February 2007
     

on't be surprised to see the moving van parked frequently in front of Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital during the next few months. Plans call for a multitude of moves, openings and demolitions between now and this fall as our hospital's $390-million rebuilding project moves closer to completion and the new Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center opens in Westwood. Here's a rundown of who's moving where -- and when -- during the next six months ...

In late April, the Solid Oncology program will move to SM-UCLA & OH from the Westwood campus, prior to the openings of the new ER & Lab in Santa Monica and the new Westwood medical center. April 30 is the targeted move date, with initial plans calling for the program to be located on 3 North Tower. Eventually, however, the program will move into more permanent quarters in our new Southwest Wing. Watch for more information about this transition in next month's newsletter.

In May, a new, state-of-the-art Laboratory will open on the basement level of our Southwest Wing, currently taking shape on 15th Street, just north of Arizona Ave. The almost 9,000-square-foot lab will feature the latest chemistry, hematology and blood-bank analyzers in a bright and airy work environment.

The Southwest Wing on 15th Street will begin opening in May, with relocation of the Lab. The new ER opens in June.

On June 13, our new Nethercutt Emergency Center is scheduled to open on the ground floor of the Southwest Wing. This 16,000-square-foot facility will feature several innovations to help our hospital better serve the almost 30,000 patients a year who seek emergency care at our present facility. First and foremost is an on-site, 64-slice CT scanner that will "revolutionize how emergency patients with vascular symptoms, chest pain or shortness of breath are evaluated and treated," says Dr. Wally Ghurabi, medical director of the ER. Other distinguishing features include an observation unit to continuously monitor patients before they are admitted or discharged and a fast track service for minor injuries and illnesses.

Once the new ER opens, the current facility on 16th Street will be decommissioned, then demolished to make way for construction of the Central Wing, which will connect all of the buildings on our new medical campus. This phase of our rebuilding project will require the main entrance on 16th Street to be closed for approximately 30 months. During that time, the main entrance will shift to 15th Street, along with the valet parking service and the Security and Information desks.

Upper floors of our Southwest Wing will house a new Birthing Center and 16-bassinet Neonatal Intensive-Care Unit, inpatient units and a Recovery Room. Completion and occupancy are scheduled for late summer, except for the Recovery Room, which is slated for late 2007.

When the Southwest Wing is ready for occupancy, Solid Oncology will move into one of the inpatient units. The General Medicine Program at the Westwood campus also will be relocated to Santa Monica, due to fewer beds in the new Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, scheduled to open in September 2007.
 

A New Last Name. It’s official! Orthopaedic Hospital has been added to our license, making our new name “Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital.” Please help our hospital with this transition by using our new name in your communication and correspondence. Watch for more information about the new logo via emails and in next month’s edition.

By the Numbers. December was close to a breakeven month for our hospital. Year to date, our hospital remains almost $1.4 million ahead of budget. To hear more detailed financial information about SM-UCLA & OH, as well as UCLA Healthcare, attend an Open Forum in late February (see next item for details).

Open Forums. SM-UCLA & OH Chief Administrative Officer Posie Carpenter will host the next round of Open Forums in late February. These informal gatherings provide an opportunity for you to meet our chief executive and hear updates on key issues affecting our hospital. Each session also will include a question-and-answer period. The forum schedule is noted below. Mark your calendars and plan on attending.

Date Time Location
February 26 7:30 am 7 Tower, Room 723
  11:30 am 7 Tower, Room 723

Looking ahead, Open Forums also will be held on April 2, June 4, Aug. 30, Oct. 29 and Dec. 3.

Badgering You. Did you get your new hospital identification badge/BruinCard during the badging event in early February? If not, then stop by the new Security Office from Feb. 20-23, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., to obtain your new ID. Please bring your current badge with you and remember that Security has moved to 1 Pavilion, Room 1435. For more details about BruinCard benefits, click on this link: www.bruincard.ucla.edu.

ER Earns Designation. The Nethercutt Emergency Center at SM-UCLA & OH recently became the first Westside hospital to be designated as a special receiving center for heart-attack patients. The designation was awarded by the Department of Health Services and Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency after our hospital met established criteria for best practices in heart-attack care. It means that paramedics will preferentially bring heart-attack patients to our ER, which has demonstrated its ability to rapidly mobilize resources, including our Cardiac Catheterization team, to provide potentially lifesaving care on a 24/7 basis.

Newsmakers. Welcome aboard to Jeannie Meyer, MSN, who joins SM-UCLA & OH as clinical nurse specialist for our Intensive Care Unit. Jeannie has more than 20 years of experience in critical-care settings, including six years as a CNS. She arrives from Banner Desert Hospital in Arizona, where she served in a similar capacity … Congratulations to Jean McNeil Wyner, physician and community liaison at SM-UCLA & OH, who will be honored with her husband, Nort, at the Center for Healthy Aging’s annual dinner on March 10. Jean is being honored for her sterling record of community service.

W-2 News. Due to recent problems with the At Your Service Online application, the UC Office of the President decided that all employees would receive their W-2 statements via mail, even if they had opted for the electronic format. Consequently, the statements were mailed by Jan. 31, 2007. If you have not received yours, notify Human Resources at ext. 94845. Please note that if you signed up for electronic W-2s, you still can print them via AYSO.

MAC Limits Rise. Maximum annual contribution limits to the UC 403(b) and 457(b) tax-deferred retirement savings plans have risen to $15,500 for 2007. For employees who are age 50 or older in 2007, the limits are $20,500. Additionally, some employees may be eligible to make additional contributions under the lifetime catch-up provisions of the plans. To make adjustments to your current contributions, or begin participating in the plans, visit the At Your Service website.

Sweet Software. On March 19, Food Services will go-live with Computrition, a nutrition software program that enables it to provide a room service-style menu to patients while ensuring their safety by allowing specific foods within prescribed diets and preventing potential food allergies. Computrition works with orders placed via Essentris. For more information, email Chief Clinical Dietitian Usha Usharani or call her at ext. 94032.

Safety Tip of the Month. Tired of receiving unsolicited mail, including pre-approved credit-card applications? Fed up with getting telemarketing calls while you’re sitting down to dinner? Fuming that your email inbox is chockfull of unsolicited ads? You can cut down on unsolicited mail, calls and emails by learning where to go to “just say no!” The credit bureaus offer toll-free numbers that enable you to opt-out of receiving credit-card offers for two years. Call (888) 5-OPTOUT for more information. You also can notify the three major credit bureaus that you do not want your personal information shared for promotional purposes, which is a key step toward eliminating unsolicited mail. For more detailed information, visit the UCPD website or call its Crime Prevention Unit at ext. 56111.

Calling (for) Cards. Your holiday cards can have a useful second life. That’s because Kathy Simpson in our Mailroom/Duplicating Center is collecting cards to give to Grant Elementary School, whose special-education students use them to make tray favors for our patients. To make a contribution to this program, forward your cards to Kathy in our Mailroom.

Tell a Friend. Know someone who might want to help themselves by helping others? Volunteer Services is launching a volunteer-recruitment effort in Santa Monica and Westwood. With the opening of new facilities on both campuses, there will be an increased need for volunteers to supplement staffing needs. Both campuses will be hosting volunteer open houses during the next three months. The first one will be Friday, Feb. 23, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. For reservations or more information about volunteer opportunities, call ext. 93580 for Santa Monica or ext. 56001 for Westwood.

Weeks at a Glance. February brings recognition to health-care professionals in the specialties noted below. Please acknowledge your co-workers in these areas:

Feb. 5-9 Pride in Food Service Week
Feb. 11-17 Cardiac Rehabilitation Week
Feb. 11-17 Cardiovascular Professionals Week

Housing

For rent: Architectural 3-bed, 1-1/2-bath home in Mar Vista. Completely remodeled. Quiet neighborhood, many amenities, flexible lease. $3,550/month. Call (310) 293-7041.

For rent: Spacious, 2-bed, 1-bath units across from Palisades Park. One with incredible ocean views, one with courtyard views. $3200 or $2200/mo. One-year lease required. Call (310) 458-7835.

Quotable
“See everything, overlook a lot, correct a little.”
— Pope John XXIII.

 

Update is published electronically by Marketing and Public Relations. Comments or suggestions for future issues can be emailed to Ted Braun.
   
   

Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2007
“Deadline for Daffodils Days.”
Last chance to order daffodils to support the American Cancer Society’s programs and services to benefit cancer patients and their families. To place your order or for more information, call Sarah Foss, ext. 94160, Debbie Gibson, ext. 50221, or Kathy Simpson, ext. 94030.

Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007
“Wellness Initiative Presentation: Healthy Heart.”
Noon. 9 Tower Board Room. Nan Levine-Mann from the UCLA Staff and Faculty Counseling Center leads this brown-bag discussion on the keys to a healthy heart. No reservations. Bring your lunch.

Friday, Feb. 23, 2007
“Volunteer Open Houses.”
10 to 11:30 a.m. Santa Monica and Westwood campuses. To register or for more information about volunteer opportunities, call ext. 93580 for Santa Monica or ext. 56001 for Westwood.

Monday, Feb. 26, 2007
“Open Forums.”
7:30 and 11:30 a.m. 7 Tower, Room 723. SM-UCLA & OH Chief Administrative Officer Posie Carpenter hosts another round of open forums with employees and volunteers. Mark your calendar and plan on attending one of these sessions.

Monday, March 5, 2007
“Blood Drive.”
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Give the gift of life by donating blood at this event sponsored by the UCLA Blood & Platelet Center. To make an appointment, send an email to gotblood@ucla.edu or call ext. 50888, option 2. All donors receive comp time or a movie ticket.