beacon - my hospital website...resume normal activities immediately. “this is a varicose vein...
TRANSCRIPT
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BEACON
SPR ING
2015
CROWNING
A R K A N S A S M E T H O D I S T M E D I C A L C E N T E R
ACHIEVEMENT
Allison Vaughn2015 Miss AMMC
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A
BEACONM A G A Z I N E
© 2015 • Arkansas Methodist Medical Center.
A M M C A D M I N I S T R A T I O N
President & Chief Executive OfficerBARRY DAVIS
Vice President & Chief Financial OfficerBRAD BLOEMER
Chief Nursing OfficerLANA WILLIAMS
External Operations ManagerGARY BIGGS
Director of Human ResourcesKEVIN THIELEMIER
AssistantLEIGH ANN JONES
AssistantTERESA ERVIN
A M M C E X E C U T I V E B O A R D
ChairmanRHONDA DAVIS
Vice ChairmanMIKE GASKILL
TreasurerBILL FISHER
SecretaryPAUL HILL
Past ChairmanDR. DWIGHT WILLIAMS
Medical Staff RepresentativeDR. FRANK SCHEFANO
Chief of StaffDR. JOHN HINES
DR. JON COLLIER
JANNIE DISTRETTI
DAVID DUDLEY
REV. JOHN FLEMING
BOB HODGE
TOM KIRK
DAVID NEIGHBORS
PAT QUINN
E D I T O R I A L T E A M
SHAY WILLISDirector of Marketing & Public Relations
TERESA VANGILDERAdministrative Assistant
TERRY AUSTINDirector of The Foundation
Amazing things are happening at AMMC.There’s a whiteboard in our surgery department that shows the day’s sched-
ule, and the way things are going right now, we’re either going to have to get a second board or start writing on the wall below the current one. This growing case load, spurred by the quality work of our surgeons and the surgical team, makes a compelling argument for expansion of our surgical suite. We’re taking a hard look at that possibility.
In the last couple of years, we’ve enjoyed the addition of several physicians – talented women and men who bring not only sterling professional skills and credentials, but also a keen appreciation for teamwork. Our medical center is blessed with very talented, very committed physicians already on board, and these five additions fit right in. The doctors you’ll meet in this magazine have hit the ground running, quickly building their practices even as we scramble to provide permanent office space for each of them.
We still have a couple of positions to fill, and I hope you’ll see announce-ments about those in the very near future. But when I take a look at what we’ve been able to add in a relatively short amount of time, it’s impressive.
In 2014, we hired the first female OB/GYN in our hospital’s history, and by the end of the year, we had hired two more. The physicians of AMMC Women’s Clinic – Dr. Betty Orange, Dr. Rose Glynne, and Dr. Twyla Norsworthy – provide compassionate care of impeccable quality, and we’re delighted to have all three.
We also added Dr. Bob Warner, who practices with Dr. Guy Peeples in the AMMC Surgery Clinic. Dr. Warner is well-known and highly regarded in this region for his excellence. He brings experience in vascular and thoracic surgery as well as general surgery.
Dr. Joel Epperson, who specializes in plastic and reconstructive surgery, joined our team toward the end of 2014. Dr. Epperson is staying quite busy on a variety of cases.
I’ve mentioned their skills and their cooperative spirit, but I don’t want to overlook one other trait these physicians share: their compassionate bedside manner. Part of what drew each of them to AMMC was our “family atmosphere” – the sense that we treat our patients like neighbors, not like charts or barcodes, even as we provide nationally recognized healthcare.
I’m proud to call each of them friends, proud to have them on staff at AMMC, and proud to recommend our hospital to you when you need us.
NEW ARRIVALSFive new doctors bring opportunity
BARRY DAVIS, PRESIDENT & CEO
/ArkansasMethodist @AMMCParagould
LIKE. FOLLOW. SHARE. ENJOY.
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TKEEPING OUR DOCS IN A ROW
[and no quacks allowed]
This may come as a surprise to you, but your doctor is just a little bit busy. Multiply that busyness by 242 – the number of docs (plus ad-vanced practice nurses and certified registered nurse anesthetists) who enjoy active (36) or courtesy (206) privileges at AMMC – and you’ve got a maelstrom of schedules, credentials and data to manage.
Fortunately, AMMC has Stacey DeFries. DeFries keeps tabs on the medical center’s medical staff, tracking everything from license renewal to quality data.
It’s DeFries’ job to vet each potential new doctor, double-checking the most minute details to make sure education is complete, insurance is current, and the correct license is obtained. And every doctor must re-apply for AMMC credentials every two years, which means DeFries also re-starts her process of digging through data.
DeFries also builds the hospital call schedule for each month. It’s one of the most underappreciated parts of her job. “It takes 3 full days to enter a month’s call schedule,” she said. “And at least 10 times a week, I make a change to it.” That constant juggling act, which involves not just the doctors but also numerous hospital departments, ensures that doctors are available when patients need them most.
“Most of the doctors listen to me,” DeFries said. “They don’t always agree, but they do listen. And most of them treat me like family.”
IN WITH THE NEW ............................... 4AMMC’s Physician Services has added a bevy of doctors to its team, and a new director as well. We’ll help you put names with all these new faces, as well as office locations, phone num-bers, specialties...
HITTING BELOW THE BELT ................ 10No man wants prostate cancer, and if it finds him, he doesn’t want to talk about it. Jerry Jett beat prostate cancer, and now he’s determined to break its of-ten lethal code of silence.
BEAUTY & THE BEDPAN ..................... 14After being crowned Miss AMMC in 2014, Abby Huckabee took a job as a Patient Care Tech on the hospital’s third floor. Yes, it’s every bit as glamorous as it sounds... and she loves it.CEO’S NOTE ............................................2
VENACURE ...............................................4
NEW FACES .............................................6
QUALITY AWARD .................................8
HOME HEALTH AWARD ......................9
DR. QUINN ON THE PSA ..................11
DR. NORM SMITH ................................12
MISS AMMC PHOTOS ..........................16
SPRINGS P R I N G 2 0 1 5
STACEY DEFRIES: MEDICAL STAFF COORDINATOR
Name:Stacey DeFries
Position:Medical StaffCoordinator
AMMC tenure:14 ½ years
Family:Husband: John
Children: Chris,Christina,
Duran,Deryk,
Isabella,& Landon
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We’re so ‘vein,’ we probably
think thisprocedure’s
about you(because it is)
Bob Warner, M.D.
Dr. Robert Warner completed his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology and Chemistry and his Medical De-gree at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, MS; his Surgical Internship and Residency at the Medical University of South Carolina and his Thoracic and Car-diac Surgery Residencies at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS. His entire career has been spent caring for and treating the patients of North-east Arkansas and Southeast Missouri.
He is a member of the American Medical Associa-tion, the Southeastern Surgical Congress, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the Arkansas Medical Society and is also a Fellow in the American College of Sur-geons.
He joins Dr. Guy Peeples at the AMMC Surgery Clinic located in the Professional Office Building on Ar-kansas Methodist’s campus at 1000 West Kingshighway, Suite 13. Patient appointments can be made by calling 870-239-8107.
Arkansas Methodist Medical Center has recently added the VenaCure EVLT proce-dure to its many patient services. VenaCure EVLT is a fast, safe and minimally invasive laser vein treatment for the elimination of varicose veins that is more than 95% effec-tive.
“Approximately 40 percent of all wom-en and 25 percent of all men have varicose veins,” said Dr. Bob Warner of the AMMC Surgery Clinic. “Because the traditional treatment for this condition, surgical vein stripping and ligation, tends to be a pain-ful procedure with a lengthy recovery time, patients who suffer from varicose veins of-ten decide to just suffer with them.”
In the VenaCure EVLT treatment, a la-ser fiber is inserted into the vein through a tiny puncture site. The laser energizes the fiber as it is withdrawn from the vein. Energy emitted from the tip of the fiber causes only the treated vein to close, while the body automatically routes the blood to other healthy veins. The patient receives only local anesthetic and experiences little to no discomfort during the 45-minute procedure. After treatment, a patient can simply walk out of the treatment room and resume normal activities immediately.
“This is a varicose vein treatment that’s perfect for today’s busy lifestyles,” notes Dr. Warner. “Patients can look and feel better almost immediately, and with very little inconvenience. They don’t have to disrupt their normal schedules. It’s very rewarding when advancements in medical technolo-gy enable us to provide an alternative that’s far superior to older treatments, and is now replacing them as the treatment of choice.”
Additional information on laser vari-cose vein treatment with VenaCure EVLT is available from the AMMC Surgery Clinic at 870-239-8107 or www.myammc.org. The practice is located at 1000 West Kingshighway, Suite 13 and procedures are performed at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center.
Warner joins AMMC Surgery Clinic
DOCTOR, DOCTOR,GIVE ME THE NEWS...
In less than a year’s time, the AMMC family of em-ployed physicians has grown substantially. We’ve added five new doctors to AMMC Physician Services since last spring, and we’re happy to introduce them to you.
Dr. Joel Epperson received his Bachelor of Arts from Millsaps College in Jackson, MS and his Medi-cal Degree from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica, West Indies. He completed an Intern-ship and Residency in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine Cabrini Medical Center Program in New York, NY; an Internship and Resi-dency in General Surgery plus a Residency in Plas-tic and Reconstructive Surgery at The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS.
He is Board Certified by The American Board of Surgery.
Paragould Plastic Surgery is located at 1000 West Kingshighway, Suite 7 in the Professional Office Building at AMMC. To schedule an appointment at Paragould Plastic Surgery, please call 870-239-8427.
Joel Epperson, M.D.
Epperson adds focus on plastic surgery
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Dr. Rose Glynne received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biochemistry from Wells College in Aurora, New York and her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts. She completed her resi-dency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tufts Af-filiated Hospitals, Harvard Medical School also in Boston.
She is Board Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology; is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FACOG) and is an active duty United States Air Force Physician.
The AMMC Women’s Clinic is located at 1000 West Kingshighway, Suite 4. To schedule an appointment, please call 870-239-8307.
Dr. Twyla Norsworthy received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas at Arlington and her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) at the University of Arkansas for Medi-cal Sciences in Little Rock. She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Tennessee in Memphis and the University of Missouri in Columbia.
She is Board Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecol-ogy (FACOG).
The AMMC Women’s Clinic is located at 1000 West Kingshighway, Suite 6. To schedule an appointment, please call 870-239-8199.
Dr. Betty Orange received her Bach-elor of Science Degree in Microbiology from the University of Oklahoma in Nor-man, OK and her Doctor of Osteopathy Degree (D.O.) from Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medi-cine in Tulsa, OK. She completed her internship at Hillcrest Health Center in Oklahoma City, OK and her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Deacon West Medical Center in St. Louis, Mis-souri.
She is Board Certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gy-necology and is a Fellow of The American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FACOOG).
Twyla Norsworthy
Twyla Norsworthy, M.D. Betty Orange, D.O.
Rose Glynne
Rose Glynne, M.D.
AMMC Women’s Clinic adds three new physicians to team
Betty Orange
Heather Stultz, MSN, APRN, is one of the newest members of the medical staff. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, her Masters of Science in Nursing from University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio and is working to com-plete her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Walden University in Minneapolis,
Stultz serves AMMC Women’s Clinic as APRN
Minnesota. She is a member of the American Nurs-
es Association, the Arkansas Nurses Asso-ciation and the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.
She is practicing in the AMMC Wom-en’s Clinic. To schedule an appointment, please call 870-239-8307.
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Jeff Deniston, PT, has been named the Inpatient Rehabilitation Program Director. He is responsible for oversee-ing the Inpatient Rehabilitation Depart-ment including admissions, day-to-day operations, personnel matters and en-suring the general health and well-being of the facility. Deniston came to AMMC from Crittenden Regional Hospital in West Memphis, AR where he also served as the Inpatient Rehab Program Direc-tor.
The Inpatient Rehabilitation Depart-ment provides Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy services with medi-cal oversight and full nursing care for patients who require short, intensive re-hab after a stroke, trauma or because of complex medical conditions.
Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and a Master of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Central Arkansas in Conway as well as an Executive Master of Business Ad-ministration from Troy University. He is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
Stephen Earnshaw, RN, has been named the Director of the GI Lab and Ambulatory Care Services. He is respon-sible for overseeing the daily activities of both departments leading his employees toward excellence in patient safety and satisfaction. Steve serves on different committees throughout the hospital and is a member of the team working to promote the organization’s excellent service program. He came to AMMC from Crittenden Regional Hospital in West Memphis.
He received his Registered General Nursing degree from The Sir Gordon Roberts College of Nursing and Mid-wifery at Northampton General Hos-pital in Northampton, England. He is certified in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and is a member of the Association of periOperative Reg-istered Nurses.
NEW FACES & PLACES
Jeff Deniston, PT Stephen Earnshaw, RNSarah Dearing, MSN, RN
Sarah Dearing, MSN, RN, has been named the Unit Coordinator of 3 Cen-tral. Before coming to AMMC, Sarah worked as the Director of Medical-Sur-gery/Pediatrics and ICU at Forrest City Medical Center in Wynne.
Sarah earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree and her Master of Science in Nursing, Nursing Education and Clinical Nurse Specialist in Adult Health from Arkansas State University.
She and her husband, Jamey, have two sons, Avery and Xander. They are members of Camp Ground United Methodist Church.
AMMC promotions and new hires
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Chris Hicks, RN, BSN has been named the Unit Coordinator of the In-patient Rehabilitation Department. He recently served as the Assistant Unit Co-ordinator. He oversees the nursing staff and works in conjunction with the occu-pational, physical and speech therapists in the treatment of patients admitted to the floor for rehabilitation services. The Inpatient Rehabilitation Department provides full nursing care for patients who require short, intensive rehab after a stroke, trauma or because of complex medical conditions.
Chris earned his LPN Degree from Black River Technical College and his BSN Degree from Arkansas State Uni-versity. He is currently attending Grand Canyon University and will graduate with his MBA/MSN Degree in May of next year.
Sara Warhurst, MSN, RN, CCRN, has been named the Unit Coordinator of the Critical Care Unit (CCU). She is responsible for supervising nursing and ancillary staff, working with them to ensure standards of care set forth by regulatory agencies are met. She oversees patient care and performs administrative functions such as monitoring quality initiatives. She also serves on commit-tees within the hospital, assisting with the progress of the medical center’s ini-tiatives. She came to AMMC from LeB-onheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN where she was the Patient Care Co-ordinator of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).
She received her Licensed Practical Nurse Degree from Mid-South Com-munity College in West Memphis, AR; her Associates Degree of Nursing from East Arkansas Community College also in West Memphis and her Masters of Science in Nursing from Walden Uni-versity.
She holds a Critical Care Nursing Certification (CCRN) in Pediatrics and is an Advanced Cardiovascular Life Sup-port (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS) instructor.
Janette Iglehart has been named the Director of Physician Services at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center. She oversees multiple doctors’ offices at AMMC including Cardiology, Surgery, Obstetrics/Gynecology and Plastic/Re-constructive Surgery. She brings nearly 30 years of healthcare experience, with more than 20 years in management, with her to the position.
She received her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Arkansas State Uni-versity in Jonesboro. She is a member of the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).
She has one son, Taylor, and is a member of Temple Baptist Church.
Chris Hicks, RN, BSN Janette Iglehart Sara Warhurst, MSN, RN, CCRN
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The Arkansas Methodist Hospital Cor-poration has been recognized as a 2013 Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® by The Joint Commission, the leading accredi-tor of healthcare organizations in the United States. The AMHC was recognized as part of The Joint Commission’s 2014 annual report “America’s Hospitals: Improving Quality and Safety,” for attaining and sustaining excel-lence in accountability measure performance for heart attack, pneumonia and surgical care. The Arkansas Methodist Hospital Corpora-tion is one of 1,224 hospitals in the United States to achieve the 2013 Top Performer dis-tinction.
The Top Performer program recognizes hospitals for improving performance on ev-idence-based interventions that increase the chances of healthy outcomes for patients with certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, chil-dren’s asthma, stroke, venous thromboembo-lism and perinatal care, as well as for inpatient psychiatric services and immunizations.
This is the third year The Arkansas Meth-odist Hospital Corporation has been recog-nized as a Top Performer. The AMHC was recognized in 2012 and 2013 for its perfor-mance on accountability measure data for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care. Arkansas Methodist is one of only 314 hospitals to achieve the Top Per-former distinction for the past three consecu-tive years.
To be a 2013 Top Performer, hospitals had to meet three performance criteria based on 2013 accountability measure data, including:
• Achieving cumulative performance of 95 percent or above across all re-ported accountability measures;
• Achieving performance of 95 percent or above on each and every reported accountability measure where there were at least 30 denominator cases; and
• Having at least one core measure set that had a composite rate of 95 percent or above, and (within that
measure set) all applicable individual accountability measures had a perfor-mance rate of 95 percent or above.
“Delivering the right treatment the right way at the right time is a cornerstone of high quality healthcare. I commend the ef-forts of The Arkansas Methodist Hospital Corporation for their excellent performance on the use of evidence-based interventions,” said Mark R. Chassin, M.D., FACP, M.P.P., M.P.H., president and CEO, The Joint Com-mission.
“We understand that what matters most to patients at Arkansas Methodist is the quality and safety of the care they receive. That is why we have made it a top priority to improve positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes,” said AMHC Chief Nursing Officer Lana Williams, RN, MSN, CPHQ. Arkansas Methodist is proud to be named a Top Performer as it recognizes the knowledge, teamwork and dedication of our entire hospital staff,” said Barry Davis, Presi-dent/CEO at AMHC.
Arkansas Methodist Medical Center is pleased to welcome two new practices and three doctors to Greene County.
Diffine Family Practice, PLLC, including Doctors David Diffine and Jonathan White to Paragould. The office is located at 5 Market Place.
Dr. Diffine is a graduate of Harding University in Searcy, AR and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock where he earned his medical degree. He com-
New docs in Greene County
Dr. Jonathan White Dr. David Diffine Dr. JT DeWitt
Corporation recognized as Top Performer on Key Quality Measures
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Arkansas Methodist Medical Center is proud to announce it has been named a 2014 Guardian of Excellence Award winner by Press Ganey Associates, Inc. The Guardian of Excellence Award recognizes top-performing facilities that consistently achieve the 95th percentile of performance in Patient Experi-ence in Home Health.
The Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award is a nationally-recognized symbol of achievement in healthcare. Presented annual-ly, the award honors clients who consistently sustain performance in the top 5% of all Press Ganey clients for each reporting period dur-ing the course of the year.
Press Ganey is the nation’s leading health-care performance improvement company and
partners with more than 11,000 healthcare facilities, including more than half of all U.S. hospitals, to reduce suffering and improve the patient experience.
“We are proud to partner with AMMC,” said Patrick T. Ryan, CEO of Press Ganey. “The award is a testament to the organiza-tion’s commitment to deliver more patient-centered care. By achieving and sustaining this level of excellence, AMMC is benefiting patients and helping advance the quality of healthcare.”
According to AMMC President/CEO Barry Davis, “Receiving this award validates the commitment Arkansas Methodist Medi-cal Center’s Home Health staff has to the pa-tients they care for every day in the area we
serve in Northeast Arkansas.”Recognized as a leader in performance im-
provement for nearly 30 years, Press Ganey partners with more than 11,000 healthcare organizations worldwide to create and sustain high-performing organizations and ultimate-ly improve the overall healthcare experience. The company offers a comprehensive port-folio of solutions to help clients operate effi-ciently, improve quality, increase market share and optimize reimbursement. Press Ganey works with clients from across the continuum of care-hospitals, medical practices, home care agencies and other providers-including more than 50% of all U.S. hospitals. For more information, visit www.pressganey.com.
AMMC Home Health recognized for patient satisfaction
The AMMC Home Health team received recognition for its consistently high scores in patient experience.
pleted his internship/residency in Family Prac-tice at the University of Tennessee in Jackson, TN. He holds professional memberships with the American Academy of Family Practice and the Arkansas Association of Family Practice.
Dr. White is a graduate of Harding University in Searcy, AR and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock where he earned his medical degree. He completed his residency in Family Medicine
at Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) in Pine Bluff.
The clinic is now accepting new patients and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.To schedule an appoint-ment, please call 870-565-9538.
Dr. JT DeWitt, Jr., has opened a practice in Marmaduke. Dr. DeWitt earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Degree from Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences
in Kansas City, MO and completed his Resi-dency in Family Medicine at the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in Jonesboro. He is a member of the Arkansas Osteopathic Medical Association. He and his wife, Jessica, have six children and two grandchildren.
The DeWitt Family Medical Clinic is located at 11998 Highway 49 North in Marmaduke. The phone number is (870) 597-1231.
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TTwo diagnoses, some 30 years apart, moti-vated Jerry Jett to do something about cancer.
Jett, whose mother died of colon cancer in 1976, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006. His mother’s passing, coupled with his own battle, drove Jett to begin talking about something most men would rather not dis-cuss.
“I know some men here in Paragould that have that attitude,” he said. “They’ve been diagnosed, had surgery, had treatments, and they don’t want anybody to know about it.”
Worse, many men avoid annual prostate screenings, either because they don’t want to think about the possibilities or because of the discomfort of the tests. However, statistics in-dicate that one out of every seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their life-times. It’s estimated that 2,370 men in Arkan-sas will be diagnosed this year alone, and 320 men in the state will die from prostate cancer.
That number is about 320 too high for Jett, which is why he’s a board member of the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation, a statewide organization dedicated to “increas-ing awareness, encouraging timely detection and supporting improved treatment of pros-tate cancer in Arkansas.”
Jett, a real estate agent with Coldwell
Banker in Paragould spends a great deal of his time helping spread the word, especially to a sometimes-stubborn male audience that may prefer to ignore the message -- and the risks.
“The main thing is to get a baseline estab-lished,” Jett said. “Get a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test, and then watch those numbers over the years. The PSA is not a diagnosis of cancer; there are other things that can make PSA numbers rise. But you need that baseline to give you something to work from.”
The PSA screening is a simple blood test, a much less intrusive option than the notori-ous DRE (digital rectal exam). The DRE may be the sum of all fears with regard to prostate testing, and it routinely puts grown men in a panic as they mentally replay scenes from old
Chevy Chase movies.“Yes, that’s the more unpleasant one,” Jett
said of the DRE. “But about 20% of prostate cancer diagnoses are found that way. They didn’t show up in the PSA.”
Jett recommends an annual PSA screen-ings starting at age 50, unless there’s a family cancer history, in which case he recommends a test sooner rather than later. Jett said he would prefer that men begin annual screen-ings around age 40, because he remembers how his own life was changed by early diag-nosis and successful treatment.
“It’s like somebody hit you upside the head with a two-by-four,” he said. “It strikes terror in you, but it also gives you a different per-spective on life.”
STARTING THECONVERSATION
Prostate cancer survivor Jerry Jett leads the charge against a disease you don’t want to talk about
Jerry Jett, center, and Cara Harris (patient navigator for Arkanasas Prostate Cancer Foundation, left, talk with AMMC Executive Board Member Paul Hill at the 2014 AMMC Men’s Health Fair. Like Jett, Hill is a prostate cancer survivor.
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WWhen should I be tested for prostate cancer? What does the test involve? Should I be tested at all? These are questions that each man will eventually need to discuss with his doctor, but we can get the conversation started here with a brief overview of prostate cancer, the testing available, and the poten-tial risks and benefits associated with testing.
The prostate is a golf ball sized gland as-sociated with the male reproductive system located just below the urinary bladder. Pros-tate cancer is the most common malignancy among men with an estimated 230,000 cases each year in the United States. It is the second most common cause of cancer death for men behind lung cancer. Since it typically does not cause symptoms until it is in advanced stages, one cannot rely on symptoms alone to find prostate cancer. The rectal exam, while a good source of prostate related jokes, is also not a reliable detector of prostate cancer. That leaves us with the PSA (prostate specific antigen) test. The PSA test detects a protein, only made by the prostate gland, which becomes elevated in most prostate cancers. Unfortunately, it is also elevated with a number of benign processes. This gives it what we call “poor specificity.”
Poor specificity of a test means that a positive (or abnormal) test result does not necessarily mean anything. In our case, a positive PSA test means a man may have prostate cancer – that’s it.
It is this poor specificity that has been the source of recent controversy surround-ing screening for prostate cancer, with some groups calling for abandonment of the PSA test. Most positive PSA tests are the result of benign processes such as BPH (benign pros-tate enlargement) and prostatitis (inflam-mation of the prostate). Sometimes the only way to know for sure is to perform a biopsy. A prostate biopsy consists of taking 8-12 tissue samples and is not without risks. Up to 30% of men who have a prostate biopsy may experience complications. These range from mild blood in the urine to serious bleeding or infections. An estimated 4% of these complications result in hospitalization. Another risk is called over diagnosis. Studies have shown that not all prostate cancers need to be treated. Over diagnosis means finding and treating a prostate cancer that would never have advanced if left alone.
Proponents of the PSA test will quickly point out its benefits. Early detection of
cancer is the main benefit. Catching cancer in its early stages theoretically leads to fewer complications and deaths. It is true that since the test was introduced, fewer men present with advanced stages of prostate cancer and the number of deaths due to prostate cancer has fallen. It is not known if this is entirely due to the PSA test or to improvements in the treatment of cancer. Most likely, it is a combination of both factors.
The American Cancer Society and the American Urology Association both recommend that the decision to test for prostate cancer should be an individual one. According to the AUA, men with a strong family history of prostate cancer should start this conversation as early as age 40 and other men should start the discussion at age 55. Although the decision to be screened for prostate cancer is not always straight-forward, it is clear that a man should discuss the pros and cons of the test with his doctor before making a decision.
The contents of this article are not meant to constitute medical advice. Individuals should discuss health related issues with their doctor or health care provider.
Dr. David Quinn, pathologist, served as AMMC’s pathologist and was the hospital’s Chief of Staff in 2013 and 2014. He has accepted a position in Poughkeepsie, NY, and he and his family will move there later this year.
A PSA about the PSA by Dr. David Quinn
The Prostate Specific Antigen test is useful, but it may not always indicate exactly what you think
Sources: American Urologic Association Guideline: Early Detection of Prostate Cancer; Cancer.org (American Cancer Society); UpToDate.com
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LIVED TO THE FULLESTDr. Norman Smith brought life to the world – in lots of ways
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IIn both personal philosophy and chosen profession, Dr. Norman Smith celebrated life.
Dr. Smith, Arkansas Methodist Medical Center’s first em-ployed full-time OB/GYN, brought his family to Paragould in August 1990, settling here only after determining the community fit the criteria set by his wife, Elaine.
“I told him it has to have at least five digits in the popu-lation total,” she recalls telling him, “and it has to be close enough for me to visit my family (in St. Louis).”
For the first year, the family lived behind the hospital in a small house on 10th Street. Then they purchased a prop-erty just off Highway 49 on Turtle Back Hill. With the new property came new responsibility for the Smiths’ sons: Norm Jr. and Andrew. (There is no word on whether the Smiths’ daughter, Lauren, got her share of the chores. There does, however, seem to be a definite sense that she enjoyed special treatment as the baby of the family and the lone daughter.)
“He worked a lot – he loved his job,” Andrew said. “And when he was gone, he would leave us marching orders: baling hay, building fences, that sort of thing. I think it was his way of teaching us responsibility in life.”
Had you asked Dr. Smith if he worked a lot, he likely would have said no. That, too, was part of his philosophy.
“Dad always told us, ‘Find something you love to do, oth-erwise you’ll be working all the time,’” Andrew said. “He worked all the time, but he never felt like he was working because he loved it so much.”
That may monkey with the old saying: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. But it also may explain why Dr. Smith kept things light at work, too. To pass the time wait-ing for a patient’s labor to become delivery, Dr. Smith could often be found playing pool on a billiards table in his office. The table moved with him from his original office, across Kingshighway from the medical center, to the AMMC Pro-fessional Office Building.
He also kept an African gray parrot named Angel in the office, and the bird quickly learned to mimic the sounds of the workplace, including Dr. Smith’s voice. Often, Elaine said, when Dr. Smith would enter the back door of the office, he would jokingly call out, “Get to work, girls!” to his staff. Soon, however, he didn’t need to say it at all, because Baby would beat him to the punchline. As soon as he entered the door, the bird would call, “Get to work, girls!”
“That bird could perfectly imitate the microwave and even
the clicking sound of the back door opening,” Elaine said. And when the Smiths’ daughter would come to the office af-ter school, Baby would call her, too, mimicking the doctor’s voice: “Lauren! Lauren!”
That relaxed, fun work atmosphere was a reflection of the relaxed, fun doctor at its hub. Engaging, warm and friendly, Dr. Smith was gifted at putting people at ease.
“He was just that type of guy,” Elaine said. “You felt as if you had known him forever.”
The two of them met in high school, working together at a theater. She invited him to a Sadie Hawkins dance, their first date, at her all-girl school. And even that night, he was the life of the party.
“He didn’t just dance with me,” Elaine said. “He danced with any and every girl who didn’t have a partner.”
Dr. Smith carried that groove with him to the workplace. While he might have put away his dancing shoes during work hours, he brought instead an eclectic playlist of tunes that formed his own personal soundtrack while he worked.
“He played music all the time,” Elaine said. “From AC/DC to Tchaikovsky to Leonard Cohen to Elvis, you just never knew what you would be listening to.”
His musical tastes were part and parcel of the doctor’s insatiable curiosity. He was a learner, and when something caught his interest, he wouldn’t rest until he knew as much as possible about the subject. Andrew recalled how excited his father was when the History Channel was added to the local cable lineup.
“And he read all the time,” Elaine said. “He read and read and read…” In fact, when Dr. Smith passed away, his family found him in a recliner with his iPad open to an article about atrial fibrillation, the very condition that ultimately claimed his life last July.
Dr. Smith is remembered as the life of the party who en-joyed the party of life right up until its very end. Gradu-ations, weddings, even run-of-the-mill nights watching the grandkids – whatever was on the agenda, Dr. Smith enjoyed it to the fullest.
It is an enduring and inspiring legacy, and one that chal-lenges each of us. While we may never literally bring life into the world as Dr. Smith did, we can follow his example of making sure we are fully alive in the moments most signifi-cant to us.
Dr. Norman Smith was exceptionally proud of hs family, and greatly enjoyed spending time with them.
14
I
ALLHAIL THEQUEEN
Abby Huckabee traded her crown for a set of scrubs
If there were a 25th hour in the day, Abby Huckabee would discover it before the rest of us. And the energetic college freshman could certainly use the extra hour, given that her current 24 are pretty well mapped out and max’ed out.
Huckabee, now 19, earned the title of Se-nior Miss AMMC in April 2014, just a few weeks before graduating from Greene County Tech. On February 14, she crowned Allison Vaughn as the new Miss AMMC, handing off not only the crown but the ceremonial duties that accompany it.
While Huckabee says she’ll miss being Miss AMMC, she won’t have any trouble filling the void in her planner. The young beauty man-ages a 16-hour course load at Arkansas State University – a schedule ambitious enough to keep most students more than occupied – and just for high kicks, she also holds a spot on the A-State cheerleading squad.
“We do three two-hour practices each week,” Huckabee said. “And in football sea-son, we had one game each week plus one mandatory hour-long workout.”
As you can see, Huckabee’s schedule is pretty demanding, and we haven’t yet covered the baking she does on the side. That’s right: baking. Huckabee has several clients who call and request cakes and other treats, and she fills those orders during the small breaks in her schedule.
If you’re exhuasted just reading about this girl on the go, you might want to pace your-self. Because on top of the already significant demands for her time, Huckabee voluntarily sought out yet another opportunity.
Shortly after winning the Miss AMMC title, Huckabee applied for a part-time posi-tion at the medical center.
“I had been looking at being a CNA (Cer-tified Nursing Assistant) and wondered about working here,” she said. At the time she ap-plied, the only position open was for a unit secretary on the 3-Central nursing station, so Huckabee took the opportunity and eventu-ally transitioned to become a Patient Care Technician on the same floor.
“I just like working with people a lot,” Huckabee said, adding that, at the time, she
was thinking about studying nursing. “It was a good start, and I definitely have learned a lot.”
Among many tasks as a PCT, Huckabee takes patients’ vital signs, delivers and collects food trays, answers patient calls, changes lin-ens, and assists nurses as needed. Depending on the hospital’s patient volume, she cares for 8-11 patients each shift, and typically works 48 hours each pay period.
As you can tell, the work is more grueling than glamorous, and it doesn’t exactly fit into the preconceived notions of a pageant win-ner’s lifestyle. Why does Huckabee do it?
For starters, there’s the matter of the pay-check, which this independent young lady applies toward her living expenses like rent, groceries, and the like. But there’s more to it than that.
“I like to go home knowing I helped some-body,” she said. “You have to go into it with the mindset that if the patients could do these things for themselves, they would. I hope if I was in that situation, someone would take care of me.”
15
Huckabee is a PCT at AMMC (opposite page), an A-State cheerleader (top, above), and a full-time student, yet still found time to represent AMMC at the Foundation’s Holiday Auction (middle, above) and Paragould’s Christmas parade (above). At right, she crowns Miss AMMC 2015, Allison Vaughn.
photo by Shay Willis
photo by Kacey Archibald
photo by Kacey Archibald
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Wee Miss AMMC (0-12 months)
Baby Miss AMMC (13-23 months) Toddler Miss AMMC (24-35 months)
Tiny Miss AMMC (3-4 years) Petite Miss AMMC (Kindergarten)
Little Miss AMMC (1st & 2nd Grades) Young Miss AMMC (3rd & 4th Grades)
MISS AMMC BENEFIT BEAUTY PAGEANT
Over 100 young ladies participated in The Founda-tion’s benefit beauty pageant this year. Their participa-tion, along with the generosity of the event’s sponsors, raised $7,500 that will be invested in improvements at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center.
To maximize the size of the photos of the pageant winners, the caption information for the photos appears on Page 23. Each caption begins with the contestant on the left of the photo.
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Pre-Teen Miss AMMC (5th Grade) Pre-Teen Miss AMMC (6th Grade)
Teen Miss AMMC (7th Grade) Teen Miss AMMC (8th Grade)
Teen Miss AMMC (9th Grade) Junior Miss AMMC (10th Grade)
Junior Miss AMMC (11th Grade) Senior Miss AMMC (12th Grade)
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DR. TORY LEE STALLCUP ON HIS42ND BIRTHDAY JANUARY 29
Mary Ann Stallcup CAROL FOSTER
Susan YoungbloodCOLEMAN AND NAOMI WELCH
Jim and Norma BowlinJACK KEMP
Dr. A.E. AndrewsAlvin and Barbara ArnoldSally MartinJimmy C. Dodd, Jr. Dr. Lawrence DoddCity Drug Employees
SHARON DESENZANick Desenza
HELEN ANDREWSSally Martin
LORENE DAVIS Bill and Anne Fisher
HERSHEL NELSONAMMC Retirees
CATHERINE HESTERAMMC RetireesRobin Patten
DARRELL STEELEPatsy Mosier & Family
EVA MAE WOOLEYBob Branch Kim and Melinda ReevesRobin Patten
L.O. AND EVA MAE WOOLEYMary Ann Stallcup
DR. RICHARD GARDDr. Guy and Mrs. Theresa Peeples
MRS. LEE PURCELLDr. A.E. AndrewsBill and Anne FisherRoy and Linda McSpadden
VIRGINIA RYLESBill and Anne FisherTom and Theresa Kirk
JOYCE FAY LEWISAMMC Retirees
JIMMY PERKINSJulia HeathJerry and Norma Jean Cox Rohn Craft & Family Staff at Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue ShieldLonoke County Cooperative Extension ServiceParks City Baptist Church
LARRY BREWERTom and Theresa Kirk
MARY ROWLANDBill Rowland
BO DESPAINMary Ann StallcupJames and Susan ReevesSusan Youngblood Donnie and Brenda Russell
PAULINE REEVESAMMC Materials Management Dept.
DR. NORMAN SMITHSally MartinDr. and Mrs. Jon CollierRalph and Marilyn Stanley & FamilyAMMC Emergency DepartmentDr. Stephen and Mrs. Debra MorrisonMary Ann StallcupDr. Len and Mrs. Denise Kemp
ALVIN SAMUELGeorge and Susie CookPete and Linda BlackDon and Ruth BuchholzBonita CrabtreeDavid and Leigh Ann JonesSally MartinScott and Angela Rice Anne WellsSusan YoungbloodCharles and Kay LuterH.C. and Brenda LemmonsBuzzy Hussey and Hal BruntAllenberg Cotton CompanyEugene and Rosemary RapleyVirginia BiggsPatricia SimsCharles and Nora Green Buckley Oil CompanyPeggy Barber MurdockCarol WalkerDebbie DaVault & FamilyDr. Jon and Mrs. Ranae CollierSouthern Cotton Ginners As-sociationRoy and Linda McSpaddenAnna Smith Frank and Ann Marie GuinnGary and Beverly BiggsDr. and Mrs. Larry LawsonJerry Crocker
WAYNE BUCKRoy and Linda McSpadden
RAY RANKINDr. and Mrs. Larry Lawson
DAVID SHEWMAKERGeorge and Susie Cook
CHARLENE HANEY FORD Roy and Linda McSpadden
WINSTON “WIMP” WOOLDRIDGE
Dr. Len and Mrs. Denise KempRUTH JACKSON
Bill and Anne FisherDORIS WELLS
Tommy and Cindy BowersBill and Anne FisherGeorge and Susie Cook
JERRY GARNERAl and Lana WilliamsMary Ann StallcupDr. Len and Mrs. Denise Kemp
EDWIN AND LOUISE NOWICKIMark and Janet Woodruff
LAWRENCE, INAS AND JIM TREADWAY
Jacksie and Nadine JamisonARLIE BEASLEY
AMMC RetireesSUZANNE DAHLING
Randhall Dahling JOANNE HAMNER
Roy and Linda McSpaddenMELANIE HEATH POSEY
Roy and Linda McSpadden
BENNETT SATTERWHITEMary Ann Stallcup
MARY ESTHER HERGET’S 94TH BIRTHDAY
Don and Nancy (Herget) Wood
SUNNY CURTISMary Ann Stallcup
MIKE AND RHONDA JONESMary Ann Stallcup
ROB BLANDMary Ann Stallcup
BILL FISHERJenny AdairBonita Crabtree
DR. L.L. SHEDDMary Ann Stallcup
JOE AND MARTHA HORNJacob Horn & Family
AMMC 3 CENTRAL NURSING STAFF
Mike and Norma DaVaultPHIL AND MARY ESTHER HER-GET’S WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
Don and Nancy (Herget) Wood
M.F. BLOCK INSURANCE COMPA-NY’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY; M.F. BLOCK, BILL AND KAT BLOCK AND JEFF AND CAROLYN BLOCK
Steve and Patrice Block & Family
MAYOR MIKE GASKILL’S BIRTH-DAY
Georgia RogersTisha BaldwinShelia Ragsdell
SENATOR ROBERT THOMPSONMary Ann Stallcup
H.T. MOOREMary Ann Stallcup
PHIL HERGET’S BIRTHDAYDon and Nancy (Herget) Wood
ALL AMMC NURSING STAFFChuck and Donna Conley
HAROLD AND MOZELLE DORTCHChip Dortch
TERESA ERVIN Mary Ann Stallcup
LANA WILLIAMSAMMC Nursing ManagersMary Ann Stallcup
DR. GUY PEEPLESDavid and Karin Dudley
CHARLES ROBERT AND JACQUE-LINE DUDLEY
David and Karin Dudley FRANK AND ANN MARIE GUINN
Bonita CrabtreeDR. LEN AND MRS. DENISE KEMP
Kendall and Sandy JettonROY AND LINDA MCSPADDEN
Shane and Liz MayJ.T. ASHBY
Jeremy and Ashley Watson BRYANT AND ELAINE MARSHALL
Betty Fletcher
TRIBUTE GIFTS
MEMORIAL GIFTS
HONOR GIFTS
The AMMC Foundation gratefully acknowledges the following Tribute Gifts:
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Wee Miss (0-12 months) Queen Zynlee KayAnn Stewart; Community Spirit, Most Photogenic and 1st Alternate Finley Grace Jackson and 2nd Alternate Scarlett Cecilia Rose King.
Baby Miss (13-23 months) Queen Treasure Denton; 1st Alternate Raylee Jade Vaughn; 2nd Alternate Brinlea Daniel; Most Photogenic Aubrey Faith Bagwell and Community Spirit Fiona Rain Abbey.
Toddler Miss (24-35 months) Queen Falan Sue Poe; 1st Alternate Kollins Elizabeth DaVault; Community Spirit and 2nd Alternate Rynleigh Kayje Collingsworth and Most Photogenic Anniston Marie Parker.
Tiny Miss (3-4 years) 2nd Alternate Madison Kate Mixon; Community Spirit Zoey Lynn Clayton; Most Photogenic and 1st Alternate Preslee Elle Parker and Queen Freya Katherine Harris.
Petite Miss (Kindergarten) Community Spirit Mattie Lynn White; Queen Molly Ann Keller; Most Photogenic and 2nd Alternate Lexis Emery Covington and 1st Alternate Kiannah RayLee Rodriguez.
Little Miss (1st and 2nd Grades) Community Spirit Aubree Rose Despain; Most Photogenic and 1st Alternate Lacie Mathis; 2nd Alternate Brayleigh Cheyenne Sneed and Queen-Bella Kay Reynolds.
Young Miss (3rd and 4th Grades) Community Spirit Cheyenne Faye Brown; 2nd Alternates Natandra Nacole Hunt and Andie Claire Piercy; Most Photogenic and Queen Camille Elizabeth Joiner and 1st Alternate Kelcie Reece Morris.
Pre-Teen Miss (5th grade) 1st Alternate Avery Brook Newsom; Most Photogenic and Queen Shyann Brooke Ashlynn Strope and Community Spirit and 2nd Alternate Karlie Paige Thompson.
Pre-Teen Miss (6th grade) Community Spirit Destiny Star Woods; Most Photogenic and 2nd Alternate Sophie Rachel Simmons; 1st Alternate Jacy Alexa Featherston and Queen Abee Rae Bobbitt.
Miss AMMC Pageant Winners (from Page 16)
Teen Miss (7th grade) Community Spirit Brianna Dione West; Queen Alexandria Nicole Cupp; 1st Alternate Kyleigh Ryan Threlkeld and 2nd Alternate Alexis Marie Maddock.
Teen Miss (8th grade)Community Spirit and 2nd Alternate Jordan Renee Condray; Most Photogenic Addison Leann Piercy; 1st Alternate Katelyn Ashleigh Cole and Queen Taylor Payton Edwards.
Teen Miss (9th grade) 1st Alternate Bailey Ellen Burns; Community Spirit Abbie Lynn Dickson; Queen Ashlyn Avery Adams; Most Photogenic Holly Blair Benson and 2nd Alternate Sydney Nicole Manchester.
Junior Miss (10th grade) 1st Alternate Courtney Shae Smith; Most Photogenic and Queen Meredith Breann Greathouse and Community Spirit and 2nd Alternate Bailey Nicole Bridges.
Junior Miss (11th grade) Community Spirit, Most Photogenic and 1st Alternate Emmalee Ellen Martin; 2nd Alternate Torrie Elizabeth Rodriguez and Queen Gabrielle Krumholz.
Senior Miss (12th grade) Community Spirit, Most Photogenic and 2nd Alternate Madallyn Elisabeth Puckett; Senior Miss AMMC Allison Taylor Vaughn and 1st Alternate Tristin Abigail Rawls.
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You can make your gift online at www.myammc.org/give. Please call us at (870) 239-7077 if you have any questions.
20
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