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Rumor
Mill separates fact from fiction
More Subway Information
Rumor: In follow up to last week's (May
20) rumor about removal of the Subway sign, the following information was
received.
Truth: While we don't know who or why
the Subway sign was removed from Harbor View, it does not affect ongoing
negotiations. The Business Service Office will continue to coordinate with
Facilities Engineering and Subway Corp to bring a Subway to Harbor View
Tower.
Cafe Charges
Rumor: I would like to know why the amount
charged for food differs from person to person. I have been in the checkout
line when the person in front of me did not even open the container to
show what they had chosen. Other times I have had identical items to someone
in front of me and the price charged was far from identical. Why can this
practice not be stopped?
Truth: It is cafeteria policy that all
food containers be opened in order to ascertain the contents so that proper
charges are made. Additionally, all customers should be charged the same
price for the same item. The cashiers have been instructed that all food
containers must be opened and all items must be charged properly. If any
customer observes what appears to be any activity outside these policies,
please contact cafeteria management immediately at 792-3559 or 792-4559.
Thank you very much for requesting this information.
Parking
Rumor: I have heard that G Lot will be
closing in order for a new building to be built. If true that further deludes
visitor parking.
Truth: The MUSC Vision 2020 Master Plan
calls for the G Lot area ultimately to be made available for an academic/research
building. This Master Plan also calls for the addition of Parking Garages
in and around the main campus and hospital to support the proposed new
buildings, with a net increase of about 3,000 new parking spaces. The main
thing to keep in mind is that this plan, if implemented, will take at least
15 years to come about and that the addition of new parking facilities
will be coordinated to continually meet the parking needs of patients,
visitors, and staff.
Physician Dress Code
Rumor: I have heard that the medical staff
has no dress code and that's why some dress as though they are out for
an evening on the town. I have always heard that open toe shoes are not
allowed in a clinical settings. Is this true and who monitors these issues?
Truth: Members of the medical staff are
required by MUHA Bylaws to act in a professional manner, which applies
to appearance as well as behavior. Any member of the medical staff at work
in clinical areas attired in an inappropriate or unprofessional manner
would be counseled by his or her academic chairman. Chairmen consider the
dress code for MUHA employees in counseling their faculty. The Resident
Handbook outlines the standards for housestaff to dress appropriately and
present a professional appearance at all times.
RIF
Rumor: Is there any truth to the rumor
of a hospitalwide reduction in force (RIF) to happen next year or anytime
in the near future, if so, what is the process for eliminating job positions?
Truth: There is no truth to the rumor
of a hospitalwide RIF to happen next year or anytime in the near future.
While there is no truth to this rumor, the Medical Center (Hospital Authority)
does have a policy (Human Resources policy #34) that outlines examples
of conditions for a RIF and the procedures that must be followed. This
policy can be located on the Medical Center Intranet.
MUHA Buys Software With University Name
Rumor: Is it true that CCIT/MUHA is able
to procure academic pricing for software but when purchasing requisite
licenses, neglects to buy enough to cover the whole university? The university
name is obviously used to buy such academic licenses but the university
receives zero benefit from the cost savings that MUHA was able to obtain.
I'm sure if MUHA was forced to buy software at normal hospital rates, that
they would require a substantial increase in computer budgets. It seems
only fair that the university should receive direct benefit from the MUHA
cost savings instead of individual university departments having to fend
for themselves in order to keep up with MUHA/ClinLan upgrades.
Truth: When purchasing software licenses,
every attempt is made to obtain the best price for all entities in the
broad family of MUSC and affiliates, including the acquisition of an adequate
amount of licenses that will be appropriately used. We work closely with
our vendors to negotiate pricing that can best reflect projected needs
and take advantage of available discounts. Sometimes bulk purchases and
educational discounts are available to the university or via health care
industry discounts which are available to MUHA. We also purchase off of
the South Carolina State Contract whenever possible. Even though MUHA and
MUSC are legally separate state agencies, they do work closely and supportively
with one another whenever possible to obtain cost benefits. However, there
are times when it is not possible to obtain the same license agreements
for both entities from a vendor. The question at hand is also related to
the legal differences in the purchase processes, which is separate from
the pricing issue. For example, if an item is to be utilized by both the
university and MUHA, then that purchase must be made under MUSC, not MUHA,
procurement regulations. On the other hand, if an item is only going to
be used by MUHA, then it can be purchased under the more streamlined purchasing
rules for MUHA; however in this case, the item or the cost cannot be allocated
back to MUSC for use in the academic environment. In either situation,
it is the proposed utilization of the item, not the funding source, that
drives the purchase method.
Commencement Parking
Rumor: I heard that during graduation
the parents of families of students were required to pay $4 to park at
MUSC. This is a day of celebration for students and families who
have paid upwards of $60,000 for their education here. How does the administration
and parking management justify charging people to park on graduation day?
Truth: Yes, we do charge for general commencement
guests (with exception of handicapped guests) at the special $4 flat
rate. This permits parking in any one of six public parking campus locations
at a rate less than the normal MUSC hourly visitor parking rate, and is
comparable to the rate one would expect to pay if attending any public
event in the peninsular city. While this is a departure from earlier times
at MUSC, it has become a fairly common and accepted practice at urban college
campuses like ours where parking is solely dependent on user fees for its
operation, maintenance, repairs, and debt service for new facilities. The
rate was approved by both the MUSC Board of Trustees and Administration,
and does help partially offset the patient and other visitor parking revenues
lost due to lot usages for Commencement. In addition, the Office of Parking
Management staff as well as the Department of Public Safety are full and
enthusiastic members of the Commencement Committee which spends months
each year in organizing and conducting what many have described as a very
special commencement for our graduates and their families. They fully appreciate
the importance of this ceremony in the life of our institution, and work
extremely hard to insure sufficient numbers of our limited campus spaces
are available for these visitors as well as make sure that the heavy street
traffic that day keeps moving so all can reach the spaces.
Response Time
Rumor: What is the process for reviewing
rumors and posting them?
Truth: All submitted rumors first go to
the millmaster who provides an initial review. Those rumors that qualify
under the published Rumor Mill Groundrules are then referred to the responsible
university or university-affiliated party to provide the facts. As soon
as the facts are received back, both the rumor and the response are posted
on the mill. Every appropriate effort is taken to assure a timely turnaround,
within days if possible. However, some rumors require responses from several
sources or from persons not immediately available and, thus, take longer.
Reproduced from http://www.musc.edu/rumor/.
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.
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