Health briefs

HEALTH DEPT. HONORS FEARS, CLEMENTS

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Helen Fears from Reynolds County was Homemaker of the Month for October at the Butler County Health Department. She works for the department's satellite office in Ellington, Mo. Additionally, Versie Clements from Ripley County was Homemaker of the Month for November. She works for the department's satellite office in Doniphan, Mo.

OZARK PHYSICAL THERAPY OPENS

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting recently to open Ozark Physical Therapy/Ozark Medical Supply inside the Poplar Bluff Medical Partners Building.

BAKER GETS MONTHLY HONOR

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Department of Health and Senior Services named Patricia Baker Employee of the Month for November. Baker, an adult protective and community supervisor in Butler County, works in the Bureau of Home and Community Services office in Poplar Bluff.

DR. YEOMAN HAS NEW OFFICE

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Dermatologist Dr. Lance Yeoman, with nurse practitioners Pat Shelton and Richard Crouse, has a new office at 225 Physicians Park Drive, Suite 203.

SAINT FRANCIS ADDS PRIMARY CARE PRACTICE

Saint Francis Medical Center recently welcomed its newest physician practice partner, Cape Medical Group. The primary care group, formerly known as Mount Auburn Medical Group, provides care for patients of all ages and is led by family medicine physician Dr. Jeffrey W. Childers and internal medicine physician Dr. Philip E. Tippen. The practice is in Suite 342 in Saint Francis' Health and Wellness Center, 150 S. Mount Auburn Road, Cape Girardeau.

GALLAGHER JOINS TRRMC

KENNETT, Mo. -- Dr. Thomas J. Gallagher joined the team of physicians at Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center. Since 1997, he has been doing outpatient and inpatient psychiatry in San Diego and Long Beach, Calif. His new office is at 611 Teaco Road, Kennett.

DR. WILLIAMS RELOCATES

Gynecologist Dr. Tami O. Williams has a new office at 2911 Breckenridge, Cape Girardeau. A ribbon cutting was held Nov. 3 with the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. Williams' office was previously on Lexington Avenue in Cape Girardeau.

SAINT FRANCIS EARNS STATE MARKETING AWARDS

Saint Francis Medical Center won 12 Show-Me Excellence awards, including three first-place awards, for excellence in health care marketing from the Missouri Association for Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing. The Missouri Hospital Association announced the awards at its 88th Annual Convention & Trade Show. Show-Me Excellence awards to Saint Francis include the following: first place for Websites category, physician recruitment website; Physician Relations/Communications Projects category, da Vinci interactive open house; and Special Purpose Publications category, Family BirthPlace Your Pregnancy Planning Guide and DVD. Second place for Advertising – Print category, Father's Day ad; Annual Reports category, 2009 Annual Report; Media Relations Activity category, colon cancer awareness event; Special Marketing or Public Relations Projects category, coaches clinic fall 2009; Special Marketing or Public Relations Projects category, coaches clinic spring 2010; and Video category, pediatric rooftop garden DVD. Third place for Advertising – Print category, Mother's Day ad; Internal Publications/Routine category, PowerLine employee newsletter redesign; and Photography category, 2010 calendar.

BJELICH RECEIVES LEADERSHIP AWARD

Steven Bjelich, president and CEO at Saint Francis Medical Center, received the Visionary Leadership Award from the Missouri Hospital Association for his leadership in identifying community needs and structuring health services to address underserved populations. The award was presented Nov. 4 at MHA's 88th Annual Convention & Trade Show in Osage Beach, Mo. David Carpenter, president and CEO of North Kansas City Hospital, also received a Visionary Leadership Award.

LAWRENCE IS ASST. MANAGER AT FITNESS PLUS

Dianne Lawrence was named assistant manager of health and fitness at Fitness Plus. In her new position, she will assist with hiring, training, developing and managing the fitness staff and coordinating and implementing fitness programs. Lawrence joined Saint Francis Medical Center in 2005 as a group exercise instructor at Fitness Plus. She soon added personal training and became a fitness specialist. She has been the lead fitness specialist at Fitness Plus for the past year.

SIMS NAMED PATIENT CARE MANAGER

Jenna Sims was named patient care manager of Zone 3C at Saint Francis Medical Center, reporting to James A. Wakin, director of medical nursing. Before joining Saint Francis, Sims spent four years at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Ky., where she was the charge nurse for neurosciences and orthopaedic services.

DOELLING NAMED DIRECTOR OF SPECIALTY PRACTICES

Paul M. Doelling was named director of specialty practices in medical affairs at Saint Francis Medical Center. In this role, Doelling is responsible for fostering, developing and facilitating the improvement of some of the hospital's specialty physician practices. He reports to Dr. James A. Schell, vice president of medical affairs. Doelling served most recently as director of specialty practices at Gateway Regional Medical Center in Granite City, Ill.

SOUTHEAST HOSPITAL OPENS NEW PHARMACY

Southeast Pharmacy opened Nov. 5 in the Plaza Primary Care West building at 817 S. Mount Auburn Road, Suite 130, Cape Girardeau. Pharmacist Kimberly Etherton manages the retail pharmacy operated by the Southeast Missouri Hospital Association.

three JOIN HOSPICE

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Diana Grubbs joined VNA-TIP Hospice as a registered nurse, and Shawn Williams joined as a physician relations executive. Shirley Martka joined as a volunteer coordinator.

SOUTHEAST HEALTH MERGES WITH RIPLEY COUNTY HOSPITAL

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- On Nov. 15, SoutheastHEALTH, the organization that runs Southeast Hospital, announced an expansion of its enterprise in Ripley County. Southeast has assumed management responsibilities for Ripley County Memorial Hospital, which had been struggling financially. The management agreement follows three months of due diligence activities and feasibility studies by Ripley County Memorial Hospital and SoutheastHEALTH. In early August, the possibility of an affiliation was unanimously endorsed by the Ripley County Commission pending the outcome of these due diligence and feasibility activities. Under the multiyear affiliation agreement, SoutheastHEALTH will pay an annual rent of $350,000 based on an independent, fair market value appraisal. The hospital's new name will be Southeast Health of Ripley County.

SAINT FRANCIS UNVEILS ENDOVASCULAR NEUROSURGERY SUITE

Saint Francis Medical Center opened an operating suite that will allow endovascular neurosurgery and open brain surgery in one room. The combined operating environment reduces or eliminates several factors that lead to increased disability and mortality rates. The hybrid suite at Saint Francis uses technology from Philips and MAQUET and a design unmatched by any other neurosurgery suite in the country; the only other hybrid suite of its kind is used for cardiac procedures.

BRAMHALL JOINS PREFERRED HOSPICE

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Dr. Perry Bramhall is the new medical director at Preferred Hospice of Farmington.

REHAB CENTER TO OPEN IN JACKSON

Premier Rehab will open a second location this month at the Main Street Station building, 2480 E Main St., Jackson. The 2,000-square-foot facility will feature an aquatic therapy center and a certified hand therapist. Premier Rehab has operated in Cape Girardeau for five years.

TRANKLER JOINS PRINCE DENTAL

Cara Trankler is the marketing director for Prince Dental. She joins Mary Prince, oral care director, in marketing Prince's Plak-Vac suction toothbrush for patients incapable of performing their own oral hygiene.

MSH CLINIC OPENS AT WAL-MART

DEXTER, Mo. -- Missouri Southern Healthcare opened "The Clinic at Walmart" Nov. 8 inside the Wal-Mart at 2025 W. Business Highway 60, Dexter. The clinic, headed by family nurse practitioners Amber Thorne and Matthew Moses, provides convenient, affordable access to basic health care services seven days a week, with no appointment necessary. This is the first clinic of its kind in Southeast Missouri. With the opening of this clinic, there are 99 in-store clinics in Wal-Mart stores across 24 states.

ANCELL RETIRES FROM MDMC

SIKESTON, Mo. -- After 38 years of service, Charles Ancell has retired as administrator of Missouri Delta Medical Center. Jason Schrumpf is the hospital's new president.