News Around the State

Lewis appointed to represent American Hospital Association

The Board of Trustees of the American Hospital Association (AHA) has appointed Jaquith Nursing Home Director Marc Lewis as its principal representative to The Joint Commission's Professional and Technical Advisory Committee for the Long Term Care program.

As such, he will represent the interests and policies of the nation's hospitals and health systems to the Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards.  This appointment is for a two-year term beginning, January 1, 2012 and ending December 31, 2013.  The Professional and Technical Advisory Committee serves a formal advisory function, reviewing all policies, procedures and standards that will be used in the accreditation process.

The AHA is the national organization that represents and serves all types of hospitals, health care networks, and their patients and communities. It is made up of 40,000 individual members and nearly 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks and other providers of care.  Through its efforts, AHA ensures that members' perspectives and needs are heard and addressed in national health policy development, legislative and regulatory debates, and judicial matters.

South Mississippi State Hospital names April Holder Employee of the Quarter

April Holder, RN, was recently named Employee of the Quarter at South Mississippi State Hospital (SMSH).

Holder, a Lamar County resident, worked on the cardiac unit at Wesley Medical Center before coming to work at SMSH in 2006.

“She finishes her work, assists others, and does an excellent job showing new employees how to complete tasks efficiently,” Holder’s nominator wrote about her.

She is trusted by her peers to get her work done while maintaining order in the department and has even recently filled in for the nurse executive in her absence.  Holder earned an Associates Degree in Nursing from Pearl River Community College. 

“I enjoy working and taking care of people who really need our help,” said Holder. “I also enjoy the people I work with.  It’s great to have that because it helps to make a tough day easy!”
In her spare time, she likes to volunteer at her children’s school. Holder is married and has a six-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son.  She enjoys spending time with her family and making them happy.

South Mississippi State Hospital (SMSH) is a 50-bed acute care facility in Purvis that offers mental health treatment and services for adults in the southern part of the state. The hospital’s Friends ofSMSH organization recognizes an outstanding employee each quarter and provides service pins and incentive-related supplies and activities for hospital staff as well as needed services and events for patients.  Friends of SMSH is a volunteer-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting understanding of mental health and the needs of individuals with mental illness, improving the quality of life for patients, and providing recognition and support for employees.

Forrest General receives CEO Cancer Gold StandardTM accreditation

Forrest General has received CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ accreditation, recognizing the organization’s extraordinary commitment to the health of employees and their families.

Christopher A. Viehbacher, chief executive officer of Sanofi, chairs the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, a nonprofit organization of cancer-fighting CEOs who created the CEO Cancer Gold Standard™, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, many of its designated cancer centers, and leading health non-profit organizations and professionals. Today, more than two and a half million employees and family members are benefiting from the vision and leadership of employers who have chosen to become Gold Standard accredited.

“It is an honor to receive this accreditation as a result of Forrest General’s commitment to C.A.R.E. for employees by providing a healthy work environment,” said Evan Dillard, Forrest General president and CEO. “Establishing a tobacco-free campus, supporting healthy food choices and promoting physical activity and early detection of cancer and other health issues shows how Forrest General’s We C.A.R.E. philosophy extends to our valued employees, who are the key to providing world-class patient care. Forrest General is proud to be recognized as one of the healthiest places to work in the Pine Belt.”

The CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ calls for companies to evaluate their health benefits and corporate culture and take extensive, concrete actions in five key areas of health and wellness to fight cancer in the workplace. To earn Gold Standard accreditation, a company must establish programs to reduce cancer risk by discouraging tobacco use; encouraging physical activity; promoting healthy nutrition; detecting cancer at its earliest stages when outcomes may be more favorable; and providing access to quality care, including participation in cancer clinical trials.

 

CMMC cardiologist performs innovative cardiac procedures

Utilizing an innovative procedure recorded in only 5-7 percent of interventional cardiology cases in the U.S., Olurotimi J. Badero, MD, has successfully completed the first radial approach percutaneous coronary angioplasty and first left heart catheterization at Central Mississippi Medical Center (CMMC). 

Dr. Badero, an interventional cardiologist and interventional nephrologist at CMMC, performed the coronary angioplasty procedure and diagnostic catheterization using the wrist rather than the groin as an entry point for the catheter used to thread through the blood vessels to the heart. 

In addition to its use as a diagnostic tool to diagnose or evaluate coronary artery disease or other heart conditions, cardiac catheterization can also be used as an interventional procedure to treat heart attacks, to open blocked arteries and repair stenotic, or narrowed, heart valves.

Dr. Badero said in the United States, the majority of cardiac catheterizations are performed through the femoral artery, which is accessed through the groin. A study conducted at Wake Heart Center in Raleigh, N.C., (Mann JT 3rd, Arrowood M, Cubeddu G.) found that although generally considered safe, this approach presents a higher risk of bleeding complications compared to radial artery catheterization that essentially has zero bleeding risks. 

Dr.  Badero said the risk of stroke and TIA is also reduced with this approach, a significant observation, since stroke is one of the potential complications of heart catheterization.  – cont’d –

Radial cardiac catheterization offers a less invasive, lower-risk option because the procedure is performed through the wrist rather than the groin. This allows for a quicker recovery time and a shorter hospital stay. Immediately after the procedure, patients are usually able to sit up, eat and walk.

In contrast, after a traditional cardiac catheterization, patients must lie flat for two to six hours in order to ensure that bleeding will not occur from the site. 

Central Mississippi Medical Center is one of only two hospitals in Mississippi to offer radial cardiac catheterization.

In the case of Jackson resident Robert Cheesman, angioplasty was performed to open previously-inserted heart grafts that had partially closed, causing severe chest pain and shortness of breath. Immediately following the procedure, Cheesman said he could tell a vast difference in his comfort level as compared to his condition following previous procedures.

“After receiving a heart graft and later, a stent, I didn’t feel like myself for quite a while,” said Cheesman. “Right after Dr. Badero performed this latest procedure, I felt great and was ready to go home. Two days after the procedure, I was back outside walking my regular several-mile route.”

The heart study also concluded the radial approach decreases the risk of vascular complications by four times. However, Dr. Badero notes not all patients are candidates for this procedure and patients are evaluated at presentation to determine their suitability for the procedure.

“In terms of reduced recovery time, cost and complications, radial is the superior method of performing these life-saving interventional procedures,” Dr. Badero said.

In the U.S. today, Dr. Badero is part of an elite group of fully-trained combined kidney and heart specialists (cardiologist & nephrologist).  He completed an unprecedented 10 years of continuous post-graduate medical training.

Dr. Badero is a specialist in Internal Medicine, Nephrology & Hypertension, Interventional Nephrology, Cardiovascular Medicine, Interventional Cardiology and Peripheral Vascular Interventions.  To schedule an appointment with Dr. Badero at Cardiovascular Services of Central Mississippi at one of their three convenient locations, call 601-376-1394.

Greenwood Leflore Hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation center maintains national certification since 2005

Greenwood Leflore Hospital first opened the doors of the cardiac rehab center in September of 1999. In September 2005, the rehab received national accreditation by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

Certification recognizes those programs that are rigorously reviewed by a national board and found to meet strict national standards and guidelines for patient safety and treatment protocols. The review/renewal process takes place every three years. This September marked Greenwood Leflore Hospital’s third consecutive renewal. The efforts of the highly trained staff to achieve these maximum cardiac rehabilitation standards in the nation were implemented by the team of multi-disciplinary health care professionals at the rehab including a physician, two exercise physiologists and a registered nurse.

The staff knows that accomplishing the recertification of their program by AACVPR sends a powerful message that Greenwood Leflore Hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation center provides the highest quality program to meet the needs of their patients.

St. Dominic Health Services’ President Announces Plans to Retire from Her Current Position by the End of 2011

Sister Mary Dorothea Sondgeroth, O.P. has informed St. Dominic’s leadership, medical staff and employees of her intention to step down as the President of St. Dominic Health Services, Inc. effective January 1, 2012.  

She made the decision following a time of personal reflection and prayer. During her tenure, one of her focuses has been to prepare St. Dominic’s for the future, including continuing its mission of Christian healing for those in need in the communities it serves.

Sister Dorothea, after a sabbatical and period of reflection, will maintain an active role in the Dominican Sisters’ mission in Jackson by serving on SDHS’ Governing Board and supporting St. Dominic’s Foundation in continuing to extend its ministry of caring.

Sister Dorothea will be succeeded by Claude W. Harbarger, who has served as President of St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital (St. Dominic Hospital) for the past twenty years.  

Lester K. Diamond, who has served as Executive Vice President of Operations and as a Vice President of various services for nineteen years, will succeed Claude as President of St. Dominic Hospital.  

“I have unwavering confidence in Claude and Lester in transitioning St. Dominic's to lay leadership," Sister Dorothea said. "The St. Dominic mission, vision and values are vibrant and have been integrated throughout the organization so I am confident, through their leadership St. Dominic's will continue to live out the Dominican Sisters' mission of Christian healing and the exceptional level of care our patients have come to expect.”

Brachytherapy Treatment Gives More Than 1,000 Pine Belt Men a New Lease on Life

Jeff Vance of Hattiesburg is one of more than 1,000 men in the Pine Belt who have received one of the most advanced types of treatment for prostate cancer, getting them on the road to resuming their normal lifestyle.

Vance, 62, who has been in the local commercial real estate business for 25 years, was the Cancer Center’s 487th patient to receive a type of prostate cancer radiation therapy called brachytherapy. This treatment involves tiny seed-like devices that deliver radiation directly to the site of the cancer. Forrest General Cancer Center staff recently celebrated a milestone of offering this life-saving treatment to more than 1,000 men in the Pine Belt area.

After a routine physical detected an elevated PSA (prostate specific antigen) level in his blood, Vance’s doctor recommended he see Hattiesburg Clinic urologist Randy Ross, M.D. After additional tests and biopsies, Vance was diagnosed with an aggressive stage of prostate cancer and referred to Forrest General’s Cancer Center for further evaluation. “We were pleased that Jeff got a routine PSA blood test early enough so that his cancer could be cured without any major interference in his active lifestyle,” said Ross. “Regular checkups and PSA blood tests allow us to intervene early.

Upon learning of his diagnosis, Vance was shocked, as he had no family history of prostate cancer and had experienced no symptoms that would cause him to think something could be wrong. “The biggest shock is hearing the ‘c” word,’ said Vance. “To get diagnosed with cancer leaves you with a feeling of disbelief.”

Prostate cancer can be treated in several ways depending on the patient’s individual needs and diagnosis. Treatment options include radical prostatectomy, or removal of the prostate, external beam radiation and sometimes, simply watching and waiting, as some prostate cancer grows very slowly. Brachytherapy, however, offers a less invasive method of treating this form of cancer, and is improving outcomes for patients. Vance’s  physicians recommended a combination of brachytherapy and a five-week period of daily radiation treatments. Radiation Therapy is able to treat the cancer if it has spread outside the prostate, unlike surgical removal of the prostate gland. Had he chosen to have it surgically removed and then learned that the cancer had spread outside the prostate, he would have most likely been faced with eight weeks of radiation therapy treatments. Most patients can be adequately treated with brachytherapy without any additional external beam radiation.

“Brachytherapy is a form of radiotherapy where small radioactive seeds are placed inside or next to the area being treated,” said radiation oncologist Joseph Salloum, M.D. He adds that prostate cancer is well suited to brachytherapy because the gland is close to the skin and is well contained, allowing the radiation to be focused on the affected area and minimizes serious side effects or damage to surrounding tissue. The implanted seeds give off their radiation at a low dose rate over several months and remain in the prostate gland permanently.

Other than a bit of discomfort and a need to slow down his fishing and golfing trips for a couple of weeks, Vance says that he did not experience any side effects from the brachytherapy treatment. “What I went through wasn’t nearly as much as many people go through,” said Vance. “I feel very lucky. As far as I know I don’t have any major side effects and everything is pretty normal. After having gone through it, I couldn’t be more pleased – not only test results, but my care. It was excellent. At both Hattiesburg Clinic and Forrest General’s Cancer Center, they make you feel like you’re an individual.”

At his most recent checkup in September, nearly five years after finishing his last radiation treatment, Vance was relieved to hear Salloum say that he did not need to see him again for another year. “I’m doing fine,” said Vance, “and that’s really good news.”

UMHC Cancer Surgeon Earns Certification in Breast Ultrasound

Dr. Sharla Gayle Patterson, who specializes in breast surgery and is fellowship-trained in breast surgical oncology, has earned certification in breast ultrasound from the American Society of Breast Surgeons.

Patterson sees patients through University of Mississippi Health Care, a part of the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She is the only breast surgeon in Jackson with this distinction, and she joins two other surgeons in the state who have received the certification, one in Cleveland and one in Starkville.

Patterson said breast ultrasound helps her evaluate new issues in a patient by planning for surgical treatment, performing biopsies, and by providing guidance in the operating room.

The certification demonstrates a dedication to quality patient care and public safety through adherence to established standards for performance and training in breast ultrasound, Patterson said.

A 2000 graduate of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Patterson completed a dual M.D./M.B.A. program at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. After a general surgery internship from 2004-05 and a general surgery residency from 2005-09 at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Patterson completed breast surgery fellowship at Emory University, Atlanta.

Tammy Bacot, RN, earns Certified Infection Control Credential

CBIC has announced that Tammy Bacot, RN, Infections Preventionist of Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, has earned the Certified in Infection Control (CIC) credential and demonstrated a mastery of infection prevention and control knowledge by taking and passing this comprehensive examination.  Certification is maintained through successful completion of a recertification examination every five years.

The Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. (CBIC) administers the exam certifying individuals as Certified in Infection Control (CIC).  The purpose of the certification process is to protect the public by providing standardized measurement of current basic knowledge needed for persons practicing infection control; encouraging individual growth and study, thereby promoting professionalism amount infection control professionals; and formally recognizing infection control professionals who fulfill the requirements for certification.  Individuals who earn their CIC credential join approximately 4,500 practitioners worldwide who are Certified in Infection Control.

Mississippi State Hospital recognizes Boone for 20 years of service

Mississippi State Hospital recently honored employees with October anniversary dates for their years of service. Emma Boone of Byram was recognized for providing 20 years of service.
 
Boone, a Shelby, Miss. resident, works as a unit director at Mississippi State Hospital.  She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Jackson State University and received a master’s degree in counseling education from Delta State University. 
 
Service Awards are given to employees in the month of their date of hire, beginning with five years and every fifth year following. Employees receive a Certificate of Appreciation and a Service Award Pin. The program is sponsored by Friends of Mississippi State Hospital Inc.