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Imaging Services customers ‘keep coming back’ by Cindy Abole Public Relations For MUSC cardiologist Robert Leman, M.D., preparing a PowerPoint slide presentation for a gathering of specialists or providing an attractive graphic display is nothing to sweat over. Tim Steele, media resources specialist, manages Slides Direct. For slides, all that Leman needs to do after creating his presentation is to tap a few keys on his office desktop computer to initiate the slide imaging process and then move on to other duties. “The group does a good job that’s both timely and professional,” said Leman, professor of Medicine at MUSC’s Heart and Vascular Center. Leman and Cardiology administrative specialist Shirley Thompson have relied on Art Services and Digital Imaging for slides and research poster presentations for over six years.  Anne Thompson, right, media resources specialist, assists customers in the Service Center. MUSC’s Art Services and Digital Imaging staff provides a 24-hour slide imaging service as well as numerous art, digital and photography services for customers on campus. At a time when streamlining department budgets are critical, Art Services and Digital Imaging is a resource that should not be overlooked. “Once people use us, they keep coming back,” said Tim Roylance, Digital Imaging supervisor. “Our problem is keeping the changing faculty and staff aware of the wide range of services we provide.” Margaret Atwood, media resources specialist, reviews application photos with Dr. Michael Bowman. Among the areas of technical expertise is a popular new service called Slides Direct, a slide imaging process that can be accessed by users without having to leave their desks. Its results provide quality, professional slides faster than any comparable service at about half the cost. Roylance credits the digital revolution of the 1990s that has guided their department to expand with the times and integrate more digital design capabilities for their customers. The Art Services and Digital Imaging department was originally created about 50 years ago to help support the university’s education mission. Today, it continues to serve the entire campus from its main office at Harborview Tower and its campus service center located in room 203 of the Library and Administration building. The group also supports other statewide agencies and projects. It is operated under the direction of Pat Clute, printing services manager.  Digital Imaging maintains photographic services that include both conventional and digital location and studio photography, slide duplication and E-6 same-day film processing.  Just recently, the group received statewide certification as a MoleMap photography studio supporting the Department of Dermatology. Referred patients are photographed in 31 separate views. The images are stored on a MoleMap CD archive and attached to a patient’s records for use as a base-line reference by physicians. For its new Slides Direct service, the department uses top-of-the-line equipment including a 24-hour on-line server and film recorder to create high quality 35mm slides from Macs or PCs. “On any given day, we process anywhere from 50 to 500 slides and can still handle more,” Roylance said. To use this service, Roylance and other digital imaging specialists must set up each customer’s computer with a PostScript  printer called Slides Direct. The printer, along with the proper printer description file (PPD), allows customers to create the needed file for a WebPrint upload. There is no additional charge for the setup which also provides personal instruction and a printed instructional user guide. The department has four work stations for customers at various campus locations—two are at its offices at Harborview Tower, while another two are stationed in the fourth floor of the Library’s Learning Resource Center Digital Imaging can create a digital file from just about any medium. Formats include 35, 120 and 4x5 mm slides and negatives, standard size X-rays, reflective copy up to 8x10 inches or any three-dimensional object.  Once an object has been digitized, technicians can store the image files directly onto a floppy disk, ZIP file, SuperDisk or rewriteable CD. They can also transfer files directly through e-mail and FTP. In addition, the staff maintains a stock image library of 35mm slides that can be used in designing web pages, brochures and other publications. “Using their services has helped us save some valuable time throughout our busy days in Cardiology,” Thompson said. “Producing this type of work can be time consuming, especially without the proper expertise and equipment. The Digital Imaging staff has been great to work with in all of our projects. They’re always willing to help us troubleshoot problems and answer questions.”  “We’ve created a dynamic array of high tech imaging services for our customers to utilize,” Roylance said. “Our services rival those at the best academic medical institutions around the country.” To learn more about MUSC’s Art Services and Digital Imaging, visit their Web sites at Art Services <http://www.musc.edu/artservices/> or Digital Imaging <http://www.musc.edu/digitalimaging/> or call 792-3000.     Customers satisfied with creativity, good work Each year, Continuing Medical Education’s (CME) Odessa Ussery faces the same challenge in her job: how to be more creative in attracting medical professionals to attend educational events.  Part of Ussery’s job as coordinator involves promoting more than 20 CME conferences, seminars and workshops to thousands of physicians, residents and medical professionals. But Ussery never feels alone in each task. For years, she has relied on the steady expertise of MUSC’s Art Services staff to help complete the job. “I feel very comfortable working with their group of talented designers including Rhett Chaplin and the rest of the Art Services staff,” said Ussery, who began using their services about 14 years ago. Ussery’s collaboration began with basic event brochures and posters and later expanded to include publications and whole campaign design. David Baxley and Lisa Murray, graphic artists, apply lamination to a poster. To help circulate the message, Ussery creates, produces and distributes event brochures and other materials months in advance to help promote each event. There have been times where people have refused to cut or disturb artwork and graphics from previous brochures as they tried to register for an upcoming event. They ended up photocopying the registration form and saving the original brochure and artwork, Ussery said with a smile.  As a regular customer, Ussery is able to conduct some of her work through e-mail. By visiting the university’s guest server or the Art Services Web site, she can review galley proofs of jobs and brochure drafts directly at her desk. “It’s so convenient for me,” said Ussery, who is located in the Cannon Park Place on one of the farthest corners of campus. “The services they provide are such a value.” In addition to publication design, Art Services can produce medical and graphics illustrations, exhibit research and presentation services, lamination, charts, signs, framing and wide-format printing for items measuring up to 60 inches wide.