Published monthly for CC employees by Clinical Center Communications/ January 1998 From file clerk to supervisor DTM staffers honored Farewell to building 20 Save those receipts! Record sets a record Learning to juggle From the director Briefs CFC

Construction continues The south entry will temporarily become the main entry to the Clinical Center when the front entrance is closed for construction of the Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center. The proposed area will include a three-lane, covered drop off area and sloping driveway. CC introduces new program for local youth If you're still looking for a New Year's resolution, here's an idea. The CC Office of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) is currently developing a mentoring program for local area high school and college students. The program, which will be implemented next spring, came in response to an increasing number of community requests for internship opportunities at the NIH, as well as the CC's commitment to enhancing the field of clinical research training. "We hope that this initiative will encourage volunteerism among CC staff, as well as increase students' awareness of careers in the research, health care, and science environments," said Walter Jones, CC deputy director for management and operations. Program planners hope that all CC departments will participate in the program, allowing students to work throughout the hospital. "Students will be placed in either research, science, or administrative positions based on their background, training and interests," said Carl Lucas, EEO chief. "The more departments participate, the greater breadth of opportunity we can provide to the students." Staff time and commitment will vary depending on the needs of the schools that participate, but programmers stressed the importance of being committed to the students, now and in the future. "We hope to track the students who participate in the program over time so we can see how many go into careers in research," said Jones. If you are interested in being a mentor, contact Carl Lucas at 6-1584 or e-mail at Clucas@pop.cc.nih.gov. (by LaTonya Kittles)  index

(CCNews spotlight: This is the first in a series of articles designed to showcase exceptional employees within the Clinical Center. These individuals exemplify qualities that support the mission of the CC. Their dedication and hard work are true inspirations to all.) "I first came to work at NIH in 1960. I was placed in a typing pool temporarily until I was hired to work full time in the Medical Record Department. There were several other young women who were hired as career conditional, like me, and detailed to positions to fill in all over the campus. After a week or so, a few of us noticed that we were not filling the vacant positions. We thought about that and figured out that we all had one thing in common: we all wore engagement rings. At that time, people thought that if they hired someone who was engaged, she would get married, have children, and leave her position. So on our next interview, we each took off our ring. And amazingly enough, we all got hired." Mary Broadway, Medical Records Administrator, Medical Record Department (MRD) From file clerk to supervisor, Boradway's done it all Now, more than 37 years later, Mary prepares to retire from the CC and her long and outstanding career with the Medical Record Department. Co-workers marvel not only at her commitment to the department, but at her tenacity, and strong desire to succeed. She worked her way up from entry level to a professional level in the department. "She has been an inspiration to me," said Jerry P. King, director of the Medical Record Department. "She was always willing to place herself in new environments and take on more responsibility and was known as a role model for others in the department." When she arrived to be interviewed for this article, her organizational qualities were evident as she entered with notes in hand. Post-its, diagrams, and handouts outlined her life and experiences in the Clinical Center. She reminisced about the times when the campus had half as many building as it does now, and even drew a picture showing how a compass sketched in the ground of the main hallway helped her to learn her way around the often confusing corridors of the hospital. But it's the story of how she climbed the Medical Record Department ladder that is truly an inspiration to everyone. She was hired in the research and statistics section in 1960 and worked there until 1966 when she transferred to the Department of Agriculture. After 14 months, she returned to the record processing section of the MRD. She obtained her accreditation as medical records technician through a home-study program. Through years of persistence, King encouraged her to come out of her comfort zone and accept a position with even more responsibility. "He must have seen something in me that he felt made me right for this promotion," said Mary. "Finally after years of trying to get out of it, I accepted the position." She later became a physician liaison in the record processing section, which is now known as the documentation analysis and coding section. In 1989 she transferred into a professional position with the credentialing and protocol services section. According to Mary, her favorite professional experience was as a physician liaison, where she was responsible for assuring that physicians met their medical record documentation responsibilities. "I was the most comfortable in that position," said Mary. "I think that's why it was my favorite." Mary stressed the role of education in her professional life, and took advantage of training opportunities at Montgomery College, George Washington University, and the University of Maryland. But according to Mary, some learning opportunities, such as public speaking and computers, were harder for her than others. "When I attended computer classes, I was so excited, overwhelmed, and anxious that it was almost impossible for me to grasp it all," she said. "I later learned to slow down and evaluate the steps in order to accomplish all of my educational goals." Her fear of public speaking was quelled after being encouraged by King to make presentations in front of the departmental staff. The speech classes at George Washington University aided in her public speaking abilities. During this period of time she learned to overcome her fear of speaking in front of a group of people. "That incident taught me that public speaking was an objective to be reached, not a path to be frightened by." She also attributes her success to King, the MRD director, and the deputy director, Jennifer Bayless, among others. Mary plans to enroll in self-enrichment courses, and perform volunteer duties with her church, the American Red Cross, and above all improve her golf game. (by LaTonya Kittles)  index

DTM staffers honored  Jacqueline Melpolder (left) and Jo Lynn Procter (right), DTM employees, recently received NIH Merit Awards for their outstanding service and support to clinical services, research, and patient care. Dr. Gallin presented the honors last month.		Farewell to building 20 Initial demolition of Building 20, which housed the former NIH Guest House, has recently begun. The building will make way for construction of the Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center in coming months. Prior to demolition, the building was used to assist local firefighters with firefighting and rescue training.    index
Save your register receipts from Safeway and Giant to benefit the NIH School Program Send them to: NIH School Program, Building 10, Room 10S235. Or call 6-2077. Program ends Feb. 28, 1998  index

From the director by Dr. John I. Gallin, CC director

If there's one word that describes our efforts over the past 12 months, it's growth. Groundbreaking ceremonies in November signaled the beginning of an era of enormous physical growth for clinical research at NIH. We were honored to have on hand that day a host of dignitaries, including Vice President Al Gore, HHS Secretary Donna Shalala, and as the NIH community has pulled together to define, refine, and finalize the design of our new building. Through the CC Board of Governors and the NIH Clinical Center Advisory Council, we have been able to build a tri-fold formula for good governance that offers external oversight, impartial operational management, and strong and crucial involvement of the institutes. We have expanded our cooperative arrangement with Healthcare Management Television's CenterNet and the Association of Academic Health Centers to broadcast CC Grand Rounds to medical schools across the country. Joining our regular audience early last year were the more than 1,000 hospital subscribers to TiP-TV, a training and education network provided by GE Medical Systems. In September, the CC Roundtable, featuring panel discussions by NIH experts, was added to the network's lineup. Last February, we offered a new venue for researchers to explore ideas together when we co-hosted NIH's first Clinical Research Day. That event celebrated the history of clinical research here and showcased current intramural work. Our ability to carry out and support intramural clinical research grew in 1997 thanks in part to key staff appointments. New names and faces in the CC family include Dr. Nick Bryan, who was appointed director of the Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Clinical Center associate director for radiologic imaging sciences. As associate director, Dr. Bryan, who came here from Johns Hopkins, will oversee the Nuclear Medicine Department, the PET Department, and the Laboratory of Diagnostic Radiology Research. Michele T. Lagana, former assistant vice president and controller at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C., became our first chief financial officer. Bioethics program recruits included Dr. Christine Grady, who serves as the program's acting director, and Dr. Marion Danis from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Maureen Gormley, formerly special assistant to the CC director, was named chief of a new CC entity, the Office of Administrative Management and Planning. Also growing and evolving rapidly over the past year were projects established to meet goals outlined in the Clinical Center's strategic plan, including: Executive Information Systems. We awarded a contract to measure how well existing information systems provide institute and CC managers with accurate, timely online budget and management information. This program will enhance our ability to work better, smarter, and more cost effectively to support patient care and clinical research. Contract Assimilation. We have looked closely at converting several large contracts to in-house operations in order to save money while preserving quality of care. Converting the contracts for PET technicians could save up to $147,000 during the first year. Doing the same for the administrative staff in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology is projected to save $124,000 the first year. Core Course in Clinical Research. This study curriculum in how to effectively conduct clinical research is about to enter its fifth year. In 1997 the program grew to include more than 300 registrants. Also, lectures now are video-conferenced to locations in Arizona, Montana, and North Carolina. Hospital Alliances. This collaborative agreement with Johns Hopkins and Suburban Hospital continues to evolve, and initial contacts for additional affiliations have been made with Georgetown University Hospital, the National Rehabilitation Hospital, and Children's National Medical Center. These alliances broaden the clinical exposure of NIH clinical staff and provide intramural investigators with access to patient populations not available at the Clinical Center. Protocol Coordination Service Center. This project provides centralized and standardized support services for clinical research through an efficient, timely, and responsive process over the four phases of a protocol. Stem Cell Facility. This new facility, which opened last summer, provides state-of-the-art research services to clinical investigators at NIH exploring cellular therapies. Telemedicine. This project is designed to increase patient participation in clinical research studies from remote geographic locations; provide more extensive patient follow-up, review, and consultation; and expand the resource base of diagnostic and medical consultations. In 1997, we supported a clinical trial to administer immune-enhancing therapy to patients with tuberculosis in Harlingen, Texas, conducted three telesurgery pilots for training and consultative review by NIH surgeons, and extended videoconferencing to allow representatives from Australia to participate in international NIAID-sponsored meetings for collaborators. Protocols on the World Wide Web. This protocol database available on the Clinical Center's home page (http://clinicalstudies.info.nih.gov/) is used more and more every day by patients and referring physicians seeking information on current clinical research studies. The clinical research studies site now averages about 20,000 visits a week. Clinical research initiatives. By working more efficiently, the CC saved about $3 million in FY97. These savings will be reinvested through a competitive selection process in clinical research initiatives of the NIH institutes. This reinvestment will help stimulate grown in clinical research during 1998 and beyond. I am proud of the work we have done over the past year, work that would not have been possible without dedication, tenacity, and vision. Those characteristics run deep among CC staff and will be keys to our successes in 1998. index