Health briefs

__AMERICAN HOME PATIENT CUTS RIBBON__

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- American HomePatient held a ribbon cutting Jan. 16. The home health-care service and product company opened an office at 817 N. Kingshighway in Perryville.

__NICHOLS HIRED AS INFORMATION OFFICER__

Mike Nichols was hired as the new chief information officer for SoutheastHEALTH. He is originally from Missouri and holds a master's degree in computer resources and information systems management from Webster University, according to a news release from Southeast. He also is a certified professional in health information technology and a certified information systems security professional. Before joining SoutheastHEALTH, Nichols spent nine years as chief information officer for Masonicare Health System in Connecticut. He has more than 20 years of technology experience, according to the release, and at SoutheastHEALTH will lead project management of technology initiatives.

__DIEMER NAMED VP OF QUALITY AT SAINT FRANCIS__

Saint Francis Medical Center added Dr. Thomas S. Diemer to the executive team in the newly created role of vice president of quality. Diemer will be responsible for case management, home health, hospice, palliative care, quality improvement, social service and other follow-up health care-related services. Diemer left private practice after 17 years as an internist in the Cape Girardeau community to join the medical center in September 2008 as Saint Francis' medical director. He is board certified through the American Board of Internal Medicine.

__PEDIATRICIAN OLSON JOINS SAINT FRANCIS__

Saint Francis Medical Center added pediatrician Dr. Gary S. Olson as a new medical partner. His existing practice, Olson Pediatrics, joined the medical center as Cape Pediatric Group. Olson has cared for young patients in area communities since 1980, practicing in Cape Girardeau for more than 20 years. He earned his medical degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine in Madison, Wisconsin. He completed both his internship and pediatrics residency at Phoenix Hospital in Phoenix. Certified in pediatrics, Olson is chairman of pediatrics at Saint Francis Medical Center.

__NEW ONLINE MEDICAL COMPANY SET TO OPEN__

Purchase Clinic, which offers discounted medical supplies, equipment and other services for health-care facilities such as doctor's offices, clinics and home care providers, is opening an office inside the former federal building at 339 Broadway in Cape Girardeau. The company, which provides an online contract marketplace, according to a news release, will hire at least 12 people initially and another 12 within the year to become a central office.

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__COUNSELING CENTER ADDS THREE TO BOARD__

Community Counseling Center, a not-for-profit behavioral health and prevention organization in Cape Girardeau, added Eric Nation, Joleta Ludwig and Cheryl Ziegler to the center's foundation board of directors. Nation is a document solutions specialist for NovaCopy with seven years of business to business experience, 13 years of management experience and three years as a small-business owner. Ludwig has been in the banking industry for nine years, currently as a personal banker with Montgomery Bank in Cape Girardeau. She also is a freelance makeup artist. Ziegler has worked in banking since 1980 and has been at The Bank of Missouri for five years as vice president/senior mortgage loan originator.

__POPLAR BLUFF NURSE RECEIVES STATE AWARD__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Helen Smith, nurse manager of outpatient services and interim manager of the surgical floor at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, was selected as the Missouri Organization of Nurse Leaders 2014 Rookie Leader of the Year. The award was presented Nov. 6 at the Missouri Hospital Association's 92nd annual convention and trade show in Osage Beach, Missouri. The award was established this year as a way to recognize a MONL member who is a new nurse leader and exemplifies numerous leadership qualities.

__O'HARA JOINS CROSS TRAILS__

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PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Dr. Patrick O'Hara joined Cross Trails Medical Center in Perryville. He is a board-certified family medicine physician who received his medical degree from St. Louis University School of Medicine and completed his family practice residency program at Baptist Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

__TWIN RIVERS HONORS EMPLOYEES__

KENNETT, Mo. -- Ruth McCallister was employee of the month for December at Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center. She has been a patient access associate at the hospital for more than six years. Angel Pritchett was honored as nurse of the month.

__BRECKENRIDGE JOINS STE. GENEVIEVE HOSPITAL__

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital added Dr. Angela Breckenridge to its Women's Wellness Services practice. Breckenridge previously practiced obstetrics and gynecology for 19 years in West Bend, Wisconsin. She completed her OB/GYN residency at Michigan State University Consortium for Osteopathic Graduate Medical Education Training and Metropolitan Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

__MEDICAL SUPPLY OFFICE OPENS IN CAPE__

Alpha 3 Medical Equipment opened at 3065 William St., Suite 207, in Cape Girardeau. The company offers durable medical equipment and medical supplies, according to a news release from Tom Kelsey of Lorimont Place, the commercial broker who handled the lease transaction for the company's location. Alpha 3 has other locations in Southern Illinois it has operated for more than 10 years. This is its first location in Southeast Missouri.