MUSC Catalyst

May 27, 2011 MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA Vol. 29, No. 39

A s if the 12-hour flight fromDetroit to Tokyo wasn’tenough, there was the

earthquake in the middle of the nightthat woke up psychologists Peter Tuerkand Matthew Yoder, and intern, Brian

Hall. Not to mention they were travelingwith a Geiger counter and radiationdosimeters.

Not the best formula for a good night’ssleep.

What was, though, were the 300kazoos and whistles that the expertsin Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD) had brought along. The toys

were teaching tools to give to therapistsattending workshops to better be ableto help people hardest hit by Japan’smagnitude 9 earthquake March 11.Tuerk, associate director of the PTSDClinical Team at the Ralph H. JohnsonVA Medical Center and assistantprofessor in MUSC’s Department ofPsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, said

the natural disaster was a triple whammygiven the subsequent tsunami andradiation scare.

The toys were a reminder of the valueof letting children living in temporaryevacuation centers be children and toencourage normal activities such asplay and homework. Fears regarding

READ THE CATALYST ONLINE - http://www.musc.edu/catalyst

4Boeing’s investment RememBeRing DR. glen Askins

MUSC Children’s Hospital receives$1 million to improve children’s health.

2

9

5College of Health Professions reflectson department clinical services chair.

Medical musing

Meet Shannon

Town hall meeting3

AfterShockSMental health professionals reach out to Japan

These peaceful scenes from Japan were taken by MUSCpsychologists who recently traveled there to providedisaster mental health training. Below, Dr. Peter Tuerklights a candle at a Buddhist shrine for the victims.

Afraid to goout after theearthquake,this child got areward for hisfirst successfulouting.

By DAwn BRAzell

Public Relations

See Shocks on page 6

2 the CAtAlyst, May 27, 2011

The Catalyst is published once a week.Paid adver tisements, which do notrepresent an endorsement by MUSCor the State of South Carolina, arehandled by Island Publications Inc. ,Moultrie News, 134 Columbus St. ,Charleston, S.C., 843-849-1778 or843-958-7490. E-mail: [email protected].

Editorial of ficeMUSC Office of Public Relations135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C,Charleston, SC 29425.843-792-4107Fax: 843-792-6723

Editor: Kim [email protected]

Catalyst staff:Cindy Abole, [email protected] Brazell, [email protected]

Editor’s Note: Chelsey Baldwin of Little River is a first-year medical student. This column follows the journey ofher class in becoming doctors.

The second annual dean’s poster presentation wasone of the last times our entire class gathered for

the year. “Ya’ll clean up pretty good,” the ever popularDr. Paul McDermott prodded us as we filed into thelobby of Colbert library.

It’s true, there was quite amiraculous transformation fromthe normal sweaty clothes anddisheveled hair that accompaniestest week to that day. But we werethere for a purpose: We had cometo convince our various professorsthat we had understood what theytaught us throughout the year anddemonstrate that we were worthy ofmoving on to the next step.

Luckily, the responsibility of thistask was spread out across a group

of students called a “COM team.” Each team has ninefirst-year students, who throughout the year becomea close knit, built-in support network. As a team, wewitnessed each other’s clumsy beginnings and stridesof growth throughout the year. Therefore poster daybecame the paramount of team pride.

It was times like those that I wish we had some sortof a chant or hand shake because by the end of thepresentations, I was full of team spirit for A4, my COMteam. A feeling as if we had won poster day rushedthrough the group and added to my sense of denialthat, despite my team’s strong performance, we still hadanother individual test to pass.

However, this was far from the only factor playinginto my denial, which included the fact that I felt likeI had sacrificed all year, and now that the weather hadturned I had had enough. The artificial light of my

desk lamp wouldn’t do anymore. I needed the sun onmy face. Plus, the recent purchase of Netflix did littlefor my drive once the sun had gone down. Yet the daysleading up to the test pass whether you spend themstudying or not.

So with the last exam behind me as well and with asense of due completion, I feel free. I had chanted thedate May 14th to myself so many times over the pastfew months, half believing that it would never come,that seeing days pass the 14th is almost unreal. I’vebegun my “last summer,” as my colleagues call it. It isthe last time that I can escape from the clutches of myschooling for months at a time for next summer is theBoards and then straight into rotations. Therefore, thepressure to make this “last summer” equivalent with the“best summer” is on. In fact, my peers and I have spentthe last several weeks convincing each other just howawesome each of our summers will be.

“I’m going on a weekend trip, like every weekend.”“Well I’m going to lay on the beach all day, pretty

much every day.”“We’re going to make it to Disney World!”“Psh, I’m going to read novels!” … “OK nerd,” we

tease the only honest person in the conversation,secretly knowing that we all can’t wait to do the same.In fact I have started working on two books. I am stillworking on “The House of God,” the novel I had putdown halfway finished at the end of Christmas break,literally not one page turned since my last hiatus fromschool and have also started “A Walk in the Woods” byBill Bryson at the request of my editor.

While neglecting to initially focus on the author’scomedic writing style, as I’m sure my editor intended,I’ve become infatuated with the idea of an adventure.

While I know medical school is an adventure of itsown, I think about the amount of time spent on justthat one pursuit and it makes me restless. For example,taking in some of the facts from this latest adventuretale, it takes roughly four months to complete the

Appalachian trail. If the amount of time I’ve spentmulling over my first year endeavors was equivalentto time spent on the Appalachian Trail, I would havemade it from Maine to Georgia and back again, and Itruly think that’s enough hiking to make even the mostdedicated outdoorsman a little weary.

However, since I haven’t spent a bit of the past ninemonths in the lush greenness of the outdoor world,I’ve grown quite attached to the idea of making itto the mountains this summer. Hiking around inthe undomesticated flora and playing in the ice coldstreams of the Blue Ridge seem like the furthest placefrom the drafty third floor of Colbert library as I canget, a complete and healthy change of pace.

I have fond memories of the mountains fromchildhood. My parents, sister and I commonlyfound our way to a town called Blowing Rock inthe mountains of North Carolina. These childhoodmemories glazed over with my desire to do somethinggreat this summer have left me with a craving that Ithink only some hiking and genuine bluegrass musiccan appease.

Making it back to the Blue Ridge Mountains is justone of the many items that are accumulating on mysummer bucket list. Not to insinuate that there is adeath of sorts when I return to school, but to stresscompletion of this list would be a way of avoiding regretfor missing out on the opportunities that only time canafford me.

Learning to enjoy the ride has been key for me thispast year.

The time and place you find yourself in, is the placeto be: That goes for tough blocks of school, the fewshort hours of spare time on the weekends, or as fornow, the summer with seemingly endless opportunitiesto fill in the gaps I noticed throughout the year. Whilethis philosophy has served me well, I feel certain thatat this time in my life, convincing myself to enjoy thesummer will not be hard to do.

MedicalmusingsChelsey Baldwin

Key to first year of medical school: ‘enjoy the ride’

Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s“Colbert Report” will visit CharlestonJuly 1 for a one-night appearance atGaillard Municipal Auditorium to raisemoney for an endowed chair named inhis father’s memory at MUSC.

Tickets go on sale May 31, and may bepurchased at http://www.TicketMaster.com. VIP tickets, also available throughTicketMaster, will include premiumseating and a reception with StephenColbert.

Appearing with Colbert will be guest

interviewer, Bloomberg view columnistand MSNBC analyst Jonathan Alter.

The James W. Colbert Endowed Chairis named in memory of Stephen’s father,who served as the university’s first vicepresident for academic affairs, from 1969until his death in a plane crash in 1974.

When fully endowed, the Colbertchair will support the activities of theprovost and vice president of academicaffairs, a post currently held by MarkSothmann, Ph.D.

For information, call 792-4223.

Colbert comedy show to benefit Medical University

the CAtAlyst, May 27, 2011 3

MUSC President Dr. Ray Greenberg, second from left, ispresented with a commemorative Boeing 787 Dreamliner duringthe May 5 ceremony. With Greenberg are Lorenzo "Dipper"Burns, from left, Boeing S.C. employee; Jim Albaugh, BoeingCommercial Airplanes president and CEO; Tim Keating, Boeingsenior vice president of government operations, and Jack Jones,Boeing S.C. vice president and general manager.

Boeing makes investment in children’s health, fitnessMUSC Children’s Hospital

will use a $1 million charitableinvestment from The BoeingCompany to establish a community-based center aimed at promotingbetter health among the state’syoung people.

The Boeing Center for Promotionof Healthy Lifestyles in Childrenand Families will focus on helpingchildren make the link of howhealthy diets and physical activityimpact good health.

The center will help childrenadopt healthy lifestyle behaviorsthrough a multi-pronged approachinvolving nutrition counseling,fitness training, exercise classes,medical assessments, individualizedtreatments and participation ingroup programs. Because youngpeople acquire so many of theirlifestyle habits at home and

in school, the center also willsupport teachers and families inhow to foster environments moresupportive of healthy living.

Although the center will behoused and managed from MUSCChildren’s Hospital, its activitieswill take place at schools and

other locations throughout thecommunity. The idea, said MUSCPresident Ray Greenberg, M.D.,Ph.D., is to prevent unhealthylifestyles from developing in thefirst place.

“Children are our future and bymaking this investment, Boeing ishelping to shape a healthier SouthCarolina. We need to instill healthylifestyle practices at the youngestpossible ages in order to prevent thedevelopment of diabetes, obesity,high blood pressure and otherillnesses down the road.”

By the end of the center’s two-yearramp-up period, it will serve morethan 8,000 children and familymembers, and an estimated 47,000children and 8,000 personnel whowill benefit from menu adjustmentsand other environmental changesmade in 79 schools.

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When Glen Askins, M.D., passed away on May 2,the obituaries that followed were appropriately

extensive, noting the many achievements and honors ofa lifetime spanning 76 years.

For the MUSC community and beyond,it is the qualities known to those closestto Askins, College of Health Professionsprofessor and clinical services departmentchair, that make his legacy and his loss allthe more profound.

Colleagues repeat certain words todescribe Askins: thoughtful, insightful,

steady, low-key, unflappable, caring, empathetic,humble, endearing and intellectually curious are amongthe most common.

Friend and colleague Layton McCurdy, M.D., deanemeritus of the College of Medicine, describes him as“wonderfully complex.” Students sensed his interest intheir lives and careers was real. Colleagues knew thathis love of knowledge and the practice of his professionwere authentic. Patients in his care recognized that theywere respected, listened to and understood.

Not one to hesitate expressing what he thought,Askins was often direct, a quality sometimesmisunderstood until it was evident that his motivationwas simply the desire for the best for the patients,students, colleagues and institutions he served. AsArnie Metz, assistant professor in the PhysicianAssistant Program recalled, “At first, when we weretrying to get the PA Program off the ground, I thoughtof him as a gruff, smoking doctor. As our relationshipdeveloped, we both opened up and I saw the kind,thoughtful man behind the deep Southern drawl.”

Ben Clyburn, M.D., associate dean for GraduateMedical Education Faculty Development, noted that

Askins had no problem pointing out areas in which astudent had a weakness and needed additional work, yethe was universally loved and respected by his studentsbecause his concern for them was transparent.

Askins’ qualities were appreciated by his colleaguesas well. Jerry Kurent, M.D., said Askins served as anoutstanding role model for his students and residents.“I already was well established in my own career whenI came to know Glen Askins as a kind, empathic, andskilled clinician, outstanding educator, and tirelessadministrator, who possessed a great sense of humorand was fun to be around,” said Kurent.

Reamer Bushardt, PharmD, former director of thePA Program and current chair of the Wake ForestUniversity Department of Physician Assistant Studies,appreciates that Askins passed on his gifts. “I don'tthink anyone ever challenged me the way he did,” saidBushardt. “He thought more than he talked, and healways listened.” Shortly after informing Askins ofhis difficult decision to leave MUSC for Wake Forest,Bushardt remembers a note he got from Askins. “Ireceived an envelope in the mail from him a few dayslater, and there was a little note inside which in hishandwriting read ‘management is doing things right,leadership is doing the right thing.’ He taught me toalways choose leadership.” The note now hangs aboveBushardt’s desk, just as it did in Askins’ office.

The qualities which endeared Askins to colleagues,students and patients transcended formal relationshipsand resulted in deep, lasting friendships. As Metz states,“We spent many a day traveling through small-townSouth Carolina meeting with his innumerable contactstrying to establish clinical training sites for our students.We talked about everything from God to baseball tofishing and hunting.”

As they and their wives became friends, they oftenenjoyed traveling to Florida for spring training baseballgames, fall color excursions in Maine and fishing.

Clyburn, almost 30 years Askins’ junior, marvels athow easily Askins bridged the generational gap, as theyoften traveled together to football games or entertainedat one another’s homes. Kurent recalled the laughs asthey traded stories about their fishing excursions. Allwho knew Askins know he derived his greatest pleasurefrom his interaction with students, his treasuredfriends, and above all, his beloved family, he said.

For innumerable reasons, both personal andprofessional, Askins will be missed by the MUSCcommunity. His legacy will live on not only through hisachievements and the many students he sent forth topractice, but through the manner in which he lived life.

“I'm especially going to miss the quiet talks we hadabout everything and nothing,” said Metz—a sentimentundoubtedly shared by many.

In his closing remarks at Askins’ funeral, McCurdyquoted Robert Louis Stevenson. “That man is a successwho has lived well, laughed often and loved much;who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;who looks for the best in others and gives the best thathe has; who leaves the world better than he found it.”McCurdy concluded, “Glen Askins was such a man.”

q Founder and later senior medical advisor ofthe Physician Assistant (PA) Program at MUSCq Chair of College of Health Professions

Department of Clinical Services.q Served on the Marion County school boardq Member and chairman of the S.C.

Commission of Higher Education, Committee onHealth and Medical Education, and Committee onPlanning Assessment.q Distinguished Service Award, American Heart

Association; Marion Citizen of the Year; HealthSciences Foundation "Clinician of the Year" Award.

By wAlly PRegnAll

College of Health Professions

Askins

Glen Askins

Departmental chair remembered for thoughtfulness

Dr. Maurizio Del Poeta,left, Biochemistry andMolecular Biology,presents Dr. Kee JunKim, University ofKansas Medical Center,with the award for a BestAbstract submission.Del Poeta hosted aninternational scientificmeeting of which morethan 250 people attended.

International Scientific meeting draws manyMUSC’s Building

Interdisciplinary Careers inWomen’s Health (BIRCWH)Career Development Program isseeking two female junior facultymembers to support and developtheir research careers.

Qualified faculty must haverecently completed clinical trainingor postdoctoral fellowships, andwho have mentorship. Applicantsalso must have a plan (basicresearch, translational research,

clinical research or health servicesresearch) related to women's health.

BIRCWH is a K12 careerdevelopment program co-funded bythe Office of Research on Women’sHealth and the National Instituteof Child Health and HumanDevelopment and the NationalInstitutes of Health.

Visit http://www.musc.edu/psychiatry/research/cns/BIRCWH/BIRCWH Home ore-mail [email protected].

Career program for women’s health seeking applicants

Meet Shannon


DepartmentNeurovascular Ultrasound, ClinicalNeurophysiology Services

How long at MUSC2 years and 2 months

Dream jobDolphin trainer at Discovery Cove inOrlando

Meal you love to cookItalian baked chicken and creamy angel hairpasta with salad and garlic bread, yum!

Amust-have in the fridgeAt any given moment you can find multipletypes of cheese in my fridge.

What is your job at MUSCI perform transcranial doppler and carotiddoppler exams. Our largest patientpopulation is adults and children who havesuffered from ischemic or hemorrhagicstroke or are at risk of suffering a stroke.MUSC’s Neurovascular Ultrasound Lab isthe only vascular lab in the Lowcountry tobe accredited by ICAVL in both transcranialand carotid doppler.

First jobServer’s assistant at Chi Chi’s Restaurant.This is where I discovered my love for chipsand salsa!

What makes you smileAnimals of any kind—I love them all!

Shannon Harmon

[email protected]

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shoCks Continued from Page One

personal safety and anxiety in recallingtraumatic events are common afternatural disasters, but the important thingis to not avoid normal everyday activities.It was one of the main messages that theinternationally-renowned researchersdelivered in trainings for parents,therapists and community leaders.

Part of a team invited to go to JapanApril 16 to provide disaster mentalhealth training, the psychologists metwith students, community health workersand professors at Tokiwa University inMito, Japan. The team provided a 14-hour workshop training for students andtherapists and a 2.5 hour communityeducation session (in Japanese, withtranslators) that was attended by 140community leaders, including policechiefs, school principals and mayors. Thecommunity training was broadcast liveon national television.

Tuerk said the goal was to provideeducation as a preventative measureagainst PTSD.

“When people don’t have theirhouses—when there is a high resourceloss—their risk for getting PTSD is muchhigher. So we’re anticipating a lot ofPTSD from this event. It takes awhilefor PTSD to develop. In that interim,while some people might be developingsymptoms, targeted education can helpprevent the disorder.”

Tuerk and Yoder focused the mentalhealth worker’s training on teachingabout assessment and screening, whichis crucial following these events toidentify the 10 to 20 percent of thepopulation that typically is vulnerableto PTSD following a tragedy. Yoder,also an assistant professor in MUSC’sDepartment of Psychiatry and BehavioralSciences, assisted after Hurricane Katrinaand the Virginia Tech shootings, andhe and Tuerk also will be presentingmaterials in Alabama to help thoserecovering from the storms.

Yoder said they had heard that peoplein Japan might be more closed andreserved because of their culture, butthat they didn’t find that to be the case.

“The people we trained were veryopen to our being there. To me, this wasa reflection of a fundamental humandesire to help in the face of suffering,”said Yoder. “There was a hunger, among

the people we trained, to assist fellowsurvivors, and we offered tools to dojust that. Even though it felt like a verydifferent culture, we were able to connectin this way, even in less than a week.”

One touching story was that of amother who wanted to help her 7-year-old son, who had stopped playing withhis friends and avoided going outside.She came to them for advice, and Tuerkworked with her to develop a plan ofaction. The plan included stoppingsome of the avoidance behavior shewas re-enforcing, and getting her tocoax her son to his favorite restaurant,McDonald’s, with the goal of stayingthere long enough for his fear to go away.

Since the child enjoyed origami, theymade origami birds while there.

The outing, along with other non-avoidance strategies, worked. His gratefulparents sent a thank-you e-mail witha picture of their son eating so muchice cream at McDonald’s that he got astomach ache.

Tuerk hopes to see that healingscenario played out throughout thedevastated areas in Japan. “Hopefully,that one mother’s experience will spread.She will tell her friends, ‘Go ahead andtake your kids out’ or ‘Don’t spendtoo long in your family’s earthquakesafety room’ or whatever the avoidancebehaviors are.”

And it’s not just the mother they hopewill be spreading the news, but everyonein the trainings.

The trip also gave Yoder and Tuerkthe opportunity to hear the experiencesJapanese therapists are having withprolonged exposure treatment, whichinvolves intentional prolonged exposureto feared stimuli in a safe setting todecrease anxiety. “There were moreavenues to help than we originally hadanticipated because we are experiencedin training and disseminating thatmodel,” said Tuerk. “Similarly to theUnited States, in Japan there are not

enough mental health providers trainedand experienced in providing evidence-based treatment for PTSD. Hopefully wemight be a part of its positive spread.”

Prolonged exposure treatment helpsa person’s PTSD symptoms decreasewith time. Yoder said people sufferingfrom PTSD don’t do what others donaturally to heal, which is to talk aboutthe trauma and gradually resume regularliving patterns. They withdraw and don’twant to talk or think about it. “We helpthem stop the avoidance so the normal,natural healing process can take place.”

Because Tuerk and Yoder have seenthis type of therapy’s effectiveness withveterans and other trauma victims withwhom they work, they feel strongly aboutbeing advocates. One benefit that Tuerkwas surprised to get from his Japan tripwas a boost of inspiration.

He saw therapists there trying to doevidence-based treatment face the sameinstitutional barriers that therapists inAmerica do.

“It affirms the value of the hardwork that we do every day—notin psychological practice—but inadministration, infrastructure building,policy work, advocacy and education.These are the things that get evidence-based medicine and evidence-basedpsychotherapy to suffering individuals.To see different cultures struggling withthe same issues helped put some gas inmy tank for the barriers here.”

Education, collaboration and researchare powerful tools, though, he said.

“We have a great internship thatteaches evidence-based therapy. Mostprolonged exposure therapists becomevery strong advocates because they see itseffectiveness for PTSD. Here at MUSC,our psychology interns are empowerednot only to provide excellent care butalso to do the research to understandhow behaviors and systems work, topush on and expand the boundaries ofeffective care.”

Dr. Matthew Yoder gets a photo beside two Japanese shoppersbeneath tsunami art. To see a video of the Japan trip, visit http://bit.ly/MUSCJapan.

WAnt to help?To find out about supportingthe Japan/U.S. Evidence-BasedMental Health ResponseInitiative (JEMRI) e-mail:[email protected].

Dr. Peter Tuerk, right, andDr. Sheila Rauch, from theUniversity of Michigan,collaborate with Dr. NobukazuNagae.

The Catalyst, May 27, 2011 7

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Medical Center

‘Making a difference every day’

Sara Hendrix, Dietetic Services“Recently, Sara Hendrix was asked if she knew of a

way to provide a wedding cake to a patient who hadjust been married in the CCU. She did not hesitatea second. In about an hour she returned to the unitwith five or six other dietary staff to congratulate thenewlyweds. She even found a camera to take a picture ofthe moment.”Nominated by Sharon Schaller

Theryn Robinson, Environmental Services“As an Environmental Services employee, Theryn’s

service has exceeded the requirements of the job. Ina large organization, it is possible for people not torecognize when their help is needed. Theryn helped mewhen the equipment cart had faulted to keep the 75pound battery in place when traveling on the incline tothe Children’s Hospital. He not only lifted the batteryback onto the cart but assisted me down the hall toICU. He also called bio med to notify them to repair

the broken shelf on the cart.”Nominated by Toni Mullins

Erica Gordon, Dietetic Services“A mother and her child were going through Erica

Gordon’s cash out line, when the child began to chokeon a french fry. Erica quickly took the child and, bypatting on the back, dislodged the fry and averted whatcould have been a fatal situation.”Nominated by Randy

Fredrika Wright, Environmental Services“On Feb. 15 my mother finished her chemotherapy

treatment but had to use the restroom on her wayout. While I was pushing her in the wheel chair shehad a bad accident and couldn't make it. Everythingwas all over her clothes and her chair. We saw thehousekeeping lady cleaning and she asked if she couldhelp. We said ‘yes.’ She got towels and wash clothes andhelped me get mom cleaned up. Thank you Freddy.”Nominated by Vivian Worthstein

Employees of the Month

applauSe prograMThe following employees received

recognition through the ApplauseProgram for going the extra mile:

Medical Center

Moya McFadden, Radiology; Mary Mor-gan, Storm Eye Institute; Tabor Culbreth,Women’s Services; Scott Sullivan, OB/GYN; Jennifer Griffin, Women’s Health;Donald Fylstra, OB/GYN; EugeneChang, OB/GYN; Charles Rittenberg,OB/GYN; Alison Dillon, OB/GYN;Margaret Villers, OB/GYN; Nicole Lefe-ver, Women’s Services; Donna Williams,9E; Melvena Nelson, EnvironmentalServices; Edward Tarnawa, OB/GYN;Jill Norman, 10W; Cassandra Poinsett,Venipuncture; Serena Buckheister, Pedi-atrics; Nathalee Nelson, PAS; CassandraDickerson, Women’s Services; PenelopeMurray, Emergency Department; Thom-as Pollehn, Emergency Medicine; WendySuhre, Anesthesia & Perioperative Medi-cine; Karen Wildes, 7A; Eric Nelson,Anesthesia & Perioperative Medicine;Krystal Raybuck, ART OR; MichelleDoudiet, ART OR; Lauren Vassallo,ART OR; Linda Aytes, ART Pre-Op Sur-gery; Rebecca Stephens, Dietetic Servic-es; Shirley Bluford, Radiology; AustinYoder, 6W; Karen Walker, Environmen-tal Services; Liz Causey, Peri-Anesthesia;Shane Cox, Radiology; Alison Cox, HR;Sheba Pringle, Environmental Services;Clara Smith, Environmental Services;Mary Brown, Environmental Services;John Hart, Safety & Security; Josh Sher-wood, 8W; Jessica Caples, 8W; John Car-son, 10W; Corey Slusarski, 10W; Em-manuel Tria, 10W; Michael Sawin, 10W;Melvena Nelson, Environmental Ser-vices; Jennifer Haughney, 10W; BrainBaker, 10W; Martha McRae, BusinessOperations; Holli Hoagland, Radiology;Kellie Adams, Radiology; Sharon Hill-iard, Radiation Oncology; Kia Jones,Radiation Oncology; Shanda Bowman,

Radiation Oncology; Amanda Ander-son, Hollings Registration; Dianne Kelly,Medical Records; Ivy Mack, Hollings Reg-istration; Teresa Harrison, Radiology;Danielle Lebakken, PACU; Patrice San-tos, PACU; Erin Swanson, OB/GYN;Sam Guffey, 10W; Patricia Brown, PAS;Toschua Thomas, 10W; Rachel Golub,10W; Mary Morgan, Storm Eye Institute;Tayelor Jarrett, Family Medicine; KarenGlennon, PACU; Michele Mack, Busi-ness Operations Administration; BrianParks, Family Medicine; Ruth Peterson,Family Medicine; Tammie Williams,Family Medicine; Barry Green, Radiol-ogy; David White, Otolaryngology; Dan-dre Jackson, Children's Services; VelmaWilliams, MedSurg Registration; AshleyBoehm, Physical Therapy; Diana Fikes,Safety & Security/Volunteer & GuestServices; Harolyn Smith, Safety & Securi-ty/Volunteer & Guest Services; Thomasi-na Foster, ART Endoscopy; Kelly Burns,ART 3W; Betty Hobbs, ART 4E; HollyGrych, ART 2-CCV; Erin Johnson, ART2-CCV; Caroline Flowers, ART 2-CCV;Terra Kirkwood, Children's Services;Mary Wright, ART 2-CCV; and BettyTilley, Hospital Communications CallCenter.

University

East Cooper Cardiology; James Amlicke,Orthopaedic Surgery; Richard Ander-son, Pediatrics; Harold Capers, Engineer-ing & Facilities; Peggy Cunningham,Accounts Payable; Michael Delambo,Wellness Center; John Fletcher, Engi-neering & Facilities; Terry Harmon,Student Accounting; Matt Herriott,Wellness Center; Christopher Nielsen,Cardiology; Jeff Ruark, Engineering &Facilities; Nick Smith, OCIO-Informa-tion Services; Carol Thomason, WellnessCenter; and Patrick (Eddie) Wellman,Engineering & Facilities.


June Darby, R.N., Neurosciences Service Lineadministrator, explained the adult inpatientservice goal for this fiscal year is for 78 percentof respondents to the Hospital ConsumerAssessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems(HCAHPS) survey to rate the medical center a 9or 10 on the 10-point rating scale for the “overallhospital rating” question. To date, 80 percent ofthe survey respondents have rated a 9 or 10.

The outpatient service goal is measured by ourAvatar patient satisfaction survey tool. The goalis for a mean score of 92.59 (current: 93.05).

People—Fostering employee pride and loyalty

The employee partnership survey concludedMay 13 and only preliminary information isavailable. The goal is to achieve a mean scoreof 73.6 (currently 71.1). Darby indicated, whileunfortunate, the drop by .5 from last year’sresults were not entirely surprising given thepressure many have experienced this year andis consistent with reports from other hospitals.More detailed information from survey vendor,Press Ganey, will be available by mid-June andresults will be widely communicated.

Quality—Providing quality patient care in a

safe environment

The hospital’s percentile ranking slippedduring October to January time frame andas of April, this year’s ranking is in the66th percentile. The goal is to achieve the80th percentile among approximately 100academic medical centers involved in mortalitybenchmarking. March results were particularlyfavorable (approximately 95th percentile for themonth) and it’s expected that the overall scorewill improve by year’s end.

Compliance with hand hygiene audits is at69.4 percent (stretch goal: 90 percent). Secretobservers as well as inpatient and outpatient unitteams are observing this practice throughouthospitals and clinics.

Finance—Providing the highest value to

patients while ensuring financial stability

The financial goal was to reach 25 days cashon hand and currently MUSC has 10.5 days.Another financial goal is to achieve a net income

goal of $25.5 million (currently $21.6 million).

Growth—Growing to meet the needs of those

we serve

The hospital’s inpatient growth goal is 3percent and to date, it stands at 1.7 percent.While MUHA observes a record-breakingcensus, acuity of care and length of stay hascomplicated reaching this goal. Inpatient growthgoal is 5 percent, but currently it is at 1 percent.The hospital is feeling the national trend, as aresult of the economy, of individuals delayingphysician appointments and elective surgery.

Celebrating successFrom July 2009 to June 2010, HCAHPS results

between local hospitals showed MUSC rankingat 79 percent. From October 2010 to March2011, MUSC was at 80 percent (HCAHPSnational average hospital score is 67 percent).

The overall rating reports among a dozensimilar academic medical centers rank MUSCin the 80th percentile or second highest in thiscategory behind UNC-Chapel Hill, who was atthe 81st percentile).

5 & 5 plansThe 5&5 cost savings initiative is intended to

improve quality of care while reducing costs. Thegoal is to reduce costs by 5 percent this year and5 percent next year. This campaign was necessarybased upon Medicaid reductions at the statelevel and projected decreases in Medicaid andprivate insurance.

Looking aheadNancy Tassin, R.N., Musculoskeletal Service

Line administrator, addressed employees aboutthe effects of health care reform. Hospital leaderswant employees to be aware of changes and willcommunicate these changes via upcoming townhall meetings.

Starting July 1, reimbursement funds at riskusing CMS value-based purchasing (how muchmoney will be at risk) is set at 2 percent.

Under value-based purchasing, 70 percentwill be based on process core measures, while30 percent looks at HCHAPS results (top 10percent or higher).

Town hall discusses present, future

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The Ashley River Tower (ART)Call Center will close May 27 forrenovation.

All paging and call center serviceswill be provided by the call center’soffice in Room 243 North Tower untilits permanent relocation in ART thisfall.

For assistance, visit or call 792-7992.

Effective May 27, patient andinterpreter telephones and Wi-Fibatteries will be available through thehospital Security desk at both ART anduniversity hospital locations.

Call 792-4196 or visit the NorthTower Security Desk at the maincampus or ground level security officeat ART campus.

Ashley River Tower Call Center to close for renovation

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CLASSIFIED PCLASSIFIED PAGEAGE• Household Personal Items for MUSC employees are free.

All other classifieds are charged at rate below. Ads considered venture-making ads (puppy breeder, coffee business, home for sale,

etc.) will be charged as PAID ADS •• PROOF OF ELIGIBILITY REQUIRED * NO MORE THAN 3 LINES * FREE ADS RUN 2 WEEKS ONLY!

PAID ADS are $3 per line (1 line = 28 characters) DEADLINE: TUESDAY – 10:00 AM* CLASSIFIED ADS CAN BE E-MAILED TO [email protected],

OR MAILED (134 Columbus St., Charleston SC 29403)Please call 849-1778 with questions. *Must provide Badge No. and Department of Employment for employees and

Student I.D. Number for MUSC Students.IP01-213824a

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MUSC Catalyst

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Transcript of MUSC Catalyst