Grand Rounds March on Nashville Medical News

Grand Rounds March

Nashville to Host Poverty Summit This Month

The city of Nashville and Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Inc. will host a Centennial Summit of Catholic Charities USA on Thursday, March 25. The daylong event will bring together civic, business, religious, community and nonprofit agency leaders throughout the Southeast to focus on the issue of poverty and its devastating effects with the purpose of identifying specific methods and programs that work effectively to help the poorest people more toward economic independence. According to a report issued in January 2010 by The Brookings Institution, approximately 17.5 percent of the people in Nashville lived in poverty in 2008. “Poverty” is defined as an income of less than $21,834 for a family of four.

The event, which will be held at the Curb Event Center at Belmont University, begins with a CEO breakfast for business leaders, followed by the Summit from 9:30 am-3:30 pm. For more information or to make online reservations, go to: www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/Centennial.

Meharry Targets Black Ministers to Implement AIDS Prevention Strategies in the South

A community initiative to reduce the number of new cases of HIV/AIDS in southern states was launched last month in conjunction with National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on February 7. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), southern states have more cases of AIDS than any other region in the United States. To help combat the problem, the CDC will provide $2 million in funding over the next five years to support a grassroots program at Meharry Medical College’s Center for AIDS Health Disparities Research Community Core under the direction of Jacqueline Hampton, PhD.

The program is designed to reach out to ministers, health providers and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for HIV and AIDS prevention. Project SAVED (Strengthening Access via Empowerment and Diligence) will train African-American faith leaders, as well as health providers, students and administrators of HBCUs to set up HIV/AIDS prevention programs in their communities. Faith leaders were targeted because of their position of respect within the community and reach of their message each week. For more information, contact The Center for AIDS Health Disparities Research at (615) 327-5806.

New CAD Blood Test Now Available at Vanderbilt Heart

In February, during American Heart Month, Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute began offering a new blood test that can predict if a patient is at high risk for heart disease.

“We now have a novel way to check for the presence of significant coronary artery disease by looking at genes that are associated with heart disease,” said John McPherson, MD, director of the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Vanderbilt. “The blood test is another tool in our tool box. For now, we will use it in addition to, and sometimes instead of, our standard approach to evaluating patients for coronary artery disease in the physician office.” He added, because the results from the blood test take three days to confirm, it will not be used in the Emergency Room for acute chest pain.

McPherson participated in a study to evaluate a non-invasive blood test called Corus CAD, which is manufactured by CardioDX. He and researchers from 40 centers across the country collected more than 2,800 samples from 1,795 patients without diabetes and with chest pain or at risk for coronary artery disease, who were undergoing invasive coronary angiography. The study determined the test accurately predicted significant coronary artery blockage. Vanderbilt is among the first institutions in the country, and the only one in Tennessee, to offer this test.

Microsoft & HCA To Award $1.25 Million in Grants

At the end of January, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) and Microsoft Corp. announced the companies are contributing $1.25 million in software and funding to help Middle Tennessee nonprofit agencies better serve the community.

During a time when the financial support community agencies depend on has declined, HCA and Microsoft are joining forces on “Innovation through Technology.” Through this creative philanthropic alliance, Microsoft will provide $1 million in software, and HCA will contribute $250,000 cash for hardware and related costs to help area community agencies work more effectively on behalf of the people they serve. The grants will be awarded to agencies that focus on the following areas: primary health, youth and children and workforce development. Grant recipients will be announced on March 19.

New UNHS Clinic Opens on Southern Hills Campus

Community, civic and healthcare leaders gathered for the opening of the new United Neighborhood Health Services (UNHS) neighborhood clinic located on the campus of Southern Hills Medical Center. UNHS and the hospital partnered to establish the Wallace Road Family Clinic to provide area residents with access to primary care without regard to income or insurance status. The new clinic, located in Suite B-307 at 395 Wallace Road, is open Monday-Friday from 8 am-5 pm.

Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition Awards 2010 Grants

In February, the Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition announced the 2010 recipients of its community breast health outreach grant funding program. Since its inception in 1995, the Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition has raised more than $1.6 million to benefit women and families throughout the state.

TBCC’s largest fundraiser is the Celebration of Life TBCC Classic, a golf tournament scheduled for Friday, August 6, 2010 at the Hermitage Golf Course. For tournament information visit www.tbcc.org or call (615) 377-8777.

Programs with local ties receiving grants are:

Friend in General – Nashville General Hospital will host its 8th annual Mammograms in May program which provides free screening mammograms as well as necessary follow-up care for uninsured women over the age of 40.

Gilda’s Club Nashville – provides emotional and social support as well as education to breast cancer patients and their families through a wide variety of programming and activities.

YMCA’s ABC (After Breast Cancer) Program – a successful 16-week program for breast cancer patients containing exercise training, nutrition guidance, lymphedema treatment and emotional support.

SCRI Forms Strategic Alliance to Expand Early-Phase Oncology Research

Last month, Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI) entered into an exclusive agreement with the University of Oklahoma’s Cancer Institute (OUCI) to provide them access to SCRI’s early-phase oncology clinical trials program and research management services. The alliance is the first academic affiliation in the national research firm’s network.

The OUCI, Oklahoma’s only comprehensive academic cancer center, is ranked among the top centers in the nation in the number of National Cancer Institute-endorsed treatments for women’s gynecologic cancers. Currently, OUCI members are conducting more than 100 research projects supported by more than $20 million in cancer research funding from sponsors such as the NIH, NCI and American Cancer Society.

As part of the alliance, SCRI will provide research and clinical trials management services to assist OUCI with regulatory and safety compliance, as well as informational technology and tools to enhance quality and protocol adherence. In addition, OUCI physicians and staff will work closely with SCRI’s drug development program physician leaders and clinical research team.

March of Dimes National Ambassador Visits Baptist Hospital

Josh Hoffman, March of Dimes 2010 National Ambassador, recently toured the Beaman Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Baptist Hospital. Hoffman serves as a living symbol of the March of Dimes mission to improve the health of babies by preventing prematurity, infant mortality and birth defects. His visit was part of the Nashville March for Babies Citywide Kickoff Breakfast. The Nashville March for Babies event presented by Baptist Hospital will be held on Sunday, April 18 at Centennial Park. For more information, visit http://www.marchforbabies.org.

Skyline Partners with Blanchfield Army Community Hospital to Help Returning Soldiers

Blanchfield Army Community Hospital officials recently toured Skyline Medical Center and Skyline Madison Campus to get a first-hand look at how those facilities are treating returning U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq.

Blanchfield is the premier integrated military healthcare team that delivers healthcare and wellness for soldiers and their families located on the Ft. Campbell, Ky. military base. For the last several months, Skyline Medical Center and Skyline Madison Campus have been assisting Blanchfield in providing some of their rehabilitation, behavioral health, diagnostic and emergent needs.

At the end of February, Skyline hosted a four-day training for Blanchfield medical staff being deployed to Afghanistan. Combat medics are training military personnel who are responsible for providing first aid and frontline trauma care on the battlefield

Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About!

Awards, Honors, Recognitions

During the annual conference on April 16, 2010, the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) will present its highest honor — The Leon Goldman Memorial Award — to Brian S. Biesman, MD, FACS. Biesman is director of the Nashville Centre for Laser and Facial Surgery and clinical assistant professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center with appointments in the divisions of Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology, and Dermatology. The Goldman Award, which recognizes the "Father of Laser Medicine," is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the broad field of laser science, technology and medicine. In addition to research and patient care, Biesman is a past president of ASLMS and has been active in numerous other national and local professional associations.

Saint Thomas Hospital recently announced the results of a new study rank its clinical quality among the top five percent in the nation for the second year in a row. HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization, analyzed patient outcomes at each of the nation’s 5,000 nonfederal hospitals over the years 2006, 2007 and 2008, and named hospitals in the top five percent as HealthGrades Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence™. Saint Thomas Hospital was one of only 269 hospitals nationally to receive the distinction, and the only one in Nashville.

At its 31st annual membership meeting, the American Holistic Medical Association (AHMA) welcomed J. David Forbes, MD, of Nashville as its new president. Forbes has been a member of the AHMA for more than 15 years, is a founding diplomat of the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine (ABIHM), and has 10 years of experience in emergency medicine.

He is the founder and director of Nashville Integrated Medicine, a center combining western and alternative approaches to healing through a holistic approach. Forbes is board certified in internal medicine.

Alive Hospice Pediatric Social Worker Tisha Longo, LMSW, was recently named 2009 Social Worker of the Year by the Mid-Cumberland Council of Healthcare Social Workers.

Each year, this award honors a Middle Tennessee social worker who has demonstrated dedication to the profession, the community and those they serve.

In late February, Middle Tennessee Medical Center accepted a 2009 Commitment Award in the annual Excellence in Tennessee recognition program administered by the Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence (TNCPE). Through an annual evaluation and assessment process, the non-profit TNCPE recognizes organizations that have achieved the highest standards of excellence in their operations and results. The program uses the Criteria for Performance Excellence established by the Baldrige National Quality Program as the evaluation tool.

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) recently named the newest recipients of its Beacon Awards, which recognize top national adult and pediatric critical care units and progressive care units that meet evidence-based standards of excellence and patient safety. Vanderbilt University Medical Center was among the 54 recipients of the fall 2009 awards and will be honored during AACN’s National Teaching Institute scheduled for May in Washington, DC.

Recent Certifications & Accreditations:

The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center at Centennial has been granted three-year accreditation with commendation by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. The Cancer Center received the Commission on Cancer's highest possible rating, making it eligible for the commission's Outstanding Achievement Award, to be announced later this year.

The American Diabetes Association recently recognized Southern Hills Medical Center’s diabetes education program as offering high-quality education that is an essential component of effective diabetes treatment. Janet Buck, MS, RD, LDN, chief clinical dietician and director of nutrition services for Southern Hills, accepted the ADA Education Recognition Certificate on behalf of the program.

In recent months, a number of Gresham, Smith and Partners Healthcare studio employees have passed the Center for Health Design's Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and Certification (EDAC) exam. EDAC is an accreditation program to educate and assess individuals on their understanding of how to base healthcare design decisions on credible research evidence and to conduct research in healthcare facilities.

Those who recently passed EDAC include: WenLing Chiu, AIA, LEED AP, architect; Michael Compton, IIDA, LEED AP, intern architect; Fernanda Fernandes, project designer; Mindy Graves-Ajami, IIDA, LEED AP, senior interior designer; Brent Hughes, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, project architect; David Magner, AIA, NCARB, LEEP AP, project architect; Hillary Massey, LEED AP, IIDA, interior designer; Jeffery Morris, AIA, NCARB, EDAC, LEED AP, Healthcare studio division vice president; Tamara Rice, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, project architect;

Frank Swaans, AIA, LEED AP, senior healthcare planner; and Elisa Worden-Kirouac, IIDA, LEED AP, senior interior designer.

LifePoint News

Funds to Help Haiti, New HIT Hire

Last month, LifePoint Hospitals® (NASDAQ: LPNT) announced the establishment of the LifePoint Hospitals Disaster Response Fund to help support relief and recovery efforts in Haiti. The fund is a major element of LifePoint’s Hope for Haiti initiative, which was launched shortly after the recent devastating earthquake. As part of the new initiative, LifePoint has committed to match all donations made to the fund up to $250,000. The fund will be administered by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and will be distributed to targeted relief and recovery organizations, including Samaritan’s Purse and Heart to Heart International.

“The process of recovery and rebuilding in Haiti will not be easy, and it is important to our employees and affiliated physicians that we show our long-term commitment to the Haitian people who need our help,” said William F. Carpenter III, LifePoint president and CEO.

In other news, it was also announced that Sean Tuley had been appointed senior vice president of Information Technology. In this position, Tuley will be responsible for developing and executing the company’s health information technology strategies.

Prior to joining LifePoint, Tuley served as vice president of Provider Services for Emdeon Business Services. He has also held various management positions supporting healthcare clients within Perot Systems Corporation. Tuley earned his undergraduate degree from The Citadel and his MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business.

Osborn Named General Manager for Nashville Medical Trade Center

Market Center Management Company, which manages leading trade centers and trade events around the world, announced at the end of January that David Osborn has been appointed general manager of the Nashville Medical Trade Center, the world’s first permanent healthcare marketplace. Based out of Nashville, Osborn was previously a senior advisor for the development project. Prior to working for MCMC, he held the position of founding executive director of The HealthCare Solutions Group, a Nashville think tank he created to improve the health care system in the United States.

In his new role, Osborn will be responsible for the strategic development, leasing, marketing, and operations of the Nashville Medical Trade Center, which is slated to open in 2013. The 2 million-square-foot center will feature three components: up to 1,200 permanent manufacturer showrooms for healthcare product manufacturers, distributors, and information technology companies; more than 100,000 square feet of temporary trade show space; and conference facilities to accommodate a full annual calendar of trade event, education and training.

Stafford Joins Radiology Alliance, P.C.

James M. Stafford, MD, recently joined Radiology Alliance, P.C., one of Tennessee’s largest private practices of radiologists. Before joining Radiology Alliance, Stafford was in private practice with VISTA Radiology in Knoxville. Board certified by the American Board of Radiology, Stafford specializes in diagnostic and musculoskeletal radiology.

He received a master’s in Applied Physiology and his medical degree from Finch University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School. Following completion of an internal medicine residency at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Santa Clara, Calif. and a radiology residency at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, he completed a musculoskeletal imaging fellowship at the University of Florida Medical Center in Gainesville.

New Additions at Saint Thomas Hospital

Plastic surgeon Robert Garza, MD, has joined the staff of Saint Thomas Hospital and will work jointly with other surgeons and oncologists to provide patients both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery options. Since 2008, Garza has served as a faculty physician at the University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital prior to moving to Nashville in private practice. He received his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and completed his residency in plastics and reconstructive surgery at the University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and is active involved in research.

Cardiothoracic surgeon David Yandell, MD, has also joined the staff of Saint Thomas Hospital and Cardiovascular Surgery Associates. Prior to the move to Nashville, Yandell practiced at Asante Health System in Medford, Ore. He received his medical degree from the University of Kansas and completed a general surgery residency at the University of Louisville and a thoracic residency at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. He also finished a vascular surgery fellowship at the University of Kansas and an endovascular fellowship at Stanford University. Yandell is board certified by both the American College of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.

Additionally, the hospital recently announced the appointment of Mark Marsden, MD, to the position of Medical Director, Saint Thomas Emergency Department. Marsden has been an ER physician with Saint Thomas Hospital for the past 16 years. He earned his undergraduate degree in Microbiology and his medical degree from Louisiana State University. He completed his residency at Louisiana State University Medical Center and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Marsden is board certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

Patton Takes the Helm at Tennessee Oncology

At the beginning of the year, Jeffrey F. Patton, MD, was elected chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Tennessee Oncology. This change in leadership followed the retirement of Charles E. McKay, MD, who served more than 20 years.

Patton joined Tennessee Oncology in 1996 and served as chief medical officer before accepting the new position of CEO. Tennessee Oncology, one of the largest private oncology practices in the Southeast, employees 62 physicians. Tennessee Oncology was a co-founder of the Sarah Cannon Research Institute, a national leader in community based cancer research.

Whitt Named CFO at Passport

David Whitt has been named chief financial officer at Passport Health Communications, Inc. In this position, he will be responsible for all financial and legal functions at the healthcare revenue cycle management software and services company.

Whitt was previously CFO and treasurer at Cavalier Telephone Corporation in Richmond, Va., a post he held for 10 years. Whitt, a certified public accountant, began his career at KPMG and was also with PricewaterhouseCooper.

NDC Appoints Craighead as Chief Operating Officer

National Distribution & Contracting, Inc., the largest group of independent healthcare distributors in North America, has announced the appointment of Scott Craighead as chief operating officer. Craighead has been the CFO of the company for more than two years, during which NDC achieved unprecedented growth. Craighead previously worked at Goldleaf Financial Solutions, Inc., as its chief financial officer and prior to that spent 10 years in public accounting. He is a certified public accountant in the state of Tennessee

Dispensary of Hope Hits Major Milestone

The Dispensary of Hope, a Nashville-based not-for-profit social venture, opened its 50th dispensing site in Branson, MO through a partnership with Faith Community Health Center last month. The Dispensary of Hope provides sustainable access to medicine for underinsured communities, and helps underserved individuals in getting the medications they need for short and long-term. “We have 50 sites in 12 states and have a waiting list with over 120 possible sites so our year-end goal is well within reach,” said Dinger, Dispensary of Hope CEO.

In other news, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation donated $75,000 to the Dispensary of Hope to fund a dispensing site in Chattanooga, as well as four other locations throughout Tennessee. These sites will provide access to prescription medication for Tennessee’s underinsured and uninsured population.

Bordeaux Long-Term Care initiates In Home Care Services

Recently, Bordeaux Long-Term Care began providing Davidson County residents multiple aspects of in home care to allow seniors both assistance and independence.

“Our personal care attendants, homemaker services and home delivered meals meet the guidelines established by the Bureau of TennCare for individuals requiring assistance with Activities of Daily Living that would routinely be provided in a nursing facility,” explained BLTC Administrator Barbara Morrison.

BLTC is an eligible provider through the state’s Home and Community Based Services program and enables the delivery of cost effective services in the home, provides choices in care options and maintains the family-based support system.

Passport, Brightree Announce Partnership

Franklin-based Passport Health Communications Inc. and Brightree LLC, of Lawrenceville, GA, have announced a partnership to provide patient insurance eligibility verification as an integrated service within Brightree’s business management software solution.

“Creating efficiencies to help providers get paid faster and get reimbursed on everything they bill is a major focus of Brightree. We anticipate our partnership with Passport will save hundreds of man hours by allowing providers to check patient insurance eligibility within the Brightree system,” said Brightree President and CEO Dave Cormack.

New Day Pharmacy Launches Online Tools for Long-Term Care

Recently, Nashville-based New Day Pharmacy, an institutional pharmacy providing "in-house pharmacies" to long-term care facilities, launched new on-line tools to help nurses provide better care for their patients.

According to New Day Chief Information Officer Greg Margotta, the company's PharmCom^sm integrated computer system has been re-designed to give nurses immediate access to their patients' medical records, correspondence, videos, training materials, and information about safe medication practices and government policies. The new virtual tools can be accessed 24 hours a day by using on-site computer portals.

PharmCom II will also add live and recorded training modules, cameras for workplace observation and assistance, and new "dashboards" with access to important industry-related information. The company's goal is to help long-term care facilities become more efficient, "green-friendly", and cost effective, while also improving the lives of their patients.

More information is available on the new corporate Web site at www.newdaypharmacy.com.

Pain Management Group Opens New Office

The Pain Management Group opened new office in Mount Juliet at the end of January to better serve referring providers and patients. Bradley Hill, DO, sees patients on Wednesdays in the new West Caldwell Street location. The remainder of the week, he sees patients at the main office in Antioch.

Hill completed his anesthesiology residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and his pain management fellowship at The University of Vermont College of Medicine in Burlington, Vt. He is board certified in pain medicine and anesthesiology.

NorthCrest Announces New CNO

Last month, NorthCrest Medical Center in Springfield, Tenn. announced the promotion of Angie Beard, RN, BSN, CCRN to its senior administrative team. Beard, who has worked with the organization for more than 20 years, will serve as vice president/chief nursing officer.

Beard started her career at NorthCrest as a staff nurse in the critical care unit. She has served as critical care unit manger, nursing supervisor, clinical education director, and cardiovascular lab manager. Most recently Beard served as the director of cardiopulmonary services, which included the management of the cardiovascular lab, cardiac testing, respiratory therapy, sleep diagnostic center, and cardiac rehabilitation. She earned her BSN from Austin Peay State University and is currently pursuing a master’s degree from the same institution.

Niec Joins Gold Skin Care Center

Michele Lee Niec has been appointed marketing director for Gold Skin Care Center and its divisions — The Laser & Rejuvenation Center, Advanced Aesthetics Medical Spa, and Tennessee Clinical Research Center. As marketing director, she will be responsible for all consumer and trade communications and will design and produce the company's print, media and community relations campaigns. Niec has more than 25 years of experience and most recently lead field marketing initiatives for the “R”Us family of companies including Babies”R”Us and Toys”R”Us.