Health briefs

__LUTHERAN HOME NAMES NEW ADMINISTRATOR__ Mitch Bachtel is the new administrator for the skilled nursing and assisted living facilities at the Lutheran Home, according to Michelle Sinn, CEO of the Lutheran Home and Saxony Village in Cape Girardeau. Bachtel is a licensed nursing home administrator and comes from the St. Louis area, where he served in a similar capacity.

__WEIGHT LOSS CLINIC OPENS IN POPLAR BLUFF__ POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting to ofopen Quick Success Weight Loss Clinic at 922 N. Westwood Blvd. Jeanie Museowns the business.

__DOCTORS EXPRESS GETS ACCREDITATION__ Doctors Express in Cape Girardeau received accreditation through Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments. CLIA standards were established by the U.S. government in 1988 to ensure accuracy, reliability and timeliness of patient test results regardless of where the test was performed. To receive accreditation, Doctors Express underwent proficiency testing on all of its techniques and daily procedures for testing human samples and reporting results.

__MACKEL JOINS SOUTHEAST HEALTH__ Dr. John V. Mackel joined SoutheastHEALTH as executive director of physician practices. He previously worked at Continental Wound Care, a specialty practice operated in partnership with his wife, Dr. Laura E. Holmes. He has more than 30 years of experience as a physician and has undergone additional training in wound healing and hyperbaric medicine. In his new role, Mackel has executive responsibility for all SoutheastHEALTH physician practices. He will directly oversee seven specialties: family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics, pediatrics, gastroenterology, otolaryngology and endocrinology. Mackel is also an adjunct professor at Southeast Missouri State University, where he teaches health care systems and quality in the university's MBA program.

__HOSPITALS JOIN FOR records CONVERSION__ SoutheastHEALTH and Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo., are teaming up to tackle the conversion to electronic medical records, the Southeast Missourian reported Oct. 13. The hospitals are forming Servir LLC to build and manage a common data center for both organizations to be located near SoutheastHEALTH's Cancer Center in Cape Girardeau. They will work together to meet new federal electronic medical records requirements passed last year. One requirement is that all medical providers use electronic medical records that meet federal standards by 2014. Those who don't will be penalized with lower Medicare payments. Servir's data center will be at Silver Springs Road and Highway 74 and is scheduled for completion in December. It will house information systems technology for both hospitals. It is also being designed to serve information technology needs of other hospitals, physicians or clinics in the region. Mike Dozier will be regional director of information services for Servir and will coordinate development of the data center as well as implementation of new computer records systems.

__EDWARDS JOINS CROSS TRAILS__ MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Dr. Jonathan Edwards joined the dental clinic at Cross Trails Medical Center in Marble Hill.

__PENNINGTON JOINS TINSLEY__ POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Amy Pennington is a new family nurse practitioner at Tinsley Medical Clinic in Poplar Bluff.

__PARKS NAMED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR__ MALDEN, Mo. -- Tammy Parks of Bernie, Mo., was named executive director of Golden Living Center in Malden. She replaces Nikki Mayberry, who retired after nine years in the position. Parks has been director of nurses for Golden Living Centers for seven years, with the past three at the Malden location.

__THURMAN JOINS FERGUSON__ SIKESTON, Mo. -- Miranda Blair Thurman joined Ferguson Medical Group as a family nurse practitioner.

__SOUTHEAST RANKS HIGHLY FOR PATIENT SATISFACTION__ For the second consecutive year, Southeast Hospital ranks among the top 5 percent of hospitals in the nation for patient satisfaction. HealthGrades, the nation's leading independent health care ratings organization, gives the hospital high marks for patient care in its 2011 "Healthcare Consumerism and Hospital Quality in America" report issued in October. Southeast has received the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award four years in a row. Other high rankings include the following: the top five in Missouri for coronary interventional procedures; five star-rated for coronary interventional procedures; among the top 10 in Missouri for overall orthopedic services; five star-rated for hip fracture treatment; five star-rated for treatment of stroke; among the top four in Missouri for vascular surgery; and five star-rated for carotid surgery.

__HICKEY JOINS AUDIOLOGY ASSOCIATES__ Dr. Sarah A. Hickey joined the practice of Dr. Linda M. Hurt, owner of Audiology Associates Balance and Hearing Center. Hickey has nine years of experience in audiology, including four years locally. Audiology Associates has offices in Cape Girardeau and Poplar Bluff, Mo.

__SAINT FRANCIS RANKS HIGH FOR ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY, JOINT REPLACEMENT__ Saint Francis Medical Center received multiple five-star ratings and national recognition from HealthGrades, the leading independent health care ratings organization. A report released Oct. 18 by HealthGrades named Saint Francis among the best in the nation for orthopaedic surgery and joint replacement excellence for three years in a row. Awards include the HealthGrades Orthopaedic Surgery Excellence Award; HealthGrades Joint Replacement Excellence Award; ranked among the top 5 percent in the nation for overall orthopaedic services and joint replacement; HealthGrades Prostatectomy Excellence Award; ranked among the top 10 percent in the nation for prostatectomy; top 10 in Missouri for overall cardiac services; top five in Missouri for cardiac surgery; and top 10 in Missouri for prostatectomy. Saint Francis also received five-star ratings for coronary bypass surgery; overall orthopaedic services; joint replacement; spine surgery; total knee replacement; total hip replacement; hip fracture treatment; back and neck surgery (spinal fusion) and prostatectomy.

SEMO Health Network opens health center in Benton, Mo.

__HEALTH CENTER OPENS IN BENTON__ BENTON, Mo. -- SEMO Health Network's Benton Medical and Dental Center, at 6724 Highway 77 E next to Dollar General, opened with a ribbon cutting Oct. 17. The center is staffed with physicians, family nurse practitioners, dentists, dental hygienists and licensed nurses.

__MINERAL AREA RECOGNIZES EMPLOYEES__ FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Teresa Dickey, a registered nurse in the intensive care unit at Mineral Area Regional Medical Center, was nurse of the month for August. Additionally, Jill Doss, HIM coding specialist, was employee of the month and Dr. Robert Harris, an OB/GYN, was physician of the month.

__SOUTHEAST ACQUIRES WOUND CARE__ SoutheastHEALTH announced Oct. 25 that it has acquired Continental Wound Care at 310 S. Silver Springs Road in Cape Girardeau. The practice, operated by Dr. Laura E. Holmes and Dr. John V. Mackel, specializes in the evaluation and treatment of chronic or non-healing wounds that have not improved with routine medical care. Holmes will become regional director of wound care services at SoutheastHEALTH. Southeast has relocated its wound care and hyperbaric medicine department to Continental, which will now be known as Southeast Wound and Hyperbaric Medicine. Southeast began serving patients there Oct. 24.

__CHARLESTON CLINIC JOINS SAINT FRANCIS NETWORK__ CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Charleston Family Care, 400 S. Main St. in Charleston, joined Saint Francis Medical Center's group of physician practices, Saint Francis Medical Partners. This established practice is led by Dr. Robert L. Robbins, who has been a family practitioner in Charleston for more than 40 years.

__CARVER IS EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR__ Cottonwood Residential Treatment Center recognized Katie Carver as 2011 Employee of the Year. Carver is an account clerk II and has been with the program since 2004. Cottonwood, on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University, is a Department of Mental Health facility that provides residential treatment to children who have emotional and behavioral problems.