JACKSON — Keith Gran has joined University Physicians, a part of University of Mississippi Health Care, as chief executive officer. A health-care executive with 20 years of experience in diverse business environments, he assumed responsibilities as CEO of the clinical practice July 6.

 

An accounting graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas, Gran received the M.B.A. in finance from the University of North Texas. He began his professional career as a controller for Property Services of Texas, Inc., in 1987 before serving as a senior accountant, facilities/engineering, at the Dallas County Hospital District-Parkland Memorial Hospital from 1994-96. He joined the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 1996, where he served as director of financial affairs, business administrator, cardiovascular service line, Department of Internal Medicine, then moved to Michigan State University in 1999 as senior administrator of campus-wide operations, Department of Medicine. He joined the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2000, where he served as assistant chair for finance and administration, Department of Internal Medicine, until 2004, when he became chief operating officer, Physicians and Associates, and chief revenue cycle officer, UNC Health Care.

 

J. Keith Thompson, DO, FACOS, vascular specialist with Hattiesburg Clinic, recently became the first vascular specialist in Mississippi to perform a new surgical technique known as carotid flow-reversal. This advanced technique, which is used to open blocked neck arteries that can often cause strokes, involves temporarily reversing blood flow to part of the brain while safely opening the neck artery with a balloon and a stent. This technique is considered to be the next generation of carotid artery intervention by reducing strokes caused by severe neck artery blockages.

 

Dr. Thompson performed this procedure in the new Vascular Suite at Forrest General Hospital.

 

Dr. Thompson is a fellowship trained vascular specialist that specializes in the comprehensive treatment of aortic aneurysms and peripheral artery disease (PAD).

 

Dr. Thompson completed his vascular surgery fellowship at University of Cincinnati Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is board certified in vascular surgery. Dr. Thompson is originally from Magee, Miss.

 

Tupelo — North Mississippi Medical Center Women's Hospital Expansion & Renovation includes the recent opening of a new model in caring for fragile newborns.

 

Family-centered care balanced with state-of-the-art clinical services were two main drivers for the design of the new NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Early in the planning process the hospital clinical and administrative staff embraced a care model that would move away from the traditional open-ward environment.

 

Focus groups comprised of the NICU clinical staff and families of NICU "graduates" were also formed to gather information to aid in the design efforts. As explained by project architect Kurt Shettles with The McCarty Company, "Giving the families who had already lived the experience a voice in the design was truly enlightening. In an environment as clinically intense as an NICU the family is often put on the sidelines. However, the family, specifically the mother, is a vital partner in the care giving circle. We realized early on based on their feedback that they wanted comfortable and functional space in the unit and rooms."

 

The overall unit is comprised of 13 semi-private rooms or 26 beds. Sixteen of these beds contain an extra headwall that will allow for adjustments when census dictates. Two isolation wards provide space for 4 babies each.

 

The McCarty Company-Design Group, P.A. is a full service architectural and interiors design firm located in Tupelo that specializes in healthcare and institutional design.

 

MERIDIAN — A new academic program being offered at Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus is designed to prepare graduates for leadership roles in the healthcare industry.

 

Through the Division of Business, students seeking a bachelor's degree in business administration can now earn a concentration in healthcare administration.

 

Dr. Carlton C. Young, who joined the faculty in August as assistant professor of healthcare administration said it is one of the most popular new study concentrations being offered by business schools across the nation.

 

Meridian 's position as a major center for healthcare services in eastern Mississippi and western Alabama led to the creation of the academic program. The city is home to three general hospitals, a state mental hospital and numerous medical clinics, long-term care facilities and ancillary medical providers.

 

MSU-Meridian's new program will be beneficial not only for individuals seeking a career in healthcare but also for those already working in the field, such as nurses, physical therapists, medical technologists, laboratory professionals, social workers and medical business office personnel.

 

Young comes to MSU-Meridian from Durham , N.C. , where he was serving as associate professor and assistant program director of the Master of Health Administration program at Pfeiffer University 's School of Business.

 

He received his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Ala. He earned his law degree from Cumberland School of Lawat Samford University .

 

In 2005, Young was awarded a doctorate in Administration - Health Services with a concentration in strategic management from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

 

Prior to joining the faculty at Pfeiffer University, Young served as an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's School of Business while also working in private practice as an attorney. He has more than 25 years experience as an attorney and management consultant with emphasis on corporate and healthcare law and entrepreneurship.

 

Hattiesburg — This past July marked Vicki Taylor's second year as a registered nurse in Wesley Medical Center's ICU, and she has good things to say about her place of work. "I worked at a healthcare facility in another city, and here at Wesley we have much more teamwork and better interaction between the staff and physicians," said Taylor. "Of course working in the ICU there are great days and bad days, but here at Wesley we are working together to do what is best for the patient."

 

Wesley Medical Center recently received results from its employee satisfaction survey. "Our employee satisfaction scores exceeded company averages as well as national averages in all categories," said Terry Trigg, Director of Human Resources at Wesley.

 

The employee satisfaction survey, administered in March of this year by Healthstream Research, asked 23 questions, which evaluated several key areas related to employees work environment, pay and benefits, supervision, hiring and promotion practices, leadership and quality.

 

Survey results showed that Wesley Medical Center employees were more satisfied than the national norm. Based on a four-point scale with four being the most favorable score and one being the least, Wesley rated 3.47 in overall employee satisfaction, well above the the 3.11 national average.

 

Wesley Medical Center has created monthly, quarterly and annual events that aid in communication with employees. The hospital's monthly birthday luncheon not only honors those employees having a birthday, but it is where CEO Ron Seal asks each attendee to share with him what they like about their job or what concerns they may have in their work environment. "I want to hear what our employees are dealing with on a daily basis," said Seal. "There are several issues that have come to light over the years during these informal luncheons that our administrative team wasn't aware of. If there is an issue that needs to be addressed, we take care of it and communicate back with those individuals who brought it to our attention."

 

Roger Flowers has served as Chaplain at Wesley Medical Center for the past 24 ½ years. "I have worked in three hospitals in my career," said Flowers. "By far, Wesley is the most enjoyable and best hospital I have worked in. I have found the people here truly care about others and are committed to being the best they can be while doing the best they can do."

 

Jackson — Central Mississippi Medical Center is pleased to welcome Bobby E. Proctor, M.D. to its medical staff and the practice of Steven Coachys, M.D., Brent Meadors, M.D. and Kelly Sosa, C.F.N.P. at Byram Family Doctors.

 

Dr. Proctor received a medical degree from the University of Saint Eustatius School of Medicine, Netherlands Antilles, where he received an academic scholarship. He completed a residency at The University of Tennessee Family Practice at Saint Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee where he was elected Chief Resident from 2006 to 2007 and received the Second Year Teaching Award presented by first-year residents. He completed a residency at LSUSHSC at E. A.Conway Hospital in Monroe, LA.

 

Jackson — Central Mississippi Medical Center is pleased to announce that Craig V. Adams, M.D., a cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon, recently joined the practice of Cardiovascular Services of Central Mississippi. The practice specializes in diseases of the heart, lung, esophagus and vascular system.

 

Dr. Adams experienced in the latest minimally invasive thorascopic and endovascular techniques. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. He received a medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C.

 

Dr. Adams completed an internship and residency at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. He completed internships in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at the University of Illinois in Chicago. He conducted a Research Fellowship in cardiac surgery at Ochsner Medical Foundation, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery in New Orleans, LA.

 

Hattiesburg — Charles R. Moore, M.D., a fellowship-trained urologist with Southern Urology, P.A., has joined the medical staff at Wesley Medical Center.

 

Dr. Moore received his medical degree from Louisiana State University Health Science Center. He completed an internship and residency in surgery at the University of Texas – Houston Health Science Center.

 

He completed an endourology fellowship at the University of Miami, where he received extensive training performing surgeries with the daVinci^® Surgical System.

 

Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, P.A. has announced its newest physician, Dr. Robert Dews, a fellowship-trained, sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon. 

 

Dews, a Hattiesburg native, received his bachelor's degree from Millsaps College. He received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center where he also completed a residency. He completed an AO Trauma fellowship at Watauga Orthopedics and a sports medicine fellowship at Mississippi Sports Medicine.

 

Dr. Stephen Geraci, Chief of Medical Service at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center and Professor and Vice Chairman of Internal Medicine at University of Mississippi School of Medicine, has been appointed to the Health and Science Policy Committee of the American College of Chest Physicians.

 

VA leadership praised the appointment of Geraci. "We're proud to see this kind of recognition for one of our clinical leaders," said Linda Watson, Center Director at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center. "Dr. Geraci's input will enhance the deliberations of this distinguished committee."