To Medical Center Employees:
As mentioned in previous newsletters, our Employee Partnership Survey results during  the past three years have indicated that improving the performance evaluation is a priority. A new policy and evaluation form were developed with the help of a Design Team consisting of key representatives from medical center divisions. The modified performance management policy can be located on the medical center intranet at http://mcintranet.musc.edu/hr/documents/policy16-performance_management.pdf.
 
To enable improved communication and administration of the performance management process, we have also implemented a new online evaluation system called SuccessFactors. We had an ambitious schedule, recommended by an Implementation Team, for wrapping up all evaluations under the old policy and for loading all planning stages into SuccessFactors by Aug. 31. I am pleased to say that 92 percent of planning stages have been completed in the new system and progress continues.
 
Some divisions had exceptional Aug. 31 completion rates exceeding 97 percent including Facilities and Capital Improvements; Neuroscience Service Line; Institutional Relations; Ambulatory Care; and Institute of Psychiatry.
 
It’s understood that a 100 percent completion rate is difficult to achieve due to various matters such as FMLA-related leave, temporary workers who do not routinely work and military leave. Employees who are unable to sign the form now should sign when they return to work or may access SuccessFactors remotely.
 
The conversion to the new online system was a labor intensive process for all supervisors and required that employees verify their planning stages. I want to commend the management team for their dedicated efforts while balancing their day-to-day duties.
 
I want to recognize Kim Duncan, HR information systems manager, for her tireless work in leading the system implementation and the OCIO staff for their support throughout the planning and implementation process. The ambitious implementation schedule was made possible by training conducted by HR staff, including Tish Hyland, Mary White, Allen Coulter, Latonia Allen, Sheila Griner, and Leslie Harding. Also, the following super users provided training and led implementation for their respective departments:

SuccessFactors SuperUsers
Ambulatory Care: Carmen Rice, Mary Smalls, Joy Burns, Lori Stivers; Children’s and Perinatal: Steven Godbold, Meredith Strehle; Digestive Disease: Gail Heitman, Mandi Beers, Tavia Talley, Keri Benton, Caroline Averitt; Facilities: Louise Burne, Sue Grimm, Stacia Williams, Kim Duckworth, Donna Casey; Finance and Support Services: Janice Pappas, Margaret Robertson, Jim Chapman, Brook Campbell, Susan Stein, Nancy White, Kelly Shaw, Patty MacFarland. Carol Lukow, Susan Sellers, Tamyra Whaley; Heart Center: Vera Campbell, Darlene Gaffney; Institutional Relations: Jane Scutt, Kim Duncan, Latonia Allen; IOP: Jackie McRinna, Deboria Gourdine, Sara Frampton; Lab: Stacia Lancaster, Tabitha Legare, Marla Lockhart; Main OR and PACU: Martha Hooper, Marketing: Priscilla Parker; Medical Director’s office: Annette Deveaux, Mary-Eliese Merrill; Musculoskeletal: Beth Reeves; Neurosciences - Gina Sciarro, Kelly Cave, Ana Toledo; OCIO: Mary Williams, Greg Fisher; Pharmacy: Andrew Smith, Peggy Smith; Radiology - Nancy Monogan, Janette Brown; SACC and MACC: Tom Hubbard, Tina Lawrimore, Jennifer Gowder, Jenny Zetty, Louise Rogers, Cathy Swider, Marge Hasbrouck, Falonda Huffman; Therapeutic Services:  Connie Alge; Transplant: Katherine Taylor, Kat Green
 
Currently the SuccessFactors implementation team is working to implement additional system modules in the months ahead that will further improve communication and support HR-related matters. Implementation of these other modules will not be as labor intensive for the management team.
 
Thank you very much.

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

Town Hall Meetings
Sept. 16: 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., SEI Auditorium; Sept. 18: 11 a.m., 2W Amphitheater; Sept. 25: 10 a.m., IOP Auditorium; Sept. 28: 2 p.m., SEI Auditorium; Sept. 29: 3 p.m., ART Auditorium; Sept. 30: 11 a.m., ART Auditorium; Oct. 1: 3:30 p.m. IOP Auditorium; Oct. 2, 11 a.m., SEI Auditorium

People—Fostering employee pride and loyalty

Debbie Browning, R.N., Women & Infant Service Line director, unveiled details of a new Patient Abduction Code Pink plan. The plan supports the Joint Commission’s standard (EC 1.4) for hospitals to enforce a written plan supporting infant security. The plan follows guidelines, strategies and protocols established by the National Center for Missing/Exploited Children. To date, Joint Commission has already reviewed eight infant abduction cases.
 
Code Pink’s strategies for reducing risk involve: the implementation of a proactive infant abduction prevention plan; enhanced patient education; implementation of an infant security system; requirement for all staff to wear updated, color photo badges; impose controlled access to nursery/postpartum areas; and practice a culture of awareness.
 
The hospital has already installed an electronic security banding system for Level I infants; established a perinatal staff education program and parent education program; visitor screening and use of security badges upon entry; controlled access to perinatal areas; and mandatory use of employee badges.
 
Code Pink will be implemented hospitalwide. Any staff witnessing a newborn abduction or activation of a cut band alarm should initiate Code Pink by dialing 792-3333. Perinatal staff will confirm an infant count and block all exit doors until Public Safety’s arrival. Officers and staff will conduct a unit assessment to determine if an infant is missing. Hospital communications will alert employees of Code Pink via Simon page alerts and audible announcement. All first-floor exits within the University Hospital will be secured and visitors may be delayed until the situation is assessed and resolved. Code pink will be presented at an upcoming education roll out committee meeting. Browning hopes to coordinate infant abduction drills within the coming months.

Weather Emergency Card and Emergency Preparation Information
Al Nesmith, director of Safety, Security and Volunteer Services, and Steve Paterniti, Business Development and Marketing Services, presented details of a new communication tool, MUSC Weather Emergency Topics, using the RelayHealth management portal. The product is a connectivity tool for MUHA employees to communicate information. Nesmith reviewed the hospital’s policy regarding product recalls.
 
Paterniti reviewed steps for managers to compose and send secure messages using RelayHealth to employees relating to weather emergencies.
 
Users can access the tool via http://www.access.patienteducation.com.
 
Nesmith outlined details from MUHA policy and Joint Commission Standard (EC.02.01.01) about hospital responsibilities regarding safety and security. EP11 states that hospitals should respond to all product notices and recalls. He reported that  the hospital’s product recalls are below acceptable levels. Nesmith said the new goal is to increase the product recall response rate. He unveiled a new centerwide product recall intervention process, which distinguishes product recall interventions by identifying products in the subject line of e-mails and all related correspondence. Details about total number of items related to the recall should also be included. Questions should be directed to Linda Poulos, poulos@musc.edu.

HR update
Mark Stimpson, MUHA HR benefits and records manager, reminded managers and employees that October is the annual Open Enrollment period for employees wishing to make changes to their employee benefits.
 
Employees can  exchange health plans; add/delete dependents; increase Optional Life by up to $50,000 (employee) and $20,000 (spouse) without evidence of good health; enroll eligible children for $15,000 term life insurance; enroll/re-enroll in medical and dependent day care spending accounts (required annually); upgrade/downgrade dental insurance; or enroll in a new vision insurance plan.
 
Program updates/changes feature: no premium increases for both State Health plans, prescription drug charges decreased slightly and increased for one; all four medical plans increase their lifetime maximum benefit from $1 million per person to $2 million; new affordable vision care insurance plan; 7 percent increase in Dental Plus premiums; Blue Choice HMO premium increase between 17 to 25 percent (vision care coverage eliminated); and Cigna premium increases between 23 to 31 percent (vision care coverage eliminated). Met Life will replace Hartford as underwriter for term life insurance; optional life premiums decreased slightly and increases in the maximum amounts that can be deferred into a Health Savings Account (savings plan subscribers only).
 
A new vision care insurance, provided by EyeMed Vision Care, is offered to employees, their spouse and family and covers annual eye exams, a frame or contacts allowance and lenses. The 2009 annual MUHA Benefits Fair will combine with University Human Resources on Friday, Sept. 25, Colbert Education Center/Library. Information will be distributed throughout September.
 
Additionally, MUHA HR will conduct 10 benefit briefings and one-on-one counseling is available by appointment. Contact Stimpso@musc.edu or 792-9320.
 
Employees are urged to make benefit changes at any time using the Internet online system. Visit http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/news/MyBenefits.htm.

Employees making online changes will be eligible for prize drawings throughout the enrollment period.

October Benefit of the Month
MUSC’s Dental Plus program is a supplemental plan to the State Dental Plan and provides a higher level of dental coverage for services than the basic plan. It is not an offset plan that pays what the State Plan does not. It covers basic procedures and services (cleaning, X-rays, fillings, extractions, oral surgery, crown, bridges, but not orthodontia) at the same percentage rate of coverage as the state plan but the allowance charge is at a higher tier (90th percentile).
 
Visit the dental insurance page under benefits at the MUHA HR Web page (intranet).
 
2009 Race for the Cure
Helena Bastian, MUHA HR director, spoke about the 2009 Susan G. Komen Lowcountry Race for the Cure event, Oct. 18 at the Family Circle Tennis Center, Daniel Island, S.C. The event features the race, exhibits and speaking events.
 
MUSC is a proud sponsor for this year’s event. MUSC will participate in the race, have exhibits and will provide speakers. Seventy-five percent of the race proceeds stay within the Lowcountry and is used to award grants to promote education/awareness of breast cancer. Hollings Cancer Center was a grant recipient this year. Sponsorship also give MUSC an opportunity to enhance HCC Prevention and Control programs and ongoing research and support to HCC's quest for NCI comprehensive cancer center status; and the MUSC breast care team which includes Rita Kramer, M.D., Neal Christensen, M.D. and Page Teller, M.D.
 
MUSC’s goal this year is $7,500. Employees are urged to join Team MUSC by Sept. 28 by registering online at http://wwwkomenlowcountry.org or registering as a team. Ginny Gamble, Business Development & Marketing Services,  will lead Team MUSC. Additional Service Line teams and team captains are urged to participate.
 
On Oct. 14, MUSC will sponsor Pink Day at MUSC. More details will follow. Contact Gamble at 792-9641.

Communications Board update
Joan Herbert, organizational performance director, informed leaders that based on a best practice created by Connie Algae, Therapeutic Services, an e-mail will be sent each month to leaders and communication board owners. The e-mail will contain a link to materials such as organizational goal results and standard/benefit of the month needed to update each areas board. Leaders were reminded that the goals for each work area are to be posted on the communication board for the area and the results updated monthly.
 
The easiest method for this is to post the leaders Report Card from LEM but any format may be used as long as the goals and results are posted and regularly updated.

Quality—Providing quality patient care in a safe environment
Carl Kennedy, Outcomes & Quality Management/Patient Safety, led another round of Jeopardy focusing on medication safety (Goal #3) as part of the medical center’s review of the 2009 National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG).
 
This week’s game challenged the audience members with questions about medication expiration dates for IV bag preparations, medication expiration dates, proper administration/preparation/security of medications during a time-out event.
 
To review the 2009 NPSGs visit http://www.jointcommission.org/

Announcement
The next meeting is Sept. 15.

Friday, Sept. 4, 2009