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To Medical
Center Employees:
The Jan. 11 Currents newsletter (issued via
mass e-mail but not in The Catalyst) highlighted the driving forces
behind the medical center’s (MUHA’s) cost savings initiatives which we
refer to as our “5/5 plan.” Our goal is to reduce the cost of care by 5
percent this year and 5 percent next year while continuing to improve
quality of care.
Currently the medical center is facing a potential substantial
shortfall in Medicaid funding. The medical center’s revenues include
approximately $200 million in Medicaid funding which amounts to around
20 percent of our operating budget. To date the state has not
identified Medicaid funding for the final quarter of this fiscal year
which ends June 30. MUSC leadership is working with state government
officials and others to offer recommendations on how to address this
issue. In the best case scenario we will have to tighten our belts and
operate more efficiently. Additional information will be disseminated
as it becomes available.
The medical center, like other hospitals and health care providers, is
also preparing for reductions in reimbursement rates in future years as
a result of health care reform. These expected reductions underscore
our need to be successful now with our cost reduction efforts.
On a related matter, recently a local newspaper article addressed the
budgetary outlook for higher education, including medical university
(academic component), as the state legislature begins deliberations on
the budget for next fiscal year, which begins July 1. The university
and the medical center (MUHA) both face financial challenges, but of a
different nature.
On a separate matter, as the medical center enters into the middle of
our formal annual performance evaluation cycle, we are asking all
leaders to conduct “high, middle, low” conversations with staff. HML
conversations should be 90+ percent positive. The intent is to express
to high performers appreciation for a job well done; recognize middle
performers (most of us) for their good work and identify one or two
opportunities for improvement; and inform low performers of
improvements needed. HML training sessions have been conducted and more
training sessions can be scheduled if needed. Tools for use in the
discussions are located on the medical center intranet. The medical
center HR Department is working with several departments to pilot use
of SuccessFactors for the HML process. All HML discussions should be
completed by Feb. 28.
For
information, contact Helena Bastian
(bastianh@musc.edu), Karen Rankine (rankinkh@musc.edu) or Kim Duncan
(duncanki@musc.edu).
W. Stuart Smith
Vice President for Clinical Operations
and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center
People—Fostering
employee
pride
and
loyalty
Wins
 Melinda Rauton- Biller, R.N., nurse
manager, PICU, reported that
PICU has had more than 365 days without a central line associated blood
stream infection.
Employee of the Month
Katy Kuder,
manager, Safety & Security/Volunteer & Guest
Services, introduced Lane Elsey, Safety & Security/Volunteer &
Guest Services, as the Employee of the Month for December. Elsey
arranged for a mother of a pediatric patient to have her hair cut and
styled. The patient had been at MUSC for more than a month and didn’t
want to leave her daughter. She was nominated by a nurse.
Adult Inpatient Pain
Program
Lisa Langdale,
R.N., manager, Center for Education and Best Practice,
introduced pain resource clinicians Kathleen Price, R.N., and Jayne
Quinn, R.N., as the team members for Adult Pain Management. They will
cover the university hospital and Ashley River Tower. The coordinating
physician is Barton Sachs, M.D., associate executive medical director,
Orthopaedic Surgery.
The program focus
is patient care and education.
Patient care:
consultative service; collaboration with medical,
nursing, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychiatric
nurse liaison, behavioral health, chaplain and palliative care staff
and pharmacological and alternative treatment modalities.
Education: nursing and resident
staff and patient and family.
The program will
continue to be rolled out by unit. Additional
priorities will be a review of pain scales, a review of CATTS lessons,
documentation recommendations and staff education.
For information,
e-mail Quinn or Price at Pain-adult@musc.edu.
Human Resources (HR)
update
Helena Bastian, HR
director, presented the following topics:
Hiring
Justification Process
The hiring justification process guidelines were
discussed and details were e-mailed to leaders Jan. 13. Any questions
e-mail Lynn Campbell, employment and compensation manager, at
Campbell@musc.edu or Bastian, at bastianh@musc.edu.
New Hire
Checklist
Leaders were
reminded that prior to beginning
employment, the following must be successfully completed for new hires:
references, criminal background check, education verification, Excluded
Parties List System website check and Office of Inspector General
Inquiry website check; health and drug screening; Primary Source
Verification of Licensure (if applicable); and a current CPR card by
the American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare
Providers or American Red Cross Professional Rescuer card (as
applicable).
Announcement
- The
next Communications meeting will be held Feb. 1 in 2W Amphitheater.
Friday, Jan. 21,
2011
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