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New CMO’s Prescription: Communication, Teamwork and Lots of Smart People Dale Criner, MD, MBA, recently assumed the role of chief medical officer/vicepresident at Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital. After completing medical school and residency, and while working as an emergency department medical director, he returned to the classroom to earn a Master of Business Administration.
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The MA Dilemma
Staffing shortages require new workforce solutions By LYNNE JETER
Cone Medical Group reduced its turnover rate from 20-10 percent by starting its own program for certified medical assistants (CMAs). HealthPoint Medical Care shifted their medical assistant (MA) responsibilities to nurse practitioners (NPs). Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, practices across the country are having to be resourceful to fill MA positions, with solutions varying from cutting clinic hours to building schools and focusing on other roles. Part of the problem: candidates are demanding higher wages or don’t have the requisite experience. “We’ve had many MA candidates ask for up to $30 per hour with little to no experience in healthcare, much less our particular specialty,” pointed out a practice manager in Georgia. “Since 2019, more than 70 percent of our candidates (are) failing to keep their interview appointment or even failing to submit a professional resume.” (CONTINUED ON PAGE 4)
Continuing Education for Medical Professionals
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Ageless Care: From Nurturing New Lives to Making the Last Days Count
What do physicians (both PCPs & Specialists) need to know in general about ongoing education at UTHSC? Education at UTHSC is focused on preparing practitioners to meet the contemporary challenges facing our patient population.
By JAMES DOWD Growing up in Rolla, Missouri – a small town midway between Springfield and St. Louis – Brittany Hill knew from an early age that she wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps. And despite some maternal nudging toward other career paths, that’s exactly what she did. “My mother worked as a nurse until she retired, but she did more to dissuade me than persuade me. I knew from the beginning that being a nurse meant long shifts, missed
Article on page 6
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Brittany Hill
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 6)
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PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT
New CMO’s Prescription: Communication, Teamwork and Lots of Smart People By LAWRENCE BUSER Dale Criner, MD, MBA, recently assumed the role of chief medical officer/vice-president at Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital. After completing medical school and residency, and while working as an emergency department medical director, he returned to the classroom to earn a Master of Business Administration. Regarding his academic pursuits, it’s his MD that he most cherishes. “Professionally, I consider myself a physician more than anything else,” said Criner, who is board-certified in family medicine and emergency medicine. “I’ve practiced in the emergency department (ED) my entire career while striving to help my fellow doctors and hospital associates. As CMO you have to integrate the physician side along with the administrative side,” he said. Criner says it’s important to understand some of the challenges physicians have and help them with their practice while ensuring they’re adhering to the needs of patients cohesively. Several service lines the CMO is charged with ensuring are running well include pharmacy, case management, quality and safety. “Certainly, there are many areas of focus for the CMO, but the guiding principle is to keep the needs of our patients in the center of our decisions,” he said. Criner began his career as medical director at Dyersburg Regional Medical Center and later served as attending physician at Methodist University Hospital prior to assuming leadership of Saint Francis Bartlett and Memphis emergency departments. He returned to Methodist North Hospital last year as medical director of the ED. “To me it’s important from a leadership standpoint to surround yourself with as many smart people as possible, people who are extremely talented and who all work together toward a common goal,” Criner said. “You let people show their talent. You give them a direction, work together, and make sure you’re all on the same page. “Also, not being afraid to try things is important. It’s okay to say, ‘What’s our goal? memphismedicalnews
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Dale Criner What do we want to do? Okay, let’s try it.’ Then if it doesn’t work out, that’s fine. We’ll come back and regroup, reassess, and try a different way. It’s going to be important for us to continue to adapt and to change in order for health care to grow.” Although he has practiced clinically at Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital, his new role at the 300-plus bed hospital starts with getting to know all the associates, providers, and departments and how they interact. “Enabling communication is the number one thing on my list so we’re all on the same page and doing what’s right for the patient,” said Criner. “I want to determine how best I can participate in quality improvement within the system. One of the important things is enabling physicians to communicate directly, rather than simply placing an order. I’d like for folks to pick up the phone and talk with each other and discuss patient care in real-time. “There have been a lot of really smart people who have done this before, and they’ve done some incredible work. We will build on those efforts, ensuring that we have the best quality measures possible, patients are getting what they need, and that they’re not necessarily getting more than they need. Whenever we get people better, we get them out of the hospital and back home healthy. We want to ensure their rehab is done appropriately so we can keep them out of the hospital if at all possible.”
Criner realized early in his career that the practice of medicine and the delivery of health care was going to be about much more than diagnosing and treating injuries and disease. “I quickly learned after residency in one of my first jobs as a medical director of an ED that I had been taught how to take care of heart attacks and strokes, but I couldn’t communicate effectively when it came to the business of medicine,” he said. “That’s certainly something that can’t be ignored. We do have to consider not only what’s best for our patients, but what’s best for our hospital and our practice, and how to do that with the changing landscape of government regulations and insurance rules. We have to continue to ensure we have a thriving practice. “The MBA enabled me to see it from a system perspective and tie all the pieces together while communicating more effectively whenever it came to administrative functions.”
Criner is a Memphis native whose parents were in the U.S. Army – his father a chaplain and his mother a nurse. By the time he finished high school, he had attended eight schools stretching from Augusta, Georgia to Schofield Barracks in Oahu, Hawaii. “My parents probably had the greatest influence in shaping the direction I went,” he said. “They instilled in me a strong work ethic and a drive for continual learning. Both of them had doctorate degrees and education was strongly important.” He and wife Dawn – a dental hygienist and “CEO of our household” – have a son and two daughters. They all enjoy music and attend various concerts whenever possible. Dr. Criner is also a golfer, and a very modest one. “I like to play, but I’m pretty bad at it,” he said with a laugh. “If you need a hacker who doesn’t score very well, I’m your guy.”
It’s important to understand some of the challenges physicians have and help them with their practice while ensuring they’re adhering to the needs of patients cohesively.
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The MA Dilemma, continued from page 1 When the practice finds suitable candidates, they often want to work four days a week at a higher pay rate, added the manager. In a July poll by Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), 44 percent of practices noted that MA positions were the most difficult to fill, while 52 percent of medical groups are hiring alternative staff to cover MA roles: namely non-clinical staff, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs). Nearly half of respondents hire a combination of the four designations, and even EMTs and pre-med students. With fewer providers and staff, some practices are forced to cut back on scheduling patients, especially for extended hours and weekends. “There have been days that we’ve had to close the office early or block out certain providers due to being short-staffed,” said a Colorado practice manager. Burnout because of the problem has led practices to cut corners elsewhere. A practice manager in Louisiana just started letting the phone
When surveyed about going back to working with clinical support staff when the hiring challenges are gone, 100 percent of the integrated NPs said they would choose to continue to work without support staff. Many state they are more efficient working alone and the benefit of the additional income as reasons. – Sally Jordan, CEO, HealthPoint Family Care
go to an answering service during the lunch hour. “That way, everyone can get a few minutes to decompress and have lunch,” she said. The Louisiana practice also started closing its doors a couple of hours early on Fridays to lessen the strain on providers and staff. “Lunches being brought in, ice cream parties, gift cards only go so far,” she added.
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Cone Health Medical Group found a niche with its CMA academy, started in part because nearby community colleges and technical schools weren’t providing the clinical training CMAs require. “We were very blessed being in a health system,” said Sally Hammond, assistant director of Cone Health Medical Group. “We probably had more of an opportunity to find folks who would like to do this kind of work.” Meanwhile, a practice in Louisiana was experiencing something similar. The local community college was the “gold standard” for CMAs four years ago, producing top-level personnel. However, enrollment in the two-year program declined and the community college lost its accreditation. Now administrators of the community college are reducing the length of the program to seven to nine months. What’s more, the practice has only been able to retain one new hire in the last year. “I felt there must be a problem with our pay, our mission, our facilities, anything that would explain why we are no longer able to staff this clinic,” said the practice manager. “But what I found out from other colleagues was that they were facing the same dilemma.” HealthPoint Family Care has moved completely away from hiring MAs, focusing instead on NPs. Last September, the group initiated a formal program, providing an annual stipend for NPs as an incentive, while also extending appointment times to
account for tasks MAs would have done. “NPs have the training and experience to do the work of MAs, such as administering immunizations and point of care testing,” said practice CEO Sally Jordan, adding that 80 percent of the group’s NPs are participating in the program. “When surveyed about going back to working with clinical support staff when the hiring challenges are gone, 100 percent of the integrated NPs said they would choose to continue to work without support staff. Many state they are more efficient working alone and the benefit of the additional income as reasons.” HealthPoint also started a hybrid NP position for recent graduates, allowing them to practice as an NP three days a week, while also training with a physician in a support role the other two days. The NPs involved in this program report high satisfaction rates. Within a year of starting in the hybrid model, NPs are expected to be fully blended into the new NP program, with added MA-type responsibilities, said Jordan. Regardless of various solutions, the problem still lies in the lack of professional MAs, which impacts the bottom line. “We all feel that we’re falling short of the high level of patient care and service that we had before COVID,” said the practice manager in Louisiana. “There simply is not enough support to perform at the standard that we’ve set for our clinic for years.” memphismedicalnews
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Ageless Care: From Nurturing, continued from page 1 holidays and events with my families, and challenges that can drag you down,” said Hill, Administrator and Senior Director of Methodist Alliance Hospice and Home Health. “But I never wanted to be anything else. The only question I had when I graduated from high school was what nursing school I was going to go to.” Hill opted for the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing. A chance trip to Memphis convinced her that the Bluff City was the place she wanted to pursue her career. “I owe it all to Dave Matthews,” Hill said. “I took a road trip to Memphis to see Dave at a music festival and I decided this was the city I wanted to live in. This was where I wanted to put down roots.” Hill moved to Memphis following graduation and worked for a year as nurse at St. Francis. In 1998, a listing for a job in pediatrics caught her attention and led her to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital as a frontline nurse providing direct care. “Kids bring me such joy and I have a passion for pediatrics, so I felt like this would be a great opportunity,” Hill said. “I attribute most of my professional journey to the intrinsic nature and makeup of who I am. My concern for the well-being of others and being blessed with empathy and compassion led me in this direction.” During her tenure in pediatrics, Hill said every shift offered new and challenging
and even fun experiences. The job also provided expanded career development. “I grew tremendously at Le Bonheur, and it was a lot of fun. We’d wear costumes and put on puppet shows and all of that – it was a joyful thing for me and also introduced me to another aspect of medicine that I hadn’t thought about,” Hill said. “In pediatrics, you care not only for only the child, but also for the mother and father and siblings and family members.” After several years in frontline nursing, Hill accepted an opportunity to pursue a different level of patient treatment. In 2003 she was promoted to patient care coordinator, taking on a blend of nursing and administrative responsibilities, which allowed her to manage and direct care on a hospital unit. She worked with orthopedics and hematology units, interacting directly with patients and families, and managing overall nursing care, and by 2007 was promoted to clinical director of the unit. “I’ve been fortunate to have strong mentors and leaders who nurtured my drive and passion and intellect and provided me opportunities to develop a voice in health care,” Hill said. “Whether it was being a charge nurse or sitting on hospital practice councils, these opportunities led me to my next step.” In 2012, Hill assumed an administrative director role, overseeing all medical surgical units at Le Bonheur. She said
the change was pivotal because instead of leading direct care workers, she was leading other leaders. “Directors reported to me and that was a big change, but the biggest change was being in an office on an administrative floor instead of a patient care floor,” Hill said. “I grew a lot during that time and really started developing my ability to create other leaders, which is an important part of it as well.” Hill describes her management style as one that adapts and flexes to the environment. She considers herself a relationship leader, building connections with others to help them succeed. “People aren’t one-size-fits-all and I’ve found that whether it’s a newly formed team or one that’s well established, one that’s struggling or one that’s high performing, you have to shift your management style to adapt to their needs,” Hill said. “Overall, where I’m most comfortable is a style where I can establish mutual trust and respect with those I lead and those they lead. I want them not to follow me because they have to, but because they want to.” After spending years in pediatrics, Hill transitioned to Methodist Alliance in 2017. From her original positions caring for patients at the beginning of their lives, she now oversees care for those at the other end of the spectrum. “Hospice has grown to be as near and dear to my heart as pediatrics and
the work that we do here is so extremely important,” Hill said. “Our goal is not to count number of days remaining, but to make the number of days remaining count. Supporting families in this difficult journey is an important piece that many people don’t know about.” Hill’s team at Methodist Alliance takes care of people throughout the community, whether in their homes or in nursing homes or in the organization’s 15-bed hospice residence. The covid pandemic temporarily forced Methodist to reduce occupancy due to staffing shortages, but now the facility is back at full capacity. Some of those challenges remain, however. Hill said that many medical professionals left the workforce during the most taxing period of the pandemic, due to burnout and exhaustion. The result is greater attention paid to employee worklife balance and mental health. Changes include more flexible work schedules and searching for new ways to retain and rejuvenate employees. “As a result of the pandemic I’ve shifted to making sure my teams have tools and resources to do their jobs, Hill said. “I’m balancing operational needs with taking care of my people. My goal is to get to the other side of this and begin rebuilding and recovering. I try to leave a place better than how I found it, so if I can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel then I want to be there to be the light.”
Continuing Education for Medical Professionals the contemporary challenges facing our patient population. Specifically, advances in the management of solid cancers and leukemias, management of the patient with long COVID, and staying up to date with latest clinical practice guidelines are the primary focus of CME education efforts at UTHSC. Additionally, UTHSC has a global health institute focused on expanding education and clinical efforts to empower all to participate in global health.
By CHRISTOPHER JACKSON, MD
What do physicians (both PCPs & Specialists) need to know in general about ongoing education at UTHSC?
Education at UTHSC is focused on preparing practitioners to meet
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How have you decided what programs to pursue in your career & how have they helped you?
I think about skill development and content knowledge gaps when I consider CEU programs. For skill development, I prioritize programs that help me do my job better as a clinician educator at the UTHSC. Some career development programs I participated in include SGIM TEACH and our Teaching
Excellence institute at UTHSC. For content, I prioritize those things relevant to me as an outpatient general internist to include HTN, DM, and chronic heart/lung disease.
I do not believe we should increase the number of units required. We should prioritize letting practitioners choose the CEU that best support their practice.
What programs are most in demand now?
Any other comments or information you’d like to share with Memphis physicians?
COVID-19 diagnosis and management are in high demand. Additionally, dedicated education on leveraging telehealth are important programs for practitioners now.
Did the pandemic change the focus of CEUs in any way?
Greater flexibility in obtaining necessary CEUs and doing dedicated CEUs on COVID-19, Monkeypox, and vaccinations are important.
Do you think there should be a higher number of units required per year considering the rapidly changing landscape?
Please be on the lookout for the upcoming educational opportunities through UTHSC.
Christopher Jackson, MD, is Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Senior Associate Program Director for Curriculum, UTHSC IM Residency; Associate Professor of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Board Member, Memphis Medical Society; General Internist, Regional One Health; Primary Care Physician, Christ Community Health.
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Facility Safety is for Us All to Address By CLINT CUMMINS, CEO, Memphis Medical Society
In a second story, a female hospital employee told me that she always carries a concealed weapon on her. Think about Editorial update: This article was written that for a second: you’re a healthcare and published in our member magazine prior to provider, and you don’t feel safe doing the death of Liza Fletcher and the mass shootyour job. So much so that you bring a ing that took place in Memphis this week. Our weapon with you to work. deepest condolences go out to those who have And, finally, I was told one more been affected by those tragedies, and to our entire story from a suburban private practice community. administrator who stated that a patient’s family member waited until the end of Let me begin with this disclaimer: the day when security was looser to get this is not intended to open a political through several locked doors in order to debate about guns, although that debate make a threat on the administrator’s life. certainly informs the conversation we What shocked me the most about need to have. these stories was the normalcy that No matter your political stance, I was conveyed by the storytellers and think we can ALL the diversity agree on this: in victims and Every patient, their locations caregiver, vendor, throughout the and medical prometro area. vider that enters a There are healthcare facility more stories in our community out there that should feel SAFE. are even more Assuming you shocking, and agree with that, likely one of and assuming these conjured you are a leader up a personal in the healthcare story from you. community, let That is just plain us also agree on sad. this: we need to I know, I have a commuknow: the crazy nity conversation people will (and subsequent always find a Clint Cummins actions) about how way to be crazy. we improve safety And there is no in healthcare. We need to remind me of the metro area need to establish minimum standards for that we live in and its crime problems. I what our employees, members, patients, don’t know about you, but as someone friends and all can expect when they who cares about my community and is walk through the doors of our worldin a position to improve safety, I feel an class care organizations in this city. obligation to assess and strive for meanYes, we need more active shooter ingful improvement in the safety of our trainings and crisis management eduhealthcare community. cation. But we need something deeper. We have local organizations that You have likely read about the hospirepresent physicians, nurses, and admintal shooting in Tulsa where we lost two istrators from all healthcare entities. It is doctors, a receptionist and mother of time to band together and improve two boys, and a devoted husband and this issue before Memphis is the veteran. Upon hearing that, I sought next city in the headlines. information from some of the leaders of Finally, let’s agree on one last thing: our healthcare community about their healthcare is notoriously slow to adapt, feelings of safety in Greater Memphis. innovate, and collaborate across comWhat I learned shocked me. petitive lines. Let this be one issue that In one story, an ER employee told serves as the exception to that rule. me that a wounded patient arose from I welcome your comments and suga gurney and attacked a nurse and two gestions at ccummins@mdmemphis.org physicians. There was a security officer on duty who stated they could not intervene in a physical way. The result was the two physicians taking the patient down to the ground to restrain the individual and await law enforcement arrival. memphismedicalnews
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Focused on improving the mental health of our communities
The last few years have been difficult for everyone and the number of individuals seeking mental health treatment has dramatically increased, placing the need for quality services at an all-time high.
Help is available for all members of our communities. Three hospitals in our area provide treatment for behavioral health and substance use disorders with inpatient and outpatient options.
We have all been affected – the young and the old, front-line workers, first responders, healthcare professionals, teachers, parents, families, neighbors and friends. With all the pressure we face every day, it is easy to put our emotional needs on the back burner.
We have specialized programs to help meet the needs of: • Children and adolescents • Seniors • Women • Military service members and their families • Professionals
Often, it is women who carry the heaviest burdens due to greater demands on their time and energy. To help women regain control of their lives, Parkwood Behavioral Health System offers a specialized program tailored to their needs. Older adults have faced significant grief and loss of connections to friends and family. Lakeside Behavioral Health System provides services targeted to help with their unique mental healthcare needs. Children and teens have also reported that they are experiencing worsening mental health than ever before due to the pandemic’s negative effects on their socialization skills. Compass Intervention Center is ready to help your child or teen get back on track so they can regain a promising future.
Our caring professionals offer: • Individual, group and family therapy • Nurturing, structured settings • Inpatient, residential, outpatient and telehealth options • Detoxification and rehabilitation • Medication management • Trauma-informed care • Caregiver involvement and support • Certified educational services • Therapeutic summer programs for students with high functioning autism
When a crisis arises or you just need extra support, we are here to provide the help you or a loved one needs, with no-cost assessments available 24/7.
*Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Most insurances accepted including TRICARE® TRICARE® is a registered trademark of the Department of Defense, Defense Health Agency. All rights reserved. Physicians are on the medical staff of these facilities, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of these facilities. The facilities shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. Model representations of real patients are shown. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit our websites. 221626-2273 10/22
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When Mental Illness Leads to Dropped Charges, Patients Often Go Without Stabilizing Care By KATHERYN HOUGHTON For seven years, Timothy Jay Fowler rotated between jail, forced psychiatric hospitalization, and freedom. In 2014, the Great Falls, Montana, man was charged with assaulting two detention officers while he was in jail, accused of theft. A mental health evaluation concluded that Fowler, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, was unfit to stand trial, according to court documents. After Fowler received psychiatric treatment for several months, a judge ruled that he was unlikely to become competent anytime soon. His case was dismissed, and after a stay in the state-run psychiatric hospital, he was released. Roughly eight months after the dismissal, Fowler was arrested again, accused of beating a stranger with a metal pipe. As before, he was found unfit for trial, the charges were dropped, and he was eventually released. At least five times from 2014 through 2021, Fowler went through the same cycle: He was picked up on serious charges, mental health professionals declared him incompetent, and his case was dismissed. Fowler declined to be interviewed for this article. As of July, he hadn’t faced felony charges for more than a year. In the U.S., criminal proceedings are halted if a defendant is determined to be incompetent. What happens after that varies from state to state. No one is tracking how often criminal charges are dismissed because defendants’ mental illness prevents them from understanding the court process to help in their defense. Some states have policies to transition hospitalized patients to independence after their criminal charges have been dropped. But in others, such as Montana, there are few landing spots for such patients outside of jail or a hospital to aid in that transition. Health professionals, county attorneys, and criminal defendants have said people declared unfit for trial may have a short stay in a psychiatric hospital before being released without additional oversight. The vast majority of people with a chronic mental illness aren’t violent, and they are far more likely to 10
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The criminal justice system has long been a revolving door for defendants with a mental illness. be victims of crime than the general population. Plus, health professionals say most defendants who are determined to be incompetent become stable enough through treatment for their case to continue. Some never do. The criminal justice system has long been a revolving door for defendants with a mental illness. The national nonprofit Treatment Advocacy Center, which advocates to make treatment for a severe mental illness more accessible, found that as of 2017, 21 states made little-to-no effort to create programs that treat those defendants. That failure leaves individuals without stability, and some go on to hurt themselves or others. “They’re receiving only emergency care, followed by no care,” said Lisa Dailey, the center’s executive director. She added that people go untreated until they face new charges: “You’re creating a system that requires a victim.” Dr. Karen B. Rosenbaum, a forensic psychiatrist and a vice president of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, said experiences like Fowler’s show a system that fails people who have been released from psychiatric care. “There should be a lot of steps before you go back to the community,” Rosenbaum said. Some states have created such steps. Colorado has a team of navigators to help coordinate care for people deemed incompetent to stand trial and a restoration program to deliver treatment for patients close to home. In Oregon, a psychiatric review board works with the state hospital to supervise people found incompetent to reduce the risk of future dangerous behavior. But even in states with programs to stabilize people with a serious
mental illness, that treatment isn’t guaranteed, often because of the limited availability of psychiatric services. Minnesota has a process to identify, treat, and manage risk for people determined to be “mentally ill and dangerous.” However, maintaining appropriate staffing levels at treatment facilities has been a problem, as has finding enough community-based options for people who need a higher level of care than typical group homes can offer. Last year, a KARE 11 statewide investigation found dozens of cases in which people charged with serious crimes — including assaults, rapes, and murders — were deemed mentally incompetent and released without steady treatment or supervision. As a result, more people were hurt, according to the investigation. Forcing someone into psychiatric care is controversial, creating a tension between autonomy and public safety. For decades, mental health advocates have pushed for local services, such as intensive outpatient treatment programs and transitional placements. But as psychiatric hospitals have been whittled down, local options often don’t have the resources to meet the need. In Montana, when cases are dropped because defendants are found to be incompetent, local officials must file a petition seeking a judge’s order to have them admitted into psychiatric care. People can be required to attend outpatient treatment options, although attorneys and state officials have said those services often don’t exist or are stretched too thin. More often, people are admitted to the shortstaffed state-run psychiatric hospital, which earlier this year lost federal continued on page 12
PUBLISHER Pamela Z. Haskins pamela@memphismedicalnews.com EDITOR P L Jeter editor@memphismedicalnews.com PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Campbell ADVERTISING INFORMATION 501.247.9189 Pamela Z. Haskins GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sarah Reimer sarah@memphismedicalnews.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lawrence Buser Richard F. Cahill, JD Clint Cummins James Dowd Debra Kane Hill, MBA, RN Katheryn Houghton Christopher Jackson, MD Lynne Jeter All editorial submissions and press releases should be sent to editor@ memphismedicalnews.com Subscription requests can be mailed to the address below or emailed to pamela@memphismedicalnews.com. Memphis Medical News© is now privately and locally owned by Ziggy Productions, LLC. P O Box 164831 Little Rock, AR 72206 President: Pamela Z. Haskins Vice President: Patrick Rains Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Memphis Medical News will assume no responsibility for unsolicited materials. All letters sent to Memphis Medical News will be considered the newspaper’s property and unconditionally assigned to Memphis Medical News for publication and copyright purposes.
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Mental Health Providers: Balancing Privacy with Public Welfare By RICHARD F. CAHILL, JD As reported by the national media on an almost daily basis, a large sector of the population has experienced heightened tensions related to disruptions in employment, personal finances, health, family turmoil, and a plethora of other significant concerns caused by the pandemic. These tensions have adversely affected our already overburdened mental health resources and resulted in unexpected consequences for healthcare providers. Since the spring of 2020, therapists have been faced with addressing uncommon clinical presentations and managing critical situations that go well beyond treating routine, isolated issues. With increasing frequency, patients report ideation of harm, including self-harm, “suicide by cop,” community violence involving serial or mass killings, and random acts of assault or homicide. These types of encounters create a perilous moral dilemma for mental health providers: how to maintain provider-patient privilege, consistent with their ethical duties to patients and
federal and state privacy laws, while adhering to legal reporting obligations that require healthcare providers to reveal certain confidential circumstances to law enforcement to protect the public welfare.
Protection and Release of Health Information
Congress passed HIPAA in 1996. One of its stated goals is to help protect the privacy and security of patient health information in a variety of categories. The federal government has enacted comprehensive rules governing the use, access, and release of protected health information (PHI), including exceptions and significant monetary and administrative penalties for statutory violations. The Office for Civil Rights is responsible for investigating data breaches and enforcing HIPAA’s privacy and security rules. Subsequently, state legislatures have followed suit and enacted similar—and often more restrictive—regulatory measures designed to protect patient confidentiality. Ordinarily, third-party access to
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PHI requires patient authorization or a court order. Exceptions include government agencies with oversight duties, coroners’ offices, circumstances involving imminent danger to public health or welfare, and other specified outliers. The HIPAA FAQs for Professionals states: “The HIPAA Privacy Rule permits a covered entity [such as a mental health provider] to
disclose PHI, including psychotherapy notes, when the covered entity [such as the mental health provider] has a good faith belief that the disclosure: (1) is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of the patient or others and (2) is to a person(s) reasonably able to prevent or lessen the threat.” It may include disclosure to law enforcement, members of the family, or even continued on page 12
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When Mental Illness, continued from page 10
Mental Health Providers, continued from page 11
funding because of unsafe conditions and patient deaths. Montana court and state officials have said cases that are dismissed because a defendant is incompetent are outliers. However, the state doesn’t have a way to track when that happens or how many people in that situation get additional treatment. Lewis and Clark County Attorney Leo Gallagher said people are sometimes released as soon as their case is dismissed. An involuntary commitment for a mental illness requires people to be an imminent threat to themselves or others. Gallagher said that’s a high bar to meet. By the time a motion for commitment goes before a judge after someone is found unlikely to become fit to stand trial, the defendant could have been jailed or hospitalized for months. That time frame makes it hard to prove an imminent threat remains, Gallagher said, and a judge is likely to deny the commitment. “There’s a hole in the system,” he said, adding that he has filed motions knowing they will be dismissed because he can’t meet the burden of proof. Daylon Martin, a Great Falls defense attorney, said that if clients whose charges were dropped because of an illness are hospitalized, their discharge is often the end of their care. “People just get released back into the community with the expectation they’ll take their medication,” Martin said. “There needs to be a better transition.” The state-run hospital has long had a waitlist. Dr. Virginia Hill, a recently retired psychiatrist who worked at the Montana State Hospital for more than 35 years, told lawmakers this spring that a typical stay is two to four weeks, “a
the target of the threat, depending on the circumstances presented and consistent with applicable law and the prevailing standards of ethical conduct.
short commitment in the big scheme of things when you’ve been charged with a very serious felony.” She said that a patient typically leaves the hospital with medicine in hand and local appointments booked but that the patient then exits the system. “That is the revolving-door population that we have,” Hill said. “The charges are dismissed, and out they go. And they’re usually pretty ill.” She asked lawmakers to consider defining in state law a way to manage people determined unlikely to become competent. To understand what problems exist, Hill said she’d like to see more data on who the state hospital treats, whether they receive care elsewhere, and the outcome. Montana lawmakers drafted a proposal for next year’s legislative session aimed at boosting treatment coordination for people discharged from psychiatric care after they were sentenced for a crime. Matt Kuntz, executive director of the Montana chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is glad to see the proposal but said it doesn’t include people whose charges were dismissed over a competency issue. “Sometimes people would rather just let the status quo keep going,” Kuntz said, “even if there’s something that’s clearly not working.”
KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces indepth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.
Who Can You Call?
Here are examples of clinical scenarios and courses of action for mental health providers: • A patient is a potential risk to self. Who can you call? Under HIPAA, healthcare providers may disclose the necessary PHI to anyone who is in a position to prevent or lessen the threatened harm—including family, friends, caregivers, and law enforcement—without a patient’s permission. Consider calling the patient’s emergency contact or adult protective services for a wellness check. • A patient says he is going to commit suicide by cop. Who can you call? Consider calling the patient’s emergency contact and law enforcement if, in your good faith judgment, disclosure of the threat is necessary to prevent or lessen the threat and each contact is reasonably able to prevent or lessen the threat. • A patient says he is going to kill his spouse or another identified individual. Who can you call? Consider calling the spouse or the target of the threat, and law enforcement if, in your good faith judgment, disclosure of the threat is necessary to prevent or lessen the threat and each contact is reasonably able to prevent or lessen the threat. • A patient expresses the intent to commit mass harm or random act(s) of assault. Who can you call? Consider calling law enforcement if, in your good faith judgment, disclosure of the threat is necessary to prevent or lessen the threat and law enforcement is reasonably able to prevent or lessen the threat.
• A patient needs to be admitted involuntarily due to being a threat to self or others and will not cooperate. Who do you call? Call local law enforcement and follow the law in your state for involuntary commitment. For additional guidance, contact the Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management at (800) 421-2368 or by email.
Richard F. Cahill, JD, Vice President and Associate General Counsel, and Robert Morton, MAS, CPPS, Assistant Vice President, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management, The Doctors Company The guidelines suggested here are not rules, do not constitute legal advice, and do not ensure a successful outcome. The ultimate decision regarding the appropriateness of any treatment must be made by each healthcare provider considering the circumstances of the individual situation and in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which the care is rendered.
Resources: - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HIPAA for Professionals, FAQs for Mental Health: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/ for-professionals/faq/mentalhealth/index.html - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Message to Our Nation’s Health Care Providers: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/ default/files/ocr/office/ lettertonationhcp.pdf
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Dispensing Sample Medications: Patient Safety Strategies By DEBRA KANE HILL, MBA, RN Dispensing free sample medications to patients is commonplace in medical and dental offices. With safeguards in place, it can contribute to improved clinical results and generate goodwill between the practitioner and the patient. Free sample medications are convenient for patients—particularly those who lack financial or transportation resources— and can improve timeliness and compliance with medication regimens. Sample medications also allow patients to try new and sometimes costly prescriptions on a trial basis to determine if they are effective and without unwanted side effects.
Patient Safety Strategies
Sample medications must be handled with the same level of accountability and security as other prescription medications—as required by the standard of care, federal and state pharmaceutical laws and regulations, and accrediting organizations. Practitioners have the same duty of care to patients receiving sample medications as they have to patients receiving prescriptions. Consider implementing the following safety guidelines for drug samples in your practice:
Practice Policies and Procedures
- Develop detailed policies and procedures that address sample medication inventory, storage, access, tracking, documentation, and patient care management.
Drug Storage and Access
- Store, secure, and track samples to prevent inappropriate access and loss. - Allow only designated clinicians and staff to access the drug closet. - Group medications by drug type when setting up a sample medication closet. Never store sample medications in alphabetical order or next to drugs that have look-alike and sound-alike (LASA) names. (See the Institute for Safe Medication Practices for a current LASA list.) - Assign staff to monitor and document safe storage per manufacturers’ recommendations and to check medications for expiration. - Follow state and federal guidelines for disposing of expired medications. Maintain logs in administrative files.
Drug Dispensing
- Never allow staff to provide samples to anyone without provider orders, provider supervision, and patient record documentation. Give sample medications only when prescribed by a licensed provider with prescriptive authority. memphismedicalnews
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- Label samples with prescribing information as required by law.
Patient Record Documentation
- Document any dispensed samples in the patient record. Include the name of the drug, strength, lot number, manufacturer, instructions provided, and discussion of potential side effects. - Provide written patient education regarding the medication, and document in the patient’s record. - Obtain and document informed consent from the patient when appropriate, e.g., for the type of medication, possible side effects, or the patient’s first use of the medication.
Administrative Logs
- Maintain administrative records to log a sample medication’s receipt into the practice and to track its inventory and access. Creating a separate log for each medication simplifies the tracking process. Include the drug name, dosage, manufacturer, lot number, expiration date, date and quantity received by the practice, and by whom. - Maintain administrative records to log a sample medication that is dispensed (separate from the patient record). This allows the practice to identify patients in the event a medication is recalled. Creating a separate log for each medication simplifies the tracking process. Include the date dispensed, patient name, drug name, dosage, lot number, expiration date, quantity dispensed, and by whom. - Establish a system for identifying and managing drug recalls. (For more information, see the FDA drug recall guidance.) - Assign administrative staff to review logs routinely for any inconsistencies. Creating a system for dispensing sample medications can be a significant undertaking, but it provides many benefits for the practice and the patient. For assistance with implementing sample medication safeguards in your practice, contact the Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management at (800) 421-2368 or by email.
Debra Kane Hill, MBA, RN, is Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager for The Doctors Company The guidelines suggested here are not rules, do not constitute legal advice, and do not ensure a successful outcome. The ultimate decision regarding the appropriateness of any treatment must be made by each healthcare provider considering the circumstances of the individual situation and in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which the care is rendered.
Making Sense Of Living Trusts And Wills What’s the best option for you when looking to transfer your estate to your heirs? As you look to protect your assets and pass them to subsequent generations, estate planning tools are essential. And while living trusts and wills both help accomplish the task, there are important distinctions that you should understand before choosing one over the other or both.
Chirag Chauhan,
involved, it can be a long, AIF®, CFP® legal process to distribute them. Therefore, a will can help protect your survivors against unwanted tax liability.
About trusts
Trusts are created for a variety of reasons. A living trust that is revocable can be altered When deciding which instrument(s) to choose, during the lifetime of the trustor. When that you should seek the counsel of a financial person dies, the trust becomes operational. professional who specializes in tax, However, unlike a will, a living trust passes investment, and legal advice. property outside of probate court, avoiding attorney fees. Your named beneficiaries Some terminology receive the property immediately. A will is a legal document that expresses the In a testamentary trust, the named trustee wishes of a deceased person. Those wishes controls the passing of the trustor’s estate can include guardianship matters and how once they die. cash or material objects are distributed. Its provisions take effect only after the person Because both wills and trusts are important who made the will dies. estate planning tools, consider developing them A trust, on the other hand, is active once you early in life. That will make sure that your affairs are handled in the manner of your create it, and the grantor can specify how choosing, rather than a court’s. assets are distributed before their death. There are two main types of trusts: An irrevocable trust is a fixed document and cannot be changed; and a living trust can be changed after it is created. When you create a trust, you designate a trustee who holds title to the assets that benefit a third party. Because of the trustee relationship, a trust is typically more expensive to draw up and manage than a will.
About wills A will is an integral component of estate planning; as such, an attorney may be helpful in considering the various legal and tax implications when creating and administering a will. A will may contain the following: assets, debts, location and contents of safe deposit boxes, vehicles, and real property. The maker of the will can designate that family, friends, and/or charities receive their possessions. When the maker of a will dies, it goes through probate court. The process can be expensive as it typically involves a probate attorney (with the exception of life insurance policies and retirement accounts, which avoid probate). Those with minor children should appoint a guardianship of their children in a will. Otherwise, the surviving family members will have to go to probate court to get one appointed. That person may not be the one you wanted to care for your kids. If you die without a will, the laws of your state will determine who receives your assets. Depending on their value and parties
Summary of differences While both wills and trusts are important estate planning tools, they differ in significant ways:
Activation: A trust is activated once the trustor signs in. A will does not take effect until the testator dies. Probate: A will must pass through probate court, a trust does not. Guardianship: A will designates guardianship, whereas a trust does not.
Legal challenges: A will can be challenged in court by the designated beneficiaries as well as those not designated as beneficiaries. A trust usually cannot be challenged. Modifiable: A will can be revised, and a trust can be revised if it is a revocable trust.
Chirag Chauhan, MBA, AIF®, CFP® is the managing partner of Bluff City Advisory Group in Memphis, Tennessee. For more info, please visit bluffcityadvisory.com.
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GrandRounds West Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Welcomes Nick Leonardi Please join us in welcoming Dr. Nick Leonardi as West’s new reconstructive surgeon at West Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. He earned his DO at Midwestern University, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and was a Nick Leonardi general surgery resident at University of Illinois Metropolitan Group Hospitals and University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Leonardi has also served as an assistant professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and Associate Research Specialist at the University of Wisconsin, Department of Surgery / Urology Division. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. This new department is open to West patients and the general public seeking high quality reconstructive and cosmetic expertise. Currently located inside our Wolf River/Germantown campus, we are proud to expand multidisciplinary care. For those in need of breast reconstructive surgery after a mastectomy, facial reconstruction after ENT surgery, or skin reconstruction after cancer removal can get care right alongside the input of their current oncology provider.
BHSU’s Proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine Achieves Candidacy Status Baptist Health Sciences University has earned candidacy status for its proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). COCA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the accreditor of colleges of osteopathic medicine. COCA establishes, maintains and applies accreditation standards and procedures to ensure academic quality and continuous quality improvement for colleges of osteopathic medicine. “We are excited to complete this first phase of the application process for the Baptist Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine,” said Betty Sue McGarvey, president, Baptist Health Sciences University. “This is a significant milestone for our program, and a great
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opportunity to advance health care quality and access in the Mid-South.” Baptist Health Sciences University hired Peter Bell, DO, as Vice Provost and Dean of Medical Education in 2021 to help open the proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine. Bell has decades of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine expertise, and experience helping other universities gain accreditation for new colleges of osteopathic medicine. The American Osteopathic Association recently honored Bell with the 2022 Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes significant contributions to the osteopathic medical profession through leadership, excellence, achievement and dedication. The next step in the accreditation process is achieving pre-accreditation status. Once achieved, the school will recruit the first class of students for fall 2024. “This school will help fill an important need for the Mid-South because like many areas of the country, we are facing a shortage of health care professionals, particularly primary care and family medicine doctors,” said McGarvey. “This need, which was clearly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, has only become more critical since the pandemic started.” The majority of DOs go into primary care and essential care specialties and tend to serve in rural and underserved communities, all of which is consistent with Baptist Memorial Health Care’s mission of healing, preaching and teaching. Research has also shown that doctors tend to remain in communities where they train, which suggests these doctors are likely to stay in Memphis and the surrounding communities after finishing their education. Baptist Health Sciences University has hired several doctors of osteopathic medicine, medical doctors and PhDs to serve on its proposed college of medicine faculty. The school will be located on Baptist Health Sciences University’s campus with construction slated to start on an existing building for the school at 1115 Union Ave. this fall. Baptist Health Sciences University was started in 1912 and offers 15 majors in nursing and allied health, including undergraduate and graduate degrees and a Doctorate of Nursing practice. Based on a comparison of postgraduate earnings with cost of attendance, BHSU alumni earn more than graduates of any other college or university in the
area. Visit www.baptistu.edu for more information.
For more information, visit www. campbellclinic.com
Campbell Clinic Opens New Location in Olive Branch
Stryker Completes Rebranding and Updating Wright Medical Group Buildings
Campbell Clinic Orthopaedics recently opened its newest location at 6760 Goodman Road in Olive Branch, Mississippi, further bolstering its position as the largest orthopaedic practice in the West Tennessee and North Mississippi region. With locations in Germantown, Collierville, Midtown Memphis, East Memphis, Arlington, Southaven and Olive Branch, Campbell Clinic is a national and international leader in musculoskeletal care. The practice’s geographic expansion is an effort to continually provide increased access to care for Campbell Clinic’s valued patients throughout the Mid-South region and beyond. “In order to deliver world-class orthopaedic care to those who need it most, we are growing our presence closer to where patients live and work,” says Dr. Frederick Azar, Chief of Staff of Campbell Clinic. “Our desire to provide the highest level of care to our patients means expanding our footprint both locally and regionally.” Daniel Shumate, CEO of Campbell Clinic, agrees. “Our new Olive Branch location is crucial to helping us continue to provide superior orthopaedic care in the very communities we serve,” he says. “We have enjoyed serving the residents of North Mississippi over the past 20 years via our Southaven location – and our new Olive Branch location reconfirms our commitment to our valued patients in this area.” The new Olive Branch location, staffed by Campbell Clinic providers, is open Monday through Friday and offers walk-in services, urgent orthopaedic care, x-ray, casting and physical therapy services for patients needing everything from pediatrics to geriatric care. Campbell Clinic’s medical staff at this location include Nahum M. Beard, M.D., Henry L. Sherman, MD, and Chad M. Brooks, PA-C. For more information on the new Olive Branch location, or to make an appointment, visit https://www.campbellclinic.com/ new-convenient-locations Founded by the late Willis C. Campbell, MD in 1909, Campbell Clinic is world-renowned for its clinical excellence. Campbell Clinic is an industry leader in orthopaedic medicine, surgery, teaching and research.
Stryker, one of the world’s leading medical technology companies has completed rebranding and updating the Wright Medical Group buildings to align with Stryker’s recognizable design aesthetic and a focus on digital innovation. The sites now house the Stryker Trauma & Extremities Division, which includes foot & ankle, upper extremities and trauma business units. Both facilities feature state-of-theart digital technology designed to provide medical education, training and other key resources to Stryker’s employees and surgeon customers. The Memphis campus is focused on foot & ankle and biologics, while the Arlington campus is developing upper extremity machining capabilities, which will allow the site to produce a shoulder implant in Tennessee for the first time. Stryker’s shoulder implants had previously only been produced at sister sites in Europe. Stryker completed the acquisition of Wright Medical in 2020.
UTHSC College of Nursing Welcomes New Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Professor Charleen McNeill, PhD, MSN, RN, has joined the University of Tennessee Health Science C e n t e r ’s College of Nursing as Executive Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Dr. McNeill comes to UTHSC from the University Charleen McNeill of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, where she filled a similar role as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. McNeill brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this administrative role, which sets the academic tone for the college. She is president-elect of the Southern Nursing Research Society, which was established in 1986 to lead the transformation of health outcomes through nursing research. Her research involves emergency shelter placement, community health issues to include emergency preparedness and response, resilience, opioid utilization and most recently, COVID-19. “Dr. McNeill brings great experience from multiple academic
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GrandRounds institutions as well as 13 years of service in the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of staff sergeant. She brings relevant skills in problem-solving, multi-tasking and remaining calm under pressure. We are excited she brings these skills now to the UTHSC College of Nursing,” said Dean Wendy Likes, PhD, DNSc, APRN-BC, FAANP. McNeill obtained her PhD from the University of Texas at Tyler, her MSN from the University of Texas at El Paso, and her BSN from the University of Arkansas. She is a U.S. Army veteran who was recognized as the 2017 Inaugural Outstanding Alumni for the University of Texas at Tyler and the 2017 Outstanding Alumni for the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas. McNeill replaces Professor Susan Jacob, PhD, RN, who has held a number of leadership roles in the college of nursing in her nearly two decades of service to the university. McNeill said, “I came to UTHSC to work with colleagues who have vast knowledge and experience and a history of excellence, to work with a dean who has a history of being innovative and strategically leading, and because academic health science centers are able to fully embrace the mission of the Academy, leveraging the strengths of the team who hold joint responsibility for health care, education and research.”
Regional One Health President and CEO Inducted into the Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame Reginald Coopwood, MD, president and CEO of Regional One Health has been inducted into the Tennessee Health Care Hall of Fame. The Health Care Hall of Fame’s mission is to honor those who have made significant and lasting contributions to Reginald the health and health Coopwood care industries. Coopwood’s contributions to health care can be felt today and will be felt for years to come. Among his recent accomplishments: • Strengthening Regional One Health’s relationship with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). An important outgrowth of this relationship is UT Regional One Physicians (UTROP), the largest academic physician group in the Mid-South with more than 200 physicians and
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advanced practitioners covering a vast number of medical specialties which now provides services to Regional One Health patients. • Growing Regional One Health’s services to better care for the community. This includes enlarging the footprint of primary care access and specialty services in the community as well as building cancer care services through the addition of medical and surgical oncologists providing outpatient and inpatient cancer care. • Establishing ONE Health, a complex care program that helps connect patients to medical care, but also helps them navigate social detriments such as finding housing and food, applying for insurance, Social Security or disability, obtaining skills training or GED certification, and more. • Creating the Center for Innovation, a place for innovators to build, test the viability, desirability and feasibility of promising ideas; and help companies validate their business model or clinical use case; in turn giving our community access to the latest technological advancements in health care. In addition to recognizing Tennessee’s most influential health and health care leaders, the Health Care Hall of Fame serves as an ongoing educational resource to document the rich history that has contributed to Tennessee’s position as a leader for national health care initiatives.
WHEN THE PROBLEM IS PAIN, WE’RE HERE TO HELP.
Pinpointing and treating the source of your pain. Providing advanced interventional treatments. Our ambulatory surgery center, alongside our physician practice and physical therapy team, provides compassionate, comprehensive, and state-of-the art care for patients suffering from chronic pain.
West Cancer Center & Research Institute Expands Women’s Health Care Dr. Ben Abdu, a board-certified gynecologist specializing in minimally invasive GYN surgery and Urogynecology, is joining West Cancer Center & Research Institute December 5. His expertise in treating benign female Ben Abdu conditions both in office and surgically, will allow their Gynecologic Oncologist to focus on the increasing number of cancer patients at West. Dr. Abdu has an impressive bio with over 23 years of gynecologic experience including advanced laparoscopy and robotic surgery, management of complicated endometriosis, pelvic floor disorders, and urinary and fecal incontinence. He graduated with high honors from Medical School at the University of South Carolina in Charleston before a family medicine residency
901-747-0040 • www.maysandschnapp.com 55 Humphreys Center Dr., Ste. 200 • Memphis, TN 38120 7900 Airways Blvd., Ste. A6 • Southaven, MS 38671 TN License # PMC0000000690 • MS License # P-00151
COMPREHENSIVE CARE FOR YOUR PAIN.
Medical Director: Moacir Schnapp, MD Pain Clinic Associates PLLC d/b/a Mays & Schnapp Neurospine and Pain is a licensed pain management clinic.
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GrandRounds at Eisenhower Army Medical Center, OBGYN residency at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Chattanooga and a minimally invasive GYN surgery fellowship at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center/Women’s Surgery Center. Dr. Abdu comes to West from Poplar Avenue Women’s Clinic, preceded by a position as Director and Assistant Professor of the Division of Minimally Invasive GYN Surgery at UTHSC/Regional One Physicians. A distinguished career started at Weed Army Community Hospital in California where he was responsible for the care of over 16,000 military service members and their families before joining as staff physician at Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Concord, NH. His experience as an OB/GYN started at North Georgia Women’s for 4 years before moving to Memphis. Dr. Todd Tillmanns, Director of the Gynecologic Oncology Division at West, stated; “We are honored to have Dr. Abdu join our team and his expertise in minimally invasive gynecologic procedure will be a tremendous asset to women’s health at West Cancer Center.”
OrthoSouth Expands Mid-South Footprint with Crosstown Concourse Clinic ORTHOSOUTH, the region’s only orthopedic group with the stated goal of providing a 5-star patient experience, is proud to announce its new expanded presence at the iconic Crosstown Concourse in Midtown Memphis, with a focus on pain management. The new location extends OrthoSouth’s presence in midtown and downtown Memphis, facilitates more convenient access to orthopedic care for patients in northwest Shelby County and Tipton County, and further emphasizes the group’s unique model of making access to specialist medical services as convenient as possible, by bringing providers closer to where our patients live and work. In addition to general orthopedic visits, patients visiting OrthoSouth Crosstown also have access to physical therapy, pain management, spine specialists, and chiropractic services at this location. Appointments are encouraged and can be made online at https://orthosouth.org or by calling 901.641.3000.
OrthoSouth Crosstown Ribbon Cutting and Open House OrthoSouth Crosstown Clinic will host a ribbon cutting and open house. Join us to celebrate and take a tour of the beautiful clinic at Crosstown Concourse.
Date: Thursday, December 15, 2022 Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Location: Crosstown Clinic Location address: Crosstown Concourse, 1350 Concourse Avenue, Suite 363, Memphis, TN 38104 RSVP through the link below: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/orthosouth-crosstown-ribboncutting-open-house-tickets-448235112287
Exploring a path that may delay the development of Parkinson’s disease symptoms Learn about a Parkinson’s disease study researching an investigational drug
About the Luma Study The Luma Study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of a study drug, as compared to a placebo, to see if it may delay the progression of Parkinson’s disease in people who are in the early stage of their condition. How do I qualify for the study? You may be eligible to participate if you:* • Are 30 to 80 years old • Were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease within the last 2 years and were at least 30 years old when you were diagnosed *The study team will discuss with you the additional criteria required to participate.
Why take part? If you qualify and decide to take part, you will receive: • All study-related care and study drug at no charge • Regular monitoring of your Parkinson’s disease and overall health by physicians who specialize in Parkinson’s disease • Reimbursement for transportation and rideshare to attend study visits, as needed • The opportunity to contribute to learning more about Parkinson’s disease Your safety is our highest priority while participating. If you have any questions or concerns at any point throughout the study, a study staff member is available. The study staff can also tell you about their COVID-19 safety protocols. Your participation is voluntary, and you are free to withdraw at any time, for any reason. Your privacy will be maintained throughout the study. For more information or to see if you qualify: ParkinsonsResearchStudies.com
Please call Neurology Clinic, P.C. Cllinical Research Center 901-300-2755
Or scan this QR code:
Copyright © 2022 Biogen Inc., Biogen-151288 Luma Study_Patient Poster_US English_V1_25APR2022
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