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Currents To Medical Center Employees: During the past year we have improved our employment process through implementation of a new system referred to as PeopleAdmin, as discussed below in this newsletter. This system has eliminated paper applications, streamlined our employment process and enabled a substantial increase in the number of applications received. PeopleAdmin feeds into our affirmative action reporting system and has enhanced our ability to monitor and document all phases of the application flow and selection decisions.  This new system has been exceptionally well received, but has indicated a need for continued training and fine tuning of selection procedures to avoid unintended pitfalls. For instance, very careful attention needs to be given to clearly defining job-related minimum qualifications as this is critical to the selection process and to justifying hiring decisions. Also, managers and others need to avoid creating excessively large application pools by leaving jobs posted too long. All applications filed for a posted position must be considered.  If a hiring official considers a pool of applications and cannot find a suitable candidate, the position can always be posted again.  On another matter, currently slightly more than 90 percent of Medical Center employees have direct deposit. Plans are underway to require direct deposit for all new Medical Center employees beginning April 5. Direct deposit will improve operational efficiency and security. Any new hires who do not have a checking or savings account will be given a Pay Access Bank Card to access their pay checks. Thank you very much. Sincerely,  W. Stuart Smith Vice President for Clinical Operations and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center   PeopleAdmin system brings easy access  Susan Carullo, Human Resources manager of compensation and employment, presented an employment update, reporting a “very positive outcome” in a recent analysis of hires. “From January 2003 through December 2003, of 15,000 job applications and more than 1,013 job postings, we only had two hiring decisions that statistically indicated a need for additional scrutiny. After reviewing these two hiring decisions with the respective departmental hiring officials, good justifications were provided.” Human Resources’ PeopleAdmin system has streamlined its process, providing easy access for applicants and managers. “The online capability is extremely important for upcoming recruitment initiatives,” she said. Advantages to the system are many, Carullo said, but most important is its ability to manage the applicant pool. “Applicant pools are often large and overwhelming, 21,016 to date in this fiscal year alone.” For managing the applicant pool, she recommended using identified class codes such as the administrative specialist II and administrative assistant that generally need a one-week posting.  “This will give you a chance to catch your breath, assess the applicants you have, and you can always post it again,” she said. “As in the past, all applicants must be equally considered if they meet the posted minimum requirements, and the status of each of these applicants must also be changed in the system.” Human Resources will offer two PeopleAdmin Refresher Courses so that all hiring managers will have a chance to attend. The first refresher course is scheduled at the upcoming business manager meeting on at 9:30 a.m., March 12, in the 2 West Amphitheater. Regarding minimum qualifications, Carullo said it is critical that they be consistent with the job’s responsibilities. Contact your recruiter if you have any questions regarding posting, coding, or any other employment issue.  Equipment Tracking System The Medical Center purchased an equipment tracking system to assist in managing movable medical devices. This system will provide real-time tracking of devices in the Main Hospital and the Children’s Hospital. “This is where we have the highest concentration of movable patient care devices,” said technology manager Dan Altman.  Altman held up a small signal transmitter, about half the size of a hospital pager, to be attached to hospital equipment within the next three months. The signal it transmits will allow the Medical Center to locate individual pieces of equipment and also to rapidly inventory equipment by determining the number of devices of a particular kind available. Current plans call for the transmitters to be attached to all of the devices managed by the Equipment Distribution Center (EDC). Planning continues on addressing other potential devices  that could be beneficial for the system to track. Any attempt to remove a tracking device from the buildings or an attempt to remove the transmitter from the device will result in an alarm sounding at the central computer located in the EDC, he said.  Altman provided the following timeline for implementation of the tracking system:  Network Planning, October 2003 to January 2004  Network Installation, March 2004 to May 2004  System ‘Go-Live,’ June 2004 Complete Policy and Procedure, July 2004  Altman also outlined the Specialty Bed PI Project, for which a multidisciplinary group has been formed, and will present a detailed report to the Medical Center’s Clinical Resource Value Committee next month.  Four current initiatives of the project include:  Rental Bed Utilization Monitoring—Lana Beckley, clinical equipment specialist (Therapeutic Services), will monitor utilization and assist the wound care nurses in educating patient care staff on the appropriate use of various bed and bed-surface technologies. Med/Surg Bed Lockout—Biomedical Engineering will coordinate an upgrade to the existing Med/Surg beds that will eliminate the non-therapeutic ‘comfort mode’ setting. This change will ensure that the patient consistently receives the therapeutic benefits of the specialized air mattress on these beds. Altman said that a large red dot on the bed’s footboard will indicate an upgraded bed. Bariatric Bed Purchase—The Performance Improvement (PI) Project task force has identified a need for two additional bariatric beds; a purchase order has been issued. The PI Analysis shows a return on investment for these beds after about six months of use.  New Decision Tree—A new tool, an interactive decision tree,  will be on the Intranet by mid-March. This tool is designed to advise physicians and nursing staff on selecting the appropriate bed frame or bed surface technology for the patient.  Progress reports will be provided in future issues of Currents, Altman said.  For information, page Lana Beckley, pager identification 11835, regarding equipment; Pam Srinivas, 11610, or Lynette Franklin, 11067, regarding clinical need; and Dan Altman, 11003. “I will help in any way I can,” Altman said.  Prohibited Abbreviations Brenda Bailey, manager, Record Maintenance and Storage,  alerted those gathered for the weekly communications meeting that a list of prohibited abbreviations has been updated and should be consulted and followed by Medical Center personnel.  “These abbreviations are not to be used in any part of the medical record.”  She referred to Web site: http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/sourceMaterials/abbrevprohib.pdf. JCAHO, 2004 and Beyond “Get ready for the challenge,” said accreditation manager Lois Kerr. “A new focus of the JCAHO survey will be patient-driven, evidence-based, involve systems review, safety-focused, appropriately staffed and will be a complete 2004 redesign.” She said that Dennis O’Leary, CEO of  the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, has announced that the new process: must be able to use data from various sources to identify and focus on potential weaknesses; must be particular to characteristics of the health care organization; be patient-centered; engage physicians, nurses and others; facilitate system improvement;  be woven into daily operations; and engage the organization in continuous improve-ment.   Employing a “tracer methodology,” the survey will take a systems approach to evaluation. Referring to the patient as the “tracer,” the tracer will be randomly selected and followed by a surveyor through the organization in the sequence they receive care. Using the tracer the surveyor examines the components of a system (care within each department) and how those components work together (the hand-off between departments and areas). Characteristics of the tracer system will include an interactive session, particular focus on risk points, a baseline assessment of standards, and any strengths and weaknesses that come to light. Kerr said the initial 2004 survey will involve Infection Control, Data Use, and Medication Management system tracer. The differences in the new survey system will prevent departments from predicting and staging in preparation for the survey. There will be no closed records review, and staff credentials and records will be based on tracers. There will be no formal document review, but the survey will focus on continuous readiness. Kerr said that the 2006 survey will be unannounced, making it necessary for the Medical Center to remain in continual compliance and in a mode of continual improvement. The next steps, Kerr said, will be to look at the steering committee membership and conduct baseline tracers in March. Work and education on functional chapters will be conducted through the end of the year. A mock survey using new methodology will be conducted by the end of the year in preparation for a late February 2005 JCAHO periodic performance review. 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.