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Toolkit keeps managers abreast of key information by Mary Helen Yarborough Public Relations Whether it’s a matter of time flying or constantly heavy work schedules, it can be easy to miss important personal deadlines, such as annual vaccinations.   Because vaccinations are growing more critical for health care workers in these pandemic-alert times, MUSC has a system that can help trigger employees’ memories with a nudge from their managers and a handy online tool.   MUSC’s Information Services provides an intranet site through Human Resources (HR) called Managers Toolkit, or Manager’s Toolbox on the hospital HR side, to help staff keep up on vaccines and other essential information. This secured online site contains various human resources and personnel information that managers can access and track, depending on their clearance and need-to-know, from either hospital or university human resources departments.   This site includes employee and student health information maintained by MUSC Employee Health Services. Managers do not have access to any of the employees’ entire health records, only information on whether and when a member of the manager’s staff has received a vaccine, said Joye Veitch, family nurse practitioner and Employee Health director.   Separate institutional records are maintained for both the hospital and the university, and they cannot be cross-accessed. “In other words, only hospital managers can see hospital employees’ information, and only university side managers can see university employee information,” Veitch said. “A manager must first be authorized by HR to have access to any area. Managers may not view records of anyone from another cost center, only those in their own cost center (or department).”   Employees who work directly with patients must maintain current vaccinations, which vary depending on the employee’s clinical job function. For example, hospital workers who are likely to encounter bodily fluids would need to have an updated Hepatitis B vaccine.   All employees must have been screened for tuberculosis (TB). Earlier this year, MUSC required all new employees to have a two-part TB test, one test pre-hire and a second booster  test a week later. Previously, only one TB test was required, but an additional test was added as extra assurance that an individual has  not been exposed and could have latent or active TB. Annual TB screenings are required for all hospital workers.   While the Manager’s Toolkit contains information regarding employees’ annual TB screenings, this information only lists whether and when a member of the department’s staff has received the test. It does not indicate whether the test was positive or negative.   “The goal is to help managers keep employees up to date on all of that,” Veitch said. “TB tests are required annually, especially for those that go into the medical center. People who work in business offices away from the hospital only have to have TB tests every other year.”   If a positive TB test is indicated, Employee Health, which monitors the test data, refers the information to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), which would determine if a chest X-ray or treatment is needed.   Employee Health inputs all of the health data into the system that is used to generate a report every two weeks.   “These impromptu reports are a convenience to the managers who can access the information at their fingertips instead of having to call us for it,” said Leslie Hucks, an administrator for Employee Health who helps manage the health records.   Meanwhile, DHEC occasionally will request a random review of department TB test records to see if the annual tests are being adhered to by health care workers. Flu vaccines, while strongly urged, are not required, Veitch said.   “The purpose of all of this is for patient safety, co-worker safety and family safety,” Veitch said. “We’re one of the stop-gaps before new candidates pass through and onto their new positions.”   In the future, the Information Services Department, which maintains the entire site, may provide a system for employees to access their own information, Hucks said. This system would be restricted to the individual employee and would include information on all vaccinations, such as measles, tetanus and hepatitis.   “We’re hoping to, in the future, have all immunization records accessible only to the employee,” Veitch said. “Privacy laws restrict health information to be accessible to anyone else, including the manager.”   For information on the MUSC employment/student health policy, go to http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/policy/infec/4-002EmplStudHlth.pdf.   The MUSC manager’s toolkit is found at http://www.musc.edu/hrm/mantool/.   The MUHA manager’s toolbox is found through http://mcintranet.musc.edu/hr.     Friday, Oct. 19, 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.