july 2006
Junior Volunteers Help SOMC
July 28, 2006 » More than 30 area young people participated in the Southern Ohio Medical Center Junior Volunteer Program, providing support to various medical center offices and departments during the summer. For information about becoming a volunteer at SOMC, call the Volunteer Office at 356-8234. Shown are junior volunteers during their training. Volunteers included Audrey Binns, Crystal Carpenter, Tiffany Caudill, Jenny Dettwiller, Katie Dingess, Emily Edwards, Alex Evans, Eric Frantz, Shauna Gleason, Ashley Hill, April Hobbs, Rachel Howerton, Eric Hurst, Allison Keller, Ashley Kielmar, Victoria Kratzer, Jessica Lewis, Jacob Martin, Katie Miller, Rachael Murphy, Lynzee Murray, Kari Nelson, Talyn Nolen, Katy Phipps, Kasey Reed, Kirby Reiser, Megan Richard, Julie Seaman, Madison Spears, Shannon Stewart, Marie Tackett, Amanda Tolle, Megan Tracey, Elyse Waugh.
Cheatham Receives Board Certification
July 28, 2006 » Jason Cheatham, DO, a physician on staff at Southern Ohio Medical Center, has received certification in Emergency Medicine from the American College of Emergency Medicine.
Dr. Cheatham received his medical degree from the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency at Akron General Medical Center. He received his undergraduate degree from Shawnee State University. He practices in the Emergency Services Department at SOMC.
Dr. Cheatham and his wife, Mandy, reside in the Portsmouth area with their three children.
Lute Nurse Manager at Health Care Center
July 26, 2006 » Kathy Lute, RN, has been appointed Nurse Manager of the SOMC Health Care Center on the South Campus of Southern Ohio Medical Center.
Lute has been an employee of SOMC since 1993 and has worked at the Health Care Center since 1995. She has been assistant nurse manager since 2000. Kathy received her nursing degree from the University of Rio Grande and plans to start work on her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in the fall at Shawnee State University. She and her husband reside in Lucasville with their two children and she is a member of Sciotodale Freewill Baptist Church.
The SOMC Health Care Center is an Emergency Department facility open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Foster Nurse Manager at Urgent Care
July 26, 2006 » Sherry Foster, RN, has been named Nurse Manager of the SOMC Urgent Care Center, 8770 Ohio River Road, Wheelersburg. Foster has been an employee of Southern Ohio Medical Center since 1994 and has worked at the Urgent Care Center since 2004. She received her nursing degree from Shawnee State University and plans to begin work on her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in the fall at SSU. She and her husband Dale have four children and reside in Lucasville.
The Urgent Care Center is designed as a faster alternative to Emergency Department visits, providing care for minor illness and injuries involving cuts, sprains and broken bones including the ability to perform x-rays. Illnesses such as chest pain, severe abdominal pain, strokes, or major trauma require a trip to SOMC’s Emergency Department.
The Urgent Care staff includes 18 employees. Two physicians, two certified nurse practitioners, a nurse manager, six nurses, four x-ray technologists, a lab technologist and six registrars work on various shifts at the Urgent Care Center. The facility is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day and recently celebrated 10 years of operation.
Traffic Adjustments at SOMC Entrances Announced
July 20, 2006 » In preparation for forthcoming expansion, Southern Ohio Medical Center is changing vehicle traffic flow at the 25th and 27th St. entrances and removing parking adjacent to the MRI entrance, SOMC Director of Facilities Craig Gilliland announced.
"Effective Monday, August 7, visitors and patients at SOMC’s Main Campus should approach the 25th Street entrance for Emergency Department visits only, and use the 27th Street entrance for all other hospital departments and services except the Emergency Department," Gilliland said.
Traffic on the 25th Street access will be limited to the Emergency Department circular turnaround and the lower level of the two-story parking garage.
"Visitors should not come to the Emergency Department entrance using the 27th Street campus entrance unless they drive through the lower level of the two-story parking garage," Gilliland said. "The access descending from the front of the hospital to the Emergency Department will become one-way, and restricted from the general public, limited to service vehicles only."
In addition to making the 25th Street entrance change, SOMC is now naming the two parking garages on the Main Campus. The two-story garage near the Emergency Department will be known as "Red Parking" and the four-story parking structure attached to Medical Office Building K is "Blue Parking." Due to pending construction, parking for MRI must be moved to the front of the campus, Gilliland said.
"Patients going to the MRI, Breast Center or Pulmonary testing who previously parked at the rear of the building near the MRI entrance should park in the four-story Blue Parking or the visitor parking spaces in front of the hospital," he said. "We have free valet parking to make it easier for anyone visiting the hospital, so those patients can simply drive to the curb of the front entrance and let the valet staff park the car as well."
Patients, family or visitors coming to the Emergency Department can use the new, free valet parking service at the Emergency Department entrance or can use the lower level of the two-story Red Parking garage.
"These traffic changes are necessary because construction will begin on the new Emergency Services and Surgical Services addition in August," Gilliland said. "This expansion and the construction will occupy the parking adjacent to the MRI entrance and the west side of the Emergency Department."
Gilliland said further changes in parking in the front of the hospital will come in November when construction on a new four-story addition and entrance will begin. At that time, more parking will directed to the four-story Blue Garage.
SOMC announced plans earlier this year to enter the next phase of the Master Facility Plan for the Main Campus, with expansion including new Emergency and Surgical Services, 100 private beds, a new entrance and other adjustments in preparation for open-heart services scheduled to begin in 2008.
SOMC Security Officers Donate Reward To Pediatrics
July 17, 2006 » Security Officers Randy Herdman and Tom Slye were on duty recently when they apprehended two young people vandalizing a business in the neighborhood near the South Campus of Southern Ohio Medical Center. The business owner provided each officer with a reward of $100, which they decided to present to SOMC’s Pediatrics Department to purchase new videos for the children. Shown with Herdman and Slye are Pediatrics staff members Karen Golden, RN, and Lisa Poorman, RN, accepting the donation.
SOMC Nurses Attend National Teaching Institute
July 17, 2006 » Thirteen nurses from Southern Ohio Medical Center’s Intensive Care, Monitored Care and Cardiac Catheterization Lab teams attended the National Teaching Institute recently in Anaheim, CA. The nurses are certified in critical care and received the latest updates and research in the care of critically ill patients. The NTI hosts more than 6,000 nurses nationwide each year with more than 200 presentations and is sponsored by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. The 13 nurses will be presenting the information they learned to their co-workers this summer. Pictured are (l-r) Korina Eichenlaub, Marie Jones, Amy Carter, Sharon Rawlins, Kathleen Moore, Diane Jewett, Joyce Purdy, Christy Aeh, Connie Clark, Cherry Clevenger, Malissa Coriell, Amy Beinkampen and Cindy Burke.
SOMC Hosts Area Students Bound for Medical Schools
July 17, 2006 » Southern Ohio Medical Center recently welcomed area students who will begin studies at medical schools this fall. The students attended a luncheon at the hospital and Dr. Aaron Adams, director of Medical Education at SOMC, presented each student with a Stedman’s Medical Dictionary. The students were also able to meet with medical students, residents and physicians on staff at the hospital. Shown are (front, l-r) Natalie Wheeler, Katie Cassity and Nikki Brown; back (l-r): Rocky Adkins, Justin Dzik, Ryan Sandlin, Jared Bentley and Joe Herrmann.
150 Catholic Youth Help Local Hospice Patients and Other Residents
July 17, 2006 » Eight patients in Hospice of Southern Ohio, part of Southern Ohio Medical Center, were among 35 home projects supported by Helping Hands in Portsmouth, a Catholic youth camp held July 17-20 at St. Mary’s Church. Thirty local youth and 120 from across the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus, which encompasses 23 counties in central and southern Ohio, came together to build wheelchair ramps, power wash and paint houses and work on other projects for low-income and other residents. The projects were chosen through local programs such as Hospice, the American Cancer Society and Catholic Social Services. Shown working on a ramp for Hospice patient Leslie Phipps are members of the parish of St. Nicholas Catholic Church of Zanesville, along with Hospice’s Susan Goins and St. Mary’s Dave Gallant and Marty Mohr. St. Nicholas members included supervisor Ron Westerheide and Tony Davis, Ray Bosche, Logan McKenna, David Johnson and Patrick Dooley.
SOMC Security Officer Places In National Poster Contest
July 17, 2006 » Security Officer Tom Slye of Southern Ohio Medical Center recently placed second in a national fire and safety poster contest sponsored by the International Association of Hospital Security and Safety. Slye’s illustration on fire safety detailed the basic steps to operating a fire extinguisher, with the theme "Thanks for the Squeeze" referring to squeezing the handle of the extinguisher.
Crohn’s Support Group Celebrates Anniversary
July 17, 2006 » The Crohn’s Support Group (pictured) for individuals with Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis recently celebrated the organization’s first anniversary. The group meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the SOMC Education Building, Room 4. The local group is supported by the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America. Call Angel Farmer, group facilitator, at 259-5080 for additional information.
Ross Nurse Manager at SOMC ED
July 10, 2006 » Jason Ross, RN, has been appointed Nurse Manager of the Emergency Department on the Main Campus of Southern Ohio Medical Center. Ross has been an employee at SOMC since 1996 and has served as assistant nurse manager for five years.
Ross received his nursing degree from the University of Rio Grande. He resides near Jackson with his wife, Chantel, and their one-year-old son.
Roberts Receives Teaching Award
July 10, 2006 » Philip M. Roberts, DO, has received the Arnold P. Gold Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award. This prestigious award is given by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, a society dedicated to fostering humanism in medicine. With this award, Dr. Roberts joins the ranks of physicians honored by students and peers as exemplary role models for humanistic care.
Dr. Roberts served as the Southern Ohio Medical Center resident facilitator for the family practice clerkship for the 2005-2006 year. This course was designed to orient the third-year medical students to the general areas of medicine that they would encounter during their last two years of medical school. He also works closely with individual students on their various rotations while at SOMC. This award will be formally presented at a reception in Athens in August.
Dr. Roberts is a graduate of Piketon High School, Shawnee State University and Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is currently completing his third and final year of family practice residency at SOMC and is a resident of Camp Creek Township.
Adams Welcomed At SOMC
July 7, 2006 » Darren Adams, DO, a physician specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology, has been welcomed to the medical staff of Southern Ohio Medical Center. Dr. Adams has joined the practice of George P. Pettit, MD, FACOG, 1729 27th St., Building G, Portsmouth.
Dr. Adams received his medical degree from the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine (OUCOM) in 2002. He completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology in June 2006 from OUCOM/O’Bleness Hospital, Athens.
Dr. Adams can be reached at (740) 354-1434.
Morris, Haney Elected To SOMC Board
July 5, 2006 » The Southern Ohio Medical Center Board of Directors elected two new members and re-elected a third at the board’s meeting June 28 at SOMC.
Rita Rice Morris, Ph.D., president of Shawnee State University, and Beth Haney, assistant director of the Southern Ohio Museum, were elected to three-year terms to fill seats vacated by outgoing directors Lillian Davis and Jim Wheaton. Pharmacist Jim Staker, owner of Staker’s Drugs, was re-elected to another three-year term.
Wheaton represented OhioHealth on the board. Davis is an area resident and business owner.
"Lillian served SOMC as a member of the Board of Directors for nine years and provided important input as a leader in our community during critical stages in the hospital’s growth as a world class organization," SOMC CEO Randy Arnett said. "We are very grateful for her service to SOMC, the medical community and the future of our area’s health care."
Dr. Morris was appointed as the fifth president of SSU in December 2002, and began her duties in May 2003. A native of California, she has more than 30 years of experience in higher education serving as professor, dean, and provost/vice president for academic affairs at institutions like SSU. She serves as a member of the Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education (OACHE), the Oak Hill Community Development Corporation Advisory board, and is president of the Ohio College Association. Dr. Morris is president of the Endeavor Center Operational Council overseeing the business incubation center at OSU South Center in Piketon. She is also on the Southern Ohio Growth Partnership and Information Technology Alliance of Appalachian Ohio. In addition, she serves on the Association of American State Colleges and Universities’ professional development committee and the American Council on Education’s Commission on Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness. She also served on the SOMC Foundation Board.
Haney has been assistant director at the Southern Ohio Museum since August 2005. She served on the SOMC Foundation Board since 1998, including vice president for several years and board president for two years. She is a member of the Notre Dame High School Board and serves as the current board president. She is a past board member of the Shawnee State University Foundation and served as its board president in 2003-04. She is the board secretary of the Portsmouth Area Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board, has been a member of the Kiwanis Club of Portsmouth since 1990 and served in Leadership Portsmouth Class of 1993. She served as Human Resources Manager at Mitchellace, Inc. from 1989-2005.
Dr. Moore Welcomed At SOMC
July 5, 2006 » Adenike Moore, DO, a physician specializing in psychiatry, has joined the staff of Southern Ohio Medical Center. Her office is located in Suite 101, Building B, 1835 Oakland Avenue, on the South Campus of SOMC.
Dr. Moore earned her medical degree from the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Seattle University in Seattle, WA. Prior to practicing with SOMC, Dr. Moore completed her psychiatric residency at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, MI.
Dr. Moore will begin seeing patients in mid-July. For more information call her office at (740) 354-8684.
