News Around the State

Neshoba County General Hospital – Nursing Home Announces New Team Member

Neshoba County General Hospital – Nursing Home recently welcomed Manuj Goel, MD, to its growing team of family medicine providers. Patrick Eakes, MD and Angie Skinner, CFNP are pleased to announce that Dr. Goel has joined their practice at, Neshoba Internal Medicine Clinic, 921 west Beacon Street, Philadelphia, MS effective March 18, 2013.

Dr. Goel is Board Certified in Family Medicine with special interests in Pre-diabetes, Metabolic syndrome, Depression and Anxiety disorder. Dr. Goel received his medical degree in India. He completed both his Internship and Residency at Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, Michigan.

“We are pleased that Dr. Goel has joined the medical staff as a Family Practice Physician,” said Lonnie Graeber, Chief Executive Officer of Neshoba County General Hospital. “Our goal is to expand quality medical care services in our region of Mississippi by attracting more physicians to our medical staff and installing the latest medical technology in our clinics and hospital."

Dr. Goel will be seeing patients on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm, and on Thursday and Friday from 9:00 am until 12:00 PM at the Neshoba Internal Medicine Clinic, located at 921 W. Beacon Street, Philadelphia, MS.  

Neshoba County General Hospital – Nursing Home Announces New Outpatient Infusion Unit

Neshoba County General Hospital – Nursing Home recently announced the opening of their Outpatient IV Infusion Unit.  They will provide infusion therapy services for IV antibiotics and chronic diseases.

Their registered nurses and trained pharmacists have specialized training in IV infusion therapies and are focused on patient safety and comfort. The infusion unit is supplied with comfortable leather recliners and a new flat screen TV. NCGH nurses are specially trained to provide a wide range of therapies. 

Ayla’s Honorary Volunteer of the Year Award

Ayla; Kathy Van Cleave, Director of Division of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementia; Stacy Cook, handler

The Neshoba County General Hospital & Nursing Home Volunteer of the Year Award is designed to acknowledge the accomplishments and dedication of individuals who serve as volunteers in the field of dementia. This award is given to someone who demonstrates commitment, compassion, competence, and volunteerism in the field of dementia care. 

This year, the Volunteer of the Year is actually an honorary Volunteer. As a member of the Animal Assisted Therapy team of Neshoba County General Hospital and Nursing Home, Ayla is an integral part of expressive arts. Through the work of she and her handler, Stacy Cook, patients and residents are able to create beautiful works of art in a failure free environment. As Ayla assists them with painting, residents who were non-verbal and show little response to care-partners begin to interact with Ayla and are active participants in their care.

Another worthy project of the Neshoba General Hospital Auxiliary

Pictured are: Director of Security, Mike King and volunteers Betty Simmons and Carol Kilpatrick

Earlier this month, Melissa Burnett, Neshoba General Hospital Auxiliary Director, presented a brand new Club Car to the Security Department on behalf of the NGH Auxiliary. Through hard work and dedication, hospital and nursing home volunteers were able to purchase a brand new Club Car "Precedent."

With the hospital and nursing home campus more spread out now, there is a greater demand for security. The cart will enable Security Officers to make the campus a safer place for everyone. It will greatly reduce response time in emergency situations, help in patrolling parking areas, and make it easier to assist disabled individuals gain access to our facilities. With construction going on, parking can be a problem for those who have trouble walking.

 

Neshoba County General Hospital Earns ACR Accreditation

Neshoba County General Hospital has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in mammography as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Mammography is a specific type of imaging test that uses a low-dose x-ray system to examine breasts. A mammography exam, called a mammogram, is used to aid in the early detection and diagnosis of breast diseases in women. 

The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement.

The ACR is a national professional organization serving more than 34,000 diagnostic/interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of comprehensive health care services.

Neshoba County General spinning off ambulance service

Neshoba County General Hospital has agreed to spin off its ambulance service. The Neshoba Democrat reports the ambulance service will become a separate entity under an agreement between the hospital and the county board of supervisors.

Read more from the Mississippi Business Journal here.

Posey appointed trustee at Neshoba County General Hospital & Nursing Home

Kenneth Posey, chief executive officer of Jasper General Hospital in Bay Springs and a Neshoba County native, has been appointed as a county hospital trustee by the Neshoba County Board of Supervisors. He will represent District 3 on the board of Neshoba County General Hospital & Nursing Home. He replaces longtime member Marvin Page who retired after serving two decades.

Posey has over 50 years of experience in hospital administration. He is a graduate of Philadelphia High School and the University of Southern Mississippi.

Page retires from Neshoba Board

From left to right: Marvin Page, past Board Chairman; his wife, Frances Page; and Hospital CEO Lonnie Graeber 

Neshoba County General Hospital & Nursing Home Trustee Marvin Page was honored on January 26th during a reception, in the Pear View Café, celebrating his retirement from the Board of Trustees after 20 years of service.

Mr. Page was described as a mentor by newly appointed Board Chairman, Oliver Jolly.  “Brother Marvin has always been ready to lift me up and give me the encouragement needed,” he said, “I appreciate him so much.”  

A member of the hospital’s medical staff, Dr. Hilton Fairchild recalled working with Mr. Page throughout his career at the hospital as they developed their friendship over many years of service together.  “He has become a dear friend to me, and I really want to look up to him as a father, but when I go home and look in the mirror I think I should be his father,” said Dr. Fairchild with a laugh.

Beth Burns, RN thanked Mr. Page for his years of service.  “Thank you for all of your work, your dedication, your time and your selfless devotion,” she said.  

Hospital Administrator Lonnie Graeber presented Mr. Page with a bag of steaks from Williams Brothers, recalling how Page always asked for a steak at meals in conjunction with board meetings.  “When we had a bad financial month we ate hotdogs,” said Graeber, with a laugh, “but when we had a good month I would call and he always asked for a steak.”

Mr. Page was presented with gifts from friends and coworkers.  The reception ended with Mr. Page thanking everyone for their comments and for putting up with him for all these years.  “I’ve enjoyed 20 years of being at the hospital,”

Neshoba County General Hospital – Nursing Home Announces Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Hospital

On December 15, Neshoba County General Hospital – Nursing Home Board of Trustees and Administrative Staff, healthcare providers, hospital team members, and the County Board of Supervisors officially broke ground for their expansion and renovation project.  “This was truly an exciting day for NCGH-NH, the community of Neshoba County and the entire region we serve,” stated Lonnie Graeber, chief executive officer.  "We’ve been working for many years to reach a point to begin construction on the new facility, and the credit goes to our physicians, managers and employees for their hard work and dedication, and to our Board of Trustees for their unwavering support. The people of our community deserve a new hospital, said Graeber.”

“The entire community was invited to join us in our celebration of this occasion,” said Annette Watkins, director of public relations.  “This day is not just about the hospital and our employees,” continued Watkins.  “It’s a celebration for and about the entire community and region we serve, it’s about the future of healthcare for our community. It truly is the day we have all been waiting for. The new hospital is a project that will not only provide increased access to excellent healthcare in our community, but will stimulate the local economy by providing additional jobs both during construction and after completion of the project.”

Mr. Graeber explained the project as being a two-phase process, with Phase 1 consisting of the construction of the new facility, a two-story 52,000 square ft. addition approximately 60 feet adjacent the existing emergency department. The new building will house a new emergency room, a 4-bed ICU, 25 new state-of-the-art patient rooms, a new radiology department, new surgery suite, and a new pharmacy.  The cost is $18,750,000, with $14,750,000 of that coming from hospital cash reserves and an additional $4,000,000 Capital Access Program Loan through the Mississippi Development Authority.  Estimated completion of the addition is spring of 2013. Phase 2 consists of current hospital renovation with cost and timeline to be determined at a future date. 

Immediately following the groundbreaking all visitors were invited to join the Trustees and hospital staff for a reception hosted by the hospital’s Dietary Department in the Pear View Café.

Ellis joins Neshoba County General Hospital

Neshoba County General Hospital recently welcomed Julia Ellis, MD, to its growing team of pediatric medicine providers. Janell Vinson, MD and the staff of Neshoba Pediatric Medical Clinic are pleased to announce that Dr. Ellis has joined their staff at, 1122 E. Main Street, Suite 6 Philadelphia, MS.

Dr. Ellis received her Bachelor of Arts from Yale University, New Haven Connecticut.  She received her Doctor of Medicine, UMDNJ at New Jersey Medical School Newark, NJ.  She completed her Pediatric Residency Program at VCM Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, VA.  Dr. Ellis is a General Pediatrician.

“We are pleased that Dr. Ellis has joined the medical staff of Neshoba County General Hospital and we look forward to offering increased access to high quality medical care to the citizens of our area,” said Lonnie Graeber, Chief Executive Officer of Neshoba County General Hospital. “Our goal is to expand quality medical care services in our region of Mississippi by attracting more qualified physicians to our medical staff and installing the latest medical technology in our clinics and hospital.