To Medical Center Employees:
One of our medical center’s goals under the MUSC Excellence “people pillar” is to continue to improve employee satisfaction. Plans have been made to conduct our annual survey from April 27 through May 8. The results will be used to measure progress and to set goals for the new fiscal year.
 
This year our organization, like other employers, has faced financial challenges as we have observed a nationwide economic crises. Clearly elevating employee satisfaction during difficult times is tough. Our priority has been to achieve necessary cost reductions while minimizing adverse impact on employment and benefits.
 
I am pleased that we have made significant progress with our financial performance while providing superb care and service. I am optimistic about the months ahead and want to thank everyone for pulling together.
 
This year, as indicated in a previous Currents newsletter, the Press Ganey survey firm has modified its survey to measure both employee satisfaction and engagement. Engagement involves building enduring relationships to achieve our goals.
 
All medical center employees, including contracted services, are being encouraged to participate in the new Employee Partnership Survey. As in the past, the survey will be conducted through the Internet. Individuals' responses will be confidential and anonymous.
 
Press Ganey will compile the data and the results will be widely communicated to all employees. The findings will be used to develop department and organizationwide action plans for continued improvements.
 
Additional details on how to complete the survey will be sent to all medical center employees in the near future. Everyone’s participation in the survey will be greatly appreciated.


W. Stuart Smith
Vice President for Clinical Operations
and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center

People—Fostering employee pride and loyalty

Heather Woolwine, media relations director in the Office of Public Relations, reviewed procedures connected with inpatient condition reports. Wool-wine reminded staff that MUSC provides condition reports to support media requests. She assured staff that it is the PR team’s goal to support HIPAA compliance and protect the privacy of our patients, employees, faculty and students. The release of patient information without written consent is a violation of HIPAA. When a PR representative receives a call inquiring about a patient’s condition, they will locate the patient, contact the unit, identify themselves and confirm specific information. Staff will be asked to help confirm a patient’s condition using one of four categories: good, fair, serious or critical.
 
This information will be shared with managers and staff via the MUHA intranet. For information, contact Woolwine, 792-7669 or pager 12878.

HR update
Helena Bastian, Human Resources director, presented the following information:

Performance management Process Transition Update:
 
The medical center is moving forward to fully automate the performance management system. We are working with SuccessFactors, a leader in the performance management software systems, and will be have a kick-off meeting April 17. Managers were reminded of tasks they should be working on to assist with the transition of the performance management system as outlined below:

• April-August 2009—Review of job responsibilities for positions with work area.

• Staff evaluations due by Aug. 31— Complete evacuations using the 2008-09 planning stage document (old EPMS form) for all employees hired prior to April 2009.

• Leader evaluations (staff attending LDI) due by Sept. 30—Complete evaluations using 2008-09 planning stage document (old EPMS form) for employees hired prior to April 2009.

• Employees hired after April 2009 should have planning stages completed on old form until migration to new systems is complete.

• Staff are encouraged to attend Performance Management transition training.

• Determine FY2009-2010 pillar goals. Note: staff may have one or more pillar goals. Examples of staff pillar goals: patient/employee/internal customer satisfaction or specific departmental productivity goal.

• Enter job responsibilities, staff pillar goals and minimum training/experience requirements in new Performance Management System, Success Factors. The PMS is scheduled to be available in June. PMS training will be scheduled for support staff assisting with the conversion.

Bastian also reminded the group of the upcoming Employee Partnership Survey (April 27 to May 8). Manager’s departmental packets will be distributed the week of April 20. The survey was restructured by Press Ganey to measure both employee satisfaction and engagement. The survey will be conducted electronically by PIN number. All responses are confidential and only Press Ganey has access to the actual surveys. Computer labs will be available for employees without computer access. For information, contact Bastian, 792-6098 or bastianh@musc.edu or Jane Scutt, 792-1839, scuttj@musc.edu.
 
Everyone was reminded that benefit eligible new hires who elect to participate in the various insurance programs must present the necessary information and documentation in order for their paperwork to be processed and sent to the Employee Insurance Program (EIP). Failure to do so may delay the activation of an employees’ coverage. New hires receive notification of the required information such as social security number(s), dates of birth (all participants) and student certifications both at Benefits Orientation and subsequently via e-mails but may not always respond. EIP has recently adopted a more rigid approach to insurance election paperwork that if submitted late and we therefore may enlist in your help to encourage new hires to respond by means of copying you on our notification e-mails. For information, call Mark Stimpson, Benefits and Records Manager, 792-9320.

Health 1st update
Annie Lovering, R.N., Health 1st director, reminded employees of current Health 1st activities. Lovering talked about results from the latest Wellness Team Competition (Jan. 1 to March 31), recognizing Storm Eye Institute’s Enlightented Soles team.
 
Other ongoing efforts include Stop Smoking-Smoking Cessation classes. The project features professional support by Robert Mallon, M.D., Department of Family Medicine. Monthly Health 1st Worksite Screening is scheduled from 7-11 a.m., April 23 at Harborview Office Tower. Call 792-9959 to schedule an appointment. The May screening is May 28 at 2West classroom, main hospital. Finally, the Farmer’s Market is available at three locations: MUSC Horseshoe, ART and Harborview Office Tower.

Quality—Providing quality patient care in a safe environment
 
Christine Lewis, health information services manager, spoke about upgrades to the current scanning system, Access Anyware, to McKesson Horizon Patient Folder (HPF) on April 20. AccessAnyware is what the hospital has used to copy and scan patient charts in a computerized system and viewed via OACIS and the AccessAnyware system. Health Information Services will migrate all current medical record images (since 2004) from Access Anywhere to the McKesson HPF system. A new icon for viewing will be placed with all desktops.
 
To view, click on the icon, enter Net ID and employee ID, as the initial password, and then change your password. An employee ID can be found via My Records on the MUHA HR Web site, via pay stub. The 10-digit ID number begins with 9000XXX.
 
Staff can view using AccessAnyware for a 30-60 day period because records, during the migration, can be in either system. AccessAnyware medical records received on discharged patients prior to midnight, April 20, will be available on the new system.
 
To view records via OACIS, users can continue to use the scan menu to view AccessAnyware images, which will remain until all images are migrated off.
The new roster menu to view records scanned in the new McKesson system is the HPF scan menu.
 
Throughout the next several months, images will be migrated. Physicians will not be able to complete deficiencies using OACIS. It is an enhancement that Health Information Services will improve within the next 60 days after April 20. Also transcribed documents will not be in the scan menu but will be under OACIS under transcription.
 
Lewis distributed quick reference cards to managers to post in their unit/department. Individual training is being organized.

Joint Commission readiness-security
Reece Smith, medical center compliance officer and member of the Joint Commission Survey Readiness Team, gave an update on recent rounding efforts regarding privacy/security. Smith reported on the importance of securing patient records; ensuring that computer screens are not viewable by the public; proper discard of patient records/information in a confidential bin versus a recycle bin; proper discard of pharmacy bags (mini medication/IV bags)—place in red bags/bins; computer screens that don’t automatically time out; misdirected faxes; no sharing of passwords; improper access/viewing of a patient/employee’s medical records.

Announcements

• Barrie Tyler is the interim manager of the Bronchoscopy Lab, Sleep Lab and PICC Lab. Tyler has been at MUSC for 25 years and worked previously as a clinical coordinator in RT for 15 years and other roles in the respiratory department.

• The next meeting will be April 21.

Friday, April 17, 2009