Physician of the Month

Ron Teufel, M.D.
“I nominate Ron Teufel, medical director of 7A in the Children’s Hospital. Ron collaborates with nursing and Children’s Hospital leadership to ensure that high patient care standards are upheld and that physicians and nursing staff have a cohesive environment in which to work. As medical director, Ron really gets involved. He co-chairs our asthma subgroup, helping implement order sets and education plans, and ensuring that compliance is met. Ron also did a poster presentation with me at the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions conference on asthma work at MUSC. Additionally, Ron co-chairs an inter-disciplinary group to look at improving discharges with general/pediatric patients. With resident involvement, Ron has changed the resident check out sheet and developed a new patient flow for discharges. Rounds were also changed. Recognizing the importance of education, Ron has done educational Power Point sessions. He is always concerned about staff having what they need. These are only a few of the wonderful things that Ron has been involved with. As you can see, he exhibits many qualities that really go above and beyond as a role model at MUSC.”
—Nominated by Sonja Muckenfuss

DAISY Award
Joanne Naylor, CCU
“JoAnne has served as the coordinator for MUSC’s ECCO (Essentials of Critical Care Orientation) program since its inception years ago. This program, sponsored by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, serves all newly hired MUSC critical care nurses as the foundation for the progression from novice to expert. JoAnne has seen this program from its infancy, through software upgrades, and many other challenges. She has taken the ECCO program to a new level, in the MUSC Simulation Lab, where she has spent hours researching simulation training for critical care nurses. She also determined how we could write our own scenarios to use in the simulation lab. This is a very novel concept, not widely utilized across the country. She has put MUSC at the forefront of this arena. JoAnne collaborated with the Simulation Lab staff to train the critical care educators and RN III’s on the use of the mannequins and helped us gain the knowledge we need to lead students through scenarios. All of this training occurred during multiple days and required complex orchestration to occur during the roll out of ClinDoc, Admin Rx and Computerized Provider Order Entry. JoAnne has outstanding clinical capabilities and touches lives at the bedside every day. By taking a risk and venturing into uncharted territories, JoAnne has given many critical care nurses the opportunity to learn in a dynamic, complex environment. Through her efforts, nurses are better equipped to be at the bedside, functioning to their highest potential, attacking diseases and caring for patients and their families.”
—Nominated by a co-worker

October Standard of the Month: Adaptability

• Embrace change                         
  
• Offer suggestions for resolutions to problems              
  
• Respect and listen to your co-workers' ideas

Get Well Network
The following comments were sent directly from patients or family members in the hospital through the Get Well Network, the interactive in-room television system located in most inpatient rooms.

“Excellent facility and very pleased with all aspects of care that I received while in the hospital.”
—A patient

“The physical as well as psychological welfare of patients is clearly a high priority here, as it is not in some hospitals. The contrast between our experience and that of friends who have gone elsewhere is night and day. Dr. Costa and Dr. Stuart are exemplary in every way. Their expertise and their humanity also seem to set the tone for the rest of the staff who are, without exception, efficient, capable, kind, sensitive—everything a patient could ask for. I won’t list specific names because in our experience there have been no exceptions. I am sharing our impressions with everyone we know who is following my husband’s progress.”
—Wife of a patient

“Lucille, Mira, Angela and all the other nurses and CA’s [clinical associate] have been wonderful!”
—A patient

Do you know someone who has gone above and beyond?
You have the power to make sure employees who  get the recognition and respect they deserve by nominating that person as an Employee or Physician of the Month on the MUHA intranet. Just click on the EOM or POM icon and complete the short nomination form. It only takes a few minutes—but just think how meaningful your nomination will be.

October Benefit of the Month
Medical Spending Accounts

• This big cost-saver allows eligible employees to pay for many out-of-pocket medical expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Eligible expenses include dental, vision, medical insurance and prescription drug co-pays and deductibles, and experimental treatments that are medically necessary.

• Simply estimate your 2010 expenses and have that amount deducted from your paycheck throughout the year.

• Sign up online during the October open enrollment period. New enrollees must use the paper form.
  

Friday, Oct. 16, 2009