1 This Week: Bid Shift Cancellation 2 Next Simulations 3 System Redesign Overview 4 Employee Highlights 5 ePCR Documentation 6 Training Schedule 8 Medic Calendar 8 Check Your Paystubs 7 News From The Front Line January 19, 2010 The MEDIC Dispatch Mecklenburg EMS Agency Dates to Remember : January 18th Admin Offices Closed January 21st CPR Training 1800-2200 January 22nd CPR Training 1000-1400 January 23rd CPR Training 1000-1400, 1400-1800 & 1800-2200 Two of Hearts The Lucky Hearts Campaign has just announced a partnership with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School system and will soon be donating AEDs to area high schools. On Wednesday, February 10 th , Medic and the Agency’s campaign partner, the Mecklenburg Medical Alliance and Endowment (MMAE), will announce the donation of 14 AED’s to several high schools within the school system. Medic will then train 10 people from each high school in both CPR and AED awareness. The first high school to participate in the awareness training is Harding University High School. The first training was held on Thursday, January 14 th with six Harding student leaders in the school’s media center. These students will discuss the importance of learning CPR with their peers. On Thursday, February 11 th , 20 more students, faculty and staff will complete the training. At the completion of this training, an AED will officially be donated to Harding by MMAE and Medic. The campaign will continue to train other individuals from each of the other 14 high schools receiving an AED. An AED will be donated to each school at the completion of their second training. The AED will then be placed in a highly visible and accessible location inside the school’s main facility. Medic and MMAE will also continue to train qualified organizations throughout the year. To date, the campaign has approved or trained 870 individuals in AED/CPR awareness and donated 33 AEDs. The organizations are listed below: Nevins, Inc. St. John Neumann Catholic Church Clear Creek Baptist Church Faith CME Church Davidson United Methodist Church University Hills Baptist Church University City United Methodist Church Thompson Child & Family Focus Hospitality House East Mecklenburg High School St. Luke’s Lutheran Church Northside Baptist Church Hickory Grove United Methodist Church The Salvation Army Center of Hope & Shelter Services 14 CMS High Schools (first trainings include: Harding, Myers Park, Garinger and Ardrey Kell) If you have a business or organization that you would like to nominate for the Lucky Hearts Program, please contact Kristin Young in the Public Relations Department at
Transcript
1
This Week:
Bid Shift Cancellation
2
Next Simulations
3
System Redesign Overview
4
Employee Highlights
5
ePCR Documentation
6
Training Schedule
8
Medic Calendar 8
Check Your Paystubs
7
News From The Front Line January 19, 2010
The MEDIC Dispatch
Mecklenburg EMS
Agency
Dates to Remember:
January 18th
Admin Offices Closed
January 21st
CPR Training
1800-2200
January 22nd
CPR Training
1000-1400
January 23rd
CPR Training
1000-1400,
1400-1800
& 1800-2200
Two of Hearts
The Lucky Hearts Campaign has just announced a partnership with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School system and will soon be donating AEDs
to area high schools. On Wednesday, February 10th, Medic and the Agency’s campaign partner, the Mecklenburg Medical Alliance and Endowment (MMAE), will announce the donation of 14 AED’s to several high schools within the school system. Medic will then train 10 people
from each high school in both CPR and AED awareness.
The first high school to participate in the awareness training is Harding University High School. The first training was held on Thursday, January 14th with six Harding student leaders in the school’s media center.
These students will discuss the importance of learning CPR with their peers. On Thursday, February 11th, 20 more students, faculty and staff will complete the training. At the completion of this training, an AED
will officially be donated to Harding by MMAE and Medic.
The campaign will continue to train other individuals from each of the other 14 high schools receiving an AED. An AED will be donated to each school at the completion of their second training. The AED will then be placed in a highly visible and accessible location inside the school’s main facility.
Medic and MMAE will also continue to train qualified organizations throughout the year. To date, the campaign has approved or trained 870 individuals in AED/CPR awareness and donated 33 AEDs. The organizations are listed below:
Nevins, Inc. St. John Neumann Catholic Church
Clear Creek Baptist Church Faith CME Church
Davidson United Methodist Church University Hills Baptist Church
University City United Methodist Church Thompson Child & Family Focus
Hospitality House East Mecklenburg High School
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church Northside Baptist Church Hickory Grove United Methodist Church The Salvation Army Center of Hope & Shelter Services
14 CMS High Schools (first trainings include: Harding, Myers Park, Garinger and Ardrey Kell)
If you have a business or organization that you would like to nominate for the Lucky Hearts Program, please contact Kristin Young in the Public Relations Department at
2
The shift bid posted earlier this month has been cancelled due to some necessary administrative adjustments.
Currently, Medical Services is assigning simulation rotation times based on the current schedules of all employees. Anyone who
has submitted a bid for this particular bid will need to resubmit once we proceed with the process.
Regular assigned shifts:
All employees involved in the current shift bid will remain on their regular assigned shift unless notified by scheduling of an adjustment. There will be no shift bid results posted on January 18, 2010 as the recent shift bid form indicated.
Third person employees:
At this time, scheduling will only move employees riding in third person capacity. This is mandatory to fill shifts vacated by paramedic students starting class on January 26, 2010. All employees affected will be contacted via email and phone regarding personal shift changes. Please make sure that your information is updated with the scheduling department.
Future bids and schedule adjustments
The next bid will be posted after the simulation testing period is complete. During this period, we will also be preparing to
implement our new scheduling software so temporary moves will be very limited. Specifics on shift bids will be announced after details have been discussed.
Please contact Kissha Steele at ext. 6237 or Bryan Edwards at ext. 6130 with any comments, questions or concerns.
Thanks!
Shift Bid Cancellation
Medic employees let’s get ready to take it to the ice! The 5th annual Salute to Heroes game is quickly approaching as Medic and the Charlotte Fire Department prepare to face-off against
the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) and the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. The game is scheduled for Saturday, March 27th at the Time Warner Cable Arena. More details to come!
If anyone would like to purchase a replica of the heroes game jersey, please be sure to the
include the size, the number and the name you would like printed on the jersey by Thursday, January 21st. Payment by check will be required when placing your order. Please be sure to make the check payable to the Charlotte Checkers. The cost for each replica jersey is listed below:
To place your order, please contact Jeff Keith at [email protected] or ext. 6160 no later than Thursday, January 21st.
Taking It to The Ice!
Sizes for $100 Sizes for $125
Small XX Large
Medium XXX Large
Large
X Large
3
Next Simulations Set to Begin January 25, 2010
The next simulation center rotation will begin on January 25, 2010. All EMT and paramedic-certified personnel with MEDIC are required to complete this simulation rotation. Again, the simulation scenarios are written to meet the North Carolina
Office of EMS objectives, U.S. DOT curriculum objectives and Mecklenburg EMS Patient Care Protocols. The simulations also provide continuing education credit toward recertification.
In order to make the experience in the simulation center as realistic as possible, it will be necessary for full-time employees to schedule an appointment to go through the simulation center with their partner (if one is currently assigned). If you are a new
employee riding in a third-person status, you should plan to go through the rotation with your current crew. Part-time employees may schedule themselves to go through the simulator with another part-time employee or can schedule to fill an existing simulation center appointment vacancy.
If you are a paramedic and are planning to participate in the National Registry Research Project that is occurring simultaneous
to this round of simulation, please be sure to notify Medical Services of your intention to participate in the research project when you sign up for your simulation appointment.
In addition, please keep the following in mind:
• Do not sign up within two (2) hours of your 10-42 time.
• Operations will follow the disciplinary process for a no call/no show to your scheduled simulation appointment.
• If you cannot attend the time slot that you signed up for, it is your responsibility to do a switch and a find a replacement for your time slot.
• A simulation center rotation schedule will be posted in Operations. Please be sure to remember the date and time
that you sign up for as we will not be sending out appointment reminders.
• Be dressed in your Medic uniform for your simulation.
Please contact a member of Medical Services if you have any questions.
Congratulations to EMT Jay Lyons on completing his first marathon! Jay recently participated in the Walt Disney
World® Marathon in Orlando, Florida where he ran an impressive 26.2 miles!
The event was part of the Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend and was held January 7th—10th in an effort to raise
money and awareness for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Over 25,000 participants took to the pavement in their fight against blood cancers.
Jay’s next mission? He will continue to train and be on the run
in hopes of participating in the 2011 Boston Marathon. Go get ‘em Jay!
The holidays have now come and gone. Who couldn’t use an extra $100.00?
Slots are still available to participate in the Simulation Research Project. If you are a paramedic and are not currently signed up to take the National Registry Paramedic Exam, please contact Medical Services if you would like to
participate.
On the Run Money, Money, Money!
4
System Redesign Overview
In December, a team of leaders representing a cross section of this Agency were assembled to aid in evaluating EMS system design, explore alternate deployment models and to make recommendations to the Core Lead Team for appropriate changes to our current EMS system.
We are tasked with developing solutions that consider the overarching goal of providing the right care, at the right time, in
the right place for all patients and the community that Medic serves. Conditions that dictate the need for evaluation of our current delivery model include the following:
1.Medic’s current funding model is not ideal; due to variables beyond the Agency’s control, it cannot be relied upon to predict
our future revenue.
2.We cannot continue to assume that call volume will always increase: we must have a system that adjusts to increases OR
decreases in call volume.
3.This Agency is challenged to find, train and retain competent people: we are burning out our top performing employees while
their skills are not being put to best use.
Medic’s current response system – “one size fits all” – does not always provide alignment of patient need with level of care deployed.
Our scope of work includes all aspects of our EMS system and their interrelationships. The solutions we present to the Core Lead Team will be supported by evidence and data; we believe this is critical for making objective choices about the future of
our system.
We are excited to participate in this important work. We will communicate our progress regularly to employees and other stakeholders in our EMS system through a variety of channels including email, The Dispatch, The Pulse, MedTV and in person.
This will be a lengthy process and no system changes related to this project should be expected for some time. When and if
changes are proposed and forthcoming based on the results of this process, the entire Agency will be notified and given ample time to make necessary adjustments.
Please feel free to contact any of the team members below if you have questions or feedback about this process.
Shari Lambeth, Support Services Manager
Steven Ward, ePCR Coordinator
Bryan Edwards, Operations Supervisor
Jon Studnek, Director of Prehospital Research
Bryan Runyan, Communications Supervisor
Tim Marshburn, Operations Supervisor
Teresa Womble, Information Technology Manager
Please be advised that Medic will no longer offer the Citizen’s EMT Training as part of our new hire program. There are,
however, classes available for enrollment at the local community colleges.
As such, the HR department would like to thank all field and staff employees for your employee referrals. Please keep them
coming as you continue to represent the quality, service and expertise of Medic day in and day out.
Special Announcement FSAs: A Treasure in Benefits
One frequently overlooked employee benefit is the Flexible Spending Account (FSA). This benefit, sponsored by Medic,
allows employees to pay for eligible medical expenses on a pre-tax basis. If you expect to incur medical expenses that won't be reimbursed by your regular health insurance plan, like over-the-counter drugs or medical-related supplies, you may want
to consider taking advantage of this benefit. FSAs offered by Medic also cover dependent care expenses. Please contact a member of the HR Department if you have any questions.
5
Double the Spotlight: Two Employee Highlights!
Visit Mickey for Free
Disney hopes to inspire one million people to volunteer a day of service in their communities. By volunteering with a participating organization, Disney is rewarding these individuals by giving each of them a FREE 1-day, 1-theme park ticket to the Disneyland® Resort or Walt Disney World® Resort. There's no better time to make a dream come true for others!
**If Kevin Staley is missing-in-action for a few days, don’t worry, he’s only down in Florida reaping the benefits of his official volunteer status!**
Please visit http://home.disney.go.com/parks/ for more information on Disney’s Give A Day, Get A Day volunteer rewards program.
Kate Evans joins Medic to assume the role of Occupational
Health Nurse. The areas of specialty for the Delaware native include: Women’s Health, predominantly Labor and Delivery
and Wellness. Before signing on with Medic, Kate performed a short stint with Presbyterian Huntersville before starting her
own wellness business.
She is a licensed Nia instructor, a mind, body and spirit movement practice that is a blend of martial arts, dance and yoga.
She is also the mother of a 13 year-old son and an 8 year-old daughter. Outside of nursing and wellness, Kate and her husband are avid concert goers! Her hobbies include running, yoga and gardening.
1. What is your favorite color?
Purple
2. What is your favorite movie?
Dodgeball
3. What is the last book you’ve read?
Where the Red Fern Grows
4. What is your favorite sport?
Baseball
5. What is your favorite season?
Autumn
Nikkie Perry has come aboard as the latest addition to the
Public Relations department. In her role as the Community Relations Coordinator, Nikkie will be responsible for the
weekly output of the Medic Dispatch, making timely updates to the Medic website as well as supporting the department in its
event organization efforts. Prior to joining Medic, Nikkie served as the Marketing & Business Development Coordinator for an employee benefits firm in the Raleigh-Durham area. The New Jersey native’s hobbies
include working out, reading and shopping.
1. What TV commercial bothers you the most and why?
Perfume commercials by celebrities. For some reason, they all
think you should smell like them.
2. My biggest pet peeve is…
Arrogance
3. What is the best/worst pick up line you’ve ever heard?
Worst—I look like I have a checking and a savings account.
4. What was the weirdest food you've ever eaten?
Sushi, but I love it!
5. What was your worst subject in school?
Math
6
A change in Medic’s ePCR policy, WHICH IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, is required to ensure that Medic personnel and this Agency are not exposed to potential liabilities.
Two years ago we implemented a policy specific to ePCR documentation that contained some less stringent requirements for cancelled calls or non patient encounters that were dispatched. After reviewing the results of this practice over the past two years and evaluating the pros and cons regarding this policy, we believe it is in the best interest of both the employee and the Agency that this policy be revised. With changes based on guidance from the NC state EMS office, we are immediately
implementing the following requirement:
Effective immediately, ePRC documentation MUST be completed by each crew for EVERY call they are assigned (incident number generated in CAD) regardless of whether or not patient contact actually occurs. This includes calls that are cancelled, patient refusals, false calls and calls dispatched during standbys.
Given a lack of patient information, a crew simply needs to provide whatever details are available and write a brief but accurate narrative in the comments section explaining the circumstances that led up to and caused the lack of ability to make patient contact. This may be something as simple as “CMED advised to cancel response per CFD on scene.”
A lack of ePCR documentation could result in liability issues for this Agency, in addition to the crew involved, should a related
medical situation later develop involving a patient to whom we initially responded to. Our intent is to do everything we can to avoid such instances.
In order to protect all Medic employees and this Agency, ALL calls to which a Medic crew is assigned MUST result in a thoroughly completed PCR, NO EXCEPTIONS. We will be matching up incident numbers with PCR’s to ensure the necessary
documentation is created for each call. Failure to comply will have very serious consequences for the crew involved.
We understand that this will require a little extra work, but the result of this extra effort is far more palatable than the consequences that could come upon this Agency and its employees if we are not diligent in our documentation for all calls.
If you have any questions, please bring them to your Supervisor or Barry Bagwell.
ePCR Documentation Change
Performance Pay Update
7
Check Your Paystubs
As we begin this New Year, please verify your paystubs to make sure you have the correct deductions. This information is hand-keyed into our payroll system from your open enrollment paperwork and then re-checked extensively, but there is still
room for error.
The tables below have the new rates and the Payroll Code that corresponds to the deduction. A few other codes are AFLC/AFLACT for Aflac Insurance, FSA for Flexible Spending Account and SLI for Supplemental Life Insurance.
If you have a correction or question, please contact Leigh Taibe in HR at [email protected] or ext. 6086.
2010 Rate Schedules with Payroll Codes
Bi-Weekly Rates
24 Pay Periods
Medic’s Premium Employee Employee
& Child(ren)
Employee
& Spouse
Employee
& Family
Non-Tobacco
Standard $251.59 $27.08
INS2
$89.31
INS2C
$153.22
INS2S
$217.13
INS2F
Enhanced $291.51 $50.85
INS1D
$152.41
INS1C
$236.87
INS1S
$321.33
INS1F
Tobacco Use
CIGNA Medical
Standard $251.59 $62.08
INS4
$126.06
INS4C
$189.97
INS4S
$253.89
INS4F
Enhanced $291.51 $93.37
INS3
$197.07
INS3C
$281.54
INS3S
$365.98
INS3F
CIGNA Dental Bi-Weekly
Rates
24 Pay Periods
Medic’s Premium Employee Employee
& Child(ren)
Employee
& Spouse
Employee
& Family
Standard $8.79 $2.39 DTL $15.45 DTLC $12.56 DTLS $24.70 DTLF
Enhanced $14.44 $3.92 DEE $25.37 DEC $20.63 DES $40.57 DEF
Vision – United Healthcare Spectera Bi-Weekly Rates
