A Publication for N MMC Employees Volume 14, N umber 10 May 19 , 2006

hat’sInside…

TummyTrimmers..........p. 2

NursingE ducation ........p. 3

ServicePins ..................p. 4

Director ............p. 5

PerfectA ttenders..........p. 6

E OM ................p. 6

CDE ................p. 7

R etirement ......p. 8

WEmployee, Physician O f Year C hosen

L owell Walker Jr. was named asNMMC’s 2005-2006 E mployeeof the Year at the A nnual

E mployee R ecognition B anquet May2. A lso receiving special honors dur-ing the event was Jim B rown, M.D.,who was selected as the recipient ofthe medical center’s 2005-2006Golden Tongue B lade Award.

A n NMMC employee since 1990,Walker serves as a staff technologistwith the R adiology Department, where

he aids surgeons in the visualizationof structures and their movementsduring surgical procedures with theuse of fluoroscopy.

A resident of Tupelo, Walker servesas pastor of Mount Sinai B aptistChurch in Verona and coaches a youthbasketball team. He also volunteerswith the NMMC Cancer CenterB arbershop Talk program, which pro-vides community awareness and edu-

L owell Walker (l) and Jim B rown, M.D., proudly pose with their plaques after the banquet.

C ontinued on page 2

Page 2 Checkup May 19, 2006

Employee, Physician Continued from page 1

cation for prostate and colorectal can-cers.

Dr. Brown dedicated his award tothe memory of Antone Tannehill,M.D., a retired internal medicinephysician and community activist whodied April 3.

Dr. Brown was nominated for theaward, which is given annually to anNMMC physician by NMMC employ-ees, because of his outstanding contri-butions to customer service, team-work, quality of care and leadership.

Dr. Brown is an internal medicinephysician with IMA-Tupelo whoserves as a hospitalist for NMMC-

Tupelo. As a hospitalist, he is responsi-ble for initial hospital admission needsand handles any requested tests ofIMA-Tupelo patients whose primarycare doctors continue to provide inpa-tient care. By handling admission pro-cedures for these physicians, Dr.Brown makes it possible for them tosee their office visit patients withoutinterruptions or long waits.

Dr. Brown completed his medicalstudies at the University of Alabamaand his internal medicine residency atthe University of Mississippi MedicalCenter in Jackson. He joined IMA-Tupelo in 1978.

NMMC’s Tummy Trimmers (from left) Tracie Ramey of Case Management, Robin Hicks of Outcomes Management, KimJones of Heart Institute, Karen George of Medicine Services and Rhonda Saunders of Administration celebrate winning theNMMC in Motion promotion. The Tummy Trimmers lost 84 pounds, or 8.96 percent of their total starting weight. Each teammember won a $100 gift certificate to the Therapeutic Day Spa at the NMMC Wellness Center. Sixteen of the 50 participatingteams lost 50 pounds or more during the 12-week program and completed all attendance requirements, earning each member a$25 gift card. NMMC in Motion participants lost a combined total of 1,544 pounds. The program was sponsored by NMMCand the Lee County Extension Service.

✔Mississippi in Motion Winners Announced

May 19, 2006 Checkup Page 3

Hospitals Facilitate Local Nursing Education

The University of MississippiSchool of Nursing, in conjunc-tion with North Mississippi

Medical Center and Baptist MemorialHospital-North Mississippi, showed offits new education facilities in OxfordMay 9.

From 10:30 a.m. to noon, dozens ofpeople – including 10 of the first stu-dents admitted into the Oxford programand representatives from NMMC–attended an open house at the 3,600-square-foot facility in Kinard Hall (WingF). The space includes a large distance-learning classroom, two smaller class-rooms and work areas, four offices and astudent lounge. John Heer, NorthMississippi Health Services presidentand chief executive officer, participatedin the program and ribbon-cutting cere-mony.

In late 2004, Baptist MemorialHealth Care and NMMC in Tupeloagreed to provide funding for a nurs-ing program at the UM campus inOxford. Previously, nursing studentshad to complete their studies at theUniversity of Mississippi MedicalCenter in Jackson.

“Establishment of the satelliteBachelor of Science in nursing pro-gram on the Oxford campus brings thenursing school back to its roots,” saidKaye Bender, dean of the School ofNursing. “The program originated onthe Oxford campus, so we are pleasedto be back in the community.”

The program is designed to recruitmore students to the nursing profes-sion. For the June 2006 admissioncycle, 16 area students will join theircounterparts at UMMC and studynursing in Oxford through distance-learning technology.

“With the shortage of nurses, thisprogram will allow us to add some stu-dents,” said Bender. “We are excitedabout this opportunity and look for-ward to educating more nurses forMississippi.”

The partnership between BaptistMemorial Health, NMMC and UMSchool of Nursing also will eventuallyprovide an accelerated Master ofScience in nursing program for stu-dents who do not have a baccalaureatedegree in nursing.

“The University of Mississippi cam-pus is grateful to these two health caresystems for making nursing educationon the Oxford campus a reality,” saidProvost Carolyn Staton. “Their assis-tance provides opportunities for morestudents to have quality nursing educa-tion.

“This has been a thoughtful collabo-ration between BMH, NMMC,UMMC, the School of Nursing and theOle Miss Oxford campus. All haveworked hard to ensure that we canmeet the demands of the nursing pro-fession.”

“One of the most important issuesfacing the health care industry is theneed for more nurses,” Heer said.“We’re honored that our health careorganization is helping provide a newoutlet for individuals seeking a bache-lor’s or master’s degree in nursing.This will be a tremendous resource forall hospitals in north Mississippi andthe patients we serve.”

For more information on the nursingeducation program, call AssistantProfessor of Nursing and Site DirectorSherry Felder at (662) 915-3031 or goto http://son.umc.edu/. ✔

Page 4 Checkup May 19, 2006

The following employees recentlyreceived service pins in recognitionof service milestones.

Five YearsNMHS

Daphne Burchfield, Jessica Johnson,Carolyn Oakes, Sandra Verrell, SaraGuess

NMMCPamela Barnes, Regenia Bogan, KimberlyBrooks, Mary Bynum, Jennifer Causey,Gladys Diaz, Bylida Dobbs, LouiseGable, Mamie Hare, Patricia Hood, FannyHopson, Christophe Kelly, Shelia Knox,Angela Leach, Timothy McCarty, LacristaMontgomery, Mable Moody, MarvaPegues, Kathy Zanier, Denise Bailey,Samantha Bell, Vickie Butler, RochelleCobb, Perry Davis, Dorothy Gibson,Tonya Hogan, Marguerite Holland, CathyJones, James Manley, Phillip McAnally,John Milstead, Michael Morgan, JohnnaPearce, Binta Powell, Melissa Reese,Kenneth Riskedahl, Alecia Tennison,Christophe Whitfield

Behavioral HealthPatricia Sykes, Sabrina Marshall

NMMC-West PointShelley Thomas, John Wilbourne, CleoGriffin, Edith Minyard

ClinicsJeaniffer Milledge, Kimberly Miller,Laura Stevens, Eleanor Bohannon

Home HealthMary Allen, Barbara Evans, PatriciaRiggs, James Wood, Leigh Franks, CarolPorter, Johnny Thompson

NMMC-HamiltonAudrea Dooley, Kathy Miller, CrystalTaylor

NMMC-PontotocSarah Brown

NMMC-EuporaMary Whatley, Emily Conrad

Women’s HospitalLeah Barrett, Jennifer Caldwell, AshleyOakes, Patricia Chosich, Carla Hinds

Ten YearsNMHS

Dale Harrell, Robert Huddleston, GenaMcKee, Cindy Davis, Nevedia English,Kent Estes

NMMCCande Briggs, Mary Brown, HenryDaniels, Betty Flaherty, Andrea Gattis,Melody Patton, Jennifer Stewart, GingerBarritt, Tammie Johncox, Michael Parker,Robert Sandling, Glen Tackett

NMMC-West PointLisa Bean, Brenda Wilson

ClinicsSusan Belue, Vicky Kisor

Home HealthAnita Bryant, Susan Dowdy, Jessica Hunt,Amanda Kelly Mary McNairy, CarolynHood, Gertrude Horton, Angie Palmer

NMMC-IukaBeverly Davis

NMMC-HamiltonDebe Jones, Thomas Roden

NMMC-PontotocElaine Sanders

NMMC-EuporaJason Pryor, Kimberly Ferguson

Women’s HospitalTiffany Byars, June Haulcomb, ShondaMcGlun

Fifteen YearsNMHS

Pam Evans, Thomas Robinson, ConnieBaker, Heather Cunningham, RoseHarvey, Bernice Moore, Marnita Morgan,Lori Pruitt, Connie Roberts

NMMCCecelia Davis, Mary Sanderson, SherrySims, Teresa Atkins, Janet Bethay, DexterDavis, Ramona Gilliam, Glenda Grant,Elizabeth Hampton, Kimberly Harris,Evelyn Hudson, Kimberla Jones, SharronLilly, Lyle Robinson, Sherry Russell, FredSanders, Betty Sheffield, AmandaSummers, Chevela Underwood

Service Pins Awarded

✔

Continued on page 5

May 19, 2006 Checkup Page 5

Behavioral HealthThomas Dowden

NMMC-West PointClotie Holiday

ClinicsJackie Field, Shirley Ellzey, Cheryl Wages

Home HealthSharon Yielding, Kerry Jackson, BrandyKyle, Claudia Scarborough, Jan Starling,Darlene Waycaster, Joyce Williams,Patricia Works

NMMC-PontotocBobbie Terry

NMMC-EuporaMarsha Rose, Velma McKinney

Women’s HospitalMacie Burcham, Tammy Hood, JeanaNorman, Travina Vaughn

Twenty YearsNMHS

Jane Lukas, Lynn Nelson, Karen Hatfield,Melodie Heath, Sherry Tapp, BarbaraGladney, Tammy McVay

Twenty YearsNMMC

Beatrice Agnew, Melissa Andrews, JoyAvery, Joseph Bryowsky, Jill Conerly, GailDenton, Peggy Estes, Davina Faulkner,Karen George, Judy Huddleston, CynthiaMcCully, Patricia Price, Sherry Robinson,Katrina Watkins, Barton Wynn

Behavioral HealthGloria Holland

Home HealthSharon Miller, Linda Spurgeon

NMMC-HamiltonWanda Turner

NMMC-IukaLori Horne, Annie Southward

Women’s HospitalBrenda Sparks, Deborah Taylor, SusanBerry

Twenty-Five YearsNMMC

Rosemary Rhodes, Carolyn Collier,Barbara Field, Linda Middlebrook, ReginaPounds

ClinicsAngela Wilson

Home HealthSandra Thompson

Women’s HospitalJackie Reeves, Benita Tatum

Thirty YearsNMMC

Rebecca Aycock

Home HealthPeggy Wallace

Women’s HospitalAbby Brann

Service Pins Continued from page 4

Registered dietitian April Morganhas been named as Director ofFood and Nutrition Services at

North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point.

Morgan has been working as adietitian at NMMC-West Point sinceJanuary 2003. She attended theUniversity of Mississippi and graduat-ed from Delta State University, whereshe was on the President’s List.

Morgan is a member of theMississippi Dietetic Associationand the

AmericanDieteticAssociation.She and herhusbandLewis residein Starkville.

West Point Dietitian Named Food, Nutrition Director

Page 6 Checkup May 19, 2006

Becky Blankenship, portable CDplayer; Chasity Smith, digital camera;Ann Carter, griddle; Lisa Green,toaster oven; Barbara Morgan, deepfryer; Darrin Jarrett, smoker grill;Ashley Vaughn, ice tea maker; CathyBeard, blender; Allison Harris andDot Riley, clock radio; TimothyMorgan and James Spruiell, handychopper; Sam Carter and Glinda

Anumber of NMHS perfectattendance employees tookhome some great prizes in a

random drawing held recently. Thosewinning prizes were: Adam Denton,Jada Cockerham, RCA TV; RubyWorthey, Tabitha Andrews, DVDplayer; Stephanie Rogers, DVDrecorder and player; Sonia Alford andMark Shelton, portable DVD player;Shirley Martin, hi-fi system; RobinDavis and JanHampton, 24 CDstorage rack;Ann Hodges, 72DVD holder;PeggyCunningham,armband radio;Tiffany Tubb andJimmy Raper,digital audio player; CindyStafford and

1,042 Perfect, Excellent Attenders Recognized

NMMC-Iuka non-nursing employees took honors for the Large Group Attendance

Taking the honors for Small Group Attendance was MedServe employees.

Continued on page 7

May 19, 2006 Checkup Page 7

Crawford, electric knife, Kathy Holley,electric knife; Gloria Buchanan, elec-tric kettle; Will Tomlin, ice creammachine; Lavenghn Caygle, ice shaver;Demetrius Blanchard, can opener;Samantha Thomas, spotlifter; ShirleneCayson, wooden tray table; NicholasBarron, cooler; Janet Whiteside, travelcooler; Randle Weatherspoon, Bocce;Crystal Payne, croquette; Misty Jones,7-1 game set; Betty Rogers and BettySelf, beach towel; Deanna Mason,Heather Mahan and Regina Childers,Harvey’s $30 gift certificate; NaomiCrymble, Stan Hussey, AngieParchman and Mitch Brown, Mall atBarnes Crossing $50 gift certificate.

Winning from NMMC-West Pointwere Danelle Livingston, DVD videoplayer; Anita Davis, beach towel; LauraTodd, hand blender; Mary Johnson,portable CD player; Jeannette Scott,handy chopper; Jack Jones, grill.

Taking home prizes from NMMC-Pontotoc were Denise Morgan, DVDvideo player; Linda Whitehead, grill;Linda Ramsey, beach towel; SteveTutor, hand blender; Angela Taylor,portable CD player; and Debra Cossey,handy chopper.

Having the luck of the draw fromNMMC-Eupora were Kathy Vaughn,

DVD video player; David Hodges, grill;Phyllis Bell, beach towel; MaryBoutwell, hand blender; MelissaWilliamson, portable CD player; andDavid Priddy, electric knife.

Winning from Home Health wereIlean Heard, DVD video player;Elizabeth Denson, grill; AgnesPlunkett, beach towel; Linda Spurgeon,hand blender; Leigh Franks, portableCD player; and Shelia Ruff, electricknife.

Lucky winners from NMMC-Iukawere Brenda Edmondson, DVD videoplayer; Ann Clingan, beach towel;Talmadge Powers, hand blender; StevenBrown, portable CD player; ChongGray, handy chopper; and SheliaMarlar, electric knife.

NMMC-Hamilton winners includedHilda Smith, DVD video player; AnitaTaylor, grill; Anne Lawler, beach towel;Mary Hickman, hand blender; MarieHarrelson, portable CD player; andJudy Taylor, handy chopper.

Taking home prizes from the clinicswere Sherry Smiechewicz, DVD videoplayer; Debbie Word, grill; Rick Honan,beach towel; Reba Soden, can opener;Kay Edwards, portable CD player; andCandi Miller, electric knife.

Attenders Continued from page 6

✔

Amanda Sanderford, RN,received re-certification of herCertified Diabetes Educator

(CDE) status by successfully complet-ing the necessary continuing educationrequirements.

Sanderford, of Mooreville, has beenwith North Mississippi Medical Centerfor three years, 1½ years with theDiabetes Treatment Center and is amember of the Intensive Diabetes

Management Team. Achieving the CDE credential

demonstrates that the health care pro-fessional possesses distinct and special-ized knowledge about diabetes.Sanderford was first certified in 2000and must retake and pass the exam orcomplete the continuing educationrequirements every five years to main-tain her status.

Diabetes Nurse Earns CDE Re-certification

✔

Page 8 Checkup May 19, 2006

F.L. Lummus, M.D., an internalmedicine physician with 39 yearsof service to the medical com-

munity in Tupelo, was honored with aretirement reception on April 30.

Dr. Lummus is a graduate ofMississippi College in Clinton. Hecompleted his medical studies at theUniversity of Mississippi School ofMedicine in Jackson and his internalmedicine internship at St. ThomasHospital in Nashville.

After serving the U.S. Navy from1961-1964, he completed his residencytraining as an internist at theUniversity of Mississippi School ofMedicine and Ochsner FoundationHospital.

In 1967, Dr. Lummus and AntoneTannehill, M.D., formed a partnershipand worked together until 1977. Thatyear, the two doctors merged theirpractices with Eugene Murphey, M.D.,

Bill Woods, M.D., and Joe Bailey,M.D., to form Internal MedicineAssociates. The practice was sold toNorth Mississippi Medical Clinics inthe early 1990s. Dr. Lummus servedas a member of the NMMC medicalstaff from 1967 until his retirementthis year.

“A 30-plus years association withDr. F.L. Lummus as a fellow physi-cian and partner in the establishmentand ongoing operation of InternalMedicine Associates Clinic has ledme to know him as a skilled and car-ing physician, a highly competentbusinessman and treasured friend,”Dr. Murphey said. “We will all misshim and wish him continued healthand happiness in his retirement.”

Dr. Lummus and his wife Jeanettereside in Tupelo. They have three chil-dren and three grandchildren.

F.L. Lummus, M.D., Ends 39 Year Career

✔

Dr. Lummus and hiswife, Jeanette (farright), visit withNancy, Jacob & Dr.Ken Davis.