Return to Main Menu

Currents At the Oct. 26 communication meeting Kat Kostera of Trident United Way (TUW) updated the management team on TUW’s services provided to our community and this year’s campaign. As a major employer, MUSC is heavily relied upon by TUW to support our community’s needs. The campaign runs until December and employees are encouraged to voluntarily contribute. This year's goal is $215,000. Contributions will be used to address TUW’s major objectives or can be targeted for specific agencies, including the MUSC Health Sciences Foundation.  TUW’s major objectives include preparing young children for success in school and reduction of the staggering school drop out rates; helping adults remain self sufficient; expanding access to health care for the working poor; and helping the elderly population to remain as independent as possible.  Lisa Montgomery, vice president for finance and administration, is this year’s MUSC TUW campaign chair and Peter Van Dorsten, M. D., chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is the leadership chair ($1,000 gifts or greater).  Recently contribution forms were issued to employees throughout MUSC.  Anyone needing additional forms or assistance with departmental presentations should contact Becky Dornisch of the Development Office at 792-1973 or e-mail Dornisch@musc.edu.  On another matter, at the communication meeting an overview was given on progress toward implementation of our new materials management system. I commend all involved who have worked on this project over the past year. The new system will enable us to achieve operational efficiencies and cost savings. Thank you very much. W. Stuart Smith Vice President for Clinical Operations and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center   MUSC comes through for AHA's Heart Walk Stuart Smith recounted how administrators from the American Heart Association asked that MUSC participate significantly in the AHA. They said that MUSC is the primary beneficiary of the AHA dollars for research.  “The logical thing to do is support this because most of the money comes back to the Medical University,” Smith said. “As you are aware we took this to heart and made it a success.” This year MUSC partici-pants and teams in the Heart Walk and the Heart Walk Hustle raised $72,588 “and the money continues to trickle in,” said Chris Murray. “The event on the horseshoe, the Heart Walk Hustle was a success and a lot of fun, but it was the hard work of the team captains and walkers that did it.” A complete listing of the teams, the amounts they raised and the prizes they won for their efforts can be seen on the intranet site: http://MUSChealth.com/heartwalk. Materials Management John Lancaster of OICO Information Services, Billy Bloodsworth of Material Management, and Joe Logan of Purchasing Services presented as information an update of the Medical Center's project to upgrade the NOVA/ESI material management system. —Phase I of the upgrade involves two distinct initiatives. The first is called ValueLink. By hitting the appropriate button on the unit's Pyxis medical-surgical supply cabinet, the care giver transmits the removal of the supply item to the supply vendor in Charlotte. All items removed today will be automatically shipped for following day replenishment in a custom packed bin for each unit.  The second part of Phase I will initialize a single item master for all purchasing transactions through Central Supply, Ambulatory Services, Ambula-tory Operating Rooms, Main Operating Rooms, and Charleston Memorial Hospital.  This phase will provide detailed purchasing information to support the Medical Center's cost reduction efforts. It will also provide a dramatic increase in better vendor pricing through e-commerce.  Phase II will  allow the rest of the Medical Center  to be integrated into the item master file. Phase I go-live will be Nov. 8. Phase II go-live will be Jan. 10.  FluMist Program Pam Fogle said that in light of the flu vaccine shortage, the Medical Center has requested FluMist, a live, attenuated vaccine for health care workers who provide direct, hands-on care to patients  Fogle said that she does not know when it will be available at MUSC, but it will not be here before the first of November. She said certain people will not be able to take FluMist even if they are direct care providers. They include people 50 years of age and older and people with chronic pulmonary, respiratory and cardio-vascular diseases. “Basically, this is for young, healthy people,” she said. Also excluded are people who care for profoundly immunosuppressed patients within seven days so staff of select areas will not be able to receive the live vaccine. Eligibility forms are being developed and will be available on the Intranet.  Priority for the standard, killed virus vaccine (as it becomes available) will be direct care givers who are unable to take FluMist.  She reminded the group of other strategies to prevent the spread of influenza such as frequent handwashing and covering coughs. As specific information becomes available regarding the flu vaccine, it will be shared through Broadcast messages, e-mails, and the intranet.  Neuroscience ICU Sharon De Grace announced the opening of 8 Center as a Neuroscience ICU on Nov. 30. Natalie Ankney, MICU nurse manager will be the NSICU interim manager and Sunil Patel, M.D., the medical director. Initially, three beds will be opened with a goal of opening  all seven beds in January. She said that as of now, the unit has no permanent staff, “but Natalie has an excellent reputation for recruiting and retaining RNs and CAs, and we're confident she will continue to do so for NSICU,” De Grace said. She thanked Pam Verdery, Dan Altman, Dianne Gay, Environmental Services, and Maintenance for their support. PTO Reminder The monitoring of PTO is each employee's responsibility. As we fast approach the end of 2004, employees should be reminded that the PTO policy allows employees to carry over up to 360 hours of accrued PTO from one calendar year to the next. The FY 2004-2005 Pay Plan also provides employees the opportunity to cash in up to 40 hours of PTO or convert up to 40 hours of PTO to ESL.  Employees must meet certain eligibility criteria to participate and can only request a cash-in or conversion one time per fiscal year.  The deadline for requesting the December 2004 cash-in or conversion is Nov. 26.  For more details, refer to HR Policy #18, PTO or visit http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/policy/HumanResources/POLICY18-PTO.pdf.  PTO Cash-in and PTO Conversion Form may be accessed on the HR Web site at http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/sourceMaterials/HRMforms/PTOCashInForm.pdf.