MUSC Catalyst

July 20, 2012

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA

Vol. 30, No. 47

MUSC Health East Cooper welcomes patients

By Cindy ABole Public Relations At the new MUSC Health East Cooper, the steady sound of trickling from a 23-foot water wall provides a welcoming atrium entrance. Just left of that is a modern, wood-curved front desk where a medical concierge greets patients and visitors and ushers them to their destination.

The dramatic lobby look could pass for one of dozens of the Holy City’s high-end hotels located in peninsular Charleston. Instead it is MUSC’s newest patient care facility that opened July 9.

It is the result of a five-year collaboration between MUSC and Mount Pleasant when representatives officially broke ground in summer 2010. At the July 10 ribbon-cutting ceremony, East Cooper business and community representatives, MUSC leaders and staff, local media, Mayor Pro Tem and councilwoman Thomasena Stokes-Marshall gathered to celebrate the historic event.

The new three-story, 84,000-square-foot facility, located near the I-526 and US. Hwy. 17 North interchange and Hungryneck Boulevard, consolidates services from multiple practice sites and is a physical testament to the Tri-county’s population growth, especially East of the Cooper. The expansion of health care facilities and options has increased in this area since 2010. The MUSC Health East Cooper will provide high quality and comprehensive services that are more practical to meet the needs of patients living in Mount Pleasant, Daniel Island, North Charleston and Georgetown.

Triumph for pATienT-CenTered CAre The new facility is a triumph for MUSC Physicians and its goal to provide patient-centered care according to Philip Costello, M.D., MUSC Physicians president and chairman of the Department of Radiology and

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MeNtoriNg AwArdS Three women faculty received research funding for collaborative experiences.

MUSC Health East Cooper welcomed patients and staff July 9. To schedule an appointment in Mount Pleasant, call 792-1414.

Radiological Science.

“This new site, with the equipment and facility, allows us to provide a single entry point for patient access into the MUSC health care system,” he said. “We intend to deliver a patient experience that is cohesive with our health care. Peace of mind is what we intend to provide to our patients. When they’re here they will know that they are backed by the largest team of specialists in the Lowcountry.”

MUSC Physicians is the physician’s practice plan for

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Peace of mind is what we intend to provide our patients.

U.S. NewS & world report MUSC has been named as one of the premier treatment centers in the country.

”

Dr. Philip Costello

See East Cooper on page 6

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Currents

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Meet Caroline

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2 The CATAlysT, July 20, 2012

Women faculty receive mentoring fellowship award

By Cindy ABole Public Relations Three women faculty were recognized June 28 for their accomplishments and will have further opportunity to expand in some collaborative mentor-led research as 2012 recipients of the John R. Raymond Mentoring Fellowship awards.

Kelly Harris, Ph.D., Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery; Megan Baker Ruppel, M.D., medical director of Hollings Cancer Center’s Comprehensive Breast Care Center; and Kristyn Zajac, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, were second-year honorees of this award.

The program was established in 2010 to create financial support for women faculty to initiate a collaborative mentoring relationship to develop their research, teaching or clinical skills.

Funding for this program was established by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Mark S. Sothmann, Ph.D., with expanded funding from College of Medicine Dean Etta D. Pisano, M.D. Being selected was a surprise for winner Harris, who came to MUSC in 2003 to complete a clinical fellowship.

Harris focuses her work on cognitive neuroscience, audiology and speech. Her interests center on evaluating function using electroencephalography and structural imaging data to examine the connection between age and hearing loss related to changes in brain structure and function. She will collaborate with

Editorial of fice MUSC Office of Public Relations 135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C, Charleston, SC 29425.

843-792-4107 Fax: 843-792-6723 Editor: Kim Draughn catalyst@musc.edu Catalyst staff: Cindy Abole, aboleca@musc.edu Dawn Brazell, brazell@musc.edu

Dr. John Raymond congratulates award winners Drs. Megan Baker Ruppel, from left, Kelly Harris and Kristyn Zajac. mentor John Richards, Ph.D., Carolina Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of South Carolina, who has already conducted neuroimaging work in this area.

“Dr. Richards’ work parallels my own because he does research in the visual domain mainly in infants but has experience across the lifespan. It gives him an opportunity to apply his techniques with a different population and strengthens my work because it proves how I can interpret my own results.”

Ruppel, associate professor in the Department of Surgery, completed her surgery residency training at MUSC. She is the first female general surgery The Catalyst is published once a week.

Paid adver tisements, which do not represent an endorsement by MUSC or the State of South Carolina, are handled by Island Publications Inc., Moultrie News, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, S.C., 843-849-1778 or 843-958-7490. E-mail: sales@moultrienews.com.

residency program director and will manage the training of 45 surgical residents. For her fellowship, Ruppel will conduct a teaching mentorship managing the transition from being a medical subspecialist to that of a program director and role model working with surgeon-educator Joseph Cofer, M.D., of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga College of Medicine General Surgery Program.

Cofer, who completed his fellowship training in transplant surgery at MUSC and helped establish the hospital’s first liver transplant program, is president of the National Association of Program Directors in Surgery and has an interest in managing the surgical curriculum in

graduate medical education.

Zajac is focused on the development and evaluation of evidence-based treatments for co-occurring substance use and post-traumatic stress disorder among high-risk youth. While Zajac’s past research and training has focused on adolescent populations, she plans to expand her work to include older, transition-age youth, who are at the greatest risk for co-occurring problems.

To accomplish this, Zajac will be mentored by Maryann Davis, Ph.D., research associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Center for Learning and Working During the Transition to Adulthood. Davis, who has federallyfunded research in this area, is recognized as the country’s leading researcher of transition age youth and emerging adults with serious mental health conditions. Davis will guide Zajac in developing research papers and grant applications related to co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders in transition age youth.

The fellowship program was established to honor John R. Raymond, M.D., former provost and vice president of academic affairs from 2003 to 2010.

Raymond is president and CEO of the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. An advocate to recognize women faculty on campus, Raymond created MUSC’s Women Scholars Initiative to promote gender equity and promote women faculty excellence.

Blood, platelet donors of all types needed by Red Cross The American Red Cross has an emergency need for blood and platelet donors of all types. There is almost half the amount of readily available Red Cross blood now than there was at this point in time last year. Eligible donors with types O positive, O negative, A negative and B negative are encouraged to donate double red cells where available.

Right now blood donations are not keeping pace with the demand for blood products. Many regular donors are busy or traveling and unavailable to give at

this time. With schools and families on vacation, it’s important to remember that patients don’t get a holiday from needing blood. During the month of July, all donors will be entered into a drawing for a $3,000 gift card.

The American Red Cross blood donor room at MUSC is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday, Room 279 of the university hospital.

Appointments are encouraged but not necessary. To make an appointment or for more information, call the donor room at 792-1015.

The CATAlysT, July 20, 2012 3

Vit. D project aims to improve pregnancy outcomes A $3 million grant will provide funding for MUSC physician researchers to learn more about vitamin D’s effect on maternal health and fetal development during pregnancy to be able to provide public policy recommendations about vitamin D supplementation.

The grant, from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Mich., will allow MUSC Children’s Hospital faculty researchers to continue their research into preventing vitamin D deficiency and the subsequent health effects in some pregnant women, further exploring how to eliminate those deficiencies.

Currently, the United States presents a large racial disparity in vitamin D status. Compared to white women, black women have a 20-fold greater risk of deficiency and Hispanic women a 2.4-fold greater risk of deficiency.

In South Carolina, MUSC Children’s Hospital researchers have already discovered that the situation is more pronounced with about 70 percent of black women, 33 percent of Hispanic women and 12 percent of white pregnant women meeting the Institute of Medicine’s 2010 definition of vitamin D deficiency.

According to the recent research, vitamin D deficiencies are on the rise across all ethnicities, but particularly in pregnant, non-white women.

“Such disparity on the basis of race represents a

“By focusing on immune system imbalance associated with vitamin D deficiency, we expect to show improvement in various pregnancy outcomes.”

Dr. Carol Wagner serious public health issue," said Carol Wagner, M.D., MUSC Children’s Hospital neonatologist and project director. “This project will generate supportive data for supplementing all pregnant women with vitamin D at doses that enhance immune balance and regulation.”

With the knowledge that Wagner and her colleagues expect to gain from this research, she anticipates not only learning more about vitamin D’s role in a mother’s immune system and the problems created by deficiency, but also how deficiency might influence other poor pregnancy outcomes.

Rita Ryan, M.D., Children’s Hospital Department of Pediatrics chair, said the funding comes at a good

otS NeweSt grAdUAteS

College of Health Professions’ Dr. Nancy Carson, interim director for the Division of Occupational Therapy (OT), hoods occupational therapist Leslie Anderson July 14 at the Church of the Holy Communion. Drs. Peter Bowman, Patty Coker-Bolt, second from left, and Emily Moore, participated in the hooding ceremony of 40 OT graduates. For information on the OT program, visit academicdepartments.musc.edu/chp/ot.

time. “We are so thrilled to have this research funding for Dr. Wagner because this work will increase our understanding of how the vitamin D a mother takes in during pregnancy affects the well-being of her baby.

It offers a potentially easy intervention to improve things such as infection of the fetus and mother, and also premature delivery. Both of these are problems that can cause later abnormalities in the infant’s brain development so treatment with vitamin D could have a really important effect on later neurologic impairment in children.”

Wagner envisions the findings in the study enhancing pregnant women’s and health care providers’ knowledge of vitamin D deficiency and its effects, as well as offering the incentive needed to form the partnerships with policy makers at the local, state and federal levels needed to change disparate pregnancy outcomes in South Carolina and beyond.

“By focusing on immune system imbalance associated with vitamin D deficiency, we expect to show improvement in various pregnancy outcomes," Wagner said. “By the end of the study, we plan to be able to advise pregnant women on the optimal vitamin D intake during pregnancy, benefiting the health of mother and baby. I look forward to reducing this growing disparity that has plagued us for decades.”

MUSC Women’s Club accepting scholarship nominations The Medical University Women’s Club is beginning the process of identifying MUSC’s most deserving students for its annual scholarships.

All full-time students in their second or subsequent years from any of the six MUSC colleges are eligible to apply for these annual scholarships. Previous applicants may reapply.

The women’s club has awarded $10,000 to $15,000 in previous years.

Applications are available through the Volunteer Services Office (first floor of the Children’s Hospital, next to the gift shop). Alternatively, applicants may download the application at http:// academicdepartments.musc.edu/ womensclub/scholarship.htm.

The deadline for submission of applications online or at the Volunteer Services Office is 4 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 28.

The scholarship committee of the Medical University Women’s Club

ApplicAtioN iNforMAtioN http://academicdepartments. musc.edu/womensclub/ scholarship.htm will review the applications and select scholarship recipients based on financial need, academic achievement, and community and university service. An applicant’s transcript, personal statement and letter of recommendation from an MUSC faculty member are required and are an important part of each application.

Scholarship recipients will be notified

by Sept. 7 and recognized on Sept. 12 at the women’s club annual membership coffee.

For information, email Cecily DiPiro, scholarship committee chairperson, at MUWCscholarship@gmail.com.

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Currents July 17 People – Fostering employee pride and loyalty Employee of the Month-May Cassandra Whaley, Pharmacy Services; Terri Massey, Volunteer Services9th floor concierge; Vanessa Stewart, Volunteer & Guest Services; and Kelly Howard, Heart & VascularArt Prep Cath Lab were recognized in their respective areas for going above and beyond their call helping patients and fellow employees.

Message from Stuart Smith Stuart Smith, vice president for clinical operations and MUSC medical center executive director, shared news with the MUHA family announcing his retirement by the end of December.

Smith explained that a search process was initiated by MUSC President Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., to begin the transition. Greenberg established a formal search committee consisting of MUSC and MUHA leadership and led

by Etta D. Pisano, M.D., vice president of medical affairs and College of Medicine dean, which includes hospital administration’s Lisa Montgomery, Marilyn Schaffner, Ph.D., R.N., and Betts Ellis.

Smith, who has worked at MUSC for 39 years, praised the many accomplishments achieved by hospital employees and clinical faculty throughout the years. He applauded staff and clinical leadership for making improvements to patient care, research support, employee excellence and hospital efficiency as well as elevating MUSC’s reputation as an expert medical provider in the Tri-county, statewide, regionally and nationally. Smith is supportive to the medical center’s strategic plan, leadership and optimistic to the upcoming transitions.

Within the next six months, he’ll focus on current issues, which include hospitalwide preparation for the upcoming Joint Commission visit, finalizing MUSC’s budget and other concerns. Smith said he is committed to

the outcome of this process and will keep staff informed through meetings and regular communications.

HR update Helena Bastian, MUHA HR director, presented the following: q HR reminders: The following documentations must be maintained in the unit/departmental file or electronically — Primary source verification of license (must be completed prior to expiration date); documentation of orientation to unit/department and current position, i.e. CBO (includes charge nurse and clinical unit leader must be completed); positions requiring BLS or ACLS; positions requiring BLS or ACLS (current documentations); documentation of training specific to patient; and PPE (Personnel Protective Equipment) documentation q CPR requirement – Positions that require current CPR Certification – The card must either be: an American Heart Association Basic Life (BLS) for Healthcare Providers card, or an American Red Cross Professional Rescuer card q HR policy update – Key modifications HR Policy 1 Employee Health – All references to “job related” were changed to “work related;” ACORD form to be completed online at http://mcintranet. musc.edu/ehs/work_related.htm.

Instead of hard copy sent with employee to Employee Health. q Procedure – Section B1: Deleted: A copy of the employee’s PD is no longer required to be brought to Employee Health; Section B2: “post offer” was added to further clarify pre-employment drug screening; Section C1: Addition of www.muschealth.com for non-work related injuries/illness; Section C2: Insertion: “Employees with non-work related injuries/illnesses are not seen

by Employee Health, nor will they issue work excuses q HR Policy 2 orientation – Section

To Medical Center Employees: After 39 years, it may not come as a surprise that I have decided to retire at the end of this calendar year. My employment at MUSC has been a greatly rewarding and gratifying experience.

Over the years I have had the pleasure of witnessing dramatic advancements in patient care and service. Also, I have enjoyed taking part in the incredible expansion of the facilities to enable MUSC to fulfill our mission.

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of my tenure has been the opportunity to work with so many talented and dedicated Smith individuals. After such wonderful experiences, I have mixed emotions about retiring. In the future I will greatly enjoy observing the Medical Center’s continued success from a different perspective.

Finally, in the months ahead I will be committed to developing an action plan to meet the challenges that lie ahead.

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

B (Unit/Department Orientation): The unit or department representative will conduct an appropriate evaluation to ensure employees possess required initial job specific competencies as indicated by job specific requirements; When applicable, unit/department orientation should include verification of competencies of temporary and/ or “agency employees” unless documentation is provided through the pre-employment procedure or agency contract; Unit/department orientation for employees should include review of the employee’s job description and planning document; Unit/department orientation for volunteers should include a familiarization to the work area and, if applicable, training required for the patient population. The unit/ department should maintain a record of the unit/department and job specific orientation process. q Leadership diversity training – two sessions, Mondays from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30-5 p.m.; July 30, Gazes auditorium; Aug. 20, Aug. 27, Sept. 17 and Sept. 24, Room 112, Bioengineering Building. Register via CATTS. For information, contact Allen Coulter, coulteal@musc.edu. q PeopleAdmin upgrade

Upgrade of the PeopleAdmin Applicant Tracking System from Version 5.8 to Version 7 has been delayed until September due to the KRONOS upgrade.

HR will notify you when training classes are available for registration in September. For information or questions, contact Kim Duncan, 7921962.

Meet the MUHA HR Team – HR representatives will be in the Children’s Hospital lobby to answer employee questions and provide other HR-related needs from 1-2:30 p.m., July 26.

SC retirement system Mark Stimpson, benefits manager, outlined major changes to the SCRS, PORS ORP systems.

Effective July 1, the employee contribution rate will increase by 1/2 percent for all participants in the PORS/ SCRS pension plans and Optional Retirement Program. This will be first reflected in the July 25 paycheck for medical center employees; two more, 1/2 percent employee contribution rate increases are scheduled during the next two years; as of July 1, the total employer contribution rate increases by nearly 1.3 to 15 percent for SCRS (including retiree insurance surcharge) with another 0.3

See Currents on page 8

The CATAlysT, July 20, 2012 5

Meet Caroline

Caroline Worthy Department MUSC Health East Cooper How long at MUSC 7 weeks How are you changing what’s possible To provide an exceptional level of guest services and to insure our patients have a positive visit to our facility.

What do you like most about the new facility It is a very comforting, peaceful and friendly environment If you could have any athlete visit the East Cooper facility, who would it be Brett Favre, a former NFL quarterback. He has a unique way of motivating others.

Unique talent Architectural and interior design Meal you love to cook Breakfast: eggs, bacon, grits and blueberry pancakes Greatest moments in your life The birth of my 5 children Favorite quote “Keep your head high, your chin up and most importantly, keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there is so much to smile about.” —Marilyn Monroe

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eAsT Cooper Continued from Page One the medical center. The group represents 730 multispecialty practice physicians, practice sites and Carolina Family Care facilities throughout the Tri-county.

“We’ve been interested in developing a health center in Mount Pleasant since 2008 that features the largest number of specialists concentrated East of the Cooper,” Costello said. “Our goal was to bring these physicians and their expertise together in a single, multi-specialty center site so they can deliver and provide patients with a cohesive health care experience.”

In this first phase, the facility supports comprehensive breast imaging services, neurosciences, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, radiology services (ultrasound, CT, X-ray, MRI, mammography, Dexa scan), laboratory and urology services. Later, more than 20 other services will be introduced including allergy, cardiology, endocrinology, ENT-otolaryngology, family medicine, gastrointestinal and other subspecialties. Once complete, the facility will host more than 90 physicians and staff.

Building AesTheTiCs MUSC Health East Cooper is aimed at providing a warm and welcoming experience in a planned and functional space.

According to Chris Cochran, MUSC Physicians director of facilities and business development and co-project director, patients and visitors will be drawn to the generous space and aesthetics featuring a rooftop terrace, healing garden and adjoining community meeting room. Another priority was to offer healthy food choices with the Black Bean Company Café.

Inside, designers chose warm earth tones and a flowing water theme throughout the facility, clinic and exam rooms, waiting and passageway areas. Photography and artwork tell a story of Lowcountry life by local artists.

As for building construction and technology, the three-story building features the latest in microwave

The roof top healing garden, located on the third floor, provides a quiet respite.

communications technology to transfer voice and data back to MUSC’s main campus. A wireless network allows clinicians and staff to access patient data and securely connect to the medical center’s electronic medical record network and clinical information technology systems.

According to Cochran, the building also is vying for a LEED 2009 certification as a Green Building from the U.S. Green Building Council. One particular feature is the building’s ice-based thermal energy storage cooling system. Instead of using a conventional air conditioning system, this system produces and uses ice as a source of cooling energy that is smart, cheap and resourceful.

MUSC College of Medicine Dean and Vice President for Medical Affairs’ Etta D. Pisano, M.D., summed up the event. “This facility is a great example of how MUSC links the top specialists in the country to provide coordinated health care and the best patient experience available. It’s an exciting day for MUSC and the East Cooper community and we’re proud and excited to provide this MUSC Health East Cooper offers visitors and patients healthy food unique environment.” choices from the Black Bean Company Café.

MUSC Health East Cooper 1280 Johnnie Dodds Blvd.

Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 876-8282; 876-8181 (Fax) q Three floors, 84,000 total square feet; 92 treatment rooms, 10 infusion stations q Construction initiated in August 2010 q Specialty services/clinics (Current): Laboratory Services; Neurosciences; Neurosurgery, Orthopaedics; Radiology (Ultrasound, CT X-ray, MRI, Mammography, Dexa Scan); Pediatric Urology and Adult Urology q Future specialties and subspecialty services to open (August to November): Allergy, Cardiology, Endocrinology, ENT-Otolaryngology, Family Medicine-After Hours Clinic, GI, GI Surgery, Infectious Disease, Infusion (Chemotherapy), Internal Medicine, Interventional Radiology, Medical Oncology, Nephrology, Plastic Surgery, Pulmonary, Rheumatology, Surgical Oncology, Travel Medicine and Vascular Surgery q Patient and family amenities: Black Bean Company Café, rooftop healing garden and community room q Facility features: LEED 2009 Green Building Certification (in progress); iced-based Thermal Energy Storage Cooling System; microwave communications technology for voice and data (750 Mbps) and secure wireless integrated network

The Catalyst, July 20, 2012 7

World class care for comprehensive breast imaging East Cooper patients, visitors and staff will have the convenience of a comprehensive clinic that’s backed by expertise of the state’s only academic medical center, according to Amy Campbell, M.D., assistant professor of radiology.

“Our goal is to provide excellent patient care by coordinating our multidisciplinary breast team to make this happen. We are changing what’s possible by providing this level of quality patient care.”

One medical specialty that’s especially welcome is MUSC Department of Radiology’s Comprehensive Breast Imaging Service. The service brings together a large multidisciplinary breast program featuring radiologists, breast surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists and pathologists to provide patients with world-class clinical care.

The goal is to offer patients an array of breast imaging services including screening and diagnostic mammography, ultrasound guided breast biopsy, breast ultrasound, stereotactic breast biopsy capabilities, concluding with accurate same-day results. This service features the latest Siemens imaging equipment including full field digital mammography units, and other related equipment.

The program is comprised of a team of breast imaging specialists, including Campbell; Abid Irshad, M.D.; Susan Ackerman, M.D.; Abbie Cluver, M.D.; Rebecca Leddy, M.D.; and Madeline Lewis, M.D. The breast imaging service will be available four days a week (Mondays through Thursdays). Imaging for interventional, neurointerventional and pediatric radiology services and screenings will occur during weekdays.

This positive anticipation was similarly experienced by patients at the start of mammography services at MUSC Specialty Care North, according to Campbell,

Radiologist and breast imaging specialist Dr. Rebecca Leddy, left, explains the advantages of the Siemens digital mammography unit to a patient. Tiffany Griles, back right, prepares the equipment. The unit features mood lighting, greater image quality and comfortable compression. who came to MUSC in 2008.

“Our North Charleston patients were genuinely happy with our presence in the neighborhood backed by the expertise from our downtown facility. I feel our Mount Pleasant patients will quickly feel good about what we have to offer at MUSC Health East Cooper,” said Campbell.

In addition to providing top patient care, the

team plans to conduct clinical research and possibly branching out to evaluating the efficacy of 3D breast tomosynthesis to enhance breast cancer detection.

Additionally, physicians and staff are committed to improving education and promoting their services to referring East Cooper physicians as well as continued improvements in patient education. For information or to schedule an appointment, call 792-1414.

Dr. Etta Pisano, center, along with Thomasena Stokes-Marshall cut the ribbon celebrating the opening of MUSC Health East Cooper with help from Dr. Philip Costello. Left photo: A concierge greets patients and visitors.

8 The CATAlysT, July 20, 2012

S.C. BlueCross Foundation awards $2.6M in grants In its latest grant award cycle, the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation awarded $2.6 million in grants to health care-related organizations, including assistance to address childhood obesity, the lack of dental services for low-income residents and the need for nurse practitioners in rural areas.

MUSC’s College of Nursing was awarded a $250,000 grant to support enrollment of an estimated 70 doctorateprepared nurse practitioners to increase primary care nurse practitioners in rural South Carolina.

Since it was established in 2003, the foundation has allocated more than $40.4 million to address childhood health, community health, mental health, obesity, diabetes, nursing and rural area primary care, as well as health research conducted within the state.

The foundation has two grant cycles a year. In addition to the college, other grant recipients were: Greenville County School District; Williamsburg County School District; S.C. Eat Smart Move More; Classy Smiles, Georgetown, Horry and Williamsburg counties; East Cooper Community Outreach; Family Services of South Carolina;

First Steps of Charleston County in partnership with S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control; Healthy Learners; Greenville County EMS; Medical Mission 2012; United Ministries; and Anderson University.

According to the foundation’s executive director Harvey Galloway, South Carolina ranks fifth in pre-term births and fourth in low-birth weight babies.

“In Williamsburg County, more than half of the students are overweight or obese, and in Greenville County that number is nearly 60 percent. The primary reason for hospital readmissions in Greenville County is lack of ability to obtain prescription medications.

Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties have some of the country’s highest prevalence of heart disease, strokes, obesity, diabetes and infant mortality. We rank 43rd in the number of practicing primary care physicians, 41st in the number of physician assistants and 35th in the number of nurse practitioners.”

Galloway commends the recipients of the grants for the good work they are doing. “We hope our foundation grants will help make a difference.”

CurrenTs Continued from Page Four percent increase scheduled for 2014; pension checks for rehired retirees with a date of retirement later than Dec. 31, 2012 who are under age 62 will be suspended until the end of that fiscal year once they have earned $10,000 – the ability to be rehired after retirement is subject to a manger’s approval, hours and pay may change; as of Jan. 1, 2013, retirees will be required to take a break of service of at least 30 days before being rehired; cost of living increases for retirees will be set at 1 percent and not to exceed $500 per year; the TERI program will continue to be available to current participants up through June 30, 2018.

For a summary of changes, visit http://www. retirement.sc.gov/. To arrange for a speaker at meetings, contact stimpso@msuc.edu or call 792-9320.

Kronos upgrade Patty Burn and Vickie Nash unveiled plans for

upgrades to MUHA Payroll’s Kronos timekeeping system and time clocks. Effective Friday, Aug. 3, the new version of Kronos will be in effect along with time clock units. The change will utilize the Proximite RFID (instead of the barcode) embedded in employee badges.

The RFID is the same technology used with the parking systems and cafeteria payroll deduction. It is mandatory for all hourly employees to pre-register their badges in order to work with the new Kronos system. If not, non-registered employee badges will not be recognized by the Kronos time clocks. The new time clocks offer employees options to review information from view timecard, leave balances, vacation, punch status, etc.

Badge registration and other information can be found at http://mcintranet.musc.edu/hr/payroll/index.htm.

Quality – Providing quality patient care in a safe environment Emergency GreenCard update Christine Williamson, manager Infrastructure

Applications Services team, provided managers with an overview of the campus’ GreenCard system, an offsite voice mailbox tool used by managers to communicate with employees during a weather emergency. She advised managers to write a draft of their message. The system uses text-to-speech technology so do not use abbreviations in composing the message.

Access via https://eapps.musc.edu/greencard and scroll to the topic (code) that needs to be updated.

Select Edit and enter your message and update.

Williamson advised managers to re-check their message (805-5010 or 866-398-1589) and re-enter if necessary.

Finally, managers are reminded to tell their employees which department code number to use to access the information.

Announcement The next meeting is Aug. 7.

The CATAlysT, July 20, 2012 9

U.S. News & World Report: MUSC is state’s No. 1 hospital MUSC has been named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the country's best hospitals (top 50) in the treatment of ear/nose/throat disorders, nephrology, cardiology and heart surgery, and gastroenterology.

This is the 16th consecutive year for gastroenterology to be ranked. MUSC is also “high-performing” in treating cancer, gynecologic disorders, orthopaedics and rheumatology. Programs for diabetes and endocrinology, neurology and neurosurgery, pulmonology, geriatrics and urology also were considered highperforming. Fewer than 150 of the nation’s 5,000 hospitals are nationally ranked in at least one of 16 medical specialties. To see MUSC scores and rankings, go to http://health.usnews. com/best-hospitals/medical-university-ofsouth-carolina-6370085.

MUSC ranked first in South Carolina and for the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metro area.

These state and local rankings recognize 730 hospitals with a record of high performance in key medical specialties, including hospitals already identified as the best in the nation. The complete rankings and methodology are available at http://health.usnews.com/besthospitals.

“We are pleased to again be ranked as the leader in specialty care in South Carolina, and as one of the premier treatment centers in the country,” said Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., MUSC president. “This is a great tribute to the outstanding physicians and other caregivers who serve the health needs of so many patients."

U.S. News Health Rankings editor Avery Comarow said the rankings are a GPS-like aid to help steer patients to

“We are pleased to again be ranked as the leader in specialty care in South Carolina, and as one of the premier treatment centers in the country.”

Dr. Ray Greenberg hospitals with strong skills in procedures and medical conditions. “All of these hospitals are the kinds of medical centers that should be on your list when you need the best care,” he said. “They are where other hospitals send the toughest cases.”

Etta Pisano, M.D., vice president for medical affairs and dean of the College of Medicine echoed Greenberg and Comarow. “These rankings highlight some of the reasons MUSC has become a destination medical center. As an academic medical center with world-class physicians and ground-breaking research, our patients benefit from the latest advances in medicine.”

Since 1990, the magazine has identified medical centers with unique capabilities in one or more areas.

Rankings and eligibility are driven by hard data, including reputation, death rate, patient safety, and care-related factors such as nursing and patient services.

10 The CATAlysT, July 20, 2012

eMployee Wellness Exercising in hot weather adds stress to the body, increasing risk of serious illnesses. Both exercise itself and the air temperature increase core body temperature, causing a higher than normal heart rate and increased fluid loss. The result may be a heat-related illness which can start off with mild symptoms but can quickly become Susan Johnson a life-threatening condition.

Heat illnesses include: q Heat cramps. Painful muscle contractions, mainly affecting the calves, quadriceps and abdominals, most commonly caused by dehydration and electrolyte imbalance due to excessive sweating. Treat heat cramps with massage, cold compresses and rehydration. q Heat exhaustion. Caused by high body temperatures up to 104 F. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, headache, fainting, weakness and cold, clammy skin. If left untreated, this can lead to heatstroke. To treat heat exhaustion, stop activity, move to a cool environment, rehydrate and use cold compresses if necessary. Monitor temperature and if it does not decrease or if symptoms worsen, call 911. q Heatstroke. Heatstroke is a lifethreatening emergency condition that occurs when body temperature is greater than 104 F. Symptoms include skin without sweat, confusion and irritability.

Call 911 and attempt to cool body temperature to prevent brain damage, organ failure or even death.

When exercising in hot weather, keep these precautions in mind: q Watch the temperature. Pay attention to weather forecasts and heat alerts. q Get acclimated. Start slow when working out in the summer – it takes the body about one to two weeks to adapt to heat so gradually increase the length and intensity of workouts in hot weather. q New exercisers should take extra precautions. Unconditioned or new

Health at work

exercisers should be extra cautious when working out in the heat. Reduce exercise intensity and take frequent breaks. q Drink plenty of fluids. Dehydration is a key factor in heat illness. Stay well hydrated with water, if exercising intensely or for longer than one hour; consider a sports drink to replace the sodium, chloride and potassium lost through sweating. Avoid alcoholic drinks because they can promote fluid loss. q Dress appropriately. Lightweight, loose-fitting clothing helps sweat evaporate and keeps you cooler. Avoid dark colors, which can absorb heat.

If possible, wear a light-colored, widebrimmed hat. q Avoid midday sun. Exercise in the morning or evening, when it's likely to be cooler outdoors. q Wear sunscreen. Sunburn decreases the body's ability to cool itself. q Have a backup plan. If you’re concerned about the heat or humidity, stay indoors. Work out at the gym, walk laps inside the mall or climb stairs inside an air-conditioned building. q Understand medical risks. Certain medical conditions or medications can increase risk of a heat-related illness.

Employee Wellness events q MUSC’s Pitch the Pack Program: Free smoking cessation program offered to MUSC employees and students. Classes, counseling and a one-month supply of medications are available to eligible participants. Receive a success kit with enrollment filled with gifts. Enroll online at http://ceii.muschealth.com/SCP/ SCPRegistration.aspx. q MUSC Urban Farm: Family Workday, 9 – 11 a.m. July 21. Sessions will focus on soil testing: “how, where, and why” in preparation for fall planting.

Bring a plastic bag and take home some fresh produce in return for work efforts on the farm. Okra, eggplant, beans, culinary herbs, peppers, and squash should be ready for harvest. Email muscempwell@musc.edu to register. Open to employees, students, and the public.

Contact Johnson at johnsusa@musc. edu for information on the Office of Health Promotion, and Suzan Benenson Whelan at whela@musc.edu for specific information about Employee Wellness.

The CATAlysT, July 20, 2012 11

CLASSIFIED P AGE • 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 = 35 characters) DEADLINE: TUESDAY – 10:00 AM * CLASSIFIED ADS CAN BE E-MAILED TO sales@moultrienews.com, 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.

IP01-681634

Items for Sale

Homes For Sale

Blue/white stripe plaid sofa and love seat w/wooden bottom for $100. Name brand men jeans $20-$25 Enyce, Coogi, Gir-bauld, Eight 732,etc Jeannetta 843-864-5816

Lots for Sale For Sale - waterfront lot in ideal location on James Is. Rare wooded lot on tidal creek with panoramic view of city, Ravenel bridge and Charleston Harbor.Abundant wildlife viewing. 843-795-2353.

4154 Jean Laffite Tidal Creek $449,000 4/5BR, 2.5BA, 3511 sf. Disher, Hamrick & Myers Helen Butler 843-343-2222

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADVERTISE IN THE CATALYST PLEASE CALL 849-1778

12 The CATAlysT, July 20, 2012