JACKSON — Ben W. Seale, MD, has joined the medical practice of Grenfell, Evans and Dyess as an adult endocrinology physician. He is joining the medical staff of St. Dominic Hospital after having recently completed his fellowship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Seale's previous experience includes teaching high school courses in math and science, serving as the Director of the Student Programming Board in Oxford and completing his Internal Medicine residency at UMC.

 

Seale, a 2004 graduate of The University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson, obtained his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Mississippi in 1999.

 

Additionally, Seale is a member of numerous professional societies which include the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American Medical Association and the Mississippi State Medical Association. He also volunteers with many organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Mississippi Blood Services, United Way and Tar Wars, an anti-smoking program designed for elementary students.

 

Hattiesburg — United Blood Services recently appointed Christina Ghents as the Center Director for the Hattiesburg center. Ghents has been with United Blood Services for 18 years; she most recently served as the Director of Technical Services in Rapid City, South Dakota.

 

As Center Director she manages the daily operations of the blood center, including human resource management, donor recruitment, mobile and fixed site collections, hospital services, general accounting functions and facilities management.

 

She earned her Bachelor's of Science degree in Medical Technology from the University of North Dakota and her Master's of Science degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of South Dakota.

 

Ghents plans to work closely with business and community leaders to increase the blood supply in the Pine Belt area and neighboring communities.

 

RIDGELAND — New officers were elected during the Mississippi State Medical Association's (MSMA) 141st Annual Session, held at the Oxford Conference Center. Randy Easterling, MD of Vicksburg, was installed as 2009-10 president of the association. At the annual meeting, the MSMA House of Delegates elected secretary-treasurer of the MSMA Board of Trustees Tim J. Alford, MD of Kosciusko president-elect.

 

Dr. Easterling is double-boarded, as a diplomate of the American Academy of Family Medicine and certified by the American Society of Addiction Medicine. He is in the private practice of family medicine with River Region Health System and is the medical director for Marian Hill Chemical Dependency Unit. He graduated from Mississippi College and studied pre-med at Mississippi State University, obtaining his medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. A native of Long Beach, he also received a Masters in Counseling Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi. He is a past president of University of Mississippi Medical Alumni.

 

In other elections held during the annual meeting, physicians elected to serve a three-year term on the Board of Trustees include Dr. Carlton Gorton, II of Belzoni and Dr. James A. Rish of Tupelo. Dr. Steve Demetropoulos of Pascagoula was re-elected chair, Dr. R. Scott Anderson of Meridian was re-elected vice chair and Dr. Rish was elected secretary of the Board of Trustees. Dr. Timothy Beacham of Madison was elected to represent residents and fellows on the Board and Sam Holdiness will represent medical students on the Board of Trustees.

 

Hattiesburg — Stephanie Robinett, MD, a pediatric neurologist at Wesley Medical Center, recently co-authored an article in the international scientific journal of Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology.

 

The article, "Neuromuscular Hip Dysplasia in Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Type 1A," is featured in the journal's May 2009 issue.

 

Dr. Robinett, a native of New Orleans, received her medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. She completed her pediatric residency at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and then finished her pediatric neurology fellowship at the University of Washington Pediatric Residency Program in Seattle. She is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society.

 

JACKSON — Dr. Rene Davila has joined University of Mississippi Medical Center as a professor of medicine. He will see patients through University Physicians, part of University of Mississippi Health Care.

 

A specialist in the treatment of the liver, Davila received the M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He completed an internship and residency training at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center and a fellowship at Stanford University Hospital. He is board-certified in gastroenterology and internal medicine.

 

Greenville — PET/CT Scan is available at Delta Regional Medical Center main campus. A PET/CT Scan is Positron Emission Tomography, also called PET imaging or a PET scan, is a type of nuclear medicine imaging. Nuclear medicine is a branch of medical imaging that is noninvasive. Noninvasive nuclear medicine uses small amounts of radioactive materials to diagnose or treat a variety of diseases, including many types of cancers, heart disease, brain abnormalities, and certain other abnormalities within the body.

 

The new service offered at DRMC will be a combined PET/CT scan, which provides images that pinpoint the location of abnormal metabolic activity within the body. This combined scan has been shown to provide more accurate diagnoses than the two scans performed separately. Both scans together produce a greater detail with a higher level of accuracy; because both scans are preformed at one time without the patient having to change positions, there is less room for error.

 

Gary Carr, MD, FAAFP of Hattiesburg, MS has been elected to serve as President of the Federation of State Physician Health Programs until April 2011.

 

The Federation of State Physician Health Programs (FSPHP) is the national membership organization for the nation's state physician health programs with 46 member states. 

 

Dr Carr has served as Medical Director of the Mississippi Professionals Health Program (MPHP) since July 1999. Under Dr Carr's direction the MPHP has become nationally recognized as a model Physician Health Program. The MPHP assists physicians and other health care professionals with potentially impairing conditions such as Alcohol and other Drug Dependencies, Psychiatric Illness, and other conditions which could result in professional impairment.

 

FSPHP has developed Guidelines for the effective monitoring of potentially impaired physicians diagnosed with substance use disorders or psychiatric illnesses and is developing guidelines regarding maintenance of appropriate professional boundaries and physical impairments.

 

JACKSON — Dr. Michael Y. Torchinsky has joined University of Mississippi Medical Center as an assistant professor of pediatrics. He will see patients through University Physicians, part of University of Mississippi Health Care.

 

A pediatric endocrinologist, he received the M.D. from the Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry. He completed residency training and a fellowship at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine. He is board-certified in pediatric endocrinology and pediatrics

 

JACKSON — A little humor and the latest technology are part of a new awareness campaign – Pase La Voz – part of the association's Conozca Su Corazón heart-health program for Hispanics.

 

Beginning May 26, individuals will have three months to sign up to receive a free, weekly health message in Spanish or English sent to their mobile devices for the next 45 weeks. The messages will include information on risk factors, prevention, healthy cooking and physical activity.

 

Participants can receive Spanish messages by texting the word "CORAZON" to 5-2-7-3-3 or by texting the word "HEART" to 5-2-7-3-3 to receive English messages.

 

They can also visit ConozcaSuCorazon.org to access Pase La Voz audio messages, ring tones and wallpapers.

 

Mobile users can then download and forward lighthearted audio health messages to family and friends. The messages are voiced by comedians Bill Santiago and Rafael Sigler.

 

Dr. Ismael Nuño, a cardiac surgeon with Los Angeles County+University of Southern California Medical Center and American Heart Association physician spokesperson, points out that the association is reaching Hispanics where they are with critical health messages relevant to them via technology in which they are actively engaged.

 

In Conozca Su Corazón, participants are trained to teach heart-health information to groups within their community. For more information about Conozca Su Corazón, how to become a trainer and how to bring the program to your community, visit AmericanHeart.org/ConozcaSuCorazon.

 

HATTIESBURG — Forrest General has been awarded a three-year accreditation in Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Services by the American College of Radiology (ACR).

 

This accreditation demonstrates a commitment to quality patient care and provides confidence for patients and referring physicians that accredited organizations are the best choice for care. This accreditation is also recognized by most insurance companies as the mark of a quality health care source.

 

Wesley Medical Center recently celebrated 2009 National Nurses Week by presenting awards to nurses in four categories including Rookie Nurse of the Year, Nurse of the Year, Nurse Manager of the Year and Patient Choice Nursing Award.

 

Kerri Clark who is a nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was named the 2009 Rookie Nurse of the Year at Wesley Medical Center.

 

Mack Knight, a nurse in the Emergency Room was named the 2009 Nurse of the Year at Wesley Medical Center.

 

Randy, Green, nurse manager for the Emergency Room was named 2009 Nurse Manager of the Year at Wesley Medical Center.

 

Jodi Harvison, clinical coordinator for 3E was named the 2009 Patient Choice Award Winner at Wesley Medical Center.

 

NASHVILLE — Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI) has signed an agreement with Digestive Health Specialists in Tupelo, Miss., to become a strategic site in the national research firm's network.

 

SCRI partners with physician practices to grow their research programs and allow patients to participate in clinical trials in their own community. SCRI now has 15 strategic sites.

 

At Digestive Health Specialists, seven physicians focus on gastrointestinal, liver and pancreatic diseases such as Crohn's disease, hepatitis and irritable bowel syndrome. Digestive Health Specialists is the ninth site in SCRI's non-oncology network.

 

Under terms of the agreements, SCRI will manage training of investigators and research coordinators to ensure quality and process adherence, assist with regulatory and safety compliance and enhance the practices' information technology capabilities. In addition, the staff will work with SCRI's physician leaders and clinical research team.

 

SCRI has five other oncology strategic sites located in Florida, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia with a total of 170 physician investigators who see 50,000 new patients annually. The nine non-oncology sites located in Tennessee and Mississippi see 40,000 patients annually.

 

SCRI conducts community-based clinical trials in oncology, cardiology, gastroenterology and other therapeutic areas through affiliations with a network of nearly 600 physicians in 25 states. Additionally, SCRI offers management, regulatory and other research support services to drug development sponsors and 15 strategic investigator sites across the country.