Newsmakers in Health Care

Mike Peters was named vice president of Missouri Advocacy with Mercy, the parent entity of Springfield-based St. John’s Health System. Peters joined St. John’s as its director of community relations in 1990 and most recently was president of central region philanthropy and vice president of public affairs. In his new role, he represents Mercy’s interests with elected officials.

Sallie Hazelrigg, St. John’s Foundation for Community Health vice president, took on additional responsibilities as interim regional vice president of philanthropy, which serves Springfield, Joplin and Kansas. A search to fill that role will be conducted.

Burrell Behavioral Health received a 2011 Award of Excellence in Behavioral Healthcare Management from the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare for its evidence-informed risk management program.

The award recognizes Burrell’s demonstration of effective and innovative programs to minimize risk and liability and provide practical, measurable outcomes in operational effectiveness, patient and clinic education, staff operations, improved quality of care, internal efficiency and decision making.

Gail Morris, a certified family nurse practitioner, joined Ozarks Community Hospital, working in its Christian County clinic in collaboration with Dr. Randy Halley. Morris’ experience is in family care, internal medicine and ear, nose and throat services. She completed her education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

CoxHealth Foundation received $8,000 in grants from the Ozarks Health Advocacy Program. CoxHealth’s Hulston Cancer Center is using $4,000 to help cancer patients in need pay for dental work prior to and during cancer treatment. The remainder will pay for education and certification of nurses in the health’s system’s Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program, through which specially trained nurses collect forensic evidence from assault victims.

Roy L. Pischer was promoted to director of operations for Sigma House of Springfield Inc., which provides addiction treatment in 11 southwest Missouri counties. Pischer, who has more than 25 years of experience in mental health, substance abuse and residential treatment, previously was associate director of Sigma House Recovery Center. He holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in clinical counseling from Emporia State University of Emporia, Kan. His promotion is part of a strategic plan to expand services for the agency’s clients.

Mark Sharp, a partner with BKD LLP in Springfield, was appointed to the Home Care & Hospice Financial Managers Association Advisory Board for 2011. The board provides guidance on industry financial matters to the association’s board of directors under the umbrella of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice. Sharp is coordinator of BKD’s Home Care & Hospice Center of Excellence and has more than 15 years of experience working with home care and hospice providers on audit services, strategic planning, accounting, cost reports, projections and operating budgets.

St. John’s Health System parent Mercy received a grant of nearly $496,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a three-year tele-home project that will improve access to care for patients in rural areas in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma. St. John’s patients in Cassville are among those who will benefit from the program, which will target patients with chronic ailments and provide monitoring devices with which they can transmit results via home computers or telephones to their doctors.[[In-content Ad]]