Brandi Nelson of Gautier was named Singing River Hospital’s March employee of the month. Nelson is staff nurse for the Medical Intensive Care Unit. She began working with the hospital in 2002 as a temporary part-time nurse on the Medical Surgical Unit. She transferred to her current position in 2003.
Singing River Hospital System recently honored its September Employees of the Month. Tony Grady, Project/ Department/Technical Analyst, was recognized as Singing River Hospital's Employee of the Month, and Tien Truong, Lead Blood Bank Tech, was chosen as Ocean Springs Hospital's Employee of the Month. 
Grady is a graduate of Moss Point High School and received an associate's degree in applied science from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Since she started working at SRH, she has been in the Information Systems Department where she worked as an I/O Control Clerk and moved up to her current position a few years later.
"I enjoy working in Information Systems for many reasons, but the main reason I enjoy coming to work every day is the staff of not only this department but the entire Hospital System," said Grady. "It is a privilege working for such a great department and facility that takes pride in the things that they do," 
Truong is a graduate of Biloxi High School and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. She also received a bachelor's degree in clinical lab science from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. She began her career at OSH in October 2002 as a part-time Medical Lab Tech. She became full-time in November 2002 and upon receiving her bachelor's degree, she was promoted to her current position in May 2005.
"Everyday there is something interesting happening in the lab," said Truong. "I enjoy working with my wonderful co-workers and learning new things all the time."
The Board of Trustees of Singing River Hospital System has announced the addition of six new physicians to the Medical Staff of Ocean Springs Hospital and Singing River Hospital. 
Dr. John Bowman, internal medicine specialist, received his medical degree from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich., and performed a residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Dr. Bowman is board eligible in internal medicine and will be practicing as an inpatient hospitalist with Inpatient Physician Services at Ocean Springs Hospital and Singing River Hospital.
Dr. George Dagher, cardiologist, received his medical degree from Lebanese University. He performed an internship and residency at Staten Island University Hosptial in New York and a fellowship at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Dr. Dagher is board certified in internal medicine and nuclear cardiology and is board eligible in cardiology. He will be in private practice with Southern Mississippi Heart Center in Ocean Springs and Pascagoula. 
Dr. Marilyn Mora, internal medicine specialist, received her medical degree from the Medical University of Louisiana in New Orleans. She performed an internship at Louisiana State University Medical Center, a clinical rotation at Keesler Medical Center and a residency at LSUMC. Dr. Mora is board eligible in internal medicine and will be practicing as an inpatient hospitalist with Inpatient Physician Services at Ocean Springs Hospital and Singing River Hospital. 
Dr. Sera Cox, psychiatrist, received her medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson, where she also performed an internship and residency. Dr. Cox is board eligible in psychiatry and will be in private practice in Pascagoula. 
Dr. Paul Niolet, allergist/immunologist, received his medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Science Center in Shreveport. He performed an internship, residency and a fellowship at Louisiana State University Health Science Center in New Orleans. Dr. Niolet is board certified in pediatrics and internal medicine and is board eligible in allergy/immunology. He will be in private practice in Ocean Springs and Pascagoula. 
Dr. Jordan Pastorek, internal medicine specialist, received his medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Science Center in New Orleans. He performed an internship and residencies at Louisiana State University Medical Center in Lafayette. Dr. Pastorek is board eligible in internal medicine and will be practicing as an inpatient hospitalist with Inpatient Physician Services at Ocean Springs Hospital and Singing River Hospital.
Singing River Hospital System recently honored its August employees of the month. Frank Bailey, RN, clinical nurse educator, was named Ocean Springs Hospital's Employee of the Month. Mindy Bustamante, RN, admissions nurse for Hospice of Light, as Singing River Hospital's employee of the month. 
Bailey received his bachelor's degree in nursing from Providence School of Nursing in Mobile and will begin the master's nursing program at the University of South Alabama in the spring 2008. He began his career at OSH in 1998 as an intensive care unit staff nurse and was then promoted to assistant nurse manager where he held that position until his transfer to the education department in August 2006.
"The people I work with are probably the most important," said Bailey. "We work in an environment where people really care for each other. Also the opportunities here, I feel I'm making a difference in our new nurse's professional development. I'm honored by this recognition." 
Bustamante is a graduate of Pascagoula High School and received her nursing degree from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. She began her career with Singing River Hospital in June 2003.
"When I meet our patients and their families, they are in the midst of one of the most difficult times in their lives," said Bustamante. "The patients are coming to terms with their diagnosis and their families are dealing with eminent loss of their loved ones. I like the feeling that I can make a difference, that I can make their situation a little easier."
Dr. Larry Shoemaker
Singing River Hospital System has joined the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's 5 Million Lives Campaign, a national effort to dramatically reduce incidents of medical harm in U.S. hospitals. The 5 Million Lives Campaign asks hospitals to improve the care they provide in order to protect patients from five million incidents of medical harm over a 24-month period, ending December 9, 2008. It represents a continuation of the largest improvement effort undertaken in recent history by the health care industry.
The 5 Million Lives Campaign builds upon the success of the 100,000 Lives Campaign in which 3,100 facilities avoided unnecessary deaths by implementing six evidence-based interventions, along with other worthy improvement initiatives. The new campaign promotes the adoption of up to 12 improvements in care that can save lives and reduce patient injuries, and it aims to enroll even more hospitals than participated in the first campaign.
"As we work to become a world-class hospital system, we are continually focused on our quality improvement efforts," said Dr. Larry Shoemaker, SRHS Chief Medical Officer. "By participating in this nationwide campaign, we are showing that we are committed to saving lives and providing our patients with the best possible care."
IHI estimates that 15 million incidents of medical harm occur in U.S. hospitals each year. SRHS took part in the 100,000 Lives Campaign, with interdisciplinary teams focusing on each of the original six initiatives.
Singing River Hospital System plans to implement and continue working on the following interventions as part of the 5 Million Lives Campaign:
Singing River Hospital System plans to adopt all 12 interventions and will regularly report data throughout the campaign. The campaign has been endorsed by the American Hospital Association, the American Nurses Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
Singing River Hospital System recently opened a new physical therapy clinic to serve the Gautier community. Gautier Physical Therapy Clinic is located at 4097 Gautier-Vancleave Road, providing residents with both physical therapy and industrial rehabilitative services.
"We felt there was a true need to provide service to the Gautier and Vancleave communities," said Doug Bates, Director of Rehab Services at Ocean Springs Hospital. "This clinic will service patients in need of industrial rehabilitation, athletes with sports-related injuries and any other patients with orthopaedic therapy needs."
Two physical therapists and four other employees will staff the clinic, which is open each weekday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
The Clinic's close proximity to Gautier High School and the Jackson County Campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College will help to meet the needs of injured student-athletes who need to return to their activities both safely and efficiently. Industrial patients, such as those who have been injured on the job, can also be rehabilitated at the clinic and returned to work sooner. The industrial program will provide functional capacity for physicians and workman's compensation case managers.
"This clinic will provide an important service to this city," said Clinical Director Brandon Cloud, PT. "Patients or their families will no longer have to travel as far for personalized physical therapy services as they now have a state-of-the-art facility right here in their hometown."
A ribbon cutting and open house will be held on Thursday, September 13, from 4:30 until 6:30 p.m. to officially celebrate the opening of the Gautier Physical Therapy Clinic.
Singing River Hospital System recently honored its July Employees of the Month. Randall Cobb, Director of Facilities Support, was named Ocean Springs Hospital's Employee of the Month, and Patricia Kelly, Phlebotomy Supervisor, was named Singing River Hospital's Employee of the Month. 
Cobb is a graduate of Moss Point High School and Mississippi State University where he received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.
He began his career with Ocean Springs Hospital in October 2005. Prior to joining OSH, he worked for The Trane Company, NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center and Northrop Grumman Ship Systems.
"Ocean Springs Hospital has really been a great experience for me," said Cobb. "I enjoy the team atmosphere between all associates, and we work for a management group that cares about the employees in addition to our guests. Each day is a new challenge but it keeps things interesting." 
Kelly is a graduate of Moss Point High School and attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and the Coastal Training Institute.
Prior to joining SRH, Patricia worked for three years at Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding. She began her career in the SRH Laboratory in 1992.
"SRH is a wonderful place to work," said Kelly. "The laboratory is my second family. We care, respect and appreciate each other."
Kathy Dier, Director of Clinical Data Management for Singing River Hospital System, recently presented two breakout sessions at the 16th Annual MIDAS User Symposium in Tucson, Ariz.
Dier was chosen to speak at the national conference because of SRHS' effective use of the MIDAS system to report clinical data and plan for better patient care. MIDAS told Dier that SRHS was one of only two hospitals in the nation effectively utilizing the MIDAS system, and the company wanted her to educate others on the benefits of the MIDAS system.
Her breakout sessions, "Midas Client Strategies for Concurrent Core Measure Data Collection," showed other hospitals how to manage their data in real time.
"We're reporting our data in real-time to make improvements in patient care," said Dier. "Our use of this system gives us the opportunity to educate our staff. We work hand in hand with our nurses and physicians to make sure core indicators are met, thus improving our patient care."
Dier credits her team of registered nurses and data entry professionals in the Clinical Data Management Department as the reason she was selected to speak at the national conference. "They are very interested in making a difference, and it's a team effort," she added.
Presenting the cards to Mandal General Sales Manager Sammy White (pictured center) were (L-R, Cheryl Hatten, Clinical Data Management; Keith Brown, Decision Support, Constance Epps, Business Office; and Linda Magee, Accounting.
Singing River Hospital System employees working in the Lingle Building and Professional Services Building recently did their part to send "a million thanks" to the men and women serving in the military overseas.
Spearheaded by Althea Trahan, Revenue Training Specialist and Patient Account Manager, the employees wrote 100 thank you notes and presented them to the Mandal General Motors dealership in Ocean Springs. Nationally, GM dealerships are collecting thank you cards in an effort to send one million overseas to the troops.
"We do a lot of things for our own community, but I thought it was time to reach out to our troops," said Trahan. "Following Hurricane Katrina, the military was here for us, and I thought it was our turn to thank them for their service."
Singing River Hospital System recently honored its June employees of the Month. Aleta Pilutti, RN, Patient Resource Management, was named the Ocean Springs Hospital Employee of the Month, and Ashley Turner, X-Ray Tech/Materials Coordinator, Radiology, was named Singing River Hospital's Employee of the Month.
Pilutti is a graduate of Ocean Springs High School and Mobile Infirmary School of Nursing. She has worked as a nurse in several states, including Alabama, Tennessee, Texas and Louisiana. She began her career with SRHS in February 2004 as a Case Manager.
"I think our hospital provides very good services to the community, and I am proud to tell the people where I work," said Pilutti.
Turner is a graduate of Resurrection Catholic High School and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. She began her career at SRH in March 2001 in the Radiology Department.
"I like working for the Radiology Department because we are a family who work well together," said Turner. "We help each other out, and we all do our best to make every patient feel special and that we care about them as a person."
