Newsmakers

Health Care

Heidi J. Lee, divisional director of marketing for Christian Health Care of Missouri, is included in the 2002 edition of the National Register's Who's Who in Executives and Professionals publication.

The Visiting Nurse Association presented a $3,000 grant to Court Appointed Special Advocates. The money paid for 24 billboards and a city bus advertisement.

The Greene County Medical Society installed the following officers for 2001: Gary L. Hoos, MD, president; F. David Muegge, MD, president-elect; Alan Clark, MD, secretary, John Lilly, DO, treasurer; and Thomas Essman, MD, Kathleen Gafarian MD, John Buckner III , MD, Arthur Hawes, MD, Bharat Shah, MD and Annette Wardell, MD, councilors.

The Southwest Missouri Chapter of the American College of Surgeons installed the following officers for 2001: Allan Allphin, MD, president; Joseph Newman, MD, president elect; John W. Buckner III, MD, secretary-treasurer; Bharat Shah, MD, junior councilor; Michael S. Clarke, MD, governor; and Jos Dominguez, MD, John Steinberg, MD, and Stephen Christiansen, MD, councilors.

Charles E. Renner, OTR, CHT, administrator of Healthsouth Rehabilitation Center of Springfield, is a credentialed level two provider of active release technique for the spine. To earn the credentials, Renner attended a four-day workshop in Atlanta, where he completed the necessary training.

Sean Rose joined Creative Healthcare Systems Inc. as a junior analyst and trainer. Rose is a graduate of Southwest Missouri State University, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in computer information systems with an option in object-oriented, client-server systems. In his new position, Rose provides CHS clients with training for MedGenix health information network software.

St. John's Health System announced several staff and system accomplishments. The Springfield Perinatology Center, 1900 S. National, received accreditation in obstetrical ultrasound from the Ultrasound Practice Council of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. To receive accreditation, the center met voluntary standards set by the diagnostic ultrasound profession. The entire practice was reviewed, including the areas of personnel, physical facilities, documentation, storage and record-keeping practices, policies and procedures and quality assurance methods. Springfield Perinatology Center is directed by Gary R. Thurnau, MD. Jeffrey A. Johnson, MD, of St. John's Urological Surgical Associates, attended a seminar on Viadur, a device used to treat patients with advanced prostate cancer. The device is a tiny tube that is implanted in the upper arm, and it time-releases a year's worth of drugs used in the treatment of prostate cancer. Viadur reduces pain caused by injections and requires fewer office visits with physicians. Robert D. Johnson, MD, of St. John's Urological Surgical Associates attended the 31st Annual Advances in Urology Course presented by the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland Ohio. The course focused on the latest urology surgical techniques.

The following individuals were named executive committee members for the St. John's Foundation for Community Health: Allen Casey, chair; Don Landon, PhD, vice chair and chair of the medical research subcommittee. Carol DeHaven, the development subcommittee chair. Jerry Clark, education committee chair; and Paul Reinert, consultant. Representing St. John's on the committee are Jay Eckersley, Donald Wantuck, MD, Kim Day, Ann Meuser, Jon Swope, Pam Reese, Mike Merrigan, and Mike Peters.

Todd Schaible, PhD, president of Burrell Behavioral Health, received a Lifetime Achievement Award of Excellence from the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare. Schaible has served as president and chief executive officer of Burrell Behavioral Health since its 1977 inception. Schaible directs a staff of 500 individuals that serves nearly 28,000 mentally ill patients each year. During his leadership, 10 behavioral health care facilities to serve mentally ill individuals have been constructed, and Burrell Behavioral Health is now in the process of developing two additional facilities.