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 Memphis Archives

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Innovative MRI Technique Offers Greater Visualization Inside Brain
Determining the location of a brain tumor is vital for targeted treatment and surgery. Imaging of the delicate pathways in the brain helps radiologists and surgeons map the anatomy prior to intervention. Conventional MRI, however, does have limitations but radiologists have an advanced tool that visualizes brain anatomy with greater characterization
HOLLI W. HAYNIE

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Eye Surgery Center Opens Late, But Worth the Wait
The ambulatory surgery center at Hamilton Eye Institute is expected to treat its first patient Sept. 17; that’s just three years later than expected. The 9,281-square-foot surgery center, located on the third floor of the building housing Hamilton, features three operating rooms and two laser suites.
SCOTT SHEPARD

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Adjust to Reality, TMA Speaker Cautions Healthcare Providers
When doctors go before Congress to warn of the growing shortage of providers at all levels, Congress responds by cutting Medicare reimbursements and strangling practices even further. So it’s time for the healthcare industry to change itself to adjust to reality. That was the theme July 20 at a town hall meeting in Memphis, sponsored by the Tennessee Medical Association.
SCOTT SHEPARD

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Gaining a Competitive Edge
On Friday, September 14, the Tennessee Medical Association (TMA) and the Tennessee Medical Group Management Association (TMGMA) will co-host a daylong seminar in Nashville to help their members explore ways to leverage resources and maximize success in the group practice setting.
CINDY SANDERS

Champ Act is Loaded
As the United States House of Representatives was adjourning for the August recess, it completed action on the Children’s Health and Medicare Protection Act (CHAMP Act), the primary purpose of which is to extend the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), due to expire at the end of September.
RICHARD G. COWART

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Tennessee Ranks 40th in Commonwealth Fund Health-System Ranking
The performance of Tennessee’s health system won’t get a standing ovation. That’s according to the Commonwealth Fund Commission, which in June released a state-by-state scorecard assessing access, quality, avoidable hospital use and costs, equity and healthy lives. Tennessee ranked 40th.
SHARON H. FITZGERALD

Grand Rounds September

Methodist Hospice Plans to Build a Hospice Residence

Methodist Hospice plans to build a $9 million dollar, 30-bed free-standing hospice residence. Several locations are currently under consideration.

As one of the first hospices in the country to receive Medicare certification, Methodist Hospice works to help ease the end-of-life transition for over 225 families in the Mid-South every day.

Hiring Nurses with Geriatric Training
Tough Goal to Meet

Senior housing options from assisted living to nursing homes all face a similar challenge: finding nurses with a desire and the special training needed today to care for America’s aging population. “It’s really difficult for three reasons: No. 1, there are not that many nurses in general who are trained geriatrically. That does not mean that they have to be geriatric nurses, but that in their curriculum they...
SHARON H. FITZGERALD

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New “Green Suite” Offers Energy Efficiency and a Healthier Environment
Going “green” is a concept taking hold in the United States, from cars to homes, and now more widely, workplaces. Being in a green space is about more than just that warm fuzzy feeling, it can save costs and attract new talent, and business owners across the country are recognizing that value.
HOLLI W. HAYNIE

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Physician Spotlight: Dr. David Tichansky
His patients might have struggled to resist snacks and sweets, but at least their potential breakthrough won’t be sugar-coated. Giving prospective bariatric patients an unflinching look at the pros and cons of the procedure is integral to the practice of Dr. David Tichansky and his partner, Dr. Atul Madan. As co-directors of the bariatric program for UT Medical Group, they hold a free educational seminar every six weeks or so at the Germantown Multispecialty Clinic on Wolf River Boulevard, where they encourage people to exhaust all their options to lose weight before thinking about surgery.
LUCY SCHULTZE

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Proactive Palliative Care Benefits Patients, Healthcare Team
In healthcare, the oath is to do no harm, and it’s a virtue expected to be upheld by all physicians. With the mass of technology, procedures and medications, people are living longer, and often this battle against death simply translates to prolonged dying. Not only does this have an emotional cost, but it also costs families and hospitals financially.
HOLLI W. HAYNIE

Tennessee Department of Health Suspends Admissions to Nursing Homes Across State
Following a crackdown on nursing home abuse, the Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN, suspended admissions to several nursing homes across the state in July and August based on deficiencies found during unannounced inspections. Special monitors will be appointed to review the centers’ operations.
LYNNE JETER

The Ailing Medical Practice: Signs, Symptoms and Treatment
The inability to meet monthly financial obligations is often the shrill siren that finally captures the attention of physicians and alerts them that their medical practice is ailing. By the time they heed the alarm, their practice may be in a deep financial crisis.
SARA S. LANKFORD, CPA