Winter 2012 - Meadows Regional Medical Center

For Life!
Winter 2012
New STEMI
Network
Launched
Homegrown Physicians Have
Their Hometown at Heart
Generous Support for
New Cancer Center
Anna Franklin, MD
Misty Poole, MD
Justin Osborne, MD
Susanna Meredith, MD
Janica Peavey, MD
Homegrown Physicians
Have Their Hometown at Heart
I
t often goes unspoken, but we all treasure the quiet,
unhurried charm of small town life. We all appreciate
knowing our neighbors by name, good old-fashioned
Southern hospitality and being able to make it clear across
town in a matter of minutes.
“And,” she adds, “here I know 90 percent of my patients so it
makes it a lot more personal. Here I get to see children grow
up that I deliver. I get to see how my patients are recovering
from surgery when I see them at church the next Sunday. I
wouldn’t change it for anything.”
There’s a lot to be said for growing up in Vidalia, or any
number of small towns that dot the South Georgia landscape.
It should come as no surprise that the doctors at Meadows
Regional Medical Center share the same affection for the
quality of life here. Many of the physicians who practice at
Meadows grew up in Vidalia and the surrounding area.
Dr. Janica Peavey shares Dr. Meredith’s sentiments. She grew
up in Soperton, just a few minutes away. “The communities
are just close-knit. Everyone’s your neighbor. Everyone’s
around to help out. It’s just about neighborly love and
friendship,” she says.
With their unique skills and qualifications, they could have
chosen to practice medicine anywhere. But they chose to
come home to their friends and neighbors at Meadows
because they love it here for all of the same reasons you do.
“We moved here when I was two,” says obstetrician Dr.
Susanna Meredith. “Growing up here is a very different
experience than a lot of my college and medical school friends
had. I knew mostly everybody, their families, who they were
related to. It was a very friendly environment. It felt very safe
and very nurturing.”
Dr. Meredith actually had six job offers when she was
deciding where to pursue her career. In the end, the choice
was easy. “My husband is from here. We have two sets of
parents here. So that was very alluring,” she says.
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For Life!
I’ve practiced at larger
hospitals and I can tell you that
Meadows competes with anyone’s
technology and medical care.
JANICA PEAVEY, MD
Dr. Peavey is a neuroradiologist who always knew she would
come home to practice.
“I enjoy treating my friends and neighbors simply because I
know I’m doing my best to provide them with the best
medical care possible,” Dr. Peavey says. “I’ve practiced at larger
hospitals and I can tell you that Meadows competes with
anyone’s technology and medical care. But at the same time,
we’re small enough to know the patients personally and
provide that special touch. I take a great deal of pride in the
fact that I can provide the best of care to my family and
friends.”
Dr. Anna Franklin is also a radiologist. She grew up in nearby
Metter and knew from an early age that she wanted to follow
in her father’s footsteps as a physician. She likes the small town
atmosphere in Vidalia and knowing people when she goes to a
restaurant or the grocery store.
… here I know 90 percent
of my patients so it makes
it a lot more personal.
SUSANNA MEREDITH, MD
“It’s very rewarding to treat friends and neighbors but it can
make things more stressful because you’re giving it that
something extra,” Dr. Franklin says. “But it’s worth it. It’s great
to offer new technology to friends and family without them
having to drive to Savannah or Macon.”
Internist Dr. Misty Poole was born and raised in Vidalia and
recently returned. She says there’s nothing like coming
back home, and believes that health care is something that
distinguishes Vidalia from other small cities.
“For our size of town, our hospital has so much to offer,” she
says. “I trained in a larger, metropolitan facility and got
to see so much. I am proud to bring those skills to the place
I grew up.”
Finally, Dr. Justin Osborne is a native son of Vidalia and has
also recently come back home for the “small-town feel” to
practice emergency medicine.
“It’s nice to see familiar faces when you walk into a room and
know that you have their trust,” he says. “I’m just proud to be a
part of this community.”
When you see a doctor at Meadows Regional Medical Center,
there’s a good chance you know them personally. You may
know their families. So when you see them in a restaurant or
the grocery store, make sure you stop and say, “hello.”
Meadows’ Physicians Support
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
One of the missions of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America is to
inspire and enable all young people to realize their full potential as
productive, responsible and caring citizens. It’s a challenge when an
increasing number of children are at home
with no adult care or supervision. And it’s
an ideal near and dear to the hearts of
Meadows’ physicians. Drs. Karen McColl,
Kurt Hofmann, Gilbert Gonzalez and
Tiffanie Noonan all serve on the board
of directors, while Drs. Wayne Williams,
Mike Williams and Frank Gibase
each provide financial support for
the Club.
Karen McColl, MD
Dr. McColl and Dr. Gonzalez have each
served on the board for two years. Dr.
Hofmann has been active in fundraising
for the organization for some time and
Dr. Noonan recently joined the board.
According to Dr. Gonzalez, “The Boys &
Girls Club of Vidalia is both a necessity
and luxury to the children that it serves. It
is a necessity in that it provides essential
services that are unmet and a luxury in
that it provides an enriched environment
that is otherwise unavailable. The staff is
exceptional and the board is deeply
committed. The overall goal is to create a
better Toombs County by providing a
nurturing experience for its children.”
A new Boys & Girls Club facility has
been a primary focus of the fundraising
efforts for the past six to twelve months.
“We’ve had great support from the
community, from the Vidalia Downtown
Association and the Commissioners as
well as the Sweet Onion community,”
Dr. McColl says.
“As physicians, we see a large number of
people in the community in need of social
services, in need of mentoring − in need
of just having someone interested in
their well-being,” Dr. McColl says. “The
Boys & Girls Club really provides that.”
Kurt Hofmann, MD
Gilbert Gonzalez, MD
Tiffanie Noonan, DO
Winter 2012
3
Generous Support
REPORTED FOR FOUNDATION
M
eadows Healthcare Foundation
has embarked on its first ever
capital campaign. For the next three
years, the focus will be on building a
new facility for Meadows Regional
Cancer Center. The cancer center will
provide our community with a state-ofthe-art facility, the most advanced
technology, and highly-trained and
experienced physicians. Serving over
nine counties, the Meadows Regional
Cancer Center will help save lives
through early detection and aggressive
treatments and will impact the lives of
countless patients, caregivers, and
family members.
With the addition of the cancer center,
Meadows Regional Medical Center will
offer services that are normally only
available in larger cities. It will allow
easier access to care so that patients
who are ill will no longer have to travel
hours to receive the treatments and
therapies they require.
Supporting Local Cancer Treatment
“We will be asking for the support of
our community. We need help to build
this and we want our community to be
involved so they can take pride in it truly
being a community cancer center. We
are making history here and changing
the lives of generations to come,”
says Melissa Hightower, Meadows
Healthcare Foundation Director.
where to be treated, whether they can
afford to take off work to travel out of
town, and if they can afford the cost
of travel. It is very overwhelming, I
promise. I’ve been there. We need
our community to step up and show
their support.”
Karon Durden, breast cancer survivor
and community philanthropist,
accepted the position of Foundation
Chairperson. “It is important for our
community to understand how strong
the need is for a cancer center in Vidalia.
So many people are unaware of the
hardships others go through having to
travel for radiation treatment and
constantly searching for top-of-the-line
care,” says Durden. “Patients are
overwhelmed not only with the fact
that they have cancer but having to
figure out the best treatment options,
According to Karon, “The Foundation
is running remarkably well. We have
had a very strong showing from our
employees, and we have had a very
strong level of support from our
community – industries and
individuals alike.”
$50,000
Community Hospice
(pledged over 3 years)
$17,500
Bishop-Durden
Insurance Group
$15,000
VNS Corporation
Chicken of the Sea
$10,000
Zaxby’s
CORPORATE DONORS
$6,000
Ronald Hall Funeral Home
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For Life!
And stepping up is just what our
community has begun to do.
Alan Kent, CEO and President of
Meadows Regional states, “We continue
to move along with our Foundation and
we are starting to see some significant
donations from the community.
Community Hospice has pledged
$50,000 over the next three years to
the Meadows Healthcare Foundation.
VNS Corporation and Chicken of the
Sea have both committed $15,000,
Bishop-Durden Insurance Group
$17,500, Zaxby’s $10,000, Ronald Hall
Funeral Home $6,000 and there are a
number of donations in the works from
individuals pledging $10,000 over a
three-year period.”
You Can Help
The Foundation offers a number of
ways you can help ensure our
community’s healthcare needs are
met now and in coming years. All gifts
to Meadows Healthcare Foundation
are tax deductible to the fullest extent
of the law.
If you are interested in making a gift or
would like more information, please
contact Melissa Hightower at the
Meadows Healthcare Foundation at
912.277.2139.
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Community Hospice
Community Hospice has been serving patients
and families in Toombs and surrounding
counties for more than 13 years. They understand the overwhelming need to serve cancer
patients in our area. They see it every day.
During these 13 years, thousands of families
have benefited from the compassionate care
provided by Community Hospice staff during
the difficult journey of an individual’s lifelimiting illness. Community Hospice has
made a commitment of compassionate and
competent care, second to none.
Community Hospice and Meadows
Regional Medical Center, along with the
Meadows Healthcare Foundation, have built
a collaborative working relationship over the
years. While providing different services,
these organizations have a common goal
in maintaining a commitment to excellence
in patient care. When the news was announced
that the Meadows Healthcare Foundation was
in the process of building a state-of-the-art
cancer center, Community Hospice knew just
how much the citizens of our area would
benefit.
“When organizations work together
in collaboration, great things can be
accomplished. The patients and families in
our community will benefit greatly from the
cancer center and Community Hospice gladly
supports these efforts. We are honored to help
such a wonderful organization as Meadows
Healthcare Foundation bring technology
home,” said Jason Colbert, CHPCA and Chief
Executive Officer of Community Hospice.
Meadows Regional
Named A Great
Community Hospital
The prestigious Becker’s Hospital
Review recently listed Meadows
Regional Medical Center among
“100 Great Community Hospitals,”
which recognizes high-performing
hospitals with fewer than 550 beds
and minimal teaching programs.
Community hospitals are a critical
component to the American
healthcare continuum. These
hospitals are often the anchors of
health and employment within
their communities, providing
patients with top-quality care close
to home. These hospitals have
demonstrated commitments to
the health of their local population
through clinical excellence,
community involvement and
various other efforts.
health system leaders, owners and
operators of ambulatory surgery
centers, and leaders of orthopedic
and spine practices. To compile
this list, the Becker’s Hospital
Review editorial team analyzed
information, recognition and
rankings from a variety of industry
sources, including iVantage Health
Analytics, Thomson Reuters,
HealthGrades and the American
Nurses Credentialing Center.
Becker’s Hospital Review is widely
considered a leading source of
cutting-edge business and legal
information for hospital and
As part of Community Hospice’s donation,
they will have the opportunity to name the
Patient Navigator office. Patient navigators
are trained healthcare workers who provide
individual assistance to cancer patients,
survivors and family members. As advocates,
they help patients navigate through the
healthcare system – physician offices,
hospitals, outpatient centers, insurers and
support organizations. These services are
designed to support the timely delivery of
cancer care and ensure patient satisfaction
with their encounters within the cancer
care system.
Winter 2012
5
Cancer Center Move
an Advantage for Patients
The Vidalia Regional Cancer Center recently moved inside
Meadows Regional Medical Center. The move was made for
several reasons, but primarily to improve safety and
convenience for patients.
Dr. Patrick Byrne is the hematology/medical oncology
physician at Meadows. He says the move is welcomed by
patients and staff alike.
Meadows Regional New
STEMI Network Launched
The Cardiovascular Services department at Meadows
Regional recently kicked off its STEMI Network, and is
setting the standard of care for patients experiencing
cardiac emergencies in this community and the
surrounding counties.
STEMI, which stands for ST-Elevation Myocardial
Infarction, is the most dangerous type of heart attack
where the coronary artery is completely blocked off by a
blood clot. Without blood flow, virtually all of the heart
muscle supplied by the affected artery starts to die.
Getting treatment quickly is critical to surviving a STEMI.
This program greatly reduces the amount of time for
diagnosis and treatment for cardiac patients. EMS providers
are now able to send cardiac information for heart attack
patients from the ambulance to the emergency department
prior to the patient’s arrival. This allows the hospital to
react faster by preparing for the patient’s arrival and
cuts down on the time the patient enters the
catheterization lab.
A grant for online education for participating EMS stations
was received from AstraZeneca pharmaceuticals. This will
be used for every EMS provider in Meadows’ network who
will be required to complete an assessment before receiving
their LifePaks. The LifePak 12 defibrillator/monitor has
expanded diagnostic and monitoring capabilities for acute
cardiac care that allows transmission of the EKG from the
ambulance to Meadows Regional.
As of September, Toombs, Tattnall, Jeff Davis and Emanuel
counties are all able to transmit EKGs to Meadows Regional
through a hub in the Emergency Department. Meadows
Regional, in partnership with Toombs County, is purchasing
two defibrillators for Toombs and Montgomery Counties.
Meadows Regional is also purchasing one each for Tattnall,
Jeff Davis and Emanuel counties.
6
For Life!
“We have a nicer space. Inpatients are upstairs and
outpatients downstairs. We’re closer to the lab and radiology
and the patients don’t have to go to two places to get blood
drawn. Our patients appreciate a location that is more
convenient to radiology.
“It’s also more convenient for procedures. If patients need to
be hospitalized they just go upstairs. If they need to go to the
emergency room they just go
around the corner. So I think it’s a
huge improvement,” says Dr. Byrne.
The cancer center provides treatment for adult cancer patients,
including patients who are involved
with research protocols at major
research centers. For example, the
cancer center often serves as the
Patrick Byrne, MD
local oncologist in collaboration
with major research and referral centers. In this way, patients
in and around Vidalia enjoy the best of both worlds. The
latest, most advanced care and treatment such as
chemotherapy are close to home.
As comfortable as the move to the hospital has proven to be,
it is temporary. As reported, the Foundation is hard at work
to secure funds for a dedicated and comprehensive cancer
center designed to serve nine counties. The new cancer
center will provide specialized care, including chemotherapy
and radiation, close to home.
The cancer center provides treatment
for all types of adult cancer patients,
including patients who are involved
with research protocols at major
research centers.
New Physicians Join Meadows Regional
Emergency Medicine Physician Justin Osborne, MD
Dr. Justin Osborne recently joined Meadows Regional
Medical Center as an emergency medicine physician.
Neuroradiologist Janica W. Peavey, MD
Meadows Regional Medical Center welcomes Dr. Janica
Peavey to the hospital’s medical staff.
Dr. Osborne graduated summa
cum laude from Mercer University,
before earning his medical degree
from Mercer University School
of Medicine in Macon, Ga.
Dr. Osborne performed his
Emergency Medicine residency
at University of Alabama at
Birmingham in Birmingham, Ala.,
Justin Osborne, MD
where he was named the
Emergency Medicine Resident
of the Year (2011-2012). He was also a recipient of the
David Andretta, MD, Memorial Award for exemplifying
Dr. Andretta’s thirst for knowledge and teaching, and his
dedication to the medical profession.
Dr. Peavey graduated cum laude from Georgia Southern
University in Statesboro, and earned her medical degree
from Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, Ga.,
where she was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha Honor
Medical Society in her junior year. She performed her
Internal Medicine residency and a
Radiology residency at Memorial
Health University Medical Center
in Savannah, Ga., then sought
further expertise through
a fellowship in Neuroradiology at
University of North Carolina in
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Dr. Osborne is from Vidalia and has recently come back
home to practice medicine.
Internist Misty Denise Poole, MD
Meadows Regional Medical Center welcomes Dr. Misty
Poole to Vidalia Internal Medicine and the hospital’s
medical staff.
Dr. Misty Poole recently joined
Meadows Regional Medical Center
following completion of the
Internal Medicine residency
program at Medical Center
of Central Georgia. Dr. Poole is
a magna cum laude graduate of
University of Georgia and earned
her medical doctorate from
Mercer University School of
Misty Poole, MD
Medicine in Macon, Ga. While
at Mercer University School of Medicine, Dr. Poole garnered
the Outstanding Intern Award and the Outstanding
Internal Medicine Resident Award. At this writing, Dr. Poole
is board eligible for Certification by the American Board of
Internal Medicine.
She is a member of the American College of Physicians,
American Academy of Family Physicians, American
Medical Association, and the Christian Medical &
Dental Associations.
Dr. Poole was born and raised in Vidalia and recently
returned to live here.
Dr. Peavey is board certified by the
American Board of Radiology. She
is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians,
American Medical Association, Georgia Association of
Family Practitioners, Medical Association of Georgia and
Southern Medical Association.
Janica W. Peavey, MD
Dr. Peavey is married and recently returned to live in her
hometown of Soperton, Ga.
Nephrologist Payson Oberg-Higgins, MD
Meadows Regional Medical Center is pleased to welcome
Dr. Payson Oberg-Higgins to Southeast Regional Kidney and
Hypertension Specialists and the hospital’s medical staff.
Dr. Oberg-Higgins earned her
medical degree from University of
Vermont College of Medicine in
Burlington, Vt. She performed her
Internal Medicine internship and
residency as well as a Nephrology
fellowship at Maine Medical
Center in Portsmouth, Me.
Payson Oberg-Higgins, MD Dr. Oberg-Higgins is board
certified by the American
Board of Internal Medicine. She currently has a teaching
appointment from Tufts School of Medicine and is adviser
to students for the classes of 2013 and 2014 for Tufts School
of Medicine in Boston, Ma.
Prior to moving to Vidalia, Dr. Oberg-Higgins was a partner
in a large nephrology practice in Portland, Me. She has
relocated to Vidalia with her husband, Dr. Peter Higgins,
and their daughter Sally.
Winter 2012
7
For Life!
Winter 2012 Edition
For Life! is published as a community
service by Meadows Regional Medical Center.
Meadows Regional Medical Center is located
at One Meadows Parkway in Vidalia, GA,
online at www.meadowsregional.com and
by phone at 912.535.5555.
You are receiving this information because it
is mailed to members of the community.
If you do not wish to receive further
newsletters, contact Elizabeth Harvill,
Director of Marketing and Community
Relations at Meadows Regional Medical
Center, at 912.538.5892.
NONPROFIT
ORG
U S POSTAGE
PAID
ITEK
One Meadows Parkway
Vidalia, GA 30474
If you have specific concerns about your
health, please contact your doctor.
©2012, Meadows Regional Medical Center
A division of Meadows Healthcare Alliance, Inc.
Vidalia Children’s Center Growing up
in a New Location
Just three years old, the Vidalia Children’s Center is growing fast. So fast
in fact, that the practice has outgrown its facilities and has moved to a
new location.
Vidalia Children’s Center serves patients ranging in age from newborn
to 21 years. The pediatric medical practice recently moved from a six
exam-room building to a 12 exam-room facility. Their new address is
125 Church Street, which most families will recognize as the old Belk
building across from the Pal Theater.
We’ve Moved to
125 Church Street
(the old Belk building )
The new location features an expanded waiting room with an open play
area and a separate newborn “well” waiting room area.
The space enables Vidalia Children’s Center to add a nursing room and a
certified lactation specialist to the staff. The primary benefit of the
new facility is the ability to reduce wait times and see more patients.
“We’re excited about the new space,” says Office Manager Michelle
Maybin. “We have room to better accommodate our patients, to make
the wait time shorter and offer expanded services.” She adds, “That was
our goal when we got the new space.”
12 exam rooms
Expanded waiting
room with open
play area
Separate well-baby
waiting room
Accepting
New Patients
912.538.8484
The phone number for Vidalia Children’s Center, 912.538.8484,
remains unchanged.
Physician Assistant Lauren Higgins, PA-C
Meadows Regional Medical Center is happy to
welcome Lauren Higgins, PA-C from the RT
Stanley Health Center in Lyons, an internal
medicine/family practice healthcare clinic.
Lauren Higgins, PA-C
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For Life!
Lauren graduated from Georgia Southern
University in Statesboro and earned a master’s
degree in Health Science; Physician Assistant
Studies from South College in Knoxville,
Tn. Lauren was a member of the Dean’s
List at South College and at Georgia
Southern University.
She is certified by the National Commission on
Certification of Physician Assistants. She is also
certified by the American Heart Association in
Basic Life Support (BLS), Acute Cardiac Life
Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life
Support (PALS).
Lauren is a native of Statesboro, Ga.