News Around the State

Baptist Golden Triangle Honors Volunteers

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle will host a luncheon to honor its volunteers on Tuesday, April 29, at the Baptist Outpatient Pavilion Conference Center.

The 97 active members of the hospital’s Auxiliary have donated 16,894 hours to the hospital during 2007. Auxiliary members average 1,500 to 2,000 hours each month directly to inpatient care areas. Each day, volunteers work in many areas of the hospital. From greeting the public, offering comfort to family members, assisting at the Front Desk and in various departments, volunteers are an important asset to our facility. Each member will be recognized for the hours given to the facility.

Over the past year, the Auxiliary has donated more than $64,000 in items for use by Baptist-Golden Triangle. The most recent donation, in excess of $60,000, was made to the Ambulance Department. The Auxiliary purchased five Stryker® Power-PRO XT stretchers and five Stryker® Stair-PRO stair chairs.

The Stryker® stretchers feature a battery powered hydraulic lift system. The Stryker® stair chairs allow EMS workers to transport patients from areas where it would be impossible for an ambulance cot to reach.

“Members of the Auxiliary are very happy to make these donations to the hospital. We feel blessed and privileged to be able to do this,” said Auxiliary President Ann Cumberland.

“Our volunteers work so hard, and we can never thank them enough for what they do,” said Paul Cade, interim administrator and CEO of Baptist Golden Triangle. “They play such an important role in our hospitals, and we want them to know we truly appreciate them.”

National Healthcare Volunteer week (April 27 – May 3) recognizes all volunteers for their efforts in improving our communities. .

For more information about becoming a Baptist Golden Triangle volunteer, please call (662) 244-1165.

Baptist Golden Triangle selected as 5 Million Lives campaign mentoring hospital

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle has been named a mentor organization for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, a not-for-profit organization that works to enhance hospital care for patients, as part of its Protecting 5 Million Lives from Harm campaign.

Baptist Golden Triangle is the first hospital in Mississippi to receive the designation by the Institute. The campaign is developing a network of mentor hospitals to field requests for advice and dialogue from other hospitals. Baptist Golden Triangle qualified because it has not had a VAP in three and half years.

The 5 Million Lives Campaign promotes the adoption of 12 enhancements in health care, one of which is implementing protocols to prevent VAP.

“Everyone is very proud of this, and we take great pride in being a national leader for care,” said Sherry Elmore, manager of the critical care unit for Baptist Golden Triangle. “Our staff is exceptional, and hospital leadership has been supportive. Becoming a mentor hospital is the result of the staff’s efforts and leadership support.”

BMH-Golden Triangle hopes to build behavioral health center

Officials with Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle in Columbus hope to build a behavioral health center that will also treat geriatric patients. The 25,000-square-foot facility would cost the hospital about $9 million.

Baptist Golden Triangle names new interim CEO

Effective March 3, Paul Cade, an assistant administrator at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle, will be come the hospital’s interim CEO and administrator, replacing Rick Lassister, who has accepted a similar position with Parkwest Medical Center in Knoxville, Tenn.

“Baptist has been fortunate to have a leader like Rick Lassister, and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors,” said Jim Ainsworth, vice president and head of regional operations for Baptist Memorial Health Care. “At the same time, we know Paul Cade will do a wonderful job as Baptist Golden Triangle’s CEO and administrator during this transition.”

Cade has served as assistant administrator of Baptist Golden Triangle since 2004. He has overseen hospice services, Baptist Centers for Cancer Care-Golden Triangle, marketing/community relations, rehabilitation services, behavioral health services, diagnostic imaging, laboratory, preadmission testing and the hospital’s ambulance service. Before joining Baptist Golden Triangle’s leadership, Cade was CEO and administrator of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City in Forrest City, Ark., from 2002-2004 and assistant administrator of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Union County in New Albany, Miss., from 2001-2002. He began his career with Baptist in 1993.

Baptist Golden Triangle adds Dr. Edward Crocker to medical staff

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle recently announced the addition of Dr. Edward J. Crocker Jr. to its medical staff.

A cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon, Crocker comes to Baptist Golden Triangle from River Region Medical Center in Vicksburg, Miss. He received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tenn., and completed his residency in general surgery at Oschner Foundation Hospital in New Orleans.

Crocker is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American College of Thoracic Surgeons, the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, the American College of Chest Physicians and the American Medical Association.

BMH-GT is going wireless

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle will be going wireless soon. A wireless distribution infrastructure will be installed at the hospital and four other Baptist Memorial Health Care facilities and organizations's corporate office through a $6 million agreement between BMHCC and Johnson Controls.

The wireless distribution system will provide wireless coverage through the six locations by means of a single broadband infrastructure. The system, which will be installed in the next 12 months, will support the delivery of voice and data systems throughout each location. The wireless system will eliminate the need for separate, multiple wireless networks and can easily support changes or the addition of future applications. The infrastructure will support  the integrated electronic clinical information system Baptist is installing at Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto and Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi.

New treatment available at Baptist

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle is now helping chronic hemorrhoid sufferers get relief. Patients who require surgery for their hemorrhoids now have a surgical treatment alternative, which offers less pain and a quicker recovery time than traditional hemorrhoidectomy procedures. This breakthrough approach, called the Procedure for Prolapse and Hemorrhoids, was introduced in the U.S. in October 2001 and is growing in popularity among physicians.

Baptist-GT opens $34M tower expansion

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle has opened its new bed tower, a $34-million project expanding and upgrading the hospital campus and enhancing patient accommodations. The 167,000-square-foot tower adds 151 patient rooms.

Baptist-Golden Triangle's labor and delivery department moves to the second floor of the new structure. The tower also features an automated prescription delivery and tracking system, and an integrated communication network that can reach nurses and other healthcare staff anywhere in the hospital, allowing them to speak directly to their patients.

"We are committed to providing high-quality healthcare to the communities we serve, and upgrading our facility is an important part of that," said Jason Little, CEO and administrator of Baptist-Golden Triangle. "We designed this bed tower with our patients' health and comfort in mind."

Since joining the Baptist Memorial Health Care system in 1993, Baptist-Golden Triangle has undergone several expansion projects. The original 35-year lease called for an investment of $40 million during the length of the contract. Baptist has surpassed that requirement in fewer than 10 years, investing more than $100 million into the facility.

BMH-Golden Triangle grows with new building, staff

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle isn't just adding a new patient tower. Within the last year alone, eight doctors from a variety of fields joined the staff at Baptist.

The doctors, grouped by specialty, are:

Oncology

Wail Alnas, MD, is board certified in hematology and oncology and recently joined The Baptist Cancer Center as a staff physician.

Rheumatology

Shehla Atiq, MD, is a board certified rheumatologist.

Cardiology

Emad Mohamad, MD, is a cardiologist specializing in balloon angioplasties and stents in coronary arteries.

Nephrology

Jason Dunn, DO, is board certified in nephrology. He has joined the staff of Nephrology Associates.

Dermatology

Bethany Hairston, MD, is board certified in dermatology. She has joined the staff of Westmoreland Dermatology.

Pathology

Kathleen Harms, MD, is board certified in pathology. She has joined the staff of Columbus Pathology.

Internal Medicine

Min Kim, MD, is board certified in internal medicine. He has joined the Internal Medicine Associates.

Occupational Medicine

Ann Stokes, MD, is a board certified family practice physician specializing in occupation medicine.

Twu joins staff

North Mississippi Health Services recently announced that Bao M. Twu, MD, board certified in endocrinology, has joined its medical staff. Dr. Twu will open a satellite office, The Endocrinology Clinic, in Columbus.

A native of Seoul, Korea, Dr. Twu comes to the Columbus area from Salt Lake City where he was in private practice and the medical director of Endocrinology Specialists of Salt Lake City.

He received his undergraduate degree in anatomy and physiology from Michigan State University and his medical degree from the University of Michigan School of Medicine. He completed a residency and internship in internal medicine at Blodgett Memorial Hospital and a fellowship in endocrinology at the University Michigan Medical Center-Ann Arbor.

Dr. Twu is board certified in internal medicine and endocrinology, which he has been practicing for more than 20 years. He will reside in Tupelo with his wife, cardiologist Ahn T. Lam, and their three children, Lia, 21, Laykoon, 18, and Kowloon, 15.