CHECKUP. 1,282 Pounds Lost Via Live Well. April 16, Patient Satisfaction...2. Accreditation Director...3. Happiness...3. Career Fair...

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1 April 16, 2010 Volume 18 Number 8 Patient Satisfaction...2 A CHECKUP PUBLICATION FOR NORTH MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER EMPLOYEES 1,282 Pounds Lost Via Live Well Accreditation Director...3 Happiness...3 Career Fair...3 Asthma...3 Retirement...4 Live Well...4 Stroke...4 Nelson Promoted...5 Pratt Promoted...5 inside Relay Run...5 Special Day...5 Hamilton EOQs...6 Hamilton Relay...6 Opinion Survey...7 Iuka EOQ...7 CCC...7 Safe Sitter...8 Door Contest...8 The Center for Digestive Health s Butts and Guts team won first place overall in North Mississippi Medical Center s Lighten Up to Live Well contest. Team members (from left) Dr. Stephen Amann, Claire Harrelson, Cindy McDaniel, Cindy Stafford, Kelli Graham, Voncile McGee, Paula Hanskiewicz and Scott Edwards plus Virginia Barnett and Melody West lost 110 pounds or 5.5 percent of their total body weight from weigh-in Jan. 4 to weight-out March 8. NMMC-Tupelo s Lighten Up to Live Well contest had 145 participants who lost a total of 943 pounds, or an average of 6.5 pounds per person. NMMC-West Point s winning team, The Ten to be Thin, included (from left) Dr. Charlotte Magnussen, Regina Towery, Sherry Dragoo, Donna Melcher, Ginger Carver, Athena Adams and Cheryl Young. Other team members are Brenda Wilson, Donna McDonald and Laura Todd. The Ten to be Thin lost 113 pounds or 5.3 percent of body weight. NMMC-West Point had 18 participants who lost 154 pounds, or an average of 8.6 pounds per person.

2 Patient Satisfaction Vital To Success Asystematic approach to a well-thought out plan leads to very good patient satisfaction results, according to several NMMC leaders who addressed attendees at the January QED session. The speakers represented areas that routinely have patient satisfaction scores in the high 90s. Ellen Friloux, administrator of Women and Children s Services, stressed consistency. We share results weekly, focus on priorities and focus on individual surveys to fully understand the patient s perspective. Surveys are shared with individual employees or physicians when an improvement in behavior is identified. The patient s written comment is a powerful motivator, Friloux said. Leslia Carter, RN, director of NMMC s Home Health and Hospice, credits their high patient satisfaction scores to consistency. Our employees are dedicated and engaged and stay focused, Carter said. Attention is routinely given to staff education and communication, rounding and discharge calls, and staff reward and recognition. The department s systematic approach in those areas consistently leads to high scores. Evelyn Easley, RN, nurse manager, and James Wilson, M.D., medical director, spoke on behalf of NMMC-Eupora s Emergency Room. Their approach is to always respect the patient s time, privacy and family. We treat the patients the way we would like to be treated as family, she said. Judy Harrison, leader of the Outpatient Patient Satisfaction Team, said, Our team s success is the direct result of the managers of each outpatient area taking ownership of their area. We stress that it s important to do the right thing with every patient, every employee and every encounter. At the conclusion of the presentations, NMHS CEO John Heer addressed the group and summarized their presentations by saying these groups were successful because of leader resolve, relentless focus, employee involvement, communication of results and a no excuses culture. QED participants should mark their calendars for the April 23 session on Crucial Conversations. Pounds Continued from page 1 NMMC-Pontotoc s winning Re-Act team lost 35 pounds or 3.2 percent of their total body weight. Team members included (front row, from left) Carolyn Floyd, Cassie Angle, (second row) Jody Ferguson, Stacey Montgomery, (third row) Jessica Johnson, Marie Barnes, (top row) Jared Harrelson and Katherine Souter. NMMC-Pontotoc s 12 participants lost a total of 50 pounds or an average of 4.1 pounds per person. NMMC-Iuka s winning team (not shown), iphat, lost 82 pounds or 4.4 percent of body weight. Team members included Jane Chamblee, Laura McClung, Jill Long, Sarah Hammock, Salome Williams, Laressa Graham, Jayme Davis, Daniel Henderson, Kim Koehlinger and Tina Gray. At NMMC-Iuka, 34 participants lost 135 pounds, or an average of four pounds per person. Throughout North Mississippi Health Services, 209 participants lost 1,282 pounds or an average of 6.13 pounds per person. April 16, 2010 Page 2

3 New Accreditation Director On Board North Mississippi Health Services is pleased to welcome the new Director of Accreditation, Hien Vu. Vu comes to Tupelo from Birmingham, Ala., where she has been the program manager for physician services for the Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation since She has been responsible for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Physician Quality Improvement Initiative for Alabama, and co-authored the Alabama Electronic Health Record Demonstration proposal. She has also held positions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Highlands, HealthSouth Medical Center, and at Shelby Baptist Medical Center. Vu serves as chair of the American Cancer Society s Mid-South Division Health Disparities Rural Poor Committee. She is a member of the American Health Information Management Association and the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society. As Director of Accreditation, she will be responsible for all accreditation and regulatory issues related to NMHS. Ms. Vu has extensive experience in quality, accreditation activities, compliance, information technology and much more, said Mark Williams, M.D., NMHS chief medical officer. We are glad to welcome her on board. Happiness Is An Honest Employee, Satisfied Patient When Bettie Finnie of Environmental Services found a discharged patient s personal checkbook with $1,500 cash left in a room she was cleaning on Three South, she knew just what to do. I turned it in to Security, Finnie said. I just wanted to make sure it got back to the person to whom it belonged. Finnie said the checkbook was between the nightstand and bed. The rightful owner soon returned to claim the checkbook and money. She offered Finnie a reward, which she couldn t accept as it is against North Mississippi Medical Center s policy. Finnie was, however, recognized by Stars On-Line. Finnie has worked at NMMC for the past three years. The Nettleton resident and her husband Ethell, who is an ordained minister, have been married for 37 years. The couple has three adults sons, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Employee, Family Members Career Fair Scheduled North Mississippi Medical Center employees and their family members are invited to a Career Fair from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, April 29, in the main lobby of the Tupelo hospital. Representatives from numerous colleges will be on hand to share information about their programs. Information will also be available about basic skills enhancement, clerical certification, E-learning, podcasts and career development opportunities. Watch for a schedule of 30-minute information sessions from participating schools, as well as additional details. Call (662) for more information. Asthma Super Saturday Scheduled For May 1 North Mississippi Medical Center will host Asthma Super Saturday from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 1, at the NMMC Women s Hospital, 4566 S. Eason Blvd. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Participants will be divided into three groups. Entertainment will be provided for ages 2-5. Asthma education and enter- tainment will be provided for ages Education will also be offered for ages 13 and older, including parents of children with asthma. The event is free and will also feature light refreshments and door prizes. For more information or to pre-register for Asthma Super Saturday, call (662) or THE DESK ( ). Page 3 April 16, 2010

4 CLPN Retires After 37-Year Career Joan White, CLPN, (center) was recently honored with a retirement reception. White is retiring after 37 years at the North Mississippi Medical Center Behavioral Health Center. Friends and family attended the reception, including two other former Behavioral Health employees, Robert Stanford (left) and Peggy Gray. In recent years Gray, Stanford and White went through chemotherapy treatments for cancer together. Live Well Focuses On Rheumatological Disorders In May May s Live Well focus is osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, all of which are rheumatological disorders. Theses disorders are one of the risk factors for low back pain. Look for more information on these topics in May. In addition, a new osteoporosis treatment program is being developed at the Outpatient Rehabilitation Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability. Someone has a stroke every single minute. Someone dies from a stroke every 3.5 minutes. During April, the Live Well team is educating staff and the community about stroke risk factors, signs and symptoms of stroke, treatment and medication Center at Longtown Medical Park. The new program will include exercises for strengthening and flexibility, assistive devices, tips on conserving energy and protecting your joints, as well as reducing pain. For more information on risk factors and preventive strategies watch, for a new CBT on back health and safety. Check Out Stroke Information On Employee Intranet compliance related to stroke, and after-stroke care. All employees are encouraged to visit What s New on the Intranet and complete the Stroke Awareness CBT by noon Monday, April 26. By completing this CBT, you will be entered into a drawing for a massage and pedicure gift certificate from the Wellness Center Therapeutic Day Spa. April 16, 2010 Page 4

5 Nelson Promoted To Employment Services Director Lynn Nelson, human resources manager for North Mississippi Medical Clinics, was recently promoted to director of Employment Services for North Mississippi Health Services. Nelson received a bachelor s degree in business administration from the University of Mississippi. She started at NMHS in 1986 as a clerk/typist in Human Resources. She was promoted to benefits specialist in 1988, and obtained a bachelor s degree in management/statistics from the University of Mississippi She was promoted to interviewer in 1991, and in 1995 she obtained certification as a Professional in Human Resources. She was transferred to North Mississippi Medical Clinics in 1998 and obtained Senior Professional in Human Resources Certification in Nelson has been named Woman of Distinction by the Tupelo Area Business and Professional Women s Club. She serves on the board of directors for Tupelo Community Theatre, as Community Theatre chair for the Southeastern Theatre Conference and is on the board of the American Association of Community Theaters. She is a member of All Saints Episcopal Church, a United Way volunteer, an Elvis Presley Festival and Tupelo Film Festival volunteer, and a Tupelo Symphony Chorus member. Nelson and her husband Bud have two daughters. Pratt Promoted To Benefits, Compensation Manager Charlotte Pratt was recently promoted to manager of benefits and compensation of North Mississippi Health Services. Pratt started her career with NMHS in 1998 as an interviewer and progressed to benefits services coordinator. She completed her bachelor s degree in electrical engineering from Mississippi State University in A member of the local chapter of Northeast Mississippi Human Resource Association, Pratt has 16 years of human resource experience and also holds the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) designation and is a Certified Benefits Professional. West Point To Host 5K Relay Run Next Month, Proceeds To Benefit American Cancer Society The Cupcakes for a Cure Relay for Life Team will sponsor the first 5K Run for Relay at 6 p.m. Friday, May 14, beginning at Mossy Oak Outlet. Proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society. The race route starts at the corner of Churchill Street and U.S. Hwy. 45 Alt. near the Mossy Oak Outlet. Participants will run or walk to Eshman Avenue and take a left, proceed to Westbrook Street and take a left. The race takes a right at East Street and ends at the corner of Broad and East streets (next to the Growth Alliance building). The pre-registration fee is $15. Race day registration begins at 5 p.m. and is $18. Call Brenda Johnson at (662) or bjohnson@nmhs.net for a 5K Run for Relay registration brochure. For information about volunteer opportunities, call Debbie Hargrove at (662) or debbie.hargrove@nmhs.net. Administrative Professionals Day is Wednesday, April 21. Be sure to tell your favorite secretary how much you appreciate her or him! Page 5 April 16, 2010

6 Hamilton Recent EOQs Highlighted Dale Lay, who works in Environmental Services, was recently selected as Employee of the Quarter at North Mississippi Medical Center- Hamilton, where he has been employed since April He is a graduate of Hamilton High School, and has a Class A commercial drivers license. The best part of my job is talking to the nursing home residents and seeing them smile, he said. Dale is a joy to see each day, his nomination stated. It is very evident he loves working here and enjoys doing his job. We really appreciate the excellent job he does in keeping our area clean. He never complains no matter how big the mess! Lay and his wife of 29 years, Brenda, have three adult children Jeremy, Matt and Justin. The family attends Evangel Temple in Hamilton. Hilary Whisnant, CNA, has been selected as the Employee of the Quarter for the NMMC- Hamilton Nursing Home, where she has been employed since She is a graduate of Hamilton High School and attended Bevill State Community College in Hamilton. She is also certified in CPR. What I love most about my job is being able to help our residents learn to walk again, she said. It is the best feeling when they tell you every day that they want to walk, and then with the help of a physical therapist, one day they are able to take a few steps. Hilary is very compassionate and displays teamwork every day, her nomination stated. Her calm, quiet, gentle approach is reassuring for our residents. She and her husband Brent have a 6-month-old daughter, Mallory. Hamilton Raises Over $1,100 Relay For Life Funds North Mississippi Medical Center-Hamilton and the NMMC-Hamilton Nursing Home held a chili cook-off Wednesday, Feb. 24, as a fundraiser for Relay for Life. The event raised more than $375. We thank all our employees who participated either by cooking a pot of chili or for stopping by to purchase a bowl, said Donald Jones, NMMC- Hamilton administrator. A bake sale was also held, which raised more than $750. The NMMC-Hamilton team is currently selling tickets for a chance to win a 32-inch HD TV, and another bake sale is being planned. Call (205) for more information on NMMC-Hamilton s team Relay for Life fundraisers. The winners of the chili cook-off were (from left), third place, Anne Lawler; second place, Linda Gibbs; and first place, Joy Tittle. Not pictured are honorable mentions Belinda Sanderson and Cindy Nelson. The judges for the event were (from left) Clyde Hampton, Slade Gilmer and Scott Hunt. April 16, 2010 Page 6

7 Employee Opinion Survey Set For May Every two years NMHS employees are given an opportunity to complete a confidential employee opinion survey. Please go to the Intranet between May to complete the survey. In order to give supervisors results, you will need to know your work group. Your supervisor has a coding list so if you are unsure, please ask. The survey also will provide you with definitions such as supervisor, organization, etc. If you do not know the answer to a question, you do not have to answer the question. Please complete the survey and help to make NMHS an even greater place to work. Respiratory Therapist Selected As Iuka s EOQ Angela Hairrell has been chosen as the Employee of the Quarter for North Mississippi Medical Center-Iuka. Hairrell works as a respiratory therapist at NMMC-Iuka, where she has been employed since June The Tishomingo County High School graduate went on to receive her associate s degree in respiratory therapy from Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville. In addition to being a certified respiratory therapist, she is also certified in CPR, Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support. Angela is willing to help out whenever and wherever she is needed, coworkers stated in her nomination. She tries to learn new jobs to help others. She learns and comprehends quickly. The best part of my job is working around local people, young or old, Hairrell said. I love my job, and I love helping others especially my patients and coworkers. Hairrell and her husband James have two sons, Clint and Austin. They are members of Mt. Joy Baptist Church. The Employee of the Quarter honor recognizes employees with exemplary job performance and customer service skills, as well as community involvement. NMMC Child Care Center Celebrates Circus Day The NMMC Child Care Center celebrated Circus Day on April 7 with many staff members and students dressing the part. Briella Simmons (front row, from left), Jake Bass, Aaliyah Cooper (back row, from left) Sonia Alford, Tonya Sims, Peaches Johnson, Niki Kennedy and their friends all enjoyed circus games and snacks on the playground. Page 7 April 16, 2010

8 Safe Sitter Classes Offered This Summer This summer North Mississippi Medical Center will offer two sessions of Safe Sitter, a program to teach safe babysitting techniques. The first class will meet from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. June The second class will be offered from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. July Both sessions will meet in NMMC s North Education Center, 830 S. Gloster St. This medically-accurate instructional series teaches adolescents 11 years and older how to handle emergencies when caring for young children. To register, call (662) or THE DESK ( ) by June 1 for the June class and July 1 for the July class. The $40 course fee includes lunch, a Safe Sitter certificate, important phone numbers pad and all course materials. During the course, instructors give students handson practice in life-saving techniques so they are prepared to act in a crisis. Instructors also provide tips to make sitters more confident caregivers. They teach safety and security precautions, such as what to do if a stranger comes to the door, when and how to call for help, give information on child development and suggest age-appropriate activities. Patient Satisfaction Strive for Five. NMMC Outpatient Infusion recently held a doordecorating contest. The theme was Patient Satisfaction Strive for Five. The decorations were up for more than a month, and patients voted on their favorites. First place winners were Lynn Mills (left) and Belinda Foster, admissions counselors, for their Striving for Five Island -themed door. Second place winners were Connie Phillips, RN (left), and Kelli Smith, unit coordinator, for their flower-painted door. Third place winners (not pictured) were Melinda Peters, secretary, Leslie Taylor, Pharm.D., and Brian Wyckoff, Pharm.D., for their Shrek-themed door. Honorable mention was Ginger Pannell, RN, and Jan Terril, RN, for their Ole Miss/State-themed door. April 16, 2010 Page 8