Currents
To Medical Center Employees:At the Dec. 18 communications meeting the management team heard an update on our pillar-based goals. We are on track with our goals for the most part except for our inpatient volume. I want to commend Ambulatory Care for their nine percent (9 percent) increase in outpatient visits. Additional information regarding progress on our goals is highlighted in this newsletter.
The management team also heard an update from Brad Masteller, manager of Dietetic Services, on plans to upgrade the cafeteria by this summer. The upgrades will include a new physical lay out of the cafeteria and new menu selections in line with the preferences expressed by many. I want to thank Sodexho Health Care Services for their support. Additional details are in this newsletter.
The new Ashley River Tower (ART) facility will soon become a reality. During the next six weeks we will be completing the licensing process, moving supplies and necessary office material and conducting orientation to familiarize everyone concerned with the new facility lay out and logistical matters. We plan to begin patient care Feb. 5 in ART and this wonderful new facility should help us get on track with our inpatient volume goal.
We are now two years into our MUSC Excellence initiative. MUSC Excellence serves to create a culture of service excellence to make MUSC a great place for patient care, a great place for us to work and a great place for physicians and other clinicians to practice and teach.
We have rolled out a number of best practices associated with MUSC Excellence during the past two years. In the new calendar year we will roll out behaviorally-based peer interview training and retention tactics and we will expand our current pilot project on discharge phone calls. We will also continue our efforts to “hardwire” or integrate all best practices implemented to date into our routine operations.
As we move into ART we will also be working to enhance our existing facilities. In the months ahead we will be finalizing plans to “back fill” space vacated by services moving to ART. We will be communicating this plan soon.
I want to thank everyone for your dedicated work and compassionate care. Have a happy and safe holiday season. Calendar year 2008 promises to be challenging and exciting.
W. Stuart Smith
Vice President for Clinical Operations
and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center
People—Fostering employee pride and loyalty
Wins
This
year’s MUSC Angel Tree project
culminated with a period of unprecedented holiday giving and unfailing
support from MUSC employees and students. For 2007, the
Salvation Army registered 5,600 Lowcountry children, about 1,000 more
children than last year, to benefit the Tri-county’s Angel Tree
activities. Once again, MUSC proved that giving on behalf of Lowcountry
children still was a priority. Special thanks go to campus
co-organizers Liz Nista and Marian Taylor for managing this effort.
Thanks also goes to the hundreds of MUSC employees who helped make the
2007 Angel Tree effort a success.HR update
MUSC Excellence Training—The final training session for the year will occur from 1 to 4 p.m., Dec. 31 at Storm Eye Institute (8th floor). Beginning Jan. 14, training will be scheduled from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., every other Monday (Mondays following orientation).
Ashley River Tower Central Orientation—Mandatory training begins Jan. 8 and is open to employees transitioning to the new facility. No pre-registration is required. Employees can attend one of 24 scheduled sessions until Feb. 1.
For information, visit its Web site at http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/news/ART%20Central%20Orientation%20Schedule.htm.
MUHA Management Orientation—Starting January, an additional session has been added to review various MUHA operating systems such as LEM tool, EPSI and HBI, etc. Register via CATTS.
Education roll-out update
Laurie Zone-Smith, Ph.D., R.N., manager for the Center for Professional Development and Clinical Education Resources, reviewed highlights from the Dec. 6 meeting:
Zone-Smith gave an update on current testing and training of the medical center’s new phone interpretation service with Pacific Interpreters; guidelines using Kerlix rolls in the care of small/large wounds; plans for the EKG transition to paperless/full service and documentation (EKG requests/order forms are available online); newly revised IV push policy [C-151] (adult and peds charts are posted online); safety device needle sticks and proper use of BDB safety glides/push button re-education with units.
Other announcements include a location change with the skills lab to 2West Classroom beginning Jan. 10 and BLS classes have been temporarily rescheduled to coincide with MUSC Excellence training for the end of December; plus a reminder that new forms are available via the Clinician Order Forms and MUHA Intranet. Finally, employees were informed of the medical center's transition from the Baxter infusion pumps to the Alaris infusion pumps beginning Feb. 5. All patients moving to ART on Feb. 4 will transition from Baxter to Alaris upon arrival at the new facility. Staff using the new Alaris infusion pumps, PCA and syringes are required to complete a computer-based tutorial via CATTS and a live training session. A superuser and enduser training has been scheduled.
Contact Mike Roudabush at roudabus@musc.edu.
Health 1st
Annie Lovering, R.N., wellness program coordinator, encouraged employees to participate in the Health 1st Lowcountry Food Bank drive which runs through Dec. 21. Lovering reminded employees that if every employee donated two cans of food, the institution can contribute about two tons of food.
Bins are located at the Children’s Hospital lobby, Engineering & Facilities (parking garage 1, second floor), Harborview Tower, Harper Wellness Center, Rutledge Tower lobby, Family Medicine, Northbridge office, CMH and Strom Thurmond/Gazes building.
Wireless capability
Nick Whichard, clinical support assistance manager, Office of CIO/OCIO, reported on progress with the new wireless network that will allow medical center patients and visitors to access the Internet. An IT team is currently completing final tests and has been monitoring network activity during this trial period by some 200 users. Whichard reassured staff that this system will not impact with the hospital’s existing network.
Finance—Providing the highest value to patients while ensuring financial stability
Steve
Hargett, MUSC medical center
controller, presented the Medical Center’s income statement ending
November, almost the halfway point of the fiscal year. On Dec. 13-14,
the Board of Trustees received results for both MUHA and university of
Fiscal Year 2007. The external audit was conducted by hospital auditors
KPMG, which reported one of smoothest audit processes to date. Results
reported the hospital’s position at a $26 million net profit and
operating margin of 4.7 percent. Hargett reported that net patient revenue was $30 million over the same period in 2006 and $20 million below the 2008 budget. Factors driving gross and net revenues: patient census (1.2 percent increase); inpatient surgeries; and emergency room visits (7 percent increase) and ancillary services. Also helping revenue is the rate increase, which averages about 7 percent, that was established in July.
Operating expenses have increased to $32 million driven by volume and inflation and some expenses related to Ashley River Tower (ART) opening in February. Supply costs, which are on a volume adjusted basis, fell at 2.4 percent, which is below last year.
Productivity management has slipped in anticipation of additional staff hired for ART. Operating income is $14.2 million and net income is $9.9 million. Operating margin has slipped down to 4.2 percent.
As of November, the hospital's cash position is $50.4 million or 23.9 days. The average number of days to collect on our accounts receivable is 59 compared to a budget of 55 and 58 in 2006.
Finally, Hargett reminded managers that Medicaid has changed how the institution is paid for disproportionate share. Instead of quarterly estimated payments, MUSC is paid through increased per diem rates on medications so payment comes after individual patients have been billed. This change has slowed the hospital’s cash flow. However, investment income show signs of improvement as the hospital becomes more aggressive in its excess cash investing.
Growth—Growing to meet the needs of those we serve
Brad
Masteller, general manager of
MUSC Dietetic Services, unveiled summer changes with the main
hospital’s cafeteria. Renovations focus on reorganizing existing space
and flow of foot traffic. Changes include relocating the physician’s
dining room, new tables, chairs and addition of stools, plus new
flooring. Services will include food stations, grill hoods and
relocation of the grill, hotline, display cases and vending machines.
The a la carte area will also feature changes. Dietetic services is
dedicated to accommodating customers throughout this period. A poster
of the planned renovations is located in the cafeteria hallway.Announcements
The next hospital communications/Currents meeting is Jan. 8.
Friday, Dec. 21, 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.