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Q&A

We’re rebuilding!

Around KUMC...

Donald Hagen, EVC

Classifieds

Topics Information

KU Hospital Governance
Q&A
Answering Your Questions

Three new questions about hospital governance have been submitted for response this week. Employees can submit their questions by email to TOWNHALL or through the employee suggestion boxes throughout the Medical Center.

Q: What is the status of the employee survey results? When will we hear about them?

A More than 1500 employees took the time to complete the survey. This level of participation reinforces what I already knew—that our employees are committed to making this the very best place for providing the highest level of care and service to our patients and their families. The feedback that you provided is in the final stages of analysis. The answer sheets have been tabulated at a hospital-wide level and the typed summary of all written answers is due back this week. Your department heads and supervisors will receive summary survey results specific to their areas. Again, these are summaries and do not have any specific details that would compromise the confidentiality of the actual surveys. Supervisors will hold meetings with all members of their teams to better understand the issues identified by the survey and to generate ideas for making any necessary improvements at a department level. Prior to these team meetings, workshops will be held with the supervisors and department heads to give them ideas on how to use these meetings most effectively. The goal is to respond quickly and make significant progress on those issues that were the most important to employees. We will accomplish this through a two-phased approach. The leadership team will begin to address the hospital-wide issues while you and other members of your department work with your managers to produce action plans that address those issues that have the most impact at the department level.
Though 73% of survey participants indicated that they were kept informed about decisions and policies affecting them,
Continued page 3
Medical Center leadership’s goal is to find every possible way to keep you informed and involved as we move into the public authority. This communication will focus on any known changes, steps we have taken to address issues raised by the survey and answers to questions you have asked of us. But communication is a two-way street. Please continue to share your ideas, concerns and questions with us, either through your supervisors and department heads or through the suggestion boxes and the TOWNHALL mailbox.

Q: I believe KU is a wonderful place to work and it’s important that rumors be stopped with information. I heard a rumor that all but two Central Service employees were dismissed as a result of a mandatory test. Is this true?

A: Thank you for questioning a rumor. And that is just what you heard. No one has been fired or asked to resign. The Hospital Materials Management Department is installing an automated Materials management Information System to support, quantify and track the Hospital’’ second largest expenditure: supplies, contracted services and the equipment portion of the budget. Operational changes must occur within the department before the automation. New position descriptions and performance expectations have been written, combining the duties of individual functions into those of a multi-skilled worker. Because the department will require a fixed number of each of the new positions to perform the work once new system is in place, there may not be enough positions within that department for all employees. There will, however, be enough positions within the Hospital for all employees. None of the current Hospital Materials Management employees will be without a job. We are actively working with the employees to identify opportunities that correspond to their skills, job classification and compensation rate.

Q: I truly believe there is a genuine interest in making the hospital run more efficiently. I would like to understand why the hospital has seven executive managers, when the census is down.

A: In today’s healthcare environment, a hospital’s daily census is only a portion of the management team’s responsibilities. A hospital is only one segment of healthcare delivery today. The KU hospital’s executive team is responsible for the massive transition to the new Authority, expanding ambulatory (outpatient) services, physician-hospital-outpatient agreements, managed care contracting, organizational improvement, public relations-marking and information services. KUMC is now a system of services and the management team’s responsibilities extend beyond the hospital operations. The management structure will be explained further during upcoming Town Hall meetings and in the Authority communications.

We’re rebuilding!
Renovation gets underway on campus

KUMC this summer is seeing the first installation of the $163 million rehabilitation project that began with the “Crumbling Classrooms” initiative for all Kansas Board of Regents universities in the mid-1990s.
The first signs-demolition of Hinch Hall, which housed labs, classrooms and offices, and the Taylor annex, which housed the School of Nursing dean’s and student affairs offices-came this spring. To get underway this summer is construction of a five-story Nursing Education Building that will be completed on the same ground by summer 1999, according to Dave Roland, associate director, design and construction.
And the re-birth doesn’t stop there. KUMC’s $19.3 million share of the rehabilitation project also will renovate classrooms and auditoriums and improve the overall infrastructure on campus.
“The ‘crumbling classrooms’ project is giving us an opportunity to better support our academic programs,” said Linda Davies, director of academic support in central administration. Davies heads the effort, which will upgrade technological improvements in classrooms and auditoriums as “we prepare for the future and pave the way for becoming an even more high tech campus with more high tech teaching.”
Most of the current auditoriums and seminar rooms are being refurbished to provide computer access. For example, the more recently remodeled Clendening Amphitheater had some high-tech capabilities, but didn’t support computers. “`It does now,” Davies said. Other major auditorium renovations, such as that being accomplished at Sudler Auditorium, will involve increased broadcast capabilities and installation of video presentation stands, to replace outdated overhead projectors. Another targeted area for high-tech devices, she said, has been the Orr Major building. The fourth floor was renovated to include eight teaching labs for first- and second-year medical students. The labs have Ethernet capabilities and 27-inch multi-sync, which is a special monitor enabling students and faculty to plug in a video source.
Davies said closed circuit TV would be extended and a new video routing system would enable audio-visual technicians to record a presentation in an auditorium and then send it to conference rooms on other parts of the campus. Other presentations will be broadcast live on the Web, so employees everywhere can participate at the same time.
An interdisciplinary skills lab in the new Nursing Education Building will consist of 10 “patient rooms” for simulating treatment and an open, pie-shaped lab with curtains that “can be pulled to make sections needed to represent offices or home health care type settings,” Davies said.
“It’s really an exciting time, with all the additional opportunities we’ll be able to bring to both students and employees,” Davies said.
Additional money from KUMC’s own repair and rehabilitation fund will supplement efforts. Here’s how the refurbishing plan and the total dollars stack up:
• The Nursing Education Building: about $10 million.
* Rehabilitation projects throughout campus: more than $6 million.
• Meeting Americans with Disabilities Act requirements for handicapped restrooms, etc.: $2.5 million.
• Improved classrooms, including technological improvements: more than $700,000.
• New fire code requirements: $500,000.

Around KUMC...
What’s New

LIFELINE Training for Supervisors
The Division of Personnel Services will offer LIFELINE Training for KUMC supervisors from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, July 16, in the Clendening Amphitheater. A certified employee assistance professional for the EAP providers for state employees conducts the sessions. New information will be provided in this year’s training to help supervisors recognize signs and symptoms of drug abuse and approaches to take to confront possible abuse. The session will inform supervisors of the services LIFELINE offers as well as enhance their management skills. Anyone or current supervisors who missed last summer’s training and new supervisors are encouraged to attend. Registration forms have been sent to all department heads and are available in the Benefits Office, 1040 Wescoe. Those who have questions, call ext. 5263 or 5087.

Kansas Institute Research Round Table
scheduled for June 16
The next Kansas Cancer Institute Research Round Table is scheduled for noon Tuesday, June 16 in Lied Auditorium. Leslie L. Heckert, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, will present “Gonadotropins and Their Receptors in Cancer.”

Research ethics subject of seminar
Harold Vanderpool, PhD, ThM, professor of history and philosophy of medicine at the University of Texas-Galveston’s Institute for Medical Humanities and editor of Ethics of Research Involving Human Subjects Facing the 21st Century, will present a seminar, “Can Research Ethics Be Taught to Researchers? Challenges and Realities” noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 16. Dr. Vanderpool’s seminar will be in Sudler Auditorium, KU Medical Center and in the Wichita Room, KU School of Medicine, Wichita, via interactive television.

School of Medicine Primary Care Forum
to feature AMA president Nancy Dickey
Nancy W. Dickey, M.D., president of the American Medical Association will be keynote speaker during a KU School of Medicine primary care forum Friday, June 19. Dr. Dickey will speak on “Acquiring you M.D.-Only the First Step in a Long Journey; Staying Up-to-Date in a Quagmire of Change.” A reception will be 4:15 to 5 p.m. and the forum will be 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dr. Dickey will speak in Lied Auditorum at KUMC. The forum will be broadcast via interactive television to the Roberts Amphitheater at the KU School of Medicine, Wichita. To register or for more information, call Carmela Cannova at the Office of Faculty Development. 913-588-7205.

HR website seeks feedback
Last October, the KUMC and Wichita Human Resources Offices opened their web site. The site was designed to provide additional sources of information regarding employment, benefits, training and general policies to provide KUMC faculty and staff. Since then, more than 4,500 persons have aused this resource in search of information. Human Resources now is seeking comments and suggestions about the home page and making it more useful. You can send comments or ideas to Rick Robards, Director of Human Resources. Anyone who has not yet visited the home page can do so at http://www.kumc.edu/HR.

Non-denominational communion service
offered first Sunday of each month
Quick reminder: non-denominational communion services are offered the first Sunday of each month in Spencer Chapel at ll:30 a.m. Come as you are. All are welcome to attend and participate in this open communion. For more information, contact the Rev. Jennie Malewski, staff chaplain, at ext. 5033

Charles Zaylor, DO, presents at joint meeting
Charles Zaylor, D.O., clinical assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and medical director of Telepsychiatry Services, presented “Clinical Outcomes from a Two-Year Telepsychiatry Clinic” at the annual joint meeting of the American Telemedicine Association and the U.S. Department of Defense in Orlando Florida on April 8. Dr. Zaylor also presented “Telemedicine as a Delivery System for Rural Psychiatric Care” at the May 3 meeting of the Ohio Psychiatric Association in Columbus, Ohio.

Host a foreign student!
KUMC employees have the chance to be host to a foreign student participating in the International Student Exchange (ISE) program. ISE is a non-profit organization that provides overseas educational opportunities for young people aged 15 to 18. Students stay for one or two academic semesters, speak English, have full insurance and bring spending money. Interested people can contact Jeannine McCarthy, ISE Coordinator at 531-7708.

KUMC is Number One
in Corporate Challenge
KU Medical Center is off to our best Corporate Challenge start ever! As of June 5, we were in FIRST place! We want to keep the ball rolling and we need our team to pull together to help. What can you do? Volunteer for the Track meet, which has several open slots.
Lets help KUMC hang on to the lead!! Contact Jan Schmidt at ext. 7703 to volunteer! The events are Tuesday through Friday evening at Shawnee Mission South High School.

Clarification: The EVC Message was not included in the 5 previous issues of Topics. If you wish to receive a printed or electronci copy of the previous EVC Message, please contact PR and Marketing at ext. 1291

Donald Hagen, EVC

An academic health center is a very special place. I don’t know of another organization that has so many opportunities to experience beginnings and endings. Each day babies are born, and we grieve the loss of a treasured colleague or patient. Only a few weeks ago we said good by to our graduating students, now this week I welcomed our new Allied Health Students. Throughout the summer we’ll welcome new residents, nursing and undergraduate medical students.
With each new class or patient, we can start over. We can find new and better ways to engage with our students and patients to provide the best education and patient care experience. Each day everyone has the opportunity to start anew, see KUMC with fresh eyes and identify ways we can improve. Look around you for that opportunity. You may not have direct contact with our students or patients, but you directly impact them by how well you do your job. You are KU and only you can make a difference. Working together, we will build a new KU.
Have you seen the spring issue of Synapse? If not, take a minute to make a connection with the wonderfully creative and artistic abilities of our students, faculty and staff. You’ll marvel at the sensitivity of their photographs, poems and reflections. You’ll see too, that we are much more than books, test tubes, lectures and computerized reports. KU is alive with caring and creative people connecting with our world.
Our Children’s Miracle Network Telethon last weekend was tremendous success. I know many of you have been working all year preparing for the telethon and generously donating your money. You are helping children throughout the entire region and building our base of friends for KU. Sharing the telethon with Children’s Mercy Hospital strengthens both our institutions, and helps form a stronger partnership for the children. Our good friends at KCTV-5 and WDAF were especially wonderful helping us share our successes caring for children. Remember, your gift stays right here in our region. Thank you very much.
This cool snap comes as welcome relief after several weeks of hot weather. I want to commend everyone for being so diligent in helping us conserve and manage our electricity. Our last electric bill included a $10,000 credit because of our new energy-saving lights and your efforts to turn off unneeded lights and computers. If you have a window or wall air conditioner, turn it off when you leave at night and especially for the weekend. Keep up the good work, because every dime we save can be reinvested in our operations.
If you see one of our second year medical students looking just a little more weary than usual, be sure to give them some encouragement. Next week, they will take Step 1 of their United States Medical Licensing Exam. This is a major milestone in their professional career and indicates how well our professors prepared our students. Their success directly reflects on us as an institution. Good luck!

Classifieds

Automotive
For Sale: 1993 Escort Wagon, 51,000 miles, auto, air, nice. Will entertain reasonable offers. Call 432-7902 after 6 p.m.

For Sale: 1987 Honda Civic 4-door sedan, blue, 5-speed, 122K miles. A/C, AM/FM cassette stereo, very good condition. New drive shaft, timing belt and exhaust system. $2,900 or best offer. Call 327-5288.

For Sale: 1994 Honda Accord EXL Coupe. 31,000 miles. Five-speed, leather, wood trim, spoiler. Like new. $14,000 or best offer. Call 831-9445.

For Sale
Moving Sale: Couch-$65; chair-$35; dining table with 4 chairs-$75; and TV stand-$10. Or best offer. Call 236-4178

For Sale: Window air conditioner, 10,500 BTU (could cool two rooms), White Westinghouse, excellent condition, $85. Call 941-4767.

For Sale: GE brand dehumidifier, 25 piknts per 24 hours, $75. Refrigerator, 17 cubic feet, frostless, crosstop freezer. In excellent condition, $125. Central air conditioner, Lennox, 36,000 BTU, coil condenser, complete with wall thermostat, $300. Call 432-2602.

For Sale: Word Processor-three years old, word processing, typing, and spreadsheet capabilities, compatible with other computers, easy to use and learn, has monitor, keyboard, & typing ribbon. Call Mary or Jay at (913) 236-5435.

For Sale: Entertainment center, large deep freezer, and three-piece bedroom set. Call 788-8141.

For Sale: Collectible dolls-four Franklin Mint, one Bridal, two Christmas Victorian and one baby with open mouth. Call 384-1629 after 5:30 p.m.

For Sale: Sprint PCS Digital Cellular Telephone with belt clip, charger and original box. About five months old, $60.00. Call (913)362-4465

For Sale: 54-inch big screen television. Only six months old-$1,800. Brand new, blue velvet, three-piece furniture set-$400. Moving and must sell lots of things. Call 358-9893 before 2 p.m.

For Sale: Gorgeous 28x40, 1997 double-wide home. All applicances will stay. Must see to appreciate its beauty. Low payments at owner’s sacrifice. Oakwood Mobile Homes. Call Jime at 913-856-6341.

For Rent
For Rent: Two-bedroom, 11/2-bath townhouse near KUMC. Call 989-7876.

Share apartment: Share two-bedroom, 1 1/2-bath Washer/Dryer. Two miles from KUMC. Available immediately. $350/month. Call Amy at 870-7716.

Free
Free firewood. You pick up. Call 642-4174, after 5 p.m.

Pets
Free to a good home: One-year-old Labrador. I have moved and cannot keep him. He is well tempered and lean (about 65 lbs), a wonderful family dog and possibly a great hunting dog. Call 642-0388 or 561-0920 evenings.


Free to good home: Nine-year-old Siamese cat. Seal point, male, neutered, very friendly. Loves the outdoors, tolerates dogs, likes other cats. Call 361-0630.

Wanted
Wanted: Crib and changing table. They don’t have to match. Call 356-3637.

Ride wanted: Vicinity of Blue Ridge Cut-off and 40-Highway. Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call Larry after 6 p.m., 353-2751.

Reception
Retirement Reception
For Annie Brown June 30
KUMC employees and students are invited to attend a retirement reception for Annie Brown, associate registrar in the Department of Student Services on June 30. It will be in the Francisco Lounge from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. She has been serving the students here at KUMC for the past 24 years. Please join us as we wish Annie well in her new future endeavors!

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.

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