July 22, 2011
MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA
Vol. 29, No. 47
Doctor wields Woody Allen flair InsIde EmployEE REmEmbEREd
3
At-risk child advocate Marvin Brown dies July 9 in an automobile accident.
ComEdy CEnTRal
7
Dr. Frank Brescia enjoys a moment with wife, Jane, and their dogs, Charlie and Max, on their back porch. By dawn Brazell Public Relations
Y
ou could say MUSC has its own Woody Allen now that Dr. Frank Brescia is back. With the same cynical, dry wit and penchant for a philosophic take on life, the men share uncanny similarities. Brescia, M.D., just comes packaged in a medical version in his roles as oncologist and teacher. Brescia returned to MUSC in April of this year after a short stint in private practice. He left MUSC in 2007 after his wife had breast cancer and he suffered a heart attack, thinking he might need a change of pace.
FRANK BRESCIA
& Personal
Up ClosE
What it allowed him to see is how much he values the camaraderie and intellectual stimulation of an academic medical institution. Thrilled to be back, he will begin seeing patients in the fall. “What I found was that private practice becomes more about billable hours,” he said,
in typical Brescia-style. “You have to wake up in the morning in this kind of a practice and say, ‘This is fun! I want to get up in the morning and work.’” No one knows that better than this native New Yorker who sees critically ill patients all the time. Colleagues note that he brings his extensive training in supportive and palliative care in a humorous way that helps many patients get a new lease of life. Dean Schuyler, M.D., a psychiatrist who worked with Brescia, recalls Brescia knocking on a door and telling a patient ‘if you’re going to complain about something, I’m not coming in there.’” See Doctor on page 8
“An Evening with Stephen Colbert” raises money for the Dr. James W. Colbert Endowed Chair. 4 Currents 5
Meet Kelly
11
Classifieds
T h E C aTa ly s T onlinE http://www. musc.edu/ catalyst
2 The CaTalysT, July 22, 2011
ApplAuse progrAm
The following employees received recognition through the Applause Program for going the extra mile:
Medical Center
Adrian Everett, Business Operations; Kate Miccichi, MedSurg Registration; Rosemary Brown, Hollings Registration; Beverly Gaillard, PAS; Cherrelle Meggett, Radiology Registration; Nathalee Nelson, PAS; Marilyn Henderson, Respiratory Therapy; Pamela Scarborough, 2 JRU; Cameron Carone, STNICU; Kristen Burn, Children's Services; Kathleen O'Neill, RT Pulmonary Clinic; Kelly Finke, Social Workers; Christine Miley, Storm Eye Institute; Lorry Anderson, Radiology; Joseph Lally, Ophthalmology; Charles Beischel, Storm Eye Institute; Charles Proctor, Storm Eye Institute; Julie Rogers, Storm Eye Institute; Marina Pulini-Franks, Rheumatology & Immunology; Jerome Perilla, 8E; Rebecca Ladson, Environmental Services; Libby Woodward, Women's Services; Aileen Cromwell, Venipuncture; Beverly Shine, HVC; Jessica Hardy, Women's Services; Veronica Chiddick, Meduflex Team; Deborah Jones, ART Patient Admissions; Melvena Nelson, Environmental Services; Deborah Bellinger, Radiology; Wanda Baker, Radiology; Rebecca Britton, Pharmacy; George Simon, Hematology/Oncology; Patty Johnson, 2 CCV; Nasiru Haruna, Meducare; Etai Eshel, Meducare; Erin Langendorfer, ART OR; Rebecca Middleton, GI Clinic; Dennis White, Safety & Security/Volunteer & Guest Services; Gennifer Collins, ART
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
Endoscopy; Denise Reinhardt, ART Endoscopy; Kimberly Holston, ART 4E; Jennie Curry, ART 6W; Stacy Byrd, ART 3 W; Kelley Regan, ART OR; Anna McCready, ART OR; Dean Shabeldeen, ART 9PCU; George Inabinet, Anesthesia & Perioperative Medicine; Chris Hardee, ART 3W; Ashley Sevier, ART 6W; Shanika Phillips, Safety & Security/Volunteer & Guest Services; Courtney Nettles, 10W; Toschua Thomas, 10W; Brett Mills, 10W; Laurie Moultrie, 10W; Sam Guffey, 10W; Judy Singleton, Transplant Center; Meggan Rogers, Transplant Center; Rebecca Stephens, Dietetic Services; LaRenzo Champagne, Transplant Center; Chris Hairfield, Transplant Center; Elice Graham, Medical Records; Leslie Santaguida, Radiology; Anne Redick, 2 JRU; Jennifer Ortiz, Therapeutic Services; Sandra Fox, 2 JRU; Emily Scruggs, Physical Therapy; Christina Jenkins, 2 JRU; Shawanda Roberts, 2 JRU; Paulette Green, Patient Transportation; Vera Brown, Venipuncture; Cassandra Poinsett, Venipuncture; Jill Norman, 10W; Jessica Wolfe, 10W; Brian Baker, 10W; Julia Hodges, 10W; John Carson, 10W; Lisa Shealy, 8W; and Tonya Lincoln, MSICU. University
Ginnell Birch, Human Resources Management; Kathleen Green, Human Resources Management; Gerri Jones, Parking Management; Ashley Rice, Human Resources Management; Donna Rychwa, Payroll Services; and Dianne Terry, Education & Student Support. 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.
MUSC Women’s Club accepting scholarship nominations The Women’s Club is accepting scholarship nominations from full-time students in their second or subsequent years from any of the six college at MUSC. Last year the club awarded $15,000 to 13 students. This year it will award a similar amount. The scholarship committee will review the applications and select 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. Scholarship recipients will be notified by Sept. 9 and recognized on Sept. 14 at the MUSC Women’s Club annual membership coffee. Applications are available through the Volunteer Services Office (main lobby of North Tower) or online at http:// tinyurl.com/63czrjk. The deadline for application submission is 4 p.m. Aug. 29. For information, email Deborah Lambert at dpl_chalacha@hotmail.com.
The CaTalysT, July 22, 2011 3
Advocate for at-risk children remembered
University College of Dental Medicine
Staff recognized for dedication
Editor’s note: This letter was written by Cynthia S. Plutro, STAR Ladson staff clinical social worker, and the staff of STAR Ladson’s Children’s Day Treatment Program in the Institute of Psychiatry, as a memorial to Marvin Brown, human service specialist II. “The Tri-County area is grieving the tragic loss of Marvin Brown who died July 9 in a fatal car accident. Mr. Brown worked at MUSC’s STAR Ladson/ Brown Children’s Day Treatment Program for more than five years. The community has lost not only a family member and friend, but also an advocate for at-risk youth. I had the pleasure of knowing and working with Mr. Brown for more than 10 years. I have firsthand witnessed the time, dedication and positive effect that he
CM05-560720
Dr. John Sanders, dean of the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine (CDM) congratulates Allen “AJ” Johnson and Jackie Fisher as recipients of the second quarter 2011 CDM Staff Recognition Program. CDM staff honored both Johnson and Fisher July 18 with a pizza lunch and listened to a speech delivered by Sanders.
had on the numerous children and youth with whom he worked. He mentored hundreds of troubled children in our Lowcountry area. He gave voices to the unheard, he gave hope to the hopeless and most importantly he made each child believe in him or herself when others did not. Mr. Brown was to many a ray of light, acceptance and comfort in a world full of abuse and abandonment. A darkness fell over Charleston July 9 as the Lowcountry has lost a person that believed not only in the goodness of others, but more importantly, in the right for every child to have a happy childhood. The world is a better place for having Mr. Brown in it, and I know, without a doubt, that numerous Lowcountry children have smiled more and believe in themselves because Mr. Brown was a positive force in their lives. For that not only am I grateful, but we should all be.”
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4 The CaTalysT, July 22, 2011
Currents July 19 People–Fostering employee pride and loyalty
Lois Kerr, accreditation manager, announced progress with the ongoing accreditation of MUSC’s Chest Pain Center by the American Society of Chest Pain and the Joint Commission’s visit for the accreditation for the advanced diabetes certification survey. Casey Liddy, MUHA Strategic Planning director, announced that as of January, the hospital’s accrediting program began reporting to the office of Strategic Planning, which included the process of managing medical center policies. This change helps ensure Joint Commission and legal review prior to a policy being posted and also approved by the appropriate body (hospital administrative, MEC, etc.). A new email address was created for inquiries and information at MUHApolicy@musc.edu. The Strategic Planning Office was tasked to communicate with external regulatory bodies (Joint Commission, CMS, etc.) on a number of issues. Many departments deal directly with specific accrediting bodies. As policies go up for review, Strategic Planning wants to be a resource for departments regarding legal and regulatory portion of the review to ensure standards and organizationwide and department policies are aligned. On another issue, PPRs are due. An accreditation regulatory committee is currently working on conducting a review of various hospitalwide policies. HR update q Performance evaluations: Due Aug. 31; Planning stage forms are due Sept. 30; Employees hired on or after April 1 will not receive an evaluation during this review period q Sectional Weights of Performance Evaluation: Position description (descriptive/not rated); Behavioral standards section – staff: 50 percent
weight; leaders: not weighted (meets requirements/does not meet requirements); Job competencies section – not weighted (meets requirements/ does not meet requirements); Job responsibilities section – staff: 25 percent weight; supervisor/coordinator: 25 percent weight; manager, director and administer: not weighted; Pillar goals/weights – staff: 25 percent weight individual goals; supervisor: 75 percent weight individual goals; manager: 70 percent individual goals/30 percent organizational goals; director and administrator: 50 percent individual goals/60 percent organizational goals q Reminder SC Employee Insurance Program (EIP) is requiring verification of dependents’ eligibility for insurance coverage. For information, visit http:// www.eip.sc.gov/audit/. q Internal references: Hiring manager’s responsibility to conduct an internal reference check on employees apply for transfer jobs or promotions; Current manager must be factual when providing an internal reference q Fiscal year 2011-2012 pay plan: MUHA is pleased to announce that plan will pay for performance increases; Cost to implement is approximately $5 million; Link to detailed pay plan may be accessed via HR Policy #15-Compensation, Section C; Increases effective Oct. 9 will be automatically adjusted and reflected in Nov. 2 payroll check (providing available funding); No PEARS for other transactions with same effective date will be accepted q FY 2012 Pay Plan — Eligibility: An employee will be eligible for performance pay increase when the following criteria are met: successful completion of probationary period; rating of “consistent” or “mentor” on all behavioral standards; rating of “meets requirements” on job competencies; and overall 2.5 rating or higher on job responsibilities; Probationary employees employed prior to Dec. 31, 2010 will be eligible for a 1 percent pay adjustment (providing available funding); Probationary employees hired on/after Jan. 1 are not eligible for pay
To Medical Center Employees One of medical center’s MUSC Excellence guiding principles is to communicate with everyone throughout the organization. In an article on powerful communication tips, Quint Studer, CEO & founder of the Studer Group, stated that "communications" separates high performing individuals and groups from lower performers. Timely communications is essential. We use a number of methods to promote communications including this Currents newsletter. This newsletter serves to highlight information presented at the biweekly medical center management communication meetings. All managers are expected to follow up and share relevant information discussed at the management communications meetings during their departmental meetings and in other forums. In the past we have posted the communications meeting presentations on medical center intranet managers' toolbox. In the near future, we will begin posting this material on the medical center MUSC Excellence website for easy access by everyone. At the July 19 communication meeting, Helena Bastian, medical center HR director, updated the management team on the performance (merit) pay plan. Through the dedicated efforts of employees throughout the medical center we have made reasonable progress on our overall organizational performance, while feeling the strain from the economy at work and in our personal lives. Most recently our board of trustees approved funding, amounting to approximately $5 million, to enable modest but market-competitive performance pay adjustments which will mirror the university's plan. Details are included in this newsletter. It is my hope that next year we can construct a performance pay plan closely connected to accomplishment of our goals, including performance pay rates directly tied to pre-determined financial thresholds. I want to congratulate the Pediatric Emergency Department patient satisfaction team for their outstanding work. Julie Heckman, Pediatric Emergency Department and Children’s Hospital After Hours Clinic manager and team leader, gave an update at the communication meeting on the creative efforts of the team which has resulted in sustained exceptional patient and family experiences as reflected in high patient satisfaction scores. Additional details are included in this newsletter. Other patient satisfaction team leaders also will periodically report their progress at the communication meetings. We have yet to finalize all data for measuring progress toward our fiscal year (FY) 2011 pillar-based goals, but all indications are we will achieve our hand hygiene goal. For FY 2011 our goal was 75 percent compliance with a stretch goal of 90 percent. Hand hygiene is measured through secret shopper audits, infection prevention and control audits and unit-based monitoring. As of mid-June our compliance rate was 82.4 percent. We expect to continue to elevate hand hygiene compliance as four task forces around hand hygiene roll out their action plans in the months ahead. As we wrap up FY 10/11, I want to thank everyone for your dedicated service and compassionate care. W. Stuart Smith Vice President for Clinical Operations and Executive Director, MUSC Medical Center adjustments; HR should be notified if an increase needs to be withheld due to poor performance for probationary employees; Payouts may not be awarded in specific situations, such as demotion or voluntary acceptance of a position in a lower pay grade q Lump sum bonuses: Employees whose base salaries are at/near pay grade maximum will have their base
rate brought up to current pay grade maximum and be eligible to receive remaining monies in a performance pay lump sum; Employees whose base pay is at or above pay grade maximum may be eligible to receive a one-time bonus in accordance with performance rating (pending Authority’s ability to fund)
See CurrenTs on page 10
The CaTalysT, July 22, 2011 5
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6 The CaTalysT, July 22, 2011
Researchers discover brain circuit vital in addiction WhaT
Imagine if actor Charlie Sheen were able to break the link his brain makes every time he sees triggers in his environment that induce a substance abuse relapse. He might still have his hit show and his wife. In an article published in the July 15 edition of Science, MUSC and National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers report the discovery of a new brain circuit that is responsible for connecting contextual, or environmental, cues and stimuli with the perceived reward for responding to those cues. This discovery is important for developing new therapies to treat recovering drug addicts, people suffering from certain mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, or people who live with learning disorders. It also sheds light on the brain system responsible for allowing people to adapt to changes in their environments over time.
spotlight in the lAb
Who
Gary Aston-Jones, Ph.D., MUSC neurosciences professor and the William E. Murray SmartState Endowed Chair in Neurosciences, worked with first author Alice Luo, Ph.D., on the project prior to her employment as a researcher with NIH: "Context is important in all aspects of life. Everything we do is guided by the context in which we find ourselves. For example, the environment (or context) where a person previously acquired drugs becomes a major trigger for relapse in addicts."
hippocampus, septum or within the dopamine system. Blockade of this circuit at any point decreased the ability of a drug environment to cause drug-seeking in rats. One of the parts of this new circuit, the lateral septum, was a hot area of research in the 1950s because it was the first brain region found where electrical stimulation caused strongly rewarding effects. This 'electrical brain selfstimulation' phenomenon was discovered by James Olds, who was Aston-Jones's first thesis advisor in the 1970s. The present research was carried out by Luo who did her thesis work with Aston-Jones. Another project conducted by student Greg Sartor in the AstonJones lab also shows the lateral septum to be important in reward processing. "Our research brings the septum full-circle," Aston-Jones said. "It confirms Olds' observations and identifies the circuit it is involved in to cause these reward effects."
poTEnTial
Graphic provided by Emma Vought, Neurosciences
ThE REsEaRCh
This new research shows how a part of the brain (the hippocampus, an area of the brain responsible for recognizing and processing the environment), links to the dopamine system (VTA), an area responsible for "expectation of reward," via a relay called the septum. When the hippocampus activates the VTA via this circuit, it directs people to seek the reward they will get from the drug. For example, an addict might typically go to a certain neighborhood to buy drugs and get his fix. If he is in a
similar neighborhood, a message is relayed from the hippocampus to VTA, "Hey! Look where I am! I got drugs in a place like this before! Go get a fix. Remember, a fix feels good, go get a fix..." According to Aston-Jones, this circuit can relay this information to the dopamine reward system very quickly and strongly. "In an experienced addict, this can overpower other more normal behavior," he said. Using rodent models, Luo, Aston-Jones and their colleagues inactivated the circuit by alternately blocking the circuit's path in the
The identification of this circuit shows researchers and clinicians brain areas to target to treat addiction. For example, deep brain stimulation (DBS, a procedure that neurosurgeons specialize in at MUSC) turns off an area of the brain when it is administered. This research indicates that DBS in the septum may be a new avenue for treating intractable addiction to drugs or alcohol. This research may be relevant to natural reward craving, such as what occurs for food in some obese individuals. For a copy of "Linking Context with Reward: A Functional Circuit from Hippocampal CA3 to Ventral Tegmental Area," visit http://www. sciencemag.org/.
Stephen Colbert at the Gaillard Auditorium July 1.
The Catalyst, July 22, 2011 7
Colbert fundraiser held despite travel delays A fundraiser July 1 showcasing Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” raised money for an endowed chair named in his father’s memory at the medical university. During “An Evening with Stephen Colbert,” the Charleston native sat down with MSNBC’s Jonathan Alter for a wide-ranging interview about his childhood, family, politics, religion, dramatic technique and the character he portrays on “The Colbert Report.” About 2,000 guests attended the show at Gaillard Municipal Auditorium, which grossed more than $100,000 to benefit the Dr. James W. Colbert Endowed Chair. Dr. James Colbert served as the university’s first vice president for academic affairs from 1969 until his death in a plane crash in 1974. The Dr. James W. Colbert Endowed Chair will support in perpetuity the work of the vice president of academic affairs and provost, a post now held by Mark Sothmann, Ph.D.
The endowed chair will provide Sothmann and his successors the funds to pursue special initiatives that otherwise might not be economically feasible, especially those that promote greater interaction and collaboration among students and faculty from all six of the university’s colleges. Vice President for Development Jim Fisher said the benefit’s success was made even more impressive by the fact that it almost didn’t happen. The day of the show, the flights into Charleston for Colbert and Alter were cancelled. They were able to find seats on two separate flights into Charlotte, where they rented two cars and made the four-hour drive to Charleston. Alter arrived just minutes before the show began. “We were relieved to see them walk through the door at the end of the day,” said Fisher, “but we were equally inspired and moved that they would go to such lengths to be here for this benefit. I think that says a great deal about Stephen’s devotion to his father’s endowed chair.”
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8 The CaTalysT, July 22, 2011
doCTor
Continued from Page One
Schuyler laughs. Doctors just don’t say that. Unless they are like Brescia. One of Brescia’s true gifts is his ability to establish rapport, he said. “He’s an absolute marvel with patients. He establishes a relationship with patients that doctors don’t know how to do or they are too busy to do.” Named MUSC’s Outstanding Clinician of the Year in 2003, Brescia has a strong effect on people, said Schuyler. “People feel close to him and feel he cares about them and thinks about them. Frank is an incredibly gifted teacher and engages students on all levels. He says things and does things that other people won’t do. People go out of their way to make contact with him.” Describing him as one of the most stimulating people that he knows, Schuyler said he’s excited what he’ll do now that he’s back. Brescia is interested in palliative and supportive care and medical ethics, a field experiencing rapid change and growth. As a visionary, Brescia gets the bigger picture. Schuyler praises the way Brescia set up a comfort clinic for cancer patients in 2000. They worked as a team seeing 1,200 patients, with anyone who wanted to use Schuyler’s services being able to without having to take the time and energy to make a separate appointment. Brescia said patients appreciated the clinical trial program. The model gets to the heart of offering cancer patients more holistic treatment that acknowledges the complexity of a disease that affects everything from a person’s sleep patterns and sexuality to answering the big end-of-life decisions. “There are very good people scattered about this institution who have unique skills. I’d like to tap into them and figure out how we bring them together. Programmatically, can we develop programs that make things easier for patients?” said Brescia. “You have to be very passionate about how you do this. There’s nothing more important than these things because every one of us faces this at some time.”
TrIBal MeMBer Brescia doesn’t try to sugar coat it. He wasn’t the best student early on in
Brescia enjoys relaxing at the piano. life, and he jokes that his mother said he was the best contraception there was. Brescia’s brother is 16 years younger than he. Growing up in a tight-knit extended Italian family in New York, Brescia said it was a fun childhood. His mother was a dressmaker, and his father worked in construction. “I always say I grew up in somewhat of a tribe. You always felt very much part of a larger piece. You always felt loved. You couldn’t go too far, you’d get in trouble. There was an uncle who would slam you.” Learning to play piano early, Brescia ended up in a rock and roll group. “We sang and wore pink jackets. It seemed like a good idea at the time. We were called Jerome and the Fascinations if you must know. I guess it was like bees trying to attract the opposite sex. You want to look different.” An important part of his tribe was his grandmother who helped raise him, instilling in him a love of cooking and roaming New York’s Italian neighborhoods to shop for fresh meat and bread. “She was a tremendous influence and a great cook. She was just a terrific woman. She’d take me down to Broadway in Manhattan. We’d go to the Paramount Theatre and watch a show, and then we’d go have lunch downtown
somewhere in Times Square. She had the patience of Job.” It was a simple, but good life, where he learned to be comfortable with the natural ebb and flow of life. He recalls when his great grandmother died, and she was laid out in the parlor. “It seemed there was always someone laid out in the living room, so death wasn’t a frightening thing. It was really part of what went on. It wasn’t anything that was strange or frightening.” Seeing education as important, his father pushed him to do something that was noble such as medicine. When he was in middle school, he dissected a frog and enjoyed it and wondered what it would be like to do that with a human body. “Then I thought, ‘I don’t know crap. I’m not getting into any of these good high schools.” He decided he had to get serious about his studies. High school marked one of the hardest periods of his life as he struggled to develop the skills, discipline and financial means to reach his newfound goal. Becoming obsessed with getting good grades, Brescia began to put himself on another track. His determination paid off, with him earning degrees in biology and philosophy from Fordham University in 1963. His love of philosophy dovetailed nicely with his interest in oncology and fascination with Woody Allen. “I’m dealing with medical oncology, so you’re seeing all these existential questions. Is life meaningless? What does it all matter? What does life mean? You see so much death. Every day the human drama facing people who are dying throws this up at you. What’s important? You realize that relationships and all the things that seem kind of a cliche become the issue. It changes your focus.”
serendIpITy Brescia loves the serendipity of life — how the unlikeliest events ultimately have led him to good places. Take his service in Vietnam, for example. Brescia was caught in limbo after having completed his internal medicine internship at Cornell University Medical School and being drafted into the war in 1969. He ended up working at Calvary Hospital in New York for a few months
until he was to serve. A hospital that specializes in advanced cancer and dying, Calvary was to have a profound effect on him. Patients from Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center, where Brescia would end up doing his fellowship in medical oncology, were sent there to die. “I was amazed by the care they received at Calvary. I became intrigued by the issue of what hands-on care meant. I was really taken aback by that.” After service in Vietnam and finishing his fellowship at Memorial, he went into private practice. When Calvary built a modern facility and was looking for a medical director, he applied and held that position for 14 years, starting the Palliative Care Institute while getting his master’s in philosophy and working with Georgetown University. Brescia, who would go on to work at four academic centers before coming to MUSC in 1998, said of all the honors and awards he’s received, his proudest accomplishment is raising his six children. Brescia has had his hands full parenting, given his four biological children, one step-son and a daughter he adopted with his second wife, Jane. Jane recalls meeting Brescia at Calvary Hospital in New York. He was part of the first hospice movement in New Jersey, she recalls. She caught his eye when she was hired to do a management training session for employees. She brought in an expert on health and humor that had participants sporting red noses at the end. “Just because you’re doing what you’re doing, you don’t have to be grim,” she said. That was music to Brescia’s ears. They became friends, and though Jane moved to Charleston, their paths were to cross again following a tragedy in Jane’s life after she was struck by a car. As she was enduring the painful recovery process, she learned her mother, in Chicago, was dying of breast cancer. Brescia offered to check on her mother, and then began helping Jane. He helped her get set up with a specialist in New York, where she had a specialty surgery and more physical therapy. “I look like an erector set if you looked at my X-ray,” she said. Brescia became a surrogate father for her son,
See Brescia on page 9
The CaTalysT, July 22, 2011 9
BresCIa
Continued from Page Eight
Matthew. They married in New York in 1993, blending their two families and later adopting their daughter. Other than his penchant for wearing hideous pumpkin-colored shirts and having a single-minded focus that makes multi-tasking impossible for him, Jane loves his high energy and wisdom. “He’s funny. He’s cynical, but that is part of the humor. He’s very warm and loving. He’s very insightful. The kids get so much wisdom from him.” It’s a wisdom gained in part from the incredible role models Brescia has had and his patients. He wants to pass that on and find ways to help MUSC students realize how careful they need to be in this new world of high-tech care to learn the language of the clinician as well as the language of the scientist, he said. They need to know how to sensitively weigh looming questions of medical ethics posed by patients who are living longer. “I’ve been given by society an enormous gift to get into people’s lives, and I know secrets about people that no one else even knows — like husbands and wives. So you have this unique and noble road.”
Dr. Frank Brescia lectures to students at MUSC. But if doctors never look up from their computer screen, if they never make a meaningful connection with the patient, if they fail to realize the connection of religion, philosophy and medicine, then something essential is lost in the practice of medicine, he said. “What you lose now is the sense of what a physician is. The picture of the physician staying up all night with a kid at the bedside, where is that? The big word is abandonment. Who’s my doctor? Where is that continuity of care? Who knows me? We have to be careful how we do this training in this state of our world, and what it means. They have to appreciate that they are more than just scientists.”
Brescia’s Life Lessons Toughest obstacle you’ve faced: Dealing with Jane’s cancer in 2004, particularly since she had the disease I treat, and my mother’s pancreatic cancer in 1999. I felt very frustrated and helpless. You think you have magical powers when you’re a doctor sometimes, particularly with your own family. You think that you can ward off things that you can’t. Hobbies: I love music, playing the piano and reading.
Favorite view: The view of Central
Favorite book: I read a lot of philosophy and a lot of Woody Allen.
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His religious belief: I want to believe, but I’m not quite sure. Advice to other doctors: We forget that we are part of this human family sometimes—that we’re no better and no worse. The truth of the matter is that we’re all like Job in some ways. We’re all going to be a part of the bigger questions. And at the end of the day, you hope you’re not going to be alone.
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Goals on his bucket list: Now that my kids are older, to try to enjoy those other relationships and figure out how to work and enjoy the things I love to do. I love New York. We still have a place there.
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ns S. Morga. Point Rd
to Charleston
SALES OFFICE HOURS Mon.-Sat. 11-6; Sun. 12-5
www.CarriageHillLanding.com
10 The CaTalysT, July 22, 2011
Finance – Providing the highest value to patients while ensuring financial stability
Stephen Hargett, medical center controller, reported for the period ending May 31 FY 2011 and FY 2010. Through May 31 FY 2011, the medical center finished at $23.2 million (slightly off from $23.4 million budgeted). MUHA’s unrestricted cash and days cash on hand is $38 million (goal: $40 million), with 14.5 days cash on hand. Hargett attributes the failure to meet goal was due to the state’s quarterly uninsured payment was delayed because of cash issues. He assured the audience that money will come in July’s last Medicaid remittance along with the Medicaid managed care payment.
Service – Serving the public with compassion, respect and excellence Geoffrey Cormier, University Press graphic design manager, announced updates to the website for customer
Peds ED Service Team update Julie Heckman, R.N., nurse manager of the Peds ED and new Children’s Hospital After Hours Care, reported that for the past three years, the department has successfully achieved and surpassed its patient satisfaction goals (80-plus percentile) using Press Ganey ratings. Their team—an active, multidisciplinary group of nurses, tech staffs, housekeeping and physicians— relies on outside-of-the-box thinking and planning. Together they achieve action plans, divide and conquer projects via sub-committees, focus on nursing leadership and rounding, follow up on progress. They also support reward and recognition through a sunshine fund that recognizes birthdays, MD day, ER nurses/tech week, hosted fundraisers, use of thank you notes and sharing of wins.
3887 Laurel Point Lane Gift Plantation 4 BR, 2 1/2 BA Attached 3 car garage, Screened Porch Luxury Finishes and Amenities
Aprile Hiott • 843-514-1019 To view property details or homes in the MLS system, go to aprilehiott.remaxprorealty.net
CM07-568394
Benefit of the Month Smoking Cessation & Lung Health – State Health Plan & BlueChoice offer the Quit for Life program, which is free to subscribers and dependents. Visit http://www.eip.sc/gov/prevention/ or call the SC Tobacco Quit Line, a free service to all SC residents. Smoking Cessation Program classes also are offered at $25 per class. Call 792-1245 or musc-empwell@musc.edu.
orders. Cormier, who leads a team of graphic designers, has been working to improve the site to make it more customer-friendly. Customers can, in real-time, create and design print objects and customized orders via https:// universitypress.musc.edu (available via the intranet). A product list includes business cards, custom quoting for specific jobs and more. The website utilizes MUSC’s graphic standards for all project templates. Lately, Cormier’s group has collaborated with the hospital’s medical forms committee to update and confirm proper OTC 700-series medical records forms. For information, call 792-8866.
IP05-562943
CurrenTs Continued from Page Four
THE
HAIR STUDIO OF
CHARLESTON
4 carriage lane, charleston
843-795-5695
The Newest Salon in West Ashley Cuts | Color | Highlights | Perms | Up-Dos
First Time Customers Receive 20% off any Service CM05-572779
The CaTalysT, July 22, 2011 11
CLASSIFIED P AGE CLEKIS LAW FIRM • Household Personal Items for MUSC employees are free.
AUTO ACCIDENT
All other classifieds are charged at rate below. Ads considered venture-making ads (puppy breeder, coffee business, home for sale, etc.) will be charged as PAID ADS •• PROOF OF ELIGIBILITY REQUIRED * NO MORE THAN 3 LINES * FREE ADS RUN 2 WEEKS ONLY!
PAID ADS are $3 per line (1 line = 28 characters) DEADLINE: TUESDAY – 10:00 AM * CLASSIFIED ADS CAN BE E-MAILED TO 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. IP01-213824a
Misc. Services
WA 2 story house, close to I26, 3BR/1.5BA, garage, no pets/smokers $950 dep, $950 mo. 6 mo. lease 843-766-2023
Ongoing art classes-oil-watercolor-drawing. Call 843-7950539 for schedule and fee or email charles.parnelle@comcast.net
Johns Island duplex for rent 1600sqft, 3 bed 2 bath, screened porch,wood FP available July 1.15 min to MUSC! Call Lynn at 559 7066 or look for 1324 Fenwick Plantation on rentcharleston.com $1200 / mo
B & V Covers Ulphostery, slipcovers, curtains, cushions, alterations, etc. FREE ESTIMATE Vicky or Martha 814-1727 or bvcovers@gmail.com
MALPRACTICE
Furniture
NICHOLAS SABRINA
Shermag Glider & Ottoman Expresso finish. Exc cond. $150, call 693-0890
Place your ad in the Catalyst by calling
849-1778
28th Annual Show East Cooper Crafter’s Guild
171 CHURCH ST.
J.
CHARLESTON OR
COMPENSATION CRIMINAL DEFENSE
8731 N. PARK BLVD. SUITE C
www.clekis.com •
720.3737
To l l F R E E D i a l ‘ 1 ’ & t h e n 8 0 0 - 7 9 7 - 5 2 9 1
who are doing business in today’s market
5 BR, 3 1/2 BA with sunroom and first floor guest/nanny suite. Executive home in perfect condition. Private neighborhood minutes to downtown with no stop lights.
33 CLOSED transactions so far in 2011 & another
13 under contract CM07-571305
Jay Unger 843-478-0219 philandjay.com
JACQUELINE
CLEKIS R. OWEN J. DRESCHER
WORKERS’
Buy or Sell with the agents
300 BOUNTY LANE, JAMES ISLAND
as of 7/1
HAFA Short Sale Certified REALTORS Call us to see if you qualify for this Short Sale Program
”
Friday July 29 & Saturday July 30, 2011 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Omar Shrine Convention Center Patriots Point Blvd, Mt. Pleasant FREE ADMISSION, PARKING & DOOR PRIZE Food Donations to East Cooper Community Outreach (Bring this ad to enter a special drawing) CM07-564721
Call Matt Poole at 830-0027 or Randall Sandin at 209-9667to learn more
IP07-558226
“
MEDICAL
IP05-571941
Rental Properties
PERSONAL INJURY
12 The CaTalysT, July 22, 2011
TO SEE A JAGUAR DEVOUR THE COMPETITION
VISIT JAGUARPERFORMS.COM
2011 JAGUAR
2011 Models
Jaguar XF
MSRP
$52,500
$50,100
Engine:
5.0L V8
3.0L Turbo I6
385
300
Warranty:
5 yrs/50,000 miles
4 yrs/50,000 miles
Complimentary scheduled maintenance:
5 yrs/50,000 miles
4 yrs/50,000 miles
Complimentary wear & tear items:
5 yrs/50,000 miles
4 yrs/50,000 miles
Leather seating surfaces:
Y
$1800 Premium Pkg 4
Steering Wheel shift paddles
Y
$500 - requires $2,200 Sport Pkg 4
Metallic paint:
Y
$550
iPod® interface
Y
$400
Satellite radio
Y
$350
Navigation
Y
$1,900
Heated front seating
Y
$500
Fold-down split rear seating:
Y
$475
Electrochromic inside & outside rearview mirror:
Y
Incl in Premium Pkg 4
Garage door opener:
Y
Incl in Premium Pkg 4
$53,375
$59,650
Horsepower:
0%
AVAILABLE W/A.C.
MSRP
$52,500
BMW 535i
Adjusted MSRP: 4 Difference in MSRP.*
$6,275
JAGUAR WEST ASHLEY COMPLIMENTARY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE
*Jaguar Platinum Coverage includes all factory recommended scheduled maintenance for five years or 50,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Wear and tear items are limited to brake pads, brake discs, brake fluid changes and wiper blade inserts based on factory specified wear limits or intervals. All work must be performed by an authorized Jaguar dealer. For complete details on Jaguar Platinum Coverage, including warranty and maintenance coverage and exclusions, please visit your local Jaguar dealer or JAGUARUSA.COM. Photo for illustration only. 4Adjusted MSRP to get all XF features.
BAKER MOTOR COMPANY
1511 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407 843-852-4000 w w w. B a k e r M o t o r C o m p a n y . c o m
C07-568499