Archive for the ‘Honors, Awards & Recognition’ Category

Threepeat! For the third consecutive year, Hughston Hospital in Columbus, GA has received the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™.

Hughston Hospital achieved this award by placing among the top five percent of U.S. hospitals based on an analysis of patient surveys conducted by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization.

HealthGrades and the HCAHPS Survey

Between July 2008 and June 2009, the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey was sent to patients of 3,775 U.S. hospitals within 48 hours after their discharge.

The survey was administered and collected through a program by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) between July 2008–June 2009.

HealthGrades analyzed the surveys, which asked questions related to patients’ experiences during their hospital stay, including:

• Cleanliness
• Medication information
• Noise levels
• Pain management
• Physician and nurse communication
• Post-discharge care instructions

Being a great student-athlete usually means attention for great achievements on the field or court. But being an outstanding student-athlete means being a star in academics, leadership, athletics and community service!

To honor our local outstanding student-athletes, Columbus Regional recently hosted its 10th annual Student Athlete Achievement Banquet on April 27 at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center.

The 2010 awards were given to 72 middle and high school student-athletes from the Muscogee, Harris, Russell and Lee County area schools.

Kirby Smart, the defensive coordinator for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide’s football team, was the keynote speaker for the event.

Above and Beyond

The 72 student-athletes (a male and female from each school) were nominated by their coaches and principals.

Additionally, four students (a male and female each from middle school and high school nominees) were selected for the Above and Beyond award, which included:

• Chanté Barber (St. Anne Pacelli School)
• Aiyinde Lawrence (Russell County Middle School)
• Alex Robinson (Calvary Christian School)
• Madison Wilson (Veterans Memorial Middle School)

Each of the Above and Beyond winners was presented with a $500 savings bond from Synovus and Columbus Bank and Trust.

Additional schools and their honorees included:

• Arnold Magnet Academy: Katrell Smith and Georgia Barton
• Baker Middle School: DeVonte Randall and Octavia Fortson
• Blackmon Road Middle School: Brandon Vance and Rachel Patel
• Brookstone School (High School): Blake Hudson and Alstyne Gravelee
• Brookstone School (Middle School): Jack Mize and Caroline Sparks
• Calvary Christian School (High School): Alex Robinson and Olivia Whitehurst
• Calvary Christian School (Middle School): Clayton Barefield and Kendall Collins
• Carver High School: Clarence France and Jasmine Lee
• Central High School: Andrew Matthews and Portia Watkins
• Chattahoochee County High School: David Cochran III and Kristina Dixon
• Chattahoochee County Middle School: Nathan Hedgecoke and Kaitlyn Powell
• Columbus High School: Gregory Bingham and Amanda Stucky
• Double Churches Middle School: Joseph Garrett and Allison Holt
• East Columbus Magnet Academy: James Jones III and Raechel Lewis
• Eddy Middle School: Deondre Hubbard and Javasia Wheeler
• Fort Middle School: Antonio Jones and Gloria Stevens
• Hardaway High School: Austin Scott and Laura Chapman
• Harris County Carver Middle School: TaQuon Marshall and Sarah Howard
• Harris County High School: Joey DeNova and Sierra Bailey
• Jordan High School: Cordarryl Jones and Chelsea Conway
• Kendrick High School: Corwin Burrowes and Lauren Great
• Marshall Middle School: Jaquariez Scott and Tiquaja Brewer
• Midland Middle School: Jacob Deem and Lindsay Shirah
• Northside High School: Zach Zabel and Taylor Caldwell
• Richards Middle School: Aidan Sloan and Jacqueria Gunter
• Rothschild Middle School: Dante Harris and Alexia Manning
• Russell County Middle School: Aiyinde Lawrence and Tasha Upshaw
• Shaw High School: Dustin Averett and Charquisa Burnley
• Smiths Station High School: Josh Santos-Heard and Kaycee Gabler
• South Girard Middle School: Jeron Jones and Isia Jenkings
• Spencer High School: Damion Brown and Brendara Snipes
• St. Anne Pacelli School (High School): Michael O’Neal and Chanté Barber
• St. Anne Pacelli School: Michael Mansfield and Kyla Wright-Marshall
• St. Luke School: Trey Carpenter and Kate Mize
• Veterans Memorial Middle School: Joseph Bridges and Madison Wilson
• Wacoochee Junior High School: Nigel Lawrence and Lyndsey Vaughan

Eight outstanding Columbus Regional Healthcare System nurses were recognized at the 2010 Jean Hartin Nursing Excellence Awards Ceremony at the Columbus Regional Conference Center at The Medical Center last month.

Awards went to top nurse leaders, R.N.s and L.P.N.s. Recognition was also given to nurses for their professional growth through degrees, licensures and advanced certification.

Jean Hartin, who retired as vice president of Clinical Services at Columbus Regional, was present for the ceremony.

Doctors Hospital Award Winners

• 

  Holly McGucken (CNO, Doctors Hospital), Terri Roland, R.N. (Outpatient Surgery, Nurse Leader of the Year), Melissa Johnson, R.N. (Labor and Delivery, R.N. of the Year), Rachel White, L.P.N. (Emergency Department, L.P.N. of the Year) and Kevin Sass SEO, Doctors Hospital).

  Terri Roland, R.N. (Outpatient Surgery, Nurse Leader of the Year): Terri has been a cornerstone to the nursing leadership at Doctors Hospital for many years. Her leadership in the hand-off communication project gave us “ticket to ride,” a tool to assist in communication between nursing and ancillary departments.

• Melissa Johnson, R.N. (Labor and Delivery, R.N. of the Year): Melissa is a very unassuming nurse who quietly makes sure that patients and families have everything they need. She is a wonderful source of information and is very well educated, with a master’s degree in nursing and certification in her field of obstetrics.

• Rachel White, L.P.N. (Emergency Department, L.P.N. of the Year): Rachel was chosen for her exemplary nursing skills and is considered to be the cornerstone of the Emergency Department. Her commitment to high-quality patient care is seen in everything she does.

Hughston Hospital Award Winners

• 

  James “Butch” Wheeler (SEO, Hughston Hospital), Cheryl Gosha, L.P.N. (2 North, LPN of the Year), Tami Hobson, R.N. (2 South, R.N. of the Year) and Lori Striblin, R.N. (Intensive Care Unit, Nurse Leader of the Year), Michelle Breitfelder (CNO, Hughston Hospital).

  Lori Striblin, R.N. (Intensive Care Unit, Nurse Leader of the Year): Lori is caring, compassionate and kind-hearted. She has a difficult job at Hughston Hospital, and she does it with admirable determination and grace. She is the go-to person to solve any problem and is always ready to help in any way she can.

• Tami Hobson, R.N. (2 South, R.N. of the Year): Tami shows dedication to quality patient care by taking charge of the overall care of her patients. She is kind and compassionate and always approachable, demonstrating a high degree of knowledge and getting involved to see that tasks get completed.

• Cheryl Gosha, L.P.N. (2 North, LPN of the Year): Cheryl is the nurse with a heart of gold, always demonstrating patience and great leadership skills. She will stop and assist anyone in need of help. Patient care is always first.

The Medical Center and Affiliated Facilities Award Winners

• 

  Lance Duke (president and CEO, The Medical Center), Josephine “Joie” Gosa, R.N. (8 Main, Nurse Leader of the Year), Jean Hartin (retired vice president of Clinical Services, Columbus Regional) and Robbyn Ceasar, R.N. (Endoscopy, R.N. of the Year), Babs McKnight (CNO, The Medical Center).

  Josephine “Joie” Gosa, R.N. (8 Main, Nurse Leader of the Year): Joie delivers real time teaching at the bedside for newer nurses, serves as a surrogate “manager and leader” on a unit in transition, is the primary practitioner of the palliative care program, and teaches formal course work, refusing to waiver on excellence.

• Robbyn Ceasar, R.N. (Endoscopy, R.N. of the Year): Robbyn is seen as the type of nurse girls and boys aspire to become; she is seen as a model nurse. She goes above and beyond—both from the patient care perspective as well as the team member perspective—and is very focused on excellence.

Larry Sanders (Columbus Regional Chairman and CEO), Susan McRae (Radiology Supervisor, Radiology, Doctors Hospital), Beth Bussey (Clinical Nutrition Specialist, Oncology Outreach, John B. Amos Cancer Center), Patricia Alexander (Registrar, Admissions/Registration, Hughston Hospital), Carolyn Chaney (Clinical Coordinator, 7 Main, The Medical Center) and Bobbie Newsome (Pharmacy Technician Senior, Outpatient Pharmacy, The Medical Center).

The announcement of five Columbus Regional Healthcare recipients of the Chairman’s Award of Excellence highlighted an event-filled Employee Appreciation Week last month.

The employees were selected from the monthly “I Make the Difference!” honorees from May 2009–April 2010 for exemplary performance and exceptional customer service.

The recognition luncheon on May 13 at the Columbus Regional Conference Center at The Medical Center was attended by the past year’s honorees along with alumni of the distinguished employee award.

Larry Sanders, chairman and CEO of Columbus Regional, presented the five honorees with a framed resolution from the Columbus Regional board of directors, a heart-shaped Frabel glass sculpture, and a check for $1,000.

A full-page ad ran in the Sunday, May 16 issue of the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer that recognized the award recipients and honorees from the past year.

The guest speaker for the luncheon was comedian Kent Rader.

About the 2010 Chairman’s Award of Excellence Recipients

• Patricia Alexander (Registrar, Admissions/Registration, Hughston Hospital): Patricia’s face is one of the many stellar images of Hughston Hospital, and her style and grace epitomize all that it represents. She quickly puts patients and family members at ease and reassures them they are in a special place. Her friendliness is contagious, and she is a wonderful ambassador for the hospital.

• Beth Bussey (Clinical Nutrition Specialist, Oncology Outreach, John B. Amos Cancer Center): Beth has an incredible passion for the work that she does. She is an outstanding practitioner who is dedicated to the success and development of all employees. Her energy, creativity, commitment and desire for quality of care and life for her patients are endless.

• Carolyn Chaney (Clinical Coordinator, 7 Main, The Medical Center): Carolyn has mentored and guided multiple generations of new graduate nurses to become excellent nurses. She is sought for her clinical knowledge, expertise and guidance by physicians, co-workers and students. She makes all patients feel secure because of the confidence and competence she exudes.

• Susan McRae (Radiology Supervisor, Radiology, Doctors Hospital): Susan epitomizes commitment, service and loyalty to Doctors Hospital. She is a faithful and dedicated employee who serves the organization in any capacity possible to make it a better place. She delivers personal care, comfort and reassurance to her patients and their family members as if they were her own family.

• Bobbie Newsome (Pharmacy Technician Senior, Outpatient Pharmacy, The Medical Center): Bobbie is humble, honest and sincere and not only accomplishes what is required, but also always goes the extra mile. Her broad knowledge of all areas of the Pharmacy has made her the “right hand” to pharmacists and managers. Bobbie is that very special employee you can trust and depend upon.

We are very pleased to announce that one of Columbus’ very own has joined Columbus Regional!

William Stuart Hudson Jr., M.D., a native of Columbus, Georgia, recently joined Columbus Regional as a board certified psychiatrist.  He has privileges at The Medical Center, Doctors Hospital and The Bradley Center.

Quick Facts About Dr. Hudson

• Received his undergraduate degree at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and his medical degree at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. His internship and residency were completed at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston.

• Has worked in a wide variety of settings during his professional career, including the Indian Health Service (IHS) in Tuba City, Arizona on the Navaho reservation. He was also in private practice in Atlanta and Asheville, North Carolina.

• Licensed by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME).

• A member of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Association (GPPA).

• Was associated with the West Georgia Psychiatric Center in LaGrange for the past five years. During that time, he had a private outpatient practice and provided psychiatric services for the Pathways state mental health system.

• Has provided consultation at West Georgia Medical Center and Florence Hand Home.

The Medical Center Auxiliary recently celebrated its 47th birthday by giving $133,000 of financial gifts to several groups during birthday celebrations at the Columbus Regional Conference Center at The Medical Center earlier this month.

Ruby Jackson presents Lance Duke with a birthday box filled with the names of those receiving financial gifts from the Auxiliary.

Auxiliary President Ruby Jackson made check presentations to Lance Duke, The Medical Center president and CEO, who received the gifts on behalf of the:

• Bunch McClellan Nursing Scholarship
• Children’s Miracle Network at The Medical Center
• John B. Amos Cancer Center
• Mary Ann Pease Healthcare Scholarship Fund
• The Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Over the past 47 years, The Medical Center Auxiliary’s financial contributions—which benefit the Columbus, GA community—have exceeded $4.4 million through various fundraising efforts.

Jasmine Winston serves pancakes to Jane Starnes at the IHOP on Airport Thruway in Columbus, GA on National Pancake Day.

The Columbus City Council earlier this month recognized a local International House of Pancakes restaurant for its fundraising efforts during this year’s National Pancake Day on February 23.

The event, sponsored by IHOP, offered customers a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes. In exchange, customers were asked to consider donating to the Children’s Miracle Network at The Medical Center.

The Columbus-area IHOP (2111 Airport Thruway) raised more than $9,600, the most in the Southeast.

Lance Duke has served as president and CEO of The Medical Center since March 1995.

Lance Duke, president and chief executive officer of The Medical Center, was named chairman-elect of the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA) at the association’s annual convention last month in Atlanta.

He follows a proud Columbus Regional tradition, as both Larry Sanders (current Columbus Regional chairman and CEO) and Max Brabson (former Columbus Regional chairman and CEO) also served in the GHA board leadership role.

Quick Facts About Lance Duke

• Has served as president and CEO of The Medical Center since March 1995.

• Was named executive vice president and chief operating officer of Columbus Regional Healthcare System in March 2003—and continues to serve in both roles.

• Was previous president and CEO at Phenix Regional Hospital in Phenix City, Alabama.

• Earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in hospital and health administration from the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB).

• Is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and was named Young Administrator of the Year by the Mississippi affiliates of the ACHE in 1991. Also named ACHE’s Young Healthcare Administrator of the Year for the State of Alabama in June 1995.

The Medical Center will provide advanced blood tests as part of the clinical component of the lipid management program.

The Medical Center was recently announced as one of five major healthcare organizations in Columbus, Georgia to partner in the nation’s first citywide program for advanced cholesterol testing and management.

Physician and community education programs are scheduled to begin in March.

The program is designed to educate the Columbus community and its providers in the newest guidelines for advanced cholesterol management and to encourage treatment according to the most recent guidelines.

The Medical Center will provide advanced blood tests as part of the clinical component of the lipid management program. These tests can predict vascular risk and insulin production capabilities.

The other partners in this program are:

• The Center for Diabetes and Metabolism
• The Columbus Research Foundation
• LabCorp
• LipoScience

The John B. Amos Cancer Center in Columbus, Georgia has been granted three-year accreditation with commendation from the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS).

Accreditation by the CoC is given only to those cancer facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care and that undergo a rigorous evaluation process and review of their performance.

To maintain accreditation, facilities with CoC-accredited cancer programs must undergo an on-site review every three years.

The Cancer Center received the accreditation following the on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor of the full scope of the cancer program, including:

• Cancer Committee Leadership
• Cancer Data Management
• Clinical Services
• Community Outreach
• Quality Improvement
• Research

Quick Facts About Cancer

• The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 1.4 million cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2009.

• There are currently more than 1,400 CoC-accredited cancer programs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, representing close to 25 percent of all hospitals.

• Of those hospitals, 25 percent of hospitals diagnose and/or treat 80 percent of newly diagnosed cancer patients each year.