Cape Girardeau, Missouri - Saint Francis Healthcare System is pleased to welcome a new specialty practice to Saint Francis Medical Partners: Advanced Orthopedic Specialists. 

“We are fortunate to be partnering with this established orthopedic practice and its highly experienced specialists,” says Steven C. Bjelich, FACHE-D, President and Chief Executive Officer at Saint Francis Healthcare System. “By bringing an orthopedic specialty group to join Saint Francis Medical Partners, we are able to expand our clinical integrated network to patients in the five-state region we serve.”

Located in Cape Girardeau, Advanced Orthopedic Specialists provides patients with expert diagnosis and a full spectrum of treatments and surgical interventions for complicated orthopedic injuries and conditions for the hand, foot, hip, knee, shoulder and more. The practice includes orthopedic surgeons James M. Edwards, MD; Patrick R. Knight, MD; Rickey L. Lents, MD; Ryan C. Morris, DO; R. August Ritter III, MD; Brian C. Schafer, MD; Andrew C. Trueblood, MD and Khalid Waliullah, MD and physiatrists Jimmy D. Bowen, MD;  and Bernard C. Burns, DO.  These physicians have extensive training and years of combined experience — performing thousands of procedures, from sports medicine to hand to joint replacement and revision. Advanced Orthopedic Specialists was founded in 1934 and is the region’s premier orthopedic practice. AOS has Centers of Excellence in Joint Replacement and Sports Medicine.  AOS is the official team physician for Southeast Missouri State University and countless regional high school teams. 

“We are excited to partner with Saint Francis Medical Partners,” says Rickey Lents, MD, AOS President. “We believe this will allow Advanced Orthopedic Specialists to advance and expand care to better serve our region.  Our other partnerships with Saint Francis have been very successful and we feel that together we can implement a seamless continuum of orthopedic services.” 

The partnership will be effective January 1, 2018, and additional information will be forthcoming. There are no immediate plans to relocate AOS and the physicians will retain their privileges at other area hospitals. 

To learn more about Advanced Orthopedic Specialists, call 573-331-3996 or visit www.sfmc.net.

Saint Francis Medical Center is a 308-bed facility serving more than 713,000 people throughout Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. Guided by its mission to provide a ministry of healing and wellness inspired by its Christian philosophy and values, the Medical Center has become a progressive, innovative regional tertiary care referral center. Saint Francis’ major service lines, which have received national recognition, include the Neurosciences Institute; Orthopedic Institute; Family BirthPlace, featuring the region’s first Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Heart Hospital; Emergency and Level III Trauma Center; Cancer Institute; and Fitness Plus. 

Cape Girardeau, Missouri - Saint Francis Healthcare System announces the appointment of Lara Thompson to the role of system registration manager. 

In this role, Thompson will oversee operations for all registration services across the healthcare system including the hospital, physician practices and outpatient departments to ensure that the services provided are in accordance with the policies, procedures, philosophy and objectives of Saint Francis.

Thompson has been with Saint Francis for five years and has served as the practice manager for Cape Neurology Specialists, Sikeston Neurology Specialists, Cape Pain Management, Cape Neurosurgical Association and Cape Spine and Neurosurgery. 

Saint Francis Medical Center is a 308-bed facility serving more than 713,000 people throughout Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. Guided by its mission to provide a ministry of healing and wellness inspired by its Christian philosophy and values, the Medical Center has become a progressive, innovative regional tertiary care referral center. Saint Francis’ major service lines, which have received national recognition, include the Neurosciences Institute; Orthopedic Institute; Family BirthPlace, featuring the region’s first Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Heart Hospital; Emergency and Level III Trauma Center; Cancer Institute; and Fitness Plus. 

Cape Girardeau, Missouri - Saint Francis Healthcare System announces the appointment of Danah Brandel as the new customer service and charge integrity manager in customer service. 

In this role, Brandel is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of all customer service and change integrity operations. She is also responsible for overseeing customer service operations and fiscal health in the business department. 

Brandel has been a part of Saint Francis for nearly 20 years. Prior to her new role, she was the lead medical payment specialist and payment processor. When she started at Saint Francis, she worked in Food and Nutrition Services as a cashier. 

Saint Francis Medical Center is a 308-bed facility serving more than 713,000 people throughout Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. Guided by its mission to provide a ministry of healing and wellness inspired by its Christian philosophy and values, the Medical Center has become a progressive, innovative regional tertiary care referral center. Saint Francis’ major service lines, which have received national recognition, include the Neurosciences Institute; Orthopedic Institute; Family BirthPlace, featuring the region’s first Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Heart Hospital; Emergency and Level III Trauma Center; Cancer Institute; and Fitness Plus. 

Saint Francis Healthcare System announces the appointment of Victoria Dacus, RN, BSN, to her new role as patient care manager for Progressive Care. 

In this role, Dacus is responsible and accountable for the delivery of care, development of policies and procedures, standards of care and protocols in accordance with the policies, procedures, philosophy and objectives of Saint Francis Medical Center. 

Dacus has been with Saint Francis for 11 years in Progressive Care. When she first stared at the Medical Center she was a CNA and later became the lead charge nurse. 

She earned both her RN and BSN from Southeast Missouri State University.  

Saint Francis Medical Center is a 308-bed facility serving more than 713,000 people throughout Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. Guided by its mission to provide a ministry of healing and wellness inspired by its Christian philosophy and values, the Medical Center has become a progressive, innovative regional tertiary care referral center. Saint Francis’ major service lines, which have received national recognition, include the Neurosciences Institute; Orthopedic Institute; Family BirthPlace, featuring the region’s first Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Heart Hospital; Emergency and Level III Trauma Center; Cancer Institute; and Fitness Plus. 

Cape Girardeau, Missouri - Saint Francis Healthcare System announces the appointment of Tina Rogers, as manager of professional billing for revenue cycle. 

In this role, Rogers is responsible for managing the everyday operation of billing, follow-up, credit and collections and payment processing areas of the business office. 

Rogers has been a part of Saint Francis since 2009, and has worked as a hospital biller, a system administrator and an assistant manager for the business office. 

Saint Francis Medical Center is a 308-bed facility serving more than 713,000 people throughout Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. Guided by its mission to provide a ministry of healing and wellness inspired by its Christian philosophy and values, the Medical Center has become a progressive, innovative regional tertiary care referral center. Saint Francis’ major service lines, which have received national recognition, include the Neurosciences Institute; Orthopedic Institute; Family BirthPlace, featuring the region’s first Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Heart Hospital; Emergency and Level III Trauma Center; Cancer Institute; and Fitness Plus.