News Around the State

Earnest C. Simmons, M.D. Joins Medical Staff of Biloxi Regional Medical Center

Earnest C. Simmons, M.D., has joined the medical staff of Biloxi Regional Medical Center where he will practice as a Hospitalist.

Dr. Simmons attended Howard University College of Medicine. He completed residencies at Medical College of Georgia and Howard University Hospital. Dr. Simmons is board certified by the American Academy of Family Physician and is a member of the American Medical Association and the National Medical Associated. He has received numerous honors and awards including Physician of the Year.

Biloxi Regional Medical Center Announces Quarterly and Annual Award Winners

Biloxi Regional Medical Center's quarterly and annual awards program was held January 25 with years of service being awarded as well as quarterly andn annual award winner announcements.

Five Year Pins were given to Emily Burke, Rachel King, Ayman Abu Fakher, Erin Smith, Dan Rogers, Kristy Warner, David Gillum and Donald Morgan.

10 Year Pins were awarded to Debra Kaiser, David Seal, Kitti Taylor, Brian Moody, Myrtis Edwards and Linda Galloway.

A 15 Year Pin was awarded to Glenn Evans.

A 20  Year Pin was awarded to Clara Means.

A 40 Year Pin was awarded to Carrie Rankins.

Associate of the Quarter – Marianne Chisholm, Health Information Services
Nurse of the Quarter – Donna Bistle, Nursing Educator
Manager of the Quarter – Joanna Cunningham, Health Information Services
Volunteer of the Quarter – Ethel Picard, Volunteer Services

Associate of the Year – Marianne Chisholm, Health Information Services
Nurse of the Year – Bill Lawson, Med/Surg Unit
Manager of the Year – Tammy Rouse, Rehab Services

John J. Nelson, M.D. Joins Medical Staff

John J. Nelson, M.D., Pathologist, has joined the medical staff of Biloxi Regional Medical Center.  Dr. Nelson attended Louisiana State University School of Medicine.  He completed a residency in Pathology at University of South Alabama Medical Center and a fellowship in Cythpathology at University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Center.                 

Dr. Nelson is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology by the American Board of Pathology.  He is a member of the American Medical Association, American Society for Clinical Pathology, College of American Pathologists and the Southern Medical Association.                 

 

Dr. Mohammad K. Anwar joins medical staff at Biloxi Regional

 

Mohammad K. Anwar, MD, adolescent psychiatrist, has joined the medical staff of Biloxi Regional Medical Center and will practice at the hospital's Gulf Oaks location. Dr. Anwar attended Dhaka Medical College and completed an internship at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He completed his residency in adult psychiatry as well as child and adolescent psychiatry at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center where he served as Chief Resident.

SRHS Neurology and Imaging Services Expanded to Cedar Lake

Singing River Health System (SRHS) recently expanded two specialty services to provide the Cedar Lake area with Neurology and Imaging services.

“Our newest location at Cedar Lake is more conveniently located than our Ocean Springs office for the patients in the Harrison and Hancock County communities with Neurology and Sleep Medicine needs,” said Matt Walker, Vice President of Neuroscience, SRHS.

Drs. Lennon E. Bowen, William J. Evans, and Christopher P. Karcher, of The Neuroscience Center will see patients in the Cedar Lake area for a wide range of problems including migraine, stroke, neuropathy, dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, seizures, dizziness and vertigo, balance problems, numbness and tingling, limb pain, Multiple Sclerosis, sleep apnea and sleep disorders. The group will also perform comprehensive nerve conduction, sleep studies and therapeutic Botox treatment.

“At The Neuroscience Center our message is simple: we want to offer world-class healthcare to our community and be the preferred providers for South Mississippi. It is not just our business strategy, it is our mission,” Walker said. 

The neurologists are located at 1721 Medical Park Drive, Suite 200 in Biloxi, and still see patients at their Ocean Springs location. They are accepting new patients at both locations. Call 228-818-9620 to schedule an appointment.

In addition to neurology, SRHS is also providing services at North Bay Diagnostics, located in the Cedar Lake Medical Park. North Bay now offers digital mammography, ultrasound, diagnostic x-ray and lab services.

The imaging services here are directly linked to SRHS’ PACS network and images are interpreted by a radiologist at the Ocean Springs Imaging Center and Ocean Springs Hospital for same-day interpretation in most cases.
 
“North Bay Diagnostics offers an extension of professional medical services by Singing River Health System,” said Rachel Upton, Operations Manager, SRHS. “Our technologists, phlebotomists, and clerical staff take pride in offering world class service to all patients, family members, and visitors.”

Ultrasound and mammography exams should be scheduled by calling 228-809-2355 but walk-ins are welcome. When calling, inform the scheduler that you would like to go to the Cedar Lake location.

BRMC recognizes staff members

Biloxi Regional Medical Center recently held its quarterly awards ceremony, recognizing years of service of long-term staff as well as quarterly award announcements.

Those receiving five-year pins were Mary Gregory, Deborah Taylor, Theresa Payne, Melissa Tinsley, Kimberly Evans, Sharon Edwards, Joann Wallace, Mary Cryer, Naomi Sigman and Manion Anderson.

Thos receiving 10-year pins were Karen Parrott, Sachi Havens, Joel Prickett, Darrin Ivey and Melissa O’Sullivan.

Paula Kirsch received a 15-year pin while Jennie Kostmayer received a 30-year pin.

Quarterly award winners were: Carl Lowery (Employee of the Quarter); Penny Wiederich (Nurse of the Quarter); Rachel King (Manager of the Quarter); Sister Mary Riodan (Volunteer of the Quarter); and, Wendell Smith (Contract Employee of the Quarter).

[ via Mississippi Business Journal ]

Public test drives surgical robot

 
Joe Baudier, Picayune, tries his hand at robotics-assisted surgery by navigating the robotic Endowrists through a simulated surgical field while Dr. Julius Bosco, Jr., Gulf Coast OB/GYN, offers instructions.

Dozens of Coast residents took the most advanced technology for urologic and gynecologic surgeries for a “test drive” recently when the daVinci Surgical System was on display at Edgewater Mall in Biloxi.

Attendees got behind the controls of the state-of-the-art robotic equipment, and physicians from Mississippi Coast Urology and Gulf Coast OB/GYN were on-site for personal consultations.

The daVinci Surgical System is a sophisticated robotic platform designed to allow physicians to perform complex procedures through 1 to 2 centimeter incisions.

Using the da Vinci Surgical System, the surgeon operates while seated comfortably at a console viewing a 3D image of the surgical field. The surgeon's fingers grasp the master controls below the display, with hands and wrists naturally positioned relative to his or her eyes. The system seamlessly translates the surgeon's hand, wrist and finger movements into precise, real-time movements of surgical instruments inside the patient. The surgical system was installed at Singing River Hospital in June 2008; Dr. Mark Lyell, urologist, successfully performed the first surgery using the robot the following month. Since then, several procedures have taken place at the Hospital, including gynecological procedures performed by Dr. Nester Delgado, OB/GYN, and Dr. Julius Bosco, DO.

Many surgical procedures performed today using standard laparoscopic technique may be performed less invasively using the da Vinci Surgical System. The EndoWrist instrumentation of the da Vinci Surgical System enables surgeons to perform procedures through 1 to 2 centimeter incisions.

As a result, recovery time is often considerably shorter, and with less post-op pain and discomfort. Other benefits may include reduced trauma to the body, reduced blood loss and need for transfusions, less risk of infection, shorter hospital stay and even less scarring.

D’Iberville Medical Center opens

The D’Iberville Medical Center recently celebrated its grand opening as part of the Singing River Hospital System. The facility has two full-time physicians, Dr. Gregg Novak, who specializes in pediatric internal medicine, and Dr. Julia Jensen, who specializes in family medicine. The new center is part of the hospital system’s mission to find areas that are underserved, especially in the area of primary health care. The medical center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until noon and from 1 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. everyday except Wednesday.

Freeman joins medical staff at BRMC

Tijuana L. Freeman, MD, a pediatrician, has joined the medical staff of Biloxi Regional Medical Center and the Children’s Clinic in Ocean Springs and Cedar Lake. Freeman attended medical school at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and attained her pediatric residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Burke joins Gulf Coast Medical Center

Emily K. Burke has joined Gulf Coast Medical Center in Biloxi as senior marketing and volunteer coordinator. Burke attended the University of Southern Mississippi where she received a bachelor of arts in recreation administration with emphasis in commercial recreation. She has been employed with the city of Biloxi as an events coordinator since October of 2000. She is currently participating in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Gulf Coast Program. She serves as a board member to the Biloxi Chamber of Commerce.