Mercy operations undergo restructuring

Mercy Health Center has restructured several operations under two new operational wings and new vice president's post.

The northern Oklahoma City hospital has created a new division, Ambulatory Care, to encompass Mercy Emergency Medical Services, Respiratory Services, the Sleep Lab, the Laboratory and Reference Laboratory, the retail Pharmacy, After-Hours and Urgent Care Services. Jerry Baumeister, director of the Mercy Laboratory, has been named the director of ambulatory support, and Tom Keller, director of the NeuroScience Institute at Mercy, has been named director of ambulatory services.

Baumeister has been at Mercy more than 20 years, holding director's positions in the laboratory, clinical engineering, communications and management information systems. Keller has served at Mercy for six years in varying capacities.

Mercy also has created a new vice president position for post- acute services. Its first holder is Hank Ross, the former chief executive of HealthSouth's Oklahoma City inpatient operations. The 22- year industry veteran will oversee several departments, including physical medicine, the fitness center, the rehabilitation unit, the transitional care unit, outpatient diagnostics, the Canadian County Ambulatory Surgery Center and Mercy at Home. In addition, Ross will lend his leadership to the continued development of Mercy's Durable Medical Equipment Sales and Services.

Patient Care Support is a new department created by Mercy to coordinate the activities associated with product line development, nursing information systems and budgetary responsibility for nursing. Included in that list will be a concentrated effort to improve nursing processes, including coordinating staffing schedules and managing the flex staff.

The division will headed by Aimee E. McGonigle. The 10-year industry veteran comes to Mercy from Baton Rouge, La., where she was the business manager of Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.

Mercy Health Center is a member of Mercy Health System Oklahoma and the Sisters of Mercy Health System-St. Louis.

People

Dentist Daniel J. Wilguess has joined the office of Rahill and Simon, General Dentistry.

McBride Clinic has added eight new physicians: Mark Pascale, Carlan Yates, J. Pat Livingston, Charles Funderburk, Donald McGinnis, Kimberly Smith, Daniel Clinkenbeard and James Barrett, all previously with Oklahoma Orthopedics. Troy Hensarling, McBride's chief executive, noted the addition will greatly expand the clinic's sports medicine program.

Michael S. Gilmore has been appointed vice president for research at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Gilmore specializes in developing new strategies for treating antibiotic- resistant infections. He has played a leading role in researching the antibiotic-resistant "superbug" Enterococcus and on blinding infections of the eye.

Robin Troutman, registered physical therapist and lymphedema specialist, has joined the staff of St. Anthony Hospital. Her focus will be working with cancer patients at the Frank C. Love Cancer Center at St. Anthony. The Langston graduate joined the hospital after serving University Hospital.

Events

On Saturday, the 48th annual James F. Hammarsten Pulmonary Conference will begin at the Renaissance Hotel. Hammarsten will be the keynote speaker, discussing community asthma coalitions. Other speakers will include Scott H. Sicherer, Hal Scholfield, Richard J. Shaughnessy, Phillip E. Silkoff, Michael T. Jaklitsch, Imran Nizami and Brent Brown. For details, call the American Lung Association at (918) 747-3441, Ext. 0.

Etc.

The Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services has published a disability resource guide. Information is available at www.okrehab.org/indexmanual.html or by calling Jean Jones at 951- 3488.

Integris Health Essentials has several educational seminars and programs lined up for this month, with subjects ranging from osteoporosis screening and "Strength for Caring" to the healing power of humor, dieting and coated coronary stents. For details, call 951- 2277.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Edmond Medical Center will launch its "Health- e Series" of free public information seminars with three presentations: Eric Reding on "Peels and Potions: Treating Sun- damaged and Aging Skin"; Barry Northcutt on "Get Fit, Stay Healthy"; and Sherry Siler on "Recognizing and Coping with the Stress of Aging." For details, call 359-5580.

Kirby Lee Davis welcomes your comments and contributions. You may reach him by phone at 278-2843, by fax at 278-2890 or by e-mail, kdavis

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