CHECKUP. inside. Home Health Helps Take Care of Service Dog. January 16, Huffman Retires...2. Clinic EOM...2. F.I.T. Families...

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1 January 16, 2015 Volume 25 Number 2 Huffman Retires...2 Clinic EOM...2 F.I.T. Families...2 A PUBLICATION FOR NORTH MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER EMPLOYEES CHECKUP Home Health Helps Take Care of Service Dog Service Awards...3 Condit Farewell...3 Stokes Retires...4 Iuka EOQ...4 Spirit of Women...4 Everett...5 Hamilton EOQ...5 Pinterest...5 inside Helping Hands...5 North Mississippi Medical Center Home Health recently collected donations in honor of Patty Aguirre (left), who recently retired. Aguirre has multiple sclerosis and has a service dog that helps her with her daily activities. The donations collected were given to Jeff and Angela Willis (second from right) of Baldwyn. Their 4-year-old son, Carter, has autism and also has a service dog. Carter s dog, Max, needed a surgery recently. The therapists donations were used to help with the expenses of the surgery and other costs related to having a service dog. Service dogs act as constant companions to children with autism to help them improve social interactions and relationships, expand verbal and nonverbal communication, teach life skills, increase interest in activities and decrease stress within the family. Donations are still being accepted for the Willis family. To make a donation, contact Bradley Woodcock (second from left) at (662)

2 Jones Selected As Clinic EOM North Mississippi Medical Clinics recently named Tessia Jones as the December Employee of the Month. Jones serves as office coordinator for the Diabetes Treatment Center. She joined NMHS in 1999 as a unit coordinator on 4 West, and in 2005 she transferred to neurosurgery as an admission/discharge specialist. She joined DTC in Jones is a graduate of Wheeler High School. Tessia is a great part of our team, said a coworker who nominated Jones. She makes our work day and the patients visits flow better with her hard work, smile and willingness. She demonstrates her complete dedication to patient care every day with her unwavering work ethic, warm smile and kind word to all. She is without a doubt one of the hardest North Mississippi Medical Center is looking for overweight, inactive children and their families who want to make a change. F.I.T. (Families in Transformation) is scheduled for Feb. 2-March 30 for children ages 8-13 with their parent or guardian. Education/exercise sessions are required for each child and a parent from 5:30-7 p.m. Mondays at HealthWorks!, 219 S. Industrial Rd. Exercise sessions for children meet 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at HealthWorks! and are optional for parents. F.I.T. will offer health education, fun exercise, cooking demonstrations, coaching and encouragement from fitness specialists, a registered dietitian and Dr. Mark Huffman Retires from NMMC Pathology Department Mark Huffman, M.D., (center) was recognized for his years of service in North Mississippi Medical Center s Pathology Department at a retirement luncheon. Dr. Huffman joined NMMC in 1994 as a staff pathologist and became medical director of the department in He is pictured with (from left) pathologists Rickey Hicks, M.D.; Richard Griswold, M.D.; Rob Jarrett, M.D.; and Cohra Mankey, M.D. working women that I have had the pleasure to work with and meet. Jones says her favorite part of her job is patient interaction and her coworkers. She and her husband, Jason, have been married for 16 years and have two daughters, 15-year-old Kaylee and 10- year-old Karman. They are members of Casey Creek Baptist Church, where she helps with Team Kid. The Employee of the Month honor recognizes employees with exemplary job performance and customer service skills, as well as community involvement. NMMC to Offer F.I.T. Program for Families other health care professionals. The program is sponsored in part by the Healthy Tupelo Task Force and the Health Care Foundation of North Mississippi. Space is limited. Upon acceptance, the fee is $25 for the first parent and child, plus $10 for each additional child in the family. Scholarships are available based on need. Upon successful completion of the program, each family will receive a $25 refund plus a $100 grocery gift card. An application is available at tupelo_wellness _center.php, and the deadline to apply is Jan. 23. For more information, call (662) or THE DESK ( ). January 16, 2015 Page 2

3 Service Awards The following named employees recently received service pins in recognition of service milestones. Five Years Elizabeth Baker, Jasmine Donaldson, Heidi Hurley, Michael Kendrick, Linda Kilgore, Sheila Mosby, Martha Riddle, Kathleen Rodgers, Rodney Rowe, Tiffany Thompson, Angie Voyles Ten Years Clinics Esther Beatty, Brian Donner, Bonnie Finney, Robert Foster NMMC-Eupora Robin Mixon NMMC-Pontotoc James McMillen, Jan Rowan Kimberly Bowling, April Cook, Lauren Cooper, Heather Cottles, Larry Gunn, Marlana Huffstatler, Susan Jolly, Anthony Knight, Michael Loyd, Frank Smith, Brian Thomas Fifteen Years Katherine South Mitch Brown, Rusty Sparks, Amanda Tubbs Twenty Years Clinics John Mitchell, Stephen Montgomery, Donna Warren, Anita Young Matthew Gray Sondra Barron, Ann Carter, Jan Carter, Kathy Harris, Jennifer Merrell, Lucretia Spencer, Paul Steen, Gordon Ward Twenty-Five Years Christy Hobbs NMHS Sara Kline Thirty-Five Years Lena Dees, Connie Jones, Keith Potts Farewell Reception Held Angie Everett and Dr. Aurora Wong present Dr. Brian Condit with some parting gifts during a farewell reception in his honor Dec. 18. Dr. Condit, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician who joined the NMMC staff in June 2004, was recently named vice president/chief medical officer for the Northeast Market of Mountain States Health Alliance. As the VP/CMO he will work with the medical staffs and administrations of Johnston Memorial Hospital, Russell County Medical Center and Smyth County Community Hospital in Virginia. During his tenure in Tupelo, Dr. Condit served as medical director for acute rehabilitation. He helped found NMMC s Physician Leadership Institute in 2011 and served as its director through He is also a Baldrige Fellow and played a key role when both NMMC and NMHS won Baldrige awards. Page 3 January 16, 2015

4 Stokes Retires After 38-Year Career Brenda Stokes retired in December after a 38-year career as a nursing assistant at North Mississippi Medical Center. An Okolona native, she graduated from Okolona High School in She married Richard Stokes in 1970 and moved to Tupelo, where she worked at White s Department Store and Graber s for several years. She stayed home when her children were young, then joined the NMMC staff in 1979 working 11 p.m.-7 a.m. as a nursing assistant in the resource pool. When I started, everyone started on nights. You didn t come right in on days, she said. I didn t have a regular floor until I went to 5 West, then we moved to 5 South and then 4 West. I enjoyed working with patients on the surgical floors. I always liked the get up and get going. The patients got well, and then they went home. It wasn t a sad thing. Now that she is retired, Stokes looks forward to traveling with husband Richard to see son Marvin Stokes and his family in Tallahassee, Fla., and daughter Meika Thompson and her family in Kalamazoo, Mich. They have two grandsons Boston, 18, in Tallahassee and Derwin, 12, in Kalamazoo as well as siblings and extended family scattered nationwide. Coworkers honored Bonnie Gault (front, from left) and Brenda Stokes with a retirement reception in their honor Dec. 16. She also looks forward to helping Richard, who retired from Delta five years ago after a 33-year career, with projects around the house. I loved working there, and I will miss my coworkers, but I am thankful to be able to do this, Stokes said. One thing she won t miss is reading the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, which she got accustomed to being delivered daily on her unit. I love to read, she said. They gave me a subscription to the Daily Journal, and my first one was delivered to my house my first day at home. Coman Selected As EOQ North Mississippi Medical Center-Iuka recently named Willie Coman, floor technician in Environmental Services, as Employee of the Quarter. Coman joined in July Willie is always dependable, efficient and willing to help others at all times, said a coworker who nominated Coman. He handles difficult situations with remarkable patience and admirable tact. He works hard and lifts people s spirits. The Employee of the Quarter honor recognizes employees with exemplary job performance and customer service skills, as well as community involvement. Fred Truesdale, administrator of, presents Willie Coman with the Employee of the Quarter award. Visit Spirit of Women s new Spirit Health web site at for upcoming events, health articles and featured recipes. The site is updated regularly, so check back often for the latest news. January 16, 2015 Page 4

5 Everett Named to NMMC Leadership Role Angie Everett, LCSW, of New Albany has been named Post-Acute Rehabilitation Services administrator at North Mississippi Medical Center. Everett has been employed at NMMC for 25 years in various areas of Post-Acute Care, most recently serving as director of the Rehabilitation Institute and Skilled Nursing Facility, as well as overseeing Baldwyn Nursing Facility and the North Mississippi Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She also acts as administrator for the NMMC-Pontotoc Nursing Home. Everett earned a bachelor s degree in social work from Mississippi State University in 1990 and her master s degree in social work from the University of Southern Mississippi in She is a licensed certified social worker, a certified case manager, a CARF surveyor and a licensed nursing home administrator. She is married to Vance Yerby and has two children, 12-year-old Maggie Jo and 10-year-old Owen. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, doing home studies for domestic and international adoptions, and serving as a youth counselor at her church. In her new role Everett replaces Leslia Carter, who was recently named administrator for NMMC-Pontotoc. North Mississippi Medical Center-Hamilton Selects EOQ North Mississippi Medical Center- Hamilton recently named Britni Hood, Food and Nutrition supervisor, as the Employee of the Quarter. She has worked at the hospital since September Britni has made our dietary department a wonderful place, said a coworker who nominated Hood. She works really hard, she never complains and does whatever it takes to make the department run smoothly. She always goes the extra mile. She and her husband, Dale, have been married for five years. The Employee of the Quarter honor recognizes employees with exemplary job performance and customer service skills, as well as community involvement. NMMC is now on Pinterest at Check out healthy living tips, recipes, women s health tips, information on healthy pregnancy and kids, and more. Helping Hands Coat Drive Donise Smith of the Central Billing Office prepares to deliver coats and blankets to Helping Hands Helping Homeless Inc. from North Mississippi Medical Clinics Central Billing and Coding staff. The organization assists homeless individuals and families by improving their living conditions and ultimately finding housing. Staff members donated 16 items, which were distributed Jan. 7 when temperatures plummeted below freezing. Page 5 January 16, 2015