Grand Rounds April on Mississippi Medical News

Grand Rounds April

Continuing Medical Education Symposium Slated For May 7, 2009

JACKSON — With a steadily increasing number of Mississippians developing diabetes, the necessity of a steadily increasing number of health-care professionals equipped with the most up-to-date tools to help these Mississippians also has grown.

The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi is extending an invitation to all physicians and health-care professionals to attend the annual Continuing Medical Education symposium May 7 at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Center in Jackson.

The one-day CME program is designed for physicians, internists, nurses, dieticians, pharmacists, Certified Diabetes Educators, students, clinicians and other health-care providers with an interest in diabetes. The program is intended to provide an overview of the recent developments in diabetes management and prevention. Discussions will focus on addressing health disparities in minority populations; standards for quality care; diabetes nutrition therapy dilemmas; optimal glycemic control during pregnancy; the emotional impact of diabetes on patients; and controlling glycemic excursions and the use of insulin pump therapy.

Sponsored by the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi (DFM), the symposium will feature several leading diabetes experts.

Among the presenters is Kris Ernst, RN, BSN, CDE, Past National President of the American Association of Diabetes Educators and Program Consultant in the Division of Diabetes Translation for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Michael Fleming, MD, FAAFP, Chief Medical Officer for the Antidote Education Company in Dallas, Texas; Marion Franz, MS, RD, CDE, of Nutrition Concepts by Franz, Inc., in Minneapolis, Minn.; and John Morrison, MD, Professor, OB/GYN and Pediatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Miss., will also be the symposium's featured speakers. Richard Rosenthal, MD, Associate Professor and Diabetes Clinic Director at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, and Scott Scolnick, M.Ed., Regional Manager, Southeast United States, Animas Corporation will also lead discussions on the latest diabetes advancements.

The cost to attend the conference is $150 for physicians and $100 for other health-care practitioners. Those in attendance will receive approximately 5.8 credit hours, depending on their discipline. All credit hours are subject to change.

To register for the symposium and earn CME credit hours, please call the DFM at 601-957-7878 or 1-877-DFM-CURE.

Biloxi Regional Medical Center Receives ACR Accreditation

BILOXI —Biloxi Regional Medical Center has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in Mammography as a result of the survey by the American College of Radiology (ACR).

The ACR, headquartered in Reston, Va., awards accreditation to facilities for the achievement of high practice standards after a peer-review evaluation of the practice. Evaluations are conducted by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. They assess the qualifications of the personnel and the adequacy of facility equipment.

One Out of Every 100 Infants Born Each Year in Mississippi Dies Before His or Her First Birthday

RIDGELAND – The leading causes of infant mortality in Mississippi are low birthweight and premature birth, followed by birth defects, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, accidents and maternal complications of pregnancy, according to a scientific article published in the March 2009 issue of the Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association (JMSMA). The research shows maternal factors, racial disparities, and prenatal care also impact infant mortality in Mississippi.

The purpose of this study was to describe Mississippi infant mortality, teen pregnancy trends, and strategies for improving maternal and infant health in Mississippi. Analysis of infant mortality data underscores the need for extensive action, including redefining the way care is delivered to Mississippi women of child-bearing age. All data used were from Mississippi Vital Records.

As noted in the Public Health Report Card released by the doctors of our state last month, Mississippi has the highest infant mortality rate in the nation. "And, the Healthy People 2010 goal is to reduce infant mortality in the United States to 4.5 deaths per 1,000 live births by the year 2010. Given Mississippi's 2007 infant mortality rate of 10.1 per 1,000 live births, an additional reduction of 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births poses a tremendous challenge in reaching the 2010 goal," the lead author Dr. LeDon Langston writes.

Georgia Myers has earned the Certified Healthcare Administrative Professional (cHAP) Designation

Georgia Myers, a Brookhaven resident has been awarded the prestigious Certified Healthcare Administrative Professional (cHAP) Designation by the Association of Healthcare Administrative Professionals (AHCAP) of the American Hospital Association, the largest society dedicated to healthcare executive assistants.

Administrative Professionals who receive the cHAP Designation have met stringent requirements in education, direct professional experience and areas of professional development; and successfully completed the cHAP examination, demonstrating comprehensive knowledge of substantive skills that provide value and distinction in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Georgia is herein recognized for being among the elite in the critical and demanding field of healthcare administration.

Healthcare consumers and staff can be assured that cHAP Designees subscribe to a strict code of ethics, have access to the latest technology and are specialists in competencies performed regularly in practice that are considered vital to competent practice.

Georgia is a healthcare administrative professional with King's Daughters Medical Center in Brookhaven. She has been a member of the AHCAP since 2004. During her 5 years with AHCAP, Georgia has served as Membership Committee Chairman, Public Relations Committee Chairman, and Program Planning Committee Chairman. Ms Myers quote for success; "Add one grain per day to your heap so that you will learn from the power of 'littles."

Crossgates River Oaks Welcomes Dr. Si

Allen Tyra, CEO at Crossgates River Oaks Hospital, announced that Xiaohong Si, M.D., Ph.D., has joined the hospital's medical staff. Dr. Si will assume the medical director's position at Central Mississippi Neurology Group located at 348 Crossgates Boulevard, Suite 2300 in Brandon.

Dr. Si received a medical degree and master of science degree from Capital Institute of Medicine in Beijing, China. She then went on to receive a Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. While at UMC, Dr Si completed a neurology residency and worked as a research associate in the department of medicine and psychiatry. After her residency, she completed a fellowship in clinical neurophysiology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN.

Dr. Si is a member of the Society for Neuroscience, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Neurology.

Alvin Hoover named to National Hospital Council

Alvin Hoover FACHE, Chief Executive Officer for King's Daughters Medical Center in Brookhaven, Mississippi has been named a member of the Governing Council of the American Hospital Association Section for Small and Rural Hospitals from Region 4. He will serve a three year term from January 2009 until December 31, 2011.

The Governing Council includes 18 elected members who are chief executives of some of the country's leading small or rural hospitals. It also has ex-officio members representing the American Academy of Family Physicians, National Rural Health Association, and a state hospital associations as well as a hospital trustee member.

Members of the Governing Council work on behalf of the nation's small and rural hospitals and serve as key contacts and resources for the small and rural hospitals in their regions. In addition Governing Council members work with the American Hospital Association, regional, and state association staff to build section visibility and assist member recruitment and retention. The Governing Council meets three times per year in various parts of the country.

Governing Council members work with American Hospital Association legislative staff advocating on behalf of member hospitals. They have direct contact with members of Congress including staff on key committees with jurisdiction over rural health care issues.

Wesley Medical Center Implements Smart IV system to Increase Patient Safety

HATTIESBURG —Wesley Medical Center announced today the implementation of new "smart pump" technologies from Cardinal Health, which provides improved patient safety when administering intravenous (IV) medications.

The Alaris smart pumps work as an assistant to nurses and clinicians who administer IV medications at the point of care.

"We believe this will be of great benefit to our patients and will give them reassurance that they are receiving the best possible care," said Brent Lindley, Wesley Medical Center's clinical pharmacy manager. "This system affords us the ability to practice medicine in a manner that reduces potential for medication error."

Now prior to administering an IV medication, the health care provider enters a patient's dosage and infusion rate into the Alaris system. The system, which is connected to the Guardrails software, accesses a drug library and compares the order against a preset standard for dosing. Anything above or below a pre-established limit results in an alert to the clinician administering the dose.

There are two main components that make up the system now in place at Wesley. The first component, the Alaris PC unit, controls all modules connected to the system and runs the necessary software.

The Alaris pump module is the secondary component and is the module used for the delivery of fluids, medications, blood and blood products.

Another component, the Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA), helps patients manage their post-operative pain by allowing them to self-administer doses of prescribed pain medication. Though there could be a potential for harm, the PCA has a system that guards against over dosing.

Last year, the Institute of Medicine released a report that estimated that 1.5 million preventable adverse drug events (ADE) occur in the U.S. each year. Of the most serious ADE, 61 percent are IV-related.

The Alaris IV system is designed to prevent infusion administration errors at the point of care to protect the health and safety of the patient receiving the medication.

Crossgates River Oaks Hospital was Recently Named the Hospital of the Year

BRANDON —Crossgates River Oaks Hospital was recently named the Hospital of the Year (100+ beds) by the Mississippi Nurses' Association and the Mississippi Nurses' Foundation at the annual Nightingale Awards Ceremony sponsored by the two organizations. Known as the "Academy Awards" of Nursing in Mississippi, the Nightingale Hospital of the Year award is based on Crossgates River Oaks Hospital's demonstrated excellence in the areas of patient and staff satisfaction scores, commitment to nursing excellence and quality care, staff development and recognition, innovation in leadership and management and community involvement and community involvement and commitment.

McCullough Named HMA, Inc., CNO of the Year

JACKSON — Carol Beck McCullough, FACHE, Chief Nursing Officer at Central Mississippi Medical Center, was recently presented with the Health Management Associates, Inc. (HMA, Inc.), Chief Nursing Officer of the Year Award for 2008. HMA, Inc., is the parent company of Central Mississippi Medical Center,

Crossgates River Oaks Hospital, Madison County Medical Center, River Oaks Hospital and Woman's Hospital.

Gary Newsome, Chief Executive Officer of HMA, Inc., presented McCullough with the award at a ceremony on February 26. McCullough was nominated for the award by Joe D. Pinion, CEO of Central Mississippi Medical Center, for improving the physician, employee and nursing satisfaction at the hospital; implementing a clinical ladder for CMMC's registered nursing staff; the redesign of the internship program and critical care course; and, the implementation of preceptor and mentor programs.

Delta Regional Medical Center Welcomes New Program Director Of Solutions.

Regional Medical Center announces the appointment of Jessica Willis, M.Ed., LPC, NCC, ACS as Program Director of Behavioral Services at Delta Regional Medical Center. Willis is coming to us from Delta State University where she was Counseling Lab Director in the Graduate Counselor Program/Instructor, and will continue teaching classes until May. Willis is no stranger to Delta Regional Medical Center. She worked for Delta Regional Medical Center in 2001 – 2007 as a Therapist for the Solutions Behavioral Unit.

Sandra Davis, RN in the Solutions Behavioral Unit at Delta Regional Medical Center says, "Willis bridges the gap between mental health services and community resources. We are very glad she is back with us here at Delta Regional Medical Center". Willis is bringing a wealth of knowledge as a Licensed Professional Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, Approved Clinic Supervisor, and Board Approved Supervisor by the State of Mississippi.