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Currents Nov. 6 To Medical Center Employees: Thirteen medical center town hall  sessions were conducted during the past two weeks and a total of 951 employees attended. A summary of the town hall meeting evaluations completed by attendees will be reported in an upcoming Currents newsletter.  I want to thank everyone who attended.    Among other things, an overview of the Employee Perspectives Survey results was presented at the town hall meetings. The survey results indicated we made good progress with employee satisfaction. We increased the mean score for all 67 questions repeated from last year’s survey. We are committed to continued progress this year.   Within the next two months, the management team will conduct department-based Employee Perspective Survey rollout meetings. The meetings will serve to revisit our medical centerwide strengths and opportunities and to focus upon department-based strengths and opportunities as indicated by the survey data. An evaluation form to rate the effectiveness of the meetings will be given to all departmental meeting participants to complete and deliver to my office.   During the course of the departmental survey rollout sessions, meeting participants should define the top opportunities and develop two or three specific action plans to make improvements. The management team will report these action plans under the employee satisfaction goal in their online evaluation system and will provide 90 day progress reports.   Thank you very much. W. Stuart Smith Vice President for Clinical Operations and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center People—Fostering employee pride and loyalty Wins Peggy Thompson, hospital patient accounting and revenue systems manager, related a positive experience with a former patient while remitting her hospital payment. The letter praised the care and excellence performed by Del Schutte, M.D., and the 7W staff during a recent hospital stay. Marilyn Schaffner, Ph.D., R.N., Clinical Services Administrator, praised nurse managers who met with her recently as part of the Steering Committee Implementation Group. The group met to discuss the importance of hourly rounding. Schaffner congratulated them for achieving an 80 percent compliance rate in completing their rounding logs. Hospital employees are urged to share and post their wins in preparation for the medical center’s upcoming LDI #8, Dec. 5, at the North Charleston Convention Center. Employees may submit their wins to Excellence Communications Committee chair Kim Harris-Eaton, R.N., Harrisk@musc.edu. 2007 Employee Perspective Survey Betts Ellis, institutional relations administrator, presented details regarding the results of the 2007 Employee Perspectives Survey Rollout and specific department-based information.    Managers will receive a rollout package, which includes an eight-page tool kit, and customizable PowerPoint presentation that will be available via the MUSC Excellence Communications and LDI Web sites.   The rollout goals are to review organizational and departmental survey results, set priorities on areas of opportunity, develop a department action plan, review follow-up and evaluation.   Managers will work with each area’s administrator or super users to obtain department scores. Employees will hear about organizational plans at future town hall meetings. All rollout meetings, 90-day action plans (LEM) and evaluations should be completed by Jan. 31.   Employee Perspectives Survey refresher training sessions for departmental presentations are will be at 2 p.m. Nov. 12 and 15, Room 628, Clinical Sciences Building.   For information, contact Jane Scutt at scuttj@musc.edu. HR update Helena Bastian, human resources director, reminded managers about the PTO/Cash-in Conversion. Eligible employees must have a balance of 120 hours of the remaining paid time off (PTO) balance to cash-in or convert up to 40 hours of PTO. Eligible employees can obtain a conversion form via the HR Web site, which must be submitted to payroll by Nov. 30 (effective date: Dec. 11). For information, call Patty Burn, payroll, 792-7544. Position/Employee Action Request (PEAR) forms for new hires should be completed and submitted to HR as soon as a position is filled and no later than the Wednesday prior to orientation. HR Training schedule: MUSC Excellence (Standards of Behavior, AIDET, Rounding, Service Recovery)—Nov. 19, Dec. 3, Dec. 20, 1 to 4 p.m., Mondays, 2 West Amphitheater; Employee Performance Management System—Nov. 12, 1 to 3 p.m., 2 West Classroom; CATTS Admin Access Training—Nov. 13, 9 to 11 a.m., Room 436, Education Center/Library Building; Nov. 15, 1 to 3 p.m., Room 436, Education Center/Library Building; Business Managers Meeting— Nov. 21, 10 to 11 a.m., 2 West Amphitheater; and Plan for Your Future—Dec. 7, 12 to 12:50 p.m., 2 West Amphitheater. Bridges Program Mary Beth Crummer, R.N., 9PCU nurse manager, presented an update from MUSC Excellence’s Inpatient Satisfaction Committee. Crummer reminded mangers of the medical center’s priority to provide continual emotional support for patients and their families.   Barrie Tyler, a respiratory therapist, approached the committee regarding her suggestion to effectively communicate to all staff about sensitive patient situations within all patient care areas. The committee created the bridges program, which feature a laminated photo featuring the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. Each ICU and patient care areas will receive three bridge photos (five for the SSU) to post at the entrance door of a unit to communicate to staff of an occurring sensitive patient situation. A second bridge photo also will be posted on the door of the patient’s room. Service—Serving the public with compassion, respect and excellence   Jennifer Taylor, University Risk Management business manager, reviewed details of the campus’ new emergency notification system, MUSC Alert, to help communicate campus-related emergencies.   The system, which was  created by University Risk Management, Business Development and Marketing Services and Office of the Chief Information Officer-Information Services, was built and expanded on current systems.   The MUSC Alert will utilize short messaging service technology (cell phones, Blackberries/PDAs, etc.) and other communication methods to post text messages in the event of a dangerous, life-threatening situation that will impact the MUSC campus.   Additionally, pre-recorded voice messages, desktop alerts and e-mails will be sent out simultaneously. Students, staff and faculty must register their device to receive emergency text messaging. Currently, the system does not link and accommodate with the Simon paging system.   Registration for MUSC Alert began Nov. 1. The system will be continually evaluated for testing and accuracy. Users may register their devices by visiting http://www.musc.edu/muscalert. Announcements Rebecca Crichton, R.N., was named nurse manager of Perianesthesia/PACU. A retired Navy nurse, Crichton replaces Peggy Anthony, R.N., who is nurse manager for Ashley River Tower Surgical Services. Compliance HIPAA Training is scheduled Dec. 1, 2 West Amphitheater. The next hospital communications meeting is scheduled for Nov. 20.     Friday, Nov. 9, 2007 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.