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To Medical Center Employees:
At the Oct. 25 communications meeting Mandy May of the College of Nursing announced plans to conduct an employee wellness survey. The survey is now available for employees to respond through e-mail. Hard copy surveys are also available.  
 
Approximately one year ago the College of Nursing (CON) approached the Medical Center about organizing a wellness program. The CON signed an agreement with the Medical Center to develop a wellness program with the initial steps to be taken this fiscal year. The success of the wellness program will depend upon employees’ interest and involvement. As a “first step,” I encourage everyone to complete the wellness survey. Additional details are highlighted in this newsletter.
 
On another matter, the management team very recently completed briefings on the employee satisfaction survey conducted in August.  Managers are being asked to schedule departmental meetings over the next few months to discuss strengths and areas needing improvement as indicated by the survey findings.  I am asking that evaluations be returned to my office to rate the survey presentations by department. Each department will also be asked to develop specific action plans by Dec. 15 to focus on two or three key things to improve.  I will then disseminate a summary of all action plans and will share periodic follow up reports. Everyone’s support in our effort to make the Medical Center an “employer and provider of choice” is needed. 
 
Thank you very much.
W. Stuart Smith
Vice President for Clinical Operations
and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center

Wellness survey, HR updates announced

College of Nursing’s Mandy May discussed the progress of MUHA, UMA and the university’s goal for establishing a joint employee wellness program. Beginning in early November, organizers will unveil a wellness survey to all employees via the Internet and campus e-mail. They are also seeking input about wellness ideas and goals from all employees.
 
The purpose of the new MUSC Wellness Program is to promote employee involvement by providing programs that support a healthy lifestyle both at work and at home. Employees will receive a brief introductory e-mail that will link employees to an online 37-question health risk assessment. Most importantly, the survey is designed to be anonymous and contains no identifiers except to distinguish completed surveys submitted by MUHA or university employees. For employees and staff who do not have access to e-mail, paper surveys are available. Wellness Program organizers can schedule the administration of a paper survey to hospital and university staffs. May also announced that the program is seeking a full-time coordinator to manage the Wellness Program.
 
For information, contact May at hemingwm@musc.edu.

Tactical Plan—Quick Find Tracking System
Vicki Marsi and Sharon DeGrace provided an update on the hospital’s tactical plan goals for improving financial performance. Both are members of the Tactical Plan’s Managerial Controls Initiative team which look at ways to reduce costs while demonstrating improved financial performance. Team champion Marsi and team facilitator DeGrace helped identify issues and set work group objectives with the hospital’s Quick Find Equipment Tracking System. Beginning in November, the group will conduct a manager and clinical staff survey to assess needs and status of re-useable equipment. Useable equipment will be tagged with a locator chip while tracking software will help staffs locate hospital items at any given time. The group hopes to use the system’s equipment tracking data to improve performance, integrate distribution and maintenance of equipment and train end-users in accountable practices. Ultimately, results from the Quick Find system will help meet critical success factors while improving financial performance. A second survey will provide an evaluation and outcome to measure the project’s successes. The group also recommended the hospital’s staffing office create a light duty program for all job classes to help reduce cost burdens associated with worker’s compensation.

HR Updates
Helena Bastian, director of Human Resources, reminded managers of the JCAHO HR standard and the Medical Center’s HR Policy 16 which address the timeliness of completing employee evaluations.
 
Evaluations should be completed annually at the end of the review period. HR will continue to monitor and report monthly. Managers may view their departmental statistics in the Impromptu Web Report (IWR) link  http://sabretooth.musc.edu/cognos/.
 
Managers need to contact Jane Smith, HRIS, 792-2895, to request access to IWR.
Bastian also announced that two guidelines, “Orientation and Competency Guideline” and “Personnel File Review Guideline,” have been developed to assist managers in ensuring their unit/department personnel files are in compliance. These guidelines may be located on the HR Web site under “Miscellaneous Forms” and under the Managers Toolbox- JCAHO.
  • Open Enrollment ends Oct. 31. Managers were asked to remind staff that any changes to benefits need to take place on or before Oct. 31.
  • The next new hire orientation is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 1 and Benefits Orientation is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 2. 
  • Departments are reminded that daylight-savings time officially ends at 2 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 30.  Employees scheduled to work the night shift will be working an additional hour because of the time change. The KRONOS System will automatically adjust for the change.

Center for Clinical Effectiveness and Patient Safety
Stacey Lindbergh and Glenn Richmond from the Center for Clinical Effectiveness and Patient Safety provided a brief overview of the Clinical Effectiveness Department, which consists of Nurse Case Management, Social Work, and Home Health. Lindbergh reviewed the department’s mission statement, which is to provide proactive care management of patients, maximize clinical efficiency and effectiveness, enhance quality of care and patient satisfaction, and ensure the financial success of the institution. One of the main goals of the department is to identify system issues and barriers to optimal patient flow and act on them via process improvement teams. Examples of current initiatives are the Incorrect Attending and Incorrect Demographic Information team, OR delays, a Standardized Discharge planning sheet, and assisting with the Heart & Vascular Center’s quality indicators. Lindbergh reported that the department’s mission statement, goals and organizational chart are posted in the Communications Web site manager’s toolbox for closer evaluation.

MUSC Excellence Fair Poster and Essay Contest
Nurse Alliance chair Cindy Hough and chair-elect Pam Smith discussed details about the upcoming MUSC Excellence Fair, between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Nov. 17 at the Horseshoe. The event, which is part of the medical center’s journey towards Magnet status, is open to all medical center employees. Hough encouraged employee-writers to submit a one-page (250 to 500 word) entry for the essay competition. The Excellence Fair Essay theme asks participants to provide their own story of how to reach beyond a good organization and become an excellent one. Essay deadline is Oct. 31. A companion poster competition and display featuring the topic, “Focus on the 14 Forces of Magnetism,” is also available. Hough challenged all units and departments to submit at least one poster. Poster boards are still available. Participants must enter their poster title by Nov. 10. Winning entries in both contests will be announced at 1 p.m., Nov. 17. Contact Karen Thal at thalkt@musc.edu for information.

Announcements
  • Betty Quesenberry has been named manager of the House Options Pool Clinical Staffing Office. Dolores Reynolds will remain as a coordinator in the House Options Pool Clinical Staffing Office.
  • Brian Fletcher and Al Nesmith will host a picnic for Communications Meeting participants from noon to 2 p.m., Nov. 29. Guest Paul Wicker will talk about coordinated disaster planning to help improve the medical center’s disaster policy plans during hurricane season and other emergency situations.
  • Katy Kuder announced the campuswide Veteran’s Day Celebration will be held at 2 p.m., Nov. 10, Room 100 BSB. All MUSC employees who are active duty/retired military veterans and reservists are invited to attend.
 

Friday, Oct. 28, 2005
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.