Health briefs

__HEART SURGERY RESULTS TOP NATIONAL AVERAGE__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A report from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons at Duke University revealed operative mortality rates for heart surgery at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center are half of the national average, the Daily American Republic reported. The national average for operative mortality of all hospitals within the STS database is 2.4 percent, compared to only 1.2 percent at the Poplar Bluff hospital. The study also shows that patients undergoing heart surgery at PBRMC are sicker in comparison to heart surgery patients at other hospitals within the STS database. The STS report includes data submitted by hospitals participating in the study from January to September 2013. Operative mortality is defined as the percentage of patients who die within 30 days of surgery.

__HOFFMAN NAMED MARKETING DIRECTOR AT SOUTHEAST HEALTH__

Shauna Hoffman joined SoutheastHEALTH as director of marketing. She most recently served as director of marketing, health care consultant for Stamats Communications Inc. Before that, she served as marketing and physician referral director in Sioux Falls, S.D

__SOUTHEAST RECOGNIZED AS FIT-FRIENDLY WORKSITE__

The American Heart Association for the third year in a row has recognized SoutheastHEALTH as a Fit-Friendly worksite for creating a culture of wellness in the workplace, according to a news release from Southeast. That culture includes providing subsidized memberships and payroll deduction for employees who join HealthPoint Fitness, offering healthy food choices in the hospital cafeteria and identifying designated walking routes.

__FIT ROOM EMPLOYEES FINISH EXERCISE COURSE__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Kim Stuckenschneider, owner of The Fit Room, along with Kendra Scott, completed the 50-hour Intensive Reformer Course by STOTT Pilates.

__PERRY COUNTY HOSPITAL ADDS MEMORY LOSS THERAPY PROGRAM__

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Perry County Memorial Hospital now offers cognitive stimulation therapy, a therapy program dedicated to improving memory loss for those suffering mild to moderate dementia, thanks to a grant from the Perry County Senior Services Tax Commission. The therapy was designed by dementia experts at University College London after reviewing literature on non-medication-related dementia therapies, and the most effective therapies were combined to create the program.

__SPRATT NAMED DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES__

Aaron Spratt was named director of information services at Saint Francis Medical Center. He will be responsible for leading the information systems team of analysts, programmers and project leads, as well as making sure the hospital's electronic medical records maintain compliance. Spratt joined the hospital's staff in 2009 and had served as director or the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act program implementation since 2012.

__COZEAN EYE INSTITUTE CLOSES__

SoutheastHEALTH has closed the Cozean Eye Institute. The hospital and Dr. Matt Shoemaker, vice president of physician services for SoutheastHEALTH, released the following statement: "This was a difficult decision to make, but one that is necessary as we continue to solidify our long-term business strategy. We appreciate the excellent care provided to patients over the past year by Dr. Monica Abernot and her staff. Clinic employees who wished to remain with SoutheastHEALTH have been placed in other employment opportunities."

__BEUSSINK JOINS MARBLE HILL DENTAL OFFICE__

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Dr. Courtney Beussink joined Dr. Mark Milde in his Marble Hill dental practice.

__CONCIERGE MEDICINE COMES TO CAPE GIRARDEAU__

Dr. Michael Wulfers, a family physician who has practiced in Cape Girardeau since 1985, opened the city's first direct primary care practice, IndependentMD, at 37 Doctors Park. Direct primary care medical practices, also called concierge medicine, are opening across the country, according to an email sent to the Southeast Missourian from Wulfers. This kind of practice offers longer appointments, enhanced access to physicians, wholesale lab prices and generic medications that are distributed in the physician's office, the email said. Direct care physicians do not accept insurance payments. "Direct care physician practices are a throwback to the days when the patient paid the doctor directly, and the doctor worked directly for the patient, not for the insurance company," the email said.

__FOX INDUCTED TO DENTAL IMPLANT ASSOCIATION__

Dr. Jim Fox of Fox Family Dental in Cape Girardeau was inducted as a fellow into the International Dental Implant Association. Induction as a fellow requires completion of at least 150 continuing education hours of dental theory, passing a written examination and successful placement of more than 25 dental implants on patients supervised by an oral maxillofacial surgeon. Fox now is eligible for his mastership.

__FAULKENBERRY NAMED CORPORATE COMPLIANCE OFFICER__

Regina Faulkenberry was appointed as the corporate compliance officer for SoutheastHEALTH, in addition to her role as associate general counsel. She assumed the duties as the compliance officer last summer and was formally appointed in February. Faulkenberry is responsible for overseeing the corporate compliance program and compliance activities at all SoutheastHEALTH facilities to ensure the organization complies with applicable laws and regulations.

__CALL RECEIVES AUDIOPROSTHOLOGY CERTIFICATION__

Janette Call of Better Hearing Solutions was presented her American Conference of Audioprosthology certification, a program exclusively for hearing instrument dispensers. The designation signifies the hearing health care provider attained a level of expertise surpassing the basic requirements for hearing instrument dispensing.

__LEWIS NAMED SENIOR OPERATIONS MANAGER AT SOUTHEAST__

Dennis Lewis joined SoutheastHEALTH as senior operations manager. He will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations of SoutheastHEALTH's physician practices outside the hospital. Lewis previously was business manager for Valley Hope Association in Boonville, Mo., a chemical dependency treatment facility. He also was affiliated with Heartland Lions Eye Banks as donor services manager and Timeline Recruiting as director of recruiting/senior search consultant, both in Columbia, Mo.

__DUNCAN GETS MARCH HONOR FROM LEET EYECARE__

Lindley Duncan was named the March Leet EyeCare Above and Beyond Award recipient. She is a clinical technician at the 3230 Blattner Drive location in Cape Girardeau.

__MCDANIEL JOINS SAINT FRANCIS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TEAM__

Karen McDaniel now is physician and business liaison of Saint Francis Medical Center's business development team. She will work with companies in the Poplar Bluff, Mo., area, educating them on the medical services the hospital offers. McDaniel has experience working in Poplar Bluff's health care field, from clinical support in respiratory therapy, home health and osteoporosis treatment to patient advocacy and physician administrative roles.

__SIKESTON PHYSICIAN RECEIVES AWARD__

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Dr. Steven Douglas II, a family practitioner at Ferguson Medical Group in Sikeston, was selected by the University of Missouri Curriculum Board as the recipient of this year's Outstanding Community Faculty Preceptor Award. He has served as a community preceptor for about 12 years with a program in which University of Missouri Medical School students can choose to do rotations in family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics in a rural setting.

__WOMEN FIRST PARTNERS WITH SOUTHEAST__

Women First, an established obstetrics and gynecology practice in Cape Girardeau, partnered with the Southeast Medical Group of SoutheastHEALTH, effective April 1. Joining the Southeast Medical Group from Women First are Dr. Eric Morton, Dr. Chris Rosenquist, Dr. Heather Cugini and family nurse practitioner Marianne Cook. Women First of SoutheastHEALTH will remain in its current location at 1111 N. Mount Auburn Road. The new affiliation brings the number of obstetrics/gynecology specialists in the Southeast Medical Group to six.

__SURGEON JOINS SAINT FRANCIS TRAUMA TEAM__

Saint Francis Medical Center added Dr. Richard H. Roettger as a medical partner and trauma surgeon at Cape Trauma Specialists. Roettger, who is board certified in general surgery, joins trauma surgeon Dr. Michael P. Heid at the Emergency and Trauma Center, the region's only state-designated Level III Trauma Center. Roettger's experience includes serving as chief of trauma/emergency surgery service at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center; medical director of the surgical intensive care and burn units at University of Louisville Hospital; and administrative chief of general surgery at Greenville Memorial Hospital, Greenville, S.C.