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MUSC Rumor Mill separates fact from fiction Name change I heard that the sign in front of Charleston Memorial Hospital is going to be changed to Courtenay Street Annex. Is that true? Answer: Charleston Memorial Hospital will continue to operate under that name. A few staff members of Ashley River Tower do have offices in McClennan-Banks and Charleston Memorial Hospital, and that may be the source of this question. Copy machine I have known for a long time that when I use the copy machine , my group or department has to pay a fee per copy. Many of the newer large copy machines are networked and can scan to servers or computer desktops and can e-mail documents directly from the Xerox machine. Is it true that my group or department has to pay a fee for each scan just as if I made a copy? Answer: Xerox copiers acquired through the state fixed price (cost per copy) should not assign a cost directly for scanned images. The scan function is an option, which is calculated and added into the overall cost per copy for each paper copy from a device. Some Xerox devices do track scanned images separately; however, these scans are not added directly to calculate copier volumes. The Support and Contract Service Office administrates the cost per copy contract and monitors copier volumes for accuracy. For information, contact Roy Dingle, Support/Contract Service manager, at 792-9787 or e-mail dingler@musc.edu. Employees, family members as patients I have heard that when an employee is a patient that they are allowed to use the patient parking facilities for the duration of the time of their appointment/procedure. Is this correct? If a family member is using a car with a parking decal and has an appointment/procedure, are they allowed to use patient parking facilities as well? Answer: When an MUSC employee is at MUSC as a patient he is authorized to park in patient facilities during the time of the appointment. If an MUSC employee or family member as a patient drives a vehicle on which an MUSC parking decal is displayed, it would be helpful if the employee would give the parking office a call (792-3665) prior to the appointment. Collections I heard that if someone has a death in the family that you can not collect money for them. I believe that this is a very weird policy. I believe that if you work with someone everyday, that you bond with people and they become like family to you. How can you work with someone and they have a death in the family and do nothing for them? Answer: It is likely there is some overinterpretation of the solicitation policy in this case. Collection of voluntary personal (private) contributions in an undisruptive and discreet manner to purchase flowers (or similar items) for the purpose of expressing condolences for a colleague and friend is not a violation of policy. However, it should be voluntary and employees should not be pressured to make contributions. Are smoking areas being enforced? I have seen people smoking in the Horseshoe area who are not in the designated smoking section. It might help to have No Smoking signs erected. Answer: Public Safety has been asked to increase its patrol of the area. The need for additional signage will be reviewed. Prices in ART Cafe Why are the prices in the ART Cafe so high? Paying $1.52 for a 20-ounce soft drink, $5 for a ham sandwich, and $2 for a single breadstick seems more than a little bit pricey. Answer: The prices are the same as the main hospital for similar items. In fact, the same cash register program was copied to that system. Any new items are priced with the same mark up as the main hospital. ART motorcycle parking I was informed that it would be at least six to 12 months before any consideration to parking motorcycles in the ART garage would be addressed. Is this true? Answer: The parking area under ART is restricted to handicapped parking for ART patients and visitors, valet- parked patient vehicles and MUSC and other service and delivery vehicles. Parking for motorcycles is provided in the Courtenay Drive parking garage, which is adjacent to ART. The Courtenay Drive garage includes space for two to three motorcycles on floors two through five. These spaces are located on the south side of the garage next to the southeast stairwell. Hagood parking overflow There are countless employees who are unable to find parking during the morning hours at Hagood. Some employees who are scheduled to be here at 8:30 a.m. arrive before 7:30 a.m. to find a parking spot. There should be more spaces available for the employees to park. I have heard rumors that this may be turned into a parking garage. What are the plans, if any? Answer: The City of Charleston owns all but 175 spaces that make up the Hagood parking system. (MUSC owns 175 spaces just south of Line Street). City planners have noted that a garage could be build on the Hagood parking site; however, alternative uses are also possible, to include office space, retail areas, etc. To date, no final determination has been made by the city regarding this area. The 1,500 space Bee Street garage is scheduled for completion in the fall and will provide much needed relief to the MUSC parking system. CARTA Express I'm still trying to find out if anyone knows anything about the CARTA Express extending into the Summerville area? I keep hearing rumors about it but can't get a reply from anyone. As someone who lives in Summerville the  Express would be a great thing. Answer: During its January meeting, the Dorchester County Council indicated that it would not support CARTA Express to Summerville. Instead, Dorchester County will support a RTMA connection from Summerville to the North Charleston Kmart on Rivers where riders can change buses and pick up the express. Without county support, CARTA can’t afford to come to Summerville. CARTA is developing an alternative plan to bring CARTA Express up Dorchester Road to the Oakbrook area. CARTA leadership is seeking support from the state government to fund this route independent of county support. An announcement will be made  if the route is established and operating. Starbucks in ART I have heard the rumor that a Starbucks will open in  ART. Any idea when this will occur? Answer: Management is in the design phase now with Starbucks and construction will begin once that is finalized, hopefully within the next two months. Leaving work sick I have been told by  team members and my team leader that if you come to work and start feeling ill and need to leave work, that if you do not work at least five hours of the eight hour shift you will be written up. Is this true? Answer: Refer to Human Resources Policy 10, Absenteeism for details regarding unscheduled absences. Contact your manager or Eric Frisch, Employee Relations manager, at 792-7908. Smoking area by the main hospital This is not a rumor but a concern about the smoking area by the Horseshoe. This area is littered with hundreds of cigarette butts now and discarded empty cigarette packs. The butts are on the grass and in the shrubbery. There are receptacles for the cigarette butts, but evidently it’s too much trouble for some smokers to dispose of them properly. Answer: This has been reported to the appropriate department. Reproduced from http://www.musc.edu/rumor/.     Friday, March 7, 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.