Pam Holt, injury prevention coordinator at St. John's, received the Volunteer of the Year Award at St. John's recent Mercy Service Awards Banquet. Holt was honored for her ongoing support of St. John's Foundation for Community Health.
Daniel H. Good, CoxHealth pharmacy director, was accepted into American Society of Health System Pharmacists' 2009 Pharmacy Leadership Institute, offered by Boston University School of Management's Executive Leadership Center.
Dr. Zubair Khan, a cardiologist with Lake Regional Health System's Lake Heart and Vascular in Osage Beach, achieved recertification in cardiovascular disease from the American Board of Internal Medicine. He earned his medical degree at Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan, and completed a cardiology fellowship and internal medicine residency at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Gov. Jay Nixon appointed several local citizens to state boards and commissions. Tiffany Daniels, of Nixa, was reappointed to the Missouri Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Aubrey Moncrief, of Osage Beach, joined the Missouri State Board of Nursing. Karen L. Benson, of Mount Vernon, was named chairwoman of the Governor's Council on Disability.
Linda Harris, registered nurse and director of surgical and physician services at Citizens Memorial Healthcare in Bolivar, received CMH's first You Save the Day Award during a breakfast honoring all CMH nurses. Harris was one of 21 nominees.
Family Nurse Practitioners Whitney Berg and Debrah Bridges joined CoxHealth's Family Medical Care Center. Berg and Bridges each attended nursing school in Springfield and completed Master of Science in Nursing degrees at The University of Missouri-Kansas City. Berg has 11 years of experience in health care, and Bridges has 25.
Jaime Roberson, FNP, joined CoxHealth's Crane Medical Care clinic. Roberson attended nursing school in Springfield and earned a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Three Citizens Memorial Healthcare long-term care facilities were recognized for outstanding safety performance during the 2009 Health Care Facilities of Missouri Safety Conference, held April 30. CMH facilities recognized were: Colonial Springs Healthcare Center in Buffalo; and Parkview Healthcare Facility and Citizens Memorial Healthcare Facility in Bolivar.
Five nurses at Lake Regional Health System in Osage Beach were honored with Nursing Excellence Awards during the health system's May 8 Nurses' Day Celebration. Mandy Bonner, a licensed practical nurse at Lake of the Ozarks Clinic, received the Community Nurse Award, which recognizes a home health or clinic nurse for professional contributions that have improved patient care. Amanda Bybee, a registered nurse in the intensive care unit, received the Rookie of the Year Award, which recognizes a first-year nurse for compassion, excellent skills and a desire to continue learning. Hillary English, an RN in the stepdown unit, received the Advancing the Professional Award, which recognizes a nurse who has led, advanced or strengthened nursing through ongoing or advanced nursing education. Amy Funderburk, RN in the emergency department, received the Nursing Professionalism Award for exemplifying professional behavior and effective communication. Jolene Kellogg, RN in outpatient services, received the Clinical Care/Expertise Award for demonstrating excellence and expertise in direct nursing care in any clinical setting.
St. John's Foundation for Community Health announced three Mercy Caritas grants to provide health and social services in the communities served by St. John's.
A $50,000 grant supports the Project Access Emergency Room Demonstration Project, aimed at helping low-income, uninsured individuals get needed care without having to visit the St. John's emergency room. (See page 13 for a story about more changes for uninsured southwest Missourians). A $25,000 grant for Newborns In Need will help provide safety-net programs such as parenting education and nurse home visits for at-risk infants. A $30,000 grant provides support for free regional medical clinics in Lebanon and Mountain View and Eureka Springs, Ark.
McAuley Counseling Services Inc. announced three new members on its board of directors. They are: Ralph Graham, of Springfield, a retired Wal-Mart district manager serving on the advancement committee; Sister Mary Jeanette Noonan, of St. Louis, former provincial administrator and president of the Sisters of Mercy Regional Committee of St. Louis, serving on the finance committee; and Zackary Rantz, of Nixa, communications coordinator for Nixa R-II Schools, serving on the advancement committee.
Dr. Kimberly Benton joined Twin Oaks Chiropractic and Acupuncture. Benton completed her undergraduate studies at Oklahoma University in Norman, Okla., and completed her studies at Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas. She has 15 years of practice experience and is licensed in Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri.
Representatives of southwest Missouri health systems were among the 45 graduates of the Missouri Hospital Association's Health Care Leadership Series, presented by MHA's Center for Education. Area graduates are: Diana Taylor, RN, and Helen Mayfield, Citizens Memorial Healthcare; Larry Meeker and Buddy Wood, Lake Regional Health System; and Linda White, CoxHealth.
Dr. Essam Elkady joined Missouri Rehabilitation Center in Mount Vernon as director of the Sleep Disorders Center. He received his medical degree from Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt, and completed his residency at Seton Hall University in New Jersey.
Two St. John's Health System projects received grants from the St. John's Foundation for Community Health. An $800,000 grant from the Mercy Villa care fund will pay for the completion of major remodeling at Mercy Villa, St. John's long-term care facility. A $180,000 grant from the foundation's HospiceCare fund will provide expanded offices for St. John's HospiceCare.
Lake Regional Wound Healing Center hired Elaine Smith as program director and Kathleen Furdek, RN, as clinic manager. Smith has more than 20 years of health care experience and previously was program director at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Furdek has more than 14 years of nursing experience and previously was a wound-care nurse at Select Specialty and Forest Park hospitals in St. Louis.
Drs. Vianne France and Diana Dempsey joined CoxHealth's Springfield inpatient physicians, serving hospitalized patients at CoxHealth. France earned her medical degree at University of Arkansas and completed her residency through the Cox Family Practice Residency program. Dempsey earned her medical degree and residency at University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Lee Ann Neill, school nurse at Delaware Elementary School, received a Starcatcher Award in April from Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Norm Ridder. The award is given to district employees who demonstrate a commitment to district's the mission, belief and vision.
The Breast Care Clinic at CoxHealth achieved a perfect score on an inspection by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for compliance with the Mammography Quality Standards Act. The inspection covered several areas, including quality control, staff education and experience, and tests of clinic equipment.[[In-content Ad]]
Dame Chiropractic LLC emerged as the new name of Harshman Chiropractic Clinic LLC with the purchase of the business; Leo Kim added a second venture, Keikeu LLC, to 14 Mill Market; and Mercy Springfield Communities opened its second primary care clinic in Ozark.
