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To Medical Center Employees:
At the July 30 communications meeting Al Nesmith, director, Safety and Security, introduced Rob Fowler, chief meteorologist for Channel 2. In recent years Mr. Fowler has provided the Medical Center with the most up-to-date weather information throughout the hazardous weather periods. We are deeply grateful for his outstanding service. 

Mr. Fowler told the management team that in April 2002 the national forecast called for eleven named storms and seven hurricanes, two of which were forecast to be major hurricanes. The weather service will soon update the forecast and this information will be widely disseminated. Mr. Fowler noted that for the past two years there have been no major landfall hurricanes and this is highly unusual. The “take away” message is we must all be prepared.  Additional information is highlighted below.

Thank you very much. 

W. Stuart Smith
Vice President for Clinical Operations
and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center
 
 

MUSC hurricane preparedness update, revisions

“Be prepared. Get ready.” That was the message regarding hurricane season at the July 30 communications meeting, which featured presentations from MUSC safety and security director Alonzo Nesmith and Channel 2 chief meteorologist Rob Fowler.

Though hurricane season began June 1, the months when conditions are most likely to produce serious storms that threaten the Lowcountry are August and September, according to authorities. Nesmith provided updates on MUSC’s preparedness plan, including staffing issues, weather emergency plans, childcare and pet care.

Nesmith also noted that some minor changes are being made to policies related to weather emergencies (Medical Center Staffing During Emergencies and Disasters Policy A-42; Medical Center Weather Emergency Plan Policy A-64; and Medical Center Human Resources Hazardous Weather and Emergencies Policy 13) for purposes of clarity and to add the number for the employee general and emergency information line. 

The draft listing of departmental contacts for the general and emergency information cards (“green cards”) was issued to the management team for review and verification.  Hope Colyer, manager, Referral Call Center, will provide the designated departmental contacts with instructions on how to record information on the line(s) to enable employees to access return-to-work instructions and other details.  The employee general and emergency information cards (“green cards”) with departmental information lines listed will soon be printed and distributed throughout the Medical Center.

Nesmith encouraged all staff to make provisions for their pets away from MUSC. Limited arrangements are available for pets belonging to MUSC family members based on a first-come-first-serve basis. “Please deal with your pets in advance,” Nesmith said. A list of pet shelters is available through University Risk Management.

Childcare services are available to MUSC employees, but also on a limited basis. “Try to handle childcare outside MUSC,” Nesmith said. “But we know that’s not always possible. So we will have the ability to provide childcare on a limited basis.”

Nesmith distributed a weather emergency information packet which included a designated employee supplies list for Team A (primary response team) and Team B (relief team) members; hurricane season shelter list, emergency worker placards (for access to parking facilities and local travel in case access is limited by law enforcement); pet care specifics, along with locations of pet shelters.

Fowler, representing Channel 2, said the station is better equipped now than ever before for tracking and communicating information about hurricane activity. “We’ll continue to broadcast throughout any storm activity,” Fowler said.

He told the management team to make sure they and their staff are prepared both professionally and personally in the event of a weather emergency. He reminded the team that a tropical storm watch means that a storm threatens coastal areas within 36 hours. A tropical storm warning means that specific coastal areas may expect tropical storm conditions within 24 hours. Tropical storms have winds between 39 - 73 mph and a distinct low pressure area that is well defined by a rotating circulation. When that occurs, the storm is given a name.

Fowler urged everyone not to make a decision about evacuation based on experiences with Hurricane Floyd. “Each case is different. Every storm has different characteristics,” he said, adding that Gov. Hodges has given assurances that evacuation plans will be carried out in ways that will prevent the congestion and delays that occurred during Hurricane Floyd.

Fowler also said that bigger, faster stronger computers and better aircraft are available to track storms, and provide more accurate advanced warnings.

Monthly paid Hospital Authority employees will be paid biweekly
Effective Oct. 1, monthly paid Hospital Authority Employees will be compensated on a biweekly pay schedule. Ralph Greene, director of Hospital Fiscal Services, presented the plan, indicating that the decision to convert monthly to biweekly pay comes because 93 - 94 percent of Hospital Authority employees are already paid biweekly. 

“We analyzed data from peer institutions,” Greene said. “We’re in the worst quartile in comparison with our peer institutions with respect to the number of payrolls.”

The change will directly impact some 370 employees. Greene explained that the following payroll deduction adjustments will be made to facilitate this transition:

Direct deposit deductions—All monthly paid employees who have direct deposits into secondary accounts (fixed amounts) will have those amounts changed to half the current amount.  For example, if you have $100 going into a secondary direct deposit account it will automatically change to $50 each biweekly pay date. Occasionally there are months with three biweekly pay dates (occurs twice a year) in which you will have $150 deposited into your secondary direct deposit account.

Net pay will continue automatically to be deposited into the account that you originally authorized on the direct deposit authorization. You do not need to make any changes for direct deposit or complete any forms, unless you want to do the following: stop direct deposit, change a bank account number or make a totally different change to your secondary account. If you wish to change or stop a direct deposit, you must notify the Payroll Department in writing by Friday, Sept. 13, by using the direct deposit authorization form. If changing bank account numbers and/or banks, you will receive at least one, possibly two paychecks before the deposit starts to the new account/bank. Please contact Kay Passailaigue at 792-8076 for further instructions.

If you have automatic drafts or payments, such as mortgage payments, car payments, insurance drafts, or utility payments that may be affected by this change from monthly to biweekly pay dates, we strongly encourage you to contact appropriate institutions to consider a change on bank draft dates.

Additional tax withholdings (Federal and State) (W-4)—Additional taxes withheld will continue with the biweekly pay dates, unless a new W-4 Form is completed in Human Resources by Friday, Sept. 13. 

Example: If you have $100 additional taxes withheld from your monthly paycheck along with your normal tax withholdings, you will have $100 additional taxes withheld each biweekly paycheck. Are you going to be okay with this additional tax add on amount? If not please contact Human Resources to complete a new W-4 Form. The new W-4 Form will need to have an effective date of Oct. 1, which will not be updated in the system until you have been paid your last monthly pay check on Sept. 30. 

Prorated deductions for the first two pay dates of every month
Examples include: parking, insurance, bankruptcy, student wellness, deferred compensation plans, 401K, annuities, and 403B’s. Also miscellaneous deductions, such as jewelry, YES Program/United Way, weight management, American Amicable, Continental Insurance, and credit unions.

Certain mandatory deductions will be withheld every payday (even the third pay date of a month)
Examples include: child support, SCRS installment loans, tax levies, defaulted student loans, and direct deposit specified amounts (secondary accounts).

If you wish to change or stop a direct deposit, a blank deposit authorization form is available online and can be returned to Kay Passailaigue/Payroll Department (Room 216/Clinical Sciences Building).

E-mail your questions to the following staff members:

  • Kay Passaliaigue—Direct deposit, annuities, 401k’s, bankruptcy and miscellaneous deductions (792-8076).
  • Peggy Loyd—Child support and parking (792-3847)
  • Alyssa Smith—Insurance questions (M-Z) (792-8672)
  • Paula Barrineau—Insurance questions (A-L) (792-2035)
  • Vickie Nash—Kronos Security and Training for Exempt (953-8744)
 Each timekeeper who handles exempt employees and each monthly employee will be receiving correspondence to complete all details needed for Kronos implementation.

Medication security is focus for August
As part of ongoing efforts to enhance patient safety efforts and maintain continuous survey readiness, the Medical Center has developed a “focus of the month.” 

A different topic has been identified for each month for organizational review. August’s focus is on medication security. Rosemary Ellis gave a policy review overview on several areas including the fall prevention policy.

Medical Center Departmental Directory is online
The departmental directory is now on the Medical Center Intranet.  Printed copies will be available soon.
 

Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.