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Currents To Medical Center Employees: JCAHO standards. A scope of services plan describes how clinical and non-clinical services are provided. In keeping with our “continuous JCAHO readiness” initiative, our intent is to update the plans and then focus our attention on other matters in advance of our anticipated November 2003 survey. Directors and managers should update their scope of services plans this month.  A template was recently issued through e-mail to serve as a guide for updating the plans. The template highlights key elements to address including: a general description of patient population or customers and hours of operation; criteria for entry and discharge (clinical only); plan of care including assessment, treatment and continuum of care (clinical only); staffing; qualifications of staff; relationships with other services; goals; quality improvement; patient safety initiatives; and other standards of practice adopted by the service area. The departmental plans will aid in developing an overall Medical Center plan for provision of services and demonstrate a planned approach to providing services and illustrate how those services are integrated.  Department directors are asked to submit their updated scope of services plans to Terri Ellis, JCAHO coordinator (ellist@musc.edu) by April 30.  Anyone who would like to review their 2000 scope of services plan for helpful information updating the plan should contact Terri Ellis (792-5106).  Thank you very much. W. Stuart Smith Vice President for Clinical Operations and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center     Star Productions presents Mary Poppins “Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down,” sang the managers at April 1 communications meeting. With the help of a big screen Julie Andrews, Carole Small, Pharmacy, told managers about JCAHO medication first dose standards. According to Small, MUSC started a pilot program in February in IOP involving Acudose and the Medical Center Pharmacy. With the goal of “lifting us up to a higher level of patient safety,” Small reminded managers that a pharmacist must review all first dose medication orders prior to dispensing new medication to patients. The new Acudose Profile system benefits the Medical Center in the following ways: It increases patient safety through increased review and screening for allergies, therapy duplication, and drug interactions. It decreases medication errors due to look-alike drugs. Because all medication orders are required to be faxed in, it decreases MAR discrepancies. It increases drug information and decreases the gap between pharmacy-dispensed drugs and the Acudose system. So, how does it work? An order for medication is written in a patient’s chart, the order is faxed to the pharmacy, the pharmacist enters the order into the patient’s profile and pharmacy computer, and then about 30 seconds later, the medication is retrievable from the Acudose cart by staff on a patient-care unit. An exception to first dose occurs if a nurse decides a delay would compromise the care of the patient and Small told managers that no medication “override” list exists. And the Winner is… Ambulatory CARES! Again! Annie Lovering, Red Cross Donor Room, announced Ambulatory CARES as the winners of the third quarter of the Nectar of Life Blood Donation Contest. Team members, all smiles, climbed down the 2W Amphitheater stairs to collect first places prizes donated by Brett’s, The Mustard Seed (Wellness Center) and Infusion Therapy. The team also won the second quarter of the competition.  Members from the Ambulatory CARES team. During the third quarter last year, only 170 donors presented compared to this year’s 475 donors.  Lovering reminded managers that the numbers could get even higher, as she has room to schedule 845 donors per quarter. Tied for second place was the Cannon Street Blood Clots and the Out for Blood Exsanguinators. The members of B Positive! came in third place. The fourth quarter of the contest began April 1 and ends June 30. To set up a donation appointment in the MUSC donor room, call 792-0219. Dangerous Abbreviation Audit Results Rosemary Ellis, quality director, said managers and staff could reduce incorrect abbreviation usage by 62 percent if Medical Center staff eliminate the use of at least five inappropriate abbreviations.  Abbreviation...Should be written as QD............................ every day U................................units  mcg...........................microgram MSO4.......................Morphine Sulfate MgSO4.....................Magnesium Sulfate .   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.