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CurrentsTo Medical Center Employees:Our MUSC Excellence initiative includes training in a number of best practices including “key words at key times.” We are now beginning to roll out a best practice called “AIDET” which stands for Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation and Thank You.AIDET is a framework for staff to communicate with patients, families and each other. AIDET is a powerful but simple technique that enables us to connect with patients and customers. Through use of key words, clinical staff can give patients assurance that they are in good hands and support departments can enhance their services. The management team has been exposed to some limited AIDET training. More training is planned for the management team in the weeks ahead. Also, this week our Studer Group coach, Don Dean, will provide AIDET training for the entire Radiology Department. As we move forward we will conduct AIDET training throughout the organization. Through implementation of AIDET we will reduce patient anxiety, improve clinical outcomes, and increase patient and staff satisfaction. We will be routinely reporting on our progress with AIDETand other MUSC Excellence initiatives as we move forward. Thank you very much for your support. W. Stuart Smith Vice President for Clinical Operations and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center JCAHO update, BAT program announcedLisa Montgomery, vice president for Finance and Administration opened the meeting reading a letter of recognition written by a patient to Department of Therapeutic Services and Physical Therapy director Erica Rouvalis praising staff physical therapist Angela Works. The letter written by a patient suffering from Parkinson’s Disease recognized Works’ service and expertise as she worked to regain muscle use, strength and independence resulting from progression with the disease. Mustering all of her courage and strengthened by Works’ guidance, she managed to gain confidence and improver her quality of life once again and was especially grateful.JCAHO Update Lois Kerr, accreditation manager, reviewed some Joint Commission survey points and reminders for department managers in preparation for the upcoming visit. Managers are encouraged to use a variety of educational resources available via the intranet to prepare staff including the survey response plan, JCAHO tips, various presentations, a Jeopardy review game, rounding questions, plus other tools are available. Kerr emphasized the importance of staff’s ability to locate and access policies, procedures and other resources at the time of survey (electronic or hard copy). She also reviewed a JCAHO change in policy issued in 2005 requiring accredited hospitals to meet two obligations: first, to inform staff of their right to report unresolved issues/concerns regarding patient safety/care directly through JCAHO. Kerr reminded the audience that staff review this information during orientation under the compliance piece, review during the annual update and intranet. Second, hospitals are also required to inform the general public that they, too, may contact JCAHO regarding patient safety concerns/care. This policy replaces a previous one to publicly announce an impending survey. Kerr identified and reviewed three sentinel pieces to the JCAHO survey process—documentation, staff competency folders and credential files. Staff should be thoroughly briefed and continue to practice their responses. Finally, Kerr emphasized the need for staff to be familiar with the National Patient Safety Goals found at http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/JCAHO. She ended by thanking staff for their hard work and cooperation in making the past year a testament to practicing continuing survey readiness. Brain Attack Team Sharon DeGrace, director of Critical Care and Emergency Services, introduced Chris Zensen, new Stroke Program nurse coordinator, and summarized events leading up to the Medical Center’s expansion of neuroscience services and focus on stroke care for patients. Last fall, Julio Chalela, M.D., neuro-intensivist and Lisa Langdale, Outcomes and Quality Management, formed a stroke program certification steering committee as an effort to place the Medical Center on the path towards certification with JCAHO, American Stroke Association and Brain Attack Coalition. The importance of achieving primary stroke center certification demonstrates that the Medical Center has the necessary staffing, infrastructure and programs to stabilize and treat patients with acute strokes using the latest therapies and best practices. Every 45 seconds someone in the U.S. suffers from a stroke. As part of the national stroke belt, South Carolina leads the nation in strokes. And the Lowcountry is considered the stroke “belt buckle.” Berkeley, Dorchester and Charleston is reported to have more combined stroke incidents than the entire state. With these statistics, the steering committee believes that it is MUSC’s responsibility to become the statewide leader in providing excellent stroke care to South Carolinians. Zensen reviewed the stroke program goals established from guidelines by the American Heart Association, American Stroke Association, American Association of Neurology. The program will also maintain a stroke database and support primary prevention as the main treatment to prevent strokes or stroke reoccurrence. MUSC’s Brain Attack Team (BAT) was created to support stroke care 24/7 and can respond within 15 minutes. The BAT is composed of an attending physician, stroke program nurse coordinator, neurology house staff, neurosurgery and interventional neuro-radiology staff. The team will work with the patient’s nurse in conducting an immediate assessment and help stabilize the patient. A team member will perform a NIH Stroke Scale and physical exam and collect patient history and data. Once the patient is assessed, a BAT member will notify the admitting service of the BAT activation, arrange for labs, CT scan and other urgent interventions. Remember time is brain during strokes. BAT can respond to all adult inpatient areas including the transitional care unit and IOP; adult outpatient areas across campus; Meducare transported outpatients and TCU/IOP and County transport patients via ED. Currently, MUSC has met the first level in the stroke center certification process with the presence of a stroke champion (Chalela), a stroke team, collection of more than two months of stroke data and posting of preprinted orders and guidelines. The team is working on a standard care for pathway to support nursing staff and list of participating physicians. The team began posting BAT posters July 27 to promote the service centerwide. Weather/Disaster Green Cards Al Nesmith, director of Medical Center Safety, reviewed details about this year’s Weather/Disaster Emergency green card. Cards are updated by staff each year. The green card provides employees with resume-to-work schedules and department information following a disaster or weather emergency. Employees may dial 792-1414 or 1-800-424-6872. Once connected, a caller can press 2, then a four-digit code which directs them weather-related information, policies and current status. For more information or to obtain green cards, call 792-6902. Action O-I Pamela Marek announced that it is once again time to submit Action O-I data, this time for the quarter ending June 30. The data is due to be in the system by Aug. 18. Also since it is MUHA’s fiscal year-end, each area is asked to verify their Characteristic Survey Questions. Marek has scheduled the training room for any additional needs during the submittal period for anyone who needs a data entry refresher or would like to continue creating reports from Action O-I data. Action O-I classes for data and reporting will be held in Room 220, Clinical Science Building. Classes begin on the hour and half hour on Aug. 11, 8 to 11 a.m. and Aug. 15, 2 to 5 p.m. Education Roll-Out Committee Update Laurie-Zone Smith, Clinical Services Administration, discussed agenda items from the July 27 meeting. She provided information on medication reconciliation, primary stroke center certification and system failure phones. The group also reviewed other pharmacy-related information related to various medication policies, JCAHO preparation and other related information. Employees can access information by visiting http://www.musc.edu/clined/Ed%20Roll-Out/minutes.htm. Announcements
Responses from the June Medical Center town hall meeting evaluation Question/Topic I am encouraged by the direction the Medical Center is headed. 33.6% Strongly Agree 52.0% Agree 11.9% Mixed 1.7% Disagree .8% Strongly Disagree I receive praise/recognition for doing a good job. 22.4% Strongly Agree 42.1% Agree 22.4% Mixed 10.1% Disagree 3.1% Strongly Disagree Overall, I am a satisfied employee. 18.6% Strongly Agree 53.9% Agree 20.7% Mixed 4.8% Disagree 2.0% Strongly Disagree I receive sufficient feedback on my performance. 20.2% Strongly Agree 48.0% Agree 21.1% Mixed 7.1% Disagree 3.7% Strongly Disagree I feel proud to tell people where I work. 37.2% Strongly Agree 48.1% Agree 12.1% Mixed 1.2% Disagree 1.4% Strongly Disagree My manager holds regularly scheduled staff meetings. 88% Yes 12% No My supervisor has rounded on me. 64% Yes 36% No Friday, July 28, 2006 |