Health briefs

__KELLER NAMED BUSINESS LIAISON AT SAINT FRANCIS__

Saint Francis Medical Center added Beth Keller as business liaison in the business development department. Keller will work primarily with companies and industries in Saint Francis' service area, educating them on the services available at the medical center, including the Occupational Medicine Clinic and wellness programs. Her main focus will be maintaining and developing relationships with current and new clients and aiding them in their health and wellness needs. Keller is a Cape Girardeau native and has worked at Saint Francis since 2000, when she was hired as a human resources recruiter.

__FOUNDATION FOR HEALTH ADDS THREE TO ADVISORY COUNCIL__

The Missouri Foundation for Health announced three new members will join the Community Advisory Council. Dr. Claudia Preuschoff is a pediatrician in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, serving a large population of rural families living at or below the poverty line. She is involved on the local and state levels, advocating for the health of her patients and their families. Misty Snodgrass represents the central region of Missouri and has spent her professional career working in health policy. Dr. Loretta Prater will represent the southeast portion of the foundation's service area. She recently retired from Southeast Missouri State University, where she worked as the dean of the College of Health and Human Services for nearly a decade. She has served on numerous boards in varying capacities, including with the United Way of Southeast Missouri, where she was president and vice president. Members of the Community Advisory Council serve as liaisons between communities and the foundation's board of directors. Council representatives help the board learn how certain grants affect communities and what health concerns should be addressed. The Community Advisory Council also oversees recruiting of qualified candidates interested in serving on the council and its board.

__GRIGERY JOINS SOUTHEAST PEDIATRICS__

Pediatrician Dr. Chelsea Grigery joined the medical staff at Southeast Hospital. She is affiliated with Southeast Pediatrics. Grigery, who grew up in Sikeston, Missouri, has a bachelor's degree in arts and science from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. She received her MD degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City, School of Medicine. She completed a residency in pediatrics at St. Louis Children's Hospital.

__NURSE PRACTITIONER JOINS PATTY PRACTICE__

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Sandy D. Ficke of Doniphan, Missouri, is a new nurse practitioner at Dr. John Patty's OB/GYN office in Poplar Bluff. She has an extensive women's health background, including almost 20 years in labor and delivery.

__SAINT FRANCIS ADDS HOSPICE PROGRAM__

Saint Francis Medical Center introduced its Hospice Services Program to offer at-home care to patients nearing the end of their life. Medical oncologist/hematologist Dr. Justin D. Floyd serves as medical director for the program. Saint Francis' hospice care is now offered Cape Girardeau, Bollinger, Perry and Stoddard counties. The Hospice Services Program team consists of physicians, nurses, home health aides, therapists, chaplains, social workers, grief counselors, trained volunteer companions and other caregivers.

__PRIMARY CARE WEST PARTNERS WITH EHE INTERNATIONAL__

On July 23, EHE International announced SoutheastHEALTH Primary Care West in Cape Girardeau as its new EHE-Certified preventive care center. EHE International is a recognized leader in preventive medicine and annual physical exams with a nationwide physician network. Through SoutheastHEALTH EHE, members in the Cape Girardeau region now have greater access to EHE's preventive care programs.

__MENTAL HEALTH PRACTICE IN CAPE CHANGES NAME__

Ken Callis and Associates has become Denise Essner and Associates. Callis established the Cape Girardeau practice in 1990. Denise Essner has worked in the mental health field for 30 years, specializing in marriage and family issues, as well as trauma, depression and anxiety disorders. The clinical and support staff remain the same. Among those remaining at the practice are Diana Harold, Kathleen Patterson and Dr. Sean Guiling.

__PEDIATRICIAN JOINS CAPE PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATES__

Saint Francis Medical Center added Dr. Andrew T. Sledd as a medical partner and new pediatrician at Cape Physician Associates, a team of 11 physicians. Sledd, a California native, is board certified in pediatrics. He earned his medical degree from the University of California, Irvine, and completed his residency in pediatrics at the University of Virginia Health Systems in Charlottesville, Virginia. He joins Cape Physician Associates after serving as partner pediatrician at Pediatric Associates of Winchester in Winchester, Virginia. During that time he also served on the Electronic Medical Record Steering Committee at Winchester Medical Center. Sledd is fluent in Spanish and his clinical interests include public health, childhood obesity, child behavior and psychology.

__SOUTHEAST HEALTH CEO ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT__

The SoutheastHEALTH board of directors announced Aug. 22 that CEO Wayne Smith will retire at the end of the year. The board is seeking the help of a search firm to find his successor. Smith became interim CEO in June 2011 after Debbie Linnes resigned, citing differences in management philosophy. He was given the CEO title within his first year. A hospital news release said the process of finding a new CEO could take four months or longer.

__THORACIC, VASCULAR SURGEON RETIRING FROM SAINT FRANCIS__

After 14 years of service to the community, Dr. John C. Wiggans, thoracic and vascular surgeon at Saint Francis Medical Center and Cape Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, retired from medical practice on Sept. 1. He was instrumental in creating the Vein and Laser Center at Saint Francis in 2007 and was also the first surgeon at Saint Francis to perform an endovascular aneurysm repair, according to a news release from the hospital.

__ER PHYSICIAN JOINS SAINT FRANCIS MEDICAL CENTER__

Saint Francis Medical Center added Dr. Jeffrey C. Umfleet to its team of emergency medicine physicians at the Saint Francis Emergency and Trauma Center, the region's only state-designated Level III Emergency and Trauma Center. Umfleet completed his medical degree at the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, Missouri, and his residency at Ohio University's Grandview Hospital and Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio. He is board certified in emergency medicine. Umfleet joins Saint Francis after serving as medical director of emergency services at Southeast Hospital. He is certified in advanced cardiac life support, pediatric advanced life support and advanced burn life support. Before becoming a physician he worked as a paramedic.

__WOOD EARNS PHARMACY CERTIFICATE__

Kevin Wood, owner and pharmacist at Broadway Prescription Shop in Cape Girardeau, received a national certificate for completing the "Delivering Medication Therapy Management Services" program. Wood finished the 21-hour course through the American Pharmacists Association while attending the annual AmerisourceBergen Thoughtspot conference in Las Vegas in July. Medication therapy management is medical care provided by pharmacists to optimize drug therapy and improve therapeutic outcomes for patients, according to a news release from Broadway Prescription Shop. Pharmacists provide MTM to help patients get the best benefits from their medications by actively managing drug therapy and by identifying, preventing and resolving medication-related problems the release said.

__SOUTHEAST HEALTH EARNS HIGH MARKS FOR PATIENT SATISFACTION__

SoutheastHEALTH doctors and service teams earned Top Performer and 5-Star Excellence in Healthcare awards this year for exceptional patient satisfaction scores, putting them in the top 10 percent of health care providers in their fields nationwide. Award winners include physicians Dr. Paul Leland of Southeast Pediatrics and Dr. S. Danette Miller of Southeast Primary Care. Both received 5-Star awards recognizing overall quality of doctor care.The Southeast Pediatrics practice earned Top Performer status for scoring at or above the 100th percentile in its particular comparison group. SoutheastHEALTH service teams receiving 5-Star awards for scoring in the top 10 percent in the nation in patient satisfaction include orthopedics, obstetrics and home health. Obstetrics and home health were honored for overall quality of care. In addition, obstetrics and orthopedics were recognized for patient satisfaction regarding discharge information. The awards are presented annually by Professional Research Consultants, a nationally-recognized health care marketing research company.

__COLBERT ATTAINS NEW CERTIFICATION__

Angie Colbert of Leet EyeCare's 856 N. Kingshighway location in Cape Girardeau has attained paraoptometric certification. By passing this level of testing, Colbert demonstrated an understanding of the concepts used in optometric care and is certified to carry out all functions in the practice.

__SAINT FRANCIS BEGINS PEDIATRIC TELEMEDINE PROGRAM__

Saint Francis Medical Center and Mercy Children's Hospital in St. Louis are working together to bring expert care for pediatric patients closer to home, according to a news release from Saint Francis. Through the partnership, families and their Saint Francis physician can now communicate directly with Mercy Children's Hospital specialists through telemedicine, or Internet video conferencing. Saint Francis will have direct access to a pediatric neurologist and a pediatric gastroenterologist. The neurologist will see children with a variety of concerns, including unexplained headaches, balance issues, muscle weakness and seizures. The gastroenterologist will treat children with problems including celiac disease and feeding difficulties.

__PUXICO NURSING NAMES NEW ADMINISTRATOR__

PUXICO, Mo. -- Debby Hess of Advance, Missouri, is the new administrator at Puxico Nursing & Rehab Center, the Puxico Press reported. She started her training Aug. 5 and began her first full week at the 60-bed facility on Aug. 18. Hess became a licensed practical nurse in 1986 and earned her administrator's license in 2010.