News Around the State

Boling hired as directory of surgery services at St. Dominic's

Heather Boling has joined St. Dominic Hospital as director of surgery services. She most recently served as head of perioperative services at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford. There, she was responsible for the management of a large surgery unit, endoscopy suites, an ambulatory surgery center and the hospital’s central sterile department.

“We are pleased to have Heather join St. Dominic’s to direct this vital department. Her clinical experience in this highly specialized field will benefit both our patients and the medical staff at large,” said Claude Harbarger, president of St. Dominic Hospital.

Boling, a registered nurse, said she anticipates providing input based on her years of hospital experience to further enhance the surgery department. “St. Dominic’s has such a great reputation in the area of surgical innovation, with so many renowned surgeons on the team,” Boling said. “I look forward to this opportunity to offer assistance and support to our surgical staff while providing excellent care to our patients.”

Boling, a Jackson native, received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Mississippi and earned a nursing degree from Northwest Community College.

Baptist Union County names new assistant administrator

Jay Pullman has joined Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County’s leadership team as an assistant administrator.

As an assistant administrator, Pullman is responsible for the administrative direction for radiation, lab, rehabilitation, wellness, food and nutrition, environmental services, pharmacy and respiratory services at Baptist Union County. Since 2006, Pullman has served as the manager of outpatient rehabilitation services and the HealthPlex at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford, Miss. As manager, he oversaw several services, attracted more patients, expanded services and won key physician support.

“Baptist Union County is very fortunate to have Jay join the organization as our assistant administrator and to become a key member of the administrative team,” said James Huffman, administrator and CEO of Baptist Union County. “Jay has an excellent background in health care and brings a variety of skills and new ideas to assist in our goal of continually improving the scope and quality of services we offer to our patients.” Pullman earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy from the State University of New York in Buffalo, NY.

New pediatric physiatrist bolsters social, functional, medical aspects of patient care

Dr. Shannon Smith, right, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery, observes patient Mercetia Parr of Waynesboro while she performs range-of-motion excercises.

Dr. Shannon Smith’s interest in physical medicine and rehabilitation piqued after shadowing a physiatrist in college. However, it wasn’t until she combined this with the love of children did Smith find her true calling.

Thankfully her chosen career path has led her to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where she is lending her expertise in restoring optimal function to adults and children with injuries to the muscles, bones, tissues, and nervous system.

In October, Smith joined UMC as the only pediatric physiatrist in the Children’s Rehabilitation Services. The assistant professor also serves as a consultant for the University Rehabilitation Center, treating adult patients.

“My areas of interest are brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders,” she said. “A physiatrist’s main focus is quality of life. We make sure our patients can be discharged to a proper setting at home; to be as safe and as independent as possible. We look at the social aspect, the functional aspect and the medical aspect.”

According to Dr. Owen Evans, chair of pediatrics at UMC, Smith is well trained in physical medicine.

“She has had extensive experience in both adult and pediatric rehabilitation,” he said. “Under her leadership, the Children’s Rehabilitation Services should continue to be a success and provide very needed services for the children of Mississippi.”

A native of New Jersey, Smith received the BS with honors in biology from Spelman College in 1999 and the MD in 2003 from the Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. After completing a one-year internship in medicine at the University of Tennessee in Memphis, Smith completed her residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta in 2007. Her husband, Dr. Eric Hamilton, is currently completing his residency in anesthesiology here.

Smith can see an average of 10-15 consulted patients a day, not including her own pediatric patients.

Once the neurologist or orthopedist gives approval, Smith makes sure the patient has functional goals before they are released. She determines what type of therapy a patient needs.

“Once surgery is done and the patient is medically stable, they obviously need training on their functional goals,” she said.

Smith wants to raise awareness about the services offered at Children’s Rehabilitation Services and University Rehabilitation Center.

“We can treat anybody from birth to the elderly from a rehab standpoint to help them get their quality of life and function back.”

Smith also wants more medical students and residents to get involved in this field. She eventually wants to try to establish a medical student and residency rotation.

“That’s my long-term goal,” she said.

Hinds County CAB makes plans to recruit 1,000 for children’s study

Maggie Wade, right, WLBT co-anchor, addresses board members at the first meeting of the National Children*s Study Community Advisory Board.

Scientists at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and neighborhood leaders throughout Hinds County took the first tangible step towards engaging the community about the National Children’s Study (NCS) during the initial meeting of the Community Advisory Board (CAB) Jan. 15 in the Norman C. Nelson Student Union.

UMC is one of 22 study centers nationwide for the NCS, the largest study of child and human health ever conducted in the United States to assess the effects of environmental and genetic factors on child and human health in the country. The NCS is a collaboration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (including the National Institute of Children’s Health and Disease and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Dr. Tony Mawson, UMC professor of preventive medicine and NCS principal investigator, told the neighborhood leaders they had been chosen for the CAB based on their “distinguished status in the community.”

“Your role as members of the Community Action Board will be critical to the success of the study here in Hinds County,” Mawson said. “Your great strength is that you know the community and are well known in it. Every part of the community needs to be represented.”

Mawson said the NCS plans to enroll 100,000 pregnant women nationwide and follow their children for 21 years. The Hinds County site’s ambitious goal is to recruit 250 participants each year over a four-year period.

Dr. Sharon Wyatt, UMC professor of nursing and NCS senior investigator, said community interaction in the study is vital to the success of the “first, largest and only longitudinal study of children from preconception to age 21 anywhere in the world.”

“The time is right for this kind of study,” Wyatt said. “What the National Children’s Study means to our children is that we will be able to identify environmental factors that contribute to the health, development and behavior problems of our kids.”

She said the study also will allow investigators to understand the biology and genetics of health, development and behavior; obtain evidence-based information on which to base decisions about practice and policy regarding children’s physical and mental health; determine economic benefits, such as cost avoidance; and develop an instrumental resource for future research.

“The study is a national probability sample,” she said. “It will allow us to obtain physical, chemical, biological, genetic, and psychosocial samples of our children and their environment.” Maggie Wade, WLBT co-anchor and chair of the CAB committee, applauded the community leaders for taking an active role in the NCS.

“I am so excited about this community and what we can accomplish for children in Hinds County and the State of Mississippi,” Wade said. “When I looked at what the National Children’s Study hopes to accomplish, it really touched my heart.

“I think this study is not just going to impact children who have parents, but children I see in Wednesday’s Child (a regular segment Wade hosts on WLBT that seeks adoptive parents for children). I know we’ll get a lot of things accomplished, and I think we can really make a difference for our children.”

Executive committee members of the CAB include Wade; Ruby Denson, UMC instructor in medicine and CAB vice chair; Mary Ellen Stewart, UMC nurse educator and CAB steering committee representative; and Linda Raff of Catholic Charities, Data Management and Research Integrity Committee representative.

Other members of the CAB include Doris Bridgeman, director of alumni affairs at Tougaloo College; the Rev. Ronnie Crudup of New Horizon Church; Hazel Gaines of the March of Dimes; Regina Ginn and Shane McNeill of the Mississippi Department of Education’s Office of Healthy Schools; Paul Jones, chief executive officer of the state Make-A-Wish Foundation; Christianne Pinell-Jansen, UMC instructor in medicine; Billy Redd of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Mississippi; Sarah Rutland of the Base Pair Program; Juanita Sims-Doty of the Beta Delta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha; Belmont Trapp of the Fondren Neighborhood Association; Shirley Tucker of the Metro Jackson Chamber of Commerce and Junior League of Jackson; Pastor Keith Tonkel of Wells United Methodist Church; the Rev. Dolphus Weary of Mission Mississippi; and Yolanda Wilson and Felicia Denton of Jackson Pediatric Associates.

Zonzie McLaurin, the community outreach coordinator for the UMC NCS study center, highlighted the purpose of the CAB, which includes:

• collaborating with the NCS UMC team to guide study implementation and evaluation;
• providing the NCS team with the perspective of Hinds County communities;
• advising the NCS team on the acceptability of measurements and questions included in the NCS;
• acting as advocates for study participants;
• suggesting ways to inform Hinds County communities about the NCS and its goals;
• ensuring that the NCS responds to community concerns and benefits the Hinds County community; and
• providing overall community engagement in Hinds County.

Dr. Robin Wilkerson, UMC professor of nursing and NCS study co-director, explained the study’s community engagement plan. Once specific neighborhoods are selected, NCS recruiters will go door-to-door to visit potential study participants in their homes. The first participants are not scheduled to be enrolled until late 2009-2010 at the earliest.

Funding for the Hinds County Study Center of the NCS began Oct. 1, 2007, and will continue through 2012. Funding for the study centers and the study’s initial phase is a result of a $69 million appropriation from Congress in FY 2007. Additional funding will be provided in five-year cycles.

Dr. Omar Abdul-Rahman, UMC associate professor of preventive medicine, serves as project co-director for the NCS. For more information about the NCS, visit its Web site.

Cooks take culinary spotlight at annual Taste of UMC extravaganza

The pavilion administration team won the 2007 Taste of UMC for their Cuban quesadillas with mango chutney and habanero sauce. The team consisted of, from left, Perry Green, Jerry McCearley, Ian Salamonson, Patti Salamonson, Tom Skinner, Myrtis Ewing, Paulette Ware, Roberta Parillo, and Levearne Torrey.

While the Taste of UMC has been called the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s best party, it’s the cooks who make it all possible. Without their adventurous forays into the world of food, the libations, the band and the camaraderie would all be for naught.

The party takes place on Saturday, Feb. 16, at the Jackson Medical Mall Thad Cochran Center. Music will be provided by Home Remedy, and tickets are $25 each.

Some of the teams who are gearing up for the annual food fest are Pastoral Services, Hospital Administration, the Residents Auxiliary, Batson Administration, Alumni Affairs and Development, the Associated Student Body, the Department of Surgery, Labor and Delivery, Otolaryngology Residents’ Spouses, Coordinated Care (in Hospital Administration), Dr. Frank Serio, and Cardiovascular Services. Many more are expected to sign up.

Dr. Olga McDaniel, professor of surgery, heads up a team in the Department of Surgery. Her teammates are Rene Green, Stacy Edwards, Dr. Ken Vick, Dr. Larry McDaniel (her husband), Ashley Seawright, and Judy Gregory.

“We’re calling it ‘Fresh and Healthy Organ Fixin’s.’ Most Americans don’t eat organ meats, but they’re prominent menu items in most cultures. And since we’re in surgery, it seemed appropriate.”

Some of the team’s offerings include calf kidney over a nest of noodles, sautéed tofu over a bed of rice with dill and sautéed almonds, and a berry dessert which reminds McDaniel of a spleen.

“It’s really quite beautiful.”

The team from Labor and Delivery, led by Lissa Nelson, L and D nurse, also includes 11 other nurses, all from L and D, except for Meagan Butts, who recently transferred to NICU.

“This is our fourth year, and we’re hoping for a win this year,” Nelson said. “Our theme is the Old West, and we’re going to prepare something heart-healthy.”

Beyond that, she won’t give any details.

“We also plan to have a good time. We wouldn’t be doing it for the fourth time if it weren’t a whole lot of fun.”

Dorothy Young heads a team from Cardiovascular Services, which includes Brian Rutledge, Dr. Michael Winniford, Gail Carlson, and Gwen Overton.

“Brian and I share a passion for dark chocolate, and it’s also a heart-healthy food,” Young said.

While she’s not sure what specific delectables they’ll prepare, she’s sure their menu will include a chocolate fountain for fruit dipping and shots of hot chocolate made from dark chocolate. “Who doesn’t love chocolate?”

Taste of UMC is the largest fundraiser for the UMC Alliance. Its past proceeds have provided funds for the construction and furnishing of the interfaith chapel in University Hospital, patient needs and other projects at the Medical Center.

Teams prepare dishes to showcase their culinary skills. Volunteers are needed to help with the chef tables, beverage booths and event set-up and clean-up activities. To register as a chef, call Michelle Stringer at (601) 898-0023 or send her an e-mail (mlstringer@comcast.net); to volunteer, call Angela Morey at 601-815-4244 or send her an e-mail. For more information, visit the UMC Alliance Web site.

Rankin Medical Center Names New Board Members

Pictured left to right: Gale Martin, Dr. Kenneth Ball, Allen Tyra, Freddie Rowell and Steve DeSalvo

Allen Tyra, CEO of Rankin Medical Center, named four individuals to the Advisory Board: Steve DeSalvo, Freddie Rowell, Gale Martin and Kenneth Ball, M.D. “We are very pleased to add this group of distinguished community leaders to our board,” said Tyra. “We look forward to their contributions as we strive to be our community’s first choice for healthcare needs.”

Steve DeSalvo, Manager of Mississippi Braves, is a native of Centereach, New York. DeSalvo is in his 22nd season with the Braves’ AA franchise and his 28th season in professional baseball, 27 of them as a minor league General Manager. DeSalvo and his wife Bonnie have their three children, Jessica, Hannah and Brandon.

Freddie Rowell is the Rankin County President for Bank of the South. He is a member of the Rankin County Chamber of Commerce, Mortgage Bankers Association, Kiwanis Club and the Rankin County Heart Association. Rowell and his wife Lisa have one son, Denis.

Gale Martin, Executive Director of the Rankin County Chamber of Commerce, was also added as a member. Prior to his position with the Chamber, Martin was the Executive Director of the Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Born and raised in Rankin County, Martin lives on a family farm which has an active cattle and timber operation. Martin and his wife Pam have three daughters, Julie, Jamie and Katie and four grandchildren.

Kenneth Ball, M.D., Hospitalist at Rankin Medical Center, is a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and is Double Boarded in Internal and Pediatric Medicine. He is a member of the Physician Leadership Council and Chairman of the P & T Committee. Dr. Ball and his wife Mary have three children, Samuel, Stevens and Betsy.

Board members at Rankin Medical Center serve three-year terms. The terms are staggered with members rolling off each year. Already serving on the board is Stephanie Daniels, David Flemming, M.D., Judy Fortenberry, Reverend Gene Henderson, Benny Hubbard, James Jefferson, M.D., Carlo Martella, James Neill, M.D., Galen Poole, M.D. and Dale Armour, Senior Vice-President and Divisional CEO.

More than 1,200 children expected to receive free dental care from UMC at annual ADA event

More than 1,200 children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade at Galloway and Johnson Elementary Schools in Jackson and Ty Fleming Elementary School in Minter City will receive free preventive dental treatment Feb. 1 as part of the national Give Kids a Smile event founded by the American Dental Association. Community dentists along with faculty, staff, students and residents from the schools of Dentistry, Health Related Professions, Medicine and Nursing will participate in the event at sites on UMC’s main campus, the Jackson Medical Mall Thad Cochran Center, and at T.Y. Fleming Elementary School in Minter City.

Each child will receive a comprehensive dental examination, oral hygiene education, dental cleaning, preventive sealants, and fluoride applications. The childrens’ presenting conditions will be reviewed and follow-up care will be provided to the children and their families.

Community and corporate partners for this year’s event include the Mississippi Dental Association, Jackson Medical Mall Foundation, Mississippi State Department of Health, ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education and Research, Mississippi Dental Society, Henry Schein, P&G Professional Oral Health, Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals, Benco Dental, Cellular South, Blackburn Dental Laboratory, Delta Dental Insurance, Dental Life, Discus Dental, Johnson & Johnson, Mars & Steel, POH, Patterson Dental, Practicon, Premier Dental, Ultradent, University Dentists, PLLC, CMP Industries, MDOT, Owens and Minor, SOD SmilePlus, Clinical Supply Co., and DR Products.

The National Institutes of Health reports that 80 percent of tooth decay is now found in just 25 percent of children, primarily children from underserved communities. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has determined that nearly half of U.S. children ages 2-9 suffer from untreated tooth decay. Dr. Neva Eklund, chair of pediatric dentistry in the School of Dentistry at UMC says that an event like Give Kids a Smile Day is “one way to raise awareness of dental disease which is the number one chronic illness of US children.”

Rankin Medical Center Welcomes Shuja Yousuf, M.D.

Rankin Medical Center recently welcomed Shuja Yousuf, M.D. as the newest member of their Hospitalist program. Dr. Yousuf has been on staff at Rankin Medical Center since May 2003 serving as both an Internist and Emergency Medicine physician.

After receiving his medical degree from the University of Kashmir in Kashmir India, he completed his internship and residency programs at Temple University/St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

In addition to being Board Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Dr. Yousuf’s memberships also include the American College of Physicians, Society of Vascular Medicine and Biology, and Imamiamedics International.

Highland goes Tobacco-Free Effective April 30

Effective April 30, 2008, Highland Community Hospital will join more than 30 other Mississippi hospitals which have already become tobacco-free.

Highland cares about the health of their patients and employees. Providing a tobacco-free campus will support a healthier environment for everyone at Highland.

Between now and April 30, there will be things happening at Highland to prepare and educate employees and patients for becoming a tobacco-free campus. Many of these activities will call on employees directly to provide input and guidance.

“By becoming a tobacco-free campus, Highland is encouraging a healthier lifestyle for our employees and patients,” said Steve Grimm, Administrator. “Health care is our business, so it is no surprise that Highland is joining this nationwide campaign of being a tobacco free campus. We stand behind our community, patients, and employees in their quest for living healthier lives,” said Grimm.

Forrest General Celebrates Nurse Anesthetists Week

Pictured, left to right: Pam Gavin, Wayne Sorrell, Terri Martin, and Darvin Sibley

Forrest General Hospital recently recognized their outstanding staff of Nurse Anesthetists during National Nurse Anesthetists Week, celebrated January 20-26. Forrest General’s Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) are committed health care professionals and dedicated to quality personal care to their patients.

CRNAs stay with their patients throughout procedures, monitoring their vital signs and adjusting their anesthetics to ensure the safest, most comfortable anesthesia experience possible.

Forrest General CRNAs not pictured are Rodney Brown, Melissa Duncan, Matt Gerald, Vickie Jordan, Jennifer Kujath, Tressy Lauga, Ed Little, Butch Mallette, Carolyn May, Larry May, Gabe McCrary, Glenda Pittman, Joe Scott Walker, Mark Walters ,Corrine Barbieri, Beth Smith, Joanna Moses, Scott Walker and Rob Gaston.