East will provide. However,
no decisions have been made at this time.
Reproduced from http://www.musc.edu/rumor/.
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