July 25, 2014
MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA
Vol. 32, No. 47
Inside MUSC sets high advOCaTe
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remembered
MUSC mourns the loss of a dedicated volunteer.
dream CenTer
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Neurology patients are grateful for community center.
3 Applause 4 Epic 5 Meet Coretta T h e C aTa ly s T Online http://www. musc.edu/ catalyst
standards for Epilepsy Center By Helen AdAms Public Relations
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anice Petrilla spent years relying on others to drive her to the bus stop so she could get to work at MUSC. South Carolina doesn’t allow anyone who has had a seizure to drive for six months, and Petrilla’s epilepsy caused her to have seizures routinely. That changed after an operation stopped her seizures and allowed her to get behind the wheel again. “It is like being let out of a cage,” said Petrilla, who works at the front desk of MUSC’s Department of Nuclear Medicine and is a former patient of MUSC’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. “Those doctors are excellent,” she said. “They dealt with me personally, and I didn’t feel like they were talking at me. They were talking with me.” That excellence is being recognized at a national level. The National Association of Epilepsy Centers has certified MUSC’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Center as a level–four facility — the highest level possible — for the sixth year in a row. The level speaks to the extensive treatment and monitoring the center can offer. Many factors set the MUSC Comprehensive Epilepsy Center apart, according to its director, Jonathan Edwards, M.D. Edwards also serves as professor and vice chair of clinical services in the Division of Neurology at MUSC and medical director of the Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratories. For example, the Epilepsy Center offers highdefinition electroencephalography, which involves placing a non-invasive cap of more than 200 electrodes on a patient’s head to measure any electrical abnormalities in the brain. Only a handful of other epilepsy centers in the country have HD EEGs available for patient use. MUSC’s Epilepsy Center has also been instrumental in the development of a promising treatment for epileptic patients. The device, called NeuroPace, uses responsive brain stimulation to recognize the electrical signal that comes at the start of a seizure and neutralize it before it can actually lead to a seizure.
photo by Sarah Pack, Public Relations
Dr. Jonathan Edwards, right, discusses a patient’s case with Dr. Maria Spampinato, from left, Adam Kornegay and Dr. Marques Bradshaw. Brandi Diasio, who works in MUSC’s Clinical Neurophysiology Department, is connected to the high-density electroencephalography device. Read more in the News Center at http:// academicdepartments. musc.edu/pr/ newscenter/2014/ epilepsylevel4.html. Another factor in the Epilepsy Center’s level-four status involves training and interprofessional collaboration. Not only does the center offer epileptologists, or doctors who specialize in the treatment of epilepsy, but it also has social workers and psychologists to help patients deal with the professional, family and emotional challenges that epilepsy can lead to. “We’re a destination site for epilepsy for a broad range of patients from other states,” Edwards said. The Comprehensive Epilepsy Center also has the support of MUSC’s Neurophysiology Center, which is the most accredited neurophysiology center in the U.S. The MUSC Neurophysiology Center has accreditations in five key areas involving diagnosing, measuring and monitoring nervous system and muscular
See epilepsy on page 6
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Applause Program The following employees received recognition through the Applause Program for going the extra mile: Medical Center
Terra Kirkwood, RT Children’s Services; Herbert Jenkins, Guest Services; James Pinckney, MedSurg Registration; Eric Lentsch, Head and Neck Surgery; Valerie Collins, Medical Records; Angela Franklin, Radiology; Moya McFadden, Radiology; Brett Johnson, ART 4 East; Korri Locke, Revenue Cycle Admin; Lindsey Hosey, Radiology; Sharon Dupree-Capers, Revenue Cycle; Greg Buck, Gastroenterology & Hepatology; Chad Davis, 6 East; Ben Atkins, 6 East; Jackie Boyd, Women’s Services; Tameka Frye, Psychiatry; Brooke Spivey, ART 6 East; Janine Hubbard, ART 6 East; Maude Smith, ART 6 West; Jennifer Griffin, Women’s Services; Donna Pauley, Labor & Delivery; Sandra Fokes, Antepartum; Kevin Freeman, Environmental Services; Paul Herndon, 6 East; Christy Weatherford, 6 East; Jordan Davenport, 6 East; Kimberly Pritt, 6 East; Danielle Paquette, Meduflex Team; Aaron Hubert, 9 East; Melissa Hucks, 6 East; Michael Gage, Radiology; Martha Krauss, Women’s Care Services; Gwen Frazier, Peri-Anesthesia Unit; Allison Rogers, MedSurg ICU; Arien Rannigan, 7A; Andy Perez, Pharmacy Services; Tara Bell, Newborn-Special Care Nursery; Lataska Rodriquez, Meduflex Team; Debbie Cepeda, Revenue Cycle; Sydney Mundy, GI Clinic; Shatora Williams, GI Clinic; Altrameze Horry, RT UIM; Elizabeth Finch, 7A; Sanjay Patwardhan, Obstetrics-Gynecology; Robert Black, Storm Eye; Lynn Hatchell, NNICU; Sonya Ma-
Editorial of fice MUSC Office of Public Relations 135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C, Charleston, SC 29425. 843-792-4107 Fax: 843-792-6723 Interim editor: Cindy Abole catalyst@musc.edu Catalyst staff: Mikie Hayes, hayesmi@musc.edu
jor, Outpatient Registration; Laneisha Harley, Inpatient Pharmacy; Maria Salazar, Nephrology; Doris Simmons, Children’s Services Registration; Estelle Horlback, Environmental Services; Romica Stephens, Laboratory Services; Karen Muckenfuss, Pharmacy Services; Lorry Anderson, Radiology; Octavia Brown, Outpatient Registration; Kimberly Funk, Acute Directional Unit; Kelly Keiter, Acute Directional Unit; KellyAnne Lee, Digestive Disease Center; Tiffany Carter, Meduflex Team; Andrea Coulter, ART 4 East; Rebecca Parsons, ART PACU; Justin Ravenel, Guest Services; Sarah Jenkins, Postpartum; Mary Pinckney, 8D; Rachel Williams, ART CT ICU; Clara Walters, Meduflex Team; Fredrika Wright, Environmental Services; Peggy Riggs, HVC; Evelyn Polite, ART OR; Taylor Grosse, HCC Retail Pharmacy; Sheila Gaines, Meduflex Team; Karen Parson, Women’s Services; Karen Legare, ART Pre-op Surgery; Pareola Higgins, Environmental Services; Anna Rosa Virella-Pena, Women’s Services; Carrie Thompson, Neuorscience; Stephanie Pettiet, MICU; Caitlin Grewe, Child Abuse Pediatrics; Mary Parks, Postpartum; Sabrina Phelps, Newborn-Special Care Nursery; Kathleen Brady, NewbornSpecial Care Nursery; Suzanne Lahr, PACU; Lisa Wade, PACU; Emily Eling, Meduflex Team; Melvena Nelson, Environmental Services; Katherine Blume, 6 West; Lauren Reed, Meduflex Team; Karen Parish, Radiology; Catherine Kaiser, Meduflex Team; Nakima Mitchell, Total Joint Replacement Center; Romica Stephens, Laboratory Services; and Nanci Crawford, Mother Baby Unit.
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.
University
Pamela Beasley, Family Medicine; Sandy Bennett, College of Health Professions Dean’s Office; Toni Cerbo, Family Medicine; VeLonda Dantzler, University Human Resources; Stephanie Dors, College of Dental Medicine/ Dental Faculty Practice; Lisa Fowler, College of Dental Medicine/Dental Faculty Practice; Reneé Gadsden, University Human Resources; Thomas
Giza, Engineering & Facilities; Donald Haulbrooks, Engineering & Facilities; Alan (AJ) Johnson, College of Dental Medicine/Pediatric Dentistry; Janice Mazur, College of Dental Medicine/ Dental Clinical Affairs; Allen McCreary, Engineering & Facilities; Dorothy Roper, Student Health Services; Robert Shadday, Family Medicine; and Beth Trout, College of Dental Medicine/ Dental Clinical Affairs.
HCC outreach director speaks about disparities at Congressional briefing Debbie Chatman Bryant, DNP, R.N., director of both Partnerships for Health Care Quality Research at MUSC and Outreach and Community Relations for Hollings Cancer Center, was a featured speaker Bryant at a congressional briefing on rising mortality rates in women in the U.S., July 15 in Washington, D.C. At the event sponsored by Women’s Policy Inc., Bryant shared the experiences she had faced in her outreach efforts and addressed the disparities she witnesses every day in health care in South Carolina. In her presentation, Bryant shared stories of women who put their own health care on a back burner due to
family and socio–economic issues, causing them to succumb to preventable health issues. As part of the HCC’s outreach efforts, the HCC Mobile Health unit team sees approximately 2,000 individuals in low income areas each year for screenings, education and awareness. Bryant stated that 92 percent of these clients are women, 19 percent have less than a high school diploma, 60 percent receive inadequate health care, and 80 percent report they would not have sought care without the mobile van option. Bryant offered to the group stories of patients who were homeless or low income, who would not have had proper medical attention without the help of the lay navigation team. She went on to share with the group that these women represent a public health crisis and encouraged them to recognize the need to overcome barriers of care.
Women’s Club accepting nominees for scholarships The Medical University Women’s Club is accepting applications for scholarship recipients. The group plans to award a total of $15,000 in scholarships. All full-time MUSC students in their second or subsequent years from any of the six colleges are eligible. Previous applicants may also apply. Applications may be downloaded
from http://academicdepartments. musc.edu/womensclub/scholarship. htm. Deadline for submission is 4 p.m., Sept. 8. Applications may be submitted via email to muwcscholarship@gmail.com. For information on the scholarships, email Megan Zwerner at muwcscholarship@gmail.com.
THe CATAlysT, July 25, 2014 3
Mental health, patient-family advocate remembered By mAry ellen dudAsH Public Relations
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he MUSC community has lost a beloved friend and founding member of the MUSC Patient Family Partnership Council, a group of dedicated individuals committed to enhancing communication and the delivery of patient and family-centered care. Yancey Kemp Wise, 71, passed on the morning of July 7. The death of this mother, friend and mentor has left many with a heavy heart, mourning the loss of such a dearly loved woman. Wise graduated from the University of South Carolina with a B.A. in 1964, and she Wise later received her Master of Social Work in 1981. “She was very enthusiastic about social work as a profession and was excited to be getting her Master of Social Work,” recounts Elizabeth Riddle, assistant professor and director of Psychotherapy Training for Residency Education and Wise’s supervisor during her internship at the hospital.
“She was just a wonderful, kind–hearted and sweet person.” Wise is most notably recognized for her numerous contributions to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, an organization of which she was a long-time member. During her time with NAMI, Wise received both national and state awards including the Best Recovery Person of the Year in 2011 and the Best Stigma Buster Award in 2013. In addition to her work with NAMI, Wise contributed to the Communities in Schools program, whose aim is to help students remain in school and reach their highest potential in life. Wise served as a mentor to North Charleston area children who participated in this program. As a social worker, Wise dedicated herself to family therapy and helping those battling addictions, putting to great use her talents of communication and counseling. Even though she herself was battling clinical depression, Wise never hesitated to make those she encountered feel at ease about their own struggles. Tom Robinson, business development manager for the Institute of Psychiatry, said, “We worked very closely with her at the MUSC Institute of Psychiatry and at NAMI to advocate for mental health issues. She was, as they said at her memorial service, a warrior. Unafraid
to expose her darkest moments, that others suffering might realize that there can be light, too.” Wise participated in new–hire orientations at the IOP and helped train professional staff on the complexities of dealing with patients who were mentally ill. “I remember her well and appreciate her contributions to the education of IOP staff,” recounts Christina Hogarth, R.N., retired psychiatry nurse manager and educator. A true activist for the mentally ill, Wise advocated for improving the lives of those patients with mental illness and their families. She was a founding member of the IOP Patient Family Partnership Council. She was highly influential on the council which helped the group secure two grants designed to support the needs of those suffering with mental illnesses in the community. Bryan Counts, Patient Safety and Service coordinator at the IOP, remembered Wise fondly, “Her passion for helping others realize the possibility of recovery was inspiring and will be forever memorialized by those whose lives were touched by her.” Wise is survived by her companion, Russell Carr, and two sons, Timothy and David Wise. To make a donation in Wise’s memory, contact the NAMI-SC Chapter, P.O. Box 1267 Columbia, SC 29202 (www.namisc.org).
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MUSC Medical Center Communications Corner Integrated EHR helps physician treat complex patient
by Megan Fink MUSC Epic Program It was 1 a.m. and David McSwain, M.D., pediatric critical care physician, was reviewing a newly admitted patient’s medical record before advising further treatment. This particular patient, who had never been seen at MUSC before, was visiting from another state and had a complex medical history. To ensure both safe and quality care, McSwain wanted to see records of the patient’s medical history in order to get the whole picture of care the patient had received up until this point. Usually McSwain would have to contact those outside hospitals through a phone operator, fax an official request, and wait for their reply also via fax — a process that can take several hours. When dealing with critically ill patients, minutes may be all you have to make a treatment decision. As a result, outside medical records are not always obtained in time or utilized in patient care if not readily accessible. Instead of embarking on the lengthy record obtaining process, McSwain remembered hearing about unique functionality in Epic, MUSC’s new integrated electronic health record system. The resource is called Care Everywhere, which links MUSC to other hospitals across the nation that use the same EHR system. There are hundreds of hospitals nationwide that participate in the Care Everywhere network. McSwain had never used Care Everywhere before, but he was able to easily navigate the process. He simply went to the Help menu, typed in Care Everywhere and followed the defined steps. “I thought I would have to jump through more hoops,” said McSwain. “It was pretty user– friendly.” In a matter of two minutes, two records from two separate hospitals were delivered to McSwain’s computer. He now had at his fingertips his patient’s previous lab results, specialty consult notes and discharge summaries. Having this important health information saved his young patient from having to endure unnecessary labs, since he already had the results. Also serving as the medical director for Inpatient and Emergency Teleconsultation at MUSC, McSwain sees the advantages of integrated care. In the world of telemedicine, where health information is exchanged between facilities often through two–way video, coordinated
Dr. David McSwain, Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, shares his Epic victory as part of the “I am Epic” campaign. For more “I am Epic” photos, visit http://mcintranet.musc.edu/epic/ iamepic. care teams can improve quality measures. Integration also reduces potential errors and increases communication among all involved. This is also true with integrated EHRs. “Once people are accustomed to using this new platform, care of the patient will be even more efficient,” McSwain said. “There’s a lot of functionality to discover, so my advice is to not be intimidated. Use the Help menu and the many resources available.” One of McSwain’s personal favorites is the collection of SmartPhrases, which allow users to type a few characters that automatically expand into a longer phrase or block of text. For example, “.pt” becomes “patient.” For more information on the Care Everywhere network, visit the Epic intranet site at http://mcintranet.musc.edu/epic/applications/ careeverywhere. To review SmartPhrases in Epic and other “smart tools,” go online to http://mcintranet.musc.edu/epic/training/ tipsandtricks/golivetipsheets/smarttools.
If you have any questions, reach out to the Epic Help Desk at 792-Epic (3742) or epicsupport@musc.edu.
THe CATAlysT, July 25, 2014 5
MEET CORETTA
Coretta Magwood Department Hollings Cancer Center — Cancer Control/ Outreach Services How you are changing what’s possible at MUSC As a patient navigator, I guide patients and their families through the complex health care system. I also work as a liaison among the health care team to assist patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer to eliminate barriers and ensure timely treatment. How long at MUSC 7 years Your idea of a dream job Being a patient navigator — I truly love what I do! Favorite summer activity Traveling First thing you notice about a person Their smile How would you spend a $1 millon Pay off student loans and complete my parents’ dream home Greatest moment of your life Receiving my master’s degree
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epilepsy
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photo provided
Only a handful of other epilepsy centers in the country have high-density electroencephalography available for use on patients. problems. The accreditations show that the work and credentials of everyone in the center have been scrutinized by the American Board of Registration of Electroencephalographic and Evoked Potential Technologists and found to be of high quality. However, the accreditations are not required. Edwards said that centers can cut corners, not meet those standards and still see patients. “We sought accreditation in all our labs because I think you have to set high standards. We set a standard that we want all of our neurophysiology labs to be accredited every way you can possibly be accredited. If you meet those standards, I think you’re doing really well,” Edwards said.
photos by Helen Adams, Public Relations
Roxanne Henry, left, electromyography coordinator, and Colby Swank, right, EEG tech, prepare patient Nayely Guzman for an electroencephalogram to try to determine what is causing her seizures. Read more in the News Center at http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/pr/ newscenter/2014/dreamcenter.html.
Center a dream come true for neurologists By Helen AdAms Public Relations
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photo provided
Dr. Jonathan Edwards, left, and Adam Kornegay evaluate a patient.
ean Culp wanted to know why her legs kept shaking. In the past, the North Charleston woman would have gone to her regular doctor. But Culp was laid off from her job working in the government’s Charleston passport center and lost her insurance. So how was she able to secure an appointment with neurologist Mimi Sohn of MUSC, free of charge? “I’m blessed,” Culp said. Culp discovered the Dream Center Neurology Clinic near her home through an online search. Staffed almost entirely with doctors, nurses and other experts from MUSC, the Neurology Clinic offers free health care to people who live in North Charleston or Hanahan and suffer from nervous system disorders but can’t afford to pay for treatment. MUSC employees volunteer their time at the Dream Center Neurology Clinic once a month. They’ve been doing so for more than a year. In the
beginning, Jonathan Edwards, M.D., director of MUSC Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, wondered if they’d be able to offer enough clinic support. “One of the worries I had was, will people do it?” Edwards said. He knew it could be challenging for his fellow neurologists, nurses and other staff to sustain a monthly volunteer commitment. He shouldn’t have worried. “They have more volunteers than they need. People are kind of climbing over each other to go there,” Edwards said. The Dream Center Neurology Clinic operates one Saturday a month. It’s part of Seacoast Church’s larger Dream Center, which provides everything from counseling to clinical treatment. Seacoast is an interdenominational church with a main campus in Mount Pleasant. Several years ago, Seacoast noted that North Charleston had been named the seventh most dangerous city in the country by CQ Press (2006) and
See dreAm on page 9
THe CATAlysT, July 25, 2014 7
Peds Cardiology staff show creativity during construction By emily upsHur Public Relations
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inor construction is going on in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, and the staff is making the atmosphere a little brighter by expressing their artistic abilities. The PCICU began construction in May to make space for the addition of two beds to the 12–bed unit. Because the PCICU has continued to operate during the construction process, the crew put up temporary plaster walls to lessen noise and provide protection and infection control for patients. After a few days of having the walls up, one of the construction workers suggested that the nurses paint them. Little did he know just how enthusiastically the nurses and doctors of the PCICU would take to his suggestion. “At the time that the walls were put up we had a lower census and more downtime on the unit. The nurses started painting caricatures of themselves on the walls. Each nurse traced his or her outline and painted over the outline. “Now the walls are covered with some of our nurses, a few of our patient care
William Catoe, R.N., stands next to his Spiderman caricature.
techs, the perfusion team, our physicians and two of our surgeons, and our dietitian and pharmacist,” said Amanda Schubert, R.N., interim nurse manager of the PCICU. Each caricature is unique and carries elements of its creator. One figure features the head tilt of its nurse, while another holds up a plate of waffles. Two male nurses on the PCICU staff painted their caricatures to look like Spiderman and Dr. Octopus. The perfusion team added some 3–D effects by making use of actual hats and intravenous therapy bags. One of the likenesses, based on a nurse who is described as the “caregiver of the unit,” wears a crown made out of a Ghirardelli® brownie–mix box and occasionally has candy bags pinned to its shoulder. Schubert said that at first the walls were seen as an obstacle and nuisance to the staff of the PCICU. They were blocking off part of the unit, preventing easy access and visibility, and the color was just plain, boring white. Now, however, staff, patients and patient families have grown attached to the paintings. Some of the nurses have taken pictures of the mural and hope to save pieces of the walls after the final inspection in August. Catherine Reeves, R.N., the nurse responsible for starting the painting, said “It was a lot of fun taking out our frustrations on the walls by painting ourselves and making a big mural. We have patients and families commenting on how bright and cheerful it is. Even our older kids like it and being part of putting their names on the walls and helping us paint. I’m almost sad to see them come down when the two new beds are finished.” The murals demonstrate the PCICU team’s versatility in working under difficult conditions. Despite the reduced space and lack of accessibility, nursing staff made the walls work to their advantage. Schubert described how the bright colors helped make the unit look more like a children’s area and the way
photos by Emily Upshur, Public Relations
PCICU registered nurses Kristi Gaudet, left, and Catherine Reeves, mimic the linked hands on the unit mural located on the fourth floor of the University hospital. Reeves, who was the mastermind behind the idea, was the first staff member who traced her likeness on the walls.
“We were put into a situation where we couldn’t walk across our unit easily — it could have been a real mess — but then someone came up with the idea and it became something beautiful that people really enjoy.” Louis Castellano
The caricatures of PCICU faculty, physicians and staff feature linked hands around the hospital unit, their colors and open faces welcoming patients and visitors. patients and their families offered their own creative ideas during the process. The entire painting process became a conversation starter with visitors as well as a morale booster and stress reliever for the unit staff. “I think it demonstrates how the nurses here are really adaptable. Because we were put into a situation where we couldn’t walk across our unit easily — it
could have been a real mess — but then someone came up with the idea and it became something beautiful that people really enjoy,” said Louis Castellano, R.N. John Sanders, the administrator of the Children’s Hospital, echoes that sentiment. “In most circumstances having construction done in a working unit can be very difficult and disruptive,” he said. “The staff and physicians in the PCICU chose to make the event memorable by putting up images of each other. The families and children love it! This is a great team that has made a tough situation fun.” To learn more about MUSC’s PCICU, check out their webpage at http://www. musckids.org/pcicu/index.html.
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Patient Transport Services supervisor wins 2014 EOY By mAry ellen dudAsH Public Relations
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t was a day of celebration for Daniel Williams, the 2014 Medical Center Employee of the Year. Described as a transformational leader and a person who goes above and beyond the call of duty, Williams, the Patient Transport Services interim coordinator since 2011, proved to be worthy of the Employee of the Year award in more ways than one. Williams was nominated for this distinction by colleagues Georgina Dukes and Christi Garrett, both of whom also work in Patient Transport Services. In their nomination letter, Williams was recognized for assuming the position of coordinator while the current coordinator was on leave. In this role, Williams handled interdepartmental issues, standardized a method of communication which made transportation safer for the patients and decreased turnover within the patient transport department. “You would find Daniel in slacks and a tie pushing bariatric beds from 8 West to Dialysis on any given day just to help us out when we were behind,” wrote Dukes and Garrett. “It was no longer ‘you all’
MUHA hosted a reception for the 2014 Employee of the Year at the Bioengineering building lobby.
need to do better. Now it was ‘we as a unit’ can do better.” Although the current coordinator has returned from leave, Williams is still being described as a motivator, “doing whatever he can to push patient transport toward success.” “He would constantly tell us that we matter at MUSC,” Dukes and Garrett said. Williams currently serves as the weekend supervisor of Patient Transport Services under Phillip Sewell, Patient Transport coordinator. Sewell could offer nothing but high praise for the winner when asked why Williams merited the honor. “Daniel deserves Employee of the Year because of his enthusiasm, his personality, as well as his drive to succeed. He’s shown that here in his time at MUSC and is constantly working toward making people happy, no matter the circumstances,” Sewell said. Williams and eight other nominees were honored at a July 17 celebration. Ali McAbee, Service Teams coordinator and Rewards and Recognition team leader, explained that this year’s Employee of the Year committee received upward of 75 nominations and more than 750 votes. “This was by far the most we’ve had in quite a long time,” McAbee explained. Each nominee was presented with a plaque by Patrick Cawley, M.D, executive director and chief medical officer of the medical center. He characterized the nominees as phenomenal and great employees. “You’re optimistic, you’re uplifting and your teams appreciate how much you do. They know they can count on you, ” he said. Cawley then announced Williams as the winner and presented him with a crystal plaque, a particularly special prize among the many Williams received as the newest Employee of the Year. When asked how he planned to top his new honor, Williams explained, “I do not intend to change much. I want to continue to work hard, and take the knowledge which I have gained thus far and use it to improve my behavior, decision–making and interaction with all employees and patients.”
photo by Mary Ellen Dudash, Public Relations
2014 MUHA Employee of the Year Daniel Williams, center, of Patient Transport Services, is joined by his award nominators, Georgina Dukes, left, and Christi Garrett along with Dr. Patrick Cawley, MUHA executive director and medical center CEO at the July 17 event.
“You’re optimistic, you’re uplifting and your teams appreciate how much you do. They know they can count on you.” Patrick Cawley
Other MUHA Employee of the Year finalists included: Jennifer Gowder, SACC/MACC Service Lines; Mark Daniell, Pediatric/Meducare Team; Tricia Crocker, RT Outpatient Pharmacy; Amber Triplett, 9 East; Peggy Willis, Social Work Program; Brandy Hunt, RT Finance and Support Services; Nat Alston, Radiology Services; and Corinne Corrigan, Pharmacy.
Daniel Williams, fifth from right, is joined by his co-workers in Patient Transport Services.
THe CATAlysT, July 25, 2014 9
dreAm
Continued from Page Six
decided to try to help the community by opening the Dream Center on North Rhett Avenue near I–526. It has expanded dramatically since then. Edwards is not a member of Seacoast Church. He said the idea for the free neurology clinic evolved before he knew where it would be located. Edwards realized there was a need for such a place while talking with fellow employees in the neurology department at MUSC. They saw some patients who were financially desperate. “I mean, they can’t afford food,” Edwards said. “And they can’t afford insurance. There’s got to be a better way to do it.” Research led his team to Seacoast’s successful Dream Center, which had a clinic, but no neurology center. In April of 2013, the Dream Center Neurology Clinic opened. While the Neurology Clinic is mostly staffed by MUSC volunteers, Edwards said it’s a partnership. For example, neurologist Thomas Hughes, M.D., has been one of the most active and enthusiastic volunteers, he said.
“We’re there as Dream Center volunteers, not MUSC employees. The majority of us are MUSC, but we’re there under their umbrella, under their malpractice plan, under their policies. We follow their policies,” Edwards said. Nayely Guzman is among the more than 200 patients who have been seen by MUSC experts in the Dream Center Neurology Clinic since it opened in April of 2013. On a recent Saturday, the petite woman from Veracruz, Mexico, sat silently as Roxanne Henry attached electrodes to Guzman’s head. Guzman had been having seizures and wanted to find out why. Henry, electromyography coordinator at MUSC, was in charge of preparing Guzman for an electroencephalogram, which would measure electrical activity in Guzman’s brain. Later, a neurologist from MUSC would discuss the results with Guzman and her sister, who was waiting nearby. There would be no charge for the EEG or the doctor’s assessment. MUSC has done more than supply the clinic with neurology experts. It has also donated some equipment.
photos by Helen Adams, Public Relations
Dream Center Neurology Clinic volunteers are Jie Zhang, left to right, Dr. Jonathan Edwards, Roxanne Henry, Greg Talley, Colby Swank and Adam Kornegay. The center is located off North Rhett Avenue in North Charleston. Edwards said he hopes the Dream Center Neurology Clinic serves as a model for other communities and specialties. He and his team are writing a report on their experience that they plan to submit to the journal, Neurology, for
publication. “It’s great. It’s fun. And almost everyone who has volunteered at the Dream Center Neurology Clinic has come back and wanted to do it again,” Edwards said.
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Summerville teen talks sickle cell disease with Congress By lAuren sAusser The Post and Courier
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hen a Washington, D.C., TV reporter asked Zion Thomas what he was up to on Capitol Hill last month, the Summerville teenager couldn't help making a joke of it. "I was shaking hands and kissing babies," he said. Just like a real politician, his answer was at least half true. Zion did shake a lot of hands — a lot of powerful hands. The 13–year–old and his parents flew to Washington in June for the annual Children's Hospital Association's Family Advocacy Day to talk to lawmakers about sickle cell disease — a genetic blood disorder that Zion was born with. The disease distorts his body's red blood cells into an "S" or a sickle shape, causing the misshapen cells to block blood flow. His symptoms, which include chronic pain and internal organ damage, have kept him in and out of hospitals since he was 6 months old. "My mom came up to me and asked, 'Do you want to be an advocate for sickle cell?' So I was like, 'What does that mean?' And she said, 'Well, you will talk about sickle cell, how it is, how it affects you.' So I was like, 'OK. I'll do it.'" Experts believe that one in 500 AfricanAmericans suffer from sickle cell disease. "It's hard for me because I can't be a normal kid like other kids," Zion said. "I have to drink more water than kids. I
can't play sports — football, wrestling. I just have to take more care of myself." Pat Votava, director of government relations for the Medical University of South Carolina Children's Hospital, said she chose Zion to represent MUSC in Washington partly for his poise and firsthand experience with the disease, and partly for his sense of humor. He's more engaging than your average teen. "When I first met him he told me that he had just moved to Charleston in the last year from Northern Virginia," Votava said. "He told me that he had gone around door to door introducing himself to the neighbors and asking if they had children he could play with. His mom told me one of their neighbors had nicknamed him 'The Mayor.'" "After meeting him and hearing that story, I knew he'd do great representing MUSC Children's Hospital on Capitol Hill," Votava said. Zion spent time with several congressmen during the trip, including Rep. Tom Rice and Sen. Tim Scott. "He has his burdens and he maintains that wonderful engaging, positive outlook," said Rice, R–S.C. "He's a fine young man." The congressional sickle cell caucus is recruiting well–known sickle cell patients as national spokesmen and spokeswomen for a campaign to raise awareness about the disease. Rice is a member of the bipartisan group and Scott, R–S.C., is its co–chairman.
photo provided
Summerville’s Zion Thomas, 13, center, met with South Carolina Reps. Joe Wilson, from left, Trey Gowdy, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Tim Scott and Rep. Tom Rice during his June visit to Capitol Hill. Scott said he believes drawing "They were just saying, 'Nay for this. attention to the problem will help Yes for that.' ... Nay! Nay! Nay! Nay! Yes! generate private funds necessary to Yes! Yes!," he said. "I was like 'Ah! So eventually find a cure. many votes!'" Meanwhile, Zion anticipates he'll have Zion may be a politician in the a lot to share with his friends about making, Scott predicted. "A young man his summer break when he returns who is known as 'The Mayor' may one to Dubose Middle School this fall, day end up as the president." including how he had the chance to help Editor’s note: The article ran July 20 in congressmen cast votes on the floor of The Post and Courier and is reprinted with the House of Representatives. permission.
THe CATAlysT, July 25, 2014 11
State offers sales tax holiday Aug. 1 – 3
Furniture
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Full Mattress Set with Euro Pillow Top New $140. Please Call: 843-270-4283
Black & Decker Refrigerator/ Freezer 2.7 Cu. Ft. - Used 9 months - $50 843-792-6810
A-Queen Pillowtop that is Brand New in Plastic. Will take $150. Please call 843-270-4283
Beginning at 12:01 a.m. Friday, Aug. 1, and ending at midnight Sunday, Aug. 3, the South Carolina annual sales tax holiday will take place. The code (Section 12-36-2120 [57]) allows for the exemption of tax on: clothing and coats; clothing accessories including, but not limited to, hats, scarves, hosiery, handbags and footwear; linens and beddings; pens, pencils, paper, notebooks, books, bookbags, lunchboxes, and calculators; printers, computers, and printer supplies, computer software, etc. For a complete list, visit http://wwwsctax.org.
12 THe CATAlysT, July 25, 2014