Return to Main Menu

Cardiologist captures award for listening by Heather Woolwine Public Relations One of the most common patient complaints in today’s health care system is that physicians just don’t take the time to sit and really listen to a patient’s concerns, questions or comments. The most recent winner of the Monthly Magnetic M.D. Award, cardiologist James Glenn, was cited not only for the way he heals patients’ hearts, but also praised for his exceptional ability to hear what his patients are saying.     His award, also known as the M-cubed award, was developed to honor outstanding physicians deemed by their peers, colleagues and patients as “a cut above other physicians” as part of MUSC’s continuous pursuit of excellence, said Pam Smith, R.N., Nurse Alliance chair and Children’s Emergency Department clinical operations coordinator. Each month, nominations are submitted via intranet at http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/formsToolbox/DocAward/. A subgroup of the leadership council considers nominations following a process to remove identifiers and ensure fairness. The nominations are restarted at the beginning of the month, so if a physician does not win during a particular month, then staff may nominate him or her again.   Glenn came to MUSC several years ago after privately practicing cardiology for decades. His nomination said, “Over and over each week, we hear from his patients (who followed him over to MUSC) how much they depend on him, value him, etc.”   Kris Douglas, R.N., Nurse Alliance chair-elect, left, and Pam Smith, R.N., current Nurse Alliance chair, present Dr. James Glenn with the M-cubed award.   Described as well-respected and very courteous to all who work with him, Glenn’s patients form a bond with him like that of a stable and loving family member.  “His patients speak of him in a loving way and often say what a wonderful man he is as well as being an excellent physician,” the nomination continued.    A humble and approachable man, Glenn consistently sets a good example for all his colleagues and is very thorough in his assessment of each patient. His nomination concluded, “He is also a very good listener, which is often lost in these busy times. He heals in many ways.”   Recipients of the award receive a certificate recognizing their achievement, as well as a bag of M&Ms. “Typically, in the medical community, these initials are seen in a negative way because they mean morbidity and mortality,” Smith said. “Physicians who present at M&M are typically in the hot seat during their presentation because of the complex issues involved, so to put a positive spin on these typically negative initials, we present them with the bag of candy.”     Friday, Dec. 15, 2006 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 catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.