February 14, 2005

MHA NewsWeekly Electronic Edition
February 14, 2005

Quote of the Week
“Happiness? That’s nothing more than good health and a poor memory.”
~ Albert Schweitzer

In this week's edition...
1. MHA Hosting Licensure & Certification Updates
2. JCAHO Joins Push for Malpractice Reform
3. ERs get bioterrorism software
4. The 21st Annual Conference on the Elderly Mississippian with a Mental Handicap
5. Belhaven College ASPIRE Program offering Bachelor of Health Administration
6. JCAHO seeks input on proposed medical abbreviation strategies
7. AHA to host audio-conference on condition code 44
8. NQF publishes report on cardiac surgery performance measures
9. Gingrich, others announce coalition to tackle health disparities
10. ABC to bring medical care into the reality show realm
11. New fees planned for veterans' health care
12. CME course blends learning with improving quality of care
13. Medicare preventive services information available
14. OIG’s compliance guidance supports efforts in managing uninsured patients
15. Positions Available
16. People in the News
17. News Around the State
18. MHA Education Calendar
19. Calendar of Events

1. MHA Hosting Licensure & Certification Updates  
   The Mississippi Hospital Association is hosting a Hospital Licensure & Certification Update on February 25, 2005, at the Eagle Ridge Conference Center at Raymond. The update is designed for CEOs and hospital personnel who prepare for licensure surveys.
   The program will review the 2005 significant changes to the Minimum Standards of Operation of Mississippi Hospitals, the 2004 changes in the CMS certification survey process, the laboratory survey processes, the most frequently cited health record deficient practices, Life Safety & Physical Plant regulations, the most frequently cited clinical deficient practices, the survey processes for clinical services and the survey exit and plan of corrections processes.
   Speakers include Karen Selestak, Director of Bureau Health Facilities, Licensure and Certification, Mississippi State Department of Health; Steve Egger, Division Director for the Title XVIII Non Long Term Care Unit, Health Facilities, Licensure & Certification, Mississippi State Department of Health; Theresa Irwin, BS, MT (ASCP) BB, Branch Director II, CLIA, Mississippi State Department of Health; Linda Trigg, RHIA; Sherry Hofmister, RHIA; Dwayne Madison, Division Director, Health Facilities Fire Safety and Construction, Mississippi State Department of Health; Judy Pevey, RN, BSN, Nurse Chief, Quality Review/Education, Mississippi State Department of Health; and Sylvia Stewart, RN, Health Facility Surveyor with the Title XVIII Non-Long Term Care Unit, Health Facilities, Licensure and Certification, Mississippi State Department of Health. The cost is $75 per person.
   Registration will begin at 8 a.m. The program will begin at 9 a.m. and adjourn at 5 p.m. MHA has reserved a room rate at Eagle Ridge Conference Center for $72/$82. Rooms can be reserved by calling (601) 857-7100.
   For more information or to have registration materials sent to you, contact Stacy Bishop at (800) 289-8884, (601) 368-3221 or sbishop@mhanet.org.

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2. JCAHO Joins Push for Malpractice Reform    
   The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) on Feb. 11 issued a call to action to reform the nation’s medical liability system, urging that the current proposal for caps on non-economic damages be expanded to pursue intermediate and long-term system changes which truly facilitate improvements in patient safety. By its basic design, the current medical liability system chills the identification and reporting of adverse events in health care and thus, undermines opportunities for learning that could provide the basis for significant safety improvements.
   The call to action is set forth in the JCAHO’s newest public policy white paper, Health Care at the Crossroads: Strategies for Improving the Medical Liability System and Preventing Patient Injury. The Joint Commission’s report urges intensified attention to patient safety and medical injury prevention by health care providers and practitioners; emphasizes the critical importance of open communication between patients and practitioners; and urges the creation of an injury compensation system that is patient-centered and serves the common good. Any redesign of the medical liability system, the report suggests, should assure appropriate compensation for all injured patients, while also encouraging health care providers and practitioners to surface errors, learn from mistakes in the design and performance of care processes, and take action to ensure that adverse events do not recur. 
   The Joint Commission’s white paper was developed in collaboration with an Expert Roundtable whose 29 members represent a wide diversity of interests relevant to medical liability. The report contains 19 specific recommendations and identifies accountabilities for each of those. The Joint Commission intends to work in collaboration with other parties at interest to see that each of those recommendations is eventually met.
   The current medical liability system, the Joint Commission suggests, fails patients because it does not effectively deter negligence, truly offer corrective justice, or provide fair compensation to those who have been injured through the care process. It is also accurate to say that too little progress has been made in improving patient safety since the release of the Institute of Medicine’s groundbreaking report on medical error five years ago. Finally, it is a simple fact that a very small proportion – two to three percent – of injured patients receive compensation through the medical liability system, and those who do, receive highly variable recompense for similar injuries. 
    The Expert Roundtable identified the following three strategies for achieving its overall goal:

• Actively pursue patient safety initiatives that prevent medical injury. Specific recommendations address the need to encourage the creation of cultures of safety in health care organizations; to strengthen oversight and accountability mechanisms for ensuring the competency of doctors and nurses; and to provide health care researchers access to open liability claims to permit timely identification of problematic trends in care.  “Pay-for-performance” programs that provide incentives for improving patient safety and health care quality must also be part of the solution.
• Promote open communication between patients and practitioners.  Emphasize that patients must become members of the health care team. Ineffective communication and lack of disclosure are the most prominent complaints of patients, and their families, who are victims of medical error or negligence.  As one of its recommendations, the report urges pursuit of legislation that would protect disclosure of mistakes and the associated apologies from being used against practitioners in litigation. Other recommendations encourage the non-punitive reporting of errors to third parties to support the development of patient safety solutions, and enactment of pending federal patient safety legislation that would provide legal protection for medical errors and adverse events reported to designated patient safety organizations, such as the Joint Commission.
• Create a patient-centered injury compensation system. Specific recommendations emphasize the need to conduct demonstration projects of alternatives to the current medical liability system that promote patient safety and provide swift compensation to injured patients. While these efforts are underway, the report also advocates for prohibition of confidential settlements known as “gag clauses” that prevent learning from events that lead to litigation; use of court-appointed, independent expert witnesses; and the redesign or replacement of the National Practitioner Data Bank which has never fulfilled its promise to be the premier resource for meaningful, valid and reliable information about physician performance.
  

A complete copy of the Joint Commission white paper, Health Care at the Crossroads: Strategies for Improving the Medical Liability System and Preventing Patient Injury, is available here. This report is part of a continuing series of white papers on key public policy issues that impact patient safety and health care quality.
   To receive daily updates on accreditation issues, join the Accreditation Community at MyMHA.

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3. ERs get bioterrorism software
   A $400,000 software program, designed to immediately identify victims of bioterrorism, has been installed in 17 hospitals throughout the state, health officials said. It will be used by emergency room doctors to help identify questionable skin rashes that could lead to potential fatal diseases, such as smallpox and tularemia, said Jim Craig, director of Health Protection with the state Department of Health.
   The software —Visual Dx — is part of the state's emergency preparedness plan to shield Mississippians against terrorism, Craig said.
Mississippi is the first state to implement the program into its preparedness plan. The program is funded by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 32 emergency rooms in New York also have the program. The software covers more than 300 diseases that are illustrated by more than 8,000 high-resolution digital images.
   To receive daily updates on bioterrorism issues, join the Bioterrorism/Disaster Preparedness Community at MyMHA.

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4. The 21st Annual Conference on the Elderly Mississippian with a Mental Handicap
   The 21st Annual Conference on the Elderly Mississippian with a Mental Handicap will be held Friday, April 29, at William Carey College's Smith Auditorium, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Randy Hendrix, PhD, executive director, Mississippi Department of Mental Health, will be one of the speakers at the event. More information is coming soon. If you have immediate questions, contact Dr. Paul Cotton, (601) 318-6416. Pre-registration cost is $20 and is only $5 for students. Lunch is included.

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5. Belhaven College ASPIRE Program offering Bachelor of Health Administration
   Belhaven College in Jackson is offering a Bachelor of Health Administration degree through their ASPIRE Program. The degree program is designed to integrate a foundation of general education with health administration theory and practice the expertise that prepares the graduate for management positions in health administration.
   The BHA format will be one night a week, taking one class at a time from 6 p.m. till 10 p.m. with time outside of class for project team meetings. For more information, contact the ASPIRE admissions office at (601) 968-5988 or (800) 786-1779 or visit www.belhaven.edu and click on the Jackson ASPIRE link for further details about the program.

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6. JCAHO seeks input on proposed medical abbreviation strategies
   The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is asking hospitals and other health care organizations to complete an online review of potential JCAHO strategies for reducing errors involving medical abbreviations. The review questionnaire seeks feedback on the usefulness of a “universal list” of prohibited abbreviations, acronyms and symbols; the types of settings and documents to which they should apply; any exemptions that should be provided; and possible implementation strategies. The proposals are based on recommendations from participants at a recent national summit on medical abbreviations convened by JCAHO and eight other organizations, including the AHA. JCAHO plans to use the feedback to refine the recommendations, and then seek endorsements from summit participants following review by JCAHO’s Board of Commissioners.
   To receive daily updates on accreditation issues, join the Accreditation Community at MyMHA.

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7. AHA to host audio-conference on condition code 44
   The AHA on Feb. 16 will host an audio-conference on the use of condition code 44, implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last April to bill for physician-ordered inpatient services that on hospital review did not meet Medicare’s inpatient criteria. The audio-conference will address the need for the code, inconsistencies in interpretation, and implementation and compliance issues. Speakers include George Arges, senior director for AHA’s health data management group and chairman of the National Uniform Billing Committee. Participation in the call is free to AHA members, and allows access to one phone line for an unlimited number of listeners. Program materials will be provided via email prior to the event. To register, complete the online registration survey here. For more information, call (800) 242-4677.
   To receive daily updates on Medicare issues, join the Medicare/Medicaid Community at MyMHA.

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8. NQF publishes report on cardiac surgery performance measures
   The National Quality Forum (NQF) published a new set of national consensus standards for improving the quality of cardiac surgery, according to PR Newswire.
   "More than 70% of 4,000 cardiac surgeons at 1,000 hospitals already use some of these measures for their internal quality improvement efforts," said Jeffrey B. Rich, MD, a cardiac surgeon on the NQF board of directors and chair of the Virginia Cardiac Surgery Quality Initiative. "Creating a standardized, widely endorsed set of voluntary consensus standards extends that reach to all cardiac surgery programs and creates an important tool to both gauge the quality of our work and provide quality of care to consumers."
   The report provides 21 measures for hospitals to facilitate efforts to improve patient safety and patient outcomes.
   "Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and certain cardiac surgical procedures are among the most common surgeries performed in U.S. hospitals," said Kenneth W. Kizer, MD, MPH, president and chief executive officer of the NQF. "Improving the outcomes of these procedures would have major public health benefit."
   The measures include:

• participating on a systematic database for cardiac surgery
• timing of antibiotic administration for cardiac surgery patients
• selection of antibiotic administration for cardiac surgery patients
• pre-operative beta blockade
• prolonged intubation
• duration of prophylaxis for cardiac surgery patients
• stroke/cerebrovascular accident
• renal insufficiency

   To view the entire list of measures and the executive summary of the report, visit the NQF Web site at www.qualityforum.org. To read the PR Newswire press release, click here.
   To receive daily updates on quality issues, join the Patient Safety & Quality Community at MyMHA.

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9. Gingrich, others announce coalition to tackle health disparities
   Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and the National Minority Health Month Foundation on Feb. 8 announced a national alliance of current and former elected officials, health experts, consumer advocates and business leaders that will focus on eliminating health disparities through research and collaboration. The Congressional Leadership Alliance to Eliminate Health Disparities will analyze data by congressional district to select eight “health disparities zones” with the greatest need and develop evidence-based strategies to eliminate disparities in those areas. At a press conference in Washington, Gingrich said the effort would help target existing resources to areas where they have the greatest potential to improve lives and reduce health costs. The alliance plans to begin pinpointing the zones and develop a framework for moving forward during the Foundation’s annual health disparities summit April 26-27 in Washington.

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10. ABC to bring medical care into the reality show realm
   ABC Television, which has captured big audiences in recent years with reality programs chronicling alterations to people's physical appearance and to their homes, will apply that formula this year to people's health. One person familiar with the deal said that "Miracle Worker" would involve no games or other competition, but would instead seek to improve the lot of at least one family each episode. For example, the program's "dream team" of physicians, who will serve as recurring characters, might arrange a heart procedure for one critically ill family member, while also securing psychological care for the person's spouse and children. Because families will be filmed over the course of several weeks, each episode could include some follow-up scenes. Read the full article here.

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11. New fees planned for veterans' health care
   More than one million of the five million veterans expected to seek health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs next year will face a new $250 enrollment fee and prescription co-payments that will rise to $15 from $7 under the Bush administration's $70.8 billion budget.
   The fee increases, which apply to higher-income veterans who do not have service-related disabilities, are expected to produce $424 million and persuade some 213,000 veterans to seek their health care elsewhere, officials said.

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12. CME course blends learning with improving quality of care
    The new online program also meets requirements for family physicians' maintenance of certification. For the full story from AMA Medical News, click here.

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13. Medicare preventive services information available
   CMS recently announced the availability of several new publications designed for health care professionals as part of a comprehensive program to promote awareness and increase utilization of Medicare-covered preventive services. These publications have been developed by CMS to meet the need of the provider community for updated information on Medicare preventive services and screenings, including coverage and billing requirements as well as information on filing claims and educating beneficiaries about Medicare benefits for which they may be eligible. All of these publications are available through the Medicare Learning Network's web page at www.cms.hhs.gov/medlearn.
(1)       The Guide to Preventive Services for Physicians, Providers, Suppliers, and Other Health Care Professionals - This guide provides information on Medicare's preventive benefits including coverage, frequency, risk factors, billing and reimbursement.
(2)     Expanded Benefits - This two-sided tri-fold brochure provides a basic overview of Medicare's three new preventive benefits; the Initial Preventive Physical Examination (IPPE), cardiovascular screening blood tests, and diabetes screening tests.
(3)     Adult Immunizations - This two-sided tri-fold brochure provides a basic overview of Medicare's Influenza Vaccine, Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPV), and Hepatitis B Vaccine benefits.
(4)     Bone Mass Measurements - This two-sided tri-fold brochure provides a basic overview of Medicare's bone mass measurements (bone density studies) benefit.
(5)     Cancer Screenings - This two-sided tri-fold brochure provides a basic overview of Medicare's mammography screening, screening Pap test, pelvic screening examination, colorectal cancer screening, and prostate cancer screening benefit.
(6)      Glaucoma Screening - This two-sided tri-fold brochure provides a basic overview of Medicare's glaucoma screening benefit. 
   These electronic publications are also available by going directly to Medlearn's Medicare Preventive Services Educational Resource Web Guide. Printed copies may be ordered from Medlearn, free of charge, when they become available.
   In addition to the provider resources described above, you or your patients may visit www.medicare.gov and/or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for beneficiary-related information.
   To receive daily updates on Medicare issues, join the Medicare/Medicaid Community at MyMHA.

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14. OIG’s compliance guidance supports efforts in managing uninsured patients
   Discounts to the uninsured were covered in the OIG's final supplemental compliance guidance, revealing words of encouragement for providers who cover uninsured and underinsured patients. It was released in the January 31 Federal Register.
   “They know providers are trying to give a break to the uninsured, and the guidance shows some willingness by OIG to facilitate such programs,” says David Szabo, a partner at Nutter, McClennen & Fish, LLP in Boston. “They provide some assurance to hospitals in this area.”
   According to the guidance, the OIG recently proposed regulations that would define key terms, making clear that free or discounted charges to uninsured patients would not affect the calculation of a provider’s ‘‘usual’’ charges, as the term ‘‘usual charges’’ is used in the exclusion provision.
   The OIG is reviewing public comments to the proposed regulations. Until the rule is final, the OIG will continue to enforce that when calculating their “usual charges,” individuals and entities do not need to consider free or substantially reduced charges to uninsured patients or underinsured patients who are self-paying patients for the items or services furnished.
   “In offering such discounts, a hospital should report full uniform charges, rather than the discounted amounts, on its Medicare cost report and make the FI aware that it has reported its full charges,” the guidance says.
   The guidance also says that under CMS rules, Medicare generally reimburses a hospital for a percentage of its bad debt, but only if the hospital bills the Medicare patient for unpaid amounts first, and engages in “reasonable, good faith collection efforts that are consistent with the degree of effort applied to collecting similar debts from non-Medicare patients.”
   A hospital can forgo collection efforts aimed at a Medicare patient, according to the guidance, “if the hospital, using its customary methods, documents that the patient is indigent or medically indigent—and that no source other than the patient is legally responsible for the unpaid deductibles and coinsurance.”
     To read the OIG’s supplemental compliance guidance, click here. 
     To read CMS’ Q&A on hospital pricing for the uninsured, click here.
      To receive daily updates on compliance issues, join the Compliance Community at MyMHA.

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15. Positions Available
 St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital has created a new position for an experienced business development executive to identify, evaluate, develop and support implementation of new programs, coordinate physician relations and enhance existing Hospital programs and business relationships. Position reports directly to the President of St. Dominic Hospital and serves as a key member of the Hospital's administrative team within a Christian business environment. Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible strategic planning and business development experience highly desirable, preferably in healthcare. Experience working with executives and physicians required. The successful candidate should have a strong entrepreneurial orientation along with creative ability to work within a complex business environment focusing on desired business growth. Competitive salary commensurate with experience. Great benefits. Relocation allowance provided if required. Send current resume to: Lamar Nesbit, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Support Services, St. Dominic Hospital, 969 Lakeland Drive, Jackson, MS 39216. Resume may be emailed to Lnesbit@stdom.com or faxed to 601-200-0777.
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 Hardy Wilson Memorial Hospital is currently accepting applications for full-time respiratory therapist RRT or CRT for night shift and PRN positions. For more information or to apply, call (601) 894-4541 or e-mail mjamcrt@aol.com.
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 North Mississippi State Hospital is currently accepting applications for registered nurses for the Tupelo campus and the Crisis Intervention Centers in Corinth and Batesville. Must be licensed in the state of MS. For an application or information, call (662) 690-4200.
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 Mississippi State Hospital is seeking a qualified professional to lead the Public Relations Department. Must have experience in PR, fund-raising and event planning. A master’s degree and six years of experience or a bachelor’s degree and seven years of experience are required. E-mail or fax resumes to Kay Harrell, Personnel Dept., at harresk@msh.state.ms.us or (601) 351-8222.
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 South Mississippi State Hospital is accepting applications for a social worker (must have LMSW and 3-5 yrs experience) and an RN for inpatient care in a psychiatric setting (openings for night position in Purvis and evening position in Laurel). Fax resumes to (601) 794-0210.
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 St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital has an immediate opening for a B-Mechanic, full time at 32 hours per week with benefits. Two years of hospital experience or trade school certification required. Position may be upgraded to 40 hours in the future. For more information, contact Stephen Chamblee at (601) 200-6990 or schamblee@stdom.com.
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 Forrest General Hospital is seeking candidates for the following positions: respiratory therapist, physical therapist, reimbursement supervisor, pharmacist, OR Tech, registered dietitian, radiologic technologist, MRI tech, ultrasound tech, CT tech and medical transcriber. Interested candidates can print an application from www.forrestgeneral.com and mail to address on application or fax to (601) 288-1201. Candidates may also apply in person at the Human Resources Office. For more information, contact Erecka Magee at (601) 288-1205 or emagee@forrestgeneral.com.
  For a listing of additional hospital jobs available in Mississippi and to post your confidential resume for health care recruiters to view, visit www.mshealthjobs.com.

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16. People in the News
 Dr. Marcia Rachel has been named chief nursing officer of the University Hospitals and Clinics in Jackson. She has served as interim CNO since March of 2004. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Mississippi College, her master’s degree in mental health from the University of Southern Mississippi and a doctorate in student personnel and higher education from the University of Mississippi. She joined the UMC faculty in May 2002 as the assistant CNO.
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 Diane Dukes has been named associate administrator for nursing for the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children and the Winfred L. Wiser Hospital for Women and Infants. She has 27 years of experience in nursing.
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 Dr. Richard deShazo, professor and chair of medicine at UMC, will receive the Tinsley Harrison Founder’s Medal of the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation on Feb. 26, the highest offered by the prestigious organization. Last November, he also received the Morton Medal for Original Research from the Southern Medical Association and was elected to the Residency Review Committee for Internal Medicine of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
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 Dollie Waldrop, administrative assistant in the Corporate Compliance Department at Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula, was recently named the Employee of the Month for January. She began her career with SRHS as a unit clerk at Ocean Springs Hospital where she worked in case management and radiology, as well as Kare-In-Home Health. She began her current position in 2000.
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 Tony Smith, CPA, has been named treasurer/chief financial officer at St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital. Since July of 2000, he served as corporate controller. He will also serve on the Governing Board of Directors of St. Dominic Health Services and will continue serving as plan administrator for the retirement plan and investment officer for the improvement and pension funds for St. Dominic Health Services and its subsidiaries. He will also be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Corporate Office. He holds a B.S. in accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi.
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 Barry K. Plunkett has been promoted to the position of corporate vice president at St. Dominic’s. Plunkett came to St. Dominic Hospital as director of corporate communications in 1985. He was promoted to vice president of corporate communications in 1987 and to senior vice president in 2000. In his new role, he will become closely involved in the various entities of St. Dominic Health Services and he will represent the organization in its many civic endeavors. A native of Tupelo, he received his undergraduate degree from Millsaps College and attended graduate school at the University of South Alabama in Mobile.
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   Joseph D. Weaver has been named chief executive officer of Madison County Medical Center in Canton. Previously, Weaver served in administrative-level positions at sister Health Management Associate (HMA) facilities Rankin Medical Center in Brandon, Central Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson and Riverview Region Medical Center in Gadsen, Ala. He has been with HMA since 1998. Weaver received a B.S. in economics/finance and an MBA from the University of West Florida in Pensacola. He was a graduate of the 2003 Leadership Madison County Class and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
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   Susan Moore of Woman's Hospital was the December winner of the "In the Spotlight, Teamwork-Pass it On" recognition. She received the trophy, a $50 savings bond and a designated parking space for one month.
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   Roosevelt Jordan of River Oaks Hospital was the December winner of the "In the Spotlight, Teamwork-Pass it On" recognition. He received the trophy, a $50 savings bond and a designated parking space for one month.
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   Sara Carmichael, a recruiter for Riley Hospital in Meridian, brought home top honors in Overall Broadway Singing, Sitcom Acting, Monologue, TV Commercial and Scene Study from the Millie Lewis Actors, Models & Talent Competition in Orlando, Fla. She was also a finalist in Female Acting. The competition was by invitation only and more than 1,000 competitors vied for the same titles. Some of her awards came with cash prizes but, more importantly, some came with a "call back," the opportunity to meet one-on-one with talent agents and casting directors from across the U.S.

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17. News Around the State
 Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg is installing an $11.1-million picture archiving and communication system (PACS) that will replace the need for x-ray film with new, modern digital imaging. Multiple physicians can view the same image at the same time and a patient’s image file can be sent anywhere via the Internet or CD. FGH recently purchased new diagnostic radiology, CT scanner and interventional radiology equipment that is fully compatible with PACS. 
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 North Mississippi Medical Center’s Nurse Link, a free telephone triage health information service, recently celebrated its 10th year of serving the Tupelo-area community. Since its debut, more than 670,000 callers have spoken with an RN about their health concerns. The service was initially introduced as a special benefit for individuals covered by Health Link, but was offered to the general public also in 1996 because of its popularity. Nurse Link is available by calling 1-800-882-6274 from 7 a.m. till midnight.
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 Forrest General Hospital is hosting the national Day of Dance for Heart Health at the Hattiesburg Lake Terrace Convention Center on Feb. 26 from 9:30 a.m. till 3 p.m. The event, sponsored by the Spirit of Women Health Network and designed to increase awareness of the benefits of dance and exercise in the prevention of heart disease, is being held at more than 20 hospitals and health networks nationwide.
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 Central Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson is hosting a free seminar, At the Heart of it All, on Feb. 27 from 2 till 4 p.m. in Leadership Hall at CMMC. In addition to educational offerings, the hospital will conduct free blood pressure screenings.  
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 A dedication ceremony recently at North Mississippi Regional Center’s Twin Oaks community homes in Booneville featured a ribbon cutting and reception honoring House Speaker Billy McCoy of Rienzi. The homes, which opened in 2003, are licensed as Immediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded. They provide residential and active treatment programs for 10 male clients and 10 female clients.
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 North Mississippi Regional Center recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for construction of new NMRC community homes to serve citizens with developmental disabilities in Nettleton. The Center’s Briar Ridge Community Homes, located in Tupelo since 1993, are relocating to Nettleton. North Mississippi State Hospital will utilize the current space when they move. The new homes will join 15 other licensed homes operated by NMRC throughout North Mississippi.
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   King's Daughters Hospital-Yazoo City has recently installed a new, computer-aided detection system for mammography that assists radiologists in breast cancer detection. Second Look, from iCAD Inc., is a sophisticated screening tool that assists radiologists by providing a computerized second review of mammograms and is approved for both screening and diagnostic use.
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   Gilmore Memorial Hospital's Rehab Services in Amory is now offering Anodyne Therapy for patients suffering from peripheral neuropathy, a common complication from diabetes. It is the only facility in North Mississippi that offers the therapy.
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   Magee General Hospital recently introduced a new program, Active for Life, to their community. This employee wellness program is sponsored by the American Cancer Society and is designed to get people in better health and to improve job performance. Magee General is participating, with 80 employees signed up. For more information, call (601) 849-0610.
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   Walthall General Hospital Auxiliary recently donated two lifts to the hospital. One of the lifts is a standing type, rated for 350 pounds, while the other is a total care lift, which can lift a patient from flat on the floor to five or six feet in the air. It is primarily used for bed-bound patients and can lift up to 600 pounds. The two lifts were purchased for around $5,000 each.
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   Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in Clarksdale recently purchased a new Computed Tomography (CT) System or CAT scan. The new scanner, a GE LightSpeed 16, cost just over $1 million. The hospital recognized radiologist Dr. William Pollard for his 27 years of service, dedicating the system and the renovated suite housing the scanner to him.
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   Hancock Medical Center in Bay St. Louis is supporting the 2005 Gulf Coast Senior Olympics addition of a new category to the competitive games this year, Golden Bay Arts. In addition to the competition, there will be several special events for the participants including an Artist's Paint Out, printmaking and pottery demonstrations, a Writer's Marathon and a special presentation by representatives of the National Writing Project.
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   North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point recently held an Open House for their new Women's Pavilion. The hospital began offering maternity and gynecological surgery services on Jan. 24. Construction on the 9,360-square-foot addition began in February 2004. The project includes four labor-delivery-recovery rooms, four observation rooms, six postpartum rooms and a newborn nursery. A separate parking area, nursing station and waiting area are also being constructed.

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18. MHA Education Calendar

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19. Calendar of Events

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