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MUSC Excellence at the medical center Staff recognized for exceptional job Service: Serving the public with compassion, respect and excellence Standard of Behavior: January through March Staff should continue to hardwire AIDET with a focus on managing up, (I in AIDET). Managing up yourself, coworkers, physicians and MUSC helps to decrease patient’s anxiety, improve patient experience, increase compliance and improve clinical outcomes. Benefit for January: Roth 401K plan now available to Medical Center staff For more information about the Roth 401K or to enroll in the plan, contact the Human Resources Benefits Desk at 792-0826. People: Fostering employee pride in the workplace Town hall meetings Medical center town hall meetings will be held Feb. 25 to March 11. Check the MUSC Excellence Web site for the  next series of town hall meetings at http://mcintranet.musc.edu/muscexcellence/index.htm. December DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award winner “Patty Dobson, R.N., Labor & Delivery,  cared for a family that had a loss that was anticipated. A mother delivered an infant with known anomalies. The family chose to carry the infant until term rather than terminating the pregnancy. The mother was also a health care professional and she was even more stressed than the average person due to her knowledge level. The baby delivered and lived for just a couple of hours. The mother wrote two letters to share the incredibly touching experience she had when Patty cared for her on Labor & Delivery and when the nursing staff on 5 West Antepartum also cared for her post delivery. The mother described Patty as someone who respected her wishes and someone who helped make the short time she had with her baby even more precious. The patient was so thankful for Patty because she felt like Patty knew what to say to make her feel a little better during a sad, difficult time. The patient and her husband wanted to make sure that Patty knew how blessed they felt as a result of the tender and loving care she provided them . Patty is being nominated on behalf of the family and in memory of their baby. As Patty’s manager, I concur that she is very deserving to be nominated and considered for the DAISY Award.” (Nominated by Debbie Jones) Employees of the Month for December Yvonne Martin, R.N., nurse outreach and retention coordinator, received the following recognition: “This applause is because Yvonne retrieved me from the bus stop just as the day changed from sunny to pouring rain, and brought me all the way to the door at Rutledge Tower. We had never met and I heard the voice say ‘Get in. I’m Yvonne and I work at MUSC.’ I assumed she noticed my colored uniform and was gracious enough to stop and help me. We had a great travel into work and she told about her position. She even sent me an e-mail later to check on me. What a great individual to have in Nurse Recruitment.” (Nominated by Mary Adler) Donald Neuroth, R.Ph., Rutledge Tower Pharmacy, was recognized with this nomination: “A patient discharged home on a Friday accidentally did not receive all of her meds at time of discharge. Most importantly, her pain medication had been a particular issue for this patient. She did not have any insurance or funding and could not afford her meds either. The social worker arranged for funding and her meds to be filled at the Ashley Avenue Pharmacy. When the patient got home, she realized she had no pain meds but the pharmacy was closed. I called the Rutledge Tower Pharmacy on Saturday. Donald was able to leave work and meet me at the Ashley Avenue pharmacy to get the patient’s medication. This is truly an example of what MUSC represents—accountability, respect, excellence and adaptability. The patient, doctor on call and nurse are so grateful for this caring act.”  (Nominated by Alice Harris) Physician of the Month for November, December Matthew Kohler, M.D., Gynecologic Oncology, November Physician of the Month:  “I was a patient of this physician (Dr. Kohler) when he was working out of the Memorial Oncology office in Long Beach, California 10 years ago. This man saved my life. Not only is he the kindest, most caring physician I have ever met, but his knowledge of his field made me sure I was going to come through this disease on the positive side. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer. This doctor and I agreed that radiation therapy was the best route for me to take. Before, during and after all my treatments, he was there to council me, help answer my questions and calm the fears I had. Three months after completion of radiation, my biopsies were coming back positive for viable cancer cells. I was then scheduled for a complete exoneration. This doctor continued having biopsies done for the period before the surgery. One week prior to my surgery, the last set of biopsies were no longer showing viable cells. I was spared the surgery that I had been dreading. Dr. Kohler got me through the most difficult time of my life. He made me feel that I mattered and that my concerns were important to him and never did he make me feel insignificant. I celebrated my 10 years cured this past February and I owe this to this fabulous doctor. I never got to tell him how important he was in my life, and to thank him for his care.”  (Nominated by a patient) Courtney Cave, M.D., Internal Medicine, December Physician of the Month: “Dr. Cave has been working on the General Medicine service for the last month and has demonstrated excellence in care. Her best feature is her ability to communicate. I appreciate the way she keeps me, the nurse, informed on the plan of care and also orders being written. She asks if I have any questions and has even helped me by getting supplies out of the med cart for me. She also respects her patients and genuinely wants them to receive the best treatments.”  (Nominated by Clair Crawford) Quality: Providing quality patient care in a safe environment The adult Emergency Department (ED) initiated a new addition to MUSC Excellence with discharge call backs to all those sent home after a visit to the adult ED. During the first 10 days, electronic data showed an average of 72 patients seen and discharged each day with staff able to contact between 95 percent  to 100 percent of these patients each day. This initiative was conducted to evaluate the experience of the patient in the adult ED.   Discharge callbacks allow the physician to see how the patient is feeling; if the patient has any questions regarding his or her stay or any home care instructions. If the patient were to get a prescription filled, the staff finds out if it did get filled and if there are any questions regarding how to take it.  If the patient could not get it filled, then the  social worker may be able to assist the patient. The staff also asks the patient if he or she were kept informed of delays, how well their pain was treated, and if they were treated with respect while in ED.   The last question asked, “is there anyone they would like to recognize for doing good work, i.e. nurse, doctor, physician assistant, a technician, etc.” The staff also takes the opportunity to remind the patient of the survey he or she may receive in the mail and that their input is valued. Lastly, the staff thanks the patient again for choosing MUSC.   This process has been well received by the patients and staff. This initiative not only raises the spirits of the patients, but the staff as well.     Friday, Feb. 1, 2008 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.