Health news

WEEMS RETURNS TO RIPLEY COUNTY

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Dave D. Weems, D.O., joined the staff at Ripley County Memorial Hospital and Ripley County Family Clinic. He began practice at the clinic Nov. 9. Weems previously practiced at the clinic in 2008, before moving to Arkansas, and has just returned to Doniphan.

MDMC TO BUILD CHARLESTON CLINIC

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Missouri Delta Medical Center will build a $1.4 million medical clinic in Charleston. The facility, which will be approximately 6,383 square feet, will house MDMC's Rural Health Clinic and ReStart Rehabilitation Center, according to Jason Schrumpf, vice president of professional services. He said MDMC had outgrown existing facilities and confirmed that along with other health care providers in Charleston, "there will be a full-time physician there." The center will be located on a three-acre lot on the south side of East Marshall.

OBERMARK OPENS NEW OFFICE

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting Nov. 12 to open Dr. Daniel Obermark's new practice, 1250 N. Main St. The eyecare specialist moved to the more spacious location Oct. 1; it includes a large waiting area, three treatment rooms, a large optical showroom and an area for contact lens treatments.

COUNTY HONORS BEAL-RICHARDS

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Butler County Health Department named Carol Beal-Richards Homemaker of the Month for November. She has worked for the department for 12 years, currently serving in In-Home Services.

URGENT CARE HOLDS RIBBON CUTTING

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting to open an Urgent Care facility, 221 Physicians Park Drive.

MCSPADDEN JOINS P.B. HOSPITAL

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Farrah McSpadden, MD, joined the obstetrics and gynecology team at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She practices obstetrics and is trained to perform minimally invasive surgery, including laprascopic hysterectomies, essure sterilizations and suburethral slings for stress incontinence.

SOUTHEAST HONORED FOR EXCELLENCE

Southeast Missouri Hospital received statewide recognition for its marketing and public relations project titled "Consult: A Journal for Medical Professionals." The hospital produced the project this year to communicate with physicians and other health care professionals in the region. The Show-Me Excellence Awards, presented annually by the Missouri Association for Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing, recognize high achievement and superb quality in advertising, marketing and public relations projects produced by hospitals and health care systems throughout the state. Awards were presented at the Missouri Hospital Association's 87th Annual Convention and Trade Show in November. In addition to a first place award for Consult magazine, Southeast won first in television advertising (greater than $15,000) which promoted its vascular services; second for a Healthier Look print ad, a neurosciences television spot and a special marketing project promoting the Wellness Connection; and third for its promotion of the "Pink Parade" and its direct mail piece on "Rounding up the World's Best Volunteers."

DAVIS JOINS MID SOUTH

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Damon Davis is a new adult health clinical nurse specialist at Mid South Health Clinic. He has 11 years of experience as an RN, including intensive care, and specializes in adult care.

AUXILIARIES HONORED FOR SERVICE

DEXTER, Mo. -- The Hospital Auxiliary of Dexter was among four auxiliaries honored by the Missouri Association of Hospital Auxiliaries for outstanding volunteer services to the health community. Recipients of the 2009 Auxiliary of the Year awards include Cox Monett Hospital Auxiliary, Missouri Southern Healthcare Auxiliary, Friends of SSM St. Joseph Auxiliary and Heartland Regional Medical Center Auxiliary. They were recognized for service between June 1, 2008, and May 31, 2009. Awards were presented Nov. 5 during the Missouri Hospital Association's 87th Annual Convention and Trade Show in Osage Beach, Mo.

ANTHONY EARNS MONTHLY HONOR

SENATH, Mo. -- Chaintel Anthony was employee of the month for November at Heritage Gardens of Senath. She has been a CNA at the nursing home for almost two years.

CATO RECEIVES ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Truman Cato of Advance, Mo., received the Missouri Primary Care Association's Samuel U. Rodgers Achievement Award at the MPCA 25th anniversary celebration Oct. 17 in St. Louis. Cato received the award in recognition of his service in support of Cross Trails Medical Center's mission. He was active in the center's formation and has served on the board of directors since its inception in 1995.

SHA ORTHODONTICS OPENS IN P.B.

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting to open Sha Orthodontics, 2957 Kanell Blvd. The owner is Seanica Howe.

ZIOMEK NAMED ACS FELLOW

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Stanley Ziomek, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, was inducted to the American College of Surgeons during an Oct. 11 ceremony in Chicago. To become a member, Ziomek passed an evaluation of his education and training, professional qualifications, surgical competence and ethical conduct. He also passed evaluations that found him consistent with standards established and demanded by the college.

SAINT FRANCIS RANKED ONE OF BEST PLACES TO WORK

Saint Francis Medical Center is ranked No. 18 on Modern Healthcare magazine's 2009 list of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare. The hospital was No. 4 on Modern Healthcare's inaugural list in 2008. As part of the selection process, information was collected from Saint Francis including details on company policies, practices, benefits and demographics. Employees answered questions focused on eight core topics: leadership and planning, culture and communications, role satisfaction, working environment, relationship with supervisor, training and development, pay and benefits, and overall satisfaction.

DEXTER DOCTOR EARNS SERVICE AWARD

DEXTER, Mo. -- Dr. Alan Chen, who has practiced medicine in Dexter for the past 20 years, received the Lt. Governor's Senior Service Award. Lt. Governor Peter D. Kinder presented the award. The state, through the Area Agency on Aging, is divided into 10 regions, including the Southeast Region. One senior in each region is selected biannually from nominations to be a Senior Service Award recipient. Rep. Billy Pat Wright nominated Chen, citing his devotion to promoting higher education for Missouri teens and for serving in a number of volunteer capacities. Chen received a Senior Service Award lapel pin and will be recognized along with other state recipients at a May ceremony in Jefferson City.

FRIENDS GIVE $122,000 CHECK TO SAINT FRANCIS

The Friends of Saint Francis presented Saint Francis Medical Center with a $122,000 check during The Friends' annual banquet Oct. 28. Wayne Smith, vice president of development and administrative services, accepted the donation from Susan Vickery, president of The Friends board of directors. Of the funds raised, $25,000 will be used for construction of the Pediatric Rooftop Garden to be built outside the Children's Center. The other portion, $97,000, will benefit the construction and equipment for the Heart Hospital and Cancer Institute.

In addition to the check presentation, The Friends honored its 24th Honorary Lifetime Member, Mary Spell, who has been involved at Saint Francis as both an employee and member of the Saint Francis Auxiliary. Vickery was honored by the hospital for serving two consecutive terms as president of The Friends of Saint Francis. The foundation named Lisa Newcomer, Friends board member and director of the Sleep Disorders Center and Home Medical Services at Saint Francis, Rookie of the Year.

PREMIER REHAB RELOCATES

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for Premier Rehab, which moved from 2917 Independence St. in Cape Girardeau to 1403 N. Mount Auburn Road. The move expanded its space from 1,500 square feet to 4,000 square feet and includes a pool for aquatic therapy.

KINDER VOLUNTEERS FOR VETERANS PROGRAM

Mark H. Kinder, PhD, health psychologist at Saint Francis Medical Center, has volunteered his mental health services to service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan deployments through the Give an Hour program. Give an Hour is a national nonprofit organization established to help members of the military and their families transition from the stress of war to returning home. The organization asks mental health professionals to donate one hour of their services a week to veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety.

MIDWEST MEDICAL HOLDS GRAND OPENING

PARK HILLS, Mo. -- A grand opening and ribbon cutting were held Sept. 24 at Midwest Medical Plaza on West Pine Street in Farmington, Mo. The plaza houses Midwest Convenient Care, New Image Aesthetics Laser and Medical Spa, Midwest Cardiovascular with Antoine Adem, MD, FACC and Andre Bouhasin, MD, and Farmington Ear, Nose and Throat with Justin Roberts, DO.

CORZINE EARNS TRANSPORT CERTIFICATION

Marie Corzine, MSN, NNP-BC, C-NPT, neonatal nurse practitioner and member of the neonatal transport team at Saint Francis Medical Center, received her certificate of Added Qualification in Neonatal Pediatric Transport through the National Certification Corporation. The certification is open to any nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, respiratory therapist, physician assistant or paramedic who participates in neonatal or pediatric transports and meets eligibility criteria.

HOSPITAL UNVEILS NEW ENTRANCE

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- Over 100 residents attended the unveiling of Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital's new front entrance Nov. 15. "This renovation has transformed us from a 1969 facility to a new and modern exterior, new lobby, gift shop, comfortable waiting room and private admitting areas," said hospital CEO Tom Keim.

SAINT FRANCIS GRANTED CERTIFICATE OF NEED

Saint Francis Medical Center's Neurosciences Institute received approval from the Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee to build a hybrid surgical suite for endovascular neurosurgery. Louis P. Caragine Jr., MD, PhD, vascular and endovascular neurosurgeon with Cape Cerebrovascular & Endovascular Neurosurgery, will use the suite to perform endovascular neurosurgery, minimally invasive on the brain through a catheter in the groin. Caragine is the only endovascular neurosurgeon in the region, and the hybrid suite will be the first of its kind between St. Louis and Memphis. Already under construction at Saint Francis, the suite will be complete in 2011 and will offer three-dimensional angiography, computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging guidance. It will accommodate open aneurysm operations, arteriovenous malformation repair, brain abnormalities, angioplasty or stent replacement, tumor embolization, and presurgical cerebrospinal angiography.

SAINT FRANCIS RECEIVES SMOKING-CESSATION GRANT

A grant from the Missouri Foundation for Heath will allow Saint Francis Medical Center to take some of the financial burden off companies and employees to increase employee wellness offerings through smoking-cessation classes. With funds from the grant, Saint Francis staff members conduct smoking-cessation classes at worksites for a minimal fee; employees pay only $50 for a lung screening, classes and $300 worth of nicotine replacement therapy. Saint Francis initially received the grant for two years, from 2007 to 2009, and more than 20 companies were able to use funds during that time. The Missouri Foundation for Health renewed the grant for another year.

VA TO OPEN SIKESTON CLINIC

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Veterans Health Administration office in Poplar Bluff, Mo., will open a community-based outpatient clinic just after the first of the year. It will be located in a space previously occupied by the SEMO Health Network, 903 S. Kingshighway in Sikeston, according to Chuck Hayden, public affairs officer for the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He said the 9,000-square-foot building has been renovated and will be VA-owned and operated. It will provide primary care, mental health care and limited specialties, including a hearing specialist. The facility's 11 staff members will all be VA personnel, Hayden said. The goal is to enroll 1,800 veterans during the first year of operation.

REHAB CENTER TO OPEN IN SCOTT CITY

Health Facilities Rehabilitation Services will open a center in Scott City. The Sikeston, Mo.,-based medical provider will open a facility in the Scott City Plaza, 2112 Main St., according to Tom Kelsey, a broker with Lorimont Place Ltd. who handled the transaction. Kelsey said the 1,600-square-foot space is undergoing remodeling for the new business, which plans to open in early December. The new site will serve residents in northern Scott County, Scott City, Chaffee, Mo., and surrounding areas.

KINDER APPOINTED TO SOUTHEAST TRUSTEES

Frank Kinder, president and general manager of Red Letter Communications, was appointed to the Southeast Missouri Hospital Board of Trustees. He fills a position vacated by James P. Limbaugh, who resigned to become executive vice president of planning and business development with the hospital.

SAINT FRANCIS EARNS TOP HONORS FOR MARKETING

Saint Francis Medical Center received 12 Show-Me Excellence awards, including three first-place awards, for excellence in health care marketing from the Missouri Association for Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing. The statewide honor recognizes institutions' efforts to educate and inform the community about health-related issues and services. Awards also acknowledge superb quality in advertising, marketing and public relations projects produced by hospitals and health care systems. The Missouri Hospital Association announced the awards at its 87th Annual Convention and Trade Show.

The awards Saint Francis earned include first place for Advertising -- Outdoor category: Family BirthPlace LED Baby Outdoor, Employee Communications category: Employee Flu Shot Campaign and Video category: Annual Report DVD 2008; second-place awards for Advertising -- Radio category: "January Campaign" Heart Institute 2009, Advertising -- Print category: Cape Physician Associates Launch, Cooperative Partnerships category: Heart to Heart Luncheon, Direct Mail category: AAA Screening direct mail, New Media/Web Sites category: Physician Recruitment DVD, and Writing -- Physician/Employee Audience category: "Reaching the American Dream" PowerLine article; and third-place awards for Internal Publications/Routine -- Printed category: PowerLine Employee Newsletter and Video category: Surgical Site-marking Communications.

EMPLOYEES RECOGNIZED FOR SERVICE

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Several employees were recognized Nov. 19 for years of service at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center. Those honored were Janice Vernon, 40 years of service and Certified Mentor; Vern Wolverton, 35 years; and Yvonne Renfroe, 30 years.