Joplin Business Journal Honors Oxford Health Care Heroes

Care Update
SUMMER 2009
Joplin Business Journal Honors
Oxford Health Care Heroes
© 2009 Don Wilkinson/Joplin Business Journal
Three Oxford employees
never dreamed their outstanding
commitment to care giving
would win them Health Care
Hero awards from the Joplin
Business Journal during its
March competition, which
honored 38 area employees
and their companies.
“I was pleasantly surprised!”
said Regional Director of
In-Home Services Wes McGuirk,
who was honored for developing computerized scheduling
processes that have enhanced
patient care, employee and client
satisfaction and various business
indicators.
McGuirk receives calls daily
from software users throughout
the country seeking his expertise, and he has been invited to
speak at national conventions
Jerri Richardson
Rosie Hubert
and to serve as
regional co-chair
for a McKesson
Corporation-affiliated user group.
Wound Care
Coordinator Jerri
Richardson, AB,
BSN, RN, CWOCN,
© 2009 Don Wilkinson/Joplin Business Journal
was honored for
JBJ President Roger Asay and Donald Holsinger, MD,
launching and
Pittsburg State University, present Wes McGuirk
leading Oxford’s
with a Health Care Hero award.
Joplin wound-care
specialty program
“I think a good job in the
that has provided 14 years of
field is based on a good job at
standards-setting care to thouthe office,” said the In-Home Aide,
sands of southwest Missourians
honored for her extraordinary
and for mentoring 130 nurses.
efforts on behalf of clients and in
Richardson is one of only
responding to emergencies.
2,700 nurses worldwide certified
Hubert not only provides
in all three areas by the Wound,
exemplary care, she also continOstomy and Continence Nursing ually does much more than is
Certification Board. She has
normally expected because she
shown exemplary nursing
deeply cares about her clients
performance in growing
and wants to help them. She
a well-respected, strongly
gives of herself even in the
effective, specialized
midst of her own personal
wound-treatment program
crises, including caring for family
for home care patients.
members with serious illnesses.
“An award might go to
“Oxford is very proud of these
one person, but it’s really a employees and deeply apprecigroup of people that makes ates their dedication and excelit possible,” she said.
lence,” said Oxford President
Rosie Hubert agrees.
Karen Thomas.
Telemonitoring
Keeps Patient Safe
Thanks to telemonitoring, Gudrun Shanks no
longer becomes terrified that she’s having a heart
attack when she’s actually having a panic attack.
Nor does she make repeated 911 calls and
unnecessary ER visits.
“I used to have panic attacks and go to the ER
at least once a month. They’d just send me home
and tell me to calm down,” she said, noting that her
conditions include heart, lung and blood-pressure
diseases and anxiety.
“Thanks to telemonitoring, I can tell by my
heart rate, oxygen level and blood pressure that
I’m not having a heart attack. If I have a question,
Oxford is there for me!” she said.
With telemonitoring, Gudrun Shanks has peace of
“I keep the cuff the same size so I can just slip
mind and avoids unnecessary 911 calls and ER trips.
it on,” she noted, demonstrating ease in taking her
a nurse for response according
blood pressure.
to doctor-set guidelines, and a
“Good morning. It’s time to
“red alert” indicates an urgent
record your vital signs,” said the
Telemonitoring
response is needed. Missing
gentle electronic voice, preprohelps reduce
information prompts the nurse
grammed to speak at Gudrun’s
unnecessary
to call the patient.
wake-up and medication times.
“Just like for Gudrun, teleVia voice and bright green
medical visits.
monitoring can also help you
lettering, the monitor gives
— Tresa Marlow, RN
take control of your health,
user-friendly instructions and
enhance your life and reduce
can assess temperature, weight,
unnecessary medical visits,” said Telehealth
blood sugar, bleeding problems, heart rhythms
Manager Tresa Marlow, RN.
and lung capacity. It transmits the information to
Oxford Opens Columbia Office
Oxford is pleased to have opened a new
office in Columbia, Mo. Effective July 1, Oxford
purchased Sinclair Home Care, a service of
University of Missouri Health Care.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to
work with the home care staff and hospital to
bring expanded services and technology to the
2
community,” said Oxford President Karen Thomas.
“Oxford now provides a full range of home care
services, telemonitoring and Lifeline medical
alert to the six-county area around Columbia.”
For information about services in central
Missouri, please call 573-474-1530 or
1-800-749-6555.
Fishing Dream Is Real Catch
for Hospice Patient
“I’m ready to catch a big one!”
said Gary Martin, casting his line
into the deep blue waters of
Table Rock Lake and waiting
comfortably in his wheelchair for
a bass bite.
Thanks to the collaborative
efforts of the Dream Foundation,
Eric’s Elite Guide Service of Nixa
and Oxford Hospice, Martin not
only spent June 11 catching
and releasing, he was also able
to catch his biggest dream!
The 62-year-old hospice patient’s
most longed-for wish of spending
the day on the lake with grandson Jacob Ballard came true.
The Dream Foundation hosted
Martin’s medical transport,
Eric Olliverson volunteered
his professional fishing-guide
services and Oxford arranged
details.
“This was even better than
fishing in Canada,” concluded
Martin, who enjoyed seven
catches and hundreds of bites.
Ballard agreed. “I just had
so much fun!” he said.
Olliverson also found
himself caught up in
the joy of Martin’s
dream.
“As we were
trolling up to our
fishing spot, I saw
his eyes and the
excitement . . . it
gave me the most
rewarding feeling I’ve
ever had,” said the guide,
who has experienced a
new-found appreciation
for his everyday job.
It was the fishing trip
of a lifetime.
Oxford Team Raises Funds
for American Heart Association
April 25, a team of Oxford
walkers raised $989 to benefit
the American Heart Association
during its annual Start! Heart
Walk. Proceeds go toward
research, advocacy and professional and public education
programs to prevent heart
disease.
CoxHealth helped sponsor
the event and was the topranking fundraising company,
netting $29,650 in contributions.
3
Distinguished Minister
Joins Joplin Hospice Staff
Rev. Dr. Bill Christman
recently joined Oxford Hospice,
Joplin, as Chaplain, with responsibility for meeting the spiritual
needs of patients and families
facing life-limiting illness. He
will work in conjunction with
a team of other hospice professionals to provide comprehensive end-of-life care.
Christman is well known
locally as a minister and as
a member of the Christman
Department Store family, which
owned Joplin’s largest dry-goods
store from 1890 to 1955.
Additionally, Christman is
known as the Joplin Chamber
of Commerce Outstanding
Citizen of the Year for 2003 for
his founding membership in the
Joplin Community Health Clinic
and his assistance in establishing
Joplin Children’s Haven.
As a Presbyterian minister,
he has spent much of his career
leading congregations in Scotland,
where he became the first fulltime Protestant prison chaplain
in the country and twice was
invited to
preach at
Crathie
Church and
enjoy the
hospitality
of Queen
Elizabeth II
at Balmoral
Rev. Dr. Bill Christman
Castle.
He serves part time as Pastor
of First Presbyterian Church,
Baxter Springs, Kan.
He may be reached at
417-782-0111 or 1-800-749-6555.
Hospice Honors Volunteers
with Appreciation Banquet
During National Volunteer
Week in April, Oxford Hospice
honored its volunteers with a
special banquet at Cox South.
“Oxford deeply appreciates
our volunteers,” said Volunteer
Coordinator Aimee Fry, MSW.
“They’re an integral part of our
hospice team, and their companionship, comfort and practical
support are invaluable to our
patient care.”
Oxford Hospice honored its volunteers during National Volunteer Week.
4
Licensed Massage Therapist
Jeannette Napoleon was named
Field Volunteer of the Year, and
Gary Hill, Office Volunteer of the
Year. Napoleon serves patients
and families at home and even
takes time to give hospice
employees twice-monthly
shoulder and back massages.
Hill not only assists in locating
resources for families, he also
makes home visits and recently
spent considerable time creating
“Pumpkin pallets” for hospice
therapy dog Pumpkin to sit on
at patients’ homes.
For additional information
about volunteering, please call
Oxford at 417-883-7500 or
1-800-749-6555.
Oxford Hospice
Expands, Serves
17 Counties
Oxford Hospice recently
expanded its services to
include Barry, Barton and
McDonald counties, bringing
to 17 the number of southwest
Missouri counties it now
serves with compassionate
end-of-life care.
“This expansion will allow
more patients and their loved
ones to benefit from important
services that are covered by
Medicare, Medicaid and private
insurance,” said Director of
Hospice Elizabeth Lee, RN,
CHPN.
“It will also allow for a
strong continuum of care for
patients in those areas who
are already receiving other
Oxford services and whose
conditions make hospice an
appropriate option—especially
since patients and families
benefit most when hospice
care begins early.
“Hospice usually begins
when patients are diagnosed
with a life expectancy of six
months or less, and they don’t
need to be elderly, bedridden
or homebound to be eligible,”
she added.
For additional information
about Oxford Hospice or to
request a complimentary
home care evaluation, please
call a Care Coordinator at
417-883-7500 or
1-800-749-6555.
Hospice Names
Community Relations Rep
Jill Miletello, RN,
BSN, joined Oxford
Hospice in April as
Community Relations
Representative.
She is available to:
• Meet with patients,
families and
caregivers
• Help determine
Jill Miletello, RN, BSN
hospice eligibility
• Provide complimentary
educational programs
regarding hospice and
end-of-life care for
medical professionals
and the general
public.
If you are interested in talking with
Jill or in scheduling
a presentation for
your organization,
please call her at
417-883-7500 or
1-800-749-6555.
New Liaison Provides
Education & Screenings
Sheila Boutwell
help people have
recently joined Oxford
peace of mind and
as Community Educalive independently
tion Representative
at home.
with responsibility for
Sheila recently
providing complimenserved as campaign
tary health-education
manager for the southand screening
west Missouri branch
programs throughout
of The Leukemia and
southwest Missouri.
Lymphoma Society.
Sheila Boutwell
Many presentation
For additional
topics are available and include
information or to schedule a
home telemonitoring and
presentation, please call Sheila at
Lifeline medical alert that can
417-883-7500 or 1-800-749-6555.
Boomer News Thanks Sponsors
Boomer News radio show,
which airs Mondays at 3 p.m.
on KWTO 560 AM, extends
special thanks to these sponsors
for their generous support:
Croley Insurance
Discovery Center
Grove Pharmacy
John Morse, Merrill Lynch
McKesson Corporation
5
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
SPRINGFIELD MO
PERMIT # 107
3660 S. National, Ste. 300
P.O. Box 10939
Springfield, MO 65808-0939
WHAT’S INSIDE
Health Care Heroes
............................. p 1
Telemonitoring
............................. p 2
Fishing Dream
............................. p 3
Oxford HealthCare
Expansion
...................... p 2 & 5
Distinguished Minister
............................ p 4
Have You
Heard . . .
Boomer
News?
Springfield
Joplin
Branson
Columbia
417-883-7500
417-782-0111
417-336-6696
573-474-1530
1-800-749-6555
www.OxfordHealthCare.net
Not for profit.
Listening for a radio
show that gives you
resources for:
• Boosting your bank
account
• Streamlining your
retirement planning
• Improving your health
and appearance
• And enhancing your self
concept and relationships?
For innovative topics and
life-enhancing options,
listen to Boomer News!
Boomer News
3 p.m. Mondays
KWTO 560 AM
Access previous programs at
www.OxfordHealthCare.net