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Currents To Medical Center Employees: At the recent communications meeting Hal Currey, Facilities and Capital  Improvements administrator, discussed with the management team our continued commitment to communicate effectively. His comments are highlighted below.  We began the weekly communications meeting in the mid-1990s during a period of massive reorganization. It became evident that a routine forum for sharing essential information with the management team is important. Ideally all managers should have similar face-to-face meetings with staff in their respective areas.  As we approach the end of the calendar year we will celebrate our accomplishments and revisit our work plan for the next six months. Planning for the new Phase I hospital facility will continue as a high priority. The framework for our updated “nuts and bolts” tactical plan has been prepared and the goals include improve care/safety, distinguish the Medical Center as the provider of choice, gain recognition as the employer of choice, reduce costs, and enhance information management. These goals to some extent are updated versions of our previous tactical plan covering the past few years. We will involve a number of work groups in development and implementation of specific initiatives to accomplish these goals as we move forward.  The JCAHO accreditation survey took place Nov. 17-21.  I appreciate everyone’s work in ensuring that we were prepared to demonstrate how we fulfill the standards. The survey results will be widely disseminated. As we approach the holiday season I want to thank everyone for a job well done.  Have a safe and happy holiday. W. Stuart Smith Vice President for Clinical Operations and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center   Update on direction of  communication meetings Hal Currey, Facilities and Capital Improvements administrator, thanked the management team for recommendations on how to improve the effectiveness of the weekly communications meeting. All recommendations were collected, categorized and carefully reviewed by the administrative team with the idea of improving the value of the meetings.  Currey said that weekly management team communications meetings will continue to be held, but with renewed focus to ensure substance and delivery. Agenda topics submitted in the future need to be directly aligned with subject matter (e.g. organizational priorities) needed to be kept on the “radar screen.” As in the past, meetings will be held at 1 p.m. each Tuesday  but will be canceled if no substantive agenda items have been submitted or during weeks with recognized holidays. Agenda topics will focus upon core areas including capital improvements (e.g. phase I hospital facility progress), strategic goals and tactical planning, quality and safety, financial and human resources updates, regulatory and policy matters, special projects, and recognition. There will be increased effort to avoid duplication of any presentations made through other forums. Fund raising presentations other than the YES Campaign and Trident United Way will be discouraged.  Highlights of the communications meetings will continue to be included in the weekly Currents newsletter. All employees are encouraged to bring forward any questions about the content of the newsletter. Planning Summary Update Chris Malanuk, Strategic Planning director, Joan Herbert, Institute of Psychiatry administrator, and Betts Ellis, Institutional Relations administrator, presented the Strategic and Tactical Plan Summary. The summary was updated to increase awareness of the planning process including 2000-03 tactical plan accomplishments and the framework for new recommended tactical plan initiatives. The updated draft tactical plan for the 2003-05 period is based on an array of recommended initiatives including key issues identified at the management team’s March retreat, suggested improvements brought forward through the customer service and leadership training sessions, and a review of the Medical Center’s performance indicators. The tactical plan summary may be accessed online at http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/index.htm.  IMPROVE contest results and STAR awards Lois Kerr, and Kathy Wade, JCAHO consultants, announced the winner of the performance improvement com-petition. Eight prizes were awarded to Tim Hutchinson and Pat Todd of the GCRC, Judy Bucknam of Ambulatory Care Education Documentation, Mary Beth Brock of  IOP, 5E Nursery, Marian Miller of Respiratory Care, the Care Management Team, Maureen Sheakley of Pharmacy Services, and the NICU. All winners will receive lunch on the hospital. Kerr also recognized Sherry Gillespie-Miller, Ambulatory Care/Clinical Services Administration, Teresa Rogers, Hospital Administration, Terry Ellis, Quality Management, and Libby Minton, Clinical Services Administration, with STAR awards for their help in continued survey readiness. Announcements Rosemary Ellis, Quality director, announced the revision of policies A-40 Evacuation Plan and C-16 Decedent. All managers are asked to remove the “Reference Guide to Patient Care Management Documentation Systems” manual from all units, as it is outdated. Carol Dobos, Clinical Services Administration, asked managers to welcome new Children’s Hospital nurse managers Kimberly Harris and Ashley Schaffer. Many thanks to Peggy Purohit, Clinical Services 7A, for a job well done in her role as interim nurse manager. Paul Bush, Pharm.D., Pharmacy Services, asked managers to welcome new Adult Inpatient Pharmacy coordinator Richard Ottmar to the Medical Center family. The Office of Parking Management, University Transportation Services and Mail Services will not operate on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27 and the day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 28. Employees may park in Parking Garage II at 91 President Street.