Health & Hospitals

NEWS - Health & Hospitals

May 14, 2013 – The Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute (ACI) at Memorial University Medical Center has again received an Outstanding Achievement Award from The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. The 2012 award was given to only 79 cancer programs throughout the United States. The ACI is the only facility in Savannah to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award and one of only three hospitals recognized in the state of Georgia. This is the third consecutive survey period in which the ACI has earned Outstanding Achievement.

“To earn the Outstanding Achievement Award, we had to meet or exceed national benchmarks for quality cancer care. We also had to demonstrate a ‘Commendation’ level of compliance for cancer committee leadership, data management, clinical management, research, community outreach, and quality improvement. This was all reviewed during a rigorous on-site survey,” said Guy Petruzzelli, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, FACS, vice president and physician-in-chief at the ACI.

Commission on Cancer accreditation is conducted every three years. The ACI also earned the Outstanding Achievement Award in 2006 and 2009.

The 79 award-winning cancer programs represent approximately 19 percent of programs surveyed in 2012.  The Commission on Cancer’s Outstanding Achievement Award was established in 2004 to recognize cancer programs that truly strive for excellence in patient care.  For information about the program’s standards and criteria, visit facs.org/cancer. To learn more about the ACI, visit aci.memorialhealth.com.

The 1,500 Commission on Cancer-accredited programs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico represent close to 30 percent of all hospitals. This 30 percent cares for 80 percent of newly diagnosed cancer patients each year. 

Established in 1922 by the American College of Surgeons, the CoC is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients through standard setting, prevention, research, education, and the monitoring of comprehensive, quality care.

Memorial University Medical Center is a two-state healthcare organization serving a 35-county area in southeast Georgia and southern South Carolina. The system includes its flagship hospital, a 610-bed academic medical center; Memorial primary and specialty physician networks; a major medical education program; business and industry services; and NurseOne, a 24-hour call center. To learn more, visit www.memorialhealth.com.

NEWS - Health & Hospitals

April 1, 2013 – The Bone & Joint Institute of South Georgia will open a new office in Waycross in May. The new location at 1912 Memorial Dr., Suite D, will provide comprehensive orthopedic services including onsite x-ray and the only open MRI in Ware County.

“We’re thrilled to be opening our new location in Waycross. It’s our fourth office, and we’re so grateful for the continued support of our patients and the communities we serve,” said Dr. J Lex Kenerly III. “We’ll continue to use our experience and cutting-edge technology to provide patients in the Waycross area the expert, compassionate care and the personal attention they expect from us.”

W. Stephen Hutcheson, P.A.-C, a Waycross native, will be the primary PA in the new office which will be open weekly Monday through Friday. Hutcheson has been with the Bone and Joint Institute since October of 2012. Previously, he was with Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Waycross. Hutcheson brings to two, the number of PA’s at BJI. W. Scott Rowell, P.A.-C has been with the practice since 1998, and will work at the Waycross office each week, as will Dr. Kenerly and Dr. Valosen.

Kenerly, a Jesup native, specializes in sports medicine and total joint replacement of the hip, knee and shoulder. He is a graduate of Wayne County High School, The University of Georgia and the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine.

After medical school, he completed an orthopedic surgery residency at the Greenville Hospital System and Shriner’s Hospital for Crippled Children in Greenville, SC, and returned to his hometown to open his practice, Kenerly Orthopedic Center where he practiced for more than 20 years. In the summer of 2010, he opened the state of the art 15,000 square foot Bone and Joint Institute of South Georgia at 110 Professional Court in Jesup, along with the surgery center of BJI.

In June of 2012, Dr. J. Matthew Valosen joined the practice. He began his career in the U.S. Army and was previously the chief of orthopedic surgical services at Winn Army Community Hospital, Ft. Stewart. A board certified orthopedic surgeon, Valosen has extensive experience in treating sports related and traumatic injuries of the musculoskeletal system. He specializes in arthroscopic approaches to most orthopedic conditions, joint replacement surgery and many other orthopedic surgical procedures.

The Bone & Joint Institute provides comprehensive orthopaedic care, and features the Joint Commission-accredited surgery center at the Jesup location, with digital surgical suites designed exclusively for orthopaedic surgeries, on-site x-ray services and open MRI accredited by the American College of Radiology. Based in Jesup, BJISG serves 18 Southeast Georgia counties, and has satellite offices in Baxley and Hinesville. For more information, visit BJISG.com.

NEWS - Health & Hospitals

April 27, 2013 - East Georgia Regional Medical Center in Statesboro has been named to the Georgia Hospital Association’s (GHA) Partnership for Health and Accountability (PHA) Core Measures Honor Roll.

The medical center is now one of 27 hospitals in Georgia to be placed in the Trustee category, one of the highest on the list. The honor roll is based on clinical data provided by the federal Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS), which administers the nation’s Medicare and Medicaid programs. The data was collected from October 2011 to September 2012.

Hospitals are required to submit care data to CMS, which details how well a hospital’s caregivers adhere to a list of Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) core measures. These measures are the clinical processes of care that are known to be the most effective methods of treatment for surgical patients and patients who have suffered heart attacks, pneumonia and heart failure.

According to the hospital, an example would be complying with a recommended treatment to help prevent a heart attack - to take aspirin, either before or upon arrival at the hospital, as well as at discharge – is complied with. Or, a suggested treatment for pneumonia is to administer an antibiotic within four hours of a patient’s arrival.

The VBP core measure is a composite measure that determines whether or not a patient received the right care at the right time. A hospital’s adherence to these recommended clinical practices usually leads to better outcomes.

“We are pleased to recognize East Georgia Regional Medical Center’s commitment to patient safety,” said Joseph Parker, president of GHA. “Compliance with these important core measures ensures that every patient receives the best, most effective health care possible.”

“We constantly strive to maintain the highest standard of patient care,” said Bob Bigley, Chief Executive Officer of East Georgia Regional Medical Center. “This honor validates that and is a tribute to the dedication of the staff members who ensure that great patient care is made even better.”

NEWS - Health & Hospitals

NEWS - Health & Hospitals

March 15, 2013 – Southern Life Systems, Inc. / Nurse Rosie Products has announced the successful launch of the first mobile medical device integration system designed for the unique requirements and challenges of the long-term care industry.

RosieConnect®, links care with documentation through its mobile, wireless, immediate transmission of accurate, reliable vitals, weight and glucose from bedside or point-of-care to the resident’s record in a receiving EMR system. RosieConnect software is accessed through an easy-to-use touchscreen tablet mounted on the Rosie SmartCart® , an advanced vitals monitoring device. Resident ID, caregiver ID and measurements from the medical devices are integrated on the RosieConnect tablet, then at the press of a button, the information is transmitted, via wifi, from bedside to the EMR.

The result is delay-free delivery of accurate information, significant nursing time-savings, elimination of documentation errors, omissions and duplications, and rapid alerts which speed care plan intervention to prevent resident deterioration that can lead to hospital readmissions.

“Long-term care has been a bit behind the curve in adoption of new technology due to the cost and complication of the equipment,” said Steve Booker, president of Life Systems. “We’ve specialized in the skilled nursing market for more than 15 years, so we knew the challenges when we went into development of RosieConnect. We’re bringing the market a cost-effective solution to get accurate information out of the device and into the resident record without risking documentation and transcription errors.”

RosieConnect has launched its first interface with one of the market leaders, American HealthTech®. Additional interfaces with EMR’s active in the long-term care industry are in the development process to be unveiled later in 2013.

NEWS - Health & Hospitals

Feb. 28, 2013 – The largest fundraiser of the year for American Diabetes Association (ADA), Kiss-a-Pig, presented by Piggly Wiggly, kicks off on Saturday, March 2 at 4 p.m. on River Street in Savannah. This year’s candidates will make their grand entrances and be introduced to the public.  The kick-off is free and open to the public and will take place during First Saturday on River Street.

A contest between community leaders to raise money, Kiss-a-Pig is a regional campaign with competitors from throughout Southeast Georgia. At the end of the three month campaign, the team that raises the most money kisses Fang the Pig, honored by ADA as the original source of insulin.

The campaign chairman this year is Dr. Scott Cohen, Cohen Dental Center. Major support is provided by The Kennickell Group.  Media sponsors are WRHQ, Quality Rock and WTOC Television.

The 2013 theme, “Diabetes Bites: Sink Your Teeth Into a Cure,” uses horror to underscore the scary consequences of undetected an unmanaged diabetes.  American Diabetes Association has chosen to use the wild popularity of vampires and zombies to draw attention to a common and serious disease that many people do not take seriously.

According to Cohen, “The campaign team decided to go with vampires and zombies in part because it’s popular in the culture, especially among young people.  The sooner we can reach people with our messaging, the better.  Diabetes does bite and we all need to know the stakes, the complications of diabetes are devastating.  People should pay more attention and we hope our campaign can help.”

Before the candidates are introduced, there will be a zombie flashmob performing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”  There will be a zombie make-up booth onsite for donations between 1:30-3:30 p.m.  Anyone wishing to be made-up and dance along is welcome. The event is free and open to the public.

The official 2013 competitors are:
1.     The Savannah Boar Association, Team of Lawyers:  Ashleigh Madison, Billy Otto, Colby Longley, Thomas Gore, Joel Gerber, Quentin Marlin, Dave Smith, Sarah Doan, Michelle Keri. The campaign is managed by Sally Klein
2.     Cora Bett Thomas & Austin Hill, Cora Bett Thomas/Austin Hill Realty. The campaign is managed by Cale Hall, The Creative Approac
3.     Russ Lanier, representing Statesboro, with Thigpen, Lanier, Westerfield & Deal; the campaign is managed by Brian and Alison Hugli, Southeast Wellness & Rehab
4.     Dr. Diana Cichiello, representing Brunswick, with Satilla Family Dentistry; campaign is managed by Joni Bennett and Amanda Bennett, Glynn Place Mall
5.     Dave Simons, Simons Political Group; campaign is managed by Tammy Ray, The Detail Department, Diana Morrison, Advertising Specialty Services, and Stephanie Boaen, community volunteer
6.     HAMS from EffingHAM, representing Effingham County, is Abbey Brannen, age 7. Abbey was diagnosed at age 21 months.  Her campaign managers are Johnsie Brannen, C & W Repair, and Dana Wright, Ebenezer Elementary School
7.     Harold Oglesby, 100 Black Men; campaign manager is Tanya Milton, Savannah Tribune
8.     Bill Nelson, Shady Pines Kennel & Jason Manchester, Hoppers Paintball Airsoft; the campaign is managed by Susan Manchester

Competing internally will be the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools.  The longest running team in Kiss-a-Pig history, they are represented this year by McKinley Heil, Lydia Iardino and Evan Roberts, all public school children living with type 1.

The schools will compete in five categories:  Top Elementary School, Top Middle School, Top K-8 and Top High School. There will also be one overall winner.

Contestant events to date include:
• Motorcycle Poker Run, Statesboro,  Saturday, April 6, Contact: Robin Aspinwall at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 912-596-9542
• Zombie Paintball Apocalypse, Shoot Zombies at Night!  Saturday, April 6 at Hoppers Paintball Airsoft, Gates open at 5 p.m., Contact: Jason Manchester at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 704-340-1500; or Bill Nelson at 912-844-2883
• Savannah Boar Association Wine, Beer & WhiskeyTasting, Tuesday, April 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the Rebel Room above Johnnie Ganem’s, music by ConnEllis, lawyers Patrick Connell and Ben Ellis. Contact: Sally Klein at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
•  Zombie Fashion Show, Featuring Savannah Arts Academy Junk2Funk and Savannah’s Top Clothiers, Contact:  Maria Center, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Zombie Paintball Apocalypse, Shoot Zombies During the Day!  Saturday, April 13, Hoppers Paintball Airsoft, Contact Jason Manchester at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 704-340-1500 or Bill Nelson at 912-844-2883
• Lawyers, Guns & Money Clay Shoot, Friday, April 19, Forest City Gun Club, contact: Maria Center, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
• Zombie Paintball Scenario, Saturday, April 20, for more information contact Jason Manchester at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 704-340-1500 or Bill Nelson at 912-844-2883
• Zombie 5K Walk/Health & Fitness Festival, Saturday, May 4 at Glynn Place Mall, Brunswick, contact: Joni Bennett at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Funds raised during the Kiss-a-Pig campaign benefit American Diabetes Association, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to curing diabetes and improving the lives of all people affected by diabetes. Diabetes is the nation’s fifth deadliest disease, killing more than 220,000 Americans each year.  It is the leading cause of heart disease and stroke, adult blindness, kidney failure and non-traumatic amputations.

Many people living with this life-altering disease do not know it, partially because they may not experience any symptoms during the early stages. More than 26 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes and researchers believe over six million more may have diabetes and not realize it.

During the annual American Diabetes ALERT day, Tuesday, March 26, people’s warning signs of diabetes include extreme thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision and tingling in lower extremities.

Free blood glucose and blood pressure tests will be available in the following locations during the American Diabetes Association’s annual ALERT Campaign featured on March 26, 2013:
• Wal-Greens on Derenne, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Wal-Greens on Abercorn, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
• Wound Care Clinic, Pooler, 8 a.m. – 12 noon
• Curtis Cooper Primary Healthcare, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

For more accurate results, refrain from eating two hours before being tested. Only consume water or a diet drink.

For more information about ALERT contact Allison Rollins at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Molly Knox at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 912-353-8110, ext. 3088.  For more information regarding the 2013 Kiss-a-Pig Campaign, call Maria Center at 912-353-8110,ext. 3091 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

NEWS - Health & Hospitals

Feb. 25, 2013 - Diane Z. Weems, M.D., has been named District Health Director of the Coastal Health District. She replaces W. Douglas Skelton, M.D., who retired in the summer of 2012 after a long and distinguished career in public health.

Weems began her public health career in 1986 at the Lowndes County Health Department in Valdosta. She relocated to Savannah in 1988 to become the clinical physician for the Chatham County Health Department. In 1993 she was named Chief Medical Officer for the Chatham County Health Department and for the past eight years has served in that same capacity for the entire District which includes Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long and McIntosh counties.

“The unanimous vote to approve Dr. Weems as the permanent district health director is a win for Public Health, a win for everyone in the Coastal Health District, and a win for all of Georgia,” said Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “Dr. Weems knows first-hand the challenges in southeast Georgia and is prepared with the right credentials to absolutely meet those challenges.”

In addition to her position at the Coastal Health District, Weems has been the Chair of the Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council since its formation in 2004. She currently serves as the physician representative to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s State Nurse Protocol Committee and actively participates on several community boards including Step Up Savannah, the community’s poverty reduction initiative, and the Chatham-Savannah Youth Futures Authority Collaborative. She is a member of several professional associations including the Georgia Public Health Association, the Georgia Medical Society, the American Public Health Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

As District Health Director, Weems will be responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and managing public health services within the Coastal Health District.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to be chosen to lead public health initiatives in southeast Georgia,” she said. “I look forward to continuing to work with our staff, community leaders, and public health advocates to help improve the lives of those living along our coast and throughout our state.”

NEWS - Health & Hospitals

Leading practice management vendor embeds PatientPay’s patented capability into its software

Feb. 20, 2013 – PatientPay (www.patientpay.com) a provider of innovative healthcare billing solutions, and Healthpac Computer Systems Inc. (www.healthpac.net), a nationally recognized leader in practice management software for billing companies, has announced a strategic partnership that will make patient billing, collection  and reconciliation faster and less costly for users of Healthpac’s practice management software.

At the heart of the arrangement is the patented PatientPaySM online bill and balance management service for healthcare providers and their patients.  Healthpac has extended the appeal of its practice management software by embedding PatientPay’s unique capabilities into the company’s core product.

“PatientPay extends the efficiency of Healthpac’s practice management software by bringing the speed, ease and accuracy of automation to patient balance management that for too long, has been bogged down by antiquated methods; specifically paper billing, slow collections and manual reconciliation,” said Buddy Claborn, Healthpac’s founder and CEO.  “There is no question the integration of PatientPay into Healthpac software will enhance the productivity of our 10,000 plus users who support medical practices across the United States.”

PatientPay eliminates the costly and complicated paper-based billing method used by the overwhelming majority of healthcare providers.  It drives down the expense and drives up the productivity associated with this activity by up to 50%.   Since PatientPay reduces the time to payment in half, healthcare professionals realize improved cash flow and reduced account receivables.

“PatientPay is pleased to have Healthpac join its growing list of practice management software  vendors who have come to see how our solution can yield meaningful benefits to our partners’ physician groups and their patients,” said Tom Furr, PatientPay’s founder and CEO.

The foundation of the PatientPay Partnership Program is the service’s ability to instantly integrate with all popular currently available practice management software so users don’t need to change the way they now work or have to learn new tasks.

About Healthpac Computer Systems, Inc.
Savannah, Georgia-based Healthpac Computer Systems, Inc. has been a software pioneer in the medical community since 1981. Healthpac provides advanced medical billing and management software for a range of customers that includes physicians, radiology imaging centers, healthcare providers, laboratories and medical billing companies.  The company was founded in 1981 by B. D. “Buddy” Claborn, Jr., specifically to address the growing needs of billing professionals in the ever-changing healthcare industry. They keep pace with, and exceed, the demands so necessary to survive in the complex healthcare billing environment.  Healthpac software solutions include scheduling, bi-directional HL7 interfaces, EMR, dashboard analytics and robust paperless work queues for both Part A and Part B billing via either an ASP service or a turnkey licensing arrangement that makes use of its clients’ equipment.  For information:  www.healthpac.net or call (800) 831-9419 x202.

About PatientPay
PatientPay is a patented, web-based service for physician groups and their patients to manage and process patient balances.  It handles this time-intensive, complicated and expensive process in minutes not days, at half the cost and with less risk than paper-based payments or traditional online portals.

It is a service of PatientPay, a Durham, North Carolina-based provider of paperless billing and electronic patient payment processing services for the healthcare industry run by innovative executives with a record of producing market-creating solutions for the healthcare, information management and Internet sectors.   For more information, please visit www.patientpay.com or call 1-888-730-9374, extension 709.