ST. FRANCIS TRIBUTE ANNOUNCED AT BANQUET

The administration of St. Francis Medical Center announced Tuesday night that it had recently been recognized for exemplary performance and high quality standards by a national hospital surveying organization.

More than 800 people were in attendance at the hospital's annual banquet at the Show Me Center for the announcement.

St. Francis President John E. Fidler explained that this spring a survey team from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations spent a week inspecting virtually all aspects of the medical center.

The inspection, he said, was to help assure that the hospital meets all established standards for overall quality of heath care services.

"We have just received the results of that survey," Fidler told the audience. "Not only has the Joint Commission reaccredited St. Francis Medical Center for another three years, but based on the commission's inspection, St. Francis has been awarded `Accreditation with Commendation,' the highest level of accreditation."

With the award, St. Francis joins a class of about 5 percent of all accredited hospitals surveyed by the Joint Commission.

"The recognition is not only a tribute to St. Francis, but to the entire medical community," Fidler said.

Fidler said that St. Francis and Southeast Missouri Hospital are working closely with local businesses, industries, physicians and insurers to help guarantee the availability of affordable and appropriate health care services.

"But we can't do it without your help," he said. "There are many things you can do to stay healthy and, by doing so, you can help lower the overall cost of medical care."

For instance, he said people can do things like following proper nutrition guidelines, avoiding tobacco products, exercising, seeing their physicians regularly and participating in health screenings.

"The more you do to keep yourself healthy, the more we can do to help you," Fidler said.

St. Francis Board of Directors Chairman Robert B. Hendrix told those at the dinner that the hospital's 118-year history has been "a training ground for years ahead."

He said that there are many issues to be resolved in the health care industry today such as affordability and access.

"Health care is at a crossroads today," Hendrix said. "We must choose a path that will allow us to continue in our historic tradition and meet the new challenges facing us."

During the program, it was announced that the St. Francis Foundation has recently donated $265,000 to the medical center, which represented the charitable gifts received by St. Francis over the past year.

Also it was announced that The Friends of St. Francis will contribute $50,000 to the medical center this year as proceeds from The Great American Pig Out and the annual Friends of St. Francis Benefit Golf Tournament.

In addition, the St. Francis Auxiliary recently presented the medical center with $43,500 in support of its projects. Not only did the Auxiliary make a monetary contribution to the hospital, but Auxiliary members and the volunteer corps contributed more than 72,000 hours of service to St. Francis over the past year.

Nine physicians who have joined the staff at St. Francis since last summer were also recognized. They were: neurosurgeon K. Charles Cheung; emergency medicine physician Kenneth A. DeCoursey; endocrinologist Daniel S. Duick; family practitioner James L. Fletcher; internal medicine physician Theodore J. Grieshop; gynecologist-obstetrician Michael J. Jessup; pediatrician-internal medicine physician John J. Russell; anesthesiologist Robert C. Vandergraff; and general surgeon Douglas B. Wyatt.