Sections of this page: Tom Valuck one of sevenrecipients nationwide What does the Authority mean for me? “Sometimes there is an easier way!!” Promotion announcement corrections Members of the KU Hospital Authority Board Bruce Kimler was invited speaker to Israel KUMC scores 522 points in corporate Challenge Tom Valuck one of sevenrecipients nationwide
Tom Valuck, MD, MHSA, vice president of medical affairs at the University of Kansas Medical Center, has been named a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow for 1998-99 by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Valuck is one of seven health professionals nationwide selected for the fellowship. The fellows were chosen on a competitive basis from nominations across the country. Valuck joined the KU Medical Center administration in 1993, when he was named director of medical staff affairs, responsible for quality improvement, utilization review and the medical staff office. He was named associate hospital administrator in 1994. Among his responsibilities were oversight of several hospital units and the hospital’s 1996 Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations survey, which gave KU a score of 95 and dubbed the hospital one of the model academic health centers in the nation. Valuck currently is leading the hospital’s medical directors by setting expectations for quality, service and cost, providing support and education and evaluating performance. In addition, he is liaison to the KU School of Medicine and serves on the Graduate Medical Education Committee. He completed his medical degree from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, School of Medicine in 1989 and his master’s degree in health services administration from the University of Kansas in 1992. As a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow, Valuck will work in congressional and executive branch offices that have key responsibilities for health legislation and programs. Valuck will return to KU Medical Center upon completing the fellowship. As a fellow, Valuck joins peers from Case Western Reserve University, Georgetown University Medical Center, Oregon Health Sciences University, Pennsylvania State University and Vanderbilt. What does the Authority mean for me? No doubt about it, KU Medical Center employees want to know more about the Authority and what it means for them. Banners have been put in the hallways, and everyone knows the Authority transition is here. In this issue, Topics takes a look at some of your most commonly asked questions: Q. What does the Authority mean for me? A. The Authority is the new governance of the hospital - the governing board for the hospital. Kansas legislators demonstrated their confidence in KUMC’s leadership and employees when they voted to transfer the hospital from the Board of Regents to an independent Authority board. It is this board that will provide critically needed flexibility and responsiveness for KUMC. It is this board that also offers to partner with each of you to make KUMC an even stronger entity. Q. Why are we separating from the state? I liked being a state employee. A. Success of KU Medical Center in today’s competitive marketplace dictates that we are able to act quickly, adjusting to competitive factors. This separation will allow KU Medical Center to be a strong contender in the Kansas City Metro area and serve all of Kansas, as a model academic medical center. Other university hospitals have made this transition. For example, the University of Colorado Medical Center, West Virginia University Medical Center, and the University of Virginia Medical Center have become the leading hospitals in their markets. When we say “marketplace,” we are simply talking about the ability to be competitive in our field and maintain our financial strength. To do this in health care means the ability to grow services, expand our facilities and create alliances with other health care providers to achieve greater efficiencies and better delivery of care. Here are some examples * There’s a dramatic reduction in the rate of growth of health insurance premiums; a shift from commercial indemnity insurance plans and other private insurance to managed care plans. * Throughout KU Medical Center’s service area, hospitals are merging and forming alliances to reduce costs and add market share. These alliances give our competitors an advantage only because they are able to be flexible as the needs of managed care entities and patients demand it. The future of KU Medical Center lies in our ability to meet these challenges and grow our opportunities. And KUMC is ready to do just that. Already, KUMC is poised to become the area’s leading academic medical center. You are critical to this process. Strong employees are the vital link in this transition. Each one of you determines the excellence of our medical center, every day. All KUMC employees should take pride in their accomplishments. Q. I am nervous about being transferred from a state employee to an employee of a private entity. How will I be protected? A. KUMC’s mission and values do not change. Patients and employees are our focus. KUMC stands by its promise to protect each and every employee through this transition. Specifically: * The Authority will offer all hospital employees either the same or comparable position - at the same salary. * Your vacation and sick time will be rolled over to the Authority. You will not lose your accumulated time. * Your years of service will be transferred to the Authority. * Your retirement plan options will continue - KPRS remains.* Your health benefits will be the same - or better! * You won’t have a pay decrease. * You will get your paycheck on time. And you will have even more opportunities, such as gain-sharing, which the Authority can offer that KUMC employees didn’t have before. * You will have a safety net in policies and procedures. In the communication “Info” packet you will receive next week, you will see a benefits and compensation brochure that describes the details of your benefits. Q. How exactly are we going to compete in the marketplace? How secure will the new KUMC be? A. This transition offers a greater chance for the long-term success of KUMC than under the current situation. It allows flexibility, because we will now be able to meet marketplace demands. For example, because of past state policies, the hospital does not have the financial reserves that other hospitals enjoy, but we’ll be able to do just that in the future. Keep in mind that KUMC is set apart from the community hospitals throughout the area, state and region, because we are an academic medical center providing unequaled quality of care. We are dedicated to providing quality services, with good business practices, to support the clinical and educational research of an academic medical center. There are opportunities and benefits of this new structure for employees as well, such as the gain-sharing plan. Q. Does this mean we will be sold? A. The transfer of the hospital to the Authority does not increase its chances to be sold. Any sale or lease must be approved by the state legislature, just as before. Q. What is the process? How do I become an employee of KUMC’s new authority? A. Your supervisor will be giving you a letter on July 20 from the Authority Board, offering you a transfer to the Authority. If for some reason you are not in your department on July 20, a certified letter detailing the offer of transfer will be mailed to your home. You will automatically be transferred, unless you decline the transfer. If you do not want to accept the Authority position, you will have 45 days from the receipt of this letter to decline. Q. What does the time line look like? How will I know what’s happening? A. On July 14 and 15, the Authority Board will meet and organize the governance of KUMC. They will also take steps to complete the transition process. On July 20, all KU hospital employees will receive their Authority letters. In this letter, you will receive transfer notification and a job offer from the Authority, along with benefits information. If for some reason, you are not in your department on July 20, this letter will be sent by certified mail to you home. You will have 45 days from the receipt of this letter to notify the Authority if you will not accept the transfer. From July 20 through October 1, you will receive ongoing communication about the process of transferring your employment to the Authority. KUMC is committed to bringing information to all employees on an ongoing basis, to let you know about each and every issue that might affect you. You can look for more information in Topics and special issues of Topics, e-mail, information executive meetings, town halls, and video newsletters. How do you communicate with us? You’ll see several ways to talk to us in the next few weeks. Look for information in your packets! Topics editors look forward to continuing the dialogue about this process. “Sometimes there is an easier way!!” Our attorneys have just advised us that an employee needs to respond to the letter offering employment by the Hospital Authority only if he or she decides NOT to accept the Authority’s job offer. I hope this will make it easier for everyone and reduce the paperwork. As you know, the legislation states that all current hospital employees would be transferred to the new Authority. Therefore, when you receive your notification letter on Monday, July 20, 1998 only return the response if you DO NOT accept. You do not need to respond if you intend to transfer to the Authority. If you have questions, please discuss with your supervisor when you receive your letter. If you are on vacation or ill, you will receive your letter by certified mail. There will be several ways for you to get the information you need....a phone “hotline”, the suggestion boxes, the Town Hall E-Mail, Topics comments sheets and the new “Ask Irene” cards Promotion announcement corrections The July 1 issue of Topics contained errors in the article announcing faculty tenure and appointments. The following are corrections to this article. Analee Beisecker, MD, School of Medicine, Preventive Medicine, was promoted to full professor, previously tenured, prior to her death. Topics incorrectly reported her promotion was granted posthumously. Holly Ardinger, MD, School of Medicine, Pediatrics, was promoted to clinical associate professor. Donald Courtney, MD, School of Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Lisa McPeak, MD, School of Medicine, Rehabilitation Medical Education, were promoted to Associate Professor. Introducing--Members of the KU Hospital Authority Board Robert Hemenway Sen. Sherman Jones Sen. Sandy Praeger Bill Docking Sylvia Robinson Ed Chapman George Farha, MD Dorothy Lynch Mark Parkinson Donald Hagen, MD Deborah Powell, MD Irene Cumming Karen L. Miller, RN, PhD H. William Barkman, MD, MSPH KUMC has the chance to participate in the American Heart Association’s Aug. 29 Walk A Thon at Mill Creek Park near the Nichols Fountain on the Plaza. The four-mile walk begins at 8 a.m. Deborah Powell, MD, executive dean of the School of Medicine and KU’s leader for this year’s event, has asked KUMC employees to volunteer to be team captains who will help recruit walkers. The Walk A Thon promises to be a lot of fun. KUMC will have a tent, which will display our banner and show KU pride. Also, participants will enjoy games, face painting and clowns for kids, food and goodies. For more information or to get registration and pledge cards, contact Jennifer Lamb, ext. 1255. Bruce Kimler was invited speaker to Israel Bruce Kimler, PhD, participated as an invited speaker in a Workshop on Cancer Chemoprevention in the Age of Genetic Diagnosis, in Haifa, Israel, June 21-24. He presented “Rationale for Surrogate Choices inEarly Chemoprevention Trials” and “Models for Phase I/II Breast Cancer Chemoprevention Trials.” He also participated in a course on cancer chemoprevention sponsored by the European School of Oncology in Haifa, June 25-26. He discussed “Prevention of Early Stage Breast Cancer.” I am so proud of our advanced computer network capabilities. Our ability to communicate with each other quickly and easily gives us an edge over others. Additionally, we now have many more options of working smarter instead of harder. One of our most helpful tools is right at your fingertips, and it can become more so if we all use it. Do you know what this is? It is our Pulse web sites. Pulse is “hit” by between 4,000 and 6,000 times each day by both off campus and on campus visitors. Our web sites require regular updating if they are going to be valuable. Those of you with the responsibilities for maintaining accurate, up-to-date information are absolutely one of the most important links in our institution. Two very critical sites are our On-line Directory, which is http://www.kumc.edu/cgi-bin/directory and our Campus Events Calendar at http://www2.kumc.edu/calendar. Our switchboard depends on the Pulse directory to refer incoming calls, operate our paging services and print our phone directories. If the information is not included or accurate, we are unable to provide important services. When I need to know about events, I go to our Campus Events Calendar. Our Pulse Development staff recently completed a major upgrade to the calendar, so it will be easier and faster to use. I want encourage you to begin using it more. Your events are important for everyone to know about, so make them easily available by placing them on our events calendar. Can you believe it! Our Burn Unit construction contract was signed this week! Renovating space for this unique service was one of my first concerns when I arrived almost four years ago. After extensive reviews, discussions and fundraising efforts, this dream is becoming a reality. Our Burn Unit is one of the unique services we offer, and our patients truly need and deserve to be cared for in a state-of-the-art area. I look forward to inviting all of you to a ribbon cutting ceremony very soon. The bulldozers are back and foundation forms being prepared! We signed this construction contract last week for our new Nursing Education Building. Activity will pick up and the six-level building will begin to emerge. Plans are underway for a groundbreaking event where we’ll invite our friends and alumni to join in our celebration. I’d like to ask a favor of anyone using a classroom. I am deeply concerned that they create an environment that makes learning stimulating, exciting and even fun. Our Crumbling Classroom funds are allowing us to remodel and renovate them with cutting-edge equipment. Please respect the classrooms and the others who will use them after you leave. Trash and food need to be disposed properly. Please, take care of our classrooms. Finally, I want to acknowledge all the hard work completed to close our Fiscal Year. I know this requires an inordinate amount of work in a very short time frame on top of your already busy days. I’m told this year’s process has been one of the smoothest and easiest in recent memory. Thank you so much. For Sale For sale: Three cellular phones, two hand-held and one bag phone. All have case and chargers and can be turned on by any cellular phone service, including prepaid cellular, $20 each. Also, Healthrider type machine by Voit, $20, brand new. Call 941-4767. For sale: Toro 11-32 lawn tractor with twin bagger grass catcher. 11-horsepower Briggs and Stratton 4-cycle engine. 32-inch mower deck. Above average condition. $750 or best offer. Call 362-4208 after 7 p.m. For sale: Brand new Nurse Mates women’s shoes, never worn. Size 6M. Less than half price at $30.00! Call Lynelle, 383-0487. For sale: Navy carpet, bound, excellent condition, 11’6” x 13’ - $45. Hunter green carpet, bound, excellent condition, 10’ x 11’- $40. King-size waterbed headboard and frame, walnut-$25. Call 381-1972. For sale: Three crates full of records. Some single 21 cuts, a lot from the 70’s, 80’s, and some from the 90’s. Some double albums. Asking only 50 cents a record, $1.25 for double album records. I am sure some are collectable records. Individuals who have called before, get back in touch with me, have lost who you are. Call Dave, evenings at 362-9010. For sale: Solid wood dining table (36” x 60”) with four contemporary chairs of steel and wood made in Italy. In excellent condition, for $225.00 or reasonable offer. Live close to medical center. Call Jas, 262-6379. For sale: Computer. 486 DX2, 12 MB RAM, 400 MB HD, 14.4 Modem, CD Rom, Software w/ warranty. $145.00. Call Elza, 746-1216. For sale: One day adult pass to Universal Studio in Florida. $49 value, asking $10. Good till 9/11/98. Call 246-0572. For sale: Cordless Phone ($30), Sewing machine in wood cabinet ($75), Karaoke machine ($40), Disc Camera ($25), Lawn Mower-push ($50). Call Ging, 432-7475. For sale: Freezer lambs. Call Kim, 532-3046. For sale: Acoustic Research Turntable, new Shure cartridge-needle, excellent condition. Large record collection, like new, classics and others. $200. Antique doll wood highchair. $25. Large antique Pharmacy display bottle. $30. Antique wood trunk, very old, excellent. $200. Vintage lamb coat. $30. 1930’s silk evening gown - size 8 slim. $50. Other small antique items. Call Lorraine, 438-5043. For sale: 2 motion detector security yard lights with 2 bulbs ($20). Call Gina, 432-7475. For sale: 50 gal. aquarium complete. Wood stand w/ storage, hood w/ light, Emperor filtering system, rocks, gravel, plastic plants & beautiful fish. Nothing more to buy. Must see! $350 firm. Also, Hammond model L101 organ, very good condition, make reasonable offer. Bob or David, 677-5354. For sale: Whirlpool double oven gas range w/ electric igniter, self-cleaning $250. Call Paul, 541-9139 eves, weekends. Housing For sale: Charming 1 1/2 story, 2 bed & 1 bath. Remodeled kitchen. Beautiful woodwork. 4 incredible walk-in closets. Walking distance K.U. $87,500. Call Paul, 561-0015. Automotive For sale: 1995 S-10 extended cab Pickup, V-6, 5-speed, 71K miles, power locks, brakes, windows, mirrors, A/C, AM/FM CD, tinted glass and many custom modifications. Show room condition. Call 788-7379 and leave message if not there. For sale: 1986 Acura Integra RS two-door Hatchback, blue, five-speed, runs well, $2000. Call 782-2988. For sale: 1991 Mercury Sable; 94,000 miles; brand new transmission; excellent condition; hate to sell, but we have more cars than drivers! Call 962-9973 evenings. For sale: 1981 Honda Goldwing, fully dressed. 18,000 miles. $2,750. Call 384-1760. For sale: 1985 Ford Tempo, 4CYL. 85,000 actual miles, 30,000 on motor. $700 OBO. Call 334-9938. For sale: 1988 Ford Mustang Convertible. Red w/ white top. 4 cyl/LX, new transmission and top. Looks and runs good. $4,500. Call 681-9545. For sale: 1991 Honda Accord LX, 4 door, 4 CYL, Automatic, AC, AM/FM Stereo Cassette, All Power, Cruise, Tilt, White, 76,000 miles, Extra Clean, Great Condition. Must sell, Edmunds WWW quote $7,880 asking $7,250 OBO. Call Sanjay,962-5636. For sale: 1984 Toyota Corolla 4 dr sedan, air, automatic, 200,000 miles, good condition, runs well. $500. Call Paul, 541-9139 eves, weekends .Pets Free to good home: Male, terrier mix, 36-pounds. Loves to play, loves kids, neutered, house-trained and good guard dog. Call 262-5654 or 962-2278 and leave a message. Lassie needs home. One sable male collie, three years old, and one sable female also 3 years old need home with fenced yard. These collies were rescued and have been neutered and have current shots. Call 681-0406. Free kittens to good home! 3 left! 2 males, gold w/ tiger stripes and 1 female, black, gold and brown calico. 8 weeks old on 7/11. Too cute! Call Cheryl at 384-1294. Garage Sales Garage Sale: Multi-family garage sale w/ lots of treasures. July 17, 8a.m.-5p.m. and July 18, 8 a.m. -1 p.m. 5733 Woodward. Garage Sale: July 22-24 from 8a.m.-7 p.m., 6101 Nall Ave. in Mission. Wanted Ride wanted, vicinity of Blue Ridge Cut-off and 40-Highway. Hours: 8a.m-4:30p.m. Call Larry after 6p.m., 353-2751. Study Subjects Beliefs and well-being Women with physical disabilities PART 2--KUMC scores 522 points in corporate Challenge Congratulations to all the KUMC employees who helped us place fourth overall in Division A of the 1998 Corporate Challenge! Everyone who participated helped us by accumulating 227 participation points, which added significantly to our total 522 points! Here are the remaining results. Table Tennis: Linda Bell, Mary Hornbeck, Women’s Doubles: 3rd Place Meredith Christian (Surgery Clinic): Women’s Singles: 5th place Tennis: Mary Hornbeck, Women’s Singles: 2nd place Track: 800 meter Relay: Allen Mauslein (Asbestos Shop), Heather Goist (Sports Medicine), Ike Murphy, (Facilities Management), Amy Metcalf (PR-Marketing): 8th place.Sprint Medley Relay: Ron Moore (Surgery), Allen Mauslein, (Facilities Operations), Chimene Schwach (Kirmayer), Mylene Schriner (OT), 7th place. Mile Relay: Ike Murphy, Chris Wittkopp (Medical Staff Office), Allen Mauslein, Heather Gois, (Graduate Student): 7th place 100 meter: Mylene Schrine, Women 30-39: 4th place Chris Wittkopp, Women 40-49: 5th place Cathy Yonkey (Clinical Labs): 7th place Jennifer Kieltyka (Nursing Services), Women 50-59: 4th place Linda Bell, Women 50-59: 6th place Ron Moore, Men 30-39: 2nd place Allen Mauslein, Men 40-49: 8th place Steve Smith (Pediatrics), Men 50-59: 8th place 400 meter Chris Wittkopp, Women 40-49: 4th place Martha Berner (Dietetics & Nutrition), Women 50-59: 6th place Allen Mauslein, Men 40-49: 6th place Ike Murphy, Men 50-59: 1st place (New KCCC record) 800 meter Jan Schmidt , Women 30-39: 7th Susan Cannon, Women 40-49: 3rd place Jennifer Kieltyka, Women 50-59: 3rd place Ike Murphy, Men 50-59: 3rd place Steve Smith, Men 50-59: 6th place Mile Run Amy Metcalf, Women 30-39: 2nd place Susan Cannon, Women 40-49: 4th place Jennifer Kieltyka, Women 50-59: 2nd place Steve Smith, Men 50-59: 7th place Alan Poisner (Pharmacology), Men 60+: 1st place 5K Run: Overall meet: 3rd place Keith Gora (MRRC), Men 18-29: 2nd place Scott Langford (Orthopedic Surgery), Men 30-39: 3rd place Tom Campbell, Men 40-44: 7th place Steve Smith,Men 50-54: 8th place Alan Poisner, Men 60+: 1st place Beth Foster (CDU), Women 25-29: 4th place Amy Metcalf, Women 30-34: 2nd place Marilyn Weckbaugh, Women 40-44 Susan Cannon, Women 45-49, 3rd place Gail Sahfeld (Organizational Improvement), Women 45-49: 5th place Jennifer Kieltyka, Women 50-54: 2nd place Joan Brown (Nursing/Psych), Women 55-59: 3rd place Anching Caoli (Clinical Lab), Women 55-59: 7th place Marilyn White (ENT), Women 60+: 3rd place Trap Shooting: Gaylon Lowery (Cancer Center), 3rd place Kim Morgan (Pharmacology), 1st place Triathlon: Overall meet: 4th place Brian Buchanan (Nursing/Burn Center), Men 18-29: 5th place Tim Brackenbury (Hearing & Speech), Men 30-39: 4th place Sue Reifenrath (Nursing Services), Women 18-29: 2nd place Barbara Blumer, Women 30-39: 3rd place Jan Schmidt, Women 30-39: 6th place Team Triathlon: Jamie Proffitt, Tim Gibbins, Anita Hall (Rehab. Services): 6th placeVolleyball: Karry Hamilton (Orthopedic Surgery), Annette Karst (Ob/Gyn), Brenda Magenheimer (Biochemistry), Robin Maser (Biochemistry), Gloria Davison, Sheri Morgan, Sue Reifenrath, Janice Loudon (PT Education), Women: 2nd place Team Weightlifting: Jeff Lockington (Plumbing), Steve Coburn ( Respriatory Therapy), Jan Schmidt: 3rdplace. Topics Information Topics ad policy Prepared by Printing Service Imaging |
