Dr. David Tonkin joined St. John's Clinic-Anesthesiology. He earned his medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine and completed residencies with West Virginia University-Martinsburg, the University of Pittsburgh and West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh. Tonkin is board-certified in anesthesia.
Citizens Memorial Healthcare in Bolivar named Belinda Presley laboratory director. She has 15 years of experience in hematology, toxicology and pathology. She holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Missouri Southern State University and a master's degree in microbiology/immunology from Missouri State University, as well as several industry certifications. Presley previously spent five years at CoxHealth as the assistant section head for pathology and histology.
St. John's received a Consumer Choice award from the National Research Corp. for the fourth consecutive year. Consumer Choice awards are based on consumer-preference responses to surveys on nurses, doctors, quality, image and reputation. Winners are determined by consumer perceptions on multiple quality and image ratings collected in an annual NRC Healthcare Market Guide study.
Margaret Cook, medical technologist with Citizens Memorial Healthcare in Bolivar, attended a software upgrade training workshop in Kansas City for the Beckman Coulter Hematology LH500 Analyzer, which performs a complete blood count with a five-part differential. A graduate of Southwest Baptist University, Cook has been with CMH for eight years.
Cox College student Royceann Palmer was elected president of the Missouri Nursing Student Association, and her husband, Scotty Palmer, was elected vice president. Both are seniors in the Cox College Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. After graduation, Royceann plans to become a nurse practitioner and Scotty plans to become a nurse anesthetist.
Dr. Mark E. Skrade, a clinical psychologist and president of The School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute, was appointed by Gov. Matt Blunt to serve on the State Committee of Psychologists. His appointment, subject to Senate confirmation, is for a term that ends on Aug. 28, 2012.
Dr. Lalita Chulamokha joined Springfield Inpatient Physicians as an infectious disease hospitalist caring for hospitalized patients at CoxHealth. Chulamokha attended medical school at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. She completed her residency at St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown, Ohio, and her fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Chulamokha is board-certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases.
Burrell Behavioral Health is one of 29 U.S. agencies to receive the 2008 Science and Service Award from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration of the federal department of Health and Human Services. The award honors agencies that bridge the gap between research and practices by applying interventions and treatments that are supported by solid, contemporary science. Burrell was one of six agencies to be recognized for the implementation of evidence-based treatment methods for co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders.
Vetter Health Services' Creekside at Elfindale received the company's annual quality reputation award. The facility was one of two recipients to receive the award, which recognizes staff commitment to serving the community.
Dr. Anne M. Egbert joined St. John's Internal Medicine in Strafford. She earned her medical degree from Ohio State University College of Medicine and completed her residency with Kansas University Medical Center, where she also had a fellowship. Egbert is board-certified in internal and geriatric medicine.
Scott George, owner of Mid-America Hearing Center in Mount Vernon, attended the Chapter Leadership Conference at the International Hearing Society's 57th annual convention and exposition in Savannah, Ga. The conference addressed leadership issues related to working in the hearing health arena.
Dr. Richard G. Reber, a radiologist, joined St. John's Clinic-Lebanon. Reber earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and completed his residency with the University of Missouri Hospital and Clinics. He is board-certified in diagnostic radiology.
Psychologist Michael Murrell recently attended the eighth annual International Symposium on Child Custody Evaluations in Albuquerque, N.M. This is the third Association of Family and Conciliation Courts conference Murrell has attended this year.
Dr. Kimberly M. Henley joined St. John's Clinic-Emergency Medicine. Henley earned her medical degree at University of Missouri School of Medicine and completed a residency with Indiana University School of Medicine.
Margaret J. "Mitzi" Huffman, of Branson, was appointed by Gov. Matt Blunt to serve on the Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board. Huffman is a family nurse practitioner at Skaggs Community Health Center. Her appointment, subject to Senate confirmation, is for a term ending April 7.
Lake Regional Imaging Center in Osage Beach was awarded a three-year accreditation in PET/CT, open MRI, MRI and CT scanning by the American College of Radiology. Evaluations are conducted by board-certified physicians and medical physicists.
Dr. Brian Knopf joined CoxHealth Center Lebanon. He earned his medical degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia and completed a residency at Eglin Regional Hospital on Eglin Air Force Base near Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Knopf is board-certified in family practice.
The Missouri Foundation for Health approved grants totaling $676,998 for five southwest Missouri nonprofits, focusing on programs that address issues such as access to care, mental health, substance abuse and health interventions in nontraditional settings. Freeman Health System in Joplin received $207,105 through MFH's Primary Care Initiative for efforts to reduce the re-admittance rate of patience with congestive heart failure through the use of home care and other services.
Burrell Behavioral Health in Springfield received $373,434 through MFH's mental health and substance abuse funding program to improve access to mental health services and serve adolescents with mental health or substance abuse problems.
Council of Churches of the Ozarks in Springfield received $37,549 through MFH's health interventions in nontraditional settings funding program to support the development of a riding program that will help disabled adults and children improve motor, cognitive and communication skills. Also receiving funds through the nontraditional settings program were Crane Presbyterian Church, which got $9,000 to support a group walking and exercise program for the community; and Pathways United Methodist Church in Springfield, which received $50,000 for a parish nurse to care for congregation members and people in surrounding neighborhoods.
Janet Udelhofen, family nurse practitioner, joined Lake Regional Health System's Occupational Medicine Clinic. She earned her master's degree in nursing and her FNP certification in 2001 from Graceland University in Iowa. She also holds a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Iowa-Iowa City and worked more than 20 years as a registered nurse.
Joan Cisna was named executive director for Creekside and The Manor at Elfindale. She has a master's degree in nursing administration from University of Iowa, where she also completed her bachelor's degree in nursing. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from Drake University in Des Moines.
Creekside at Elfindale retirement community named Virginia Sanders assistant executive director. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in management from Evangel University and previously served as Creekside's office manager for 10 years.
Dr. Donald Balun Jr. joined St. John's Clinic-Psychiatry. He earned his medical degree from Albany Medical College in New York, where he also completed his residency. Balun also completed a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He is board-certified in general psychology.
St. John's Clinic named Bonnie Duncan director of operations for its east and west regions. Duncan has been with St. John's for more than 15 years, working in primary care practice management, most recently for cardiovascular surgery and cancer and hematology.
Skaggs Community Health Center in Branson was named a Top 200 Coding Hospital by Ingenix. A total of 4,607 hospitals were part of the analysis, and the Top 200 were chosen based on coding performance.
Dr. Bharat Shah joined St. John's in Branson, seeing patients once a month at the clinic on Highway 248. Shah is board-certified in plastic surgery, facial plastic surgery and head and neck surgery.
Stephanie Spradling, assistant director of volunteer services at CoxHealth, received the 2008 Award for Excellence from the Missouri Association of Directors of Volunteer Services. Spradling was honored for her work coordinating CoxHealth's Pamper Our Patients program. The program links volunteers and nursing staff to offer patients personal attention and services.[[In-content Ad]]
