CHECKUP. inside. NMHS Celebrates National Wear Red Day The NMMC Heart Institute encouraged. February 14, 2014

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1 February 14, 2014 Volume 22 Number 4 Quality Awards...3 West Point EOQ...4 Ortho Top Clinics EOY...5 A PUBLICATION FOR NORTH MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER EMPLOYEES CHECKUP NMHS Celebrates National Wear Red Day The NMMC Heart Institute encouraged everyone to raise awareness of women s heart disease on National Wear Red Day, Feb. 7. Several departments and facilities showed their support by wearing red that Friday. Physician Leadership...5 Stars Online...5 Heart Device...6 F.I.T. Families...7 Camp Bluebird...7 Employee Recognition...7 inside Women s Hospital Education Department Photos continued on next page

2 National Wear Red Day Booneville Medical Clinic Cancer Center & Women's Hospital Food & Nutrition Services NMHS Administration NMMC-Pontotoc NMMC-Tupelo Emergency Department NMMC-West Point Photos continued on next page February 14, 2014 Page 2

3 National Wear Red Day Tupelo Service Finance Systems & Auditing NMMC Sepsis Team North Mississippi Neurosurgical Associates Management Information Systems NMMC-Pontotoc Page 3 February 14, 2014

4 NMMC Recognizes Quality Achievements North Mississippi Medical Center recently presented the Quality Physician awards based on Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services National Hospital Inpatient Quality Measures. A winner was awarded for each core measure at NMMC-Tupelo, as well as an overall winner for the combined core measures at each community hospital. NMMC-Tupelo winners in each category are Douglas Hill, M.D., Acute Myocardial Infarction; Richard Seigler, M.D., Heart Failure; Mark Ramsey, M.D., Inpatient Psychiatry; Robert Stewart, M.D., Pneumonia; Brady Russell, M.D., Stroke; James Lewis, M.D., Venous Thromboembolism; David Talton, M.D., Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP)/Cardiac Surgery; Charles Pigott, M.D., SCIP/Colon/Vascular Surgery; Chester White, M.D., SCIP, Gynecologic Surgery; Clyde Phillips, M.D., SCIP/Orthopaedic Surgery; and Hunt Bobo, M.D., SCIP/Other Major Surgery (Neurosurgery). NMMC community hospital Top Performers are Christy Vowell, D.O., Eupora; Cesar Romero, M.D., Hamilton; Candace Jones, D.O., Iuka; Micheal Orender, M.D., Pontotoc; and John Shields, M.D., West Point. Comer Named NMMC-West Point EOQ Radiologic technologist Mike Comer of Tupelo has been selected by his peers as North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point s most recent Employee of the Quarter. Comer joined the NMMC staff in 2006 at the Pain Management Center in Tupelo. He began working part time in NMMC-West Point s Radiology Department in He also works as needed at NMMC-Pontotoc. A graduate of Tupelo High School, Comer attended University of Memphis (formerly Memphis State University) and earned his associate s degree in radiologic technology from Itawamba Community College. One of the things I enjoy most is getting to meet wonderful people veterans, couples who have been married for 50 or even 60 years, relatives of sports legends, Comer said. I have met some very interesting people working at the hospital. It s also an honor to get to work with good-hearted, highly qualified individuals. Coworkers say Comer always smiles, shows a caring attitude and does an excellent job of explaining procedures to patients and family members. He is very compassionate with children and the elderly, his nomination reads. He goes above and beyond for patients and co-workers. Comer is the son of Anne and Bill Barkley of New Albany, and the late David Comer of Tupelo. He sometimes volunteers with Living Independence for Everyone (L.I.F.E.) of Northeast Mississippi and OurArtworks in Tupelo, a non-profit organization that offers a creative outlet for people with disabilities. NMMC Named in Top 100 Ortho Programs Becker s Hospital Review recently named North Mississippi Medical Center to its 2013 list of 100 Hospitals with Great Orthopedic Programs, which recognizes orthopedic surgery departments, programs or dedicated centers that have earned considerable recognition. NMMC has also been named a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi Blue Distinction Center of Excellence. To devise this list, the Becker s editorial team weighted other national rankings and recognition and conducted research to find hospitals with great orthopedic programs. NMMC is the only hospital in Mississippi to receive this recognition. Becker s Hospital Review is a monthly, national publication offering up-to-date business and legal news and analysis relating to hospitals and health systems. For more information on orthopedic surgery at NMMC, visit or call THE DESK ( ). February 14, 2014 Page 4

5 Clinics Select Employee of the Year North Mississippi Medical Clinics recently named Donna Dye as the Employee of the Year for Dye is an admissions/discharge specialist at Pulmonary Consultants, where she has served since Donna is a valued member of our team who is always willing to do more than her share to help, said a coworker who nominated Dye. She treats all of our patients with respect and will always go the extra mile to make sure their needs are met. Dye says she has a passion to touch each of her patients lives. She and her husband, David, have two grown children and two grandchildren. She is a member of 2014 Physician Leadership Institute Announced North Mississippi Health Services is pleased to announce that 14 physicians are participating in the 2014 Physician Leadership Institute. They are Robert Becker, M.D., radiologist, Premier Radiology; Jeff Brown, D.O., family practice, Barnes Crossing Urgent Care; Brad Crosswhite, M.D., family practice, IMA-Tupelo; Steven (Nick) Dirmeyer, M.D., family practice, Pontotoc Medical Clinic; Murray Estess, M.D., cardiologist, Cardiology Associates of North Mississippi; Stephen Farmer, M.D., urologist, Urology Associates; Eddie Giaroli, M.D., radiologist, Premier Radiology; Robert Jarrett, M.D., pathologist, NMMC Pathology Department; Keith Kyker, M.D., cardiologist, Cardiology Associates of North Mississippi; Amy Price, M.D., pediatrician, North Mississippi Pediatrics, P.A.; Wayne Slocum, M.D., OB-GYN, Obstetrics-Gynecology Associates, P.A.; Stephen Southworth, M.D., orthopaedic Ellistown Baptist Church in Blue Springs where she keeps the nursery. Dye, her husband, and their daughter Courtney Carroll have worked for North Mississippi Health Services for a combined 50 years. The Employee of the Year honor recognizes employees with exemplary job performance and customer service skills, as well as community involvement. surgeon, North Mississippi Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Clinic; John Stanback, M.D., family practice, North Columbus Medical Clinic; and Elbert White, M.D., neurosurgeon, NMMC Neurosurgical Services. The program for current and future physician leaders provides an opportunity for physicians to gain a greater understanding of NMHS, its mission and actual operation, and foster additional skills in the areas of leadership, finance, strategic planning, operations and the medico-legal aspects of health care. Participants attend one Thursday evening session per month for six months. The program is coordinated by Brian Condit, M.D., director of the Physician Leadership Institute, and Mark S. Williams, M.D., chief medical officer. This program is offered in partnership with the NMHS Continuing Medical Education division. Employees Recognized by Stars Online Several NMMC employees have recently been recognized by Stars Online for their outstanding dedication. The health care providers at Barnes Crossing Medical Clinic and Urgent Care were recently recognized for purchasing patient education materials with their own money. Drs. Brad Crosswhite, Barry Jones, Jeff Brown, Michael Gipson and Will Jennings, and nurse practitioner Terry Miller hope the materials will improve patient understanding and outcomes. Tara Kilgore, a registered nurse in the NMMC-Tupelo Emergency Department, was cited for assisting two wounded police officers on the scene of an ambush. Her actions as an emergency nurse in an unsecure scene shows her dedication and compassion for another s life, her nomination states. If you see an NMMC employee displaying extreme acts of kindness, nominate him or her for Stars Online. Nomination forms are available on the Intranet or throughout the hospital. Page 5 February 14, 2014

6 Locals Speak Out for Heart Device When 75-year-old Patrick Clemens of Amory signed on for a clinical research trial in 2012, he hoped for the best but certainly never expected the national attention he recently received. Clemens is one of more than 30 patients at North Mississippi Medical Center to receive an investigational device called Watchman to prevent strokes in people with irregular heartbeats. In December he accompanied cardiac electrophysiologist Jim Stone, M.D., and Cardiology Associates of North Mississippi research nurse Marsha Jones, RN, to Gaithersburg, Md., to convince advisers to the Food and Drug Administration of Watchman s benefits. Following all the testimony, the advisory panel voted 13-1 that the benefits outweigh risks associated with surgery to implant the device. Full FDA approval could come by mid-summer. Clemens heart problems date back to 2004, when he underwent quadruple bypass surgery for blocked arteries. Two years later he received a pacemaker to correct irregular heartbeats. He was then diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a heart condition in which the upper chambers of the heart beat too fast. Because the heart s upper chambers quiver instead of beating effectively, blood can stagnate and form clots in an area of the heart called the left atrial appendage. Everyone has a left atrial appendage on the left side of your heart, explained Jones. It s a small pouch, about the size of your thumb. If a clot forms there and you get an effective heartbeat, it can send that clot to your brain and cause a stroke. In 2012, Clemens physician prescribed blood thinning medication to help prevent blood clots that could cause a stroke. Like many other patients on blood thinners, the retired shipbuilder struggled with an undesirable side effect bleeding from everyday pricks and bumps. I tried two different blood thinners, Clemens said, but because I m active, I was just having too much bleeding. Dr. Stone and Jones told Clemens about the Watchman device, which seals the left atrial appendage to keep larger blood clots from entering the bloodstream. During the procedure, Dr. Stone guides the Watchman device into the heart through a catheter, or flexible tube inserted through a vein in the groin. Once the catheter is in place, Dr. Stone determines what size Watchman device to use (five sizes are Research nurse Marsha Jones, RN, and cardiologist Dr. Jim Stone are encouraged by Patrick Clemens (center) of Amory, who is participating in a clinical research trial for a new device that treats atrial fibrillation. currently available) for a snug fit inside the left atrial appendage. After placing the device, he releases it from the catheter to leave it permanently implanted in the heart. The procedure takes less than an hour in NMMC s Electrophysiology Laboratory, and the patient leaves with only a bandage on the groin. Clemens stayed overnight at NMMC and recovered quickly. The procedure was pretty easy, he said. There was no discomfort. The vast majority of blood clots that cause strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation come from the left atrial appendage, Jones said. This device removes that risk. Dr. Stone, who served as principal investigator for two related research studies at NMMC, is encouraged by results and believes the Watchman s implications are significant. This is probably the single biggest advance for preventing stroke caused by atrial fibrillation since the advent of blood thinners about 50 years ago, he said. I think it s a paradigm shift in how we will treat atrial fibrillation in the future. While the Watchman does not cure atrial fibrillation, it does reassure patients like Clemons. When you know you have the possibility of suffering a stroke, there s a fear that scares you, Clemons said. Now, 95 percent of that fear is gone. Because NMMC has been a major player in the clinical research trials, Dr. Stone said the local hospital is being considered as a training site if the Watchman gains full FDA approval. We sincerely thank the patients who have volunteered for the clinical trials, he said. They have put a lot of faith in us. February 14, 2014 Page 6

7 NMMC to Launch F.I.T. Program for Families Liz Dawson (left) of the Healthy Tupelo Task Force and Dr. Jay Dey (right) of the Northeast Mississippi Medical Society present $3,000 from each organization to help North Mississippi Medical Center kick off a pilot project targeting overweight, inactive children. F.I.T. (Families in Transformation) is scheduled for March 17- May 17 for children ages 8-13 with their parent or guardian. Organizers include Lisa Nunnery, RN, of North Mississippi Medical Clinics; and NMMC Wellness Center director Philip Raper, fitness specialist Kelli Phipps; and registered dietitian Alice Anne Lee. Sessions will meet from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at the NMMC Wellness Center, 1030 S. Madison St. An application is available at _center.php, and the deadline to apply is Feb. 28. Space is limited, and families will be notified by March 10. Upon acceptance, the fee is $25 for the first parent and child, plus $10 for each additional child. For more information, call (662) or THE DESK ( ). Camp Bluebird Planned for Adult Cancer Patients Camp Bluebird, a special camp for adults who have been diagnosed with cancer, will be held April at Tombigbee State Park. Camp Bluebird, which is co-sponsored by North Mississippi Medical Center and the Telecom Pioneers, provides campers with a few days of rest, recreation and the opportunity to share experiences, said Camp Bluebird director Cheri Nipp, an occupational therapist with North Mississippi Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Campers are encouraged to participate in a variety of activities ranging from arts and crafts to educational programs. Each camper in the medically supervised camp will be assigned a counselor, who is an NMMC staff member or Telecom Pioneer. Counselors complete a special training session prior to their participation. Camp Bluebird has quite a loyal following. Many of our campers and counselors come back year after year because the experience helped them at a time in their lives when they needed it, and they also enjoy spending time with the many special friends that they have made, Nipp said. The cost of the camp is $40 per person. Scholarships are available to those who need financial assistance. All campers will sleep on bunkbeds in dormitory facilities and must bring their own toiletry items, linens, comfortable clothing and walking shoes. The registration fee includes meals, a Camp Bluebird T-shirt and any materials needed for special programs or activities. Anyone interested in registering for Camp Bluebird may call (662) or THE DESK ( ), or visit Employee Recognition February is Cardiovascular Professionals Week Thank you for your hard work and dedication throughout the year. Page 7 February 14, 2014