TKC Clinical Practice Committee

At its January meeting, The Kirklin Clinic® (TKC) Clinical Practice Committee:

• Heard a report on completion of the Birmingham Museum of Art Display Cases in TKC lobby. Physicians were encouraged to visit and asked to encourage patients and staff to visit.
• Received a report from TKC Chief of Staff Nancy Dunlap, MD, PhD, on:
  • New University Hospital street level entrances maps;
  • Regulations that prohibit any hospitalized patient from receiving treatment at TKC. Discharged hospitalized patients may come to TKC on their way home to receive tests, care, etc. If a physician has a hospitalized patient at University Hospital who needs a test and/or procedure not available in the hospital, the physician should contact the University Hospital Chief of Staff for assistance;
  • Establishment of plans to convene a patient focus group to determine what patients like, dislike, and what they expect of TKC staff. This information will be incorporated into the code of conduct and training for TKC staff;
  • Update on the Scheduling Project and the progress made on:
    • Internal Access Numbers: Developing easy-to-remember numbers, determining cost considerations and marketing consideration
    • Coordinated Scheduling: ~60% of scheduling areas have completed scheduling models and identified opportunities to redistribute work effort
    • Discharge Appointments: Identified team members; determined that as many as 50% to 60% of patients are no shows; plan to identify problem areas
    • AVM: Target date for implementation is October 2006. Care will be taken not to disrupt the billing processes
• The TKC Clinical Practice Committee agreed to:
  • Address scheduling and order management for labs;
  • Acknowledge committee support for proceeding with the scheduling project;
  • Encourage UABHS leadership to determine next steps in meeting clinical needs, prioritize these projects, and approve funding needed to go forward;
  • Encourage TKC Clinical Practice Committee members to discuss clinical needs, priorities, and need for project funding with their division directors and department chairs;
• Reviewed and endorsed proposed guidelines for fundraising in TKC;
• Discussed concerns regarding North Pavilion Cath Laboratory intake area; and
• Made recommendations regarding purchasing a block of tickets for UAB athletic events for TKC employees.