Health briefs

__CAPE MEDICAL WEIGHT LOSS UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP__

Cape Medical Weight Loss and Family Practice, 2132 William St. in Cape Girardeau, changed ownership. Debbie Evans is the new owner.

__ROCKWELL DENTAL CUTS RIBBON__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce and Dr. Stuart Rockwell held a ribbon cutting for Rockwell Dental, 1125 Herschel Bess Blvd., Suite 2.

__SAINT FRANCIS EMERGENCY, TRAUMA CENTER REACCREDITED__

Saint Francis Medical Center has been reaccredited as a Level III Trauma Center by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' Unit of Emergency Medical Services. Trauma centers are hospitals with resources immediately available to provide efficient nursing and medical care as well as surgical intervention to reduce the likelihood of death or permanent disability, according to a news release from Saint Francis. "All accredited trauma centers must meet a stringent set of requirements, which are re-evaluated every five years," says Robert Grayhek, director of patient logistics and trauma services at the hospital. "The accreditation process examines regulatory compliance within the categories of quality, education, systems, personnel and facilities and involves both substantial documentation and an on-site review."

__SAINT FRANCIS' BJELICH NAMED 'CEO TO KNOW'__

Steven C. Bjelich, Saint Francis Healthcare System president and chief executive officer, was named to a list of 130 not-for-profit hospital and health system CEOs to know by Becker's Hospital Review, released Nov. 20. According to Becker's, those on the list lead some of the largest and most prominent hospitals and health systems in the nation. They were selected based on their experience, professional achievement and involvement in their communities. Bjelich has led Saint Francis Healthcare System since 1999. He has 38 years of extensive health care experience at the senior management level, serving in executive positions at hospitals and health care systems in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and California.

__VA HOSPITAL TO RENOVATE, EXPAND IN POPLAR BLUFF__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Plans for more than $50 million in new construction for the Poplar Bluff VA hospital facilities were highlighted during a town-hall meeting in early November, where veterans shared concerns over wait times. John J. Pershing VA Medical Center will spend about $15 million to add an urgent care and dental clinic to the south side of the main campus, hospital officials said. This is the first project to increase clinical square footage since the hospital opened in 1951, director Marj Hedstrom said during the event. About $35 million also will be spent to create a 43,000-square-foot clinic in Cape Girardeau. The Poplar Bluff campus has difficulty recruiting specialists because of its rural location, she said, and this move is expected to help with those issues. The main campus projects will take place between summer 2015 and 2017, said James Todd, chief of facility management services. The Poplar Bluff facility has only three entrances, he said. Work needs to be done before summer to make the main entrance more accessible, Todd said.

__PERRY COUNTY HOSPITAL WORKERS BEGIN TRAINING IN LONDON__

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Janice Lundy and Debbie Hayden of Perry County Memorial Hospital traveled to London recently for cognitive stimulation therapy training with Dr. Aimee Spector. CST is an evidence-based brief treatment for individuals with mild to moderate dementia, according to a news release from the hospital. CST was developed by a group of dementia experts, led by clinical psychologist Dr. Aimee Spector, out of the University College London. In addition to CST training, Lundy and Hayden underwent an interview and credentialing application process for CST International Trainer's Credentialing. They have officially been accepted as National CST Trainers for the United States. Currently, other than Lundy and Hayden, there is only one credentialed trainer in the United States. Perry County Memorial Hospital is preparing to sign a contract with UCL for Lundy and Hayden to begin professional training sometime early next year. Lundy and Hayden have been offering cognitive stimulation therapy at the hospital since January 2014.

__SOUTHEAST VP LIMBAUGH LEAVES ORGANIZATION__

SoutheastHEALTH confirmed Nov. 12 that Jim Limbaugh, who was executive vice president of planning and business development, is no longer with the organization. Limbaugh was hired for the position in 2009 after serving as chairman of the hospital's board and a long career in banking. The circumstances surrounding his departure from SoutheastHEALTH remain unrevealed. Shauna Hoffman, director of marketing for SoutheastHEALTH, said by email the organization's human resources policies "do not allow us the liberty to comment any further regarding his status and related information," in reply to an inquiry from the Southeast Missourian.

__MOORE SLATED TO LEAVE SOUTHEAST HEALTH__

SoutheastHEALTH on Nov. 14 announced the retirement of its chief operating officer, Sly Moore. Moore is the fifth member of SoutheastHEALTH's senior management team to leave through retirement or other circumstances since April. Her last day at the organization was Nov. 30, though she will be available for consultation through Jan. 10, according to a news release from the hospital. Moore began in the position when it was created during a reorganization of executive roles for SoutheastHEALTH in 2010, according to Southeast Missourian archives.

__UNTERREINER HONORED BY MARCH OF DIMES__

Jane Unterreiner, nurse navigator for Women's and Children's Services at SoutheastHEALTH, received the Devoted Efforts Award from the Southeast Missouri Division of the March of Dimes. She was presented with the award "for her big heart, her generosity and her devoted efforts" to the organization, said Beth Simmons, division director for the March of Dimes, in a news release from SoutheastHEALTH.

__TWIN RIVERS MEDICAL NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED__

KENNETT, Mo. -- Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center was named a 2013 Top Performer on Key Quality Measures by The Joint Commission, the nation's leading accreditor of health care organizations, according to a news release. The honor recognizes hospitals that excel at meeting the commission's measurements for patient care. This is the second time Twin Rivers has earned the designation. Top Performers are recognized each year for improving performance on evidence-based interventions that increase the chances of healthy outcomes for patients with certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, children's asthma, stroke, venous thromboembolism, perinatal care, inpatient psychiatric services and immunizations. Twin Rivers was recognized for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance in the categories of pneumonia and surgical care.

__MISSOURI DELTA NAMED TOP PERFORMER__

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Missouri Delta Medical Center was recognized as a 2013 Top Performer on Key Quality Measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in the United States, according to a news release from the hospital. Missouri Delta Medical Center was recognized as part of The Joint Commission's 2014 annual report "America's Hospitals: Improving Quality and Safety," for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance for pneumonia, heart failure and surgical care. The Top Performer program recognizes hospitals for improving performance on evidence-based interventions that increase the chances of healthy outcomes for patients with certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, children's asthma, stroke, venous thromboembolism and perinatal care, as well as for inpatient psychiatric services and immunizations.

__SAINT FRANCIS ADDS VASCULAR SURGEON TO STAFF__

Saint Francis Medical Center added Dr. Marshall S. Grillo Jr. as a new medical partner and vascular surgeon at Cape Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery. He will also perform vascular and endovascular procedures at Saint Francis' Heart Hospital. Grillo, a Michigan native, earned his medical degree from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri, and completed his general surgeries at Garden City Osteopathic Hospital in Garden City, Michigan, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, New Jersey. He fulfilled his fellowship in vascular surgery at the Osteopathic Medical Center of Texas Department of Surgery in Fort Worth.

__BOOTHEEL COUNSELING HONORS EMPLOYEES__

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Tabatha Shankle and Melissa Rhodes were employees of the month for September at Bootheel Counseling Services and Family Medical Clinic. Shankle has been with the agency for five years and is the children's CSP supervisor. Rhodes is the family nurse practitioner in the medical clinic and has been with the agency for two years.

__SERENITY HOSPICE MARKS 25 YEARS__

PARK HILLS, Mo. -- Serenity HospiceCare recently celebrated 25 years of providing end-of-life care to patients and their families. Shelley Layton is executive director of the not-for-profit organization, which has served approximately 50,000 families since its establishment in 1989.

__SOUTHEAST HOSPICE, PERRY COUNTY HOSPITAL ENTER PARTNERSHIP__

Southeast Hospice has a new partnership with Perry County Memorial Hospital in Perryville, Missouri, according to a news release from Southeast. The partnership is designed to enhance the quality of hospice services for terminally ill patients in the region, the release said.