SOUTHEAST HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION HOLDS DINNER

Recognition of more than four decades of individual service to Southeast Missouri Hospital, a progress report of the past year at Southeast, an update on health care reform in Missouri and a salute to the 10th anniversary of the Regional Heart Center highlighted the annual dinner meeting April 28 of the Southeast Missouri Hospital Association.

Held at the Show Me Center, the dinner attracted 900 association members and guests. Built this year around the theme "Hats off for helping us grow," the dinner was also a salute to completion of three levels of the hospital's $19 million Clinical Services Building.

Honored for 41 years of service to Southeast was John L. Blue, retired editor of the Southeast Missourian and a longtime civic leader.

In presenting the award, Board of Trustees President Charles L. Hutson said that when Blue first affiliated with Southeast by joining the association in 1953, he was one of only 81 members. During his years as an association member, Blue has seen that group increase by 670 people.

When Blue was elected to the Board of Trustees in 1957, the hospital had 138 employees and a net worth of less than $1.5 million. Today, hospital employees number 1,400 and the hospital's total assets are in excess of $85.5 million.

Blue, with 37 years, has the longest record of service on the active Board of Trustees. He was president of the board from 1975 to 1977 and vice president from 1973 to 1975. For 15 years he served as a member of the board's executive committee.

While president of the board, Blue was involved in the conception of the Regional Cancer Center and oversaw the opening of a new Coronary Care Unit, the completion of the East Wing, construction of the hospital's first parking garage and introduction of ultrasound capability, the inauguration of a cardiac rehabilitation program and the introduction of a physician-staffed emergency department.

Hospital Administrator James W. Wente, on behalf of the board, recognized the Regional Heart Center and all those involved with its development over the past decade with the Special Service Award.

Wente said when the hospital considered establishing the area's first cardiothoracic surgery program, "we knew what an enormous undertaking we faced."

"The inauguration of an open heart surgery program in Cape Girardeau began as a vision. The fact that our area supported the largest populations of Missourians, that it has the highest death rate in the state due to cardiovascular-related disease, and that our area was the only quadrant of the state without a cardiovascular services put that vision into sharp focus."

Since Oct. 1, 1984, when the first cardiac bypass surgery was performed at the Regional Heart Center, the hospital's heart program has continued to develop.

As of April 26, the Heart Center team had completed 2,095 surgeries. Patients have ranged in age from 91 to 27, and they have come from Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

Complementing the cardiothoracic surgery program at Southeast are two cardiac catheterization labs, where over the past 10 years more than 17,200 diagnostic cardiac cath and cardiac interventional procedures have been performed. These procedures include balloon angioplasty and valvuloplasty, laser angioplasty, directional coronaryatherectomy, mitral and aortic valve replacements.

In January 1986, the hospital opened a seven-bed cardiothoracic intensive care unit. When the fourth floor of the clinical services building is completed this fall, the unit will relocate there and will increase from seven to 12 beds.

The newest component of the Regional Heart Center is Southeast's Chest Pain Center dedicated to streamlining the care of patients who arrive at the hospital with symptoms that could indicate an impending heart attack.

The status of health care reform in Missouri was the topic for Missouri Hospital Association president Charles L. Bowman. In his annual administrator's report, Wente outlines accomplishments of the past year and challenges ahead.

During the business portion of the meeting, Hutson announced the slate of Board of Trustees officers for the coming year. Hutson will continue to serve as board president, Dr. Melvin C. Kasten will serve as first vice president, Robert Erlbacher II will serve as second vice president, and Jerry Zimmer will serve as secretary-treasurer.

Nine individuals were also re-elected to the board. They are Leta Bahn, Paul Bray, Robert Erlbacher II, Milton George, Jane Grimm, Charles L. Hutson, Weldon Macke, Stephen E. Strom and Jerry Zimmer. Newly-elected member is T. Ronald Hahs.

New physicians who have become a part of the Cape Girardeau community since last April were also named. They are Steven C. Bailey, cardiothoracic surgery; Kae S. Huh, pathology; M. Jeffery McNabb, internal medicine; Gary S. Olson, pediatrics; Kenneth W. Retter, cardiology; R. August Ritter, orthopedic surgery; and John R. Trost, surgery.