Mississippi May 2013

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PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT PAGE 3

Michael Stonnington, MD

ON ROUNDS IT Acceleration

MedEvolve finds ‘sweet spot’ niche providing PM and EMR software and RCM services to physician practices nationwide LITTLE ROCK – When Bill Hefley, MD, was a junior partner at a Little Rock orthopedic practice more than two decades ago, he was tasked with choosing a new information technology (IT) system to replace an antiquated one ... 4

Improving Bladder Cancer Detection

Baptist adopts innovative imaging agent to upgrade outcomes Baptist Medical Center in Jackson is among a select number of medical centers nationwide – and the first in Mississippi – to offer a newly approved optical imaging agent for the detection of papillary cancer of the bladder in patients with known or suspected bladder cancer ... 5

ONLINE: MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL NEWS.COM

Battling Alzheimer’s

Mississippi providers discuss challenges in research, legislative advocacy

By LyNNE JETER

The 4th Annual Mississippi Physicians Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease held earlier this year at the Table 100 Conference Center in Flowood still has medical professionals buzzing.

Two months earlier, the Alzheimer’s Association had published new recommendations for primary care physicians (PCPs) on how to assess cognition during the Medicare annual wellness visit. Soon after, the 2013 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures was released, revealing that one in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia in the United States. Even though deaths from other major diseases continue to experience significant declines, Alzheimer’s deaths continue to rise, increasing 68 percent in the first decade of this century.

Without the development of medical breakthroughs that prevent, slow or stop the disease, analysts have anticipated the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease by 2050 could reach 16 million, and increase healthcare costs related to the disease could rise by 500 percent to $1.2 trillion.

“Unfortunately, today there are no Alzheimer’s survivors. If you (CONTINUED ON PAGE 6)

Taming Disruptive Behavior

Pine Grove director highlights “bad boy” workplace behavior as co-author of new ACPE manual

By LyNNE JETER

HATTIESBURG – A few years ago at a spring meeting of the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE) in Tuscon, Ariz., Marty Martin, PsyD, and Phillip Hemphill, PhD, crossed paths when both doctoral-level therapists were making presentations – Martin on disruptive behavior; Hemphill on managing physician performance.

Hemphill had focused on social work; Martin had pursued clinical psychology. One was a researcher and published author of disruptive behavior and workplace bullying issues; the other was a lead clinician in an assessment and treatment program with a national reputation

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for treating disruptive behavior.

“If individuals with disruptive behavior are provided with the expectations and goals of your organization, you’re offering directionality, effort, persistence and strategic development,” said Hemphill, program director of the professional enhancement program at Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services in Hattiesburg, and co-author of Taming Disruptive Behavior, published by ACPE earlier this year. “Remember, the more difficult, specific, yet realistic your goal setting, the higher the level of performance you can expect.

Avoid non-specific, easy, and/or do-your-best goal setting. Giving and receiving feedback regarding goals in

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 8)

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PhysicianSpotlight

Michael Stonnington, MD

By LUCY SCHULTZE

For Hattiesburg orthopedist Michael Stonnington, MD, running a cattle farm isn’t just an outlet for his off-hours pursuits. It’s an open door to connect with his patients.

“My patients and I have things in common,” said Stonnington, who practices with Southern Bone & Joint Specialists, PA, and owns a 280-acre farm in Perkinston.

“So many of my patients grew up on farms, and we can talk the same language,” he said. “I enjoy hearing about their life experiences, and they’re giving me advice all the time.”

A native of Australia, Stonnington sought out a rural life when he chose to settle in south Mississippi. He had previously lived in a suburban setting in Biloxi while serving at Keesler Medical Center.

“I heard about a three-acre farm in Stone County, and was able to buy it,” he said. “As land went up for sale around me, I started piecing more of it together. I believe it’s the first time the land has all been under one owner since the early 1900s.”

Today, he and his family along with a small crew of ranchers manage a herd of 200 head of cattle, raised using natural methods and fed a diet of grass rather than grain.

“The health benefits of grass-fed beef are many,” Stonnington said. “My medical background has allowed me to become an advocate for grass-fed beef, because I can read the articles about its health benefits and understand that language.”

Taking part in two parallel careers makes for a busy schedule for Stonnington. During the workweek, he divides his practice between trauma calls and general orthopedics, with a special interest in total joint replacement. He is one of few physicians in the state who specialize in repairing pelvic fractures in trauma patients.

Stonnington’s scheduled surgeries include many total hip-replacement and knee-replacement procedures, generally performed as small-incision arthroplasty.

Those procedures take place at The Orthopedic Institute, a new specialty hospital created through a partnership between Southern Bone & Joint Specialists and Forrest General Hospital.

Stonnington is a former president of staff at Forrest General and continues to serve on the hospital’s medical executive committee. His work as an orthopedist includes serving as a team physician at Pearl River Community College and Stone High School, and as an associate team physician at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Stonnington was raised the son of a physician and an orthopedic nurse, both of whom helped influence his own career choices.

He came to the United States with his family as a young child, when his father, a rheumatologist in Sydney, was offered a residency to retrain into rehabilitation medicine at the Mayo Clinic. Henry Stonnington went on to become a leader in the mississippimedicalnews

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field of brain injury.

His son, meanwhile, enrolled at the University of Virginia for his undergraduate studies, initially with the goal of studying physical anthropology. While he majored in archaeology, he ultimately chose to pursue a medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine on a scholarship from the U.S. Air Force.

Stonnington completed his internship and residency at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville. He served in the USAF Reserves during his training, and was placed at Keesler Air Force Base as a staff orthopedic surgeon.

Stonnington served at Keelser for three years and continued as a reservist for three additional years after joining Southern Bone & Joint in 2000. He departed the Air Force with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Ultimately, the decision to settle in Mississippi had to do with both the landscape and the neighbors.

“When I moved here with the Air JNLMSMed-2 JNLMSMed-2

Force, I loved the people here,” Stonnington said. “I had a desire to live in a smaller, rural community, and Perkinston really fit the bill.”

Since buying his farm, Stonnington has been making a daily 45-minute commute to Hattiesburg for his practice.

He operated the farm initially as a tree farm where he also kept horses. But when Hurricane Katrina destroyed his timber crop, he was ready for a new approach.

“A friend of mine was a cattle farmer, and he taught me the ropes,” Stonnington said. “With my medical background, I can do a lot of the animal care on my own, and then I have veterinarians who help me out when I do need assistance.”

The all-natural regimen at Stonnington Farm steers clear of using antibiotics or hormones on cattle, but does allow supplements like omega-3 fatty acids. The farm’s philosophy also calls for close monitoring of the herd to ensure good health, and gentle methods for moving cattle from one pas-

ture to another in order to prevent stress on the herd.

In addition to hired hands, responsibilities on the farm are shared by Stonnington, his wife Katie, and their children: Henry, 16, Grace, 15, and Christian, 13.

“On the weekend, we’re out there fixing pipes and fences,” Stonnington said. “My routine is to come home and do rounds on the farm at night and make sure everything’s fine. I talk with my chief rancher on a daily basis, and we talk about what needs to be done.”

The farm was able to begin marketing its beef by the half or whole cow to individuals in 2012. This year, it is extending its reach to restaurants.

Stonnington envisions the farm being something his children will carry on someday.

“There’s really not a time goes by I’m not thinking about my farm,” he said. “At times it’s stressful, but most of the time, it’s something I love to think about.”

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IT Acceleration

MedEvolve finds ‘sweet spot’ niche providing PM and EMR software and RCM services to physician practices nationwide

By LYNNE JETER

LITTLE ROCK – When Bill Hefley, MD, was a junior partner at a Little Rock orthopedic practice more than two decades ago, he was tasked with choosing a new information technology (IT) system to replace an antiquated one. After completing due diligence on various options, he played it safe and purchased a new system from the na- Dr. Bill Hefley tion’s largest vendor.

“It was a complete disaster,” recalled Hefley, noting the software was different than the demonstration version, the trainer was “preoccupied and disinterested,” and customer support was practically non-existent. “Our practice collections soon approached zero. I knew there had to be a better way.”

A hobbyist computer programmer, Hefley devoted his energies to filling the void in the marketplace. From it, he established MedEvolve as a truly collaborative industry partner to solidify the IT backbone of medical practices. The success of MedEvolve’s practice management (PM) software – it not only organizes patient databases, scheduling and billing, but also

allows extensive data reporting – led to the launch of its revenue cycle management (RCM) division. In a fairly crowded field of practice management software companies, MedEvolve stands out not only in software performance, but especially in a vital yet often overlooked area – customer service.

The Drawing Board

In searching for a better solution in the early 1990s, Hefley connected with Pat Cline, president of Clinitec International Inc., then a startup company based in Horsham, Pa., and a pioneer in the emerging field of electronic medical records (EMR).

“Intrigued, I became an early investor and a development partner focused on orthopedic clinical content,” he said, noting that a small public company acquired Clinitec, which became known as NextGen Healthcare, now one of the world’s leading healthcare IT companies. Hefley, an orthopedic specialist in minimally invasive surgeries for the knee, hip and shoulder using arthroscopic and joint replacement procedures, became a development partner with NextGen in 1994, working on the development of clinical content for orthopedists. “By 1997, I felt opportunities still existed in the physician PM software industry. While most physician practices were utilizing computerized billing and sched-

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uling, the available systems were DOS- or Unix-based and not taking advantage of the Windows GUI interface, much less the Internet. More importantly, healthcare IT vendors in the physician sector remained notoriously atrocious in delivering support and customer service. I frequently heard my physician friends and colleagues recount horror stories of flawed software systems with dismal support that were making it impossible to run their practices successfully. I remembered my personal bad experience with the large national vendor and the stellar reputation of a small local firm, MBS (Medical Business Services Inc.), which I’d also checked out.”

In 1998, Hefley and Steve Pierce of MBS, a 9-year-old IT firm with a mature DOS-based PM software product, founded MedEvolve with the vision of becoming the first Windows-based physician PM system that employed the Internet and delivered impeccable support and customer service.

“My practice became the beta site for the first version of our new Windows-based PM system,” recalled Hefley, MedEvolve’s president and CEO. “We began to sell our product regionally initially and eventually throughout the United States. We integrated our PM product with several specialty-specific EMR systems to reach more physician practices. We continually worked to upgrade the software and deliver new, innovative functionality. By our tenth year, we had several thousand users nationwide.”

With the success of MedEvolve’s PM product, Hefley recognized a growing need among physician clients for expertise in RCM. “Physicians were struggling with increasingly complex third-party payor systems, growing documentation requirements, mounting government regulations, and threats of audits, fines and imprisonment,” said Hefley. “Practices were searching for a partner with expertise in these areas that could relieve them of the burden of constantly attempting to stay abreast of the ever-changing rules and regulations.

Physicians wanted to focus on the practice of medicine and leave the headaches to people that specialized in those matters.”

MedEvolve developed an RCM division, acquired three small RCM companies, and now has a division that includes experienced practice administrators and dozens of billing and coding specialists.

“With specialization, scale, and great software, we’ve been able to produce some of the best results in the industry – 97 percent first-pass claims success, 27 percent average increase in practice revenue, and a 38 percent average reduction in accounts receivable days through MedEvolve RCM services,” he said. “By switching to MedEvolve’s RCM service, providers immediately experience less hassle, lower costs and increased revenue that result in an improved bottom line and peace of mind.”

Health Reform Impact

The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) authorized the

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to award incentive payments to eligible professionals who demonstrated Meaningful Use of a certified electronic health record (EHR) system.

“With the new criteria defined, MedEvolve saw a need for a modern EHR product designed from the ground up to meet Meaningful Use mandates and finally deliver on the industry’s promise of a cutting edge, customized solution that helps practices save time and money and improve the quality of patient care,” said Hefley. “The resulting MedEvolve EHR is fully integrated with the MedEvolve PM system and is designed for the high volume practice with an emphasis on fewer clicks, fewer screens, faster data input and faster data retrieval.”

Hefley has placed a strong emphasis on customer service as the bedrock principle of MedEvolve. It’s not just a catchy slogan; he rewards employees for “outrageously excellent customer service” with WE (Whatever, whenever, Exceed expectations) awards. The WE Award comes with a cash bonus and a new title on the employee’s email signature. As a result, employees strive to achieve the distinction of a “Four-time Recipient of the MedEvolve WE Award.”

“In the software business, that means several operators are at the ready for periods of peak call volume,” he said. “We maintain support-to-client ratios above the industry norm. We design our software to be intuitive with online help so that less support is necessary. In the RCM division, we work claims as much as necessary to ensure our providers are fully paid for the services they’ve performed. We’re not some detached, impersonal entity; we partner with the practice in achieving their goals.”

Today, MedEvolve offers PM and EMR software and RCM services to physician partners, and also electronic prescribing, data analytics and other ancillary products and services. With four offices, the company covers all specialties and the entire United States, from solo practitioners to practices with more than 50 physicians. Commitment to service has garnered MedEvolve a reputation of trust among physician partners, allowing the company to rise above the scores of small physician IT companies nationwide.

By year’s end, MedEvolve will outgrow its new corporate headquarters in downtown Little Rock, a refurbished red brick bakery built circa 1919, necessitating yet another expansion.

“We’re now in that sweet spot where we have the expertise and resources to meet our clients’ every need, and yet we remain nimble and able to move quickly in a rapidly changing healthcare environment,” he said. “We’re proud to be privately held so that we aren’t a slave to our stock price and quarterly reports, but rather free to do what’s right for our client. Our foremost concern remains the principles upon which the company was founded – elegant, user-friendly software and unparalleled customer service.” mississippimedicalnews

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Improving Bladder Cancer Detection Baptist adopts innovative imaging agent to upgrade outcomes

By LYNNE JETER

Baptist Medical Center in Jackson is among a select number of medical centers nationwide – and the first in Mississippi – to offer a newly approved optical imaging agent for the detection of papillary cancer of the bladder in patients with known or suspected bladder cancer.

Blue Light Cystoscopy with Cysview® (hexaminolevulinate HCl) allows us to more accurately detect certain bladder tumors,” said Baptist urologist Patrick Daily, MD. “The availability of (this new procedure) signals the arrival of an innovative diagnostic technology for Mississippi residents who have or may Dr. Patrick Daily have bladder cancer.”

Blue Light Cystoscopy with Cysview, made

by Norwegian biotechnology company Photocure, detects bladder cancer in individuals suspected or known to have lesions in the bladder, based on a prior cystoscopy.

It’s used with the Karl Storz D-Light C Photodynamic Diagnostic (PDD) system that includes a white light setting (Mode 1) to illuminate the bladder during a routine cystoscopy, and a blue light setting (Mode 2) to induce and view fluorescence, thereby enabling physicians to detect lesions in the bladder. (http://vimeo.com/61635634) “Bladder cancer has a high recurrence rate,” said Daily, a partner with Mississippi Urology Clinic PLLC in Jackson. “So finding tumors at their earliest stage improves the chance to preserve the bladder and increases survival rate. Blue Light Cystoscopy with Cysview represents an important advancement in diagnostic technology in over a century, enabling more accurate diagnosis of bladder tumors compared to the standard technique of white light cystoscopy alone. Patients with known or suspected bladder cancer can now come to Baptist to undergo diagnostic procedures administered by physicians who have been specially trained in

the use of this innovative technology.”

Bladder cancer statistics are sobering, and perhaps a bit surprising.

• The most likely cause of bladder cancer: smoking cigarettes.

• Bladder cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in men, and the eighth most common in women.

• The most common initial sign of the disease is red-colored urine, which requires urine cytology and cystoscopy.

• The standard diagnostic procedure for bladder cancer combines urine cytology and white light cystoscopy. Even though cytology provides specificity and sensitivity in detecting high-grade lesions, it provides no information on the location and extent of the disease. If the cells test positive for cancer, the next step is direct visual inspection of the urothelium and mucosa with white light cystoscopy to localize the tumors.

• The urologist performs Transurethral resection (TUR), a form of cystoscopy-guided biopsy, of suspicious areas of the bladder.

• Tissue samples are tested to determine if they are malignant.

Last year, more than 73,000 Americans were diagnosed with bladder cancer.

An estimated 14,800 patients nationwide died from the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute.

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MSMA Roundup

By LYNNE JETER

Mississippi physicians celebrated a victory earlier this year when a threejudge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld as constitutional an essential element of the state’s tort reform law – the $1 million cap on noneconomic damages in personal injury cases – in Learmonth v. Sears, Roebuck & Co. After Learmonth was awarded $2.2 million for noneconomic damages, a federal judge reduced the amount to $1 million in line with the state’s tort law.

Luke Lampton, MD, editor of the Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association, and past president of the Mississippi State Medical Association (MSMA) called the case “the most serious challenge Mississippi’s tort law has so far faced.”

“This outcome is Dr. Luke certainly reassuring, but Lampton our work is hardly done,” he wrote. “There will be other judicial and legislative challenges in the years ahead.

We must remain vigilant to preserve the hard-won victory of tort reform.”

Lampton noted that even though it’s still at risk in the constitutional challenge, the state’s separate $500,000 limit in medical malpractice cases wasn’t an issue.

Buoying the state’s tort reform laws will certainly be a hot topic at MSMA’s

Battling Alzheimer’s, continued from page 1

11th Annual CME in the Sand, scheduled for May 23-28 at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort in Sandestin, Fla. Hosted by the Young Physicians Section, social event highlights include a welcome reception on Thursday, May 23; the Medical Assurance Company of Mississippi (MACM) Golf Tournament on Friday, May 24; and the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) Alumni Family Cruise on Sunday, May 26. The conference will wrap with fireworks and dinner on the beach on Monday, May 27.

Attendees may earn up to 17 hours of CME credits on topics including dermatology, headaches, hypertension, Medicaid, medication management, medical records and the IT Cloud, obesity, oncology, pharmacology, plastic surgery risk management and prescription drug abuse.

CME speakers include: • Sheila Bouldin, MD • Ken Cleveland, MD • Nikki Cleveland, MD • Steve Demetropoulos, MD • David Dzielak, PhD • Scott Hambleton, MD • Rob Jones, JD • Mark Valverde, MD • Julie Wyatt, MD Save-the-Date: The 145th annual session of the MSMA House of Delegates will take place Aug. 16-17 at the Norman C. Nelson Student Union on the UMMC campus in Jackson.

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have Alzheimer’s disease, you either die from it or die with it,” said Alzheimer’s Association CEO Harry Johns. “Urgent, meaningful action is necessary, particularly as more and more people age into greater risk for developing a disease that today has no cure and no way to slow Harry Johns or stop its progression.”

The burden of Alzheimer’s disease so strains the nation’s healthcare system and government programs that President Barack Obama spoke of the need for “investments in science and innovation,” with specific reference to Alzheimer’s disease, in his most recent State of the Union address.

“With baby boomers reaching the age of elevated risk, we don’t have time to do what we’ve always done,” said Robert Egge, vice president of public policy for the Alzheimer’s Association. “The National Institutes of Health needs Robert Egge to reset its priorities and focus its resources on the crisis at our doorstep, and Congress must fully fund implementation of the National Alzheimer’s Plan to solve the crisis.”

Recently, Johns outlined a clear case for increased resources to address the Alzheimer’s epidemic at a recent hearing of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Committee on Appropriations.

He pointed out that even though the National Alzheimer’s Project Act that was passed unanimously with bipartisan congressional support in 2010, the first National Alzheimer’s Plan has been developed and submitted to Congress — consistent with the goals established by the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, with the promise of important progress when fully implemented. However, to achieve the plan’s ambitious goal to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025, smart commitment of resources must be made.

“Having a plan with measurable outcomes is important, but unless there are resources to implement the plan, we cannot hope to make much progress,” he said. “If we’re going to succeed in the fight against Alzheimer’s, Congress must provide the resources the scientists need.”

In Mississippi, the nearly 100 conference attendees heard about new directions in Alzheimer’s disease research from opening speaker, Dean Hartley, PhD, director of science initiatives of the Dr. Dean Alzheimer’s Association.

Hartley Of particular interest: the recent focus on Alzheimer’s patients who have Down syndrome, and the recent discovery that two groups of researchers converged on a mutated gene involved in the immune system’s role in protecting patients against the disease.

Heath Gordon, PhD, a clinical neuropsychologist at the G.V. “Sonny” Mont-

gomery VA Medical Center, discussed clinical neuropsychology in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cognitive dysfunction, and Kenneth Weiss, MD, director of neuroimaging research for the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), talked about neuroimaging in Alzheimer’s disease. Richard Courtney, CELA, discussed the legal and ethical implications of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on Alzheimer’s disease.

A panel discussion on gero- psychiatric approaches, non-pharmacologic approaches and treating depression in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease was led by panelists Randy Pittman, PharmD, of the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy; Ashley Harris, MD, a geriatrician with North Mississippi Medical Center; and Joshep Kwentus, MD, president of Precise Research Centers in Jackson.

Attendees also discussed disappointment that the Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) panel doesn’t believe adequate evidence exists to determine whether PET imaging of brain beta amyloid changes health outcomes, and urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) to review the evidence and make a positive determination about coverage.

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health Division of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementia, Alzheimer’s Association-Mississippi Chapter, and the UMMC Division of Geriatric Medicine sponsored the 2013 conference, which attracted physicians, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, physician’s assists and psychologists.

“This was an excellent opportunity for practitioners to network, learn about new advances in research, and expand treatment approaches for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Kathy Van Cleave, director of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health Division of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementia. “We were excited to partner with the Alzheimer’s Association and UMMC to bring this opportunity back to Central Mississippi.”

Save-the-Dates Alzheimer’s AssociationMississippi Chapter Fundraising Events:

May 3:

5th Annual Beth VanWinkle Memorial Round to Remember Golf Scramble, Natchez Trace Golf Club.

June1:

Blondes v. Brunettes Flag Football Game, Jackson Academy.

Walk to End Alzheimer’s:

Sept. 14: Jackson Sept. 28: Greenwood and Tupelo Oct. 12: Hattiesburg Oct. 13: Golden Triangle Nov. 2: Meridian and North Mississippi Nov. 16: Gulf Coast

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MedicalEntrepreneurs

The Power of Habit

By MARTIN WILLOUGHBY I was recently driving my seventh grade daughter to school when she leaned over and asked tentatively, “Dad, where are you going?” As smoothly as I could, I explained why, instead of driving her to school, which is about five minutes from our home, I was well on my way to my office. It was one of those moments when I realized I was on autopilot going through one of the normal routines of life.

The esteemed psychologist William James once noted, “All our life, so far as it has definite form, is but a mass of habits.”

Studies have shown this to be true. A Duke University study showed that 40 percent of actions people perform each day aren’t actual decisions; instead, they’re habits.

For most of us, habits are an invisible force that we don’t even recognize. When I’m speaking on the power of habit, I like to ask audiences how many of them brushed their teeth that day. Usually almost everyone claims to have done so that morning, though I’m confident a few participants might be fudging on the truth.

Most adults are in the habit of brushing their teeth at least once daily, if not twice.

I wish I could say the same for my 7-yearold son!

Interestingly, in the early 1900s, most Americans didn’t brush their teeth. In fact, fewer than one in 10 adults brushed their teeth every day. Poor dental hygiene was such a problem with military recruits in World War I that the U.S. government declared it a national emergency!

As Charles Duhigg describes in his book The Power of Habit, this trend changed when master marketer Claude Hopkins worked magic with the product Pepsodent®. The problem wasn’t the availability of toothpaste products; the issue was that tooth brushing wasn’t a habit for most people.

Hopkins’ genius was convincing people to daily use such products as Quaker Oats, Palmolive soap, and Puffed Wheat.

He figured that he could cue people to brush their teeth by focusing their attention on the natural film that all of us have on our ivories. He also pointed people to the “reward” of white and shiny teeth.

Pepsodent’s ads featured pretty people with big smiles portraying “cleaner mouths and brighter teeth.”

Today, all kinds of toothpaste flavors remind us that we accomplish something when we brush our teeth, even though the taste has nothing to do with actually cleaning them.

Ten years after the new ad campaigns launched, Hopkins was a rich man. Nearly two of three Americans were routinely brushing their teeth, compared to 7 percent previously.

Through his research, Duhigg learned there’s a real pattern to habit development. He describes the cycle of a “cue,” a “routine,” and a “reward.” mississippimedicalnews

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For example, I’m a real Chick-fil-A fan, and whenever I see one of their stores, I have a mental “cue.” This unfortunately leads me to often zip through their drive line for a meal – “the routine.” I then enjoy the “reward” of that salty taste – maybe even something sweet if I get dessert! Countless examples show how this works in modern life. Marketing messages are buzzing around us, just tempting us to create new habits around their products.

Our brains are massive consumers of our bodies’ energy. However, they’re always looking for ways to be energy efficient by taking shortcuts. Our brains will try to turn something almost routine into a habit. This takes place deep inside the basal ganglia. The problem is that our brain doesn’t distinguish between positive and negative habits. My brain can develop a habit of being a couch potato just as easily as a fitness fanatic. As Duhigg points out in his book, research is teaching us that it’s very difficult to stop a bad habit.

However, once we understand the habit formation loop – cue, routine, reward – then we can begin to retool our habits and form new ones.

After interviewing hundreds of leaders, I’m convinced that real leadership begins with self-leadership. To effectively lead others, we need to be able to manage ourselves and lead by example. By unlocking the power of habit, we can be leaders who create positive tendencies in our lives.

We can be more intentional in creating habits that increase our effectiveness and happiness in life.

In next month’s column, I’ll share additional information on the power of habit and how to best utilize it for work and play.

Martin Willoughby is a serial entrepreneur, author of the book Zoom Entrepreneur, and a business consultant.

Direct questions to Martin at martin. willoughby@butlersnow.com

Online Event Calendar To submit or view local events visit the Mississippi Medical News website.

A user name and password are required to submit an event. Under Member Options, go to “free sign up” to register.

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Taming Disruptive Behavior, continued from page 1 progress is an important factor in goal accomplishment.”

The medical community – Martin and Hemphill included – had taken note that disruptive behavior in the workplace would no longer be tolerated when the Indiana Supreme Court ruled in Raess v. Doescher that the hospital had to pay $325,000 in damages resulting from the misconduct of a surgeon in a landmark workplace bullying case.

The Hoosier State’s highest court acknowledged it as possibly the basis of a claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress arising from a supervisor’s workplace misconduct. In this case, a hospital room perfusionist claimed a cardiovascular surgeon approached him with “clenched fists, piercing eyes, a beetred face, and popping veins,” spouting obscenity-laced threats that he “was finished!”

The advent of health reform has perhaps exacerbated disruptive behavior, along with empirical linkage between disruptive behavior and clinical outcomes ranging from Dr. Phillip Hemphill medical errors to mortality, prompting healthcare executives to expeditiously mainstream preventive measures and take corrective action quickly.

In the last decade, 21 states have in-

troduced the Healthy Workplace Bill, with 16 bills active in 11 states. (Mississippi has not yet had a version of the HWB introduced; there is no state coordinator.) The Joint Commission addressed the issue by adopting a new leadership standard concerning “behaviors that undermine a culture of safety,” effective Jan. 1, 2009.

The ACPE is among national professional organizations that have adopted zero tolerance for abuse policies.

“A measured approach is recommended in defining inappropriate and disruptive behavior,” said Martin. “The definition shouldn’t be overly inclusive or narrow. If (it’s) too inclusive, you’ll be wasting organizational resources addressing incidents that later turn out to be ‘false positives.’ On the other hand, if too narrow, you’ll be siphoning off resources to craft ‘damage control’ strategies when a real case of inappropriate or disruptive behavior ‘falls through the cracks.’”

The 126-page, fact-rich manual is organized by a series of questions that are explored in detail: • What is disruptive behavior and how common is it?

• What are the impact, costs and risks of disruptive behavior?

• How can you prevent disruptive behavior?

• How can you address disruptive behavior from a leadership and organizational perspective?

• What are special considerations

when working with physicians?

• What are special considerations when dealing with nurses and other members of the care team?

• What are special considerations when addressing disruptive behavior of board members and senior leaders?

• What are special considerations when dealing with sexual misconduct at work?

• What’s the role of human resources, the legal department, patient safety, quality management, risk management and medical staff?

• What if I’m perceived to be disruptive? Me, really?

• How may I use multi-source feedback in the management of individuals with disruptive behavior?

The book ends with resources of programs across the United States focusing on disruptive professional behavior.

“I encounter physicians with problems related to disruptive behavior on a daily basis,” Dr. Scott said Scott Hambleton, Hambleton MD, medical director of the Mississippi Professionals Health Program. “The negative impact that an organizational leader with these behaviors will have on the organization can be tremendous, with a trickle-down effect that can damage the entire institution. Interven-

tion and treatment are very effective, and can turn even the most seemingly hopeless situations into positive experiences. This book provides a framework that clearly describes the problem and the solution.”

10 Tips for Developing a Healthy Workplace Monitoring Program: 1. Develop a positive culture.

2. Be clear about the purpose.

3. Clearly express any desired behaviors.

4. Keep the number of items to be scored few.

5. Keep the scale simple and fit-for-purpose.

6. Use six to 10 raters.

7. Compare results with selfassessment.

8. Train those giving feedback.

9. Involve the ratee.

10. Incorporate development.

SOURCE: Taming Disruptive Behavior (ACPE, 2013).

www.bcbsms.com Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, A Mutual Insurance Company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® Registered Marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an Association of Independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

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Historic Cancer Research Effort Participants sought for CPS-3 study

By LYNNE JETER

For the second and final time, Metro Jackson residents have a unique opportunity to participate in a historic cancer study that has the potential to change the face of cancer for future generations.

American Cancer Society’s Epidemiology Research Program is returning the Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) program to the tri-county area after a success-

ful 2012 enrollment turnout of more than 500 participants at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). Soon after last year’s high-profile enrollment, healthcare professionals, particularly primary care providers (PCPs), expressed a strong willingness to partner with the American Cancer Society (ACS) to bring back CPS-3 to Jackson for the final time. PCPs will be promoting the study through December, when the recruitment phase will end.

The landmark preventive research opportunity will help researchers better understand the lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer.

Overall, the CPS-3 is seeking 300,000 diverse adult participants between the ages of 30 and 65 across the United States and Puerto Rico who have never been diagnosed with cancer.

“This cancer prevention study will have a tremendous impact on cancer research

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for not only this generation, but for several generations to come with everyone’s help in the Jackson area,” said ACS CPS-3 coordinator JeanAnn Reeves. “This is such a beneficial and easy way to help so many.”

Even though local enrollment efforts took place last month in partnership with Central Mississippi Medical Center, Broadmoor Baptist JeanAnn Church, Mississippi State Reeves Capitol, and Hinds Community College, enrollment remains open.

The initial enrollment requires two steps: scheduling an enrollment appointment and the in-person enrollment process.

The physical segment of the voluntary, long-term commitment takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.

Participants will be asked to: • Read and sign an informed consent form; • Complete a comprehensive survey packet requiring disclosure of information on lifestyle, behavioral, and other factors related to their health; • Have their waist circumference measured; and • Give a blood sample.

Periodic follow-up surveys of various lengths are expected to be sent every few years to individuals.

Researchers will use the CPS-3 data to buoy evidence from a series of ACS studies that began in the 1950s, which have collectively involved millions of volunteer participants. The Hammond-Horn Study, CPS-I and CPS-II have played a significant role in understanding cancer prevention and risk, and have contributed greatly to the scientific basis and development of public health guidelines and recommendations.

For example, those studies confirmed the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, demonstrated the link between larger waist size and increased death rates from cancer and other causes, and showed the considerable impact of air pollution on heart and lung conditions.

The current study, CPS-II, began in 1982. However, lifestyle changes and the understanding of cancer in the more than two decades since its launch make it important for the ACS to initiate a new study.

“Taking an hour or so every few years to fill out a survey – and potentially save someone from being diagnosed with cancer in the future – is a commitment that thousands of volunteer participants have already made,” said Alpa V. Patel, PhD, principal investigator of CPS-3. “We're looking Dr. Alpa V. Patel for more like-minded individuals in Jackson to join this effort that we know will save lives and improve the outlook for future generations.” mississippimedicalnews

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Reducing Hospital Readmissions IQH leads community teams to better outcomes across Mississippi When Medicare patients make an unplanned return to the hospital that could have been avoided by better care coordination, it delays their recovery, unnecessarily exposes them to such hospital dangers as infection, costs taxpayers money and consumes increasingly scarce healthcare resources.

In Mississippi, the approach that several communities are taking to improve the transition between hospital and posthospital care now has been validated by research in a recent edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The JAMA article describes a project in communities in 14 states that produced an average 6 percent decrease in hospitalizations and re-hospitalizations over two years, at nearly twice the pace in participating communities as in comparison sites. Conducted between 2008 and 2011, the project was performed by Medicare Quality Improvement Organizations with funding from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the federal agency that administers Medicare. This project formed the foundation for work currently being spearheaded in Mississippi by Information & Quality Healthcare (IQH).

“Our data show that nearly one in five patients who leave the hospital today will be re-admitted within the next

month, and that more than three-quarters of these re-admissions are potentially preventable,” said Patrick Conway, MD, CMS chief medical officer and Center for Clinical Standards & Quality director. “This situation can be changed by approaching healthcare quality from a community-wide perspective, and focusing on how everyone who touches a patient’s life – whether part of the traditional ‘healthcare team’ or not – can better work together in the best interests of their shared patient population to prevent hospitalizations.”

As Mississippi’s QIO, IQH has mobilized local coalitions focused on reducing avoidable hospital readmissions. Following the model described in the JAMA study, these coalitions bring together not only hospitals, but also nursing homes, home health agencies, hospice, and social service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging.

IQH coaches and educates local coalitions on: • Discovering the reasons behind the community’s readmissions rates; • Applying medical research findings in ways that reduce readmissions, such as methods for educating patients about caring for themselves when they return home, ways that health care facilities and provid-

ers can better communicate as patients move among them, and fixing complex and patient-unfriendly discharge plans to give the patient what he/she needs to stay healthy outside of the hospital; • Tailoring best practices in reducing readmissions to the specific needs of the community; and • Analyzing data to gauge progress and impact.

In addition, IQH connects coalition participants to other organizations in the state and nation to share best practices and lessons learned for helping patients transition out of hospital care, and serves as an informational resource for any community in the state that wants to reduce avoidable hospital readmissions.

“Our healthcare system is complex,” said IQH president James S. McIlwain, MD. “Elderly people with chronic conditions rely on many providers and services, not all of them medical, so a commitment to shared, local responsibility from all who Dr. James S. McIlwain are involved in the care process is important. We congratulate our participants on their commitment to breaking down organizational boundaries

to do what is best for the patient, and look forward to celebrating their success.”

The results of the project described in the JAMA article have informed other major national initiatives now underway to improve care transitions, including the Partnership for Patients and the Community-Based Care Transitions Program (CCTP). IQH assisted the Three Rivers Health Care Coalition make a successful application for CCTP funding that is supporting care transitions initiatives in a 10-county area in Northeast Mississippi.

The efforts that IQH is undertaking are part of a national project that is transforming healthcare in more than 400 communities across the country. Called “Integrating Care for Populations and Communities,” the project is part of the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization Program.

Read Mississippi Medical News Online:

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GrandRounds Hattiesburg Clinic Turns 50

The clinic was established on May 1, 1963, when 10 physicians partnered with a mission to focus on excellence and service to the patient. Today, Hattiesburg Clinic is the state’s largest privately owned multispecialty outpatient facility. While the Clinic has grown to over 300 physicians and providers, caring for patients in more than 18 counties in South Mississippi, its mission has remained the same.

Hattiesburg Clinic will also host a commemoration ceremony on May 8 to honor its founding physicians and their families. The ceremony will begin at 7 a.m. at Hattiesburg Clinic’s main clinic at 415 S 28th Ave. in Hattiesburg, Miss.

For more information visit www.hattiesburgclinic.com.

Lucius Lampton, MD, Earns National Award

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Lucius “Luke” Lampton, M.D., FAAFP, Chief of Staff and Medical Director of Beacham Memorial Hospital and Medical Director for the Hospice Compassus program in McComb, was recently awarded the R. Sean Morrison, M.D. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Hospice Physician Leadership. The inaugural award was presented at a national physicians meeting to recognize Hospice Compassus programs and physicians for their leadership in continuing to raise industry benchmarks for quality hospice care nationwide.

Dr. Lampton is Chairman of the Mississippi State Board of Health and Editor of the Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association. He practices family medicine in Magnolia, Miss., and is Chief of Staff and Medical Director of Beacham Memorial Hospital there. He is past President of the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians and is currently secretary of the South Central Medical Society. He serves as a Clinical Associate Professor at Tulane Medical School in Family and Community Medicine and holds a clinical professorship at William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine. As well, he is part of the clinical faculty for the University of Mississippi School of Medicine.

The R. Sean Morrison, M.D. Award is named to honor the achievements of Dr. Sean Morrison, a professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine Department of Geriatrics. He is a past president of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and is the recipient of their national leadership award. Dr. Morrison is a world-renowned authority and advocate on the subject of hospice and palliative care and has published more than 100 research articles and 15 books on the subject.

In December, Hospice Compassus became the first hospice provider in the U.S. to publicly reveal patient quality data. The data shows significant achievements toward establishing and continuing to raise industry benchmarks after a year of reporting quality data at more than 50 community-based programs nationwide.

3/10/09 3:05:11 PM

Kathryn Webb, SRHS volunteer and former employee, has been inducted into the Mississippi Nurses Association Hall of Fame. She was nominated by the District 6 Mississippi Nurses Association representing Jackson George and Green counties.

Webb was one of three people bestowed with this honor during the annual Nightingale Awards Gala in Jackson, Miss.

Webb is an active volunteer at Singing River Hospital, having previously worked in the Surgical department at Singing River Hospital in 1958 after serving in a similar capacity at VA Hospital in Shreveport, La for 10 years.

Webb completed her Masters of Science in psychiatric/mental health nursing from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1976. It is estimated that Webb’s work in nursing education contributed to the professional licensure of more than 1,000 nursing graduates.

Webb has served on the Mississippi Nurses Association’s District 6 board as a 1st vice president, 2nd vice president, board member and nominations committee member.

The Jackson County Board of Supervisors honored Webb with an official proclamation March recognizing her recent induction into the Mississippi Nurses Association’s Hall of Fame.

The Band Perry To Perform Benefit Concert For The Mind Center

Mississippi music lovers will have a unique opportunity to hear one of country’s music’s hottest bands and support Alzheimer’s research at what’s expected to be a sold-out concert on May 5.

The Band Perry is set to perform at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 5 at Thalia Mara Hall. Proceeds will benefit the MIND Center (Memory Impairment and Neurodegenerative Dementia Research), a cuttingedge Alzheimer’s disease research center at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster, both online and at its physical locations.

Tickets range from $25-$42.50.

The Band Perry consists of siblings Kimberly, Reid and Neil Perry. As the 2011 Country Music Association “New Artist of the Year,” the band’s Jackson performance will come just one month after the planned release of its second album, “Pioneer.” The band’s current No. 1 hit single has been certified Quadruple Platinum.

The Band Perry maintains strong ties to Mississippi. The three siblings were born in Jackson, raised in Madison and their father, Dr. Steve Perry, is a pediatrician and graduate of the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Dr. Perry will attend and be honored at the event.

Proceeds from the concert will support MIND Center research. Mosley and his team are currently leading one of the largest and most comprehensive studies ever conducted of mid-life risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of cognitive decline.

The Band Perry will arrive in Jackson just a month after its second album, Pioneer, is released on April 2.

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GrandRounds Todd Lupton Named Jackson Market Chief Executive Officer

Todd Lupton has begun his new role with Health Management as Jackson’s Market Chief Executive Officer. Lupton will have administrative oversight for the company’s five Jackson area hospitals which include River Oaks Hospital, Central Mississippi Medical Center, Madison River Todd Lupton Oaks, Woman’s Hospital and Crossgates River Oaks Hospital.

Lupton will focus on continuing the growth of the largest network of hospitals in the Jackson market. Lupton will work closely with hospital administrative teams, associates, physicians and community leaders to make the five network hospitals even more successful at providing the best possible healthcare in the metro area.

Todd began his health care career in 1993, and in 2008 became the Chief Financial Officer for the Physicians Regional System in Naples, Florida. He was promoted to Market CEO three years later and has consistently been successful in developing key service lines and supporting innovative technologies. Lupton is experienced and at creating dynamic relationships and programs that benefit both physicians and patients.

Baptist Health Systems Recognizes Leaders in Healthcare

Michael Koury, MD, FACS, a surgeon with Baptist Medical ClinicThoracic Surgery, received a three-year appointment as Cancer Liaison Physician for the cancer program at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center. Cancer Liaison Physicians are an integral Dr. Michael part of cancer programs Koury accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC). Dr. Koury is among a national network of more than 1,500 volunteer physicians who are responsible for providing leadership and direction to establish, maintain, and support their facilities’ cancer programs.

Brenda Howie, MSN, RN, NE-BC, has been named vice president of Nursing at Baptist Medical Center. Howie has been with Baptist since 1981 and served in a clinical director role since 1994.

She has previously been a staff nurse, educator, as- Bremda Howie sistant manager and nurse manager. She has her Master’s of Science in Nursing and is a Board Certified Nurse Executive.

The Valve Center at Baptist Coordinator and Nurse Practitioner Camille Richards, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, participated in a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) advisory board in Chicago, Illinois,

this past November for Edwards Lifesciences. The objective of the advisory board is to gain insight into how the Edwards Global Health Economics and Reimbursement (GHER) team can best support hospitals and their TAVR programs

River Oaks Hospital Selects Associates of 2012

Camille Richards

Crossgates River Oaks Hospital Receives ER Recognition

Crossgates River Oaks Hospital’s Emergency Room was recently recognized for its significant increase in patient satisfaction scores. Press Ganey, the health care industry’s leading company in patient satisfaction measurement, awarded a certificate of achievement to the hospital for the accomplishment.

Press Ganey gathers statistics by surveying random samples of patients after they have been discharged from the hospital. The respondents, who remain anonymous, rate their experience on a five-point scale ranging from “very poor” to “very good.” Some of the categories that are measured are ‘Staff cared about you as a person’, ‘Doctors courtesy’, ‘Nurse took time to listen’ & ‘Overall ER care’ among many others.

Tracy Laird, RN, Director of Emergency Services at Crossgates says that while he is honored by the recognition, he is not completely surprised. Laird gives credit to the ER staff for making a difference.

River Oaks Hospital “Associates of the Year” were announced recently at an employee meeting. The Associate, Nurse and Director of the Year were selected based on nominations during the 2012 year based on servant leadership traits that Health Management works hard to foster through its culture.

Brad Farmer received the River Oaks Associate of the Year award. Since 1995, Farmer has been an associate at River Oaks where he currently serves as the Laboratory’s Point-of-Care Testing Supervisor.

Nikita Bennett, RN, was selected for River Oaks Nurse of the Year award. Bennett started her nursing career as a Nursing Assistant in 1985 at Mississippi State Hospital. She completed her Licensed Practical Nurse training in 1986 from Hinds Community College and remained at MS State Hospital in the LPN role. In 1997, Nikita returned to Hinds Community College and furthered her education to become a Registered Nurse.

Jan Shannon, RN, was awarded River Oaks Director of the Year Award. Shannon has been the Director of Quality Management for River Oaks Hospital for the past five years. Before transferring to River Oaks Hospital in 2007, she worked at HMA’s Central Mississippi Medical Center for 26 years, initially as a staff nurse, and progressively assuming additional responsibilities and promotions, including GYN/ General Surgery Head Nurse and Quality Management Director.

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GrandRounds Anderson Transitions Patients into a Lifestyle of Fitness

Exercise goes hand in hand with health and wellness. That’s why the area’s only medically-based fitness center, Anderson Health and Fitness Center, offers a Clinical Integration program to transition patients into a lifestyle of fitness.

With this program, rehabilitation patients are seamlessly transitioned into the fitness center after finishing a physical

therapy, occupational therapy, or cardiac rehab prescription. The specially trained fitness center staff works with the patient’s therapists, nurses, and doctors to develop an individualized exercise prescription specific to the patient’s needs and goals.

Patients are also referred by local physicians directly to Anderson Health and Fitness Center as part of an overall health and wellness plan. Reduced membership rates are provided to patients referred to

The Mississippi Children’s Museum Announces Program Partnership with River Oaks Hospital

The Mississippi Children’s Museum (MCM) is pleased to announce a partnership with River Oaks Hospital and Crossgates River Oaks in support of MCM’s new Shake Out the Sillies program, held the third Wednesday of each month at 11:00 a.m. This program provides fun-filled fitness activities targeted to children at an early age, when they are most receptive to the development of lifelong healthy habits.

Shake Out the Sillies is designed to encourage fitness and provide health enrichment programming to instill an active lifestyle in the museum’s young visitors. The program is directed towards toddlers and pre-kindergarten aged children, and also provides information and activities for parents and caregivers to use at home. The program incorporates stretching, creative movement and interactive games in ways designed to get children involved and excited about being active.

Shake Out the Sillies is FREE with paid admission to the museum. Event dates and program information can be found on MCM’s website, Facebook and Twitter. For more information about MCM, Shake Out the Sillies, visit www.mschildrensmuseum.com.

Anderson Health and Fitness Center and the Clinical Integration program.

For more information about Anderson Health and Fitness Center and the Clinical Integration program, please contact Matt Espey at 601-553-6622.

Hattiesburg Clinic ENT Expands Services

Hattiesburg Clinic’s Ear Nose and Throat has expanded its services to Picayune. ENT began seeing patients in Picayune in March on the 2nd floor of Highland Community Hospital at 128 Highland Parkway, Suite 200. For more information about ENT’s outreach services, please call 601.579.3310.

New Robot Assisted Bariatric Surgery Procedure Helps Patients Control their Weight

Central Mississippi Medical Center CEO Charlotte W. Dupré announced this week the successful completion of the state’s first robot assisted vertical sleeve gastrectomy and the first robotic bariatric surgery (obesity surgery) in Central Mississippi using the da Vinci Robotic Surgery System. CMMC is a bariatric Center Of Excellence.

Known as robotic vertical sleeve gastrectomy, the technique was utilized by board certified general and bariatric center of excellence surgeon Erin Cummins, MD. Through five small incisions, each between one and two inches long, a portion of the stomach is removed, leaving a narrow tube. The new stomach pouch significantly reduces the volume of food consumed, while still allowing the stomach to function normally. Patients often lose 60-70 percent of excess weight after undergoing this procedure.

During the surgery, Dr. Cummins, one of the founders of CMMC’s bariatric surgery program and the state’s only female bariatric surgeon, controlled robotic arms that hold cameras and surgical instruments from a console near the operating table.

NurseLineMD Launches Anytime, Any Place, Any Device Efficient Medical Communications

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NurseLineMD is announcing the national launch of DoctorDirect, a new communication system for healthcare service.

DoctorDirect by NurseLineMD improves office efficiencies and allows the medical staff to spend more time with patients.

Patients can simply log-in to enter a message, and be notified immediately when a nurse or doctor replies. Likewise, doctors and nurses are alerted when a patient has an inquiry or urgent need.

Created for use in various medical environments, DoctorDirect can be implemented and accessed simply, through the easy to use interface and cloud architecture. The system enables patients to communicate at their convenience about any medical or billing issue, as well as to notify medical staff of changes and updates to their personal information and insurance, eliminating many cumbersome administrative duties for the nursing staff. It also enriches the patient/provider relationship by enabling patients’ access to quickly and easily communicate with their provider at any time. The DoctorDirect solution was created out of a personal experience with a high risk pregnancy.

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Sometimes Your Team MVP wears a lab coat.

With fourteen board certified, fellowship trained specialists, it’s easier than ever to stay in the game.

Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic is the state’s leading full-service orthopaedic speciality practice routinely performing countless shoulder, elbow, hand, hip, knee, ankle and foot procedures, guiding their patients through rehabilitation to complete recovery.

There is no longer a need to sit the bench.

MSMOC... because Life is a Sport.

Jeff D. Almand, M.D. Gene R. Barrett, M.D. Jamey W. Burrow, M.D. Jason A. Craft, M.D. Chris Ethridge, M.D.

1325 East Fortification Street Jackson, MS 39202

Mississippi’s Orthopaedic Specialists Since 1984

Larry D. Field, M.D. E. Rhett Hobgood, M.D. Brian P. Johnson, M.D. Penny J. Lawin, M.D. Robert K. Mehrle Jr., M.D.

James W. O’Mara, M.D. Trevor R. Pickering, M.D. James Randall Ramsey, M.D. Walter R. Shelton, M.D.

401 Baptist Drive, Suite 301 Madison, MS 39110

4309 Lakeland Drive Flowood, MS 39232

Toll Free (800) 624.9168 or (601) 354.4488 www.msmoc.com Scan the QR code to the right with your smartphone to get Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center website information. While you are there be sure to click on our facebook link and Like Us.

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MAY 2013

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select specialty hospital of jackson IS NAMED MISSISSIPPI’S HOSPITAL OF THE YEAR

BY THE MISSISSIPPI NURSE’S ASSOCIATION AND MISSISSIPPI NURSE’S FOUNDATION.

Congratulations THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR SOME OF MISSISSIPPI’S MOST CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS.

*FOR HOSPITAL CATEGORY OF “LESS THAN 100 BEDS”

>> selectmedical.com/hospitals our hospitals are part of select medical’s network of more than 100 long-term acute care hospitals.

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