To Medical Center Employees

The medical center kicked off MUSC Excellence more than five years ago. Among other things, MUSC Excellence is about aligning our operational practices and behaviors with our values and goals. It can be viewed as a means of achieving and sustaining an organizational culture to make the MUSC medical center a great place for patients to receive their care, for employees to work, and for physicians and other clinicians to practice medicine and teach.

We use a team-based organizational structure to drive MUSC Excellence including: 20 Service Excellence Teams (and other unit-based teams) to implement best practices; a Leader Evaluation Team to formulate goals for the organization; a Leadership Development Team to plan periodic training and educational programs to improve leaders' skills; and a Steering Team to provide general direction, remove barriers to Service Teams and to serve as champions for the annual work plan priorities.

At the April 19 management communication meeting we heard brief updates from three Service Excellence Team Leaders. Our team leaders have collectively made much progress toward improving patient care and service. Some examples of their work are described below.

Tom Hubbard, MACC/SACC director and adult inpatient team leader, explained the Adult Team is being divided into two teams to better address MUH and ART priorities. The team restructured the ICU visiting hours including limited visitation during shift change times to meet the needs of families. Work is under way to improve bedside shift reporting to enhance communication with patients. The discharge process on 10W has been identified as a best practice, including use of discharge boards and checklists for discharge communication. This best practice is expected to expand to other units. Hubbard has been team leader for three years and is in the process of handing off the team leader role to Leah Ramos, nurse manager, 9E.

Kate Wendorf, CRNA and Rutledge Tower Ambulatory Surgery Team Leader, reported the team's focus is on improving pre-op communication since the patient satisfaction survey results have identified this as a need. Improved television and additional publications are being made available in the waiting areas. It's recommended that seating be improved. A new IV protocol was adopted to minimize the number of sticks a patient may receive.

Pat Wanstreet, manager of Phlebotomy and Lab Services Patient Satisfaction Team Leader, reported on work underway to focus on individualized patient care. Phlebotomists are asked to know at least one specific thing about each patient and issue business cards to patients that indicate who to contact if a patient has questions or other needs. Patient rounding takes place in the RT and Hollings Cancer Center lobbies daily.

Plans have been made to conduct our annual Medical Center Employee Partnership survey May 2 through May 13. Everyone's participation in the survey is important. Department leaders will be issuing details for survey completion.

The survey will be conducted through the use of web technology and feedback will be used to develop action plans for continued improvement. I want to assure everyone the surveys are confidential.

Plans are being made to conduct another series of town hall meetings May 18 through May 31 at the times and locations indicated below. There will also be several meetings for large departments in place of their routine department-based meetings.

The previous town hall meetings conducted in February were limited to 30 minutes and this was well received. We will again limit the sessions to 30 minutes. Slightly more than 1,400 individuals attended the meetings and we hope to increase participation this May.

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

Town hall meetings
May 18, 11 a.m., 2W Amphitheater; May 18, 2 p.m., SEI Auditorium; May 19, 11 a.m., ART Auditorium; May 19, 4 p.m., 2W Amphitheater; May 20, 10 a.m., SEI Auditorium; May 23, 10 a.m., SEI Auditorium; May 24, 10 a.m., ART; May 24, 11 a.m., IOP Auditorium; May 25, 7:30 a.m., SEI Auditorium; May 26, 10 a.m., 2W Amphitheater; May 26, 2 p.m., SEI Auditorium; May 27, 10 a.m., 2W Amphitheater; May 31, 7 a.m., ART

Quality–Providing quality patient care in a safe environment

CAP survey
Nina Epps, manager for point of care testing and laboratory education services announced the upcoming point of care testing survey will be held now thru June 24.

People—Fostering employee pride and loalty
Pamela Marek, decision support manager, reported that the Operational Data Base staff identified organizations that made large improvements during the year. The Cardiovascular, Food and Nutrition, Human Resources, Materials Management and Therapeutic Services departments showed the most improvement.

2011 YES Campaign
Whitney McLuen, employee campaign coordinator, Office of Development, announced the kick off of the YES Campaign, which through employee donations, has raised more than $6 million since it began in 1985. This year's goal is to raise more than $300,000. Visit http://www.musc.edu and click on YES.

Employee of the Month
Sandy Gould, nurse manager of the Emergency Department, introduced Peggy Wiggins, Emergency Department administration, as employee of the month. Wiggins after hearing a monitor alarm checked the monitor screen and saw an unresponsive patient. The patient was resuscitated and taken to ICU.

Contrenia Haynes, program coordinator of Volunteer and Guests Services introduced Shinika Phillips, guest services representative, as employee of the month. When a distraught visitor came into the office asking about the cost and schedule of the bus route, Phillips assisted her. She gave her the information and also escorted her to the cafeteria.

Jimmy Owens, Ashley River Tower facility manager, introduced Rafael Anavitate, zone maintenance technician, as employee of the month. He fixed a patients wheelchair foot that was loose and without being asked fixed all of the other wheelchairs.

Service–Serving the public with compassion, respect and excellence

HR update
Employees with incomplete 2010 CATT lessons need to complete 2011 lessons now.

Verification of dependents' eligibility for insurance coverage will now require documented proof.

Unit and department personnel files are being reviewed by HR in preparation for the Joint Commissions Diabetes Certification survey.

Employees will receive self review forms on May 1 and are due May 31. There will be self- review training sessions from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., May 10 in ART auditorium, May 12 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. in 2W Amp, May 18 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in 2W Amp, and May 23 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. in ART auditorium.

There will be Employee Drop- In sessions: 1 to 3 p.m. May 5, Room 437 Colbert Education Center & Library, and 9 to 11 a.m. May 19, Room 438 Colbert Education Center & Library.

The National Hospital Week events will include a bagel and fruit distribution May 9, department poster contest and vendors on campus May 10, Wellness Wednesday massages and ice cream social May 11, bake off and vendors on campus May 12, and MUSC Pride Day May 13. For information visit, https://www.musc.edu/medcenter/hospitalweek.