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Physician receives award for empathy by Heather Woolwine Public Relations In the neurosciences intensive care unit (NSICU), patients require a special level of care that requires a delicate balance of precision, quality and compassion. NSICU patients suffer from injuries to the brain and, subsequently, present symptoms that are common yet highly individualized.   Dr. Julio Chalela According to the several staff members that nominated him for the Monthly Magnetic M.D. Award, Julio Chalela, M.D., not only possesses the vast and flexible knowledge required to care for patients with head trauma or illnesses affecting the brain, but serves as an example of caring for patients and for his coworkers at the same time.   The award, also known as the M-cubed award, was developed to honor outstanding physicians deemed by their peers, colleagues and patients as “a cut above other physicians” as part of MUSC’s continuous pursuit of excellence, said Pam Smith, R.N., Nurse Alliance chair and Children’s Emergency Department clinical operations coordinator.   Each month, nominations are submitted via intranet at http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/formsToolbox/DocAward/. A subgroup of the leadership council considers nominations following a process to remove identifiers and ensure fairness. The nominations are restarted at the beginning of the month, so if a physician does not win during a particular month, then staff may nominate him or her again.   In Chalela’s case, three individuals nominated him at various times for the M-cubed award. One of the nominations described him as an integral part of the unit who strengthened it as it grew. “He was our water and fertilizer. We were the seed. He initiated patient rounds with the nurses and truly valued our input. He also has helped us with any project we are doing and always has the time to put input into the project,” it said. Acknowledged for always having time for patients and their families, Chalela seems to have a knack for handling the difficult situations and enjoys sharing his knowledge and pertinent information with other members of the staff.    “Dr. Chalela always goes above and beyond the call of duty for his patients and their loved ones. He treats the nurses with respect and is always very personable. There is no doubt that NSICU is a better place to work because of him,” a second nomination said.   One would expect a physician to be dedicated to his patients, but a last nomination felt that Chalela’s empathy and good nature extended beyond normal measures. “On several occasions he has remained at the bedside well into the wee hours of the morning to see a patient through a critical event, and even after being here for hours on end he’s taken the time to explain to the patient's loved ones exactly what transpired, before finally going home to his own family. He is always, without exception, professional and courteous with the staff, and he manages this in such a way that he remains friendly and approachable. He is a natural leader, one that any staff member would be more than willing to follow. He wears his authority and wisdom well.”   Recipients of the award receive a certificate recognizing their achievement, as well as a bag of M&Ms.  “Typically, in the medical community, these initials are seen in a negative way because they mean morbidity and mortality,” Smith said. “Physicians who present at M&M are typically in the hot seat during their presentation because of the complex issues involved, so to put a positive spin on these typically negative initials, we present them with the bag of candy.”     Friday, Jan. 5, 2007 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 Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.