Return to Main Menu

Currents To Medical Center Employees: Recently the management team, including nearly all Medical Center supervisors with responsibility for hiring and evaluation, took part in our first Leadership Development Institute (LDI). The Studer Group Coaches, including our account leader Don Dean, Gail Boylan and Faye Sullivan led the LDI.  We will continue to have these LDIs on a quarterly basis to remain focused on our goals and for progress reports.   Our first LDI kicked off with a discussion about our goals and tactical plans over the past several years. We have made good progress and we are now gearing up to take our organization to the “next level.” Simply stated, our broad-based future goals are to make our Medical Center a great place to work, a great place for patient care and a great place for physicians to practice medicine and teach.   Our coaches covered the  Nine Principles for high performing organizations including: Commit to Excellence; Measure Important Things; Build a Culture Around Excellence; Create and Develop Leaders; Focus on Employee Satisfaction; Build Individual Accountability; Align Behaviors with Goals and Values; Communicate at All Levels; and Recognize and Reward Success. A number of concrete examples were discussed on how we can begin to enhance our behaviors, operational practices, and rewards and recognition.    During the next three years our Studer Group account leader and four other coaches will work with team leaders and others to enhance our organizational performance.  We will gradually roll out new expectations and practices to fulfill the Nine Principles.     Our first LDI was well received by the leadership team. Our coaches emphasized that we have all the ingredients to take our organization to the next level.    During the past several months we have communicated plans to kick off our “hardwiring excellence” initiative. From this point forward we will simply refer to this long term initiative as “MUSC Excellence.” Routine updates will be disseminated as we make progress. Sincerely, W. Stuart Smith Vice President for Clinical Operations and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center Professional recognition, wireless access discussed Red Cross’ Libby Wright reviewed details concerning the Red Cross donor teams. MUSC’s Red Cross Donor Center is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays each week.   Each week, the center strives to meet its monthly goal of collecting 160 to 180 units of blood each month from MUSC employees and students. Currently, the center’s collection has fallen well below average of three to  six units per week.   Last year, the Charleston area collected about 26,000 units with 21,000 units used specifically at MUSC. Wright is encouraging MUSC’s help.      She unveiled a new department donor teams competition committing participating donor teams to sponsor one-week donor periods throughout the year. The Red Cross will assist teams by providing posters and materials to publicize a department team’s upcoming donor commitment. In addition, the Red Cross will also provide incentive awards and gifts for donor team participants. Scheduling can be conducted via Health Connection, 792-1414, or by posting department schedules every half hour. HR Updates Helena Bastian, director of Human Resources reminded department managers of the 2006 JCAHO HR standard which addresses primary source verification of required credentials at the time of hire and thereafter at the time of renewal.      Bastian reviewed the Medical Center’s process and indicated that Human Resources would conduct the verification at the time of hire and enter information into CATTS. Department managers or designee would be responsible for  verification at the time of renewal. She emphasized that the primary source verification must take place prior to the expiration date. Departments would also update CATTS with renewal information. Questions regarding the verification process may be directed to Susan Carullo, employment and compensation manager at 792-1684.   Bastian also requested that any departments receiving students for clinical rotations and/or internships, should e-mail Bastian at bastianh@musc.edu with a list of participating schools, specific program and contact information. This list should also be copied to Andrea Barrett at barretta@musc.edu.   In addition, she announced anyone interested in participating in this year’s Hospital Week, May 7-13, “morning serenade” may contact Lynn Campbell at 792-9097. Wireless Internet Access Infrastructure director Kurt Nendorf introduced Sam Staley, president of Widespread Access,  who announced  a new service coming to Charleston. Beginning March 31, the City of Charleston will provide wireless Internet access across town.   Staley reviewed how his company was contracted to set up and coordinate a wireless network covering peninsular Charleston. The network, whose concept operates similar to using a wireless router at home or work, will provide free high-speed Internet access wherever a user is located in downtown Charleston. Staley and his company are currently working with Nendorf and MUSC’s Infrastructure office to someday extend this service inside the medical center.   Basically, a user can use his/her laptop, personal data assistant (PDA) or other wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) device to access the Internet 24/7. Widespread Access plans to provide basic Internet connectivity for free but will offer an upgraded service bundled with additional features for $20 a month. Once connected to the network, users can log in and be led to the Radius system Web page to search and connect to information.      Asked to review system security and encryption, Staley assured managers that information sent back and forth via the Internet is generally secure. But is data being transferred from laptop to the Radius system just as secure? Staley assured managers of the system’s security and sophisticated encryption technology to protect messages.      The system provides wireless access to the Internet wherever you are— benefitting patients and outpatients, especially. As Widespread Access is brought into the medical center, the internal wireless Internet is available to staff, but not entirely to patients and visitors. Essentially, this service can someday provide seamless wireless connection inside and outside of the hospital. Hospital Communications Plan, CRBR Support, Awards Business Development and Marketing Services’ Lynne Barber gave a quick update regarding the New Hospital Communications Plan.  In the near future, Marketing will arrange for a collaborative process, including focus groups, to gain input from the management team and staff for development of an effective commun-ications plan.   She also introduced Community Outreach coordinator Mary Beth Mobley, who discussed MUSC’s involvement with the 2006 Cooper River Bridge Run (CRBR). Business Development and Marketing Services will not be sponsoring an MUSC tent  in the 2006 CRBR Expo, but instead will be re-emphasizing MUSC’s team spirit on campus with a Team MUSC rally and T-shirt distribution between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., March 30 and 31 in the Horseshoe. Staff will be distributing red Team MUSC T-shirts, in conjunction with MUSC’s new Womens Heart Care service and partnership with the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women program. T-shirts are free for registered Bridge Run participants with an MUSC ID and Bridge Run race packet. Mobley reminded the audience that MUSC’s Transplant Team will continue to walk the April 1 CRBR as a group. They will meet prior to 8 a.m. at the Omar Shrine Temple in Mount Pleasant. For more information on T-shirt pickup, call 792-7499 or 792-4397.   Finally, Barber shared the results of Business Development and Marketing Services’ recent awards from several local, state and national professional organizations. Barber emphasized the team work and commitment of all departmental staff in this year’s achievements. Notable awards went to Alex Sargeant, for creative writing in television and radio winning two Gold ADDY Awards and a Bronze ADDY from the Advertising Federation of Charleston and three national Telly Awards. Newcomer Ron Menchaca, was also recognized for his writing in multiple categories from the National Headliner Awards and South Carolina Press Association. Barber also unveiled the department’s plans to provide regular updates through the Tuesday communications meeting to review current media productions in TV, radio, print, publications and billboards. Professional Recognition Clinical Services Administration’s Michael Irving presented information on the Medical Center’s progress with professional recognition. As managers and administration update infor-mation for Hospital Week, organizers rolled out an updated database tool to help organize staff’s professional recognition activities.   Managers may submit their activities online, which is available on the Medical Center’s intranet. This database provides a description of staff professional recognition activities by category.   First, a user may search the database by name or create a new file and enter standard demographic information. Next, they can submit information in multiple categories: advanced certification, renewed certification, presentation, publications, honors and awards, professional organizations, research accomplishments and community volunteer activities. Finally, the user saves newly submitted information.   According to Irving, the system was upgraded to provide users a director-level review of information. For example, a manager may want to review all department-level employee information at once. Essentially, the database serves as a tool for managing staff professional activities. It will be available year round making it easier to submit professional recognition activities as they occur. The cutoff for entry into the 2006 publication is May 1 for professional activities that occurred between April 1, 2005 and April 30, 2006. Managers can visit the database at http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/ProfessionalRecognition/.   Irving also unveiled an MUSC Excellence  Web site featuring infor-mation, presentations and progress relating to  MUSC Excellence leadership groups as presented in the  Leadership Development Institute. The  Web  site  can be used to communicate between leadership teams in specific categories including senior leadership, service excellence, leadership evaluation and leadership development.   Kim Harris, communications team, thanked Irving for his contributions in helping to establish the Web site and announced the addition of Vicki Marsi who will serve as co-chair to this team. Git’er Done Team Rosemary Ellis presented information on a new effort aimed at completing work orders or repairs throughout the hospital. The Git’er Done Team was formed to complete jobs by assessing ways to streamline the process, introduce helpful technology and collect, track and respond to associated data.   The team is looking for ways to decrease the cycle time needed to complete a request or repair within three months.   Once accomplished, they hope to apply their efforts reducing backlogged orders. The team will begin their efforts during hospital rounds this week. Announcements   After 24 years service, Admit Transfer Center manager Maureen McDaniel will retire March 31.   McDaniel began her career working in the Newborn Nursery in 1982 before serving as a house supervisor (HSC) and bed management manager.  Friday, March 31, 2006 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 catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island papers at 849-1778, ext. 201.