Health Care

Chris Gasek joined Citizens Memorial Health Care as director of home medical equipment. Gasek is certified as an assistive technology supplier, and he worked as the vice president of rehabilitation for Home Medical Services in Wichita, Kan., prior to joining CMH. He received his Bachelor of Science in business management from Missouri State University. CMH has home medical equipment stores in Bolivar, Buffalo, Ash Grove, Greenfield, Hermitage, Humansville and Stockton.

The Citizens Memorial Healthcare marketing department received second place in the Show-Me Excellence Awards presented by the Missouri Hospital Association for Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing for its overall marketing campaign, “Leading physicians. Lasting relationships.” The department also received third place honors for print advertisements featuring that slogan. The CMH marketing department comprises Tamera Heitz-Peek, director of marketing, Monica Bethards, marketing assistant, and Kacie Campbell, marketing assistant.

CoxHealth received two Show-Me Excellence Awards from the Missouri Hospital Associaton. Randy Berger, CoxHealth communications coordinator, was honored for Connection, the new employee newsletter launched this year and mailed to homes to help employees stay informed about issues and happenings at CoxHealth. Writing, editing and photos for Connections are done by members of CoxHealth corporate communications, and Berger serves as editor. Donna Barton, media relations coordinator for CoxHealth, received recognition for writing, specifically, her employee newsletter profile on Hannah Hyde, CoxHealth’s oldest volunteer.

The awards were presented earlier this month at the Missouri Hospital Association’s 83rd Annual Convention & Trade Show.

Bob Jefferson, administrator at Creekside at Elfindale, recently attended Vetter Foundation’s three-day Fall Administrators’ Conference and 30th anniversary Celebration for Vetter Health Services in downtown Omaha, Neb. The event featured a workshop series with motivational speaker and author Mark Sanborn, and a presentation, “MindSet Leadership Clinic,” by Kim Hoogeveen of Quality Living Inc. Creekside at Elfindale is one of 32 facilities owned or managed by Vetter Health Services.

St. John’s Foundation for Community Health awarded $67,846 in grants to five community health and wellness programs Nov. 21. Boys and Girls Town of Missouri received $23,462 for Healthy Alternatives, a group therapy program that addresses the physical and mental health needs of children in its care. The funds cover the salary, benefits and certification of one full-time therapist for the startup year. Children’s Smile Center in Ozark received $15,000 to remodel its clinic prior to its March 2006 opening and to support the salary of a dental hygienist. New Hope GYN Cancer Support Group received $7,570 to help fund a collaborative effort among local organizations aimed at increasing the awareness of cervical cancer and encouraging women to have gynecologic exams. The funds will be used for an awareness campaign in January, to coincide with Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Republic Senior Friendship Center received $1,814 to help fund the purchase of a new oven. The center served 42,273 meals in 2004. The Springfield-Greene County Park Board received $20,000 to expand the Step Club: Schools on the Move program. The program will expand to include 17 elementary schools in the 2005–06 school year.

Mercy Regional Health Foundation at St. John’s in Joplin presented Jaws rescue equipment valued at $11,195 to the Mindenmines Volunteer Fire Department. The equipment will be used to remove accident victims from wrecked vehicles and in other types of accidents. The Fire Department raised half of the amount needed to purchase the equipment and Mercy Regional Health Foundation matched those funds.

Dr. George Pettey and Dr. Jonathan Thornsberry were accepted to the medical staff at Skaggs Community Health Center, and have opened Premier Family Medicine at 1015 Hwy. 248 in Branson. Both physicians are board certified in family medicine and are members of the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Practice and the Missouri Academy of Family Practice.

Pettey earned his undergraduate degree from Missouri State University and his medical degree from the University of Missouri School of Medicine. He recently completed a three- year family practice residency with the Cox Family Medicine Residency Program.

Thornsberry earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Drury University and his medical degree from St. Louis University School of Medicine. He also completed a three-year residency program with Cox Family Medicine Residency Program.

Greene County Commissioner Roseann Bentley received the Laurie Donovan Award from the Children’s Trust Fund for her commitment to child abuse prevention and efforts for children and family issues. Bentley is a former Missouri senator and is also chairwoman of the Mayor’s Commission for Children.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department’s Women, Infants and Children nutrition program received a contract from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to provide 69,960 participant visits in fiscal year 2006. The program provided more than 70,000 visits during the 2005 program year.