Dear Colleagues,
I recently joined Shanon Fucik, chief nursing officer, at a 7:45 a.m. huddle at the Integrated Medicine Unit on 3W of University Hospital. I first visited the unit in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic during the first year the unit was open. It was good to return several years later – this time not during a pandemic.
Ashley Baysinger, service line clinical supervisor, welcomed us and introduced us to the team. Grace Kerr, charge nurse, led the huddle with the team. Huddles always move quickly and efficiently so the team can move on to the essential health care needs of patients. Before they went about their morning, I of course wished them all Happy New Year and thanked the team for all they do.
This is a very critical unit created for patients with medical illness who also are at risk. I learned from Ashley that the criteria for “at risk” can be any patient that lacks capacity to care for themselves. This could include patients who may have a guardian or those who have dementia or delirium.
So, these patients with medical illness need well trained health care professionals to help them through their illness in a setting like the unit on 3W.
I am so very proud of all the amazing work our health care professionals provide to our very ill patients throughout MU Health Care’s hospitals and clinics, and the integrated medicine unit is a great example.
Sincerely,
Rick Barohn, MD
Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Hugh E. and Sarah D. Stephenson Dean, School of Medicine
rbarohn@health.missouri.edu
