Medical staff update [November 1991]

              MEDICAL STAFF
PHYSICIANS' AND DENTISTS' NEWSLETTER
® THE MOSES H. CONE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL     THE WOMEN'S HOSPITAL OF GREENSBORO Hif
Dedication Ceremony for the New
Greensboro Medical Historical Library
The Medical Library of The Moses H. Cone Memorial
Hospital will host a dedication ceremony for the new Greensboro Medical Historical Library. The ceremony will be held
on Wednesday, November 13 at 7 p.m. in the library of
Moses Cone Hospital.
"This library will give recognition, credit and appreciation to
those who have gone before us and have given all of us so
much," says Dr. Robert Phillips, who has been instrumental
in establishing the Greensboro Medical Historical Library.
"This library will represent a dimension that has not previously been seen in hospitals in this area," adds Dr. Phillips.
The Greensboro Historical Library was funded by the
hospital, individuals, groups and organizations in Greensboro. The primary gifts were made by Mr. E.A. Morris, a
noted Greensboro philanthropist, and Moses Cone Hospital.
The dedication ceremony is free and open to the public.
Parking is available in the AHEC parking lot off North Elm
Street or in the physicians' parking lot off Tankersley Drive.
Patient Self-Determination Act
Effective December 1, 1991, Moses Cone and The
Women's Hospitals will implement the Patient Self-Determi-
natjon Act. This new Federal law will require hospitals to
inform patients of their rights to prepare advance directives.
It also will require hospitals to provide community education
programs for patients.
North Carolina has a very progressive law first written in
1977. This past summer, the North Carolina General Assembly made three very important changes in the law. They
are as follows: (1) The legislators expanded the law to say
that patients can have food and water withdrawn, (2)
legislators decided to include persistent vegetative state as a
condition that would allow the discontinuance of life support
systems, (3) legislators approved the idea of an "attorney-in-
fact" to make health care decisions.
A task force has been established at Moses Cone Hospital
and The Women's Hospital are currently working on issues
involving hospital policy and procedures and staff and community education.   In addition, a speakers bureau has been
formed to address community groups.
Hospice at Greensboro Holds Seminar:
"Dealing with Loss and Grief through the Holidays"
Hospice at Greensboro's Grief Counseling Center is hosting
a seminar entitled "Dealing with Loss and Grief through the
Holidays."
The featured speaker is Reverend Lou Wallace, Chaplain
and Bereavement Services Coordinator of Hospice.
The seminar will be held on Sunday, November 17 from 3-5
p.m. at Hospice at Greensboro at 2500 Summit Avenue.
The seminar is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact the Hospice office at 621-2500.
Light Up A Life for Hospice
Hospice at Greensboro is holding it's seventh Annual "Light
Up A Life for Hospice" tree, lighting and memorial service on
Sunday, December 8 at 5 p.m. in the St. Pius X Church
sanctuary at 2210 North Elm Street.
Your tax deductible donation of $10.00 or more will light a
light on the Hospice tree in memory or in honor of a loved
one. A card will be sent acknowledging the gift. Proceeds will
be used to help support the Hospice program of care for terminally ill patients and their families.
For more information on how to "Light Up A Life For Hospice," please contact Hospice at Greensboro at 621-2500.
NOVEMBER 1991
New Digital Dictation System
Moses Cone Hospital and The Women's Hospital have
converted their dictation system effective November 11, 1991.
Most of these conversions are invisible to the user; however,
we want you to know about a number of the very positive
outcomes of this conversion. First, dialing one number
instead of two (854-9500 or speed dial from within the hospital
171) will access the system. Second, you will be instructed,
step-by-step, by a voice on the telephone. This new system
has a far higher quality recording, replacing the current
"cassette tape" system with a media similar to a compact disc.
Each physician has received an implementation schedule.
We will be available to train physicians as necessary. If you
have any question, please call Monica Bohman or Lisa
Corbett at 379-4304 or Paula Vosburg at 691 -6519 at The
Women's Hospital.
Prostate Cancer Screening Results
The annual Prostate Cancer Screening Clinic was held in
the Ambulatory Care Center during the week of September
23. The clinic saw 430 men with 44 having abnormal exams
and 139 being diagnosed with Benign Prostatic Hyperthropy.
Those with abnormal results were referred to their private
physician for a follow-up examination.
The following physicians participated in the screening: Drs.
Robert Evans, Lloyd Peterson, John Wrenn, Ronald
Sural, Raleigh Humphries, Ronald Davis, Houston
Kimbrough, John Bradley, Sigmund Tannenbaum and
Marc Nesl.
By-Law Change in Rule #12 - Pharmacy
There has been a revision in By-Law Rule #12, with the
addition of Rule #12.7: Automatic Renewal of Intravenous
Antibiotics and Oral Anticoagulants - The Pharmacy
Department will notify physicians of intravenous antibiotics
which have been continued for five days and oral anticoagulants which have been continued for seven days. Pharmacy
will automatically renew the intravenous antibiotic for five days
and the oral anticoagulant for seven days if the physician
does not issue an order to discontinue the drug.
The Moses H. Cone
Outpatient Rehabilitation Center
With the relocation of The Outpatient Rehabilitation Center to
Church Street in August, two new services have been
implemented in addition to the traditional outpatient therapy.
The Work Hardening Program is a program designed to
benefit individuals who have experienced an injury preventing
them from returning to work because their job demands
exceed the individual's physical capabilities following the
injury. The program emphasizes physical conditioning, work
simulation, education and prevention of reinjury. It has been
successful in reaching its goal of returning several people
back to work and facilitating vocational retraining.
The Day Rehabilitation Program is designed for patients who
require intense therapy but do not require hospitalization for
their care. Patients may attend the Day Rehabilitation
Program for an entire day or part of a day everyday or a few
days per week. Candidates for this program would require
restoration of daily living skills. The major goals of the
program are maximizing function and the return to a fulfilling
and meaningful lifestyle. Together, with patients and families,
a treatment plan is developed for the patient to achieve
realistic goals.