News Around the State

Hood elected to ACHE Council of Regents

 

Fred B. Hood, administrator of North Mississippi Medical Center-Pontotoc, has been appointed to the Council of Regents, the legislative body of the American College of Healthcare Executives, which serves as the vital link between ACHE and affiliates. The Council of Regents approves governance and membership regulations as well as promotes ACHE programs, services and activities within their respective areas.

Hood will take office at the Council of Regents meeting March 19 during ACHE's 54th Congress on Healthcare Leadership at the Hilton Chicago. As a Regent, Hood will represent ACHE's membership in Mississippi.

Hood has served as administrator of NMMC-Pontotoc since 1990. Prior to this position, he was assistant executive director of Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in Clarksdale.

Hood is a member of the Mississippi Hospital Association, currently serving on MHA's  Committee on Finance and as President, MHA Northeast Hospital Council.  He is a member of the Mississippi Health Care Association and is licensed by the Mississippi Board of Nursing Home Administrators. Hood also serves on the Board of Directors of North Mississippi Emergency Management Authority and on the North Mississippi Trauma System Board of Directors. He is a member and past president of Mississippi Healthcare Executives/ACHE, Mid-South Health Care Executives/ACHE, and the MHA Quarter Century Executive Forum.  Board-certified in healthcare management, Hood is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

The American College of Healthcare Executives is an international professional society of more than 30,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems and other healthcare organizations. ACHE is known for its prestigious credentialing and educational programs and its annual Congress on Healthcare Leadership, which draws more than 4,500 participants each year. ACHE's established network of more than 80 chapters provides access to networking, education and career development at the local level. In addition, ACHE is known for its magazine, Healthcare Executive, and its journals, the Journal of Healthcare Management and Frontiers of Health Services Management, as well as groundbreaking research and career development and public policy programs. ACHE's publishing division, Health Administration Press, is one of the largest publishers of books and journals on all aspects of health services management in addition to textbooks for use in college and university courses. Through such efforts, ACHE works toward its goal of being the premier professional society for healthcare leaders by providing exceptional value to its members.

 

NMMC employees named HEROs

Verna Butler and Stacy Montgomery of North Mississippi Medical Center-Pontotoc and Paula Gillen, a nurse from Tupelo, were recently recognized at an awards ceremony with H.E.R.O. (How Everyone should Reach Out) Awards. All three helped out following a gunfight at the courthouse in Baldwyn.

NMHS-Pontotoc presents Service Awards

North Mississippi Medical Center-Pontotoc recently presented yearly service awards to its employees. Twenty-seven employees were honored, including one 35-year employee and one 30-year employee.

Five-year service awards were presented to: Joyce Flemons, Sarah Sue Brown, Grace Dill, Geraldine Taylor, Dara Fooshee, Conita Harper, Leslie Holloway-Dodds, Virginia Johnson, Margie Patton, Misty Raines, Angela Taylor and Terry Triplett.

Ten-year service awards were presented to Linda Whitehead, Allen Maxey and Elaine Sanders. Fifteen-year awards went to: Verna Butler, Brenda Hunter, Fred Hood, Scott Hatcher, Melissa Lindsey, Larry Ramsey, Bobbie Terry and Mona Weeden. Linda Tutor and Virginia Bean were recognized for 25 years of service. Cathy Waldrop, RN, CFNP, was recognized for 30 years of service and Linda Aaron for 35 years.

Tallant named EOQ at NMMC-Pontotoc

Tracey Tallant of Pontotoc has been named the Employee of the Quarter at North Mississippi Medical Center-Pontotoc.

Tallant, an insurance biller in the Business Services Department, has been employed by NMMC-Pontotoc since April 1998. She is also the departmental safety officer for Business Services, Administration and Health Information Services.

She and her husband, Michael, are members of First Baptist Church in Pontotoc.

NMMC-Pontotoc receives honor

North Mississippi Medical Center-Pontotoc recently joined an elite group of hospitals statewide to receive the prestigious American Diabetes Association Education Recognition Certificate.

"This honor reflects our staff's dedication to improving the quality of life for diabetes patients by teaching them how to best manage their disease," said Fred Hood, NMMC-Pontotoc administrator. The Association's Education Recognition Certificate assures that educational programs meet the National Standards for Comprehensive Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs.

"Programs voluntarily submit to a rigorous and detailed peer review. These experts evaluate each program and its staff's ability to provide patients a comprehensive individualized education program," said Sherry Martin, an endocrinologist from Tupelo who serves as medical director for the Pontotoc program. Education recognition is awarded for three years.

With guidance from Martin, diabetes clinicians provide clinical expertise to support the hospital, medical staff and area health professionals in their care of diabetes patients. In addition, the hospital will soon offer the Two-Day Diabetes Self-Management Program to help individuals with diabetes learn to better manage their disease.

"Patients who use these skills to manage their disease have fewer hospital admissions, require emergency services less often and suffer fewer long-term complications from diabetes," Martin added.

For information, call (662) 488-7736.