Health briefs

__SAINT FRANCIS TO EXPAND HEALING GARDEN__

The Saint Francis Medical Center Auxiliary gave $125,000 to Marilyn Curtis, vice president of professional services at the hospital, to be put toward the $150,000 cost of the new Healing Garden in development. The donation is the third installment of an $800,000 pledge over four years. Once expanded, the garden will present challenges patients will encounter as they return to everyday life, including curbs and inclines, grass, gravel and other unstable or uneven surfaces. The garden also will provide a therapeutic environment for patients and families.

ALLCOCK HONORED FOR PHARMACY EXCELLENCE

Nicole Allcock, director of pharmacy services for SoutheastHEALTH, was named a fellow by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. She is one of 32 pharmacists who will be honored in June for excellence in pharmacy practice. Members who achieve fellow status demonstrated sustained commitment or contribution to excellence in practice for at least 10 years, contributed to knowledge in the field, demonstrated active involvement and leadership in ASHP and other organizations, and have been involved in educating practitioners and others.

__WOOTEN HONORED BY LEET EYECARE__

Candi Wooten was named Leet EyeCare's Above and Beyond Award recipient for April. She is the clinical and contact lens manager at the 3230 Blattner Drive location in Cape Girardeau.

__CAMERON NAMED AUXILIAN OF THE YEAR__

Pat Cameron was named 2014 Auxilian of the Year at the annual Auxiliary and Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon April 22 at Saint Francis Medical Center. She began volunteering for the hospital 15 years ago and has logged more than 10,000 hours in the Cancer Institute, where she volunteers two days a week.

__GOLDEN LIVING CENTER HAS NEW DIRECTOR__

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Ben Anderson is the new administrator/executive director at Golden Living Center in Bloomfield. He has more than seven years of experience in long-term care.

__PEDIATRIC THERAPY CLINIC OPENS IN JACKSON__

Beginning Concepts, 1502 W. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson, celebrated its opening with a ribbon cutting May 2. The business offers pediatric therapy.

__SIKESTON HOSPITAL RANKS HIGH FOR INPATIENT REHAB__

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Missouri Delta Medical Center ranked in the top 10 percent of 774 inpatient rehabilitation facilities that qualified to be ranked in the IRF database of Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation in 2013, according to a news release from the hospital. The rankings were determined using UDSMR's program evaluation model, a case mix-adjusted 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. 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.

__SOUTHEAST HEALTH INTRODUCES NEW BOARD MEMBERS__

SoutheastHEALTH recognized several individuals and introduced the organization's new governance structure at a meeting May 20 at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus. Wayne Smith, SoutheastHEALTH president and CEO, said in a news release the new governance structure would allow the organization to provide depth of talent and leadership, as well as streamline decision making. The following is a listing of the new boards and members.

The SoutheastHEALTH System board of directors consists of John Thompson, chairman, president and bank director of The Bank of Missouri; Bob Neff, first vice chairman, dealer and general manager of Ford Groves in Cape Girardeau; Frank Kinder, second vice chairman, president and general manager of Red Letter Communications Inc.; Jay Knudtson, secretary/treasurer, executive vice president and board member of First Missouri State Bank; Albert M. Spradling III, immediate past chairman, a lawyer with Spradling & Spradling; Stanley Crader, president of Crader Distributing; Michael Kohlfeld, owner of Kohlfeld Distributing Co.; Charles Kruse, former president of the Missouri Farm Bureau; Christine Mackey-Ross, managing partner of the central region and leader of the physician/clinical integration practice at Witt/Kieffer Executive Search Firm in St. Louis; James A. Rust, owner of RM COCO; Burl Stamp, a Cape Girardeau native who founded Stamp & Chase, a health care-focused consulting firm in St. Louis; Allen Toole, previous president of Cape Electrical Supply and a consultant with Schaefer's Electrical Enclosures; and Wayne Smith, president and CEO, SoutheastHEALTH.

Members of the Southeast Hospital board of directors are Jerry Zimmer, chairman, president of Great Plains Media; Benjamin Lewis, first vice chairman, circuit court judge for the 32nd Judicial Circuit; Christopher Hutson, second vice chairman, co-owner of Hutson's Fine Furniture; Kevin Ford, secretary/treasurer and co-owner of Ford and Sons Funeral Home; James Dufek, professor of mass media at Southeast Missouri State University and coordinator of the TV and film option; Steve Green, president of US Bank in Cape Girardeau; John Grimm, a lawyer with the Limbaugh Law Firm; Michael Kohlfeld, co-owner of Kohlfeld Distributing Co.; Bob Neff, dealer and general manager of Ford Groves in Cape Girardeau; the Rev. Paul Short, past senior pastor of St. Andrew Lutheran Church; Albert M. Spradling III; John Ueleke, a Cape Girardeau native and founder of Legacy Wealth Management in Memphis, Tennessee.; and Wayne Smith.

Members of the SoutheastHEALTH Regional board of directors are Steve McPheeters, chairman, senior vice president for MRV Banks in Cape Girardeau; Clay Crosson, president and chief operating officer for Americare Senior Living in Sikeston, Missouri; Jay Knudtson; Greg Mathis, owner of Rainey-Mathis Funeral Homes in Dexter, Missouri, and Bernie, Missouri; Jack Norman, treasurer of the Dexter Community Regional Healthcare Foundation; Brian Robison, vice president of W.W. Wood Products in Dudley, Missouri; Lloyd Smith, a Missouri Republican Party leader for nearly three decades; John Thompson; and Wayne Smith.

Guests at the event also learned of a new organization, the SoutheastHEALTH Ambassadors. The group will serve as an extension of the SoutheastHEALTH Foundation and will help support SoutheastHEALTH community activities, as well as assisting in the philanthropic efforts of the foundation.

__DIRECT ACCESS CLINIC OPENS IN P.B.__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting May 5 for Direct Access Family Care, 4801 West Blvd. in Poplar Bluff. It is the first direct primary care practice to serve the Poplar Bluff area. It offers a membership-based "medical home" approach to health care for families, individuals and businesses that makes health care affordable by eliminating the costs of insurance and government bureaucracies, according to a news release. Dr. Michael Stevenson, a board certified family practice physician, operates the practice along with his wife, Rhonda, who holds a bachelor's degree in office administrative education and a master's of accountancy.

__CROWLEY RIDGE ADDS TWO ADMINISTRATORS__

DEXTER, Mo. -- Bob Thrower is the new administrator at Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter, effective April 15. Thrower, a Dexter native, served as a nursing home surveyor for the State of Missouri after retiring from the U.S. Army in 2008. Brittney Moore of Fisk, Missouri, is the new director of nursing at the center. Moore, a Poplar Bluff, Missouri, native, previously worked as director of nursing at the Mark Twain Caring Center in Poplar Bluff.

__GENESIS HOME CARE OPENS KENNETT OFFICE__

KENNETT, Mo. -- Genesis Home Care opened a new location at 1130 Independence St. in Kennett, the Daily Dunklin Democrat reported. The in-home care business has operated for 13 years and has 14 offices throughout Southeast Missouri. Bonnie Barnes is the supervisor at the Kennett office. A grand opening was held April 25.

__VA PRESENTS AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE TO NURSES__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Cheryl Allen, Brenda O'Connor and Lisa Hackworth received the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center's Excellence in Nursing awards, according to a news release from the medical center. The awards were given at the end of National Nurses Week, May 6 to 12. Allen is a family nurse practitioner in her 27th year of service with the VA. She works in the compensation and pension department and is a retired lieutenant colonel from the Army Reserves. O'Connor is a registered nurse and has been with the VA for more than 30 years. She is the facility subject matter expert regarding dermatology and serves as the lead in the interdisciplinary diabetic education team. Hackworth is a licensed practical nurse who has been with the medical center for nearly 10 years. She works on the acute care floor. Additional nominees recognized for their nursing skills and dedication were Melenie Meyers and Bailey Wells.

__BJELICH RECEIVES LEADERSHIP AWARD__

Saint Francis Medical Center president and CEO Steve Bjelich was named one of 25 health care leaders to receive a 2014 Leadership Award from Becker's Hospital Review. Other recipients of the national award include Dr. Toby Cosgrove, president and CEO of the Cleveland Clinic; Dr. John Noseworthy, president and CEO of the Mayo Clinic; and Richard Bracken, chairman of the Hospital Corporation of America.

__MID AMERICA REHAB MARKS 20 YEARS__

Mid America Rehab is celebrating its 20th anniversary of serving Southeast Missouri. Mid America Rehab was founded in 1994 and has locations in Cape Girardeau, Perryville and Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. Services include industrial and extended care rehab, hand, physical, occupational and aquatics therapy, sports medicine and pediatric therapy.

__ARCPOINT LABS PARTNERS WITH ESCREEN INC.__

Arcpoint Labs in Jackson, a provider of drug, alcohol, paternity and wellness lab services, entered a partnership with eScreen Inc., which provides workplace drug screening technology, paperless testing protocol and employee health services, to become a partner in the eScreen Occupational Health Network.

__STE. GENEVIEVE HOSPITAL RANKED ONE OF BEST PLACES TO WORK__

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital was listed in the 2014 edition of "The 150 Great Places to Work in Healthcare," released by Becker's Healthcare. The list features provider organizations, including hospitals, health systems and ambulatory surgery centers, as well as non-provider organizations like electronic health record providers, information technology vendors and others.

__WALLEN NAMED ASSISTED LIVING DIRECTOR__

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Kaye Wallen joined Farmington Presbyterian Manor as assisted living director. She recently completed a bachelor of science in nursing. She previously worked for Presbyterian Manor from 1989 to 1998, where she started as a certified nurse aid and certified medication tech and later a licensed practical nurse. Most recently, she worked as a nurse coordinator for a palliative care program for more than 15 years.

__GUIDOS RETIRES FROM REGIONAL BRAIN & SPINE__

Dr. Annamaria Guidos of Regional Brain & Spine in Cape Girardeau will retire from practice on June 20. Patients may continue their care with Regional Brain & Spine specialists Dr. Terry Cleaver and Dr. Christopher Reis. Medical records for Guidos' patients will be retained at the practice to ensure continuity of care, but records can be released with written patient authorization.

__PHYSICAL THERAPY BUSINESS CUTS RIBBON__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting May 22 for Integrated Physical Therapy, 2166 N. Westwood Blvd. in Poplar Bluff. Grant Collins owns the new business.

__TIPPEN HONORED FOR SERVICE__

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Barbara Tippen, business office manager at Golden Living Center in Bloomfield, received a service award for her 25 years with the business.

__ADVANCED ORTHOPEDIC SPECIALISTS MARKS 80 YEARS__

Advanced Orthopedic Specialists, 48 Doctors' Park in Cape Girardeau, is celebrating its 80th anniversary. The orthopedic and sports medicine provider offers specialized bone, joint and muscle care.

__GIVENS COMPLETES DOT TRAINING__

Dr. Michael Givens completed a course to qualify as a trainer for U.S. Department of Transportation drug testing collectors, in accordance with DOT requirements. The course is designed for the DOT drug testing program, and the curriculum is designed for all industrial, workplace and maritime testing scenarios.

__HOMAN DELIVERS MURRAY LECTURE__

Tammy Homan, imaging director at SoutheastHEALTH, delivered the 28th annual Ulysses D. Murray Memorial Lecture before the Missouri Society of Radiologic Technologists in Columbia, Missouri. The prestigious lecture series honors the late Ulysses D. Murray, a longtime MoSRT member and past president who took an active role in the organization for more than a quarter century, according to a news release from SoutheastHEALTH. Homan's address, "Leaders Taking Their Team in a New Direction," focused on encouraging a culture that encourages proactive decision-making, accountability and fresh thinking.

__MINERAL AREA HOSPITAL RECEIVES 'A' FOR SAFETY__

PARK HILLS, Mo. -- Mineral Area Regional Medical Center was again honored with an "A" grade in the Spring 2014 update to the Hospital Safety Score, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from accidents, errors, injuries and infections, the Park Hills Daily Journal reported. The Hospital Safety Score is compiled under the guidance of the nation's leading experts on patient safety and is administered by The Leapfrog Group, an independent industry watchdog.