November 25, 1998 Vol. 20, No. 47
November 25, 1998 Vol. 20, No. 47
Sections of this page:
Reaching for the top: KUMC prepares for 1999 JCAHO review
KUMC employee receives Outstanding Citizen Award
KUMC Pediatric Oncology program chosen for elite Blue Cross-Blue Shield network
KU Medical Center's Dan Hancock, MD, offers new procedure for chronic pain relief
Reaching for the top: KUMC
prepares for 1999 JCAHO review
Staff members at KUMC are well accustomed to delivering quality health
care that complies with accepted industry practices. Over the next several months,
however, employees will focus even more attention on those practices-and find ways to
improve them-as KUMC gears up for the 1999 review by the Joint Commission on Accreditation
of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
The JCAHO is an independent body which measures the effectiveness of
health care organizations across the country in areas such as patient care, organizational
performance, environmental standards and other indicators of health care administration.
Although participation is not mandatory, most medical centers voluntarily undergo a JCAHO
review every three years, as accreditation offers a benchmark of competence that is
universally recognized in the health care field.
In 1996, the most recent JCAHO survey, KU Medical Center received a
rating of 95 percent. For the upcoming review in summer 1999, KUMC has set a goal of
achieving Accreditation with Commendation, the highest possible JCAHO rating. In recent
years, only three area hospitals have received such rankings.
At a JCAHO kick-off meeting held Nov. 18 for directors and department
heads, a team of KUMC staff members charged with overseeing preparations for the review
outlined strategies for improving performance levels throughout the hospital. As noted
however by Ann Babb, chief nurse executive in the Hospital Executive Offices Department
and JCAHO coordinator, such improvements are not simply for the on-site evaluation.
"We're not doing this for the Joint Commission," Babb said.
"We're doing this for the quality of health care at KU Medical Center."
To facilitate improvements and help employees throughout the hospital
prepare for the survey, a steering team representing each area to be reviewed by JCAHO has
been identified. Team members will review the key indicators and "Challenging
Standards," or JCAHO criteria for evaluation, and identify an action plan for
performance improvement.
Several "hot buttons" or key areas of concern have already
been earmarked for special attention over the coming months. Areas include adequately
addressing patient advance directives; ensuring control of medications; patient restraint
and seclusion issues; hospital coordination and oversight of patient care outside the
hospital; maintaining up-to-date documentation of staff and patients; staff knowledge of
and compliance with environmental and safety procedures, and infection control.
To improve compliance in these and other areas, all departments will
design and implement performance improvement plans, and ensure that staff are
knowledgeable of and articulate about department and hospital-wide policies and
procedures. Activities will include creating posters, storyboards, crossword puzzles based
on key JCAHO concerns and other tools to facilitate department improvements and prepare
staff members for JCAHO interviews. To better coordinate improvements, all initiatives
will be closely aligned with KUMC mission, vision and goals.
Performance improvement and staff education efforts will get underway in earnest beginning
in January, and are expected to continue through May. The JCAHO three-day site visit has
not yet been scheduled, but is expected to occur sometime between June and August.
Although steering team leaders noted that several JCAHO standards have risen since the
1996 evaluation, they are confident KUMC will meet its goal of Accreditation with
Commendation.
"We have identified our objectives and have the process in place," Babb said.
"Now, we need to organize our efforts, make the improvements, and be prepared to
communicate effectively."
KUMC employee receives Outstanding Citizen Award
Jerry Chisam of Printing Services was honored by the Kansas City, Kan., police for his
heroic rescue of a man from a lake near Leavenworth Road last Christmas Eve. Photo by Jim
Burton.
Last Christmas Eve, Jerry Chisam, a
KUMC Printing Services staff member since 1988, was cruising down Leavenworth Road with
his wife en route to a family get-together, when Chisam saw something that brought the
journey to an abrupt halt.
Chisam slammed the car into park.
He jumped from the car.
He sprinted across Leavenworth Road and onto the ice of a nearby lake.
He stomped on the ice until it gave way.
He dove into approximately six feet of
freezing water.
And in the next moments, he saved a man's life.
On Nov. 19 this year, the Kansas City, Kan., police recognized Chisam's
heroism by giving him the Outstanding Citizen Award. Chisam was honored "In
recognition of your outstanding actions for your assistance to a citizen in a time of
need."
Chisam takes much of the recognition in stride. For one thing, he and
his sons are accomplished swimmers. For another, said Chisam, he really had no choice.
"The man was screaming; he couldn't get out," Chisam said of
the man whose car had plunged into the lake. "I had to jump on the ice to get it to
break. It took five minutes to get him out and onto the shore."
While rescuing the driver, Chisam noticed a child seat in the back of
the car. After getting the driver to safety, Chisam decided to go back. "I had to
make sure no one else was in there. That's when I got really wet. I had to dive under
water to get in the car."
Fortunately, no one else was trapped inside the car.
The Outstanding Citizen Award came as a surprise to Chisam, who
received an invitation only a day before the Nov. 19 awards ceremony.
"I had no idea this was coming," Chisam said with a smile.
"But it was really cool, meeting the mayor and CEO and the police commissioner and
getting to shake their hands."
And the gold-engraved plaque presented to him during the ceremony? It
will hang prominently in the Chisam family home.
Around KUMC...
What’s New
New meeting times
for Alzheimer's support group
The Alzheimer's Disease support group has changed its meeting times to
the second and fourth Mondays of each month. The next meetings will be Dec. 14 and 28, and
Jan. 11 and 25. Meeting times are noon to 1:30 p.m. Anyone who has a friend or family
member with Alzheimer's Disease is welcome. Bring a brown bag lunch.
A neurologist will speak during the Jan. 11 meeting.
Enwemeka gives international invited presentations
Chukuka S. Enwemeka, PhD, professor and chair of Physical Therapy
Education, recently gave invited presentations in Brazil and Italy. His presentations were
"The Roles of Motion and Physical Agents in Connective Tissue Rehabilitation" at
the Third International Congress of Motor Rehabilitation in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Oct. 5-8;
two workshops titled "The Physiological Effects of Ultrasound" on Oct. 6, and
"Introduction to Laser Therapy" on Oct.7, sponsored by the Physical Therapy
Education Department at the University of Ribeirao Preto, Ribeirao Preto; and an invited
lecture, "The Role of Laser Therapy in Tendon Rehabilitation," given at the 1st
International ExpoMeeting: Laser & Computer in Human Science, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, in
Florence, Italy.
KU Bookstore urges faculty
to place textbook orders now
The upcoming holidays mean festivities and fun. For shipping companies
sending textbook orders to the KU Bookstore, however, they also can mean a heavier load
and the increased potential for lost boxes or delayed cartons. For these reasons, faculty
should place orders for textbooks with KU Bookstore immediately. By planning early,
faculty can ensure their students will have the materials they need for classes in
January.
Clendening History Library
announces new hours
The Clendening History of Medicine Library is now open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Monday through Thursday and by appointment. Call Kelly Brown, ext. 7443, to schedule an
appointment.
Human Resources
moves to 1044 Delp
The university Human Resources Department has relocated to 1044 Delp.
Telephone numbers and e-mail addresses for benefits staff members have not changed. The
move enables the office to consolidate into space now occupied by the training/development
staff, the Career Development Center and the employee photo identification badge area.
KUMC Pediatric Oncology
program chosen for elite Blue Cross-Blue Shield network
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association has chosen KU Medical Center's
Pediatric Oncology Program to participate in the Blue Quality Pediatric Oncology National
Program.
The program, a network of pediatric cancer care providers administered
by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, makes it possible for pediatric patients
from throughout the United States to receive their oncology care at KU Medical Center.
"The Blue Quality Pediatric Oncology National Program is a highly
select group of providers," said Carol B. Lindsley, MD, chair of the Department of
Pediatrics. "We are the only Kansas City area pediatric oncology program selected to
participate. That says a lot for the quality of our physicians and our program."
Dr. Lindsley said the excellent work by Robert Trueworthy, MD, chief of
the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Division, was instrumental in securing the designation.
Moreover, members of the Department of Pediatrics and managed care staff made major
contributions to the effort.
KUMC was selected based on Blue Cross and Blue Shield System Pediatric
Cancer Network criteria such as staff credentials and experience; access to subspecialist
consultants; available equipment and facilities (including dedicated facilities such as an
on-site pediatric ICU); specialized procedures and services offered, and linkages to
continuing care services.
KU Medical Center's Dan
Hancock, MD, offers new procedure for chronic pain relief
People with severe and chronic lower back or leg pain have a new ally
at the University of Kansas Medical Center. That ally, spinal endoscopy, enables
physicians to visually see and medicate inflamed nerves causing the pain.
Spinal endoscopy is a minimally invasive method used to diagnose and
treat chronic low back and lower extremity pain, said Dan Hancock, MD, interim director of
the Pain Management Center at KU Medical Center. He and Pushpa Joseph, MD, both in the
Department of Anesthesiology, have been trained in the technique of spinal endoscopy. It
is done by inserting a flexible fiber-optic endoscope and a steerable guiding catheter
into the epidural space between the spinal nerves and the lining of the spinal cord. By
doing so, physicians in the KU Pain Management Center can visually inspect the epidural
space and, in many cases, identify the cause of the patient's back or leg pain.
Often, in its natural attempt to heal from injury or surgery, the body
develops scar tissue that encases nerve roots. These scars can cause irritation and
inflammation, potentially resulting in severe and chronic pain. Magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans provide a poor view of these scars because the
technology lacks the three-dimensional capabilities of the endoscope.
By inserting the catheter and endoscope into the epidural space, Dr.
Hancock often can separate many of the adhesions encasing the nerve root or roots.
"This allows me to directly see the inflamed nerve root, its
texture, color and the severity of the inflammation," said Dr. Hancock. "This
also allows for medication to be placed directly onto the irritated nerve root. It is a
much more specific type of treatment intervention than a standard epidural
injection."
Approved by the Food and Drug Administration since 1977, spinal
endoscopy is a relatively simple procedure that is performed under mild sedation on an
outpatient basis, according to Dr. Hancock. Potential candidates are patients with low
back pain or pain radiating to the legs who have not responded to other more conservative,
less invasive therapies or surgery.
Last Friday, Dean Deborah Powell and I flew to Wichita to
participate in the Practice Opportunities Conference, where the communities of Kansas who
are seeking physicians presented themselves to our students and residents in Wichita. This
conference continued the process begun in Kansas City earlier this fall. Once again the
university is working with communities throughout the state to assist in interesting our
graduates to stay and practice in Kansas. I commend each of the participants for making
the effort to come to us and work with our students.
I also would like to commend our students for their initiative in
supporting the hurricane victims of Central America. The students organized the relief
effort and were almost overwhelmed with the response from medical center staff and
students. A local company furnished air transport for the materials, so you can be assured
that we truly have made a difference. Now the students are focusing on the recycling
initiatives, helping the university strengthen this very important program.
I have had four separate opportunities this week to receive great
unsolicited feedback from patients about the medical care and the overall atmosphere of
the KUMC environment. Each of them was a very special story, involving every aspect of
care. In one case, the praise came even before the patient has visited our facility. The
family was so impressed with their phone call regarding availability of service that they
have praised us in public for our caring approach and patient sensitivity.
Another family traveled long distances to come to KUMC for treatment of
a very difficult medical problem that has required numerous interventions. Family members
were not only impressed with the care and the professionalism at KUMC, they said,
"Whenever we feel lost, we just stop in the middle of the corridor and several people
come up and offer to help."
In another case, I have witnessed first-hand the preparation of a
patient during evaluation and surgery, in which every member of the team worked in a
personally professional manner.
And the patient care areas were sparkling.
It is beginning to happen. Now just think of how much more we can do!
For SaleAutomotiveHousingWantedStudy Subjects
Office room dividers with two fluorescent lights. No. 1 panels are 18 1/2 inches wide by
61 1/2 inches tall. No. 6 panels have blue fabric and are 30 inches wide by 61 1/2 inches
tall. $75 for all. Call 523-5822 and leave message.
Baby bed. Very nice "Welsh" baby bed with mattress. $100. Playpen. $25. Call
432-5141.
Sega Genesis unit with two controllers and 12 games. $50. Call 734-2160.
Records: Three crates of assorted albums from the '70s, '80s and early '90s. 12-inch
single cuts and some double album collections. Asking 75 cents per album, $1.00 for double
albums. Some are collectibles. I have a list of all. Call Dave, 362-9010.
Power wheel motorcycle, $75. 10-speed boy's black bicycle, $35. Small red and black
child's bicycle, $10. Call 432-5141.
Modern, like-new computer desk-bookshelf-file cabinet combination. 70 by 67 by 27 inches.
$400. Call 268-7762.
Conair Family Fitness automatic masseur. Bought new for $45. Hardly used. $14. Call
Jeannine, 531-7708.
Disney park tickets. Expire Dec. 17. Good in all parks. Call 722-4277.
Computer. PC, monitor (three years old) and brand new printer that has never been used.
$600 or best offer. Call Erin, 432-9291. Please leave message if not home.
1997 Suzuki Sidekick JLX, 4WD SUV. Leather interior, cruise, cassette, white with platinum
trim, alloy wheels. 11,000 miles. Must sell, bought larger SUV. $12,975 or best offer.
Call 362-1407.
1991 Hyundai Excel. Three-door hatchback. Clean, good condition, A/C, new tires. 56,000
miles. $1,975. Call 268-5224.
1993 Thunderbird LX. V-6, loaded, 60K. Great condition. $7,250. Call 362-7708.
For sale: 1976 mobile home located at Lake of the Ozarks, on rented lot at Light House
Marina; 39 mile marker. Summer home with air conditioners, two bedroom, one bath, fully
furnished, beautiful deck facing lake 30 feet from water, quiet cove. $17,000. Call
943-8280.
Donations of children's fiction and non-fiction books, for grades one through eight, to be
used for an inner-city, poor reader project. I guarantee they'll be put to good use! Call
Barbara, 829-1921.
Want to buy: Macintosh PPC computer. Call Matt, 671-8724.
Healthy males and subjects
with heartburn symptoms
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology is seeking three healthy male volunteers
between the ages of 18 and 75 without any symptoms, and five male or female subjects of
similar ages with heartburn (symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD) at least
once a day who do not require any continuous prescription medication for their condition
and who do not have other medical conditions requiring other concomitant regular
medication. Qualified volunteers will be enrolled for the study of a prokinetic drug
called Propulsid (cisapride) on salivary and esophageal secretion (using nasogastric
tubing) in controls and patients with heartburn symptoms. Participants will
receive a good stipend and undertake two (before and after seven days of treatment)
already mentioned secretory tests. For more information call Michele, ext. 4051.
Young males for
Grayhawk study
Young adult males, 23-30 years old, are wanted to participate in a research study at the
KUMC Grayhawk Laboratory. The study involves a comparison between young and older adults
and their ability to pay attention and avoid distraction. The study takes approximately
one hour and participants will receive $10. To schedule an appointment, please contact Pam
Klaebisch, ext. 7181.
Adults for bronchitis study
Adults aged 18 and older with a history of chronic bronchitis who are having worsening of
their symptoms and require antibiotics are sought for an antibiotic study. Participants
will receive free physician visits, free antibiotic and $25 per visit for four visits.
Call Marilyn,
ext. 4022.
Topics Information
Topics is the employee publication of the
University of Kansas Medical Center.
It is published weekly by the office of Public Relations and Marketing. The deadline for
submitting news briefs for consideration is noon on the Wednesday before they are to
appear. For longer articles or features, contact the editor in advance.
Send story ideas to Leslie Champlin, acting editor, G114 Hospital, or e-mail: lchampli@
kumc.edu or call ext. 1602
Topics ad policy
Send or bring your ad to Topics, G114 KU Hospital, or fax to ext. 1225, or e-mail:
lchampli@kumc.edu by noon Wednesday of the week before it is to run.
Ads run free of charge for employees, students and volunteers. For-sale ads are limited to
three items. All ads must include the advertiser’s name and work extension (or
medical student box number) for verification.
Only home phone numbers --- no pager numbers or KUMC extensions --- will be published. No
ads for commercial services or pets for sale will be accepted. Ads will not be taken by
telephone. Only one phone number per ad.
Ads may be a held a week if space is limited.
Prepared by Printing Service Imaging
