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Rumor Mill separates fact from fiction MUHA Pay Raises Rumor: Following is additional information received by the Rumor Mill about MUHA pay raises. Truth: MUHA is not subject to the state pay plan. In recent years MUHA has provided performance pay when the state pay plan did not provide a general increase or merit pay for university employees. MUHA’s fiscal year 05/06 performance-based pay plan is posted on the Medical Center Human Resources Web site (http://mcintranet.musc.edu/hr). Pay increases will be effective in January 2006 based on the most recent performance evaluation. Increases will range from 2 percent, 3.3 percent and 5 percent. Contact your manager or Susan Carullo (792-1684) or Rosie V. Smith (792-7516) of the Human Resources office for additional details. Uniforms Rumor: I have heard that nursing is moving to designated uniforms so that we can be recognized by patients and staff. Truth: MUHA administrators decided that as an organization we should develop a dress code for staff because a well designed professional dress code program will promote professionalism and patient safety. Also, patient recognition of care givers and support staff will increase patient satisfaction. Currently a group of more than 40 staff is working on a dress code under the leadership of June Darby. They will be putting the choices for the disciplines affected on line as a survey to let the staff vote for their preferred uniform. The disciplines affected include: clinical services: Children’s Hospital, IOP, and ambulatory care RNs, LPNs, CAs, PCTs, TAs, END Techs, dental assistants and administrative staff in patient care areas. Also, it will include lab, occupational therapy, radiation oncology, radiology, respiratory therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and laundry. The main OR, ambulatory OR, Women’s Services and the Heart Center will continue to wear the same color scrubs they currently wear. The new dress code will not go into effect until the new hospital is open. This will allow all staff plenty of time to transition to the new dress code. On-Call Pay Rumor: I have heard that on-call pay ( carrying a beeper) was to be increased from $2 an hour to $3. Truth: The on-call rate of pay for the Medical Center increased from $2/hr to $3/hr effective July 10. Each department determines which employees are eligible to receive on-call pay based on certain criteria, such as providing direct patient care. Contact Susan Carullo, compensation and employment manager, should you have other questions. New Library Rumor: I hear that a new library is planned for the new hospital campus under development. Truth: At this time, there are no plans to move the library from its current location. New Transitional Care Unit Rumor: Is it true that the new transitional care unit (TCU) is moving to the old Health Professions building? Truth: There are no plans to move the TCU, located in CMH, to the old Health Professions building. There is a group reviewing the space that will be vacated when Phase 1 of the new hospital opens. The TCU is one of the units being considered for relocation to vacated space in the main hospital, but no decisions have been made. New Hospital Construction Rumor: Is it true that the new hospital’s foundation has been found to be inadequate and cracking? I understand that the pilings that were driven are now cracking under the weight of the structure being erected. Truth: No, this rumor is incorrect. While a few of the concrete pilings have been broken through the course of construction and excavation, their failure has in no way been related to an inability to support the weight of any structure. In these events we have replaced steel reinforced concrete pilings with solid steel pilings and the development of the structural foundation to support the building has proceeded. As an added support for the building, every group of pilings that is used to support a single column of steel in the building will be tied together at the ground level with a structural, steel reinforced, concrete slab. This layer of stability, combined with the greater than 1,800 pilings below grade, will provide an added safety factor to the lateral and horizontal loads of the foundation. Retirement Rumor: I have heard that the university does pay pensions at retirement. Are counseling sessions available? Truth: Employees serving in benefits eligible positions at MUSC and MUHA are enrolled in a retirement program at time of hire, or when transferred into a benefits eligible position. To draw a retirement benefit, employees must meet certain conditions. If you have questions regarding your eligibility for participation in the retirement program and the requirements necessary to draw a retirement benefit, please contact the either the MUHA Human Resources Department at 792-1208, or the MUSC Human Resources Department  at 792-4674. Resident Work Hours Rumor: I have heard that the residents have new work hour rules? I see residents working a lot and am concerned. Truth: The hours are the same this year as last. In July 2003, the ACGME, the national organization who is responsible for accrediting the U.S. graduate medical education (i.e., residency) programs, instituted a new set of rules and regulations regarding the amount of time residents can spend in the hospital or clinic taking care of patients. This set of rules and regulations are known as the ACGME Duty Hours. They are designed to minimize stress and fatigue among residents that can result from excessively long hours engaged in patient care activities. There are four basic rules: 1) A resident cannot be assigned to a hospital or clinic for more than 80 hours in a given week (this is averaged over a four week period) 2) If a resident is assigned to be in the hospital for a 24-hour period to care for patients, the resident must leave the facility within six hours following the 24-hour in-house call period. 3) A resident must have one day in seven free from all patient care and educational activities related to his/her residency program (this is averaged over a four week period—so basically four days a month). 4) A resident should have a 10 hour period between the end of one day’s duty assignment and the start of the next day’s duty assignment (e.g., if a resident leaves the hospital or clinic at 9 p.m., he/she should not be expected to return until after 7 a.m. the next day). If you have any questions, visit the ACGME’s Web site http://www.acgme.org or contact the MUSC GME Office at 792-0761. Pay Checks Rumor: I heard that all paychecks (employee and faculty) will be issued twice a month and no paper check stubs will be provided. I heard there will be an online site for checking the details of one’s payroll deductions. Truth: A long-term goal of the university has been to utilize technology to become more efficient. Recent technological advances have allowed us to create process efficiencies that were previously not possible. A good example of this is “My Paystub,” where paystubs can be viewed from January 2003 through to the present. Paystubs are even able to be viewed several days before payday. My Paystub can be accessed using your MUSC MNA account at http://www.musc.edu/hrm/myrecords.htm. These technologies are being presented to campus constituencies in order to gain consensus as to how best to use them. While discussions have so far rendered a number of solutions (bi-weekly paychecks for all employees being just one of them), a final decision has not been made. The process of obtaining feedback from different campus constituencies regarding the best way to serve our customers will provide invaluable input. A comprehensive plan will be developed from the input received. Reproduced from http://www.musc.edu/rumor/.     Friday, , 2005 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.