Grand Rounds July

Posted: Tuesday, July 8, 2008 12:20 am

McNabb Center Announces New Board Members and Officers

KNOXVILLE — The Helen Ross McNabb Center announced its slate of officers and new board members for fiscal year 2009. New officers are Chair, Dale Read, Read Windows; Chair-elect, John Luttrell, Luttrell Development; Past-chair, Ward Phillips, Kramer, Rayson; Secretary, Hugh McWilliams; Treasurer, Susan Foard, Pugh and Company. New board members are Deidra Anderson-Whitaker, Morristown-Hamblen Hospital; Linda Gay Blanc of Edward Jones; J.E. Henry and Linda Vaughn.

The Helen Ross McNabb Center is a regional, not-for-profit integrated system of mental health, substance abuse, and social services. Founded in 1948 by Mrs. Helen Ross McNabb as the first community mental health center in Tennessee, the Center serves more than 7,500 children, adults and families annually in 19 East Tennessee counties.

St. Mary’s Cancer Services Earn ACS Honors

KNOXVILLE — The American Cancer Society (ACS) has awarded Mercy Health Partners’ St. Mary’s Cancer Center Program with the Company of Excellence in Mission Delivery Award for the program’s outstanding efforts in wellness and patient support activities.

Each year, the ACS seeks to honor organizations that help in reaching the society’s goals of reducing cancer mortality rates, reducing incidence rates and improving the quality of life for cancer patients.

The St. Mary’s Cancer Center programs were found to excel in many of the criteria for the award including monthly health messaging efforts, offering and promoting ACS patient support programs and information, an existing wellness committee that plans for the direction and activities of the overall wellness efforts, health benefits coverage of cancer screenings and tobacco cessation and the establishment of a tobacco-free workplace policy.

The ACS award cites St. Mary’s for services and benefits that are truly comprehensive and focused on the wellness of the whole person. It goes on to say that St. Mary’s is an example to the community and area employers for its dedication to the ACS goal of eliminating cancer as a major health concern.

St. Mary’s Cancer Center Program is proud to be accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. Approval by the Commission on Cancer is given only to those facilities that have voluntarily committed to provide the very best in diagnosis and treatment of cancer, to undergo a rigorous evaluation process, and to review its performance every three years. Only 20 percent of the nation’s hospitals have received this approval.

LBMC Expands Healthcare Services Team

CHATTANOOGA, KNOXVILLE, AND NASHVILLE — Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC (LBMC), one of the Southeast’s largest accounting and business consulting firms, has added two new members to its healthcare services Team, Chris Tipton and David Young.

Chris Tipton, CPME has joined the physician practices consulting team and will be working across the state providing services to new and existing clients. He has over twenty years of experience providing fiscal, strategic and operations leadership in the healthcare industry and most recently served as administrator for the Knoxville Dermatology Group. He is an active member of the Tennessee Medical Group Management Association (TMGMA), Knoxville Area Medical Group Managers Association (KAMGMA), National Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), and American College of Medical Practice Executives (ACMPE). Chris has a passion for working with children and is currently in the start up process for a not-for-profit organization “Inner City Slicker” designed to help inner city children by utilizing equestrian programs.

David Young, CPA has joined the audit and assurance division of LBMC and will focus on providing services to the healthcare industry and continuing the firm’s expanding practice in that area. David has diverse healthcare experience serving publicly-held, privately-held, not-for-profit and governmental organizations, including hospitals, healthcare systems, nursing homes, physician practices, management companies and HMOs. Prior to joining LBMC, David had practiced public accounting for over ten years with E&Y and KPMG, and had served as Corporate V.P. of Finance and HCFS V.P. of Accounts Receivable for Team Health, Inc. He is an active member of the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA), American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Healthcare Financial Management Association, Tennessee Hospital Association and serves on the finance committee of Providence Church.

Ledford Joins Employment Partners

NASHVILLE — LBMC Employment Partners, LLC, a member of the LBMC (Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC) Family of Companies, has added Emily E. Ledford in its Knoxville office.

Emily Ledford has joined LBMC Employment Partners, LLC as an HR Assistant. In her new role, Emily will provide assistance to clients as well as internal support in the area of human resource consulting. Emily previously worked as a special events specialist for Helen Ross McNabb Center and is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville with a bachelor’s degree in public relations. She previously served as an Ambassador for the Knoxville Chamber and continues to serve as an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

New Vice President for Legal Services Named at Children’s Hospital

KNOXVILLE — Bruce Anderson has been named Vice President for Legal Services and General Counsel for East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. This is a new position at the pediatric medical center, and Anderson will begin on Monday, July 7.

Anderson comes to Children’s Hospital from the Knoxville firm of Anderson, Reeves and Herbert. As a trial lawyer for over 30 years in both state and federal court, Anderson has extensive litigation experience, and specializes in the area of medical malpractice defense. Anderson has been recognized by his peers by being chosen as a Master of the Bench of the American Inns of Court and as a Fellow in both the Tennessee and Knoxville Bar Foundations. He is listed in the Best Lawyers in America. Anderson has taken an active role in the growing area of alternative dispute resolution, has acted as one of Children’s Hospital’s attorneys for the past decade and has also served as a member of the hospital’s Board of Directors.

Anderson is a graduate of The University of Tennessee with a Bachelor’s degree in business, Anderson also holds a J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law.

Parkwest Comprehensive Breast Center Receives Excellence Designation

KNOXVILLE — The Parkwest Comprehensive Breast Center is one of three Knoxville breast centers to be designated as a Breast Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR). It is now accredited by the ACR in mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, breast ultrasound, and ultrasound-guided breast biopsy. To receive this honor, it voluntarily completed a detailed review process to be sure it meets all national standards.

New Administrator Joins Mercy Health Partners

KNOXVILLE — David Loving has joined Mercy Health Partners as the chief administrative officer for Baptist Hospital West and Baptist Hospital for Women.

Loving has expertise in growth and development plans, recruitment, retention and operational quality. He received a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana State University and an undergraduate degree from Furman University.

His most recent position was as chief executive officer at Meadowview Regional Medical Center in Maysville, Kentucky. During his seven years at Meadowview, the organization grew in financial performance, patient satisfaction and number of visits.

Thompson Cancer Survival Center’s Physics Resident Wins Honorary International Award

KNOXVILLE — Carley Harris, a Thompson Cancer Survival Center medical physics resident, was selected by the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) as a recipient of the ASTRO Resident Clinical Basic Science Research Award.

This award was granted to Harris for her paper titled “A Novel Technique for Predicting which Head and Neck Patients will Require Adaptive Therapy.” The ASTRO award is the most prestigious award given to any medical physics resident in the world.

Harris’ research is on predicting the response of head & neck cancer patients to treatment. “The ability to predict a patient’s response early in the course of treatment can be used to estimate how successful that the treatment will be at controlling the patient’s disease,” says Chester Ramsey, Ph.D., director of the Thompson medical physics residency program. “This information can be used to optimize the patient’s course of treatment to achieve the best possible clinical outcomes.”

Harris will present her research at ASTRO’s 50th annual meeting Sept. 24 in Boston, Mass.

Mason Named Director of Pharmacy at UT Medical Center

KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee Medical Center recently named Dr. Kim Currie-Mason as director of Pharmacy. Mason becomes just the fifth person to hold that title since the inception of the medical center in 1956. Now responsible for oversight of the department that includes about 40 pharmacists, 60 pharmacy technicians and several other staff members, Mason replaces Sherri Ramsey, who is retiring.

Mason joined UT Medical Center in 1998 as drug information specialist at later became the first medication safety specialist. In that role, she helped create the Medication Safety Office at the medical center, which is responsible for coordinating adverse drug event reporting, pharmacy performance improvement and medication standards compliance. In addition to her position at the medical center, Mason serves as assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy Practice at UT College of Pharmacy and teaches courses related to drug information and medication safety to pharmacy students and residents.

Mason earned her doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Mississippi. She completed both a pharmacy practice residency and a critical care and nutrition residency at UT Medical Center, where she served as the first chief pharmacy resident.

With a strong focus on community education and patient safety, Mason gives presentations throughout the region to discuss new drugs, adverse drug events and other aspects of medication safety. She has worked with physicians, nurses and other health professionals on numerous initiatives involving patient safety. Mason serves on the UT Graduate School of Medicine Institutional Review Board and previously served as Human Protections Administrator for UT Medical Center.

Reid Named to Lead McNabb Center in Morristown

MORRISTOWN — Sharon Reid has been named the Director of the Helen Ross McNabb Hamblen County Center.

Reid joined the Helen Ross McNabb Center in 1995 with the Healthy Families Program. She has served in numerous positions including direct clinical work as well as supervisory leadership roles. Reid earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Tennessee and her graduate degree at Carson Newman College in Jefferson City.

The Center is currently accepting referrals for services for children and families. For information or to make a referral or an appointment, please call 423-586-7740.

Adler Joins Vista Radiology

KNOXVILLE — Board-certified radiologist Michael Adler, MD, has joined the staff of Vista Radiology, P.C. A teleradiologist, Dr. Adler will assist Vista with expanded hours of coverage.

Previously employed by Central Imaging and Radiology in Chapel Hill, N.C., Dr. Adler also worked for Blue Ridge Radiology in Bristol, Tenn.

He completed his magnetic resonance imaging fellowship at the University of California at Davis in Sacramento, Calif., and his radiology residency at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C. His transitional year internship was completed at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, VA.

Dr. Adler earned his medical degree from SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse in Syracuse, N. Y. He earned his bachelor of science in biology from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., graduating with honors.

Dr. Adler is certified in radiology by the American Board of Radiology. He is a member of the American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America and the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Tennison Named One of 30 Exemplary Psychiatrists

KNOXVILLE — Clif Tennison, MD, vice president and chief clinical officer at the Helen Ross McNabb Center has been named an Exemplary Psychiatrist by the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Only 30 doctors from 21 states were selected for the award that recognizes psychiatrists who go the extra mile for individuals, families and communities. Dr. Tennison was the only physicians from Tennessee to be selected. The honorees will be recognized at the annual conference of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in the nation’s capital this week.

The annual “Exemplary Psychiatry Awards” recognize psychiatrists who have “gone the extra mile” in providing excellent clinical care, educating family members and consumers, educating the public and helping to reduce stigma surrounding mental illness. They also have worked alongside NAMI members in their communities as advocates for research, social services, insurance parity, and other needs.

Parkwest Welcomes New Cardiology Office

KNOXVILLE — Greg Brewer, MD, with Parkwest Medical Center, recently opened a new cardiology office and is welcoming both current and new patients.

He works with his Physician Assistant, Jaan Anne Kelly, to bring the latest in cardiac care to patients in West Knoxville. The new office is paperless, utilizing an electronic medical record system to organize each patient’s care.

Dr. Brewer is a leading cardiologist who is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology. He is also a Certified Cardiac Device Management Expert and has practiced cardiology for more than 20 years. Appointments are available Monday through Friday and all types of insurance are accepted.

Dr. Brewer’s office is located at 9333 Park West Boulevard in the Cedar Bluff Medical Arts Building just off Cedar Bluff Road. For information or to schedule an appointment, call (865) 691-8011.

Helen Ross McNabb Center Awarded Three-Year CARF Accreditation

KNOXVILLE — The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) International has awarded the Helen Ross McNabb Center another three-year accreditation, the fourth consecutive CARF accreditation that the Center has received.

CARF is an independent, non-profit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served.

Local Physicians Win Television Award

KNOXVILLE — “The Dr. Bob Show,” hosted by local physician Dr. Bob Overholt, is a bronze Telly Award winner for the sixth straight year. Two winning shows featured local orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Tracy Pesut and Dr. Tim Renfree. Both are orthopaedic surgeons with Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics of Knoxville.

The Telly Awards honor excellence in cable network programming around the world. “The Dr. Bob Show” is produced locally by PME Communications and airs regionally on ETP-TV and 10News2 and nationally on the AmericanLife Television Network.

Windsor Health Plan Expands Network of Providers

NASHVILLE — Windsor Health Plan announced today that both Premier Surgical Associates and Tennessee Urology Associates of Knoxville will be participating providers in their growing network of specialists for all Windsor Medicare Extra products.

Premier Surgical Associates are trained using the highest standards of the American Board of Surgery and the American College of Surgeons. All of their twenty-four physicians are Board Certified in General Surgery, Vascular Surgery or both and are Fellows in the American College of Surgeons. They hold specialties in vascular, bariatric, breast, general and minimally invasive surgeries.

Tennessee Urology Associates is comprised of eighteen physicians at six facilities in the Knoxville area. They offer comprehensive urological care including management of urinary tract infections, bladder control, prostate diseases, cancer of the bladder, congenital abnormalities, impotence problems, urinary stone disease, vasectomies and male infertility.

MHP Goes High Def in Imaging Services

KNOXVILLE — Mercy Health Partners has launched a $21 million software and hardware upgrade project that will expand and enhance the diagnostic imaging capabilities available at many of its East Tennessee facilities.

The first area to be upgraded is the MRI services with stronger magnets, increased coils and a conversion to a High Definition (HDx) platform at MHP’s Knoxville hospitals and at the Cocke, Jefferson and Campbell county facilities. MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, produces computerized images of the body using radio waves.

Mercy will now provide the latest and best technology possible at the St. Mary’s Medical Center North and Baptist Hospital West locations. The North MRI suite will now be equipped with a dedicated breast MRI table that will provide clearer images and more comfort for the patients. The new Vanguard Breast MRI table allows for complete access to the breast for positioning and access to all quadrants of the breast for interventional procedures.

The Baptist Hospital West Imaging Center will upgrade to a three tesla (3T) unit with breast MRI capabilities. The more powerful 3T units allow faster image acquisition with higher image resolution that can reveal fine anatomic details such as blood vessels as small as 200 to 300 microns.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has revised its breast cancer early detection guidelines to recommend MRI screening in addition to mammograms for women who are at high risk for breast cancer.

Baptist Hospital of Cocke County will receive a new MRI machine and the mobile units at St. Mary’s Jefferson Memorial Hospital and St. Mary’s Medical Center of Campbell County will be upgraded with the latest hardware and software packages as well.

Fawver said that CT, digital x-ray and mammography upgrades will follow the MRI improvements.

Memorial Mission Surgery Center Receives Accreditation

CHATTANOOGA — The management team at Memorial Mission Surgery Center is proud to have been awarded a three-year term of accreditation as the result of a recent survey by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).

Accreditation is awarded for the achievement of high practice standards after a peer-review evaluation by a board-certified physician and registered nurses who have extensive experience in the ambulatory health care environment. A thorough inspection includes governance & credentialing, administration & finances, quality of care & improvements, facilities & equipment, surgical services & support services. A comprehensive report is provided to the facility along with the official letter of accreditation.

The AAAHC has been providing accreditation to ambulatory surgery centers for nearly 30 years, working with over 3,600 different facilities in the country. The accreditation certificate is a symbol that an organization is committed to providing high-quality health care and has demonstrated that commitment by measuring up to the Accreditation Association’s high standards.

Whisman Named Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President at Erlanger Health System

CHATTANOOGA — Lynn Whisman, BSN, MBA, CHE, has been named senior vice president and chief nursing officer at Erlanger Health System.

Whisman joined Erlanger in 2007 as vice president of patient care services. She previously served Memorial Health Care System in Chattanooga as vice president of clinical operations and chief nursing executive. Prior to that, she was vice president of patient care operations for Sarasota Memorial Health Care System in Sarasota, Florida. At Sarasota Memorial, Whisman was instrumental in leading the hospital to “magnet status,” a national distinction that placed the institution at the highest levels of patient care and nursing employee satisfaction.

Whisman earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, and a Masters in Business Administration from Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro. She completed the Wharton School of Business Fellowship in Nurse Executive Management at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Bourdon Named Erlanger Health System Vice President of Ambulatory Services

CHATTANOOGA — Donna Bourdon has been named vice president of Ambulatory Services for Erlanger Health System.

Ms. Bourdon moved to Erlanger Health System in early 2007 as vice president of Erlanger Baroness Women’s Services and administrator of T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital. Previously, she was administrator/chief executive officer of HealthSouth Chattanooga Rehabilitation Hospital. A speech-language pathologist, she has held several positions with the HealthSouth organization since 1997. She joined Erlanger in 1985 and was director of rehabilitation services when she left in 1996. Prior employment includes private practice and work as a speech-language pathologist for Tennessee Home Health Care and National Home Health Care.

Ms. Bourdon earned a B.S. in Speech and Hearing and an M.A. in Speech Pathology from the University of Tennessee. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence, Speech-Language Pathology, as well as Neuro Development Treatment (NDT) Certification.

Her community involvement includes serving as the current president of the American Heart Association, Chattanooga Chapter; American Heart Association board member since 2005; serving Signal Centers as a board member since 2000 and board president from 2003-2006; serving the Ronald McDonald house as a board member since 2007; serving the Chattanooga Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation as a board member from 2000-2004, and board chairman from 2002-2003.

Memorial Announces New Marketing Vice President

CHATTANOOGA — Lisa McCluskey has joined Memorial’s executive team as vice president of Marketing and Communications, coming from management positions at Martin Memorial Health Systems in Stuart, Florida.

Martin Memorial is similar in size to Memorial Health Care System, both having received Thomson’s 100 Top Hospital designation five times for outstanding performance.

Lisa brings more that 28 years experience in the marketing-communications fields including 20 years in the public sector as public information officer and official city spokesperson for the city of Moline, Illinois. Through her leadership her team has been recognized for excellence in communications, receiving notable awards such as the International Communicator Award of Excellence, Apex Awards for Excellence, the eHealthcare Strategy Leadership Award and others.

Lisa holds a master’s in business administration from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and a bachelor of arts from Marycrest International University in Iowa.

Dr. Tombul Joins Parkridge Medical Staff

CHATTANOOGA — Dr. Selcuk A. Tombul, invasive cardiologist, has joined the medical staff of Parkridge Medical Center. Dr. Tombul will be practicing with the Diagnostic Cardiology Group located at 2341 McCallie Avenue, Suite 200, on the Parkridge Medical Center Campus in Plaza Two.

Dr. Tombul is a graduate of New York College of Ostheopathic Medicine in Old Westbury, New York. He completed his residency and internship in internal medicine at Medical College of Virginia Hospitals in Richmond, Virginia. He completed a fellowship in cardiovascular diseases at the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals in Richmond, Virginia. Dr. Tombul is board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular diseases by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Tombul is a fellow with the American College of Cardiology, the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions.

Fesmire Recognized as “Hero of Emergency Medicine”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) today announced it has recognized Francis Miller Fesmire, MD, FACEP, medical director of the Chest Pain Center at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga, as a “Hero of Emergency Medicine.” The campaign, which is part of ACEP’s 40th anniversary, recognizes emergency physicians who have made significant contributions to emergency medicine, their communities and their patients.

Dr. Fesmire is also a professor of medicine and director of research at UT College of Medicine, Chattanooga. He is a national expert in myocardial infarction and has assisted in the development of clinical policies on the standard of care in treating patients with suspected myocardial infarction by the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. He has performed numerous investigations in chest pain patients, reporting the usefulness of continuous 12-lead ECG monitoring, two-hour cardiac delta marker testing and nuclear stress testing in the emergency department. The culmination of his studies was “The Erlanger Protocol,” published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine in 2002.

He was honored with the Emergency Medicine Foundation’s “Young Investigator Award” in 1996 and gained international notoriety when he won the 2006 “Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine” for a 1988 case report detailing a unique cure for hiccups. His current interest is the development of artificial intelligence networks to assist physicians in clinical decision making.

Erlanger Health System Facilities Win Top Patient Satisfaction Awards

CHATTANOOGA — T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital and Erlanger East Campus, two Erlanger Health System facilities, were recently awarded top awards for outstanding patient satisfaction at the annual Professional Research Consultants (PRC) convention in Baltimore, MD.

PRC is Erlanger’s vendor for the measurement of patient satisfaction. PRC interviews a sampling of patients following discharge, the results are tabulated, and Erlanger units of inpatient and emergency care are benchmarked against more than 275 hospitals across the nation.

The PRC Awards received by Erlanger include the Crystal Award — the top award for hospitals who perform at or above the 100th percentile of excellent scoring in Overall Quality of Care; the 5-Star Award, for hospitals who score at or above the 90th percentile of excellent and above in Overall Quality of Care; and the 4-Star Award, for hospitals who score at or above the 25th percentile of excellent in Overall Quality of Care.

Erlanger East Campus and T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital received awards in the following categories:

• Erlanger East Campus
5-Star Award Winner
Inpatient – Overall Quality of Care

• Erlanger East Campus
5-Star Award Winner
Inpatient Surgical – Overall Quality of Care

• Erlanger East Campus
Overall Top Performer “Crystal Award”
Inpatient Surgical - Overall Quality of Care

• T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital
5-Star Award Winner
Emergency Department - Overall Quality of Care

• T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital
4-Star Award Winner
Inpatient – Overall Quality of Care

Area’s First Cryoablation Procedure Performed at Memorial Hospital

CHATTANOOGA — Electrophysiologist Dr. David Wendt, a cardiologist with the Chattanooga Heart Institute, recently performed the area’s first cryoablation procedure at Memorial Hospital for the treatment of abnormal heart rhythms.

Cryoablation is used to treat cardiac arrhythmias by freezing the portion of heart tissue causing the arrhythmia. A catheter is used to deliver pressurized cold liquid to a specific location inside the heart.

Cryoablation has been shown to cure arrhythmia in approximately 88 percent of patients.

Shome Named Medical Director at Sleep Well Center

CHATTANOOGA — Dr. Sibaji Shome has been named Medical Director for the Sleep Well Center at Parkridge East.

Dr. Shome received his medical degree from R. G. Kar Medical College at the University of Calcutta in West Bengal, India. He completed his residency at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. He has completed a fellowship in Infectious Disease at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee, a fellowship in Pulmonary Disease at Oschsner Foundation Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana, and fellowship in Critical Care at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Shome is board certified in sleep medicine.

Windsor Health Plan Adds Memorial Health Care System to its Extensive Provider Network

NASHVILLE — Windsor Health Plan, Inc. announced today a full-service agreement with its Windsor Medicare Extra products and Memorial Health Care System in Chattanooga.

“The addition of Memorial not only offers greater access to quality health care for our members in Hamilton County, but reinforces our commitment to providing superior and extensive services for our members,” said Michael Bailey, president and CEO of Windsor Health Plan.

Memorial Pink! Gala 2009 Co-Chairs Chosen

CHATTANOOGA — Well-known community leaders Gail R. Lewis and Jo Ann Forman have been selected to co-chair the next Pink! gala. The date for Pink!, Memorial’s signature gala celebration honoring cancer survivors, their loving families, and caregivers, has been set for Friday, January 23, 2009. Considered by many to be Chattanooga’s premier event of the year, the Pink! 2009 gala event will benefit the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center at Memorial Hospital.

Gail Lewis has a long history of volunteer service with a variety of organizations including the United Cerebral Palsy Fund, Hunter Museum of Art, Women’s Civitan Club, Riverview Garden Club, and the American Heart Association. Mrs. Lewis serves on the Memorial Health Care System Foundation Board of Directors and has also held positions as a commercial pilot, interior designer and financial consultant.

Jo Ann Forman is the owner of Olsten Staffing Services. She also has a long history of commitment to the Chattanooga community including the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority, Chattanooga State Technical Community College, United Way of Chattanooga, March of Dimes and many others. Mrs. Forman has the distinction of being the first female elected to the Rotary Club of Chattanooga.

Mrs. Lewis and Mrs. Forman are leading a group of dedicated volunteers, many whose families have been touched by cancer. All are enthusiastic about the beautiful and healing environment of the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center, which opened in February 2007, and an opportunity to further enhance care in that world class facility.

Coleman Named COO at Parkridge Medical Center

CHATTANOOGA — Jim Coleman has been named Chief Operating Officer at Parkridge Medical Center according to Darrell Moore, president and Chief Executive Officer for Parkridge Medical Center, Inc.

In addition to his work at Parkridge, Coleman brings over 20 years of experience in healthcare. A native of Cleveland, Tennessee, Coleman previously served that community as Chief Executive Officer of the former Cleveland Community and Bradley Memorial Hospitals (now Skyridge). Prior to that, he was the Chief Operating Officer of Hutcheson Medical Center in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. He received his Master’s of Business Administration in Finance and his Bachelor of Science Degree in Allied Health Management from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Hetzler Joins Erlanger as New Chief Legal Officer

CHATTANOGA — Dale C. Hetzler, MSCM, JD, has joined Erlanger Health System as Senior Vice President/Chief Legal Officer.

Hetzler comes to Erlanger from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Inc., where he served eight years as chief legal officer, general counsel and vice president of the three-hospital, multi-clinic system. Previously, Hetzler was vice president-law, government and public affairs and corporate secretary for Solvay Pharmaceuticals in Marietta, Georgia; director, legal services and corporate counsel for Boots Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Lincolnshire, Illinois; and began his legal career in private practice in Fort Worth, Texas.

A graduate of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Hetzler earned his JD from Baylor University School of Law in Waco, Texas, and obtained a Master of Science in Conflict Management from Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Hetzler was an Emory University School of Law adjunct professor 2004 – 2008 and an adjunct professor at Kennesaw State University in 2007. He has affiliations with numerous organizations including the Association of Corporate Counsel – America, where he served on the Georgia Chapter Board of Directors in 2004, the American Bar Association, the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Association for Conflict Resolution and the American Health Lawyers Association.

DVDs Collected at Wellness Center Add to Young Patients’ Entertainment

JOHNSON CITY — Patients in The Children’s Hospital at Johnson City Medical Center (JCMC) have more video choices, thanks to the generosity of area residents who contributed 62 DVDs at The Wellness Center.

Marinda McConnell, Manager of the Child Life Program at JCMC, accepted the heaping box of new videos from Amy Miller, Membership Service Director and organizer of the collection at The Wellness Center.

“The children will be delighted. Mike Hyek (Wellness Center manager) had asked what we needed at The Children’s Hospital, and the DVDs are the result,” McConnell said.

Akin Awarded the Research Award

MOUNTAIN HOME — Dr. Faith Akin, Director of the Vestibular Laboratory at the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center, is the recipient of this year’s Association of VA Audiologists Research Award. She is the first female researcher to receive this prestigious award. Dr. Akin was awarded the Career Development and Advanced Career Development Awards focusing on research on the auditory and vestibular (balance) system through the VA Rehabilitation Research & Development Service. In addition, she has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator on funded research projects totally nearly $3 million in funding. She has numerous national publications and presentations and serves as a reviewer on the VA Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, American Journal of Audiology, International Journal of Audiology and Chiropractic and Osteopathy. In addition to her own clinic and research activities, she has served as a mentor to doctoral students at East Tennessee State University and Central Michigan University helping to develop future researchers in Audiology.

Dr. Akin received her Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University in 1997. She is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Communicative Disorders at East Tennessee State University.

Walton Receives Crystal Angel Award for Outstanding Leadership and Earns Top Management Credential

GREENEVILLE — Carlyle Walton, president and chief executive officer of Takoma Regional Hospital, was recently honored by Adventist Health System for his outstanding leadership in specific mission-related achievements.

Walton received the Crystal Angel Award, which is given by Adventist for not only outstanding mission-related achievements but also overall spiritual leadership as well. Takoma Regional became a member of Wellmont Health System just over a year ago when Wellmont and Adventist Health System agreed to jointly own the hospital.

Walton was presented with the Crystal Angel Award at Adventist Health System’s 18th annual mission conference.

He also recently achieved fellow status with the American College of Healthcare Executives, the nation’s leading professional society for healthcare leaders.

The fellow credential represents the highest standard of professional development recognized by ACHE. More than 30,000 healthcare executives are members of ACHE, but only 7,500 have earned the fellow distinction.

Walton achieved fellow accreditation after fulfilling multiple requirements designated by ACHE. He passed a comprehensive examination, achieved specific academic and professional experience criteria, earned continuing education credits and demonstrated professional and community involvement. ACHE fellows must commit to ongoing professional development and undergo recertification every three years.

Walton is a graduate of Columbia Union College in Maryland and the University of Mary Hardin Baylor in Texas, where he received a master’s degree in health services management.

CareSpark Recognized as Laureate by the Computerworld Honors Program

KINGSPORT — CareSpark has been recognized as a Laureate by the Computerworld Honors Program. Each year, members of the Chairmen’s Committee, a group of 100 Chairman/CEO’s of global technology companies nominate individuals and organizations around the world whose visionary applications of information technology promote positive social and economic progress.

CareSpark was nominated by the Intel Corporation, which has been a technology partner to CareSpark since 2006.

Frontier Health Tennessee Developmental Disabilities Division Nets Four-Star Designation

JOHNSON CITY — Frontier Health’s Tennessee Division of Developmental Disabilities services received a Four-Star Agency designation for 2008-‘09 by the Tennessee Division of Mental Retardation Services for the agency’s excellent performance regarding quality management of services and client support.

The award recognizes Frontier Health’s role in helping people with developmental disabilities achieve healthy, secure, and meaningful lives.

The Tennessee Division of Mental Retardation Services established a comprehensive quality management system to measure the quality of services and supports provided by community-based providers. The foundation of the system is outcome-based quality assurance survey tools designed with the assistance for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The system now has two complete years of survey results for day, residential, clinical, and support coordination agencies.

Four-star agencies must receive 96 percent or greater overall compliance on Quality Assurance surveys for two consecutive years and a rating of Substantial Compliance in Safety and Security.

More than 250 community-based providers statewide were reviewed through outcome-based quality assurance survey tools, trending data related to client contact, client complaint, and other quality-related data. Frontier Health is one of seven agencies in Tennessee to receive the Four-Star Agency designation.

Examiners for Malcolm Baldrige National Award Selected from MSHA

JOHNSON CITY — Three Team Members at Mountain States Health Alliance have been selected to the 2008 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

For the third year, Tom Tull, Mountain States Senior Director of Guest Services, will serve on the examining board. Others who will join Tull are Tony Benton and Rob Adams. Benton is Mountain States’ Vice President of Strategic Planning, and Adams is the corporate Business Excellence Coordinator.

The three were appointed by Dr. James M. Turner, Acting Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The Award, created by public law in 1987, is the highest level of national recognition for performance excellence that a U.S. organization can receive.

As examiners, Tull, Benton and Adams are responsible for reviewing and evaluating applications submitted for the award. The board is composed of approximately 500 leading experts selected from industry, professional and trade organizations, education and healthcare organizations and government.

Frontier Health Employee Graduates from Partners in Policymaking Program

JOHNSON CITY — Frontier Health’s Brenda Sprinkle graduated from the Partners in Policymaking Program sponsored by the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities. The Partners in Policymaking program is designed for individuals with developmental disabilities and parents of young children with developmental disabilities.

Twenty-one advocates for the rights of people with disabilities joined a nationwide network of parents and self-advocates who are working together to create systems’ change. The 2008 Partners in Policymaking class convened for two-day training sessions eight times monthly to help them become knowledgeable and effective community advocates.

The program includes advocacy training, resource development, and skill building workshops led by state and national experts. Topics covered include the history of the disability movement, self-advocacy, independent living, supported employment, building inclusive communities, natural supports, legislative advocacy, assistive technology, communication, and team building.

Each partner developed a project utilizing their newfound skills to complete the training. Partners often complete the program, realizing they have the power to improve the lives of all Virginians. As a graduate, Brenda joins nearly 300 current alumni of the Virginia PIP program, and thousands who graduated across the country.

Tanner Named System Service Director of Pharmacy Services, for Mountain States

JOHNSON CITY — Mountain States Health Alliance has announced that Trish Tanner has joined the organization as System Service Director of Pharmacy Services.

Prior to joining Mountain States, Tanner served as Director of Pharmacy for Providence Hospital, Mobile, Ala.; and as Health System Director of Pharmacy for Baptist Health, Jacksonville, Fla.

She received a pharmacy degree from the University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.; and a master’s degree from Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Fla.

Wellmont Marketing Director Leads Session at National Conference

KINGSPORT — Amy Stevens, system director of marketing communications for Wellmont Health System, recently presented a program on internal communications at a national conference in Washington, D.C.

Stevens’ presentation, “Bridging the Company Divide: Using Vocus to Enhance Internal Communications,” detailed Wellmont’s use of Vocus public relations management software to enhance communications with the health system’s board of directors. The best practices presentation was part of the 2008 Vocus Users’ Conference, held June 4-6.

July 2008