News Around the State

Singing River Health System Heart Services Team One of Nation’s First to Implant Newest Device for Cardiac Pacing

A new type of BIOTRONIK cardiac defibrillator, recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, has been performed by the Heart Services team at Singing River Health System (SRHS), helping patients with heart rhythm care needs on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

This procedure, one of the first implants in the country and the first in the state of Mississippi, was performed on Friday, March 22 at Ocean Springs Hospital by Hugo Quintana, MD, of the Southern Mississippi Heart Center.

Implantable cardiac devices (ICDs) are sophisticated electronic devices that are implanted to help prevent sudden cardiac death in patients with ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation – a fast heart rhythm.

Known officially as BIOTRONIC Lumax 740 DX System, this newly available single-chamber ICD uses a single thin flexible wire, called a lead, to deliver an electrical pulse to the heart when the heart rate becomes dangerously fast and then returns the heart to its proper function. The innovative device can sense vital changes in heart rhythm in both the atrium and the ventricle of the heart through its single lead, offering an enhanced way of gaining important and useful atrial signal information without the risk of implanting multiple leads.

“Traditionally, we added an extra lead to enhance the discriminatory capabilities of the device and to avoid inappropriate shocks,” said Dr. Quintana. “Now, with this new device, that extra step is avoided and the procedure risk is then reduced.”

Traditional standard single-chamber ICDs come with limitations. The devices are designed only to sense changes in ventricular rhythm and are unable to sense atrial arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation (AF), correctly. This can result in an increased risk of an inappropriate shock or a stroke if AF is not detected.

The DX System expands the diagnostic capabilities of a standard single-chamber ICD with a single lead, in addition to featuring sophisticated sensors that allow for atrial monitoring and enhanced arrhythmia diagnosis.

The DX System also integrates with BIOTRONIK Home Monitoring ® allowing physicians to remotely follow their DX patient’s clinical and device statuses daily, at anytime, anywhere in the world. The cellular-based system has demonstrated the ability to detect clinically relevant events, including silent, asymptomatic arrhythmias, and device related issues, allowing for earlier medical intervention. The diagnostic capabilities of the DX System combined with Home Monitoring ® makes this a simple, yet sophisticated system for cardiac rhythm management.

Cardiovascular Services of Central Mississippi expands to Flowood

Cardiovascular Services of Central Mississippi, presently located in the Medical Office Building on the campus of Central Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, has expanded its location and services to include a clinic and sophisticated vascular lab in Flowood to provide comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases effective June 11.

The team of board certified specialists is comprised of cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons Craig V. Adams, MD, FACS and Gerhard H. Mundinger, Jr., MD, LL.D, FACS and interventional cardiologist Abdul Bahro, MD, FACC, FSCAI.

“We are very excited to have Cardiovascular Services of Central Mississippi on the campus of River Oaks Hospital in Flowood,” said President and CEO of River Oaks Hospital Dwayne Blaylock. “River Oaks Hospital has a long standing reputation for excellence and that will continue as we expand our services to include these distinguished physicians who will provide comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases. Our team has nearly 60 years of combined expertise to assist patients through innovative and advanced vascular procedures.”

Cardiovascular Services of Central Mississippi treats conditions of the vascular system (arteries and veins) and performs diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as arteriograms and angioplasty, as well as surgical and endovascular treatments for vascular disease. The clinic specializes in minimally invasive techniques such as angioplasty and endovascular methods.

The clinic offers both minimally-invasive and open procedures to address a wide range of artery and vein disorders. It is always the goal to perform the most effective, least invasive procedure to address each specific medical issue.

The Flowood clinic is located at 1020 River Oaks Drive, Suite 480 and the Jackson clinic is located at 1860 Chadwick Drive, Suite 256. For more information, call (601) 376-1394.

Reid graduates from DMH Focus Program

Kelly Reid of Pearl River County graduated from the Mississippi Department of Mental Health’s (DMH) Focus Program on Friday, May 17, at Duncan Gray Center in Canton. DMH’s Accelerated Leadership Development Program “Focus” offers a unique opportunity for employees to hone their skills to greater and higher personal performance and self-awareness. 

Reid is the human resource director at South Mississippi State Hospital in Purvis. She has been employed at SMSH since November 2007. Reid is a member of the Human Resources Administration Society of the Mississippi Hospital Association, the South Mississippi Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, and Friends of South Mississippi State Hospital. 

South Mississippi State Hospital in Purvis is an acute-care, regional behavioral health program that provides services for adults with mental illness. SMSH serves Lamar, Forrest, Marion, Perry, Greene, Wayne, Jones, Covington, Jefferson Davis, Stone, Pearl River, Harrison, Hancock, George and Jackson counties.

“Focus is one of the most exciting projects our agency has been involved with,” said Ed LeGrand, DMH Executive Director. “This groundbreaking initiative is helping to strengthening our employees and build upon their talents. DMH’s mission is to support a better tomorrow today and this is one of our efforts to prepare the leaders of tomorrow.”

The goal is to help DMH employees reach maximum capacity and to develop “bench strength” for the agency. This experience challenges participates to grow to new heights in both ability and attitude. “Focus” lasts 12-18 months and involves four multi-day retreats.

Mississippi State Hospital names May Employees of the Month

Mississippi State Hospital has named its Employees of the Month for May, choosing one employee from each of the hospital's three service areas.

Jeane Dillon of Goodman, Miss. has been named Mississippi State Hospital’s (MSH) May Employee of the Month for Clinical Service. She has worked at the hospital for two years.

George Berry of Jackson has been named Employee of the Month for Direct Care Service. He has worked at the hospital for 20 years.

Debbie Hammack of Richland is the MSH Employee of the Month for Support Services. She has worked at the hospital for nearly two years.

All three of the May Employees of the Month work on Oak Circle Center, Mississippi State Hospital's child and adolescent unit. 

The MSH Employee of the Month award recognizes employees who have made outstanding contributions to the hospital through their work. The program is sponsored by Friends of Mississippi State Hospital Inc.

OCH Diabetes Education Program Merits American Diabetes Association Recognition

The OCH Diabetes Education Program Coordinator Nicky Yeatman, RD, LD, CDE, works one-one-one with patients to develop a plan to aid them in living longer, healthier lives.

OCH Regional Medical Center’s Diabetes Self-Management Education Program has been awarded continued recognition from the American Diabetes Association. The program was originally recognized in May of 2006 and offers high-quality education services to the patients it serves.

The ADA Education Recognition effort, begun in the fall of 1986, is a voluntary process which assures that approved education programs have met the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs. Programs that achieve Recognition status have a staff of knowledgeable health professionals who can provide state-of-the-art information about diabetes management for participants.

“The process gives professionals a national standard by which to measure the quality of the services we provide,” said Nicky Yeatman, program coordinator at OCH. “And, of course, it helps consumers to identify these quality programs that aid them in living healthier lives.”

Self-management education is an essential component of diabetes treatment. All approved education programs cover the following topics as needed: diabetes disease process; nutritional management; physical activity; medications; monitoring, preventing, detecting and treating acute complications; preventing, detecting and treating chronic complications through risk reduction; goal setting and problem solving; psychological adjustment; and preconception care, management during pregnancy, and gestational management.

OCH also offers a free monthly diabetes support group, with the next meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 11 at 5:30 p.m. in the OCH Educational Facility. For more information about the support group or the self-management education program, contact Yeatman at (662) 615-2668.

Logue recognized by Board of Supervisors

Dr. Logue with his wife, Joyce, upon his retirement

The Board of Supervisors of Madison County recently recognized Quarter Century Executive Forum member Dr. Thomas Logue with a resolution honoring his service and his induction in the Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame in 2013, the highest honor for an OCS graduate. 

The resolution is attached below.

Download Logue

Baptist Golden Triangle announces new assistant administrator

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle recently named Brian Welton as an assistant administrator on the hospital’s leadership team.

Welton is a Frank S. Groner Fellow at Baptist Memorial Health Care, where he has spent the last year contributing to the organization in a variety of areas. Welton received a Master of Science degree in health administration from the University of Alabama, Birmingham in May 2013. He also received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Alabama, Birmingham in May 2012. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2010.

“We are proud to welcome Brian to our leadership team at Baptist Golden Triangle,” said Paul Cade, CEO and administrator of Baptist Golden Triangle. “His education and experience will serve our hospital well.”

Welton has previous experience working with ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.; Cooper Green Mercy Hospital in Birmingham, Ala.; and Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham.

Dr. Ashley Hood named President of the Osteopathic Medical Association

Dr. Ashley Hood, an OB/GYN, has been named the President of the Mississippi Osteopathic Medical Association (MOMA). Dr. Hood, whose practice is located in the Suites of River Oaks Hospital, will begin his two-year term with the association at the end of May. 

"I am extremely excited and humbled to represent the more than 300 osteopathic physicians and over 400 osteopathic medical students here in the state of Mississippi,” said Dr. Hood. “The Mississippi Osteopathic Medical Association is a vital state medical association that represents osteopathic physicians and students throughout the state of Mississippi.” 

Hood added that many people in Mississippi do not have access to the medical services they need. “Medical problems such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even teenage pregnancies are far too common in our state,” he said. “With quality education of our students and continuing education of our physicians, I believe that we can foster and promote health in our state, and swing the pendulum in the opposite direction.”