News Around the State

Baptist DeSoto names new medical director of cardiovascular services

Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto recently promoted Dr. Arie Szatkowski to medical director of the hospitals’ cardiovascular services. 

A cardiologist with the Stern Cardiovascular Foundation, he brings more than 16 years of experience, including award-winning teaching appointments. Szatkowski specializes in consultative cardiology, nuclear medicine, echocardiography and preventive medicine. He has special interests in valvular disease and congestive heart failure.

“Finding the right person for this position was not an easy task,” James Huffman, administrator and CEO of Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto, said. “His previous positions have prepared him well to oversee finding the right programs to meet the needs of our patients and employees.”

Szatkowski believes educating patients and setting goals is the key to lowering the statistics that place Mississippi among the nation’s leaders in heart disease.

“Improving the health of our community is my top priority,” Szatkowski explained. “We already have top-notch cardiac services. Now we are working to promote those services and offer more programs for healthier living.”

 

School of Pharmacy opens new facility at UMMC

The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy celebrated the completion of a new education and research building on the campus of the University of Mississippi Medical Center with a dedication ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 23.

The new facility will provide the Oxford-based school a central home in Jackson.

Dr. Leigh Ann Ross, associate dean for clinical affairs in the School of Pharmacy, said the building will provide a sense of community for the school’s faculty and students in Jackson.

“The most important thing is, it will bring us all together. It will increase our face-to-face interaction, and that is going to increase morale, both for students and faculty,” Ross said.

Students in the School of Pharmacy spend three years of pre-pharmacy training and two years of professional training in Oxford before transitioning to Jackson for their third professional year. The new classroom and research building, which is the newest addition to the Medical Center, will be home for those students at UMMC as well at faculty and researchers with the Department of Pharmacy Practice.

Students spend their final professional year undergoing advanced practice training at clinical sites across the South. The school has been offering the Doctor of Pharmacy, or Pharm.D., since 1998.

The new building’s cutting-edge amenities also promise to enhance learning and research, thanks to fully equipped research laboratories and unique classrooms outfitted with video-conferencing technology.

“This technology provides us the ability to be innovative in our educational offerings,” Ross said.
Located on the northeast side of campus, the two-story, 29,692-square-foot building includes 17 classrooms, three research laboratories and a 173-seat auditorium. With a modern design that complements the look of most other facilities on campus, the building features expansive windows overlooking the Norman C. Nelson Student Union and the Guyton Research Building.

The basic science laboratories on the second floor support a second mission of the facility: research.
“Specifically, the laboratories are designed to handle between four to eight researchers and they provide an environment to perform a broad spectrum of translational research,” said Dr. John Cleary, professor of pharmacy practice.

He said the laboratories will be geared toward investigating patient-care problems largely concerning pharmacotherapy and pharmacogenomics. Cleary, who has been performing collaborative research with the Department of Infectious Diseases for 25 years, said he and his pharmacy colleagues work in partnership with many other departments.

The new labs will provide space for researchers, both faculty and students, to expand their focus on medication therapy issues.

“It’s critical that our students be good problem-solvers so they can contribute to that scientific basis for recommendations regarding medication therapy,” Cleary said.

The building’s classrooms, meanwhile, are tailored to the school’s educational model of problem-based learning. The rooms fit small groups of students who use flat-screen monitors to study patient cases and map out what Ross terms learning issues.

She said the number of classrooms, and the building’s advantages as a whole, will aid in the goal of boosting the school's class size to 115.

“The classrooms will help the overall experience, and that word will get out to students who are looking at pharmacy school,” she said. 

 

SRHS Auxiliaries Install Officers

The Singing River Hospital Auxiliary and the Ocean Springs Hospital Auxiliary installed their 2011-2012 officers during special ceremonies.

From left, Joy Mangum, Membership Chair, speaks to the Auxilians in attendance at the event that named the following new officers in order of appearance: Betty Richarde, Corresponding Secretary; Karen German, Recording Secretary; Gail Nicholson, Treasurer; Jackie Spires, Second Vice President; Renaldo Adams, First Vice President; and Betty Quinn, President.

In Pascagoula, Betty Quinn was installed as SRH Auxiliary President. Renaldo Adams and Jackie Spires were named First and Second Vice-President respectively. Again, Gail Nicholson will serve as Treasurer and Betty Richarde as Corresponding Secretary. Karen German will serve as Recording Secretary. Jackie Spires was named the 2011 SRH Auxilian of the Year. 

OSH Auxiliary officers were installed (from left) Emily Wilson Corresponding Secretary; Nettie Phillips, Recording Secretary; Pat Spear, Treasurer: Sylvia Galuski, Vice President; and Dianne Gish, President.

In Ocean Springs, Dianne Gish was installed as OSH Auxiliary President. Other officers include Sylvia Galuski, Vice-President; Nettie Phillips, Recording Secretary; Emily Wilson, Corresponding Secretary; and Pat Spear, Treasurer. Also at the event, Anna Miller was honored as the 2011 OSH Auxilian of the Year.

 

Tri-Lakes Medical Center extends MRI services, plans ICU opening

Tri-Lakes Medical Center has extended its MRI services to three days a week, offering services on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays to better serve needs of patients.

“The extended days for the MRI service provides physicians with the flexibility they need to accommodate their patients’ schedules, particularly when a same day appointment is necessary,” said Wes Sigler, Tri-Lakes Medical Center CEO.

He added that Saturday services benefit those unable to schedule an MRI on weekdays, making it more convenient for patients to undergo important tests.

MRI, or Magnetic Resonance Imaging, provides detailed images of the body’s soft tissues, such as tendons, ligaments, muscles, nerves and blood vessels. It uses a magnetic field and radio wave energy to take pictures of organs and structures inside the body.

“MRI can be used to detect many problems in the body, ranging from infections and blood vessel diseases to tumors and arthritis,” said Dr. Mike Havens, CMO of Tri-Lakes Medical Center. “The wide range of testing it offers makes it a necessity for preventative care and healthy living.”

 Tri-Lakes is also preparing to open a new, state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which will provide high-quality critical care for patients. Construction has recently begun on the six-bed unit, which is scheduled to open this spring.

According to Sigler, the ICU will eliminate many situations in which emergency cases are transferred to other hospitals.

“The new intensive care unit means critically ill patients can be treated in Batesville, near their homes and families.” said Sigler. “This addition is a huge step forward for our hospital and community.”

Hattiesburg Heart and Vascular Team Offers Cardiac Catheterization Options to Patients

During the 1950s, cardiac care was revolutionized through a new technique used to detect blockages in the heart. Catheterization, a procedure in which a physician threads a tiny line through a patient’s artery to the heart, was born out of a need to reach the heart to clear blockages, deliver life-saving medication and position stents. Using a catheter afforded doctors the option of taking a minimally invasive approach when treating their patients. 

Since then, physicians have performed millions of cardiac catheterization procedures. For the majority of those procedures, physicians make their way to the heart through the femoral artery in the groin. However, a growing number of physicians are switching to a new access point. The radial artery, which is located in the wrist, offers patients procedures that often result in less pain, less bleeding and a shorter recovery time. 

Though the procedure is often a better option for patients, there are challenges associated with the radial approach.  The size of the artery at the wrist is only about half the size of the femoral artery at the groin, the traditional access point. Accessing the heart through the radial artery is also more challenging for physicians to learn, so fewer cardiologists have been trained in the technique. 
Dr. Charles Mayes and Dr. Mark Campbell, of Hattiesburg Heart and Vascular are both fellowship trained in using the radial access point for heart catheterizations and are offering the option to their patients in the Hattiesburg area. 

“The procedure is technically more difficult than going through the femoral artery, but it is often a better option for the patient,” says Mayes. “Dr. Campbell and I knew when we came to Hattiesburg last year that we wanted to implement this program for our patients here.”

Physicians utilize heart catheterization for a variety of reasons. For instance, balloon angioplasty is a common procedure in which a catheter is inserted through an artery and maneuvered through the circulatory system to the heart to reach a blockage. Once there, a balloon on the end of the catheter is inflated to clear the blockage in order to increase circulation. 

One reason that the groin access point is used more often than the wrist is that the instruments used for many interventional cardiology procedures simply fit better through the larger route provided by the femoral artery.  Through better design, smaller and easier to maneuver instruments are now available for most procedures. Balloons, stents and catheters can all now be accommodated by the radial artery, but experience is key for physicians navigating the circulatory system through the wrist. 

“Major studies have shown that the radial artery approach is as successful as using the femoral artery entry point, but with lower rates of bleeding and other complications,” says Mayes. “Our patients deserve the least painful and most effective procedure we can give them. Ten years of experience with radial catheterization has shown me and Dr. Campbell that this is the right way to go for many patients and we’re glad to have partnered with Wesley Medical Center to offer this option in the Pine Belt.”

Despite the larger size of the femoral artery, accessing the heart via that route comes with unique complications.  In particular, bleeding risk is a concern. To stop bleeding after a catheter procedure through the femoral artery, very heavy pressure must be applied at the insertion site. Additionally, patients must lie still on their backs for hours. This can be difficult and painful for some patients, particularly the elderly or those with hip or back pain. 

The radial artery in the wrist, by comparison, requires only a band similar to a wristwatch to be placed around the wrist. This provides enough pressure to prevent bleeding at the insertion site. Patients are able to sit, or even get up and walk. 

Hattiesburg Heart and Vascular, a division of Wesley Medical Group, is committed to providing superior cardiac care to the Pine Belt. Wesley Medical Center, the only accredited Chest Pain Center in the Pine Belt, has also been recognized as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures in the areas of Heart Attack and Heart Failure. 

To learn more about the cardiologists of Hattiesburg Heart and Vascular, visit Wesley.com. 

 

NMMC Designated as Level II Trauma Center, Secondary PediatricTrauma Center

The Mississippi State Department of Health has designated North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo as a Level II Trauma Center and Secondary Pediatric Trauma Center in the Mississippi Trauma Care System. 

NMMC is one of five Level II Trauma Centers in Mississippi and one of two in the north half of the state to earn this designation.

According to the MSDH criteria, a Level II Trauma Center is an acute care facility with the commitment, resources and specialty training necessary to provide sophisticated trauma care. In addition, they must have specific departments, divisions, or sections: General Surgery; Neurological Surgery; Orthopedic Surgery; Emergency Medicine; Anesthesia; Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU); and an Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

In addition, each Trauma Center maintains a Trauma Registry with up-to-date information. "Trauma is any event that causes an injury to the patient," said Wanda Della-Calce, RN, administrator of NMMC's emergency and behavioral health services. "

NMMC is equipped to handle everything but the most complex cases, such as complex pelvis trauma, or those that require pediatric subspecialists. Pediatric patients that require subspecialists are stabilized and then transported to Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis."

NMMC first earned its Level II designation in 2000 following the passage of House Bill 966, the Mississippi Trauma Care System Law. NMMC treated approximately 80,000 patients through its Emergency Services Department last year, including patients who walk in on their own, are transported by ambulance or medical helicopter from an accident site or other location, or from another hospital. The volume continues to increase yearly.

 

Woman’s Hospital Receives Center of Excellence Designation from AIMIS

The American Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery (AIMIS) announced Woman’s Hospital in Flowood has received its Center of Excellence designation.      

A hospital or surgical center can be recognized as a Center for Excellence once it has combined efforts with an accredited AIMIS surgeon and meets minimally-invasive surgery standards. Recognized institutions have made minimally invasive surgery a priority, which helps minimize recovery times and provide better patient outcomes.   

Pitts said the designation represents Woman’s commitment to offering the state’s top physicians and new and proven medical technologies, including the da Vinci robotic surgical system. Patients that have robotic-assisted surgery experience shorten hospital stays, less pain and scarring and a faster recovery time than those undergoing traditional surgery, Pitts said.   

“Our main goal is to provide the very best care for our patients, and the primary way we’ve accomplished this is to offer the top resources for our physicians through the latest advances in technology and minimally invasive options in gynecology, urogynecology, breast and general surgery,” said Sherry Pitts, Chief Executive Officer of Woman’s Hospital. “Our attention to these details has set us apart as a national leader in minimally-invasive surgery.”    

To date, Woman’s has three da Vinci Robotic Surgical Systems, allowing surgeons to perform more robotic-assisted surgeries than any other hospital in Mississippi, Pitts added.      

“It is rewarding to be recognized as a Center of Excellence, but even more notable is the designation shows we’re doing what is best for our patients,” said Pitts. “A record number of our physicians have become trained in surgical techniques that lead to optimum outcomes for our patients. In doing so, they’re showing a true commitment to making Woman’s the hospital of choice for surgery, particularly minimally-invasive procedures using the da Vinci robotic systems.”   

Woman’s Hospital’s minimally invasive surgery program has shown significant growth recently. In 2011, 83% of hysterectomy procedures at the hospital were minimally invasive, said Jeanne Fortenberry, Woman’s Chief Nursing Officer. This number exceeds the national average for open versus minimally invasive hysterectomies which is only around 20%.     

Fortenberry said the hospital’s commitment to minimally-invasive surgery extends beyond the da Vinci robotic systems. Specially-trained robotic teams that include skilled nurses assist physicians in performing robotic surgery cases and contribute to the efficiencies that allow record numbers of patients to receive treatment at Woman’s Hospital.

 

Occupational Medical Clinic opens near Jackson Airport

River Oaks Hospital has opened an occupational health and wellness clinic in Pearl just off Interstate 20 near the Jackson Airport.  CarePlus Occupational Medicine Clinic represents River Oaks’ commitment to assist industries by providing comprehensive, convenient solutions for health care and human resource needs, explained Dennis Bruns, chief executive officer of River Oaks Hospital.

“Care Plus, staffed by a board-certified emergency medicine physician and an experienced nursing and support staff, can provide a broad range of pre-employment screening services, quickly treat workplace injuries and offer post-injury care,”  said Bruns.

The clinic’s primary physician is Steven Chouteau, MD., an emergency medicine specialist with more than 30 years of experience in treating Jackson-area patients. Dr Chouteau is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine and has served as Flowood River Oaks and Crossgates River Oaks Emergency Departments Medical Directors. He has served as Chief of Staff for Crossgates River Oaks Hospital while serving as Director of Rankin County Emergency Response Team.

Services at CarePlus include pre-employment and DOT physical examinations; return to work and post-accident exams; workers’ compensation injury evaluation and treatment; drug and alcohol testing (DOT and non-DOT); breath alcohol testing; employee health and wellness programs; and annual employee health screenings.

Additional services available at the clinic include vision and audiology exams and independent medical exams.

“Waiting for pre-employment screening results can decrease productivity for employers,” Bruns said. “Additionally, employees may postpone treatment for job-related injuries due to the long waits for treatment at many clinics and emergency rooms. We offer convenient, comprehensive medical services designed to prohibit the potentially-negative effects of both of those scenarios.”

Bruns added the clinic’s goals are two-fold: assist employers with their pre-employment and human resources needs and help employees return to work as soon as it is medically appropriate while training them to prevent re-injury.

“As an employer, we understand how important it is for companies to protect the health, safety, and well-being of their employees,” Bruns said. “Therefore, we focus on helping companies minimize accidents and illnesses in order to maximize efficiency and productivity.”

Bruns said employees required to undergo annual exams to meet mandatory requirements or to gauge occupational stressors will benefit from seeing the same physician and staff. Employers can quickly compare annual test results when treatment or assessment is provided at one location by the same physician.

Unlike many clinics or hospitals, CarePlus patients are seen with minimal waiting time. Even more notable, care and treatment is provided in an illness-free environment.  Test results are provided within minutes to both the employee and employer due to CarePlus’ innovative technology

CarePlus offers on-line record access, on-site X-ray and EKG services. When necessary, physical therapy, advanced diagnostic testing and hospitalization are readily available. Due to Chouteau’s relationship with Jackson-area hospitals, including River Oaks, patients can access medical services when those rare occasions conditions warrant specialists and hospital facilities rather than those of the clinic.

 CarePlus is open from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. The clinic does accept appointments, but walk-ins are welcome.No doctor’s referral is necessary. For more information, contact CarePlus Occupational Medicine at 601-936-0669. 

 

Clinic participates in landmark study

Hattiesburg Clinic’s Heart & Vascular Services and Hypertension Center, along with Forrest General Hospital, are among 60 institutions nationwide, and the only site in Mississippi, selected to participate in a research study evaluating the efficiency of a radiofrequency catheter used to treat patients with resistant hypertension. This device delivers radiofrequent energy directly inside the kidney arteries to disrupt the nerves that are delivering excessive stimulation to the kidneys, a process that is a cause of severe hypertension. Prior studies conducted outside the U.S. have demonstrated significant blood pressure reduction in patients who have received this therapy. On average, blood pressure was reduced by more than 30 mmHg following treatment.

SYMPLICITY HTN-3 is an international, multi-center, randomized trial. A procedure is conducted through a minimally invasive course of action using the Symplicity™ Catheter. Studies conducted in Europe and Australia have shown the procedure to be safe, with significant and sustained reductions of blood pressure in subjects with uncontrolled blood pressure.

“Too much activity of the nervous system is a major contributor to high blood pressure. When there is excessive nerve output the kidneys are stimulated to increase blood pressure through numerous processes. This study utilizes a new, minimally invasive approach to deactivating the kidneys using 21st century technical advances,” says Hattiesburg Clinic interventional cardiologist and peripheral vascular interventionalist, Robert Wilkins, MD.

Bryan Batson, MD, of Hattiesburg Clinic’s Hypertension Center believes there are other potential benefits of the study. Batson explains, “Even though we are focused on treating uncontrolled high blood pressure, what we learn could eventually help us develop breakthroughs in the treatment of all forms of elevated blood pressure and possibly other disease states. So far the effects have been outstanding.”

In order to participate in SYMPLICITY HTN-3, participants must meet the following criteria:

• Be between the ages of 18 and 80 years old.
• Be receiving a stable medication regimen that includes full tolerated doses of three or more anti-hypertensive medications of different classes, one of which must be a diuretic that is expected to be maintained without change for at least six months.
• Have an office systolic blood pressure of greater than or equal to 160 mmhg based on an average of readings taken at an initial and confirmatory visit.
• Be competent and willing to provide written, informed consent to participate in this clinical study, including all required office visits.

Drs. Wilkins and Batson are co-principal investigators for this trial. Sub-investigators for the trial include Craig Thieling, MD, and Phillip Mellen, MD. For more information or to refer a patient for this trial, please call Hattiesburg Clinic’s clinical research coordinator, Frances Findley, at 601-268-5794. 

 

St. Dominic's Physical Therapists Recognized for Neurologic Physical Therapy Certifications

Pictured left to right: Rachel Jacobson, Teresa Ware and Wendy Barrilleaux

St. Dominic's physical therapists Wendy Barrilleaux, Rachel Jacobson and Teresa Ware were recognized Feb. 8, 2012 at the national American Physical Therapy meeting in Chicago, Ill. for obtaining clinic specialist certifications in Neurologic Physical Therapy.

St. Dominic's now employs three of the total seven Neurologic Clinical Specialists in the state. There are approximately 1,100 of these specialists in the U.S.

A Neurologic Clinical Specialist (NCS) is a physical therapist who has had advanced training or practice in the area of neurologic physical therapy. These physical therapists have completed 2,000 hours of direct patient care in the specialty area within the last 10 years and have passed a specialty examination given by the American Board of Physical Therapist Specialists.

NCS therapists specialize in the evaluation and treatment of individuals with movement problems caused by disease or injury of the nervous system, including:

•      Spinal cord injury
•      Brain injury as a result of trauma or conditions such as stroke or tumors
•      Multiple sclerosis
•      Parkinson's disease
•      Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
•      Polyneuropathies such as Guillian-Barre syndrome or chronic inflammatory polyneuropathy
•      Vestibular disorders such as BPPV, acoustic neuroma, or other conditions that cause dizziness or loss of balance
•      Pediatric conditions such as spina bifida or cerebral palsy