Health briefs

__LUTHERAN HOME EARNS 4-STAR RATING__

The Lutheran Home of Cape Girardeau was recognized with an overall 4-Star Rating by the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid, according to a news release. The Centers for Medicare/Medicaid rates nursing homes on three categories: results from on-site inspections by trained surveyors, performance on quality measures and levels of staffing, the release stated.

__RAMSEY ADDED TO COUNSELING CENTER BOARD__

The Community Counseling Center governing board of directors elected David W. Ramsey of Perryville, Missouri, as a new board member representing Perry County. He was chosen to serve on the Policy Committee. Until his retirement in 2015, Ramsey was employed as a high school educator in the Perry County School District from 1977 to 2004 and as a college educator at Mineral Area College from 1995 to 2015. In 1999, he and his wife became co-owners of the Ponderosa Steakhouse in Perryville.

__CLEAVER TO RETIRE FROM REGIONAL BRAIN & SPINE__

Cutline:Dr. Sisira Yadala

Dr. Terry Cleaver of Regional Brain & Spine in Cape Girardeau announced his retirement effective Jan. 1. Patients will continue to be able to receive pain-management care from Dr. Christopher Reis, Kristi Skinner and Stephanie Riley, according to a news release from Regional Brain & Spine.

__TEAM FROM SOUTHEAST PARTICIPATES IN EMERGENCY TRAINING__

In October, emergency response leaders from SoutheastHEALTH joined more than 110 hospital preparedness professionals from throughout Missouri in a weeklong intensive training program at the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Alabama. The attendees participated in one of three core programs: Healthcare Leadership for Mass Casualty Incidents, Hospital Emergency Response Training for Mass Casualty Incidents and Emergency Medical Operations for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Incidents. Attending from Southeast were Blaine Gotto, environmental safety specialist; Lori Merritt, nurse manager, emergency services; and Charles Wilson, security IT tech. Training took place at the Noble Training Facility in Anniston.

__WILLIAMS TAKES OVER CEO ROLE AT SOUTHEAST IN DEXTER__

DEXTER, Mo. -- Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County announced Nov. 13 a change in its executive leadership with the resignation of Adam Bracks as CEO, and the appointment of Sue Ann Williams to CEO, effective immediately. Williams brings more than 25 years of relevant industry experience to her new role. She recently served as assistant administrator for the health center and clinic administrator for Missouri Southern Healthcare Clinics in Dexter.

__NOSAKA NAMED OPTOMETRIST OF THE YEAR__

MALDEN, Mo. -- Dr. Douglas P. Nosaka of SEMO Vision Care in Malden was named 2015 Young Optometrist of the Year by the Missouri Optometric Association. He was nominated by fellow optometrist James Hunt of Doniphan, Missouri. Nasaka is a member of the Lions Club of Malden and is an advocate for children's eyecare, providing annual eye and vision screenings to area schools.

__HEALTH DEPT. SHUTTING DOWN IN-HOME CARE__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Butler County Health Department announced in early November that it will shut down its in-home services program after more than 30 years of operation, the Daily American Republic reported. The division includes approximately 75 workers and 200 clients in Butler, Ripley, Wayne, Carter, Reynolds and Iron counties, said health department administrator Robert Hudson. Services are scheduled to end no later than March 31. Clients will be provided with a list of the nearly 50 other area providers of in-home services, Hudson said. The move will allow the health department to focus more on core public health needs, such as teen pregnancy, flu epidemics, emergency preparation, clinic services and other programs, according to the department's governing board. The board, which is elected by Butler County residents, voted 3-2 on Nov. 3 to end the program.

__SIKESTON HOSPITAL EARNS 'TOP PERFORMER' RECOGNITION__

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Missouri Delta Medical Center was recognized as a 2014 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 was recognized as part of The Joint Commission's 2015 annual report "America's Hospitals: Improving Quality and Safety," for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance for pneumonia, heart failure, surgical care, venous thromboembolism and immunizations, the release stated. Missouri Delta is one of only 1,043 hospitals out of more than 3,300 eligible hospitals in the United States to achieve the 2014 Top Performer distinction. This is the second consecutive year the Sikeston hospital has been recognized as a Top Performer.

__SAINT FRANCIS ADDS NEUROLGIST TO MEDICAL PARTNERS__

Saint Francis Medical Center added board-certified neurologist Dr. Sisira Yadala as a new Saint Francis Medical Partner. She joins fellow neurologist Dr. Andrew Godbey at Cape Neurology Specialists, 3004 Gordonville Road in Cape Girardeau. Yadala earned her medical and surgical degrees from Osmania Medical College in Koti, Hyderabad, India, and finished her preliminary internal medicine residency at Westlake Hospital, Resurrection Health Care, in Melrose Park, Illinois. She later completed her neurology residency at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, and her clinical neurophysiology/epilepsy fellowship at New York University in New York City. Her clinical interests include the diagnosis and management of a wide range of epilepsy syndromes, setting up an Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, the identification and pre-surgical evaluation of patients amenable to epilepsy surgery, and streamlining systems of care to improve outcomes in stroke patients.

__MID AMERICA REHAB OPENS IN ALTENBURG__

ALTENBURG, Mo. -- Mid America Rehab opened the Altenburg Physical Therapy Clinic and 24-Hour Fitness Center in late September at 376 Maple St. in Altenburg. The center also is a division of Perry County Memorial Hospital Therapy Services. Staff includes physical therapist Mark Mattingly, physical therapy assistant Kristen Thieret and office manager Sandy Roth, according to the Republic-Monitor.