Grand Rounds April on Mississippi Medical News

Grand Rounds April

Conn Trains Surgeons on Direct Anterior Hip Approach

Dr. Richard Conn of Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, P.A. recently trained other orthopaedic surgeons at a Stryker training lab for the direct anterior hip approach for total hip arthroplasty in Las Vegas.

Ten faculty surgeons and 72 orthopedic surgeons from around the world were trained. Conn’s points of emphasis were on the use of the “muscle sparing” approach to the hip, computer navigation for enhanced placement of component parts, and the ARCH table extension for assistance in proper leg placement for the direct anterior hip approach.

For selected patients with painful arthritis of the hip, muscle-sparing hip replacement surgery is now available at Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, P.A.

Muscle-sparing hip replacement surgery also called direct anterior hip replacement allows the surgeon to replace the arthritic hip without sacrificing any of the muscle attachments around the hip joint.Hospital stays have been shortened to two or three days instead of the usual five days with the traditional posterior surgery. Rehabilitation may be shortened to just a few sessions of outpatient treatment with a physical therapist.

The procedure will not work for severely deformed hips, he said, or when repairing an existing replacement.

As a lecturer, Conn trains surgeons across the country in advanced hip and knee replacement techniques.

Eye Associates of the South ranks in ‘Best Docs’

Two ophthalmologists who practice at Eye Associates of the South have been named Best Doctors in America â for 2011-2012.

Dr. Mark Brown and Dr. Sprague Eustis were chosen by their peers for the nationwide list.

Brown ranks as a Best Doctor for a third time.

Eustis was chosen for a seventh time, which is 14 consecutive years on the biennial list who specializes in pediatric ophthalmology, strabismus, and diseases and surgery of the eye.

(In a separate honor, Eustis has been invited for a third time to be a Pediatric Ophthalmology Specialist to the United Arab Emirates, serving as a guest of the Ministry of Health to care for children in Sharjah.)

McCaa ranks as ‘Best Doc’ for 14th year

Dr. Connie McCaa, a Mississippi ophthalmologist, has been ranked as one of the Best Doctors in America â for a 14th consecutive year.

The recognition was announced by Best Doctors, which is the most widely recognized medical peer review organization.

A Best Doctors spokesperson said it is “exceptional” for McCaa to achieve such long recognition from her peers.

Being on it multiple times is especially gratifying, because other physicians voted said McCaa, who has an ophthalmology clinic at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson as well as the LASIK Laser Eye Center in Flowood.

Dr. Suares Opens New Clinic

Delta Regional Medical Center is pleased to announce the clinic opening of Neal Suares, M.D., Family Practice.

Dr. Suares received his medical degree from St. Matthew’s School of Medicine in 2006, and completed his Family Practice Residency at University of Mississippi School of Medicine in 2009. He has been in private practice since the completion of his studies. Dr. Suares is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.

As a physician of Family Practice, Dr. Suares provides continuing and comprehensive healthcare for the individual and the entire family. He accepts patients of all ages and sexes while treating a wide range of diseases and medical conditions, from cuts and bruises to diabetes and hypertension, Dr. Suares provides quality healthcare for all of his patients.

Dr. Suares is a lifelong resident Greenville, who is pleased to provide medical services in the community he has always called home.

Baptist DeSoto upgraded to Level III trauma center

The trauma level at Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto’s emergency department has been upgraded from Level IV to Level III status, enabling the hospital to be able to serve trauma patients.

Baptist DeSoto has one of the busiest emergency departments in the Mid-South. Last year, it saw 55,757 patients; the average hospital treats 15,000 emergency patients. Of that total, 12,880 patients arrived by ambulance, and 395 were trauma arrivals.

One reason for the raised trauma designation is the residential growth of DeSoto County and surrounding areas. According to the state of Mississippi, in 1990, DeSoto County had 67,910 residents. Ten years later, the population grew 58 percent to 107,199. In 2007, there was a 39 percent growth to 148,568, and in 2012, the population is expected to grow another 15 percent to 172,226.

James Huffman, Baptist DeSoto’s CEO and administrator said they are looking forward to making Baptist DeSoto the primary destination for nine local ambulance services with the new trauma designation.

St. Dominic Hospital Achieves New Status as Accredited Chest Pain Center

St. Dominic announces that it has received Chest Pain Center Accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC).

Hospitals that have received SCPC accreditation have achieved a higher level of expertise in dealing with patients who arrive with symptoms of a heart attack. They emphasize the importance of standardized diagnostic and treatment programs that provide more efficient and effective evaluation as well as more appropriate and rapid treatment of patients with chest pain and other heart attack symptoms. They also serve as a point of entry into the healthcare system to evaluate and treat other medical problems, and they help to promote a healthier lifestyle in an attempt to reduce the risk factors for heart attack.

To become an Accredited Chest Pain Center, St. Dominic’s engaged in a rigorous evaluation by SCPC for its ability to assess, diagnose, and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack. To the community served by St. Dominic’s, this means that processes are in place that meet strict criteria aimed at:

• Reducing the time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis and treatment

• Treating patients more quickly during the critical window of time when the integrity of the heart muscle can be preserved

• Monitoring patients when it is not certain that they are having a heart attack to ensure that they are not sent home too quickly or needlessly admitted to the hospital

William H Crowder, MD, Interventional Cardiologist, Director of St. Dominic’s Chest Pain Center, said the chest pain accreditation is another in a long list of accomplishments in regard to St. Dominic’s exceptional cardiac care. The accreditation covers not only diagnosis of chest pain, but also Level 1 and all facets of care for cardiac patients.

St. Dominic’s healthcare encompasses the entire continuum of care for the heart patient and includes such focal points as dispatch, Emergency Medical System, emergency department, cath lab, St. Dominic’s quality assurance plan, and St. Dominic’s community outreach program.

Extreme Makeover: Hospital Edition-Methodist Rehab

Mark Adams, chief executive officer of the Jackson hospital, said the renovation incorporates medical innovations and modern amenities that weren’t available when the fourth floor space was last updated in 1999. The result is a contemporary setting where the high-tech tools of rehab medicine go hand-in-hand with the comforts of home.

The Jackson architectural/design firm of Canizaro Cawthon Davis designed the 14 private and four semi-private rooms to be a marriage of beauty and usability. Wide-framed doorways allow easy wheelchair passage and provide an open, airy feel. Carefully angled lighting illuminates clinical examinations and offers an inviting ambience. Fully accessible counters, sinks, showers and toilets safely accommodate people with disabilities. And the faux wood floors meet infection-control standards, yet offer a more home-like feel.

A variety of MRC staff members, including physicians, nurses, therapists and rehab techs, contributed their expertise to the design process. Many also “test-drove” potential products for the rooms.

Greco said the group’s input inspired a number of improvements that benefit patients and staff alike. An example is the addition of new lift systems throughout the stroke treatment area, and on the brain and spinal cord injury floors, as well. The equipment – which ranges from ceiling-mounted models to freestanding units – bears the weight of patients as they transition from one position to another during therapy or in their rooms.

Community Hospitals Back Heart Walk in Big Way

The American Heart Association is proud to announce that the nine hospitals of Health Management Associates of Mississippi have given $100,000 to be named a cause sponsor of the organization’s 2011 Metro Jackson Heart Walk.

The 2011 Walk is set for Sunday, October 30th on the grounds of the Mississippi state capitol. The event is one of the American Heart Association’s largest fundraisers of the year and offers families and the community an opportunity to raise money for the cause. Community leaders form teams to commit to fundraising and walking in honor of loved ones and survivors.

Anyone can get involved and the American Heart Association urges the community to begin forming teams early.

Central Mississippi Medical Center CEO Scott Smith is leading Health Management’s efforts as the 2011 Heart Walk Chair. “As a premier healthcare provider in the state of Mississippi, Health Management’s donation shows we are fully invested in the health and well-being of the citizens of this state,” Smith said.

Without sponsorships like the one Health Management has given, the American Heart Association would not be able to fund that research and education. At least $1.6 million is raised locally each year to fight our nation’s number one and number four killers; heart disease and stroke.

To get call Heart Walk director Travis Lee at (601) 321-1209.

Cedar Lake Imaging Center Earns ACR Accreditation

Cedar Lake Imaging Center has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in mammography as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Mammography is a specific type of imaging test that uses a low-dose x-ray system to examine breasts. A mammography exam, called a mammogram, is used to aid in the early detection and diagnosis of breast diseases in women.

The ACR gold seal of accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety. It is awarded only to facilities meeting ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards after a peer-review evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. Image quality, personnel qualifications, adequacy of facility equipment, quality control procedures, and quality assurance programs are assessed. The findings are reported to the ACR Committee on Accreditation, which subsequently provides the practice with a comprehensive report they can use for continuous practice improvement.