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Katherine Watts Certified in Healthcare Compliance by the Health Care Compliance Association

HORNE LLP, one of the nation’s top 50 accounting and business advisory firms, announced today that Partner in Charge of Health Care Services Katherine G. Watts, CPA, is Certified in Healthcare Compliance from the Health Care Compliance Association.

According to the association, a person who earns his or her CHC is a professional with knowledge of relevant regulations and expertise in compliance processes sufficient to assist the healthcare industry to understand and address legal obligations, and promote organizational integrity through the operation of effective compliance programs.

Watts provides health care, consulting and taxation services to clients and leads a team of Certified Public Accountants and health care consultants providing services to physicians, medical groups, hospital systems, ambulatory surgery centers and other health care organizations as they develop strategies to meet today’s market demands. Watts’ career includes more than 25 years of experience providing assurance and tax services with significant knowledge of federal and state planning and compliance.

JMCGH Manager Elected President of Consumer Advocates Group

Linda Pledge, Patient Relations Manager at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital has been elected the new state President of the Tennessee Society of Healthcare Consumer Advocates (SHCA), an affiliate of the Tennessee Hospital Association in Nashville, Tennessee.

SHCA is an organization of patient advocates and representatives who strive to improve the patient experience by ensuring the patient’s right to partner with their providers in healthcare decisions; by facilitating a way in which patients may express their concerns; and by ensuring the patient’s voice in the delivery of healthcare with compassion and caring.

April is Foot Health Awareness Month

Henry County Medical Center joins the American Podiatric Medical Association in bringing awareness to foot health during the month of April. Paris and Henry County is very fortunate to have a foot specialist known as a Podiatrist in practice here. David Long, MD, practices at East Wood Clinic and understands the complexities of the foot.

According to the website www.apma.org, the human foot is a biological masterpiece. Its strong, flexible, and functional design enables it to do its job well and without complaint—if you take care of it and don’t take it for granted.

The foot can be compared to a finely tuned race car, or a space shuttle, vehicles whose function dictates their design and structure. And like them, the human foot is complex, containing within its relatively small size 26 bones (the two feet contain a quarter of all the bones in the body), 33 joints, and a network of more than 100 tendons, muscles, and ligaments, to say nothing of blood vessels and nerves.

The components of your feet work together, sharing the tremendous pressures of daily living. An average day of walking, for example, brings a force equal to several hundred tons to bear on the feet.

Methodist Fayette Hospital welcomes new Clinical Directors

Methodist Fayette Hospital recently welcomed two new Associates to the emergency department, Alyn Byrum, emergency department clinical director and Alice McKee, emergency department medical director.

Byrum has over 20 years medical experience including emergency room, ICU, pre-hospital care, and nursing administration. He holds an associate degree in nursing from Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville, Miss. and a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from Bethel College in McKenzie, Tenn.

Dr. McKee has held various medical positions including family and emergency room physician, hospitalist, and hospice medical director. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in New York, NY and a medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Kirkland Cancer Center And Ayers Children’s Medical Center Receive Gala Funds

The West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation presented checks to the Alice and Carl Kirkland Cancer Center and the Ayers Children’s Medical Center. Each will be receiving $45, 991.17.

These funds were the result of the 2010 West Tennessee Healthcare Gala held last November.

The checks were presented by Frank McMeen, West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation President; Vicki Burch, Foundation Board Chairperson; and Val Exum 2010 Gala Chairperson.



Proven Technology In Treating Chronic Sinus Infections Available At The West Tennessee Surgery Center

Chronic sinus sufferers now have an option to have a minimally invasive surgical procedure to help solve their problem. Balloon Sinuplasty by Acclarent has been chosen by hundreds of West Tennesseans to significantly improve symptoms.

Balloon Sinuplasty uses a small, flexible, balloon catheter placed through a nostril into the blocked sinus passageway. The balloon is inflated to gently restructure and open the sinus passageway, restoring normal sinus drainage and function. Studies say the benefits include reduced bleeding and fast recovery time and can improve symptoms for 85% of patients across the two-year-post surgery period.

Both the Jackson Clinic and the West Tennessee ENT Clinic are currently performing this procedure at the West Tennessee Surgery Center, an affiliate of West Tennessee Healthcare.

West Tennessee Women’s Center Lactation Consultants Receive International Honor

Jackson-Madison County General Hospital’s West Tennessee Women’s Center was accepted for the IBCLC Care Recognition Award. The honor was awarded by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners and the International Lactation Consultant Association.

This prominent award is an international honor. Jackson-Madison County General Hospital is just the third hospital in Tennessee to receive the award. There are only 200 worldwide, making the care and dedication of the lactation consultants in the Women’s Center stand out among the nation’s best.

The West Tennessee Women’s Center is one of only a hand full of Tennessee facilities that offer lactation support. lbreast feeding.

MOG Surgeon Receives Sports Medicine Subspecialty Certification

In January 2011, the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) awarded Christopher A. Ferguson, MD the Subspecialty Certificate in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. According to the ABOS website, Dr. Ferguson is one of only 6 Memphis area orthopaedic surgeons and 41 surgeons statewide to hold this subspecialty certification.

Dr. Ferguson earned his medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. Dr. Ferguson completed an AO Fellowship in Chur, Switzerland. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and was recently inducted as a Fellow of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Dr. Ferguson is a partner with the Memphis Orthopaedic Group.

BMHCC New CIO

Dr. John Brown recently was named chief medical information officer for Baptist Memorial Health Care, a newly created position.

He will be responsible for overseeing physician input and participation in the hospital’s implementation of the electronic medical record. According to the federal government, all hospitals must have certain components of the electronic medical record in place by 2015.

In 2005, Baptist began a multi-year project to implement the EMR, which gives health care providers access to patient records from any location at any time and eliminates all manual documentation, with the goal of increased accuracy and ultimately enhanced patient care. EMR provides real-time results and alerts for changes in patients’ conditions, medication needs and overall care.

Before coming to Baptist, Brown served as director of clinical content development and director of clinical informatics at T-System, Inc.., a company that specializes in emergency medicine electronic documentation solutions. During his time there, he created and led the implementation of two new product lines.

He served as the first elected chairman of The Section of Computers of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Brown also served on the Emergency Care Special Interest Group for H7, a global authority on standards for interoperability of health information technology. The group wrote standards to be used for certification of health information technology products.

Brown practiced emergency medicine for 27 years and is certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. He is also a fellow in the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Bruno Groening Medical/Spiritual Lecture

An extraordinary series of lectures will be held throughout the USA in April 2011. Medical specialists from around the world will present lectures about a free, special way of healing that is available for everyone. These specialists are members of the Medical Scientific Group (MWF), a part of the Bruno Groening Circle of Friends. They document and verify these healings and voluntarily present this information through worldwide lectures. A compilation of more than 200 healing reports can be found on the web site: www.bruno-groening.org/english under the link Healings.

A free lecture will be presented by Barbara Wagner, M.D., Austria, in Memphis on April 29, 2011 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm at The University of Memphis, 255 University Center; Memphis Room AB, 3rd Floor. Free parking is available in the parking garage adjacent to the Center. For more information email atlantabgcof@yahoo.com or call 865-525-2200.

During these lectures physicians will speak about people who have experienced healing from severe, chronic, and even so called “incurable” diseases. Medical documents will be presented and the experts will explain about a superior healing power that has been widely forgotten in modern medicine. The teachings of Bruno Groening (1906-1959), who became well known in the fifties due to extraordinary healings, are the basis for these lectures. Bruno Groening said time and again: “There is no incurable – God is the greatest physician”. He spoke about a higher power that he called the healing stream. This power is abundantly available for everyone. The knowledge of how to benefit from this power is given freely to individuals through the worldwide, non-profit, volunteer based organization of the Bruno Groening Circle of Friends.

All events are free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.

Trezevant Announces Addition of New Board Members

Trezevant is pleased to announce the addition of five new members to its board of directors: C. Bradford Foster III, an attorney at Evans | Petree PC; Stephen C. Reynolds, president and CEO of Baptist Memorial Health Care; Stephen H. Rhea, Jr., principal at Summit Asset Management, LLC; Bruce C. Taylor, general contractor at Patton& Taylor Enterprises LLC; and Nancy Morris, community leader and president of the Trezevant Residents Association.

Melvin (Pete) Payne Succumbs to Cancer

From the Memphis Commercial Appeal:

Melvin Pelletier “Pete” Payne, Jr. was born January 17, 1934 in Helena, Ark. His family moved to Memphis when he was 6 years old. He went home to his Lord, Jesus Christ, Sunday morning, March 13, 2011, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He is survived by his devoted wife of 55 years, Peggy Parish Payne; two daughters, Leah Payne Smith of Memphis, and Cynthia Payne Cohea (Jim) of Olive Branch; a son, Melvin Pelletier Payne III, M.D. (Holli) of Memphis; his sister, Jane Payne Threlkeld of Memphis; two brothers, James Maxwell Payne, Sr. (Sue) of Yorkville and Benjamin George Payne (Keke) of Memphis; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. His parents, Melvin Pelletier Payne, Sr. and Blanche Maxwell Payne, preceded him in death. Mr. Payne had a great love for the water. He competed on the Central High School swim team, worked as a water safety instructor and lifeguard in his youth, boated for years on the Mississippi River and Pickwick Lake, and took his family on wonderful SCUBA diving trips. He was most content at the helm of his houseboat, “Tortuga”. He actually went back to lifeguarding after retirement, working part-time at the Bartlett Recreation Center until age 75. He graduated from Memphis State University in 1956 and worked for many years at Holiday Inns before closing out his career as a medical group administrator for Memphis Orthopedic Group and The Sutherland Clinic. Mr. Payne was an American Red Cross volunteer for many years and was a lifetime member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Tennessee Medical Group Managers Association. He was active in the Memphis Yacht Club and the Pickwick Boaters’ Association.

“No One Dies Alone” Program Seeks Volunteers

Last October, Methodist Le Bonheuur Germantown Hospital launched a No One Dies Alone (NODA) Program and is now rolling out the program at all hospitals throughout the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare system. This program trains associates and other volunteers to sit with patients who are actively dying and have no family or friends to be with them.

Started in Eugene, Oregon at Sacred Heart hospital some years ago, NODA is a model available in around 35 hospital systems in the United States.

Nurses and chaplains play a key role in helping in identify patients whom they think could benefit from the program.

Although most dying patients have family or friends, a significant number do not, from elders who have outlived their families, to people whose geographically or emotionally distant relatives are not able to be present, to the occasional stricken traveler. Each volunteer goes through a two-hour training session and receives a kit complete with a NODA button, a blanket, poetry book, The Bible, a journal and a book entitled, “How to be a Perfect Stranger.” The kit also contains a book with prayers from various religions.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Chaplain Jack Conrad at conradj@methodisthealth.org or 516-6165.

Newborn Center Work Recognized by Vermont Oxford Network

The Regional Medical Center at Memphis was recognized at the 11th Annual Quality Congress during Vermont Oxford Network’s annual meeting for a quality project in the Newborn Center. The project led to sustained improvements related to thermoregulation.

The Regional Medical Center is a member of the Vermont Oxford Network, a network including more than 850 NICUs around the world. As a member of the network, the Newborn Center participated in a 2-year quality improvement collaborative on Infant Resuscitation and Stabilization from January 2009 to December 2010. Being part of the collaborative allows hospital staff the opportunity to undertake quality initiative projects and learn from and share data with other network hospitals. The Newborn Center’s project focused on Infant Resuscitation and Stabilization, one of the eight areas of focus included in each collaborative.

Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Recognized For Quality Improvement Projects

Three teams from Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare (MLH) recently won Quality Cup Awards presented by the Greater Memphis Chamber and Southwest Tennessee Community College. The Quality Cup Awards honor teams that make exceptional contributions to their employers’ quality improvement programs, and exhibit best practices.

Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital – Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infection (CLABSI) Improvement Project Team received the highest award, the Summit Level. This award marks the highest achievement for organizations that demonstrate exemplary results of excellence.

Methodist North Hospital – Process Efficiency for CMS Core Measure Pneumonia Project Team received an award at the Progressive Level. This award recognizes organizations that demonstrate commitment and significant progress toward excellence.

Methodist University Hospital– Blood Transfusion Management in Cardiovascular Surgery Project Team received a Progressive Level award. This award recognizes organizations that demonstrate commitment and significant progress toward excellence.

The Memphis Regional Quality Cup is aligned with the former Rochester Institute of Technology/USA Today Quality Cup Award and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

HCMC Announces April Partner of the Month and Stars of Excellence

Henry County Medical Center is pleased to announce that the Partner of the Month in the Stars of Excellence Program for April is Katie Thompson, Physical Therapist at Henry County Medical Center. Three others were named star partners for the month.

Inpatient Physical Therapist, Katie Thompson was nominated by her Department Leader for taking the initiative to perform complete neurological assessments on two separate patients who were presenting very unusual symptoms. The two patients were consequently shipped to a larger hospital because of her findings, more than likely saving their lives.

Star Partners for the month are HelenAnne Kingsbury, RN in the Surgery Department; Crystal Mitchell, RN in the Women’s Center and Jennifer French, Physical Therapy Assistant for Home Health.

April is National Occupational Therapy Month

Occupational therapy enables people of all ages live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability. It is a practice deeply rooted in science and is evidence-based, meaning that the plan designed for each individual is supported by data, experience, and “best practices” that have been developed and proven over time.

Henry County Medical Center joins our occupational therapists, assistants and students in a month-long celebration showcasing their professionalism and dedication.

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