Medical Center Honors Faculty, Staff

It was a Mission: Possible day as faculty and staff were honored during the UCSF Medical Center's 5th Annual Honors and Awards Celebration on May 12.

The UCare Electronic Medical Record Project team even managed to insert actor Tom Cruise into a staff recognition video that was a takeoff on the latest sequel of the Mission: Impossible film series.

"This is a terrific event because we get to showcase the best of UCSF - our people," said Mark Laret, chief executive officer. "They are the key ingredient to our success. These are the people that take the extra step. It is really heartwarming."

The annual awards celebration drew hundreds to a nearly packed Cole Hall, where individuals were singled out for their commitment and professionalism. Almost 60 employees were honored as excellent service role models representing ambulatory care, administrative and support services, perioperative services and patient care services. The staff were nominated by their peers and supported by their managers. Chief Operating Officer Tomi Ryba and Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer Jay Harris presented the awards, a gift certificate and plaque. "These are employees who display the professional characteristics most highly valued at UCSF Medical Center," said Ryba. "They have qualities that truly transcend, and have created a talent benchmark that will be used as a guide in the hiring of all future employees." Top Doctors
Four individuals were honored with the 2006 Exceptional Physician Award. In introducing the award category, UCSF School of Medicine Dean David Kessler, MD, said that these are very special awards. "They should really be titled exceptional healer award because that is what UCSF is all about," he said. "You're a healer if the identifiable purpose of your life is in the relief of suffering in others. These people exemplify their profession, and are really exceptional heroes." John Engstrom, MD, professor of neurology, was recognized for his "endless reserve of patience, serenity, goodwill and clinical expertise," according to his introduction. As a professor of clinical neurology and director of the Neurology Residency Program, Engstrom was praised for his unyielding efforts to achieve excellence. As he thanked his family, Engstrom spoke eloquently about his 85-year-old mother who was in attendance. "In 1964, my mother was a widow without a job," he said. "She began college at the age of 43 and raised the kids. She has taught me, by her example, that adversity is an opportunity. I am here to say that adversity is an opportunity for all of us to be a better person." For Michael Gropper, MD, PhD, who holds a double appointment as professor of anesthesia and perioperative care and professor of physiology, colleagues see him as a consummate teacher who never misses an opportunity to stretch his team. Yet his demeanor and dependable sound clinical judgment have earned him the respect of staff for the positive work environment he cultivates and his dedication to excellence. "I live a mile away from Stanford, where I can bike to work if I wanted," said Gropper. "But I come all the way to UCSF due to the excellence of this hospital."

Dean David Kessler and CEO Mark Laret pose with Glenn Rosenbluth, center, who received an exceptional physician award.

Glenn Rosenbluth, MD, chief resident in the Department of Pediatrics, said that it was humbling at his age and experience to get an award like this. Rosenbluth was recognized for being an advocate for everyone - children, their families, nurses and residents. Seen as a gentle, compassionate and intelligent professional, in 2007 Rosenbluth will serve as interim associate director of the Pediatric Residency Program. In the words of her colleagues, Sandrijn M. van Schaik, MD, PhD, clinical fellow in pediatric critical care medicine, is simply a superb young physician who is dedicated to patient care and teaching. She spoke of her upbringing in the Netherlands, and was clearly overwhelmed by the recognition. "This isn't really about me," she said. "I feel that this honor is a reflection on everyone I work with. It's about becoming friends with everyone here - patients, nurses, dietitians. They make the work easier, and sometimes may even do the work for you." Exemplary Projects
Clifton Louie, PhD, executive director of Clinical Services introduced the UCare Electronic Medical Record Project. The implementation of this complex electronic medical record system has taken hundreds of medical center employees months and months to facilitate. These include the many physicians, nurses, trainers, technicians, ancillary departments, IT analysts and administrators who worked together to improve access to clinical information and patient safety. "It takes a village; it takes partnership and teamwork. But we couldn't fit everyone who was involved in UCare onstage," said Louie as the theme song to Mission: Impossible came on and the special video played. "We took on the challenges that we chose to accept." Another theme song associated with an action film played when Ryba introduced the supply chain improvement project. The project set a bold goal of reducing the cost of $12 million, while at the same time improving availability and accountability for the use of supplies across the board. Physicians and staff worked on teams to improve standards of practice and standardization of products for quality of care. Substantial improvements were made in the contracting process within the IT and purchasing departments and related to temporary labor. The song "Nobody Does It Better" accompanied a James Bond-like video opening that showed reductions in cost across the board. "We wanted to make sure that UCSF is using the right resources," said Ryba. "Our leaders worked with hundreds of people, identified opportunities and best practices, and saved money." PRIDE Honorees
The medical center's PRIDE Award program recognizes five individuals each month for consistently demonstrating key values: professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence. Two annual PRIDE Award recipients are selected from among the monthly awardees, who receive a plaque and a $3,000 cash award. Mattie Wells, who has worked as a financial counselor for more than 30 years, is a Medi-Cal coordinator who works diligently to ensure that patients and families are getting the most out of their health insurance. She was recognized in the staff category as someone who goes out of her way to help patients and who is a true leader in spirit and action.

CEO Mark Laret accepts the award on behalf of the medical center for excellence in patient safety and health care quality by Arnold Milstein, director of the Pacific Business Group on Health.

Kathy Knoerl, operations director of the Department of Radiology since 1998, was recognized for her contributions to the department's growth, her positive nature and her constant professionalism. While accepting the award, Knoerl said that because she works with such inspiring, talented people, her work is truly rewarding. The final award was presented to Laret by Arnold Milstein, MD, medical director of the Pacific Business Group on Health. UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus and UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion were named among the 22 hospitals in California to be given the Excellence in Patient Safety and Health Care Quality Award. The new award is presented by four of the state's leading health plans - Aetna, Blue Shield of California, CIGNA HealthCare of California, and United HealthCare - and is based on results from the Leapfrog Hospital Quality and Safety Survey. Milstein thanked Laret and the medical center for prioritizing patient safety and health care.