Health briefs

SMITH JOINS PEMISCOT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

HAYTI, Mo. -- Ophthalmologist Dr. Porter Smith has begun seeing patients every third Friday morning at Pemiscot Memorial Hospital for eye infections, cataract evaluations, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, lid tumors and more. He also performs ophthalmic surgery at the hospital every third Thursday.

GOLDEN LIVING CENTER HONORS EMPLOYEES

MALDEN, Mo. -- Nikki Santie, executive director of Golden Living Center, recently presented Betty Wagner with an Associate of the Year Award. Additionally, Tammy Parks, RN/DNS, gave a certificate of appreciation to Betty Pulley, CNA/CMT, who is retiring after 27 years of service.

HEALTH DEPT. HONORS ASBERRY

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Butler County Health Department named Tammy Asberry Homemaker of the Month for May. She works for the department's satellite office in Ellington, Mo.

DAVITA HOLDS RIBBON CUTTING

DEXTER, Mo. -- The Dexter Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting recently to officially open the new DaVita Dialysis facility on Outer Road.

SAINT FRANCIS RECOGNIZED BY ANTHEM

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri designated Saint Francis Medical Center as a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care. Th recognition is awarded to facilities that have demonstrated their commitment to quality care, resulting in better overall outcomes for cardiac patients. Each facility meets stringent clinical criteria developed in collaboration with expert physicians' and medical organizations' recommendations, and is subject to periodic re-evaluation as criteria continue to evolve. Blue Distinction Centers provide a full range of cardiac care services, including inpatient cardiac care, cardiac rehabilitation, cardiac catheterization and cardiac surgery. To date, Blue Cross and Blue Shield has designated more than 410 Blue Distinction Centers nationwide. Saint Francis was also recently designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery and a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement.

SOUTHEAST CEO ATTENDS WORKSHOP

Debbie Linnes, president and CEO of Southeast Missouri Hospital, was among 30 national health care leaders participating in the Estes Park Washington Workshop April 27-28 in Washington D.C. The theme of the conference was "Reform and Changes in the Delivery of Care." The invitation-only workshop included discussion of health care delivery system pressures and opportunities and challenges caused by health care reform, particularly as it pertains to the delivery of care and patient safety.

NEWCOMER IS PRESIDENT OF RESPIRATORY CARE SOCIETY

Lisa Newcomer, director of the Sleep Disorders Center and Durable Medical Equipment at Saint Francis Medical Center, was named president of The Missouri Society for Respiratory Care. Newcomer's two-year term begins in July. She will lead the organization's efforts to advance the science, technology, ethics and art of respiratory care in Missouri. Newcomer replaces Rose Shafer, also of Saint Francis, as the organization's leader.

BELL EYECARE HOLDS RIBBON CUTTING

Bell Family Eyecare, 2954 E. Jackson Blvd., Jackson, held a ribbon cutting May 18 with the Jackson Chamber of Commerce.

WRIGHT JOINS AWL HEALTH CENTER

Marie Wright is now seeing patients at A Woman's Life Family Health Center, 36 Doctors' Park, Cape Girardeau. Wright also serves as a family nurse practitioner in the Missouri National Guard and recently returned from a one-year deployment in Iraq. She is a native of Park Hills, Mo., and has lived in Cape Girardeau for the past 17 years.

MDMC RANKS IN TOP 10 PERCENT FOR INPATIENT REHAB

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Missouri Delta Medical Center ranked in the top 10 percent of 805 inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) that qualified in the IRF database of Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDSmr) in 2009. Rankings were determined by using UDSmr's program evaluation model, a case mix- and severity-adjusted tool that provides facilities with a composite performance score and percentile ranking drawn from nearly three-quarters of all IRFs in the country. UDSmr's PEM Report Card uses the indicators of efficiency and effectiveness contained in the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' reporting tool for the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System. The goal of the PEM Report Card is to recognize high-performing facilities for their delivery of quality patient care that is effective, efficient, timely and patient-centered. Data used for this report was based on 12 months of 2009 data, drawn from both Medicare and non-Medicare patients.

TERRY EARNS NATIONAL CERTIFICATION

Roberta Terry, RN, BSN, CPN, assistant manager of the Saint Francis Children's Center, earned the credential of Certified Pediatric Nurse after completing the Certified Pediatric Nurse Exam developed and administered by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. Certification recognizes a nurse's commitment to professional development. It is an objective, measurable way of acknowledging the achievement of specialty knowledge beyond basic nursing preparation and RN licensure. Terry joined Saint Francis Medical Center in 1987. She has worked in pediatric nursing for her entire career at Saint Francis, but also spent a few months concurrently in the Gastrointestinal Laboratory.

HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS ATTEND NATIONAL WORKSHOP

Saint Francis Medical Center President and CEO Steven C. Bjelich and three members of the Saint Francis Healthcare System Board of Directors were among a group of national health care leaders who participated in the Estes Park Institute's Washington Workshop April 25-27 in Washington, D.C. Attending board members were Michael C. Trueblood, MD, orthopaedic surgeon; Gerald Jones; and Dennis Vollink. The conference's theme was "Reform and Changes in the Delivery of Care." The invitation-only workshop included discussion of health care delivery system pressures and opportunities and challenges caused by health care reform, particularly as it pertains to the delivery of care and patient safety.

SAINT FRANCIS AUXILIARY COMPLETES PLEDGE

The Saint Francis Medical Center Auxiliary presented $200,000 to hospital president and CEO Steven C. Bjelich at the annual Auxiliary and Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. The donation is the final installment on a $500,000 pledge to be used for building a rooftop garden in the Heart Hospital and Cancer Institute currently under construction. Additionally, Kathy Marchi was named 2010 Auxilian of the Year at the luncheon. In her 15 years with the auxiliary, she has volunteered more than 7,100 hours and served as president, corresponding secretary and newsletter editor, and by serving on the scholarship, service excellence and membership committees.

MITTAL JOINS MALDEN MEDICAL CENTER

MALDEN, Mo. -- Dr. Namrata Mittal joined the team at Malden Medical Center, working with Dr. John Hunt, Dr. Stephen Smith and Dr. Valerie Smith. Mittal is board certified in internal medicine and began seeing patients on May 18. She previously worked at Dexter Medical Center.

NORWOOD GETS PHYSICIANS PARK HONOR

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Beverly Norwood was employee of the quarter at Physicians Park Primary Care, where she has worked for eight years.

BREAST CARE CENTER RECEIVES ACCREDITATION

The Robert S. Hunt MD Breast Care and Diagnostic Center of Cape Girardeau was awarded a three-year term of accreditation in breast ultrasound as the result of a recent survey by the American College of Radiology. The ACR awards accreditation to facilities for achievement of high practice standards after a peer-review evaluation of the practice. Evaluations are conducted by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. The Robert S. Hunt center, 60 Doctors' Park, is a collaborative service with Southeast Missouri Hospital providing diagnostic imaging and Cape Girardeau Surgical Clinic providing physician care. It is the area's only ACR-accredited breast ultrasound facility.

WREN JOINS TIP HOSPICE

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Rachel Wren, RN, BLS, TNCC, joined TIP Hospice and Palliative Care, working out of the Farmington branch. She has prior experience as an emergency nurse and corrections nurse.

ENDOSCOPY CENTER ACCREDITED

Gastroenterology Associates/GA Endoscopy Center of Cape Girardeau was accredited for three years by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care. Accreditation is proof of the center's commitment to providing the highest levels of quality care to patients and the same high level of conduct in its business practices, and signifies that the center has met the rigorous standards of a nationally recognized third party.

VNA STAFF RECOGNIZED AT HOME CARE AWARDS

Three staff members from the Visiting Nurse Association of Southeast Missouri were recognized for outstanding service at the Annual Missouri Alliance for Home Care Awards Banquet April 26 at Lake of the Ozarks. Tracy Peralta and Elsie Walters were named Para-Professional Home Care Aides of the Year. The most prestigious award went to Ambria Mullins, an LPN from Kennett, Mo., who received the Above and Beyond Professional Care Giver Award for caregiving during the 2009 ice storm. Winners were selected from hundreds of nominations throughout the state.

DENTAL PRACTICE EXPANDS, ADDS DENTIST

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- After graduating from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Dental School, Dr. Philip Loida of Ste. Genevieve joined Dr. James L. Brandt's dental practice, 690 Rozier St. Loida began work in early June. To accommodate his arrival, the practice added two treatment rooms with new dental chairs, state-of-the-art digital X-ray equipment and a computer monitor display screen in every room.

P.B. HOSPITAL LAUNCHES LIFENET SYSTEM

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center recently implemented the LIFENET System, a new solution with a goal of reducing door-to-balloon times for patients who experience a dangerous form of heart attack known as STEMI (ST elevation myocardial infarction) by transmitting information from the ambulance directly to the hospital before the patient even arrives. STEMI poses a serious threat to the heart muscle, and the quicker patients receive treatment, the more likely they are to have a positive outcome. Stoddard County and Clearwater Ambulance Services are already using LIFENET to transmit to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, and other area services are in the process of implementing the system.

SIKESTON HOSPITAL SCORES HIGH ON CUSTOMER SURVEYS

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Missouri Delta Medical Center celebrated a 97th percentile overall score on its most recent quarterly report from patient satisfaction surveys, the Sikeston Standard Democrat reported. According to Sharon Urhahn, director of marketing for the hospital, this is the highest score MDMC has ever received. She explained that scores are given as a percentile which reflects the hospital's ranking in its class. A score of 97 means MDMC is doing better than 97 percent of the 1,400 hospitals in its comparison group, she said. The surveys were mandated about three years ago to remain eligible for Medicare Hospital Care Assurance Program payments, said Charles Ancell, president of MDMC. The questionnaires were distributed by Press Ganey, a company specializing in patient satisfaction surveys. The survey included 50 standardized questions asking the patient to rate a wide range of subjects, from promptness and courtesy of the staff to the skill of the physician.

ABUHAMDA EARNS FELLOWSHIP STATUS

Dr. Emad M. Abuhamda earned fellowship status with the American College of Gastroenterology. He is affiliated with Gastroenterology Associates of Southeast Missouri Hospital. To obtain fellow status, physicians must demonstrate scholarly activities, be certified by a specialty board recognized by the Council on Graduate Medical Education and be actively involved in ACG activities, among other criteria.

Abuhamda is board certified in gastroenterology and internal medicine and completed an Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy Fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

GOCKEL STARTS VETERANS SERVICE

Jimmy L. Gockel of Cape Girardeau announced the creation of Patriot Claims, a free online service to help veterans who need assistance with their disability claims. Gockel, a disabled veteran himself, said, "The VA Claims process can be very confusing and this service will allow me the opportunity to pass on the knowledge I have gained and give something back to my fellow veterans." For more information, contact Gockel at patriotclaims@gmail.com or search Facebook for Patriot Claims. Gockel is a retiree of the U.S. Air Force and served in Operation Desert Storm.

RADIATION THERAPY DEPT. ACCREDITED

Southeast Missouri Hospital's Department of Radiation Therapy was accredited by the American College of Radiology, making it the fourth hospital in the state to earn the prestigious recognition. Less than 13 percent of radiation oncology centers nationwide have received accreditation status. Accreditation is recognized as a measure of quality care in the industry, reflecting the staffing levels, training and treatment procedures needed to provide patients with the best in radiation therapy. The accreditation process included an on-site review by a board-certified physician and a board-certified medical physicist who are experts in the field of radiation oncology.